inseine | TEXT ✍ 002, DATED NOV 1ST

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TEXT ✍ 002, DATED NOV 1ST

[Police Filter: Only Edgeworth, Asch, Elliot, Gale, and Raidou may view this broadcast. Tohru Adachi has been intentionally left out of the discourse. The following message is written in script - he had discovered a strange penlike device (resembling a traditional quill pen from his own time) with his Dreamberry communicator, which can be used to physically write his notes on the screen. It should be recognizable as the Inspector's handwriting.]

CONCERNING THE RECENT CRIMINAL MATTERS The events of last night do not require preface. Most of you were present. I remember this well. There are two offenses under investigation at this moment. The first is the murder committed against a girl, name: Precious, found shortly after arrival the day of October 31st. The second is the moral violation committed against Mlle. Naomi Hunter. It is clear that the black tart murderess of the first offense enjoys an audience. She carries herself with confidence; she thinks herself infallible. It is prudent to first investigate the matter of her identity and her possible hideaways immediately. Other spirits are a sensible start. The cleanly scamp of the second is a slippery devil. Mlle. Hunter will not speak. I have sent my report with the morning mail. You have each received one copy. Review it well. Consider looking for deceptive men, or men of questionable morals. You will keep all details silent. These matters concern only the service. Let us not let word spread to our lug. That will give him time to hide. Lastly, there is an additional member of the service. Tohru Adachi will serve in a lower administrative capacity. Watch him closely. Javert, Inspector of the First Class Novembre 1st, about noon-thirty At the District Five Court House

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The murderess had not revealed herself until last night's broadcast. All the other ghosts have made their presence known at least once in the shop they run, yet none have spoken a word about her yet. All information regarding her is likely to be strictly confidential.

Regarding the Hunter incident, has any evidence been gathered which might point us to a possible culprit?

[Unknown to Javert, Edgeworth paused here for a good five or six minutes, unsure of how to proceed. The ideal solution would be to test for fingerprints and DNA, the usual -- yet with Ema Skye's disappearance, he knows of no other person qualified in forensics. He bitterly considers how to proceed, yet given the nature of carefully worded writing, none of his present concerns are shown in the message.]

From what I have heard of the incident and given Hunter's reluctance to comply, it is highly likely that she might be protecting the culprit. We should take down what little testimony she is willing to give, but continue to seek other methods of solving the mystery. Physical evidence is best: torn articles of clothing, hair, perhaps a personal artifact left behind unintentionally.

Have eyewitness accounts been taken from those who saw or spoke with Hunter on the day of the incident?

[There is a long pause before Javert manages a response. Though he has long since adjusted to the use of such a technologically advanced device, he was still rather slow and woefully clumsy in executing its functions. His huge, rough hands were quite the obstacle in navigating small phones.]

Excuse me, M. Edgeworth: Allow me an audience with you. The written report does well for what came of Mlle. Hunter's testimony. I will speak of details in person. It is quicker.

[After a short interval during which Edgeworth took the time to do a final check and organize his paperwork before leaving, the prosecutor arrives at Javert's office. Since his entrance is not only expected but specifically requested, there is no need to knock and he simply lets himself in.]

Inspector.

[At the sound of Edgeworth's entrance, Javert immediately rose to his feet and granted his superior a respectful bow. He did not intend to sit behind the desk for the remainder of this meeting. It was unsuitable. Instead he straightened and stood near the single, dim window.]

M. Edgeworth, you seek the particulars. I will give them to you.

[Here he begins with a slight correction on Edgeworth's prior assumption.]

Mam'selle Hunter has claimed a deficiency of the memory in her report but I don't trust that as far as I can throw her. She has no reason to protect her attacker. It is some ill-begot pride or a notion of fear that keeps her from speaking. That is assuming her head is intact.

[The way he said the word, pride, indicated some sort of derision in the construct as applied to females.]

She is far too proud a woman. I see no fear in her.

[For what feels like the first time in ages, Edgeworth has the opportunity to discuss the case with an intellectual equal. He finds himself wondering how any work was ever accomplished during the time he spent working with Detective Gumshoe and his department.]

Pride may indeed be the case, but we can't discard the possibility of her protecting the attacker either. Consider a scenario in which she conceals the truth out of some ill form of affection for the criminal, or perhaps fear that revealing their identity might bring about even worse circumstances for her. And of course, Hunter could be keeping a secret from us that might surface in the investigation were we to make further progress.

[He indeed noticed Javert's emphasis on the particular word. Edgeworth inwardly reminds himself that the Inspector is from a different time entirely. In addition to social standards, detective work and carefully calculated crime analysis have come a long way since then. Javert's instincts might have served him well when things were much simpler, but times have changed.]

What reason would she have to give a false testimony? Moreover, why would one so full of pride be reluctant to cooperate unless there was more to the story? Something here simply doesn't add up yet. I'm afraid further investigation is necessary.

[Edgeworth himself had to learn the painful lesson that the truth is not always black and white. Now, it's Javert's turn.]

[Javert gives a brief, sharp nod, a low hum of agreement uttered from the back of his throat. He affords a glance askance out the window, his eyelids dropping in thought.]

You have read about the others present with her. The boy is a pesky thing, but only a boy. The other...

[Javert raises his head to Edgeworth, though there is still a distant gleam in his eye.]

He is... close at hand.

[Recalling the two men from Javert's detailed report of the incident, Edgeworth doesn't notice that the Inspector appears to be distracted by other thoughts.]

Danny Fenton is young. Regrettably, the lack of work ethic and clumsy nature are to be expected of a boy his age and century. As for the other man... you've made him a member of the service. Given his lack of assigned duties aside from paperwork, I presume you mean to keep a close eye on him.

The others were not scrutinized to such an extent, and to be frank, I can't imagine you as a man who would give someone a chance to prove themselves if deemed unworthy upon initial estimation.

Do you suspect him?

[Straight to the point, very blunt. It was worthy of a man of Edgeworth's stature. Javert approved in silence, his gaze cast out the window whilst the seconds of his wall-mounted clock ticked by.

It felt entirely different from Valjean's atrocious turn at mayorship. Valjean, that damnable man that won't leave his thoughts be. His arrival had more of an effect on Javert than he cared to admit.]

Adachi is... well-suited to pen pushing, M. Edgeworth. [Tried as he might to mask traces of his solidly southern French accent, the name always came out sounding more like ezh-WUURT than 'Edgeworth.'] He has spoken of good talent in tea-fetching in his previous life.

[A pause. He owed it to his superior to return bluntness with bluntness. He lifted his eyes to meet Edgeworth's.]

I do.

Edited 2009-11-11 06:30 (UTC)

...I see.

[With most of his subordinates, detailed explanations were required every step of the way. The same could not be said of Javert. It was a strange working relationship they had formed; little was said, much was implied and unspoken agreements were formed. The nod he responded to Javert's answer with said everything the other man needed to know: a silent 'Very well. You may proceed.']

Are there any other suspects?

*Unlike the others, Gale might have been noticeably absent for quite a while. Including the investigation of the ghost girl's death.*

Javert. I know that I have been absent from most of these events. My reason is complicated.

My Leader, Serph--has disappeared from Somarium.

[The beginnings of a sharp-tongued temper were palpable even through carefully-constructed, blunt, factual text.]

That cannot be correct. I did not discover a handwritten note in the post this morning. It cannot be that it has slipped your mind to report all incidences of that nature.

Edited 2009-11-04 00:33 (UTC)

You do not understand. This is not an event orchestrated by another entity.

Sometimes...people simply vanish from this world entirely. We assume they return home.

As for why...

It is best if I explain exactly what a Leader means, to our Tribe.

I told you to report incidences. You did not. I say you must tell me the situation in proper detail. You do not.

[There is a very palpable pause.]

You will be wasting your time. I do not care to listen.

This is my Tribe, Javert. My family.

...You do not comprehend this at all, do you.

Then consider the recent murder when another one of them is spirited away before your very eyes.

[It was not that Javert did not understand family matters. It was very true that Javert grew up hating his own heritage and both of his parents. This he would not deny. However, regardless of how Gale felt about his Leader, filing the information with the police would at least ensure a proper and timely investigation. In light of the recent murders, it was extremely important to document all of these cases - who is to say that our Black Tart was not off gallavanting about, picking people off in the back-alleys at night?

Though Javert suspected that was not the case, there was no guarantee. That was why it merited an investigation and proper documentation.]

Will that be all?

[Now it was time for Javert to make a fateful decision, one that he has made countless times in his career, reserved for those numbered among the service that he believed unsuitable for the field.]

You are dismissed.

*after a long pause*

What is 'dismissed'?

Relieved from duty indefinitely. Removed from service. Gone.

[It should be noted that Javert's method of address to Gale has shifted considerably. Rather than the more casual - if not more polite - you, he has switched to a stiffer, more formal, and yet distinctly ruder archaic thou.

In his native language, Javert would have traded in the informal tu for the distant, disrespectful vous.]

Dost thou carry a dictionary?

*Oh, Gale gets it just fine without a dictionary. And this is far worse than a slap in the face. :| Hence the sudden switch to voice*

...One does not simply dismiss a follower.

[And if course, it wasn't as if Javert was too timid to respond. His voice is fierce.]

I do and I have. You are turned out. Or do you suddenly have more to say?

Only this: Your obsession and slavish adherence to the law will only cause suffering. For you and all those around you. I hope you will one day see that.

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