The Tower of New London

[bluntpencil2001]

"Hey, hey, you, what's going on?!"

Commodore Stuart flinched in pain as the uniformed police officers dragged him from his luxurious hotel suite. He didn't resist, there was no point in it. He'd smooth-talk his way out later.

"You have the right to-" started the first policeman.

"Aye, I know, buddy, care to spare me it?" butted in the smart-mouthed privateer as he was handcuffed and put into the back of a Police Authority vehicle.

"Sorry, sir, but rules are rules..." responded the officer with obvious embarassment and regret.

Andrew shrugged as the copper recited his rights. He tried to bury his head in his hands, but found that having them cuffed behind his back made this a touch awkward.

"So chief, what's the charges?" asked the prisoner in as upbeat a tone as possible, receiving no response from the stony-faced BPA cops. They stared straight ahead as the vehicle buzzed through the orange evening sky.

"Christ, it wouldn't hurt to chirp up a bit lads! The boys scored a shipment of some fish that you aren't meant to cook and some of that burny rice-wine stuff last week, it would fair cheer you up... no?"

No response. They didn't even seem to blink.

"Oh, you don't like foreign food, right? No harm in that. Fish is to be battered and served with chips and if you're really fancy, a squeeze of lemon juices, am I right or am I right? Ah..."

Stuart found that keeping his spirits up and making jokes was too much of an effort as his semi-put-on laughter died off. He spent the rest of the thankfully short journey in silence before being dragged out in front of New Scotland Yard itself.

"Hey... you guys aren't meant to take criminals here... this is where the brass do..."

This time it was Sir Andrew that was cut off, but by the bright lights and noise of nearby news reporters, which drew his attention to the fact that the brass actually was here, and nobody was being quiet about it.

"Bugger... you're that Alan Lauderdale fella, right? What am I in for? Tax evasion? I've degrees in Economics, I do my taxes just ri-"

The by-the-book Superintendent responded matter of factly, all of this being recorded live.

"It is Sir Alan Lauderdale, Mister Andrew Stuart, and you are to be tried for the crimes of Piracy in the Void of Space and shall also face a military Court Martial regarding your misrepresentation of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the public sphere."

Sir Alan looked to the reporters, and before any could begin to speak, he uttered, "No questions."

The cocky Commodore responded before taking time to pause and think...

"Misrepresentation?! I'm a bloody war hero, you pen-pushing old bastard! And it is Sir Andrew Stuart!"

He flashed a slightly fearful grin at the camera crews, "Quote me on that."

Sir Andrew Stuart was dragged off with little ceremony at all, and had already begun to write his trial defence in his head...

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