Wild Justice | Page 6

Jones, chairman, six NERD faculty members and two graduate student Teaching Assistants occupied the conference room at the weekly departmental meeting.
Over the general murmuring and grumbling of a discontented faculty, Peter, the departmental mouth said, "We ought to get a higher percentage raise, Jimbo. Every year you tell us the same thing. Times are tough, the legislature won't spring for a decent appropriation. The dean can't. . ."
"I know that and I've been thinking how I could cut the roster and have a little more to share among the rest of us. If you agree, I think it's time we let Diana Trenchant go. Last year I had to give her a whopping raise while the rest of us had to settle for the usual 3%, and Ted at the Affirmative Action Office says we've got to give her more again this year and then still more until she catches up to or surpasses Fred's paycheck.
"Of course, it means that you will have to share Fred, our only other technician, do your own research or get a grant and hire your own technician."
Most of the people in the room moved uncomfortably in their chairs looking down at the floor or out the window. Looking anywhere but at each other or Jimbo.
"It's settled then, we let her go?" Jimbo broke the silence. "No one opposes? All right then, it's. . .
"I don't know too much about these things," came a hesitant voice from the back of the group. Everyone turned around to look at the young graduate student, Holly Preston, who had spoken.
In a voice getting stronger all the time, she continued, "As I say, I don't know much about this, but I thought when someone was fired that there had to be cause. That is, that they were not doing their job properly or whatever.
"Since I've been in the department, I have been impressed with Diana Trenchant's hard work and knowledge. I've gone to her often for help. What reason will you give for firing her, Dr. Jones?"
A taut silence descended upon the room like a malignant fog. Then, an angry, red-faced Jimbo Jones glared at Holly, declared the action tabled and adjourned the meeting. The NERD faculty Judas goats shuffled out sheepishly, having been well and truly sheared by a lamb.

Chapter 2
VP Henry Tarbuck closed the file folder then shifted his bulk to place it on a nearby table. His expensive chair started to groan in protest then as if remembering how much it cost, only murmured quietly. "We must be careful that this hearing gives all the appearances of being completely fair, especially after the disaster in Lyle's office."
Jonathan leaned forward and deposited his now empty cup on the stand beside him. "Yes, I heard about Lyle bungling that one. First he yelled at her so loudly that the secretaries in the outer office left in embarrassment and then was stupid enough to tell her in front of witnesses that the hearing panel was only a formality and that she would be terminated anyway."
The VP shrugged, obviously irritated. "Admittedly, he pushed too hard. It came as a shock to him that she would refuse his demand that she resign. He lost his cool and tried to bully her into it. He's new to this, taking over as he did such a relatively short time ago from Jimbo."
"Well it does appear that he had problems with her. I do see that she appears to have a propensity for causing discomfort, but other women, and men too for that matter, have been troublesome. Why the excessive anger toward her?"
"First off, Jonathan, the anger is not excessive, it is justified," Henry retorted testily. "Yes, we've had critics, annoying critics, but when we offered them some redress, they were grateful. She, on the other hand, considered every concession we made as `a day late and a dollar short'--utterly maddening! And what really frosts everyone's ass is that she is just as recalcitrant when she argues on behalf of someone else. Who the hell is she to care if someone feels unfairly treated by us?"
"Well, of course I'm still using the only frame of reference that I have which is her personnel file and from what I can see she was as much `sinned against as sinner'."
"That might have some validity up to the point where she openly and publicly challenged the president of this university," retorted Henry waving the file he was holding in Jonathan's face for emphasis, "but not anymore."
"You mean she picked on The Pope, Henry?"

Chapter 3
John T. Pope had been president of Belmont University for nearly twelve years. Because of his belief in his own infallibility, he soon became referred to as The Pope. He greatly increased the senior administrative staff which now occupied one whole wing of the