by Chris Hechtl
“Given that both officers are senior officers with a large workload, we will … not require their testimony,” Admiral Thurgrad stated, letting the officers off the hook.
“Then respectfully the defense requests all charges they leveled be dropped, Your Honors. Specifically, any charges they themselves laid on Admiral Logan, including two Article 88 Contempt to Officials charges, four Article 91 insubordination charges, two Article 92 Failure to Obey order or regulation, One Article 94 Mutiny and Sedition charge, and two Article 133 Conduct Unbecoming An Officer And Gentleman charges. Those and any charges related to them should be judged as hearsay and thus dismissed.”
“We'll take this in chambers,” Admiral Silvestri stated as he rose from his seat. “The members are excused,” he said in a resigned voice as he looked their way.
“We'll need time to prepare arguments,” Captain Rising Tide said reluctantly.
“Of course you will,” Admiral Thurgrad snarled, glaring at the defense table.
@
“So, you are telling me he's gotten off?” Omar demanded. He'd rescheduled himself to take a tour of the yards and First Fleet so he was at least a half a light minute away. That meant there was a bit of a delay in each side of the transmission.
“No, we managed to get some of the charges tabled,” Admiral Shren stated. “If you and Sherman don't testify before the defense closes though, the prosecution and judge will have no choice but to dismiss those charges.”
“No.”
“Then testify.”
“Hell no! I'm not going to dance to that bastard's tune! I'm a full admiral! I dance to no one's tune! I earned that right!”
“You mean no one's but Admiral Irons,” Admiral Shren reminded him. He got a glare for his effort.
“Make it stick,” Omar growled.
“If you do not testify, they will be dropped. That is how the system works. I can get Thurgrad to squash any contempt of court charges against you or Sherman. But that's as far as I'm willing to go to twist the system.”
“Damn it …”
“Are you going to testify?”
“Hell no!” the admiral snarled. “Get that through your pint-sized head now!”
“I don't have to take that,” Admiral Shren said, goat eyes narrowing.
“Omar, stand-down,” Sherman interjected before the admiral could say anything else. “How long do we need to stay away?”
“Obviously, I'm not telling you this since you are avoiding a court-ordered appearance. But, hypothetically, I'd say on days court is in session. At least until the defense concludes its case.”
“And when will that be?”
“Unknown.”
“Frack,” Omar snarled. “What a way to run the damn navy.”
“Right way, wrong way, navy way,” Admiral Shren stated with a Gaelic shrug.
“Ah, shut it,” Omar snarled as he cut the channel.
@
Rear Admiral Ben Ross wasn't surprised when another juror was replaced. He'd heard rumors that some were doing anything to get out of the trial. Many didn't like being stuck between Childress and the Federation. He didn't care for it either, but they were flag officers. They were supposed to make the hard decisions.
Still, it seemed a bit extreme to get injured in a vehicle accident to get out of jury duty, no matter how onerous it was. It could have been a legitimate accident. The commodore was in a coma after all or some of the paranoid people whispering about it could be right. It could have been ONI taking out the commodore to stack the jury.
No, what had surprised him was that he had been tapped as the replacement. He'd been passed over once; he was the last juror alternate left in the extended pool. That meant if anyone else dropped out they would go into a mistrial, something the prosecution was desperate to avoid. They had moved twice to have the jury sequestered. That had so far been denied, most likely because of the length of the trial.
He had to avoid any appearances of impropriety, so that meant he had to avoid having lunch with his brother. Reginald had been the one to warn him off after he'd called him to set up a lunch.
Still, if that was all he had to suffer for during the trial, he was fine with it. He had light duty, mostly paper pushing when the trial was not in session. He'd caught up with the evidence and the prosecution's case easily enough. He had even watched the videos.
He had refused the polite invitations to lunch with certain flag officers however. He was starting to run out of excuses he had to admit. He'd already received a few broad hints to play ball in the washroom. He didn't need any more reminders.
He could just imagine how the rest of the jury was taking that sort of pressure. He wondered how many of them were willing to put up with it and how many were cracking under the strain.
He had to admit though, they were in for quite a show. A lot of drama, more than other courts he'd seen. And trying to subpoena Childress and Draken? That had been a masterful move. Their avoidance of the court had shown their true colors.
He wasn't certain if it mattered or not however.
Chapter 46
A Neochimp guard came to Horatio's cell and locked Horatio in travel chains. They made their way through the prison but then stopped in a section of hallway. Without a word, the guard locked Horatio's chain to a ring on the wall like an animal and then left him. Horatio frowned as he realized he was in a section of hall with no cameras. “Well, this is ominous.” He examined his surroundings and then turned his attention on the cuffs and bindings.
@
“Make it quick,” the guard muttered as he rounded the corner. “I'm going to take a wiz,” he said loudly as he buzzed through the door and then left it open slightly so the lock couldn't engage. “Oops,” he muttered.
The Neochimp mopping the floor hid a grin as he twisted the mop handle apart and pulled out something short. He tucked it into his sleeve and then put the mop back together, then leaned it against the wall as he went through with the plan.
@
Horatio's implant scanner range was cast wide so he noted that a Neochimp prisoner had been buzzed in through the series of locks in his hallway. His eyes narrowed as the chimp approached nonchalantly. He could see from the way the ape's fur was on edge that he was up to something. His right hand was tucked into a fist. A direct scan told him something was there, hard and metallic. He realized it was a shiv just as the last door was yanked open.
His attacker moved in fast and furious as Horatio's security protocols in his implants activated fully. He turned away, protecting his vulnerable front the best he could as he struggled with the cuffs binding his limbs. He felt something jabbing him in the back and sides, over and over again. He grunted, realizing he had been stabbed multiple times before he got free.
His implant strength theoretically allowed him to snap the chain but he had something else in mind. His defensive protocols had never been designed to pick locks, but he'd written a program to direct the nanites within his body to the locks. His implant security software had balked at testing it, but it had finally turned around and helped him with the program.
He gasped as fingers dug into his arm to try to pull him around. The chimp should have reached around for his throat but he'd thought that Horatio was completely helpless. He stamped on the other man's foot and then did his best to knee him. The knee slid off the chimp's leg since Horatio's feet were fettered. Most of the power in his kick had gone to snap the chain binding his legs.
Horatio abandoned picking the locks as the chimp snarled at him, blood dripping from his right hand. It was Horatio's blood he noted with a small corner of his mind. His brain felt detached, despite the adrenaline. His nanites and implants were dealing with the blood loss he knew.
“That the best you got?” the chimp demanded as Horatio's hands came free. His brown eyes went wide as Horatio's left hand snapped up to block the shiv. His simian strength should have been more than a match for the wounded human, but Horatio'
s block bore the power of his enhanced bones and muscles. They were near equal in strength, but Horatio wasn't done. As the chimp's free hand dug into his cheek and gouged and clawed, Horatio punched the chimp in the stomach, and then reached up with his right hand and grabbed the chimp's throat. His enhanced strength crushed the chimp's windpipe like it was a plastic straw, and then twisted. His fingers dug in as the chimp's eyes bulged in horror. His fingers ripped into the chimp's carotid arteries and blood sprayed in Horatio's face.
The chimp flung himself back, trying to get away. Horatio let him, knowing the other man was done. He turned and spat blood. He'd managed to close his eyes in time, but that didn't stop blood from dripping off his brow into his eyes, stinging them. All he could smell was blood, taste, everything. He gagged as the chimp fell on his back, grasping at his throat.
He felt a brief spasm of pain in his back as he turned. Instead of doing something stupid, he wiped the blood from his face and knelt, concentrating on his implants and his breathing.
He had to listen and watch as the chimp gasped in vain for breath and then twitched as he died.
A passing guard saw Horatio on his knees next to the body from the other side of the gate.
“Mother of …”
He turned and fumbled out a whistle and then blew on it hard, then pulled his radio out and called it in. When he turned back he gagged at the sight, turning to vomit in the corner.
Horatio grimaced. That was all he needed he thought absently as guards rushed in.
Horatio looked at Sergeant Cooper as she arrived on the scene. Blood dribbled from his face and side as she stared at him in shock. His entire back was red and black from his blood despite his implants. “I need a medic.” He looked over to the prisoner. “Unfortunately, he needs a morgue,” he said with a groan.
@
“He took the attacker out? While in chains? How?” Warden Tribeau demanded, staring at the investigator.
“I wish I knew. The commodore isn't saying,” the lieutenant replied. It made him nervous to be in the presence of the other man now. He'd fallen for the calm demeanor of the flag officer. He knew he shouldn't have. He'd just had proof that the man was a killer and not afraid to defend himself. The way he'd done it while also chained was scary to the staff.
“Damn it …”
“The section he was in had its cameras down for maintenance.”
“A little too convenient there. Procedure states you never leave a prisoner, and he's supposed to have two guards, not one. Who moved him?”
The lieutenant grimaced. He realized the warden wasn't going to give the incident a wash like he'd been told. “Whendle,” he supplied reluctantly.
The warden's eyes narrowed at that name and how long it took to get it out of the lieutenant. He didn't like the implications. Private Whendle was a screwup; he had been written up several times for getting too cozy with prisoners or sleeping on the job. He'd been in trouble twice last year for passing on materials too. He wasn't stupid enough to get caught with anything serious, at least, not yet, but he wasn't someone the warden trusted. “I want a full investigation. Charges will be preferred.”
“Sir …”
“You heard me. I'm not letting this stand. I want his ass. Once you've got the information for the investigation, he's out.”
“He's already screaming for his union rep. We'll have to put him on paid administrative leave while we review the case. It will take months. The union will fight it. He's claiming he had to go to the bathroom.”
“Bullshit.”
“We can't dispute that.”
“I know. But we can make it clear I won't tolerate this sort of bullshit. Finish the investigation. Did the admiral pick his locks?”
“Admiral? Sir?” the lieutenant asked carefully.
“The prisoner.”
The lieutenant blinked, face going impassive. “Um, sir, he's supposed to be referred to as a Commodore?”
“I honestly don't care what Childress wants at this point if he's pulling these stunts in my prison,” the warden growled. He was officially done doing favors for Draken and Childress if he was going to be set up to look bad.
“Sir, we don't know he was behind it.”
“I know. Unfortunately, the attacker is dead, not that I expected him to talk.”
“We're looking into his correspondence and recent visitors. We're hoping to get a hit there, at least a lead. How he got out of his cell and into the containment area is also being checked.”
“Yes, considering he had to be buzzed into the area that Horatio was in,” the warden snarled, with a shiv. I want his cellblock tossed.”
“We've tossed his cell.”
“I want the entire block tossed. Check everything. I don't want this happening to staff. No overtime either. They get it done now.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Make it clear to the rank and file that this shit stops today,” the warden growled. “I'm on the warpath, and I'm hunting scalps. No more crap. You hear me?”
“As crystal, sir.”
“Good. Pass it on. Logan is off limits. Period.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I want Whendle's locker secured. I want his ass detained in an office; have him write up his report on the incident. He'll no doubt say it was all a misunderstanding,” the warden growled.
“Sir, the union …,” the lieutenant said desperately.
“I. Don't. Care,” the warden ground out. The lieutenant gulped eyes wide at the distilled fury in the warden's eyes. “I put up with crap before, but this ends now,” the warden snarled. “The change in status and dumping Logan in general population, that was bad enough. I overlooked it. I am officially out of looking the other way. You can tell anyone who listens that. Got me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. And if I find out you are involved, I'll have your head too.”
“I'm good, sir,” the lieutenant said. “I was off shift.”
The warden sized him up and then grunted. That alibi was most likely true. “Fine. But it ends today. Now.”
“Yes, sir.”
@
Doctor Hsiao patched Horatio up once he was assessed and brought to the sickbay. The guards had certainly taken their time getting him there. He wondered if they had hoped he'd bleed out. If they had, they had been sadly disappointed. He had no intention of going anywhere. “You've got multiple stab wounds to your back. Your kidneys and spleen are colanders. You should have bled out. How you are even conscious …,” she shook her head in wonder.
“The wonders of modern medicine,” Horatio replied with a sigh as he watched her and the nurses around him. He was laying on his side, one hand cuffed to the gurney. Not that it would stop him if he needed to be free.
“Pain?” she asked, fingers hovering over him with concern.
“No. The nerve endings are shut off thankfully.”
She shook her head as she began to move again. “I'm still at a loss at how that can be done.”
“Again, Doc, the wonders of modern medicine,” he replied.
“Are you in sync with your implants now I take it?” she asked as she explored the wounds.
“Yes. That attack did it,” Horatio groaned as he moved slowly. There were extra guards in the room he noted. He was amused that they were all wary of him.
“We should operate on some of this. The shiv was short, only a centimeter long, but he really dug it in there. Like I said, right past the fat layer and into your internal organs.”
“Which are holding, Doc.”
“Still …”
“You sound as much of a knife hungry snot as the guy I just put up with,” Horatio joked.
She paused again and then snorted. “Do not,” she retorted, a small smile playing on her face.
“Do too,” he accused. “Admit it. You just want to see how fast I'll heal.”
“Now that's chalking a little too much sadism up to the female gender,” she replied dryly as she
picked out some biofoam and then scanned him again. “See, you've got at least two severed arteries here, but they aren't bleeding … how the devil …?”
“Implants. Specifically, flag implants can do wonders, Doc. Besides,” Horatio groaned. “This isn't my first rodeo. I've actually tangled with the occasional angry ape before. I admit, I've come out the worse for wear on a couple of occasions. The trick is to get them on their back with you there. Get them in a sleeper hold and grab them with your legs and you might survive the experience.”
“Handy tip,” she murmured as she used a laser to cauterize a bleeding capillary after she ripped a scab off. “I see your wonder implants do have some limits.”
“Some,” Horatio admitted. He knew he was damn lucky. If the ape had been smart enough to come at him and slit his throat, he would have been done. He'd been nearly completely helpless during the first few seconds of the encounter.
“Remind me to tell you the story of one of my first liberties. It was … interesting.”
“I'm not going anywhere. Neither are you,” she drawled. “Am I going to like this story?” she asked as she used a microsuitor tool to clamp over the severed artery ends and then stitch them back together. The stitching was with self-dissolving material. A touch with the laser ended some of the bleeding. “Okay, that one is done, ten more,” she said as she straightened up. “You were saying?”
Horatio cleared his throat and then shrugged internally. “Well, I went to this marine bar by accident. A drunk Neochimp private decided to come after me to throw me out. I was young and dumb, normally a lethal combination.” He grinned. She glanced at him and then snorted softly. “He chucked me out of the bar like I was a shot put. I must have gone a good, ten, twenty meters before I hit that dumpster. “But I got up and came right back in just like I'd been taught. I jumped him from behind and …
@
After hearing about another delay and the reasoning behind it, the court finally agreed to put Horatio in protective custody. It had been the fourth attempt on his life, and it was turning into a frustrating embarrassment to the navy. Their security was being mocked on the evening media outlets.
