[Arknights] A Guide to Make Money In Terra

Part 3: Rule of Law

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Well would you look at that, 2 chapters of this fic is entirely inside a courtroom. This chapter is 5 thousand words btw.

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Day 2.

For once, I almost felt relieved. Not because I'd had a sudden change of heart towards law and justice, but because it meant I wasn't sitting in that stinking cell, cut off from the world.

My lawyer, let's call him Fritz, was flipping through what looked like a stack of paperwork. Could be blank pages, could be last month's receipts. With Fritz, you never knew, he liked to create his narrative on the fly.

I leaned in. "Did you actually get a chance to talk to Exusiai?"

He gave a sly nod. "Yes, she'll be here. And she brought documentation to support her statements."

"Good. Just don't pressure her too much," I whispered. "She's got a loose mouth when she's nervous."

He gave a chuckle. "Nervous? Exusiai? She's more likely to charm the whole courtroom."

The gavel struck, silencing the room.

"Court is now in session," the judge intoned.

Ch'en wasted no time. She rose immediately, her eyes fixed on me like she was already calculating my downfall. "Prosecution calls Exusiai from Penguin Logistics to the stand."

Exusiai, dressed in her usual casual flair, strode in, giving a casual wave to the courtroom that earned a few raised eyebrows. As she took her seat, she flashed me a thumbs-up, the hint of a smirk on her face.

God help us all.

Ch'en started, her tone pointed. "Miss Exusiai, you're aware of your obligation to testify truthfully?"

Exusiai tilted her head, nodding. "Of course! Cross my heart."

Ch'en narrowed her gaze, unfazed by the cheerfulness. "So, let's get straight to the point. You handled deliveries for Mr. Romanov, yes?"

"Yep! Lots of deliveries. Big orders too—he's quite the business guy," Exusiai chirped.

Ch'en's eyes sharpened, her voice hardening. "Did you ever suspect that these orders might not be... on the level?"

Exusiai shrugged. "Eh, I'm not one to ask questions. I just move packages from Point A to Point B. Legal, illegal, I figure that's for someone else to decide."

Ch'en gave a tight smile. "How convenient for you. But tell me, Miss Exusiai, were there not times when you thought these shipments seemed... suspicious?"

Exusiai leaned back, tapping her chin. "Suspicious? Well, that's kind of subjective, isn't it? I've delivered everything from rubber ducks to military-grade gear. Suspicion is part of the job."

Ch'en's jaw tightened, but she turned to Fritz. "Your witness, Counselor."

Fritz rose smoothly, giving Exusiai a reassuring smile. "Miss Exusiai, I want you to help the court understand—did Mr. Romanov ever ask you directly to engage in any illegal activities?"

She shook her head firmly. "Nope. Just business orders, you know? 'Move these boxes here, pick up that shipment there.' The usual."

Fritz nodded, turning to the jury. "And to clarify, were there any instances where Mr. Romanov specifically instructed you to avoid customs checks or inspections?"

"Never," she replied confidently. "In fact, he'd tell me to stick to the legit routes, stay out of trouble."

Ch'en interjected. "Let's be clear, Miss Exusiai, you claim Mr. Romanov never hinted that these shipments should avoid the authorities?"