by Dale Musser
“Thank you, Cadet. I can tell you, without having met your father, that he is a brave man who serves the Federation well. All the men and women who saw action at Glomar Rosa are – and were – brave, dedicated soldiers. I wish there had been some way for me to save your uncle… to save them all.”
I looked at Reide, whose face was now overcome with pain and sadness. “Dad, I don’t know if I’m cut out for this. I don’t know if I could have made the decision you made… to kill so many innocent people.”
I struggled to compose myself as I answered him. “That’s a good thing, Reide. It's not a decision one should make beforehand. You can’t predetermine what you will do in any battle situation, because each one is unique. Only when you’re in the situation can you assess the options and weigh the likely consequences against each other – and then make a decision. Before that day, I wouldn’t have thought I could do it either; but when the time, came it was the only option that I had. It was the only way I could prevent billions more from being killed or enslaved at the hands of the Brotherhood. The survival of the Federation was at stake. Do you understand?”
“I think so, sir,” said Reide through glazed eyes. “I just hope I never have to make that decision.”
“I hope you don’t either,” I said. "I hope no one ever has to again."
I turned to say something to the cadet who had been clearing tables, but she was gone.
“What’s going to happen now?” Reide asked.
“I don’t know. The Senate may find me guilty of all sorts of charges, including treason in a twisted way, if they wish to go that route. Or they may decide that I violated Federation laws and strip me of my rank – maybe even send me to prison for a while. I simply won’t know until the Senate committee makes their ruling.”
“When will that happen?”
“I have no idea when it will be resolved. The investigation could conclude quickly or it could be quite lengthy. In the meantime, I’ve been suspended from duty and restricted to Megelleon. Even my visit here required a petition to the Senate. When I leave here, I’m required to go straight back to the estate. I can’t even go to the NEW ORLEANS.”
Reide and I continued to talk into the afternoon – so long, in fact, that officers started coming in for the evening meal. Neither of us were aware that so much time had elapsed. I realized that it was time to return to Megelleon just as the attending guard approached our table. Reide insisted on walking out with me.
When the guard opened the door leading out of the officer’s lounge, I was shocked to see hundreds of cadets standing at attention, many of them fighting back tears. They saluted and I returned their salute. “As you were,” I said.
Suddenly all of them began stamping their feet and cheering. The scene was so unexpected that was nearly overwhelmed by the flood of emotions that followed. I swallowed hard and managed to smile and keep my eyes clear. I waved at the roaring sea of uniforms before turning toward the transport, where I found Reide standing at attention. He saluted and I struggled to return his salute without breaking into sobs. A weight lifted from my chest, knowing that my Reidecor supported my actions. Reide hugged me hard, unashamed to show his affection in front of hundreds of cadets. We smiled at each other before I climbed into the transport. As we slowly pulled away from the crowd, I looked back to see Reide watching me depart. When he saw that I was looking at him, he snapped to attention and saluted. At that moment I could not have been more proud of that boy.
Kala and Lunnie both wanted to know how Reide was as soon as they saw me. They weren’t allowed to join me on the visit and were still upset about it when I got home. I told them that Reide would be home in two weeks – news that pleased them both.
It was another two days before I was called to appear again before the Senate. I sat patiently, albeit nervously, waiting in the outer room as the Senate questioned the surviving military leadership one at a time, presumably about the details leading up to the campaign at Glomar Rosa and the battle itself. I was quite apprehensive, as this was one of the few times a Senate inquiry had been conducted secretly and without any live broadcasts or news reports, even from outside the Senate Hall. Senators and witnesses alike were sworn to silence and ordered under penalty of law to refrain from discussing any part of the proceedings when outside of the Senate Hall. However, if the Senate was to comply with its own transparency legislation, they would eventually have to release the hearing vid recordings for broadcast to the public upon conclusion of the inquiry and dispensation of Senate actions.
I had no idea what was said in the testimonies, but I was pretty sure my career in the Federation Military was about to end in disgrace and imprisonment. I had disobeyed the orders of a superior officer. I had violated Federation laws by leaving the territory to attack the Brotherhood at Domagota. I had also aligned myself with the androids, an official enemy of the Federation, and even worse, allowed them to join in a wartime action with deadly armaments that could have been used against Federation forces. There simply was no way to get around these facts; and the sense of desperation mounted in my chest.
As I continued to wait for what seemed like forever, I let my thoughts digress into an imaginary escape where I would flee to the NEW ORLEANS and leave the Federation. Of course, I understood that such a course of action wouldn’t be fair to my ship crews, all of whom had families inside the Federation. I also understood the fierceness of their loyalty and knew that, given the choice, most of them would stay with me. Making such a huge sacrifice was something I would never allow them to do; every one of them deserved better. Besides all of that, I didn’t want my family to be on the run either. They all had ties here… and friends… and futures. I would make them stay. They had more than enough wealth to do fine without me; and hopefully the stigma of my dishonor wouldn’t hound them long.
My thoughts soon returned to Glomar Rosa and I wondered how things would have played out if Admiral Regeny hadn’t gotten himself killed, along with the thousands of Federation military personnel. The sheer number of ships lost in the battle was astounding. Our defensive forces were reduced to the point that the safety of every Federation world was now in serious jeopardy. If I had only been able to get Ming. If I’d had only had more resources and more time, we probably would have gotten him. Instead, he was still at large and most certainly plotting his retaliation upon the severely weakened Federation forces. He’d be swooping in for the final kill before long and I couldn’t see any way for the Federation to stop him. I wondered if the Senate inquiry panel – or any of the senators, for that matter – had any idea how serious the situation really was.
I tried to remember when I received my last treatment from A’Lappe, thinking that my wandering thoughts and mounting anxieties were probably exasperated by my physical weakness. Then I wondered whether I would be able to receive those treatments in prison – or whether I even should bother, if I was going to be imprisoned for life.
My contemplations were interrupted by a stern voice. “Admiral, the Senate is ready for you now.” I looked up to see one of the Senate guards standing over me.
“Alright,” I said as I got to my feet. “Let’s get this over with.”
I was led into the Senate Hall. The enormous auditorium was packed to the maximum and I knew that thousands of senators all across the Federation, who could not be present, were attending the session remotely via their private vid circuits that allowed them to hear the findings and participate in the vote that determined my fate.
I was led to a seat on the raised dais to the right of Justice Terralisa, who gave me only a brief and stoic glance as I stepped forward. To her left sat Leaders Pheosa and Maragon. The fact that both Leaders were present demonstrated the serious nature of the hearing. I glanced at the vid screen above them and was shocked to see the image of the third Leader, Marakat, who attended remotely, making the government’s representation complete.
Once seated, Leader Pheosa rose and walked to the podium. He, too, gave me only
the briefest of glances before turning to face the Senate assembly.
“Senators,” he began. “I will speak first to the general nature of the findings of this committee and the sensitive nature of the discoveries made during the course of this hearing.
“We are faced with a dilemma. After reviewing the facts and hearing the testimony of the admirals and senior officers who survived the battle at Glomar Rosa, and in light of our own involvement in the actions that preceded Admiral Regeny’s decision to attack Glomar Rosa, we realize that we cannot release to the public the entire truth of what led to those events. To do so now would not only demoralize the citizens the Federation and cast doubts on our ability to defend our worlds and our union, but it would also encourage our enemy, the Brotherhood of Light, to take actions and generate propaganda that could potentially result in exponential growth in their support, their resources and the scope of their aggression.
“Furthermore, the testimonies heard and the evidence examined by this committee in the presence of this assembly clearly indicate that it was the sole decision and actions of Admiral Regeny that brought about the disaster at Glomar Rosa. However, we cannot escape the fact that his actions were prompted by the very objectives of this Senate and that, when warned repeatedly of Admiral Regeny’s intended action, the Senate did nothing to intervene.”
My weary head popped up when he said this, as I was expecting all the blame to be ceremoniously dumped into my lap.
Leader Pheosa continued, “It is for these reasons that a portion of these hearings will be classified as top secret and will not be released to the public until such time the Senate determines that the importance of the information is no longer classified, meaning its value is for historical reference only and that its release will not jeopardize the safety and/or unity of the Federation worlds. Therefore, a redacted version of the proceedings will be prepared and released to the news media after the conclusion of this hearing. The vote tallied on this issue reflects overwhelming agreement among the members of the committee and the Leaders and senators in this assembly.
“As to the second matter before this committee, I will summarize the events leading up to and including the battle at Glomar Rosa and the devastation resulting from this conflict.
We have listened to the sworn testimonies of the admirals and ship captains involved in these events. Each of them has independently confirmed that, when Fleet Admiral Tibby objected to Admiral Regeny’s plan to attack Glomar Rosa, Admiral Regeny immediately removed him from all planning and strategy meetings and all related communications and ordered him to restrict his military engagement to patrolling Sector 1 and guarding the Capitol. Admiral Regeny decided that he would personally lead an armada consisting of nearly all the warships and fighters from the other sectors, plus half of those under Admiral Tibby’s control in Sector 1, against the single Brotherhood-controlled world of Glomar Rosa. Furthermore, it is indisputable that Admiral Regeny did so without permitting sufficient time to the reconnaissance agents of the FSO for the gathering of advance intelligence regarding the current conditions on that world – intelligence that is critical to the planning and effective execution of any offensive of this nature. We have also heard that Admiral Regeny repeatedly threatened other members of the Admiralty when they expressed any measure of trepidation about his plans.
“We have heard testimonies detailing how Admiral Regeny panicked and was unable to give orders, once the battle began to go poorly – orders that could have saved our forces. Instead, he blindly ordered an uncoordinated charge into a battle that ended in the destruction of a large portion of our fighting ships and killed so many soldiers and officers that we have yet to number them.
The Federation forces at Glomar Rosa may well have been lost entirely, had it not been for the arrival of Admiral Tibby, who responded to the FAZTA’MINA and took command after Admiral Regeny was killed. It was Admiral Tibby's quick thinking and skill that saved our remaining fleet in the end and it was the alliance he formed with the androids that made it possible.
“During this battle, Admiral Tibby was faced with a terrible decision, one which most of us would never have been able to make or even contemplate. Admiral Tibby realized that the only way for the fleet to survive the battle and continue to defend the Federation from what otherwise would have been certain destruction, was to destroy the Brotherhood’s stronghold on Glomar Rosa. Unfortunately, this also meant sacrificing billions of innocent lives. The action was a gamble; and we know this monumental decision weighed heavily on Tibby’s mind – and still does today – but he saw no other option.
The Senate review board has gone over all of the data and played every possible scenario through our battle simulation programs to see whether there would have been a better solution to this crisis. Every scenario ultimately ended with the eventual conquest of the Federation by the Brotherhood – that is, every scenario except the course of action taken at Admiral Tibby’s orders. Even then, the odds were not entirely in favor of success. Analysis of the data reflected a fifty-seven percent chance that the Brotherhood would flee, just as they did. However, there remained a forty-three percent chance they would stay and fight, ultimately decimating the Federation forces and, not long afterward, conquering the entire Federation.
“It is the decision of this committee that Admiral Tibby’s decision, while drastic beyond our imagination, was the only one that gave the Federation any chance of survival.
“It is true, that the Federation has bestowed on Tibby great honors and wealth in the past. It is also true that he, more than any other in our history deserves them. With the deaths of Rear Admiral Regeny and Admiral Slater, we are left with a huge vacuum in leadership for our military at a time when we can least afford it. It is, therefore, by the unanimous decision of the committee and the Senate that Thibodaux James Renwalt is advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral of the Galactic Federation Armed Forces.”
There was a sudden outbreak of foot stomping at this announcement and I nearly fell out of my chair. This was hardly what I expected. In fact, I think I may have preferred being found guilty of treason and put into prison than to be made Rear Admiral after having taken so many lives.
When the noise finally subsided, Leader Pheosa continued, “The Senate also recognizes the crucial role played by the androids in preserving the remaining Federation forces at Glomar Rosa and the vital function they have served by providing us with fighters for our fight against the Brotherhood. In spite of being considered and treated by the Federation as a sworn enemy, they still came to our aid at Tibby’s beckoning. In light of these circumstances, the Senate has voted that all hostilities and embargoes against the androids are suspended and declared peace with the androids. To this end, the Senate has also voted to make the effective date of this decision retroactive by twenty years.”
Again, there was some foot stomping and even some laughter and I realized that the purpose of the retroactive decree was to legally eliminate any possibility of criminal charges for my dealings with the androids during that period. The Senate had found a way of loopholing their own legislation to save me. For a moment, my eyes became teary and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to maintain my composure.
Finally, Leader Pheosa turned to look at me directly. “First Citizen Tibby, while it is true we have bestowed on you great wealth and honor, it is also true that this Senate has, at times, treated you badly, when all you have ever done has clearly been in the best interests of the Federation. For that, we can only say we are truly sorry. We recognize in the depths of our hearts that your unwavering honor and dedication to the Federation and its aligned worlds has never been owed to us. Still, it is our sincere hope that you will accept, with all distinction owed to you, our appointment as Rear Admiral and that you will carry on with this dedication and with your bravery and purity of heart, defending the Federation from the dangers and evils that beset us.”
At this pronouncement the foot-stomping and cheering became almost
deafening. Pheosa extended a hand toward me, signaling that he wanted me to approach the podium. I wasn’t sure whether my legs would hold me, but somehow I managed to make it to Pheosa’s side.
As I approached, he said to me quietly, “I hope you don’t mind, Tibby, but I think they would like you to say a few words.” Then he stepped back and stomped his foot with the rest of the people in the hall.
When things quieted down enough I slowly began to speak. “I don’t know what to say,” I began. “I thought I was here today to face charges of treason again and to be kicked out of the military.”
There was a brief wave of laughter at this remark.
“I’m not sure whether, in some ways, being made Rear Admiral isn’t worse punishment,” I added.
The room roared with even more laughter.
“On a more serious note, however, I am deeply saddened by the death of Rear Admiral Regeny and Admiral Slater as well as the billions who died at Glomar Rosa. Admiral Regeny may have made some serious mistakes, but he was an honest man who loved the Federation. I don’t believe that he in any way realized the seriousness of the action he was taking at Glomar Rosa, nor the consequences he faced. If he had, I’m certain he would have relented and called off the campaign. I realize that, in the minds of the Senate and the men and women of our armed forces, that Admiral Regeny is not considered to be praiseworthy and that his reputation is irretrievably ruined; but I would suggest to you that he is as much a hero as a failure. We all know that, had he won the battle, he would have been hailed as a hero, whether he himself survived or not. It was only because he didn’t wait for complete intelligence to be gathered that his campaign became so cavalier.
