Tomesch sighs.

What a total, complete mess.

The desk before him is tiled: On one half papers sprawl over pictures, folders lie on data stores, audio tapes and hand written notes. The chaos continues on the floor. On the other half of the table there is one single folder, rather thin, labeled “Final draft, copy T. Nokal”.

Tomesch continues to stare at the folder. Finally he takes it, flips briefly through it. He knows it very well, even more does he know what's not in there. He brings up the same document on his screen, signs it, encrypts it and sends it.
This is it. This is the verdict in the case “Borman vs Nokal”. He was the last judge of three to sign it.

Tomesch thinks back: Two months ago, he was eager to “sort everything out”. Before he even knew, what exactly to sort out. Now he knows. Generations of intrigue, plotting, blackmailing, malice, treachery. Members of clan Nokal working against clan Borman. And vice versa. For generations . Fueled by their ingenious slave masters, family Jipur.
Tomesch sighs again.
He sees how awfully clever they were keeping the slaves occupied with each other in exchange for little “favors”. Which consisted mainly of not doing something to a member of the own clan. That is, if said clan could blame the other, however thinly disguised.

For generations. Tomesch asks himself, if he really was so naïve just two months ago. “Sort everything out, sure”, he spits out. The whole trial was a complete waste of time. None of the old hostilities are even mentioned in the verdict. Neither are the reasons. Least of all there is a solution.

After all this investigation, after getting a neutral judge all the way from Pator to preside the clans court, after all this work and pain to see what his own clan did to Borman (and what Nokal suffered from them). For a week of better food, a day off or other trifles... Nobody is interested. Nobody cares. Borman wants revenge for Konar Borman, who was murdered by Ran Nokal. Nokal wants to protect Ran, because Rans brother was murdered beforehand, because a sister was murdered, because a father was murdered... all the way back, and the final because is: Because someone got meat and the other severe beating for disobeying. Nobody sees this. And the real “because” is completely forgotten: Because the Amarr are so damned good at organizing something to do for the slaves so they don't happen to get some peculiar ideas.

Judge Tomesch Nokal won't be at the court tomorrow, when Ran is banned from the planet and taken somewhere else. Tomesch leaves tonight and returns to space. Becoming just Tomesch again, no title, no sir. He won't be there, too, when Ran is hunted and finally killed. He will be in space. And at the following trial “Nokal vs. Borman” he will be in space, too.
In space, there is a chance to leave somewhere and arrive somewhere else.