Guilty As Charged

by Dave Hicks

 

1

 

I sat in a restaurant, overlooking the bay, halfway through the main course, when my forearm display informed me I'd been arrested and charged with exhibiting violent and uncivilized behavior in a public place, resulting in mental anguish. I watched the display, as the lawyer agent software of my choice appeared to defend me. My case never had much of a chance of winning from the very outset. I knew I'd be found guilty, even before the jury returned its decision. So did my lawyer. The whole thing was almost a forgone conclusion. Most of the other legal programs I'd been running on my display said as much. The prosecution had too strong a case against me. And against all advice, I'd strenuously insisted on pleading guilty to the charge.

Not only had I committed the crime in a public place, in normal business hours, but the victim had been a public official - a librarian. I'd gone to the library to collect a data card I'd ordered a week before and it hadn't yet arrived. That can happen when you insist on ordering a data card that you're certain doesn't exist.

I angrily told the librarian she was incompetent, without having any verifiable evidence to support my claim. The whole incident had been recorded by the library's surveillance system and before six very reputable and reliable witnesses, two of who worked at the library.

It was the fourth time I'd committed the same offense, on four consecutive days, in the same library, against the same librarian. I had already received three official warnings.

Uncivilized behavior is considered to be a criminal offense because it can spiritually, mentally, emotionally, socially, financially or physically disadvantage a person - other than myself. Therefore I wasn't given the option of serving my sentence in the privacy of my own home. The law takes crimes of violence quite seriously.

Once the judge had reluctantly passed sentence on me, I was informed; I had one year to make my way to a Criminal Correctional Center of my choice, to begin my rehabilitation. However, as the judge, the prosecution and my lawyer recommended, I could lodge an appeal with the court against the decision, within that period of time. I indicated immediately that I would refuse to appeal the decision.

There didn't seem much point in delaying the inevitable. I leisurely finished my meal, thanked the chef for the excellent food she'd prepared and took the four minute air cab ride to the particular Criminal Correctional Center I'd selected to serve my sentence.

 

2

 

I entered the opulent foyer of the Correctional Center and told the pleasant young receptionist my name.

"Please take a seat, David," she smiled. "Judith our consultant, will be with you very shortly."

I'd hardly had time to begin leafing through one of the neatly arranged fashion magazines, when a very attractive middle-aged woman approached me.

"Good morning, David," she said warmly. "My name is Judith. I'm pleased to meet you."

I nodded and smiled in return.

"If you'd care to come into my office, we'll deal with the admission formalities."

I followed her along a broad wood paneled carpeted corridor and we entered a spacious and comfortably furnished office. Freshly made coffee was waiting for us.

"If you'd like to take a seat, David," she smiled, indicating a pair of comfortable armchairs, separated by a low table, "we can run through the forms together."

I sat in a chair while she took a folder lying on her desk and sat in the other chair. "I must say," she remarked, "you certainly didn't waste any time getting here. I've only just received your file."

"I thought I might as well get it over and done with," I answered.

"Of course," she nodded, opening the folder, removing a few pages and placing the folder on the table. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Not at all."

"Thank you," she smiled, putting a pair of old fashioned pair of steel rimmed spectacles on the end of her very shapely nose.

I thought the spectacles looked quite cute. She quickly browsed through the papers on her knee for a few moments then looked up at me, over the top of her glasses.

"Can you tell me why you insulted the librarian?" she asked. "I can't find any mention of your motive in the court transcript."

"I wanted to be charged with a criminal offence," I told her.

"The judge, prosecution and your lawyer all attempted to have your case dismissed on the grounds of mitigation circumstances, but you refused to offer any."

"That's correct," I confirmed. "It was a deliberate and premeditated act of verbal violence. I was also a repeat offender, having already received three official warnings for the same crime."

"It also states," she continued, "the victim was your sister."

"Yes," I replied. "We share the same biological parents and we were raised together. We've always been very close."

"Then I must confess," she said, removing the glasses. "I'm a little at a loss why you did it. Perhaps you could explain that to me. If you can offer anything that may allow the court to overturn its decision, I'm sure they would greatly appreciate it."

"I'd rather not," I told her.

She looked at me for a moment.

"Was your sister aware that you intended to insult her?" she asked.

"Do I have to answer that?"

"I'd rather you did. I assure you, it won't affect the court's ruling."

"In that case," I shrugged. "Yes. We'd discussed my committing the crime - yet again - at dinner the night before."

"And did she attempt to dissuade you from committing the act."

"Certainly," I answered. "Of course. She's a very responsible citizen. We even had the conversation recorded - just in case the court asked that very question. I'd never allow my sister to get into trouble with the law, because of my irresponsible and criminal behavior."

"I see," she said, a little doubtfully.

 

3

 

"I see by your personal records," she observed, "that you've applied to become a woman on three separate occasions in the past month and have been refused each time."

"That's true."

"I also note, that your sister and mother have supported you in all the applications you've submitted."

"Yes," I nodded. "My father would've too. He's now a woman and didn't think it would be a wise thing to do. He felt his personal preference for being a woman might negatively affect my application."

"And no doubt you were aware," she commented. "Before you committed the crime - that the punishment for the uncivilized and violent crime of insulting a public official, in a public place, within normal business hours, before two or more reliable witnesses, while being recorded by a security system, after three previous warnings for the same offence, is to be changed into a woman."

"Yes," I answered again. "I believe I could've been aware of that. After all, it is the duty of every good citizen to know the law."

She paused for a second.

"And could it be reasonable to assume," she asked, "that you committed the criminal act, to enable you to become a woman, when other avenues had failed?"

"You could assume that," I replied. "If you so wished."

"But you won't confirm that?"

"No."

"I see."

I thought; what an attractive woman Judith was. She had a very nice figure for a woman her age.

 

4

 

She took a deep sigh, which allowed her bosom to rise attractively for a moment.

"Then, I have no choice but to recommend that you're fit to complete your sentence. Once you're transferred to the female body of your choice, you'll be released immediately, with a clean record. And hopefully, you won't commit that particular crime again in the future."

I removed a data card from a pocket in my jeans.

"I have already prepared a full design specification for my new body," I remarked, handing the card to her.

She held it to her forearm display for a moment and inspected my requirements.

"Thank you," she said, inserting the card in the folder on the table. "I feel you've selected a particularly attractive body. Very nice."

"Thank you," I smiled.

"Please don't thank me," she said, shaking her head. "There are times when I really hate this job. You're the fourth man this week I've assessed, who's been sentenced for committing a crime of violence. I really think the whole legal system needs to come under serious review."

"It's a problem I imagine," I replied sympathetically. "It must be hard for you."

"It is, to some degree," she responded. "There are so few men left in the world these days. I'm amazed the government could seriously believe they could ever stop people such as yourself from becoming women, by passing laws against the practice. And yet, at the same time, they still insist on using feminization as a punishment for acts of violence."

"I suppose that's true."

"Personally, I don't find men particularly attractive," she continued. "But there are so many women in the world that do."

"I guess there must be."

"There are times when I think the whole world's gone mad," she smiled. "I'm sure it has," I smiled in return.

"Do you sometimes think it might've been just a little simpler in the old days?" Judith asked.

"I expect so. At times, my father used to say that."

"Mine too."

I nodded.

"You seem such a nice person, David," she remarked.

"I think you're very nice too, Judith."

"Thank you."

 

5

 

I paused for a moment.

"Would you care to have dinner with me tonight, Judith?" I asked.

"You are serious, David?" she asked in surprise.

"Certainly," I smiled. "I don't imagine my sentence will take too long to carry out."

"No," she confirmed, a little absently. "About half an hour - at most."

"I'd like to get to know you better," I said. "I think you're a very attractive woman."

"Thank you," she smiled. "I'd like to get to know you better too."

"I have no idea what I should wear. Perhaps you could also help me with that. I'm rather new at this. I'm sure my makeup wouldn't look right - if I were to try and do it on my own."

She looked at me intently for a moment, then her face broke into a smile.

"And yes," she replied. "Yes, David. I would like to have dinner with you, very much."

"I though I might look rather sexy in dark blue," I said.

"Mm," she replied, thoughtfully. "There's a sapphire blue dress I've seen recently, I'm sure would look wonderful on you."

"What about shoes?" I asked her.

"Definitely stick with black," she smiled. "Although silver can look quite nice, in the right situation."

"And you?"

"I was planning on wearing a white dress I have. It shows my figure off quite nicely."

"I'm sure you look wonderful in white."

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

She picked up my folder and we headed to the punishment area of the center.

It amazes me sometimes, the trouble a guy has to go to these days, just to get a dinner date with an attractive woman.

 

 

 

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© 2003 by Dave Hicks. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.