Against All Enemies ps-4

by John G. Hemry

  "Good." She smiled mockingly at him. "What can they do to you? Send you to Mars?"

  "There's still Ceres."

  "My father's been told that if you get orders to Ceres I'll never speak to him again in this life and whatever comes after, and he knows I mean it."

  "Not that he had anything to do with my orders to Mars."

  "Oh, no. Of course not." Jen smiled again. "Captain Herdez is also keeping an eye out. She thinks she can block anything but what we've agreed to without tipping off anyone. The next orders you get should be the ones to her ship."

  "You talked to Herdez? Willingly?"

  "I've done tougher things. Paul Sinclair, if we weren't willing to go to the mat for each other we shouldn't be getting married. True?"

  "True." That much, at least, he was certain of.

  "When's Pullman going to present his defense?" she asked, switching topics so fast it took Paul a moment to catch up.

  "This afternoon, I think. Are you going to watch?"

  "No, thanks." Jen didn't quite hide a shudder. "If Pullman's defense is strong, I'm going to be thinking of how weak mine was, and if Pullman's defense is weak, I'm going to be having flashbacks to my own. I'm sure I can trust you to let me know if anything strange happens."

  "Right." Paul said it even though he was feeling a bit tired of people trusting him to do things. He couldn't wondering whether or not Brad Pullman was trusting him to do something.

  Chapter Eleven

  The prosecution turned out to have only one more witness, a pert, young-looking woman named Dr. Vasquez who proved to have an almost disturbing amount of knowledge about falsifying and tampering with station access passes.

  Commander Carr held up a card which Paul easily recognized as a station access pass. "Does the witness recognize this?"

  The witness blinked. "It's a station access pass."

  Carr stepped closer, holding the pass close to the witness. "Can you identify which particular pass this is?"

  After peering at it closely, the witness nodded. "That's a pass I examined at the request of NCIS."

  "What was the result of your examination?"

  "The pass had been tampered with. Very nice work, using some techniques I've seen mainly in foreign intelligence services and some components of foreign origin."

  Carr held the pass higher, turning to look at the members' table. "This pass was found in the possession of Lieutenant Pullman when he was arrested. Dr. Vasquez, what was the result of the tampering to which this pass was subjected?"

  Vasquez smiled brightly as she recalled her examination of the pass. "It was very nice work, as I said. Didn't I? As you know, a pass reports the presence of a specific individual and in particular reports when that individual has entered certain areas of the station. Well, this pass didn't do that."

  "It didn't function?"

  "No, no, no! It functioned. It has to function. If station biometrics detect a human presence without a pass they'll sound an alert and locate the person. They can that do that, you know. They have to for life support and station stability compensation and things of that nature. Heat emissions, carbon dioxide emissions, oxygen usage, those things and others reveal when a human is present. A person without a pass creates a sort of bubble in which no one appears to exist even though station systems can track a living presence. It instantly alerts the system that someone is wandering around without their pass. This tampered pass instead generated a series of false identities on request. The default was a sort of generic Joe Station Worker whose presence wouldn't seem unusual at any place in the station."

  "The tampered pass allowed the bearer to remain undetected, then?"

  "No." Dr. Vasquez seemed puzzled by having to elaborate. "Not undetected. Unremarked is a better word. A person will be detected on the station whether they have a pass or not. I just said that, didn't I? The tampered pass created identities which no one would notice. In the sense that they wouldn't care. Think of it as camouflage, allowing the bearer to blend in so that the automated systems and any human observing the read-outs would pay no attention to the person with the pass because that person would seem totally unremarkable."

  "I see." Commander Carr turned the pass in her hand, looking down at it. "So the bearer of this pass could go anywhere on the station without sounding any alerts?"

  "Yes. Because it also generates false security codes as needed. I don't know where they got the codes- No, wait, of course I know where they got the codes. They got them from the person they gave the pass to, didn't they?"

  Carr smiled tightly and nodded. "That's correct, Doctor. Station security codes are among the documents on the list of classified materials provided to the South Asian Alliance. Then you believe this pass had to have been tampered with by someone with access to the actual codes?"

  "Yes, yes. No other explanation. No one could've guessed those codes. Once they had the codes they could program that pass to allow their agent to access even more areas and more secrets."

  "Objection." David Sinclair pointed at the pass. "The witness is speculating."

  "No, Your Honor," Carr replied. "The witness is using her expert opinion to explain the tampering done to this pass."

  "She has no way of knowing-"

  The rap of Judge Campbell's gavel cut off the debate. "I'd like to say something. Dr. Vasquez, do your regard your most recent statements as speculation or as technical explanations?"

  Vasquez blinked again. "Technical explanations. It's the only way it could've been done."

  "But, Your Honor," David Sinclair protested, "the witness is speculating as to the motivations and plan of action of foreign entities. There's no way she could know that information."

  Campbell frowned at him, then at the witness. "Objection overruled. The court believes the witness' statements do not address issues outside her expertise." David Sinclair sat down, shaking his head. "Is Defense Counsel commenting non-verbally on the quality of the court's ruling?" Judge Campbell asked.

  David Sinclair stopped moving his head. "No, Your Honor."

  "Good. I'd hate to have to cite a lawyer for contempt. Continue, Trial Counsel."

  Commander Carr held up the pass again, refocusing everyone's attention on the object. "Then, to summarize, this pass created false identities to disguise the movements around the station of whoever carried it, and contained security access codes for every area of the station?"

  "Yes," Dr. Vasquez agreed. "Whoever carried that pass could go unnoticed anywhere on the station."

  "And leave no record of their access to areas of the station?"

  "Uh, not quite. They'd leave a record. A false one. It wouldn't be them, it'd be a record that a Joe Generic Station Worker had been there. Next time he went to the same area, the pass might indicate it was another Joe Generic Station Worker."

  Carr nodded, her face grim. "And you have no doubt that these modifications must have been done by foreign intelligence sources?"

  "No question. I recognized the techniques used. They're a variation of some spoofing technology our own intelligence agencies developed." Dr. Vasquez suddenly looked perturbed. "I don't think I was supposed to say that."

  Judge Campbell nodded. "I feel fairly certain you weren't. The courtroom is ordered to disregard the witnesses's last statement. Bailiff, check with the fleet security manager on whether or not we need to provide a classified information nondisclosure statement for everyone in this room to sign. No one is to leave the courtroom until we've received an answer to that." She looked back at the witness. "Please continue and please avoid doing that again."

  "Yes," Dr. Vasquez replied, nodding rapidly. "I'll try."

  Commander Carr once again tried to gain attention, this time by walking right up to the edge of the witness stand. "Dr. Vasquez, who was this station security pass issued to?"

  "Oh, that's easy. Lieutenant junior grade Bradley Pullman, United States Navy, when he arrived on station to report to his ship."

  "Thank you, Doctor. N
o more questions."

  David Sinclair stayed seated, staring at the top of the defense table. Paul watched him, wondering what his brother was thinking. He can't ask his usual questions about whether something can be tied to Pullman. That's Pullman's pass. Is there anything he can say that doesn't just emphasize the trial counsel's points?

  Finally, David Sinclair shook his head. "Defense Counsel has no questions for the witness."

  Commander Sriracha looked around, then spoke to Dr. Vasquez. "Doctor, don't ship's systems also read those access passes?"

  Dr. Vasquez gave more vigorous nods. "Yes. Same system, smaller scale."

  "Then this pass would've also let Lieut- excuse me, whoever carried it to move unobtrusively around their own ship as well?"

  "In theory," Dr. Vasquez concurred.

  The other members frowned at the answer, though Lieutenant Mahris' frown was slightly time-delayed by his need to ensure Captain Nguyen was frowning first. Paul knew what they were thinking as surely as if he could read their minds. Someone sneaking around a ship. Deceiving their shipmates. Not about some minor criminal stuff but about stealing secrets. That just feels so wrong.

  Commander Sriracha blew out a heavy breath. "Thank you, Doctor."

  There was a brief delay then, with everyone waiting until the bailiff returned with a data pad containing a classified information nondisclosure statement that everyone had to sign. Paul signed as well, even though he was already sworn never to reveal classified information. And "never" meant exactly that. It was a source of some amusement to him that the nondisclosure agreements had been open-ended since some time in the late twentieth century. Death didn't release someone of their obligation. Neither, presumably, would the death of the universe. A billion years from now Paul would still legally be bound by the agreements he'd signed. Not that he imagined he'd be worried about that by then.

  "The prosecution rests," Commander Carr announced after Dr. Vasquez had finally left the courtroom.

  "Very well. Does Defense Counsel wish to make any motions at this time?"

  David Sinclair stood. "Defense Counsel wishes to move that evidence in this trial based upon classified sources inaccessible to Lieutenant Pullman's defense be ruled inadmissible and the charges based upon that evidence by dismissed."

  Judge Campbell, hand in chin once again, shook her head. "Persistence is only a virtue the first few times it doesn't change outcomes, Defense Counsel. Motion denied. The court's ruling on the evidence will not change."

  "Yes, Your Honor. The defense has no other motions."

  "Is the defense prepared to begin the presentation of evidence?"

  "Yes, Your Honor."

  "Then begin."

  David Sinclair looked toward the back of the courtroom. Paul looked as well, seeing a portable display screen being brought in by court workers. He'd never seen remote testimony before, though he'd expected to see it in this case. The cost and time commitment required to bring a defense witness up to station made it likely Pullman's defense would make use of witnesses testifying over live communications links to Earth. "The defense calls as its first witness Dr. Steven Laskey."

  There was a pause as the display was positioned at the witness stand and activated. Dr. Laskey was seated in what must be his office on Earth. Paul wondered if the view from the window in the background, blue sky and white clouds, was real or just a projection.

  David Sinclair stood before the display, knowing his own image was being transmitted back to a display before the witness. "Dr. Laskey, can you state your qualifications?"

  "Certainly." Laskey was a large, broad man with a bluff manner. "I'm a retired U.S. intelligence operative. I spent thirty years working covert operations, either in the field or behind a desk."

  "What do you do now?"

  "I devote a lot of time to consulting on the subject of covert intelligence operations. I don't disclose secrets, but I do help those trying to portray covert ops to present a realistic picture of what it's like."

  "Are you familiar with the evidence against Lieutenant Pullman?"

  "Yes. What's been shown me."

  "What's been shown you?" David Sinclair inquired.

  "I have no way of knowing what's been kept from you, me and the court."

  "Objection." Commander Carr was on her feet very quickly. "The witness is speculating without foundation."

  "Objection sustained," Judge Campbell replied immediately, cutting off David Sinclair. "Defense Counsel and witness are reminded to confine testimony to matters of fact."

  David Sinclair looked only mildly contrite. "Yes, Your Honor. Dr. Laskey, are you familiar with the existence of software such as described in the evidence against Lieutenant Pullman?"

  Laskey, apparently unabashed by the judge's rebuke, nodded. "Oh, sure."

  "What can you tell us about that software?"

  "Well…" Laskey shifted position, his expression thoughtful. "The description in the evidence is mostly right as to what it can do, but as to where you can get it, that stuff can be found in a lot of places."

  "A lot of places? Not just in the hands of foreign intelligence agencies?"

  "Hell, no. Name me a college and give me half an hour and I'll provide you with a list as long as your arm of kids with that software who're using it to steal entertainment files or to try to mess with their grades on the campus mainframe. I understand why no one wants to advertise that this software exists, but the fact is it does exist and anyone who wants it can find it without looking too awful hard."

  Paul looked toward Commander Carr, but she was just listening without betraying any emotion.

  David Sinclair turned slightly, so he was facing the members' table. "Anyone can get it?" he asked the witness.

  "Sure. That's what I said."

  "Would you regard the possession of such software as proof on involvement in espionage?"

  "No."

  David Sinclair let the single word answer hang for a moment before speaking again. "What about the material regarding dead-drops?"

  Laskey shrugged. "It's a nice set of plans. But it's the same sort of thing you find in role-playing games these days."

  "Role-playing games?"

  "Yes. You know, where people pretend they're a spy or exploring some dungeon full of monsters or whatever. I've consulted on some role-playing games and there's easily a half dozen on the market right now that contain dead-drop planning just like what's in your evidence there. Four of those games include mission planning builders that could've been used to generate exactly what was found on those coins being used as evidence."

  "A game? You're saying that games are on the market which contain the same sort of dead-drop instructions as have been entered into evidence against Lieutenant Pullman?"

  "Yup."

  "That could've been used to create the dead-drop instructions alleged to have been in various locations which are alleged to be tied to Lieutenant Pullman?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "How could you, as an extremely experienced covert operative, tell the difference between real documents describing real dead-drops to be used in real spying or espionage, and something generated as part of a role-playing game?"

  "I can't. I don't think anyone can."

  "But," David Sinclair stated, "the plans in evidence do contain real locations on this station."

  "Sure they do. That's how people build their missions in the games, by using real world places and things. It's what the instructions recommend. It gives the players a kick to be playing spy in their own town or office complex or whatever. Go to one of the gaming conventions and you'll find people selling spy mission packages they made in their hometown."

  "This physical evidence, then, these data coins with software and instructions for spying, are substantially identical to what any role-playing game devotee would have in their possession?"

  Laskey nodded several times slowly. "If anything, I've seen plenty of game missions that're more complex than that stuff."


  "Would you regard possession of those coins and the material on them as evidence that someone was engaged in actual espionage activities?"

  "That stuff? No. If you did, the FBI would have to haul in tens of thousands of gamers."

  "Do these gamers sometimes go overboard? Get so wrapped up in their game that they make use of props which are too realistic?"

  "Oh, yeah. That happens. I could tell you stories."

  "Are you aware of the circumstances surrounding Lieutenant Pullman's arrest, Dr. Laskey?"

  "Yes. In my opinion, based on a lot experience with actually carrying out this stuff, if there was espionage involved there then someone was doing a lousy job of tradecraft."

  "Tradecraft?" David Sinclair asked.

  "Yes." Laskey shifted position again and grinned broadly. "That's short-hand for how to do spy-stuff right. False identifies, for example. We call it tradecraft."

  "But you said Lieutenant Pullman's arrest didn't indicate that he knew good tradecraft?"

  "Not if was walking off his ship with classified material on him without ensuring there wasn't anyone waiting to nab him. Careless is the best word you could use."

  "Then you wouldn't interpret the circumstances of Lieutenant Pullman's arrest as indicating he was a trained espionage agent?"

  "No." Laskey grinned again. "Not unless he flunked his training."

  "Thank you, Dr. Laskey. No further questions at this time."

  Commander Carr walked briskly toward the witness stand and faced Dr. Laskey's image. Laskey smiled confidently at her as Carr began speaking. "Dr. Laskey, let's review some of your testimony. You said software similar to that found on Lieutenant Pullman can be found from many sources?"

  "That's right."

  "Can that software carry out any legal functions?"

  "Uh…" Laskey frowned. "No. If it carried out legal operations, people could just buy it."

  "Then possession of the software constitutes evidence that someone wishes to carry out illegal operations? In other words, that the possessor has criminal intent?"

  Laskey frowned again, his expression shifting as he clearly reevaluated the threat posed by Commander Carr. "I can't say that."