Continued from Part Fifteen

Hollerman stood and approached the wit-ness stand. “Sir, isn’t it true your business is in direct competition with public harems?”

Snyder stood. “Objection, relevance.”

“Give me a minute, your honor.”

The judge said, “For now, I’ll overrule the objection, proceed.”

Raulston sniffed. “Would you argue that  five star restaurants compete with McDonald’s? The businesses I highly recommend rear their concubines to be sweet, loving, and cultured and guarantee their virginity. Further, I assist clients with McDonald’s budgets by providing them representation in the process of buying exclusive rights to public concubines, so no.”

“But if everyone were required to use the public harems, your business would suffer.”

Raulston laughed. “Sir, you clearly do not know my business at all. Men who can afford new concubines would sooner die than set foot in a public harem. Not only does this include Donovan the Steward, but the Emperor himself. You will never see a law that would hurt me.”

“Mr. Raulston, do you really expect us to believe that men who travel frequently would not use their own public facilities? Would you not lie to protect your business interests?”

Snyder stood. “Objection, argumentative.”

The judge said, “Sustained.”

Hollerman glared at Snyder.

Raulston raised a finger. “I’ll answer. Sir, when you purchase an elite concubine, you join an elite club. It is this club’s culture to offer each other free entertainment while away. Frankly, your ignorance astounds. Any school girl could tell you that Donovan the Steward has insulted many a guest by refusing to grant them the use of his private collection. He may not be choosy about his women, but he is particular about his concubines. So long as he still breathes, you will never be a threat to my business.”

Hollerman growled and threw his hands up. “No further questions.”

Snyder said, “I recall Colonel Paul Dread to the stand and ask to treat him as a hostile witness.”

The judge said, “I’ll allow it.”

Dread stormed to the witness stand.

Snyder said, “Colonel, did you retain the services of Mr. Raulston?”

Dread said, “Of course. I didn’t know you well and recalled an acquaintance quite recently discussed as saying Raulston offered excellent service at an excellent price.”

Sneaking a dig in. The jerk met Donovan by stealing the credit for Snyder’s work. “Do you routinely access confidential personnel files and send them to outside third parties without permission?”

“When I feel it is appropriate.”

“Are you aware Army Regulation 8-304 governs the release of confidential files? Could you show me where, “Colonel Dread felt it was appropriate” is on the list of allowed reasons?”

Hollerman stood. “Objection.”

“Withdrawn. Now, Colonel, why did you proceed with the hire at the public harem when you knew it would not be well-received?”

Dread shrugged. “Sometimes, we must do difficult things. As Major Hollerman said, the military depends on rough men.”

“So your stance is you did it for my own good?”

“Yes.”

“Did you also deny six recommendations of promotion that were submitted in the last three years for my own good?”

Dread glanced to Hollerman expectantly.

Snyder smiled in the dead silence. “We’re establishing a pattern of conduct, Colonel.”

“I have always questioned the wisdom of having someone in intelligence with a criminal background.”

“So you denied promotion six times even when it was endorsed by my row supervisor and the CO over the operations center.”

 “Yes, but—”

“That was all.”

“You were sleeping with one of the COs.”

Mama Borden gasped. “Anny!”

Continued Next Thursday

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