It was a lovely Saturday afternoon, one that should be spent outside, enjoying the scenery. Instead, the Good Doctor was inside her office at Riverview Clinic. She pored over some case reports that she had been alerted to by her Chief Resident at her desk.

Lucien walked down the road leading to the Clinic, lips pressed thinly. The news he was bringing was weighing heavily on him. Gwyr walked beside him quietly. As they reached the Clinic, Gwyr opened the front door for the Barrister and followed Lucky in.

The receptionist, Phyllia Hawkwood, smiled at the Barrister, and politely nodded to his companion. "Good afternoon, Mister Mallorek. What brings you here on such a lovely day?"

Lucien smiled at the lady's greeting and bowed his head in turn. "Good afternoon, M'Lady. I was wondering if Dr. Valkonan was in. I've a few things I need to discuss with her."

"You're in luck. The Doctor was called in to oversee a few things. She's in her office. Do you want me to buzz her for you, or do you two just want to go on back there?"

The Barrister glanced over at Gwyr and nodded, then nodded to the receptionist. "If you would be so kind to buzz the good Doctor and let her know we are here, I would appreciate it."

"Of course." Phyllia pressed one of the buttons on her phone, and then spoke into it in hushed tones. She nodded to the men. "You can go right in."

"Thank you." Lucien and Gwyr both nodded to Phyllia and walked past toward the back of the Clinic. The Barrister flexed his grip on the briefcase, pausing for a moment as he stood in front of her office door. He drew a deep breath and rapped on the door firmly.

Her brows still furrowed from the case files in front of her, Maranya looked up from the paperwork. "Come in!"

Lucien opened the door and poked his head in first, then stepped inside. Gwyr followed quietly. "You should come up for air every once in awhile," the Barrister remarked as he moved to one of the chairs in front of her desk.

She laughed, rich and full, with that comment from the Barrister. "Da, I should. Every time I do, however, someone pushes me under with yet another case that I and only I should look at." She tapped the stack of papers into a neat pile, and set them aside. Then she smiled at the pair. Lucien allowed an easy smile, then turned a bit, nodding to Gwyr. "I've brought Gwyr along to help, as we had discussed." The Barrister's faithful manservant stepped forward and bowed his head to Anya.

"Well met, Gwyr." She looked from the manservant to Lucien. "Now, what exactly am I being helped with today?"

"With whatever you need help with, Anya. Not to mention, make sure the clinic doesn't fall to any more...vandals." Lucien added the latter with a crooked grin.

The Good Doctor ruefully smiled at the pair. "Bozhe moi. At least Pravilno caught one of them in the act, and they are in the hands of the legal system." She briefly looked at the pile of case files on her desk, then back up at Lucien. "If you could somehow make more hours in the day, that would help me tremendously."

"I wish I could do that for myself, Anya," Lucien replied. He then turned and nodded to Gwyr, who nodded to Anya.

"I am at your disposal, Mum," the man offered, breaking his silence. He then stepped out of the office, closing the door behind him.

Lucien drew a deep breath and settled into the chair. "You might have your wish, however."

Her brow ticked upward in unspoken question. "From the way you say that, Lucien, I presume that I will not like the way I get more time in my day." Inside, the knot that formed in her stomach when she was under tension settled in to rest once more.

His lips thinned tightly as he sat forward in the chair. Lucien nodded, a deep frown marring his brow. "The Magistrate made his ruling yesterday," he explained quietly. The Barrister reached into his briefcase and pulled out a copy of the order. "Our petition to dismiss the charges and to hold off the ruling on your license was denied, Anya."

Lucien drew a deep breath before he continued. "He suspended your license to practice medicine. I am sorry," his voice quieted to a heavy hush.

Denied. Suspended. She mouthed the words, before she spoke them in a voice devoid of tone, "Denied. Suspended." The blood drained from her face, and she pressed her steepled fingers to her lips to stop their trembles.

"Until this....ridiculous matter is resolved," he managed to voice without spitting it out. "You have a few days to put your affairs in order, before the suspension takes effect," he added in a more gentle tone.

Maranya nodded weakly. The drowning analogy that they had spoken of in jest before seemed to feel all too real at the moment. That feeling of lungs about to burst from lack of oxygen. Until, at last, she took slow, deep breaths, to chase the black spots in her vision away. Then her shining hazels met Lucien's honest blue eyes. "At least they gave me that. How gracious."

He reached across the desk to place a friend's assuring hand on hers, for what it was worth. The Barrister was mad at the injustice his client was forced to deal with, but more than that, Lucien was worried for his friend.

"You know, you can use this time to go away with Antonio and spend more time with the children," he offered with tempered humor.

She faintly smiled at the touch to her hand, and nodded slowly. "Da, I can do that." Then her shining gaze turned down to the case files in a neat pile on her desk. "But what of the other children, who need my help" What of the ones who might well die because I am not there to save them' I know, I can't save them all....but why are my hands being tied to prevent me saving the ones I can?" She shook her head. "It's not your fault, Lucien, please don't mistake my anger at the judicial system for anger at you. I truly appreciate your help."

He followed her gaze to the stack of files that sat on her desk, then gave her a light squeeze of reassurance before sitting back in the chair. "You can not take that burden onto yourself, Doctor." The weight of his voice in speaking the title spoke to how he felt about the Magistrate's decision. "We can see about making arrangements with healers and perhaps even clerics to tend to your patients."

The Good Doctor flashed Lucien a faint smile. "I have a full staff here, Lucien. Many of whom are as capable, or in some cases, more capable, than I am. Yet people come to me because they trust me." She took a deep breath to try to fill lungs that felt squeezed at least a size smaller from tension. "I know, I cannot take the world upon my shoulders like fabled Atlas. I should not even try." The fingertips of her ringed hand tapped the case files on her desk. "I will talk to my Chief Resident about these cases. Then I need to figure out who can act as Chief of Staff in my temporary leave of absence." She looked for reassurance from the Barrister, that it would in fact be a temporary leave of absence, and not permanent.

Lucien nodded. "Gwyr will report here every day to help in any capacity he is needed for as long as he is needed." The Barrister then reached into his briefcase, a humorless, yet crooked grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. He held up the petition. "He might have won this battle, but the war isn't lost," Lucien offered with a nod.

"I won't give up the fight, Lucien. People have said that I need a vacation for some time now." That rueful smile touched her lips. "This is not the way I intended to take it, but I should not waste the opportunity to get rest, and come back refreshed."

"Truth be told, Anya," he replied as he slipped the petition back in his briefcase. "This was not the way I intended for you to take a vacation either."

"I know, Lucien. I know." Her unringed hand reached out for his, to briefly give it a squeeze of reassurance. "But, if I whine about the windfall of lemons, that prevents me from making lemonade to enjoy."

He took hold of that hand and lifted it to press a kiss to the back of it before releasing his hold of it. "That is not a bad idea. Going somewhere far away with Antonio, somewhere warmer and relaxing."

Maranya's faint smile curved her lips at the kiss to her hand. "Or helping him with his business, to take some of the pressure off of him." She nodded. "Either way, I will still be seen in town. Just....not opening the Annex to Riverview at the Inn." Her smile turned wistful.

The Barrister smiled lightly as one eased her features. "I will be looking for you around town then, hopefully taking it easy more." A more resolute expression set upon his features then. "We will get this matter resolved, Anya. They are not going to get away with this...blackmail."

"Nyet, they won't. I'm not going to fold under like a house of cards under a strong wind. Though, Beyond knows I want to." The Good Doctor nodded, her own features set in determination. "We will get through this, Lucien. I will survive this trial of fire."

The Barrister rose to his feet. "I've no doubt of it, Anya." He leaned across the desk to place a chaste kiss on her cheek. "I am sorry I didn't have better news to bring you."

Maranya smiled as the chaste kiss warmed her chilled cheek nicely. "It could have been worse, Lucien. You could have told me that the Orc in question now owns Riverview."

"That will occur over his dead body," Lucien replied with a wry grin. "I best let you get back to work, Doctor. As it is, I need to get this petition filed at the Courthouse."

"Of course. Take care, Lucien. Though nailing him up by his Underoos will be more satisfying. Even if metaphorically, though literally...." She shook her head with a smile. "And please thank Gwyr for me, as well."

"And give Antonio my regards as well. I will stop by in a few days to see how you are doing." The Barrister offered a nod of his head before stepping out of her office.

"I will." Once the Barrister left, the Good Doctor gave in to a brief, cleansing burst of tears. Then, the grieving part over, she turned reddened hazels to the stack of paperwork on her desk, and set down to the tasks of reorganizing the Clinic surgical schedule from the ground up.

Batosai held onto the edge of the rooftop as he looked out over the scene below. A small bribe had bought him the building schematics for the upscale apartment building where Magistrate Thoarar Panestone made his home. Ever since the bombing at the courthouse, that had nearly claimed the life of this same Magistrate, the man had secluded himself in security guards, belying the arrogance he displayed within the courtroom. Another handful of bribes, as well as careful observation, and Batosai knew the patrol routes and radio frequencies of the security guards. Last night he had gone over the blueprints for the target and neighboring buildings, and had dicovered this weakness. It was a tricky route, timing an approach to the roof, into the ventilation system, and down to the Magistrate's penthouse. Batosai had managed worse however.

The predator's eyes were a solid black, his Oryugan arte giving his vision several beneficial enhancements. His vision telescoped in to focus on the three guards who patrolled the rooftop of the target building. When the three were the right distance apart, Batosai's legs tensed suddenly and launched him into the air. Even as his body began to arc back towards the ground, he was twisting and drawing the thin senbon needles from a holster on his thigh. Deft flicks of his wrist and six needles were sent two a piece to the guards, striking them in specific nerve clusters to render them unconcious. By the time his legs flexed to absorb the impact of his landing, the three guards slumped to the rooftop. Working quickly, the feline moved to the right air vent and opened the cover. A deft thrust of a kunai knife stopped the air fan in place, allowing Batosai to squeeze into the vent, using his Shii'Koh to allow his hands and feet to stick to the walls and move soundlessly.

Two minutes later, his black eyes let him see through the air vent walls and the cieling to watch the two guards just outside the Magistrate's penthouse. These two would need to be neutralized while the feline was inside. Clawed hands formed a series of hand seals, whispered words invoking a Shii'Koh Arte. As the hypnosis settled over the two guards, their rigid stance slowly slumped until they both passed out one after the other. Only a slight squeeking betrayed Batosai's exit from the air vent, the cover replaced silently. Another two senbon were stabbed into each guard to keep them out, then the feline stood before one of the guards, studying his features. A different sequence of hand seals and an illusion wrapped around his body, changing his appearance to that of the guard. His identity thus hidden, Batosai located the supply closet on this hallway and deposited the guards inside, at last he picked the lock on the front door and slipped inside.

The Magistrate had been asleep since ten at night, but something suddenly roused him to full conciousness. Looking at the electronic clock by his bedside revealed that it was now four in the morning, and he could not tell what had awoken him. That was when he heard the low growl at his bedside. In the same moment he tried to sit up, something descended over his chest and pulled him back to the bed. His legs and arms were similarly restrained, and when he looked he saw what appeared to be ghostly hands holding him down.

"Do not struggle Magistrate, and you will not be unduly harmed." The voice issued from the shadows where the growl had come from. With a click his bedside lamp came on, illuminating the figure from the waist down. It appeared to be one of his own security guards! "I need for you to listen very carefully, but do not speak or try to call your guards. If you do, I will kill you where you lie." Something about the voice convinced the Magistrate that the threat was genuine, so he mutely nodded.

"Good. My name is unimportant. You only need to know that I am displeased. There are those within the city's community who have taken upon themselves to hire my services. My employers are displeased with you and one of your recent judicial decisions." A soft chuckle at this point, something amused the speaker.

"You are the Magistrate assigned to the Riverview case, and your rulings are upsetting the community who has come to rely on that clinic. Even a man as intelligent as you knows how dangerous this city's populace can be. Surely a man as intelligent as you knows that there are certain people who should not be offended, or upset." A soft sigh, "Unfortunately, your ruling has managed to upset one of these citizens, and now I am here. If I were to simply kill you however, your successor might not correct the situation. So I am faced with a difficulty. How can I ensure you make the correct decision when the Riverview case returns to your courtroom?"

Now the figure stepped further into the light, stopping just before his face was revealed. In his hands was a small syringe. "Just before you awoke I injected you with a poison. It is a very curious poison however, and comes in two parts. You have just recieved the first half." A soft chuckle again, "If you make the right choice in court, you will never need fear the second half. However, if you should rule unfavorably, then the other component of this poison *will* find you."

"I am told that his poison is particularly unpleasant. It is a neuro-toxin that inflames the entire nervous system, causing every nerve ending to burn with pain. Next your muscles begin randomly constricting, and eventually you break your own spine in the spasms." The figure stepped back into the shadows. "I *will* be watching you, Magistrate. Riverview is not to be inconvienanced by this orc. Find an excuse to rule in Riverview's favor, or you will not live long beyond that point. Oh, and in case you doubt me, look at the end of your bed. Now go back to sleep Magistrate."

Thoarar's neck muscles had been tensed through the entire threatening speech, and now he opened his mouth to respond, but found he could not. His eyes grew heavy and before he could resist, he was asleep on his bed again.

**************** 5 minutes later ****************

Batosai left the sleeping human and moved back through the penthouse to the window balcony. He was unreeling a spool of shinobi wire as he walked, which trailed back to a grapnel anchored into the far wall. When the wire was coiled on the balcony table, the feline loaded a crossbow with another grapnel on the other end of the line, then took aim for an alleyway across the street. A soft hiss as the weapon fired, followed by a distant thunk. Unfortunately for the predator, it was at this point that the alarm went out. One of the guards had paid an unexpected visit to his buddy stationed on the rooftop, and sounded the alert. Cries from the ground level as flashlights swept Batosai's position where he prepared to go down the wire. Gunshots were the next thing to ring out, and the feline snarled in pain as two of the rounds found their mark even as he was sliding down the wire. His landing was less than perfect due to the wounds. Already he was using his Shii'Koh energy to staunch the bleeding and allow him to keep moving. Another pain as a crossbow bolt found it's mark in his upper thigh, just below his rump. That further complicated things as he ducked into the alleyway. The sounts were close and getting closer as the feline reached back and snapped off the end of the bolt, then kept running. His muscles were damaged to the point he was forced to abandon his original rooftop escape route. The chase was short, with Batosai creating illusiory clones which each took off in different directions, drawing off pursuers while he slipped into a sewer entrance. He would have to stop somewhere to tend to his wounds before he could return home. Thankfully the Red Dragon was not far, and Batosai had rented a room there.

**************** 30 minutes later ****************

When the mind Arte Batosai used to put the Magistrate to sleep finally wore off, Thoarar sat up with a cold sweat running down his body. Nothing seemed out of place, and for a sick moment he wanted to dismiss the whole ordeal as a nightmare, when a twitch of his foot bumped something at the foot of his bed. Getting up and turning on the light, the Magistrate pulled back the covers and let out a shocked gasp. There on the end of his bed was his pet cat, obviously dead. The animal's face was contorted in a silent scream, and it's limbs were twisted in unnatural positions. The creature looked as if it had died in complete agony, and lying next to it's corpse was an empty syringe...

There was an urgency in the page boy's knock. Lucien sighed and rose to his feet as Gwyr entered his office. He knew it was a summons that the page had delivered before Gwyr had even handed it to him. No words were spoken between the men. There were none needed. The Barrister's faithful manservant went to hitch up the team, while the Barrister gathered his papers and his jacket. ******* "I do not need to stress to you the seriousness of this situation, do I Master Mallorek?" The leather seat moaned its lament as the Magistrate sat forward at his desk and peered over steepled fingers at the Barrister. "No, My Lord, that is unnecessary." Magistrate Davrry Leonon nodded at Lucien's reply. "I'm glad to hear that, Master Mallorek." The venerable jurist pursed his lips as he signed the papers that were on his desk. He continued to speak without looking up from his work. "I will be taking over the case against your client from Magistrate Panestone, as well as your countersuit from Magistrate Wolfswift." His remark was punctuated with a firm press of his seal on the documents. Leonon handed the documents to his waiting clerk, who promptly stepped out of the Magistrate's office without a word. Once the door to his office closed, the senior Magistrate spoke once more. His voice remained quiet and calm, but the indignation was unmistakable. "Threatening a servant of this Court is bad enough. Actually poisoning a long-seated and respected jurist is inexcusable." Leonon immediately held up a deceptively frail looking hand, staying the Barrister. "Magistrate Panestone's investigation will bring to light whether or not your client knew of the attack or not." The Magistrate studied the Barrister sitting before him. "It is only your reputation that keeps you from suspicion, Master Mallorek, but only barely." The Barrister voiced his query against weight of the unspoken implications that hung heavily in the room. "How is Magistrate Panestone's health?" "The Magistrate is in good health now." Leonon drew a deep breath and sat back in his seat. "Viktor, this assault and insult will not be forgotten nor forgiven." Lucien knew that Panestone would be out for blood and all the Court's resources would be availed to him. The Barrister nodded. "I understand."

Tensions were ripe. Security was tight. And nerves were taut.

The Barrister sat at the table beside Anya with his briefings and notes laid out neatly before him. He listened to the murmurings that swirled around them. He breathed in the humming restlessness, tasting it in the back of his throat. To say the courtroom was a veritable powderkeg, was an understatement.

P?l Ennis, sat on the other side of Maranya at the table. The man was Lucien's elder and a long time associate who helped the Barrister with contracts and dealings primarily outside of Rhydin proper. The man's reputation was impeachable and his calm, almost grandfatherly demeanor made many underestimate the man's legal cunning. The Barrister understood all to well, that both were needed.

As the gavel came down and the gallery silenced, Lucien reached over an placed a gentle, but firm hand on Anya's arm. There were unspoken warning and encouragement alike in that touch, as a cool gaze turned to the plaintiff's attorney to hear his opening statement.

An old Orc in a wrinkled and smelly suit, quite dapper for an Orc, stood from his chair at the Plaintiff's table, while Gorlak sat in his full bodycast with nurse beside him.

"Your honor....I intend to show that my client, Gorlak the Unwashed, was maliciously and grievously harmed by the racist, hate-filled and incompetent actions of the staff at Riverview Clinic and as a result of this wretched and illegal treatment, caused my client to suffer terrible, near deadly injury and pain."

Gorlak's lawyer scoffed as Lucien recited the litany of dreams he wished to come true before feeling he had to interrupt, "My Lord, while I truly respect my colleague's passion and desire, I feel I must remind this court that the plaintiff's physician is not on trial here and his medical standing of record is unblemished and there is no legal reason to call into question his medical credentials. Furthermore, it is already under contention that the Defendant's judgment and medical opinion are in question and highly suspect. Concrete evidence, as Mr. Mallorek puts it, has been submitted in the form of the required medical submissions and records deemed necessary by this court. If this court's own documents are suddenly not enough for Mr. Mallorek, then it is I that will ask for a summary judgment in my client's favor."

The orc Barrister paced casually behind his side of the Plaintiff's table, hands gesturing, ticking off points one at a time as he made them.

"Second, Mr. Mallorek is asking for charges and arrests for things he has no proof of! This is outrageous and highly insulting, not only to me and my client, but to this very court! To suggest that just because Mr. Mallorek does not agree with the findings that criminal charges MUST be the answer and acted upon without even the *courtesy* of a trial to prove his outlandish and defamatory statements. If Mr. Mallorek has proof of criminal acts having been committed that back up his statement, then I demand he provide them, now, or that this court silence him and his borderline criminal behavior in bandying about such scandalous insults and false accusations in this grand court."

"Mr. Mallorek is asking for restitution, reversal of judgments, and more imaginary charges against my client that, again, he has *no* proof of whatsoever. And all without the minor detail...." ::he throws his hands up in exasperation. "...that this case hasn't even begun or been heard yet! Mr. Mallorek wishes to deny my client's right to a trial...just as they denied his right to treatment that led to his current condition. This is a dangerous and reckless pattern emerging on the part of the Defendant and her counsil. Also, my client's nurse is not on trial here either. If the court could please remind Mr. Mallorek that this is a court of law and justice, not a personal gestapo entity to answer every illegal and immoral whim and false accusation that strikes his fancy!"

The barrister halted his pacing and gesticulating and places massive, gnarled hands, though clean and well manicured by orcish standards, upon the wooden table before him.

"If Mr. Mallorek wishes a speedy conclusion to this trail, perhaps I can offer my own suggestion, in the form of a request for summary judgment in my client's behalf based on the horrifically dishonorable and most serious charge of attempted murder of this court's original magistrate. I believe Mr. Mallorek's clients are in enough trouble as it is without resorting to making outlandish demands on this court when they have such a laundry list of charges pending and the most serious of which I fully believe the court will uncover in an assassination attempt."

"Now....I respectfully request that unless there are any items of *proof* to Mr. Mallorek's ridiculous and desparate attempts to divert blame for his client's crimes...that we be allowed to exercise our honorable right to trial, given to us by this fair and regal city." He swept a small bow and lowered his bulk into his seat, smiling pleasantly.

The gavel came down on the sound block, radiating the Magistrate's tried patience over the courtoom.

"You were both warned to proceed with caution," the venerable jurist's quiet words resonated over the hushed courtroom. "I warmed both sides that this court was not going to tolerate misconduct." The weight of the Magistrates tone as well as he glare was unmistakable. "I want both senior counsels...and only the senior counsels, in my chambers....now."

The aged orc barrister stood and straightened out his wrinkled suit and followed the bailiff into the chambers without a word.

Lucien collected his notes, offering Anya a reassuring smile and a nod to his co-counsel before stepping out of the courtroom after the Magistrate and the other attorney.

Magistrate Davrry Leonon looked upon the Orc attorney and Barrister over steepled fingers, the wrinkled lines about his face made more prominent with his lips pursed. "I will not have this Court turned into a circus, not be made a mockery of," he began, sitting forward in his seat, holding up a staying hand to keep both attorneys silenced.

"First, Master Mallorek. It would have sufficed to simply asked for a court appointed physician to exam Mr. Gorlak...which," the Magistrate emphasized turning his attention to the Plaintiff's attorney, "the Defendant has every right to request, as a matter of examining the evidence put forth."

"Second, Master Rimdar. May I remind you that it was at your client's insistence that the Defendant's license was revoked before her 'case had even been heard'. So I would warn you against making such allegations and statements, especially regarding the matter with Magistrate Panestone...which," Leonon turned his attention back to Lucien, "is still under investigation."

"Lastly, Gentlemen...and at the moment, I use that term loosely...if I find that either side has falsely files motions and claims upon suspect evidence, issue baseless accusations and in general attempt to make a mockery of this Court, I will personally seek your license to practice in this jurisdiction. Is that understood?" The Magistrate waited for man and orc to acknowledge his final warning before continuing. "Now, Master Mallorek, I hope that your request for another physician's examination of the Plaintiff is not an attempt to harass the party."

"My Lord, I must insist, *again*, unless my colleague has some evidence that my client's doctor is guilty of some manner of deceit or malpractice, I simply ask that it be submitted through proper channels and my client would gladly submit himself to whatever physician Mr. Mallorek would care to name. On the matter of *Miss* Valkonan's license, as you know, we requested this action be taken for the protection of the public at large until this nasty matter could see the light of justice. The charge alone is sufficient cause in almost all cultures and lands of law to suspend practice when the public could be endangered."

"That is enough, Master Rimdar," the elder jurist cut off the attorney. "I will not warn you again. Master Mallorek" What say you?"

The Barrister reached into a folder he carried and removed a certified statement he'd received from the Watch. "No, my Lord. I assure you that is not my, nor my Client's intent." A copy of the document was offered to the Magistrate and another copy offered to the Orc attorney. "We just received a copy of the witness statement you have just yesterday afternoon from the Captain of the Watch. It is testimony from one of the orcs who was captured in the act of vandalizing the Riverview Clinic."

Lucien let the Magistrate and the Plaintiff's attorney read the testimony a bit before continuing. "The witness attests to the Plaintiff's physical condition and general health, as well as the Plaintiff's involvement and direction of the attack on the Clinic and the general harassment of my Client. The Barrister let the measure of that sink in before offering the last. "The witness is Mr. Gorlak the Unwashed own son."

The Magistrate's lips thinned to a forbidding line as he looked up from reading the testimony at the Barrister's revelation. "My Lord," Lucien continued, "I would ask the witness be provided with Court protection, especially since he testified against his own father."

The high back seat whined as the Magistrate sat back. The witness statement was set on his desk as he looked at the two attorneys sitting before him for a breath, before he sat forward and folded his hands on his desk. "Gentlemen, this is what is going to happen."

*****

Rimdar and Lucien returned to their respective clients and sat at their tables once the Magistrate had resumed his place at the bench. Davrry Leonon gave each a warning glance, before he looked past them to the gallery. The seasoned Magistrate put on his spectacles and struck the gavel to the sound board once.

"In light of recent discoveries, I am going to issue my judgement without further need to waste the Court's time." He peered over the rim of his glasses to both the Plaintiff and Defendant, both sides rising to their feet.

"In the Plaintiff's original complaint and allegations of Malpractice and Discrimination, I find for the Defendant and order her license restored without prejudice and the record of this case expunged. In the Defendant's countersuit and allegations of Defamation, Libel, and Damages to Property, I order the Plaintiff pay the Defendant restitution for the cost of the damages solely to Property. No other damages are to be awarded to the Defendant."

Leonon signed then sealed the ruling, and handed it to his Clerk to file immediately, before removing his spectacles and leveling his gaze back at the two parties. "This is an outrage, and it is only at the Attorneys' insistence for his client, that neither side is facing contempt and other more serious charges. This matter is now closed. If I see either side in this Court again regarding this matter, I will not be so lenient."

With those parting words, the gavel was struck to the soundboard.