Article 23

by William R. Forstchen

"Maybe so, at least in his mind," Justin replied and he looked over at Matt.

  "Who, me? What the heck are you talking about? I'm with the USMC. Sure, I might talk about the separatists, but I took the oath of loyalty to the USMC and until they do something that goes against the principles the service claims to stand for, I'm with you guys."

  "Well, I wish you had a chance to go out into the lounge and make that pronouncement," Justin replied.

  "What for?"

  "Do you know that Colson is now the Captains steward for breakfast?"

  "No?"

  "O'Brian told me this morning. Said Colson came in and told him the Captain had requested his service. I wonder if Colson's been running forward, telling tales and now he's been given an official-looking assignment so he can go forward without people asking questions."

  "Yeah, I just remembered," Madison interjected. "Marissa told me that she heard the shouting night before last when Matt here and Colson got into that argument. She said that about a half-hour later she was up in the lounge area and she saw Colson come out of the door leading to officer's country."

  "That's not good," Justin said softly.

  "So why the music, you want a sound track for your storytelling?" Matt laughed.

  "So MacKenzie can't listen in on us, fiat's why," Tanya said.

  "Come on, that's against the regs," Madison announced. "Aren't we getting a little paranoid around here?"

  "Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me," Justin replied.

  A knock on the door interrupted them and surprised Justin looked up as the door started to slide open, wondering if MacKeuzie was going to come barging in. He groaned inwardly when he saw Wendell Colson coming iu, already suited up and carrying his sleeping net and duffel bag.

  "I drew this room," Wendell announced.

  "Oh great," Matt said, "just like home."

  Either not catching or ignoring the sarcasm, Wendell looked around for someplace to hcok his net.

  "Looks like we share hooks," Wendell said and reaching up he clipped the top of his net to where Tanya's was secured and stretched tho bottom over to Justin's clip. Justin wondered if it was deliberate, but let it pass.

  "The Doc said get your suits on," Wendell said, "and instead you're in here listening to music. Get moving."

  "Oh, yes, sir," Matt replied, putting on a high-pitched wheedling voice, "anything you say, sir."

  Matt made a big show of disconnecting from the floor, then, while floating up, he slid his feet into the suit and after slowly bouncing off the ceiling he slid his arms in and zipped it shut. Turning end over end he came back to his feet and extended his hands like a circus acrobat.

  "Cut the child's play, Everett, this is serious," Wendell snapped.

  "Oh but it is serious, though nothing to be afraid of."

  "Are you implying I'm afraid?"

  "Why, no such thing, old man, not at all."

  Wendell stepped closer to Matt.

  "If you're calling me a coward, wise-ass, then have die guts to do it straight out. Typical off-worlder, a coward just like your buddies who took that ship."

  Matt stopped grinning.

  "First of all, stupid, they're not cowards."

  Justin groaned, half-tempted to simply clobber his friend.

  "Sneaking up and stealing a Fleet ship. MacKenzie was right, they're no better than pirates and deserve execution."

  "We don't know the whole story," Matt shot back. "There might have been a justifiable reason for taking that ship."

  "Remember what Thorsson said," Justin tried to interject, "no accusing or arguing about"

  Matt put a hand out and pushed Justin aside.

  "And another thing. If you wanna talk about executing you better be ready to do something about it. There might be friends of mine in that group and no one talks about killing a friend of mine and gets away with it. Death comes too easy out in space as is," Matt hesitated for an instant and then forged ahead, "especially when folks are given cheap equipment and then sent out to die. That's damn close to murder as far as I'm concerned."

  "Hey, what the hell is going on in here?"

  The group looked up to see Senior Cadet Petronovich in the doorway, hands resting on hips.

  "Turn that damn music down!"

  Leonov, who was closest to the computer, leaned back and hit the switch to shut it down.

  "Now I want a straight answer what gives in here? You could hear shouting half-way down the corridor."

  "Oh, nothing, sir," Madison quickly interjected. "Everett here was just telling one of his jokes."

  Petronovich eyed her suspiciously. His gaze fell on Colson.

  "Mr. Colson, is that true?"

  Wendell hesitated for a moment. There was the code, of course, but the mere fact that he hesitated almost seemed to Justin to be a violation in and of itself. "Just a joke, sir," he finally replied coldly.

  "All of you are on report, double watch tonight for skylarking around when you should be checking out your safety gear. I want everyone in here suited up in five minutes flat and ready for inspection."

  He turned and walked away.

  "Thanks a lot," Wendell hissed, "my first punishment detail ever thanks to you."

  "No problem at all," Matt replied with a smile.

  "Enter."

  Justin slipped the door open, moving a bit clumsily due to his anti-radiation suit. MacKenzie was at his computer, the screen displaying a mass of static. Without waiting for orders Justin snapped the dinner on the table and stepped back.

  MacKenzie finally stirred and looked up.

  "We are cut off, Mr. Bell."

  "Sir?"

  MacKenzie pointed at the computer. "Totally cut off. Ever read Coleridge, cadet?"

  "My grandfather read some to me."

  'Alone, alone, all alone, alone on a windswept sea,' " MacKenzie intoned somberly. "Like the ancient days at sea. From the moment you weighed anchor till the chain rattled back down a captain was alone, the deck of his ship the entire span of the universe he controlled. Not like today, with some fat-butted bureaucrat of an admiral barking orders at you from seventy-five million kilometers away. He, safe in his office on Earth, most likely never stood a watch alone a hundred million kilometers from home. Never stood alone"

  His voice trailed off.

  Justin waited, knowing better than to stir or offer a comment in return.

  "This is as it was, as it should be," MacKenzie said softly. "Forty years I've served, only as captain of a light cruiser, but still I served loyally while others far more glib and far better connected maneuvered behind me, gaining the rights and power that should be mine. But here here I am the power as it was and as it should be."

  Sighing, he stood up and slowly moved to the table, walking as if his anti-radiation suit was the burden of a martyr. He sat down, leaning over to noisily sip his soup through a straw.

  "This crisis, this separatist movement, never would have started if they had listened to me and other line officers. We were out there, patrolling the edges, watching the riffraff move in and take over. We protested and we tried to enforce the laws, but the bleeding-heart do-gooders at headquarters always blocked us. Men like your Thorsson."

  Justin shifted uncomfortably. He wanted to voice a protest in defense of a man whom he considered to be his friend as well as his commanding officer. But, sensing that now was not the time, he dutifully remained silent.

  "Even with my back turned I know you don't like what I said, Mr. Bell. A good Captain can sense such things. The way you drew your breath in. Do you have something to say to me, Bell?"

  "No, sir."

  MacKenzie chuckled softly. "Now I remember the name. Your father served under me. Not much older than you, then. Rare, an honest lad. Died well from what I heard. You must have inherited his traits. Blood will tell, Mr. Bell, it always does."

  "Thank you, sir."

  "Your Thorsson. Norwegian. Not British, not American like you or me. The Uni
ted Nations allowed such to gain power. How we ever agreed to the creation of the United Space Military Command, even if it was chartered and designed by us; well, it's madness. They're the ones who allow these separatists to flourish. Out on the edge it's lawlessness, anarchy. I know, Mr. Bell, I know And his voice drifted off into silence.

  So much was being said that Justin barely had time to sort out all the implications of MacKenzie's onesided conversation before the Captain started again.

  "I think, Mr. Bell, that this separatist crisis is deeper, more insidious than any are willing to admit. I know I've heard the traitorous utterances, even in the halls of the highest command. I tell you, Bell, there is only one thing holding humanity together and that is the Service."

  "Yes, sir," Justin replied, feeling that at least there was one thing he could agree with.

  "We, the line officers, must take a stand. If not, those lily-livers back on Earth, in league with the traitors with whom they make believe they are negotiating but are really secretly helping they will destroy us all. A firm hand, Bell, a very firm hand, that's what's needed. Don't you agree?"

  Justin hesitated for a second.

  "A captain commands his ship," Justin replied, hoping that his noncommittal answer would be viewed as support.

  MacKenzie turned and looked Justin in the eyes.

  "Have you read the book I assigned?"

  "The first few hundred pages, sir," Justin replied, stretching the truth slightly. There were parts of the story he enjoyed, especially the details about how the old sailing ships and whalers operated, but the deeper stuff was throwing him off and he had skimmed entire chapters.

  "Ahab saw the evil behind the mask," MacKenzie said. "'Others could not, but he did."

  He smiled. "It is the thing behind the mask I chiefly hate.

  "There's much to be learned there, much indeed. I'll need you to finish reading that, Mr. Bell, by tomorrow night if you please."

  Justin inwardly groaned. "Yes, sir."

  "Have you heard anything, Mr. Bell?"

  "Heard anything, sir?"

  MacKenzie leaned forward.

  "Inappropriate things. Dirty secrets, the little glimmers that evil can not conceal and which reveal what is hidden behind the mask. I know, Mr. Bell, I know about such things, oh indeed I do."

  "No, sir, nothing, sir."

  "You're a fool then, Bell," MacKenzie snapped.

  He remained silent again for a moment and then ever so gradually a smile crossed his face.

  "Any stray talk. A slip of the tongue, or a dark and dirty secret shared with someone you think is a friend, Mr. Bell?"

  "No, sir, nothing, sir." Justin replied, trying to not let his voice betray just how nervous he was. Somehow he was convinced that Golson had been spreading stories about Matt and the Captain was now looking for confirmation.

  "Perhaps you need a lesson, Bell, perhaps everyone does. You are dismissed."

  "Yes, sir."

  Justin backed out of the room and started down the corridor.

  "Mr. Bell?"

  Surprised, Justin looked up and saw Doctor Zhing standing in the doorway of his cabin.

  "Come in here, son," Zhing announced loudly, I want to check your dose meter."

  Justin stepped into the room, a bit confused because a quick glance to the tag on his chest would have shown that so far his exposure had been less than half a rad.

  Zhing peeked out into the corridor then slid the door shut. He made a display of leaning over to check the meter, then motioned for Justin to stand at ease.

  "How are you, son?"

  "Fine, sir. No problem. The suit's a bit clumsy but we'll get used to it."

  "What did you and the Captain talk about? I see you going in there every evening."

  "I've been assigned as his steward for dinner," Justin said.

  "Why?"

  "I don't know, sir. Guess it was just the luck of the draw. O'Brian sent me down with dinner the first night and the Captain asked that I serve him for the remainder of the voyage."

  "Good, that means he trusts you, at least for now." Zhing hesitated. "The same way he seems to trust young Mr. Colson."

  "Sir?"

  "Oh, the Captain knows the family and its connections. Your Mr. Colson has a powerful family, he does. When the Captain first saw the roster he recognized the name immediately."

  "Sir, we're all cadets on this trip," Justin replied, curious about Zhing's comment. "Of course we can be trusted."

  To his surprise Zhing leaned over, switched on the computer and dialed in some music.

  "Did he talk to you at all about secrets? Or about the separatists?"

  Justin wasn't sure how to respond.

  "Son, as medical officer on this voyage I have the right to any information that might impact on my duty to monitor the health of this crew," he hesitated for a moment then dropped his voice to a whisper, "and that includes the Captain."

  Taken aback Justin didn't know how to reply. He suddenly wished that Thorsson or his grandfather were here. This entire situation was not shaping up to what he had expected the service to be. Somehow, whenever he was done talking to MacKenzie he left feeling unclean, as if there were something wrong that he should feel guilty about but wasn't quite sure what.

  "Sir, I'm not sure, sir," Justin replied.

  "I'm concerned, Bell. I've served four cruises on this ship with that man. I retire in less than a year. Just a few more runs," he said dreamily, "just as long as I don't run afoul of that man."

  The way he said "that man" surprised Justin; there was a note of disdain, but his eyes betrayed a look of fear.

  "Sir. He talked about the separatists and how he doesn't like them."

  Zhing laughed coldly. "Has reason not to. You know about his wife, don't you?"

  Justin shook his head.

  "She left him some years ago. Messy situation. What with him gone for months, years at a time. It happens a lot in the service."

  Justin thought of his own mother, the memories of when he was a boy and his father was shipping out. The long months of waiting, the anxiety and fears. But she was always there for him when he returned. He wondered how such a blow would affect a man and how he would learn to live with it afterwards.

  "She's one of the leaders now," Zhing continued. "She's said some embarrassing things about fleet officers in general and him in particular through the years. They think she might've been one of the participants in the seizure of the Gustavus."

  Justin didn't know how to reply, wondering why the doctor was even sharing this information.

  "Did he say anything about her?"

  "No, sir, he didn't."

  Zhing nodded and leaned closer. "Now listen, son. If anything troubles you, you come to me with it. I've been around a bit. You young pups from the Academy, they feed you a lot of sweetness and sunshine. There might be ships like that, but this universe is a damn big place. Frontiers draw all types, some good like Thorsson, some not."

  He stopped as if cutting off something that he wanted to add.

  "Anyhow, it's only eleven more days out maybe this will all blow over. But then again, this has been building for some time. Not just here but on board a lot of ships where men like MacKenzie, passed over for promotion and forgotten on long and distant patrols, are left in the backwaters but have to handle all the dirty situations with little thanks. So keep your ears open."

  "Yes, sir."

  "Mr. Zhing?"

  The voice cut through the noise of the music. Zhing, startled, straightened up.

  "Yes, Captain."

  'To my cabin if you please. And Zhing, why the loud music? I can hear it all the way down the corridor."

  Zhing, fear in his eyes, opened the door and peeked out. Silently he motioned for Justin to leave.

  "Sorry, Captain. On my way, sir."

  Justin slipped out into the hallway, afraid but not sure why. Zhing again motioned for Justin to hurry up.

  "Gangway."

  He
turned, startled, as Petronovich came past moving quickly. Not bothering to hang around to see what was up, Justin went through the door into the lounge, leaving officer country behind.

  The room was half-full. The portside watch had just stood down and dinner was over. The instant he came into the room he could sense the tension. Something was wrong it was the way the cadets were clustered into groups, talking in low whispers, some raising their heads to look about.

  He saw Tanya and Madison sitting in a corner with a chessboard between them, but neither one was looking at the board. He drifted over to where Leonov and Smith were playing. Even though sitting in a chair didn't serve any real function in zero gravity, he settled into one anyhow. Sitting in space still survived, at least as a social custom.

  Leonov looked up.

  "So how did it go up there with the Ice Man?"

  Justin looked around nervously. "I wish you wouldn't call him that."

  Tanya laughed softly. "That's what everyone on board calls him."

  "Don't ask. It's just getting weird. That's all." He figured it was best not to mention the conversation with Doctor Zhing.

  Off in the far corner he saw Matt and several other cadets sitting, leaning forward and talking.

  "Matt OK?"

  "Oh, you missed it," Madison said.

  "Missed what?"

  "He and Wendell had another argument."

  Justin groaned.

  "Petronovich had to break it up."

  "Let me guess, the separatists."

  "Exactly. Those three Matt's sitting with. All are off worlders. Marissa Iivollen, Collin Bugniazet you remember he was captain of the team we beat at falcon flying during the summer and Abdul Amin. It got a little heated with Wendell and a couple of the others, those guys around him all shouting at each other."

  Justin looking around the room and found that he could sort out everything. Matt and his followers in one comer, Wendell and his in the other corner, both sides whispering, pausing to shoot dark looks at each other while other groups of cadets, trying to stay neutral, gathered on the opposite side of the room. Justin thought the setting looked like a scene from a bad vid, a barroom in the old West, two rival groups sitting in opposite corners waiting for the showdown to begin.

  "They're all on report," Madison announced. "I tell you, this one's gonna hit the fan when we get back to the Academy. Colson called Matt a cheap sailor. I have to give Matt credit he tried to laugh it off at first, but then Colson called him a damn liar. That set Matt off and the show started. There are gonna be a lotta black marks in files, and double duty."