"To the Elves it looks like - they've got no evidence this person is even a Senator, they've got no assurances on how any explanation they give will be disseminated or that it'll be represented reasonably accurately, as long as they're being held their captor is actually in a position to claim any number of things about what they've told her... 'I'll consult my superiors about that and get back to you' is a reasonable answer and 'no you won't' is very scary."

"I don't really care what they do to her, or anything."

"Could offer to testify that the problems all arose from her non-communication about the nature of the situation and her persistence in not releasing them once it became apparent they were not willing to offer comment, in exchange for charges against her subordinates being dropped?"

"- huh?"

"We could offer to have you testify in her trial, in exchange for the court dropping their complaint with you."

"If that would help, okay."

"It's an option. If I knew what you consider the best possible outcome here, and what you consider a bad outcome, I could strategize better."

"It's kind of hard to take everything in, I'm - scattered."

Nod. "We can talk again tomorrow if that's easier."

"I'm not sure that'll help. Before his grace showed up to rescue the other Elves I just wanted my paycheck and my permissions and to go home, right, but..."

"But now there are lots of places you could emigrate to if you'd rather, and this big confusing system that doesn't run at all like Calado..."

"Yeah. And like, most people don't try to get out of Calado but that's because it's all by swap, it's really hard to find anyone who'll move there. Rich retirees, sometimes, if they like hot weather."

"You could take the illegal orders class some other place, get a free translation effect from the court so you can manage in the class, see if you like that place?"

"Maybe."

"Can your family get to Tapa? It seems like it might help to talk it over with them."

"They could visit. They can't immigrate."

"They could catch the shuttle from there to here. It's two transfers - if you'd like I could have someone meet them at the shuttleport in Tapa to make sure they get here with minimal confusion..."

"That might help."

"Okay. Are there more questions I can answer -"

"Who would be meeting them, when, I need to be able to put that in the email."

"A social worker associated with the prison here, I can send a picture, and it might work better for them to set a time."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry. I know this is unreasonable and confusing."

"Not your fault."

Lawyer sets her up with a social worker who can make visitation more straightforward.