by Chris Hechtl
“Unfortunately, the admiral's duties at the academy will keep him from attending,” the admiral replied mildly. “I'll send him your regrets,” she said.
“Yes, ma'am,” the bug replied meekly. He knew better than to push it. Most likely the admiral hadn't been invited. He'd caught some talk about how the admiral was on the out. After seeing what the man was capable of, it bothered him immensely.
“Captain Clayton is overseeing the ceremony preparations with Captain Prescott's people. I'm going to go take a look at their schedule. Is Ilmarinen going to be ready in time though?”
“The hardware has been installed, ma'am. That's why I pulled the yard dogs out. I don't know about the cleanup. A GI party is up to the captain and crew I suppose,” the bug replied with a shrug. “One reason I got my people out; we didn't sign on to clean the ship,” he said.
The admiral snorted. “Agreed. You have done enough.”
“Thank you, ma’am. To be honest I don't know if we'll make the six-week deadline for Harmony of Space. It might be closer to seven or eight weeks with the coding changes. I'm sorry I don't have a hard and fast deadline.”
“Why so long? Aren't the systems simpler?”
“Well, yes and no. The ship is a liner, not a military ship. But since we've been using military grade hardware for replacement electronics, we might as well go all the way and keep her that way. But her wiring harnesses were never set up for that, and we don't have the blueprints that we had with Ilmarinen. So, we're still feeling some issues out. I thought you should know.”
“Understood. Get on that,” the admiral said.
“Aye aye, Ma'am.”
Jean sat back after the call had been disconnected. It was a pity Melvin wouldn't be there at the ceremony. He had been officially uninvited, she knew. It wasn't fair. He was the real reason the ship was getting back into space at all, but no one said life in the navy was ever fair.
She decided to keep things low key. If he kept working on the other ships, that was fine, but most likely, he knew the way the winds were blowing what was up. She hated to lose his services though, but he was well within his rights to return to his assigned duties and beg off any additional extra help.
Not that she would complain if he gave it to her.
@
A word to Commander Alisha Tisdail helped them cut through the red tape and begin to assemble a new crew for Ilmarinen. She did so with an occasional roguish wink and an ear flick to Admiral Zekowitz, rather risky considering their disparity in rank, but Zek took her as a friend. That hunch was confirmed when she quietly let him know in an aside that he was going to be shunted back into the shadows. He grimaced at her warning and advisement that he stop wasting his time off on something he wasn't going to get credit for anyway. He had acknowledged the advice with a nod, and when his next weekend came up, he didn't bother getting a shuttle ride up to the station. Instead, he took the time off.
On Saturday, Jean emailed him. He saw it through his implants but didn't bother opening it until Monday morning. When he did, he felt torn by emotions. There was bittersweet anger there, but he knew it was going to happen anyway, so that knowledge took some of the sting out. The email was short and sweet, just a sorry we missed you missive. He snorted and then settled himself reluctantly back into the school schedule and routine.
@
Zek watched Ilmarinen's relaunch ceremony from the academy staff lounge. He wasn't even bitter about being excluded. Lieutenant V'l'r had muttered darkly about the slight, but a single look from Zek had shut that down before he'd gotten out of hand.
Of course, Admiral Childress was on hand to take credit. Captain Prescott had arranged the ceremony as a way for the navy to get some good publicity and some much-needed positive spin on things. Reporters were present but no questions allowed. He shook his head and then went back to his usual schedule.
@
Just as progress was made in righting his ship, Captain Clayton and other members of his crew were sequestered. Each of them were transferred to temporary staff duties in Command One. He didn't like the questions he got from Captain Rising Tide, nor the reminder to play ball with them or see his career go up in flames.
He had no choice but to go along with it.
“I guess they found a Judah,” Horatio murmured when he noted the names on the prosecution's lists of witnesses.
@
The prosecution interviewed Commanders Simmons and Fitz. They tried to dodge the defense vetting, but Commander Steele managed to circumvent such shenanigans by being there when they were at JAG. Captain Rising Tide put them on the witness list for the next day.
“This will only take a moment,” Commander Steele said with a smile when it was her turn to cross-examine each of them.
Horatio's defense team questioned each of them on their personal relationship in the same chain of command.
“We're okay. The team knows and Colton …,” Fitz stopped himself. Horatio noted the young man's skin change color slightly, not quite enough to show to others, but to him it was a dead giveaway that the young man had slipped up.
“Team,” Horatio murmured as he turned to Benny. “They are ONI, the same as Commander Mackenzie. Most likely put there to keep an eye on me or sabotage the ship.”
“No wonder they disappeared! It was only luck that they showed up …,” Benny shook his head.
When Commander Steele came over to them, he whispered to her what he found. She shook her head. “It doesn't matter, Admiral. You know better than to blow their cover.”
“Do I?” Horatio demanded. “Sit down, Commander,” he ordered.
She stared at him and then sat. “You are up, Benny,” he said, turning to the civilian.
“Yeah, lucky me,” the civilian replied.
“Do you have any further questions for this witness?” the judge asked.
“A few, Your Honors. Commander, your team in naval intelligence was assigned to what, watch Admiral Logan or undermine his work? Which is it?”
There was a small gasp in the courtroom at that question. Fitz shot a pleading look to Gemma. Benny turned to her and then back to Fitz. “I see we have visual confirmation. It’s okay Commander, you are on the stand and under oath. You have already given up your identities,” he said mildly.
“Objection, badgering. Also, this is not relevant to the line of questioning,” Captain Rising Tide complained.
“Goes to bias and motive, Your Honors. It also shows that forces were out to sabotage Ilmarinen and potentially kill the crew.”
“Those weren't our orders! We were just supposed to observe and report,” Fitz said before Rear Admiral Thurgrad shut him down with a glare.
“The members are excused,” the admiral stated. Once the box was clear, he looked from the prosecutor to the witness. He wasn't the only one on the bench doing so.
“Commander, are you an officer of Naval Intelligence?”
“I … am under orders not to answer that, sir,” Fitz replied.
“I'm afraid we're going to have to err on the side of caution with this line of questioning. Commander, in the interest of Federation security, we will end this until we speak with your boss.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” Commander Fitz replied with a nod and relieved tone of voice.
“Sir, considering everyone in this room with the exception of me and Doctor Bullettine is an officer and holds classified clearance levels …”
“Your client's clearance was revoked, Counselor. This interview is over,” Admiral Silvestri said firmly.
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“The witness is excused. Call the jury back in. Captain, prepare your next witness.”
“Sir, I've got a scheduling conflict since I didn't anticipate this happening. My next two witnesses are invalidated.”
The admirals looked at each other and then shook their heads. “I guess we're done for the day then,” Admiral Thurgrad said in annoyance as he tapped the gavel
. “Tomorrow morning, 0900, people.”
@
Agent Colton was furious that Gemma, Mack, and Fitz’s identities had been exposed in court. He was even more furious that his own name had been mentioned. “How could you let this happen? How could you be so damn careless?”
“Sorry, sir,” Fitz replied, hunching his shoulders in misery. “I slipped up.”
“Yes, you did. Sorry doesn't cut it, Fitz! What am I supposed to do with you now?” Colton demanded. Fitz wasn't the only one to flinch at that question.
He took a deep cleansing breath and then let it out slowly. Obviously, they would have to be reassigned. Most likely they would need new identities. He had already been questioning the side they were on; he was not at all happy with Childress's actions. He knew the team had been unhappy too. Now he knew the other side saw them as a liability. That wasn't good.
“Okay, from this moment we're going on leave and we're going dark.”
“Sir?”
“The powers that be don't like surprises, and they definitely do not like loose ends. Don't do anything stupid, just lay low.”
Skye wasn't the only one to grimace at the paranoia in that statement. The idea that their own side might come after them to silence them wasn't farfetched, however; they were seeing it happen with Admiral Logan. They'd seen it often enough over the years.
“You really think it will happen?” Mack asked carefully.
“Let's just say it's a possibility I don't like,” Colton replied.
“Better to be safe than sorry,” Mae murmured.
“They'd really do it?” Gemma asked, eyes wide. “Our own people?” She looked around the room to the other team members. Even Trip looked uncomfortable.
“Quite possibly, because he's been one who was sent out to tidy up such loose ends,” Mack murmured to the others as they finished packing. The others stared at the large human. He grimaced. “I'm not sure why I said that, but I did. Deal with it.”
“Right,” Trip murmured with a head nod.
“Bloody hell,” Fitz murmured, running a frustrated hand through his hair.
Chapter 24
The prosecution went on record attacking the salvaged ships for materials to build the station.
The defense countered, what were they supposed to do? It was a simple matter to prove that the ships had only been used for the station or sent to the Republic. Once in the Republic, they were not allowed to return to the station for resupply.
They entered into evidence proof that the ships had been used to move people and cargo from between the components of the Republic. “How were they supposed to complete a mission without being given the adequate support required?” Commander Steele demanded.
The prosecution then changed tactics and attacked Horatio's record on the station.
Former Agent Shafer was called to the stand to testify for the defense as a rebuttal witness. He explained that he had completed the investigation of the incident and had submitted his report but had been relieved when he refused to rewrite it.
When it was the prosecution's turn to question him on cross, Captain Rising Tide treated him like a hostile witness, even though he was a former NCIS agent.
“To clarify, you aren't an agent now, right?” the captain asked as if there was some sort of statement of guilt or impropriety in the Neoape's resignation.
“No. I quit when I was told …”
The captain instantly shook his head. “Thank you. A yes or no is sufficient.”
“I was told …”
“I said thank you,” the high elf said firmly. “We're done with this witness,” the captain said, taking his seat.
“Redirect?” the defense attorney asked, clearly eager to see what the former NCIS agent had to say.
“No,” the chief judge stated. “I think we've heard enough.”
“Sir, I wanted to hear what the former agent had to say. It might be relevant to this case,” the defense attorney stated, turning to the jury.
“I said we've heard enough. Move on, Counselor.”
“Nice save,” Commander Steele murmured to Benny when he got back to their table and took his seat after the questioning session was over. “The captain knows better to ask a question you don't know the answer to or don't want to hear the answer.”
“I saw that. I also noted they wouldn't let you get the answer,” Horatio murmured in agreement as he glanced at the prosecutor and then to the officers seated at the table.
“Yeah, I hope the jury saw it too. Not that I'm certain what effect it will have, if any,” Benny murmured.
“Not much,” Commander Steele murmured.
“I wish we could have set up a proper mirror jury,” Doctor Bullettine complained. Unfortunately, the closest they could do that was with veteran officers. But they couldn't put them in the courtroom; the audience was packed with other personnel, most likely placed there by the prosecution to keep them from having the mirror jury in the first place he thought sourly. “Judging from my readings of some of the jury, there was some effect, but probably not enough to sway the ones who are in Childress's corner anyway.”
“I thought as much,” Benny murmured. “What will it take to get them to break with Childress and vote their conscience? A miracle?”
“Pretty much,” the doctor replied.
The commander grimaced but didn't say anything.
@
The prosecution called Veraxin Lieutenant V'r'n'll to the stand. The lieutenant had been the communications officer on Ilmarinen before he had been assigned as the prize captain of Harmony of Space.
The prosecution entered the lieutenant's statement to the media as evidence of condemnation of Horatio. They even played the video for the jury. When it finished, the high elf turned to the witness. “Do you stand by that statement, Lieutenant? Even now?”
“I do, sir.”
On cross Benny asked if the bug had been in any way coerced or bribed to make that statement. The Veraxin gave an evasive answer.
“Really?” the counselor turned and picked up a plastic file. “Let the record show you were promoted within days of giving that statement,” he said, waving it before he presented it to the judge panel.
“Objection, relevance,” Captain Rising Tide protested.
Once the members were excused again, the two sides wrangled over the objection.
“Goes to prove what I just said,” the defense attorney replied. “He was either bribed, ordered, or coerced into giving that statement. Just his delivery alone begs the question.”
“Were you coerced, Lieutenant?” Colonel Talia asked, turning to the witness box to address the witness directly.
The Veraxin skittered in the box, all eyes swiveling to the judge. “No, sir.” he said after a long moment.
“Were you ordered to make that statement?” the colonel pressed, changing his thrust slightly.
“Objection …,” Captain Rising Tide started to protest, and then stopped, suddenly unsure of the ground he was on.
The Neodog turned slightly to look at the captain. “I am a judge, Captain. We can ask questions of a witness, Counselor,” the colonel replied as he turned back to the witness. “Answer the question, Lieutenant.”
A familiar male voice cleared his throat. “I think we can move on,” Admiral Thurgrad stated.
“Agreed,” Admiral Silvestri stated, but squirmed under the colonel's intense, thoughtful gaze.
“I'd ask him if he had been given permission to talk to the media. But given that Captain Prescott had been there at the news conference, it's self-evident,” Doctor Bullettine murmured in an aside to Horatio and Commander Steele. The counselor nodded mutely.
Benny sat down and allowed Commander Steele to finish the examination. “So, Lieutenant, what happened to your former command. Are you in command of it now?”
“No, ma'am.”
“So, it's in use though? We've already heard testimony that it was used …”
“Yes,
at least she was. The concern for the Xeno virus laid her up. She is in port pending replacement computer parts,” the Veraxin replied.
“I see,” the commander said with a grimace.
“That just blew up in our face,” Benny murmured. “She just reminded the jury about the virus and their potential exposure to it. Not good.”
“Yes, I know,” Horatio murmured, glancing at the Commander thoughtfully. The commander caught his look but didn't say anything as she resumed her seat.
@
“On the specific charges of Conduct Unbecoming on the fourth of May of last year, Captain Clayton you testified to incidents where Admiral Logan did manual labor. Included in those reports is a specific incident on a liner and your discussion, which you took care to note in your log,” Commander Steele said. They had just heard the charges leveled against the admiral by the captain under the careful and skillful questioning of Captain Rising Tide.
Now it was the defense's turn, and Ginny was ready to pounce.
“That is correct, Commander.”
“Was he off duty?”
“Not that I am aware of.”
“So, he was still in command. Were there any other senior officers present?”
“Admi … the accused was the only senior officer above my rank in the star system,” Captain Clayton said with a tight grimace.
“Did he have a fleet to manage?”
“A fleet? No. He was in charge of the mission, which was the station.”
“Was his command functioning smoothly?” she asked.
“As far as I was aware, yes.”
“Did he need to mind the ship or station on a minute-by-minute basis to maintain smooth operation?”
“Ilmarinen is my responsibility,” the captain said affronted.
“And so it is. Good for you. So, he took it upon himself to further the mission by doing manual labor since he knew how to do the task when others didn't and was available. I know this is frowned on. Traditionalists believe it is not setting the right example. Others believe it is.”
