He pointed a small silvery device at me and I felt as if a lock had been opened in my mind.
"Do I make myself clear?"
"Your threats hold little value to me. I will expose you and that power abusing criminal you call Admiral. Go ahead and kill me now, do whatever you want. I will not keep quiet!"
He laughed:" Oh but you will. You see you have a little Saresii Psionic device in your head. You will never be able to talk about it and in a few weeks you die, committing suicide. The device will drive you to it and there is nothing you can do about. No one will ever investigate, Brisbane is a very harsh place and suicide is not uncommon there. You won't be able to tell anyone, but you know you die. Isn't that something?" He giggled. "Oh I love these Saresii devices. Getting into a pissing contest with an Admiral wasn't a good idea!"
He laughed as he left and closed the door.
That night I had terrible nightmares. I knew he was right. I could not talk about it. Not a word came across my lips when I tried. Suddenly I had ideas about killing myself. While I tried to block it out the idea seemed better by the minute and was the solution to all my problems.
The next morning, two marines woke me, led me to an Auto Dresser. The machine cleaned me, nanites remanufactured my uniform and in less than a minute. I was clean shaven, wore dress uniform.
The sun was barley up when I was led out on the parade ground with a marine on each side. All Midshipmen seemed to be here, assembled and standing in attention. Ten marines had old fashioned drums and played a steady solemn beat. We learned about these archaic traditions in military history class. Corporal punishment had been reintroduced in 3500 for severe crimes committed by military personnel. Thirty five lashes was the maximum punishment that could be administered without going before a Court martial tribunal.
Everything seemed so unreal to me. Swybar kept his promise and I did get what he said I would get. His father did make this all happen.
Commander Letsgo stepped before me and his metallic face was unreadable. He ripped the rank insignia from my sleeves." I had great hopes for you. It turned out you have been a murderer and a spy! You deserve worse than this!"
The Marines tied me to a metal frame. Arms and legs spread, forming an X.
A man all dressed in black wearing a tight fitting black mask stepped into my field of view: "Do you want a rubber block to bite on? It will help with the pain!"
"No! Do your thing and get it over with." I couldn't protest or say anything against the Admiral or the Commander, but I said:" Your mask won't help. I will get justice and you will pay!"
He snorted a laugh and walked out of my sight.
Someone read the charges and the punishment. The Drum beat stopped.
Something alien seemed to creep inside me and I could hear Narth's voice!" My friend I know. Don't despair. I am in you and I am awake now. That primitive Saresii device has no power over you no more."
This sudden contact by my friend, took away all fear. I wasn't alone! Narth knew about the device and he would do something about it!
My shirt was ripped away and I could hear Commander Stones voice:" Let him have it Sergeant and let him have it good! Execute the punishment!"
The first stroke bit into my back. I promised myself not to give them anything and not scream or beg.
I think I did scream, but I was certain I didn't beg. After the tenth stroke I lost count and around the twentieth I passed out. Someone splashed me with cold water, but it didn't do much for me and I think I passed out again. What happened after the last stroke, I didn't know.
Interlude: Commander Letsgo's Office
The Commander still stared at the torn off rank insignia of the former Midshipman as his DeskCom flashed with Top Urgent lights.
He touched the screen and a Holo transmission from Fleet headquarters solidified. It was the Old man himself, Admiral of the Fleet Mc Elligott." Where is Midshipman Olafson?"
"Sir, the Ex Midshipman is just transferred to the brig. That subject has been dealt with swift and harsh! I doubt he is conscious. Thirty five lashes and off to Brisbane tomorrow!"
Elligott gazed at him with open contempt." So you are involved as well! I never thought it possible!"
Letsgo was confused." Sir I am involved with what?"
Just then the door slammed open and Admiral Stahl entered he too seemed quite angry and Letsgo felt suddenly very small. Especially since he did not know what was going on. Behind Stahl, the General of the Psi Corps Lichfangh and yet another Admiral stormed in, he was the Judge Advocate General of the Navy and with him two Spec ops Marines with fully charged arm cannons at the ready.
Stahl was the first speaking and he repeated the question:"Where is Midshipman Olafson?"
"Sir I just told Admiral Elligott that he is in the brig. We contained this disgusting individual and have dealt with him!"
Stahl nodded to the Marines."Find him See that the Narth see to him at once."
The marines responded by running out of the room.
"The Narth is dead! Olafson has killed him!" Letsgo said.
Elligott's holo stepped forward." He has done no such thing!"
Stahl raised his hand." I always considered you one of the finest officers and I felt some friendship between us. For the sake of that friendship I want you to tell me exactly what occurred. I expect from you nothing but the truth."
Letsgo felt insulted by that."Sir I live by our honor code. I never lie."
"Then tell me!"
"Olafson was a Kermac Spy. We know that the Narth became aware of his subversive activity. So Olafson lured him and the other Midshipmen of his dorm into joining him on a fake survey mission. Lt. Waltham believed it as he saw the falsified orders Olafson presented, because only with an officer could he get all of them off base. He thought he was safe on the other side of the planet. There he used a Kermac Duo Mine he smuggled in from his last R&R trip to disable the Crawler Cat, and killed the Narth with a terrible weapon of yet unknown nature, all that was left was a dried out corpse! Little did he know that retired Commander Wilson owns a little hobby farm there. Commander Wilson conducts botanical research there and heard the explosions.
He went straight to investigate, but Olafson trapped him, almost killed the old Soldier but Wilson managed to fight and restrain Olafson and call for help."
"How do you know all this?"
"Commander Stone, a special CID investigator played the audio records of the Crawler and presented me with Olafson's signed confession. Lt. Granger of my own staff witnessed it and confirmed the confession! Also we have the witness report of Commander Wilson."
"Did it at no time occur to you to hear the witnesses present at those events, namely the Midshipmen? Did you as their commanding officer bother to check on Olafson and ask him yourself about these accusations?"
"No Commander Stone placed a gag order on the other Cadets. Because of the ongoing investigation into the spying charges and I was unable to interview Olafson because he was under CID lock. I did request to see him once, but I did not want to deal with a Kermac spy!"
"I am not sure if I should court martial you or simply throw you out of office for incompetence."
"Even if all would have been true and Olafson did all this. You should have been involved, turning over every stone to see how this could have happened under your watch. If this tall tale would have been true it would be one of the most spectacular espionage cases in the entire history of our Fleet!
"Imagine an 18 year old Neo Viking that never left his home planet prior to joining the Navy being an accomplished Kermac Spy able to fool all tests and checks on Arsenal to attend basic training, somehow able to smuggle a 2 ton Kermac Device unseen by all other Cadets aboard a small Leyland Space bus. Setting the device up all across the planet and falsifying academy orders to lure a Lieutenant into the Jungles. Every single detail of this incident should have raised red flags with you!"
Letsgo wished he could sit down. His legs suddenly felt weak. "Sir, the
written confession, the Audio recording!"
"Come on, you can manufacture such a recording in five minutes on any Computronic along with the written confessions. Why was Olafson not seen by a JAG officer? Why did you not contact JAG"
"Because Commander Stone came from Perryton was from JAG CID and he took the case."
"This base is your command not his. Commander Stone telling you he investigates the case could therefore not head the proceedings."
"No I see you are not directly involved but to be so gullible and so naïve and blind makes you just as guilty."
***
I woke in our dorm room, all by myself. The room looked deserted and not because no one but me was here. A room that was occupied by seven beings showed signs of being lived in, even a place as neat and tidy as a military dorm room showed such signs. The bedding on all bunks was gone. The locker doors stood wide open and appeared exactly as we found them when we came here. The name tag fields empty. It hit me instantly my friends where gone!
I got up. My back was bandaged. There was no pain at the moment, but a tight sensation as if my skin was stretched to the limits underneath the bandage.
My own sea bag was standing next to my locker, already packed. A new uniform was laid out on the bed.
I held my head and whispered:"Narth?"
There was no answer and somehow I knew I was alone.
But I was in the dorm and my uniform was laid out. I was not on a transport to Brisbane.
What had changed?
I all felt like in a bad dream but I intended to end it once and for all and quit! I got dressed and made my way to the Commander's office. I remembered the alien device I had in my head and the prospect that I was going to commit suicide was frightening. Narth was never with me I just imagined his voice and presence, but suicide was not on my agenda right now. I was angry and wanted to vent my emotions at someone and then I would quit the Navy. My dream turned out to be anything but what I expected.
Just as I left the Dorm section and turned to the IST (Inter Station transport) to ride to the top, Lieutenant Aurellius came running in my direction." Midshipman Olafson. I was just looking for you. We need you in the Command center."
"Sir, do you know what happened? I am not a Midshipman anymore."
"Commander Letsgo will fill you in, but now we must go to the Commanders Office."
"So he can spill some more of his poison. I am going to tell him what I think of this place!
So I followed him, in my mind I already quit and did not treat him with the respect a superior officer expected. The Navy and its officers lost all credibility and respect in my eyes.
"Commander Letsgo got up from his chair and walked over."Welcome in the land of the living Cadet Olafson! I am glad you are here."
"I am not! I am here to tell you I am quitting. I was treated like a criminal and no one explained to me what I really have done to deserve all this. I was held captive, have been tortured, violated and whipped in public. I had it!"
His face became serious." I know. I know what has been done to you. I must take responsibility for it as I failed to take action or open my eyes.
"The device that had been placed in your mind has been removed. Your friend Narth is safe, alive and back on Narth world"
"That does not change anything. All those speeches about honor and dignity, how officers have to behave is all a lie!"
I stopped, my eyes widened:" Narth is okay?"
Letsgo nodded with a smile. "Yes he is."
Only now I noticed the GalNet holo- projection of an old man in Admirals Uniform standing next to Letsgo. I recognized the old man, everyone would have. It was the Admiral of the Fleet, Admiral Mc Elligott.
He looked at me and even though it was only a Holo-projection, I suddenly felt my hair standing up, his eyes seemed normal and human enough but there was an unexplainable quality to them, it was as if he looked right through me, right down into my soul and nothing would remain hidden from his old eyes.
He spoke:" Midshipman Olafson I am here to debrief you and explain to you what happened as I understand you have not been explained anything."
"Sir, I am humbled and honored by your presence, but no one has one had the courtesy to tell me anything. It matters not anyway this wonderful self important specimen of a Commander here demoted me and I was dishonorably discharged. I throw the towel anyway. I tried my best, I really did and if that wasn't enough all you had to do was to kick me out like the others."
"Just shut up for a moment, Cadet Olafson. You want to be an officer of the Navy and you might even have what it takes, so don't give up when difficulties arise."
"Difficulties arise? Did you just say difficulties? Sir, with all due respect, being tortured, seeing my best friend die, getting whipped in public are not difficulties, did any other Cadet ever get treated this way?"
His projection sat down." You are correct. Maybe my choice of words was not the best but we received a communiqué from Narth Planet. The Narth considering leaving the United Stars Union and revoking their membership. It is very serious if any Union member considers leaving and it never happened before in the history of our Union, having the Narth leave would be especially bad. Only recently they abandoned their long policy of total isolation so I would like you to talk to them"
"Why don't you ask your hero Admiral Swybin? I am sure he can convince them to change their mind! Or perhaps Commodore Stone, now there is an especially talented man with impeccable sense of honor and justice. I fail to see what a convicted gangster like me could do!"
"Admiral Swybin has been arrested and awaits his court martial as we speak, Mr. Olafson and it looks like he is going to be hanged for treason and a list of other offenses. Commodore Stone has been arrested as well and will get his due as is Lt. Granger!"
"That is what you say Sir. I greatly respect your position and all, but he is an Admiral and they are Commodores. I was lied to before and I was told what it means to get into a pissing contest with an Admiral. You can say whatever you want to make me help you. Oh perhaps you have talked to them and they promised to be better next time and kill right away!"
"I personally guarantee they will receive their due punishment and you will be there!
"Now let me explain something to you .You need to understand that the Navy is a very big organization, we have one Trillion beings serving the Fleet in active positions and there are many more retired beings. It can't be any smaller because we do have strong enemies and almost half a galaxy to protect, not to speak of our areas across the bridge. We diligently enforce our rules, laws and traditions as good as possible. Don't judge the entire Navy by a few bad apples. Admiral Swybin had a son. A Son he loved and a son who wanted to become an officer just like his father. This son failed the Academy Entrance Psych Tests, but Admiral Swybin bent a few rules and used his position to get his son admitted.
As you know firsthand it did not work out. His son's failure brought to daylight how he got into the academy in the first place and Admiral Swybin was indicted for falsifying records and miss use of rank privileges. Swybin had an old friend on Idyllic a retired Commodore who owed him a few favors and a plan of revenge was hatched. The Expedition everything was a set up and a trap and meant to kill you all and blame the accident on Commander Letsgo. They underestimated your resourcefulness and Wilson wanted to finish the job.
You do not become an admiral without making contacts and friends and your rank does give you far reaching power. They placed an illegal Saresii Device in your head, not knowing you provided Narth with some sort of vessel. We still don't know much about the Narth but he somehow contacted Narth Prime and I was informed about the incident.
Wilson used his farm to make and distribute the most illegal drug in the Union, Califerm. Wilson used Navy assets to ship this highly illegal substance of planet.
Commander Letsgo was told that you where a Kermac spy and provided with evidence to that effect. He was unaware of the truth until only recently. He too
will not get out of this unscarred as he failed his duties.
A Narth delegation was on Idyllic till yesterday and removed Narth from your unconscious body and they also removed the Saresii device.
NAVINT would like to keep the whole affair as quiet as possible because Wilson dealt with others off planet and we want to get them all.
"I cannot undo what happened to you. I cannot express how ashamed I am, because ultimately it was my fault and responsibility, but I promise you justice. Those involved will be punished to the fullest extent of our laws."
He looked me straight in the eyes and again I felt goose bumps on my back. I wanted to object and tell him that I didn't trust him, but when I looked into his eyes I trusted him. I knew everything he said was true and if everything failed he would remain a constant. He paced a few steps back and forth. "You managed to become friends with Cadet Narth. You gained insights and information into their culture no outsider ever had. This Narth informed me about the incident how you saved his life and he is advising the Narth Supreme."
"I know very little about the Narth, Sir but Yes I consider Narth my best friend."
"Cadet, I understand your anger and believe me I understand your reasons why you want to quit. I cannot say I would act any different if I were in your place. Son, we really need the Narth. Their membership is vital in more ways than I can explain to you at the moment.
Your friend Narth is standing right here in my office and he told me that their membership hinges on your decision."
He sighed." I know I am asking for a lot, but I ask you to reconsider. Don't resign."
"Would anyone have cared what happened to me if I wasn't friends with Narth? Would the Admiral of the Fleet himself talk to me if the same thing happened and I had no important friends?"
"Yes the same thing would have happened. You have more friends than you realize. Cadet Olia filed a report with JAG headquarters. Your friend Cadet Olia never told you but she too is the child of an Admiral and she had her father raise heaven and hell to get to the truth. A Cadet named Limbur force marched across half the planet broke in Wilson's farm, single handedly incapacitated seven men and provided JAG with evidence of the Califerm operation.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 271