LINE NOISE News from Chez Diesel 14 March, 1989 MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE There were a record number of people wandering about Fed Data Space last night; 18 people were logged on for over two hours, and the game didn't crash - much to the relief (and amazement) of Our Illustrious Leader. Many of them didn't come to Chez Diesel all night, which is just as well or I would have been rushed off my feet with only the ancient waitdroid to help. Some had never played Fed before, and have no intention of ever playing again. So what was the occasion that prompted such a crowd of GroundHogs? Well, unless you have had your head in a bucket for the last few weeks, you will know that it was the long-awaited - and much publicised - trial between Pugwash, the Sexiest Fedder, and Magius, the low-down TWF creep. Pugwash accused Magius of drugging her in order to obtain details about her sex life, and then raping her while she has helpless in his grasp. The full story of her ordeal was printed in a previous issue of Line Noise, and a horrifying tale it was too. Magius denied these claims (well he would, wouldn't he?) stating that the interview had been given freely and for payment of 800K, and that he (in his words) would not touch Pugwash with tongs! Leaving aside his ridiculous statement that he was not interested in Pugwash sexually (surely no-one can be immune to the charms of the Sexiest JP!) I cannot imagine that Pugwash would ever agree to talk to the gutterpress - and why would someone of her enormous wealth accept such a paltry sum as 800K? The trial has been the most talked about issue in Fed Data Space for weeks, with Magius wasting no opportunity to hurl insults at the poor Journeywoman in his attempt to blacken her reputation and destroy her case. Both sides attracted vociferous - even fanatical - support, and slogans were daubed on walls all over the Solar System - Magius is innocent' and 'Hang Red-Eyes' seemed the most popular. The trial had to be postponed from its original date because Fed crashed, so everyone was eager to see the sorry affair concluded; not least Pugwash who had been under a terrible strain during the run-up to her court appearance, hounded by TWF lackeys urging her to drop the case. Under the rules of the People's Court, the Judges for the trial were Hawk, Zugger, Omi, Xaviour and Spacehound. But unfortunately Magius was up to his usual evil tricks and managed to nobble Spacehound and Xaviour. Their votes were passed on to Hawk and Omi respectively as proxies. But the TWF dirty tricks squad didn't rest even then. They sent a represen- tative to Geldromega, home of the Junior Plonka, and bribed Omi's mother - with the result that halfway through the trial he was dragged kicking and screaming off to bed. His two votes were passed to Ensor. But Magius didn't have it all his own way. His defending counsel, Gizmo, saw the error of his ways at the last moment and refused to set foot in the court- room, let alone defend such a hideous crime. I myself was not able to attend the trial - I had to keep the bar open for Our Illustrious Leader, who was spying on the proceedings from the comfort of Chez Diesel - so I cannot report on the witnesses called and the evidence produced. But many people have said that Pugwash presented her case in a much more professional manner than Magius, who seemed a little lost without Gizmo to speak for him. Which makes the outcome of the trial all the more disturbing! In a shock decision, the judges voted unanimously in favour of the scumbag Magius and awarded him 2 megagroats damages 'to compensate for his good name being tarnished' - although how the reputation of one as low as he could possible be blackened any further, I cannot begin to imagine! Amid cheers from his evil henchpersons, Magius walked free from the court while Pugwash sat in a state of shock wondering how just much he had bribed the Judges. What a miscarriage of justice!.