"They can't take summons from there, they're effectively neutralized, the only difference between that and sending them home is that they're not at home."

The Elves really need to get the hang of saying what they actually mean and not things that they think are similar.

"I hope it has been expressed at some point that Elves experience prison as torture. To us it looks like you are torturing everybody constantly. I get a lot of questions from home about how we can in good faith have any kind of diplomatic relationship with a society that has prisons, at all. We are very committed to overcoming this cultural barrier but I think it will take a great deal of work on both our parts."

The GCP is not generically unwilling to entertain alternatives but it is going to insist on knowing what they are and how they can confirm that, and vague descriptions later proven inaccurate are not helpful. They are not imprisoning daeva at the Elves, and daeva are not themselves Elves, so this seems like an Elf problem.

"Okay. What we are doing is removing daeva from their realms to a magically monitored planet on which their magic is suppressed. From there they can contact attorneys and ask questions; they can at any time decide to instead be returned to their native realms to take a prison summons, yours or ours. If they decline to do that, we conduct a trial, the results of which will probably be indefinite detention on a supervised magic planet from which they cannot be summoned. Most people so far have chosen to return to their native realms under a binding, but the actual guaranteed outcome is 'unable to accept summons or interact with your dimension again, unless they are acquitted or until they've served their time."

"How do you prevent them from taking random or nonprison summonses while allowing them to take prison summonses?"

"A Vala accompanies them back; if they try anything the Vala can intervene instantaneously."

"You've mentioned before that the Valar are not the law enforcement branch of your government," remarks the observer, "and that we shouldn't expect what you anticipate of their conduct - at least insofar as you tell us about it - to necessarily follow."

"If there is a problem like that in the next five centuries or so I agree that would be reason to conclude we are not positioned to manage dangerous daeva. I am optimistic that problems will arise infrequently enough that I can speak with assurance at least over such a short span of time."

"Then why did you make a point of insisting that you couldn't speak for the Valar?"

"At the time they had not clarified their intent, and I can tell you my confidence in it once I know it but I cannot direct it."

"All right. Those two have declined trials?"

"One made the trial conditional on access to a not-yet-released human book, the other is engaged in an act of protest by declining to participate in the legal system, or so he tells us. That's a constructive refusal of trial, so yes."

"We generally don't leave that up to the daeva. They can be tried without their cooperation if necessary."

"If you advise that we proceed with a trial without cooperation we certainly can. What advantages does that possess over letting them wait around until they decide to cooperate?"

"Clearer records, and in our case it means we can't be sued for denying them the right to a speedy trial, which when some judges are adjudicating it applies even if the defendant doesn't want it."

"Our law does not have that provision but the clarity in records and the closure for the victims might make it worth it. I will suggest to my superiors that they start those trials."

Nod.

"Now that some measures have been taken to counteract the potential damage, I would be willing to discuss the secret information relevant to the Swan trial if you think that would be conducive to rebuilding trust and helping your government understand our urgency in handling that particular case."

"I can't tell you how that will go without knowing what the information is."

He frowns at him assessingly. "If you can arrange a location where we can be certain there are no unchiplocked recording devices I would be delighted to discuss the matter further."

"We were about to go look in on your daeva planet, weren't we? Does that meet the requirements?"

"That will suffice, yes. There's a stable portal there to Tirion but I can arrange for a special one. Let me know when is convenient."

"I'll report in to HQ and then I have no other demands on my time for the next few hours."

"Thank you." And he arranges for them to go check in on the planet.