Stone's Throw

[Marian Hawke]

"If you think a little thing like hundreds of miles will stop your granddad from taking care of his kiddos, you don't know your granddad."

[Andreas Amell]

"No, it's not that," Andreas explained. Like there's any chance he doesn't have a whole stack of teleport scrolls on him. "I'm just... This is really important to Grandne. I won't mess that up for them."

[Carver Amell]

That's about when Carver comes back in, holding two bowls of the soup. As he hands one to Marian and one to Andreas, he says, "Ah, we don't need to bother Dad. We can handle this. You're of course going to pick Nyran justice, right? In which case Aveline can take your statement and hand it off to someone else to investigate -- she can't do her own family stuff, of course, but I'm pretty sure you can negotiate to stay with her while we investigate instead of in the jail."

[Andreas Amell]

"I, uh, I haven't decided yet. Or, uh, managed to think about much at all," he admitted with a awkward duck of his head. "I'm not even... how would it work? Both of them, I mean."

[Carver Amell]

Carver lets out a long breath. "Weeellll," he says, slowly. "For Catfolk, their justice isn't officially sanctioned by the state of Nyra. They're breaking the law whenever they fail to report a crime. So I can't really tell you to do that. But from what I recall, both sides report their stories to the Keeper and he prays about it and decides what to do to make things right again. It's less about, what did Lina call it... it's less punitive justice and more restorative justice. But don't think that means they'd go soft on you. They have put people to death, or given them the ultimate dishonor: removing their sexual organs and their claws. That way they can never reproduce and they can't fight to defend themselves so they're treated like kits forever. Not a great start."

"For Nyra, they'll investigate the scene, looking for physical evidence, and they'll take statements. Normally you'd hold the primary suspect in prison so that they can't interfere with the investigation, but living with a guard captain I think we can just keep an eye on you  instead. We'll see. Then the police hand over their evidence to a judge, there's a trial... we'd be able to keep it private and seal the record because you're underaged and because you're related to a Light. We'll just claim there might be secrets protected by the state in there or something."

[Andreas Amell]

Andreas swallowed repeatedly as Carver explained, not looking up the entire time. When he finished, the young man took a long breath that caught repeatedly. "What... what kind of sentence would-- would a judge...?"

[Carver Amell]

"The worst you're looking at is sexual assault under outside control, which is pretty minor. A fine, maybe a little prison time more to protect you than anything else. In some alternate universe where you're convicted of Rape With Intent, that'd be a lot of prison time, but there's just no way. You were out of your mind with heat. That's going to matter a lot."

[Andreas Amell]

"What? A fine and a couple of weeks in jail?" Andreas stared at his uncle for a moment with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "That's it?"

[Garret Tethras]

"There are actually four degrees of rape convictions. After Rape Under Outside Control is Rape Under Impairment; committing rape while drunk or in a heat. That entails prison time starting at three years, geas-backed therapy to for substance abuse and/or mandated sex education and a sizable fine. As a minor, your record would be sealed. Then there is Rape in the Moment, wherein one is fully in one's mind but did not plan nor intend to commit the crime prior to the opportunity presenting itself. Ten years minimum, parole under tracking and geas, a significant fine, mandated therapy and education to instill proper social understanding and a permanent, unsealed record."

Despite beaming at everyone, pleased to be helping, Garrett found himself confused by the stares after he finished. "Is something amiss?"

[Marian Hawke]

"No, love. You did good. They're just upset by the information, not that you gave it." Marian places a hand on Garrett's arm gently. 

[Andreas Amell]

"Wait-- that first one. The first one you said, I mean," Andreas babbled at Garrett. "Under Impairment-- you said drunk and in heat so why did..?" He trailed off, confused gaze switching to Carver. 

[Carver Amell]

"I'm sure you'll get the same as the guy who killed someone under the effects of Charm Person -- basically no culpability. Between the drug and the heat, there's no chance for you to make your own decisions. I'm sure Dad can get a great lawyer."

[Garret Tethras]

Garrett perked up at Carver's comment. "I'm a lawyer," he offered with an eager grin. "I wanted to study business law-- legal bindings and contracts-- but Papa-electi said that would be 'tempting a dragon. A pain in the ass dragon.' So I decided on criminal law after Cedric said I'd probably need it one day. Maybe today even. And I agree with your Father-Uncle; with the facts given so far, a plea deal for a reduced sentencing of 'Outside Control' is very plausible."

[Andreas Amell]

Andreas didn't even notice another precious hint about his Uncle Garrett's mysterious origins, something he and his cousins would have pounced on any other day. Little busy and all. Likewise, he doesn't bother trying to puzzle out the name, title or address Garrett had used for Carver; his Celestial was shit anyway. "A plea deal," he repeated, nodding a little. "That-- that makes sense. I mean... I can't deny it happened... I think."

[Marian Hawke]

"Don't admit to anything before you have a plea deal all ready to sign," warns Marian. "But yes, I think we can handle this for you."