The Emperor's Dragon

Don't Cross the Little Old Ladies

Inko sat at her desk. She wasn't seeing anything. Before her was an open file. There were several new pages resting on the top of it. The pages were letters. Each bore a different letterhead. Each said the same thing. The words were different but the meaning was the same.

She took a deep breath, fighting back tears.

With regret, we cannot take on your case at this current time.

That was the gist of the letters. There were a variety of reasons. Conflict of interest. No pro-bono work this season. One had said that they did not believe she could win and wouldn't take her case based on that. Other's hadn't given an exact reason but Inko knew what was behind it. Finances. She just didn't have the money to pursue the case.

"Inko?"

She swallowed and sniffed before turning to see Meigo.

Despite the fact her eyes were dry, she didn't fool the other woman. "What's the matter, Inko?" came the question.

For a moment Inko thought about denying that anything was wrong but she knew her work colleagues wouldn't buy it. They had admitted they had an interest in her case and they knew about the fact she'd put in a Request For Information to the HPSC. They also knew that she'd had to back up that request with legal action.

Beacon had been her original law firm and the firm had been suggested by Ume. Except Beacon had pulled out, citing a conflict of interest. They didn't specify exactly what and were terribly apologetic. When that happened, Inko had accepted it. She'd heard of it happening before and didn't think anything was wrong.

There was something wrong now but she didn't know what she could do about it.

Wordlessly, Inko turned and carefully picked up the letters. She turned back to Meigo and held them out. The papers shook as her hands trembled.

The other woman's eyes went wide as she saw the paper move but she made no comment as she took them. Her eyes flicked over the first page before she flipped it over to read the second, then the third, and fourth and fifth.

"What?" Meigo demanded when she finished. "This is bullshit."

The confirmation that she wasn't mistaken is what broke Inko's resolve. Tears began streaming from her eyes and she couldn't reply.

"This is-" Meigo shook her head and she actually gasped. "This isn't right," she said finally.

Inko said nothing. This is what was.

"Ume!" Meigo yelled.

The older woman appeared from the kitchen. She didn't look frazzled by the summoning. Instead she was carrying her cup of tea. "Yes?" There was a testy note in her voice. She might not appear frazzled but she was definitely annoyed.

"Beacon pulled out on Inko," Meigo reported.

"Yes, she told me," Ume replied.

"So did everyone else," Meigo said, brandishing the letters in her fist.

Ume frowned, the expression showed the wrinkles on her face. She cocked her head slightly. "That's not right," she said, echoing what Meigo had said earlier. Ume held out her hand, silently demanding the stack.

Like Meigo she looked over them briefly. Then Ume turned her gaze to Inko. "Is there something you aren't telling us?" The question was piercing but there was a soft note in her voice that took out the sting of the accusation.

Inko shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.

Ume frowned again and she moved to her chair. "They're hiding something," she concluded.