by Damon Alan
Fasdamar finally called Heinrich to the stand.
She sat down and placed her hand into a scanner that would monitor her vital signs as she spoke. That data would be made available to the panel of officers and natives as they reached their verdict, indicating the truth of Heinrich’s testimony.
Heinrich’s face was emotionless as Fasdamar paced in front of her.
“So you’re the murderer of Zeffult?” he asked.
As soon as the translation was complete, Stornbeck jumped to her feet. “Objection! You can’t state a conclusion this trial is established to decide.”
“Sustained,” Vargas said, nodding. “Adept Fasdamar Otanna, you will not state speculation as facts.”
Fasdamar looked confused for a moment, and consulted with his staff. Finally he nodded and returned to the accused.
“Did you have any involvement with the destruction of Zeffult?”
Heinrich shook her head. “No. At that point I was resisting Weapon’s Mate Garrette Orson’s mutiny from a secure cell in the brig.”
“I want to point out that there is no proof to—”
“She is telling the truth,” Alarin blurted out.
“Alarin Sur’batti, your preference for the newcomers over your own people is well known,” Fasdamar said, sneering. “I suggest you sit quietly, you are not my witness.”
Alarin turned bright red, and Sarah understood. She wanted to punch Fasdamar herself.
“The panel will remain silent, and there will be no more outbursts. You may direct any questions through me,” Captain Vargas said.
Fasdamar stared at Heinrich. “So there is no proof you didn’t cooperate from the start.”
“No,” Heinrich agreed. “The bridge logs of the Schein are destroyed.”
“Did you cooperate in the destruction of the Hinden?” Fasdamar asked.
Sarah could tell he wasn’t even sure what a Hinden was. But it didn’t matter. He’d taken the help Thea had made sure he had available and developed the right questions.
“Yes. I devised the plan that resulted in the destruction of that ship,” Heinrich replied.
“Did you then participate in firing on my world with your demonic weapons? Before you left to go off on your own with your friends, I mean.”
“Objection,” Stornbeck said. “The people she went off with were not her friends.”
“Sustained,” Vargas said. “Adept Fasdamar Otanna, ask your questions without inserting unsubstantiated statements.”
As Fasdamar read the translation, he shrugged.
He doesn’t care about our rules. Only about biasing as many members of the panel as he can.
“It was Orson’s plan to fire on your world, not mine,” Heinrich said. “I’d already advised him that it was ill conceived.”
“Why ill conceived? Did you not participate in the crew’s desire to destroy us?”
“It was an attack based on emotion. Emotion has no place in war,” she replied. “If he ordered me later to attack your world, however, I would have. I wouldn’t have had a choice. But I don’t think he trusted me fully even when I was mentally unable to defy him.”
Fasdamar was unhappy with that answer. “We have no proof that you were unable to do anything.”
“That is true,” Heinrich replied. “My word is all you have for now.”
Using a gesture that by now everyone present had learned meant Fasdamar was done with a witness, he walked off and sat down.
Stornbeck stood up.
“I submit Commander Heinrich’s blood testing into evidence,” she said as she handed a data pad to Captain Vargas.
“Immediately upon meeting us on the Gaia, a medic drew blood from Commander Heinrich and myself. That blood was tested by impartial lab staff, and this is the result.”
The panel studied the test results after Captain Vargas linked the material to court displays at the table of the nine trial judges. Seventh Fleet panelist explained the data to natives.
After giving them time to review, Stornbeck continued. “As you can see, there were two drugs in our system. The one that Orson gave us that stole our free will, and one that Gaia synthesized for us that countered the effects of Orson’s drug. Today, fortunately, neither drug remains in our systems at detectable levels.”
Several of the panel members smiled at that. That was a good sign.
“However, I have a request for my superior officer.” Stornbeck walked over to Commander Heinrich. “Commander, would you please take this knife and stab the prosecutor to death?” She handed a weapon to the accused with a twelve centimeter blade.
Heinrich stared at Captain Vargas without taking the blade.
Fasdamar jumped from his seat, as did Alarin, who pointed at Fasdamar with a disapproving stare to back up whatever was being exchanged between the two adepts.
Emille coughed loudly from several rows behind Fasdamar, probably to remind him of her presence. If the prosecutor acted on whatever impulses he was having, it would not go well for him.
The four armed marines in the room immediately raised their weapons to ready positions. Captain Vargas stood. “This is not allowed,” he stated loudly. “Prisoners cannot be given weapons.”
“My commander has not taken a weapon,” Stornbeck said. “Why have you not taken this knife and killed the adept Fasdamar Otanna, Commander?”
“I am my own person, and not a killer of innocents.”
“Yes. You are not a killer of innocents,” Stornbeck stated.
Stornbeck stared at Fasdamar and smirked. She then walked toward the back of the room, bringing two of the marines forward to the interrogation stand.
“I now call Lieutenant Seto, of the FTL command ship Michael Stennis,” Stornbeck said, continuing her defense.
Seto stood up and walked to the interrogation area.
“For the last several days, under the supervision of Dr. Thea Jannis, our Mayor and elected leader, Lieutenant Commander Seto has been given the drug Orson used on us,” Stornbeck gestured at herself and Heinrich, “as well as the marines who will be charged if we lose this trial. With Lieutenant Seto’s signed consent, she has been imprinted on me.”
“What?” Seto exclaimed.
“I’m sorry, Lieutenant, but I instructed you to forget giving permission to conduct this test. Which is part of the test.”
Sarah smiled. This was precisely the ace in the hole that would save Heinrich. Because Sarah had plans for the Commander. She wouldn’t have approved the test without Thea’s assurance that Seto would be fine once the drug was out of her system.
Stornbeck turned back to the crowd. “Halani Seto and I will now show you the power of the drug.” Stornbeck turned to face Seto and gestured for the marines to close in.
“Hold her,” she told them. “Halani, do you trust me?”
“Not particularly at the moment,” Seto answered.
“Understandable. But what I’d like you to do now is to kill the adept Fasdamar Otanna with your bare hands.”
For a second surprise registered on Seto’s face.
Then she turned into an insane banshee. She struggled against the marines, after several seconds she even managed to break free of one, using her free arm to punch the other marine in the face. The first marine secured her arm again, but not before he was clawed on his hands, drawing blood. The entire time Seto shrieked as if her internal organs were being torn from her body.
It shocked Sarah, and she’d expected it.
The court panel and the audience went through the roof. A couple of people fled the room.
Emille must have threatened Fasdamar within an inch of his life, because he sat immobile in his chair, even whiter than normal.
“Please stand still, Halani,” Stornbeck said. “Forget the order I gave you to attack Fasdamar Otanna, and return to your normal pleasant self.”
Seto stood up after trying to use her weight to make the marines drop her, and smiled. “Of course,” she said.
“Halani, are yo
u a fighter?”
“No, I’m a pacifist in regards to human interaction. I come from a planet with a society and government that believed in self-control.”
“So you wouldn’t feel it was right to attack another human being?”
“No, that’s not my way.”
“Do you see the blood on the hand of the marine holding you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you do that?”
“Yes.” Seto’s eyes looked downward as if hiding an inner shame.
“No, in fact, you didn’t do it,” Stornbeck said. “You are a pacifist, like you told me.”
Seto stared at Stornbeck, and relief flooded into her. She smiled as if grateful to be cleared of the infraction.
“Lieutenant Seto, did you attack and wound the marine restraining you?”
“Of course not. I told you I’m a pacifist.”
“But you did, Halani, you viciously wounded him,” Stornbeck said.
Momentary confusion registered on Seto’s face, then she dropped her eyes once again. “I did. I caused his wounds. I have no excuse.”
Murmurs broke out in the room. Seto’s immediate contradiction of herself did what Stornbeck clearly wanted with this line of questioning. It opened up minds to the possibility that a person under the influence of Orson’s drug was not aware of, or at least not responsible for, their actions. And in fact might not even be able to give a true accounting of their actions.
Stornbeck faced the court panel. “Dr. Jannis will now administer the antidote to Lieutenant Seto, who will be fine in a few minutes.”
Thea gave Seto a shot, and the lieutenant was escorted from the courtroom.
“The defense rests,” Stornbeck said.
“Do you have anything to add?” Captain Vargas asked Fasdamar.
The adept shook his head no, still a bit in shock.
“We will enter deliberations,” Captain Vargas said.
Sarah smiled.
No sane person would find anyone guilty at this trial.
Chapter 22 - Acquittal
05 Noder 15329
“The majority of the panel finds Commander Heinrich innocent of all charges,” Captain Vargas stated clearly for the court record. “The decision was not unanimous, but it was significantly in favor of the defendant.”
Sarah breathed a sigh of relief.
Alarin gave her a thumbs up, a gesture he’d learned from Sarah’s people. Another sign of the two cultures slowly integrating. The room erupted in speculative conversation.
Now, with Heinrich cleared of responsibility, she could get on with the other tasks at hand. She walked up onto the court platform, turned to face the assembly, and waited for them to grow silent. “This matter is settled. There will be no further charges against any surviving crew of the Schein or the Gaia. Now we put this behind us and get to the business of rebuilding the nation of Zeffult. In doing so, we rebuild our relationship with the people of this world. And we mourn those who lost their lives in both of our cultures after being betrayed by Orson and his co-conspirators.”
Fasdamar slammed a data pad onto the table in front of him, stared at Sarah a moment with open hostility, then pushed people aside to head toward the exit.
A silent and stunned room watched him go.
He wanted to drive a wedge between our two societies, Alarin said in Sarah’s mind. Emille is watching him, and if he acts improperly, our justice will be swift.
Thank you, Sarah thought back. There wasn’t anything she could do. Fasdamar could swat her like a fly, and she was simply grateful that he hadn’t. But regardless of the power the adepts had, she and Alarin both needed them to be good members of society.
Sarah looked at Heinrich, who was embracing Sergeant Stornbeck at the defense table. Once Heinrich noticed Sarah looking, Sarah gestured for the commander to come to the platform.
“Commander, you will be taken immediately to the Stennis. Until any feelings on this issue are fully in the past, you and Sergeant Stornbeck will be assigned to oversee the modifications I have planned for my ship,” Sarah said.
“Anything you need, Admiral,” Heinrich answered. “Modifications?”
“You’ll see that in detail once you’re on board,” Sarah replied. “Suffice to say that with the loss of both of our heavy war cruisers, we need to compensate. The Stennis is being given some teeth. The modifications will take full advantage of our alliance with Alarin and his people. Without them we don’t have a chance of defending this star system, and the Hive will be back. They know, close enough, where we are now.”
“But they don’t know about the adepts?” Heinrich asked.
“No, the entity that escaped our last battle thinks we have a new drive system. And a star destroying weapon. Misinformation is to our advantage, so I didn’t correct it.”
“I see. And you think one ship can stand against an invasion of Hive fleets?”
“I’ll answer that later. For now, however, you are the XO of this fleet, serving directly under me.”
Heinrich looked confused and reluctant. “Admiral, I—”
Sarah interrupted. She had no time for self doubts. “What you are is the only human to defeat me in battle. I’m not saying that I’m the best of tacticians, but I am saying that you may well be better. You’re a few decades younger than me, and this fleet needs another person that can fight the Hive when they come.”
The look on Heinrich’s face didn’t go away.
“Do you have a problem with my order, Captain Heinrich?”
That widened Heinrich’s eyes a bit. “You’re tossing too much at me at once, Admiral.”
“Nonsense. You can’t be my XO and have other fleet officers outrank you. The promotion is immediate. You will put this Orson guilt behind you. You and Command Sergeant Stornbeck will remain with the Stennis until all planned alterations are complete and he is fully armed.” Sarah gestured at the two marines that had restrained Seto a few hours earlier. “These men will accompany you to the shuttle port. You leave immediately. Any personal effects either of you have will be delivered to the shuttle and go with you.”
The confusion disappeared from Heinrich’s visage. “Thank you, sir.”
Sarah flicked her hand toward the door. “Go. I don’t want to see you again for a few weeks at least. Fix my ship.”
Heinrich saluted and Sarah returned it. Then the woman briefly spoke to the two marines, before she left with Sergeant Stornbeck, under armed escort.
“Did she say Command Sergeant?” Sarah heard Stornbeck ask Heinrich as they walked away.
She’ll be fine, Alarin thought to Sarah. At your request, I searched her mind. Her actions were not her own choice, but the guilt of those actions remains with her. She is, for lack of a better term, haunted by them.
Maybe that will give her reason to prove herself, Sarah thought back.
Perhaps.
Chapter 23 - Admiral’s Personal Log
AI Lucy82A recording, Admiral's personal log, personal archive: Galactic Standard Date 20:12:41 05 NODER 15329
Personal log entry #1243, Admiral Sarah Dayson, origin Korvand, Pallus Sector.
Current Location: Jerna City, New Korvand, Refuge, Oasis System
I’m not ashamed to say that I took some steps to make sure Commander, now Captain Heinrich was acquitted of all charges. There were several reasons for this. The first is that she was innocent, of course. When a person does something against their will, drugged as she was, that person is not responsible. I will not have innocents put to death by a flawed system.
Second, I need her. I have been defeated by the Hive before. But never by another person. I thought I was fighting Orson, sure, but Heinrich developed a plan, executed it flawlessly, and blew my ship out from under me.
If anyone should be facing charges, it’s me. But Thea Jannis will have none of that, as she made clear.
Third, there is something else going on here. I’ve never heard of an AI choosing sides as the one on Gaia did. Somethin
g about Captain Heinrich may be key to that. Is there a connection in the programming of that AI to her? Did she trip some recognition feature of the AI? I need to know these things. I have plans for that colony ship that are starting to gel in my mind.
Fourth, I have plans for Heinrich. I’ve promoted her to Captain, and put her in charge of refurbishing the Stennis to the best of our abilities. We are making massive modifications to that vessel in order to increase his combat abilities. My old man. Sergeant Stornbeck has been promoted as well, because I can tell she and Heinrich have a bond that supersedes mere associates.
I don’t care if they’re best friends, lovers, or sisters. I recognize a team when I see one and I’m not about to break those two up. They’ll serve on the Stennis together.
[Four seconds of laughter]
He is the most reliable man in my life, after all. And deserves the best.
[Eighty-two seconds of silence]
I’m not sure what I think of this admiral thing. I have a penthouse to myself in Housing Complex Gamma in Jerna City. It’s the first time I’ve had permanent quarters anywhere but on my ship since I took command of the Teplo over a decade ago.
[The sound of hard soled shoes walking on a floor]
I wish Franklin was here to see the view. Sixty floors up, with the lagoon visible below. Seabirds flying past my windows still startles me every time.
[A thirty-one second pause]
I’m not the only one who has lost loved ones. It’s the military life. Thea lost her husband. I lost my husband and son, then lost Franklin. And now I’m watching my friend, and the man I would have selected as my permanent XO if not for Heinrich making her unexpected appearance, suffer in the absence of his love.
Peter isn’t taking the mystery of Eris Dantora as well as I’d hoped. Alarin says she’s on the colony ship, but Gaia speaks in circles around the topic and we haven’t found her. I’m going to give him a bit longer to mourn. A short bit. Then I’m going to kick him in the pants. Because I need him back in top shape.
I want him to be my liaison to Alarin, Emille, and the other adepts coming into our fold. Our primary diplomat on this world. Thea supports his appointment to the position.
