"I'll see myself out, then."

She goes back to New Dover.

She's back in the government office the next day, a bearded man following.

"Welcome, Harold. You're here about the human who refused to leave your bar two days ago?"

He glances at Katherine. Katherine nods.

"Yep."

"I'd like it if you'd explain all the events that led up to that night, and the events of that night, in as much detail as you can."

"So, she told you 'bout tabs, right? I let people run tabs if they ain't proven themselves misers yet, they tend to spend more that way, it's part of the experience. Danny's - well, I thought he was just rough around the edges, I let him run up a fairly large tab, but I don't let folk drink themselves into a pit. Ain't proper. So I told him I was cutting him off for the day and reminded him of 'is tab."

"Mhm. Oh," he says, looking at Katherine, "can you go bring us copies of the imperial and state laws? Sorry, please continue."

She raises one eyebrow, as if to say 'I see what you're doing there', or perhaps 'you don't have them memorized?' - and nods and turns and leaves.

"-So I told him I was cutting 'im off. He pleads, he asks his buddies for a round, no way. When I cut you off for the night, you're cut off. But the damnfool started shouting and arguing. So I told him to get out."

"Are you being threatened into not seeking justice?"

Harold blinks. "Yer Honor Judge, if I decide not to seek justice for this it'd be 'cause I don't want a fellow man to end up a slave. Some of us weren't as eager to move in here as others, but we brits stick together. Lady Katherine's the one who's read all your laws and talked to you about it. She's not got a gun to the back of me head."

"If you're sure. Have you decided not to seek justice, or are you still thinking about it?"

"Depends on what you're gonna do to him. He's a bastard but he don't deserve criminal bondage, eh?"

Katherine comes back in with the copies of the legal codes. "Here we are."

"Thank you." He tosses her a ring and double-checks a couple of relevant lines since he has them right there. "Well, under applicable laws, unless there was a specific time when he was expected to pay off his tab, he's only guilty of attempting to trespass. A first offense carries a 4896 ring fine. If you think Danny can pay that and won't do it again it's not likely he'll end up enslaved."

Harold furrows his brow. "Mm. Tabs can sit however long, I don't give folk a deadline. Might start. He does need a kick in the pants..."

Katherine adjusts her glasses slightly. "The fine goes to the imperial government, correct? How long would Danny have to gather the money and pay the fine? Is he not guilty of assault, because our dear barkeep put his hands on him first?"

"It would depend on the judge. I can tell you which you want, some are more willing than others to let people pay fines in installments. Most judges would say he was just fighting back, and Harold was just defending his property, and not convict either of them of assault."

And if the fine can't come in installments, they'll give Danny a loan.

Katherine nods sharply. "That's sensible, the assault thing. We appreciate your help with this. How much do judges vary?"

"No judge in the world would say Harold committed assault. You'd have to go track down an elderly caralendar in Cloudbreak if you wanted a judge to say Danny did. There's nowhere near that kind of agreement about paying fines in installments."

Depending on what being a judge looks like she might be able to find a moral, anti-slavery person who considers it a civic duty to become a judge. She's schemed openly in front of this officer enough, though. She's not sure whether there's anything to gain from leaning to let imperial law handle this, or leaning to let New Dover do it internally.

So she says, "That resolves all my concerns. I don't think Danny would have much of a problem with the money if it can be paid in installments. Harold, I think either path you could take will be alright - imperial justice to kick him in the pants and make sure he learns his lesson, but which might decide he's a slave if he continues doing crimes, or we could find something appropriate internally."

Harold scowls and says, "Throw the book at 'im. The bloke needs a scare."

"We can have him arrested soon. How should we contact you to let you know when we've set a time for the trial?"

"You do mail? We'd get a letter back home. Or you can tell Kat next time she stops by to check, like."

"You'll get a letter within a day of a trial date being set. And, of course, Kat can come ask. Anything else you need today?"

"Nope. That's the end of it, sir."

"Thank you again," Kat says as they leave.

The next day a force mage and a defense mage visit New Dover to arrest Danny.

Danny is not immediately findable! And random New Dovites aren't particularly eager to help find him.

The caralendar force mage takes something small and enchanted out of a case and asks if Danny is visible right now.

"Not now. Last I saw he was walking in to a building..."

He describes the building. A short time later the force and defense mages show up at the alarm clock factory where he works and knock on the door.

The alarm clock factory also manufactures other things, watches and miniature cars have sold well.

Knocking doesn't bring anyone to the door. A sign in English and Hari does, however, say 'ROST MANUFACTURING - DELIVERIES AND PICKUPS GO TO SIDE DOOR - OTHER INQUIRIES PLEASE COME IN'.