Valor At Vauzlee

by DePrima, Thomas

  "And have you learned what you sought?"

  "I believe so. We're convinced that finding herself in real danger was responsible for the metamorphosis. As real as our command and control simulations at the Academy are, they never impart a sense of real danger— the belief that anyone's life is truly on the line. You might feel a sense of anxiety or nervousness, but never real fear. We've been discussing the creation of a special testing program for individuals of superior intelligence who appear indecisive. During their third year they would participate in an off-world exercise that would lead to their realistically being cut off from command. Of course, we would be monitoring them constantly, but they wouldn't know that we were watching, or realize that they were in no real danger. They would believe that they were really facing death. Then we would evaluate their efforts to survive."

  "Is there any further need for Gavin to extend special opportunities to Carver?" Admiral Moore asked.

  "No, none. I've thanked Admiral Holt for his assistance and informed him that I don't require further special considerations for Carver. We'll continue to monitor her performance closely though. She's an exceptional young officer and bears watching."

  "What are we going to do about her right now?" Admiral Platt asked. "She's still in command of a heavy cruiser. I can't help but wonder what effect that's going to have on senior officers looking to advance their careers through progressively responsible command opportunities."

  "More importantly," Admiral Hubera said, "she's now taking the Song into battle as the ship's captain. She's too inexperienced and too immature for such an important role."

  "I'm sure that our senior officers will recognize the temporary nature of her command and the valid reasons for her appointment," Admiral Moore said. "And as Captain Gavin said in his report, a new senior staff will be waiting to take command of the Song as soon as it reaches Higgins."

  "If it reaches Higgins," Admiral Hubera said.

  "What do you mean by that?" Admiral Hillaire asked.

  "The last time she captained a ship headed for Higgins, she decided to take a few side trips first."

  "Now Donald," Admiral Platt said, "those deviations from course were necessary and justified. She saved the Nordakian convoy, didn't she?"

  "Evelyn, she merely surprised the crew of a Raider cruiser and destroyed them before they even knew she was attacking."

  "Making maximum use of the element of surprise against a declared enemy," Admiral Moore said, "has always been, and will always be, a fundamental part of sound military strategy. I think we've belabored this topic enough, Donald. We have a great deal more to discuss. Lt. Commander Carver will be replaced by a more seasoned officer as soon as she reaches Higgins, and I feel confident that she won't deviate from her course. She knows the importance of getting her ship there as expeditiously as possible. Now, what are we going to do about defending Higgins?"

  "I'm sure that Admiral Holt will use his forces to their best advantage," Admiral Hillaire said. "The seven ships from the recent battle will bolster their strength considerably when they arrive."

  "The point I was attempting to make before we again got sidetracked onto a discussion about Commander Carver," Admiral Bradlee said, "was that an attack like this, on a Space Command StratCom-1 base has to mean that the Raiders intend to reassert themselves in that deca-sector in a major way. They've never attacked a base before, and they wouldn't be taking such an aggressive stance now if they weren't confident in their ability to achieve dominance there. We can't forget that both the Prometheus and Chiron have only a minimal fighting force on board. Their new crews are still assembling here at Earth. Their present fighting effectiveness is less than one-half what it should be. But that's only a concern if they arrive in time. If the Raiders attack within the next twenty days, there may not be a Higgins base to defend when they arrive."

  "Our nearest warship," Admiral Platt said, "excluding the seven from the site of the recent battle, is forty-nine days away at maximum speed. Captain Gavin's message to all warships within the deca-sector will have caused them to drop everything and proceed to Higgins at top speed. There's nothing more we can do. Everything might hinge on how many ships the Raiders are able to muster for this operation."

  "Given the time they've had to plan and prepare for this attack," Admiral Bradlee said, "and understanding the importance to them of its successful conclusion, I believe that they'll throw every fighting vessel at us that they can muster. I pray to God that our forces will be victorious, but we should begin making plans to retake and hold the sector if they are not. How many ships can we pull from other sectors to replace those we'll lose at Higgins, and what resources can we commit for constructing a replacement station?"

  "I think that's a little premature, Roger," Admiral Ahmed said.

  "We must have contingency plans in place, Raihana," he said, "much as I wish it wasn't necessary."

  "Roger is correct," Admiral Moore said. "Although we desperately hope that they won't be needed, we must have contingency plans in place." Turning to his aide, he gave a couple of quick instructions then turned back to the officers at the table. "While we're waiting for Admiral Acheson of the Corp of Engineers, let's finish up the rest of our business. We must make a final decision on the proposed expansion of the administrative center on Hawking Space Command Base. All in favor?"

  * * *

  "Admiral Nazeer is seeking confirmation that we wish to proceed with the attack," Councilwoman Overgaard said as she read the next item on the Lower Council's meeting agenda, "given the fact that his forces will be thirty ships short of the expected task force size and that the Spaccs seem to have learned of the planned attack."

  "Of course I want him to proceed," Chairman Gagarin said angrily. "Our agent on the base reports that it's being guarded by just five Spacc ships, just as we planned. We know that the other ships are weeks away, still licking their wounds at the site of the battle. Even without the ships that were destroyed, his task force is more than adequate to destroy the base and bring that deca-sector completely under our control. How much of an edge does he want?"

  "I'm sure he feels confident in his ability to crush the Spacc forces," she said. "He just wants to confirm his orders in light of the changes in tactical asset availability and Higgins' preparedness."

  "Just how many ships does he need to crush the minimal force at Higgins?" Gagarin shouted.

  Overgaard ignored the rhetorical question and took a sip of tea. She knew that Gagarin was feeling pressure from the Upper Council, and he was becoming more and more irrational with each passing day. He'd had operational responsibility for the attack on the convoy, and now the attack on Higgins. Another sensational failure might forever end his steady climb through the ranks, and his goal of ascension to the Upper Council. The powerful people that sat on the Upper Council weren't the sort to forgive and forget.

  "Strauss, what's happening with your plan to assassinate Carver?" Gagarin asked.

  "We've made contact with our operative on the ship. In exchange for the credits, and a few other minor considerations, we've been assured that Carver's death will be the dramatic and violent event that you seek."

  "But when is it going to happen?"

  "Just as soon as our operative can arrange it. I remind you that you can't spend a million credits if you're sitting in a penal colony for the rest of your life. There must be an escape route open before the attempt is made. Be patient and it will happen."

  "It had better happen soon, for your sake."

  * * *

  "Captain," Jenetta heard through her desktop com unit when she lifted the cover and saw the image of Lieutenant Risco, "Major Galont would like to speak with you." Risco, as acting third officer, was senior officer on the bridge whenever Jenetta was working in her briefing room.

  "Send him in, Lieutenant."

  A moment later the computer announced Galont's presence at the door.

  "Come," Jenetta said, as she finished reading a report and
placed the holo-tube down on her desk.

  "Good afternoon, Captain," the Marine officer said as he braced to attention in front of her desk.

  "Good afternoon, Major. Stand easy. Do you have something new to report regarding your investigation?"

  "Not exactly, ma'am. I'm sure that Lieutenant Ashraf has kept you informed of our progress."

  "She has. She tells me that you've made very little."

  "That's true, unfortunately. Since I've been unable to develop a list of likely suspects, I'm now attempting to narrow the field a bit by developing lists of ‘unlikely' and ‘highly-unlikely' suspects."

  "What criteria are you using?"

  "Anyone who was on duty at the time of the murder, and whose presence can be corroborated by at least two other crewmen, is being placed on the highly-unlikely list. Anyone whose presence on duty can only be corroborated by one person, is being placed on the unlikely list. The same holds true for anyone who was off-duty and whose presence is corroborated by at least two others. Almost everyone else remains on the suspect list."

  "That sounds like a sensible plan."

  "It was fortunate, from an investigation standpoint, that the murder occurred during the second watch. The number of personnel on third watch drops precipitously."

  "Yes. And now you're here to hear my alibi?"

  "Uh— yes, Captain."

  "I was in my quarters. But since I was alone, I have no one to corroborate my presence there. However, my steward keeps pretty good track of my movements when I'm there, so he might vouch for my assumed presence."

  "Yes, I've already spoken to him, and he did." Galont knew that he was treading dangerous ground. He couldn't make even the slightest suggestion that the ship's captain was involved, unless he had solid proof that she was. His questioning of her was a mere formality anyway. He knew that she could never have gone to the location where the murder was committed without someone seeing her along the way. Other crewmembers could wander the corridors at night without anyone paying them much attention, but the passage of the ship's captain anywhere but on A Deck at that hour would be remembered. And her steward should have known if she'd left her quarters. "Did you know Petty Officer Nichols, Captain?"

  "I encountered him several times during my inspections of the ship. I only spoke with him once, though. He seemed personable and intelligent. Naturally I viewed his personnel record when I took command, as I did for every other member of the crew."

  "Had you ever met him before boarding the Song, heard about him, or read anything about him?"

  "No. Not to the best of my recollection."

  "Thank you, Captain. Since your steward corroborates your alibi and you've only been aboard the ship for a short time, and an incredibly busy time at that, I'm placing you on the ‘highly unlikely' list."

  "How many crewmembers do you have on the ‘unlikely' and ‘highly-unlikely' lists?"

  "Thirteen-hundred-seven with your name added there."

  "That's about two-thirds of the crew. You've made good progress after all, Major."

  "Thank you, Captain. But it still leaves seven-hundred ninety-four on the ‘suspect' list, and you're the last to be interviewed. The murderer was quite clever. He didn't leave behind a single clue that we could zero in on."

  "Don't get discouraged. Criminals always slip up somewhere. Something will turn up."

  "Aye, Captain. I just hope we catch him before he strikes again."

  "Again?"

  "Yes, ma'am. I originally thought that the murder might have occurred because third watch was about to begin and the murderer had to leave, either before the game was over, or perhaps over a dispute about credits owed when it was time to settle up."

  "But you no longer think that?"

  "No ma'am. I changed my opinion once I'd had time for a thorough examination of the facts. The playing cards scattered around the body made it appear that they had fallen during a struggle. But I discovered later, when his body was removed, that there were no cards beneath it, indicating that they had been scattered around the body after Nichols was down. It's possible that he wasn't even playing cards. And then there's the murder weapon. Nothing stored in that room could have made the wounds to Nichols' arm and head. The murderer must have brought the weapon with him. That suggests premeditation. While almost anyone can kill during a period of high emotion or stress, only someone who has come to grips with the moral aspects of cold-blooded murder, and found themselves able to ignore them, can kill with premeditation. That person, having once done the deed and not gotten caught, will have less aversion to killing again."

  "What's your next step?"

  "Frankly, Captain, I'm not sure how to proceed from this point. We seem to have exhausted all our leads."

  "Are all of the senior officers on your ‘highly unlikely' list?"

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "Then perhaps we should have a meeting to discuss the case. I'm not trying to usurp your authority, but perhaps together we might come up with a suggestion you might find useful."

  "Okay, Captain. Maybe someone will have an idea that I haven't thought of."

  "Good. We'll meet in the conference room on this deck at 1500 hours. I'll have Lt. Ashraf notify the senior staff while you arrange for whomever you wish to bring from your staff."

  "Aye, Captain. I'll do it immediately."

  After Galont left, Jenetta leaned back in her chair and thought about the crime. She had no training in criminology, and didn't think for a second that she could handle the case better than the professionals. Still, Marine Captain Galont seemed to need some help. So how do you ascertain who the killer is when you have seven-hundred ninety-four suspects and no evidence?

  At 1500 Jenetta welcomed the group in the conference room. In addition to Marine Captain Galont's senior staff, the meeting was attended by the XO (Lt. Ashraf), the Song's second officer (Lt. Elizi), the chief engineer (Lt. Cmdr Rodriquez), and the chief medical officer (Lt. Cmdr O'Neil).

  "It's now been a week since Petty Officer Nichols was killed, and we still have no evidence pointing to the identity of the killer," Jenetta said. "Our goal here today is to see if we can suggest a course of action that will lead to unmasking him or her. I invite you to speak freely, voicing any questions you have or any recommendations. Perhaps it might help if we first reviewed what we do know. Lt. Commander O'Neil, would you give us the results of the autopsy?"

  "Yes, ma'am. As I suspected from the beginning, PO Nichols was struck twice with a blunt instrument by an assailant standing in front of him. Nichols must have tried to ward off the first blow, and suffered a broken right arm. The second blow, the killing blow, landed here." The chief medical officer pointed to a spot on the right side of his own head. "That blow both fractured his submaxilla and shattered vertebra in his neck. It was the killing blow." The doctor proceeded to explain in specific medical terms exactly what occurred before continuing with, "I place the time of death at 2345 hours, give or take a few minutes."

  "Could the wound have been caused by someone's hand or foot?" Elizi asked.

  "No, it was definitely a solid object. It appears to have been cylindrical, quite smooth, and about the diameter of a holo-magazine cylinder, but quite heavy and solid."

  "Thank you, doctor," Jenetta said. "Is there anything else you can tell us? Anything that you're unsure of and so didn't include in the official record?"

  "Well— I suspect that the attacker is most likely left-handed, and probably stands between five-foot-ten and six-foot. It would have been much more difficult for a right-handed person, or a shorter one, to deliver the killing blow."

  "What if Nichols turned away and bent over in pain after his arm was broken?" Galont asked.

  "That's why I didn't put my speculations into the official report. They're only accurate if Nichols remained upright and facing his attacker. While it's unlikely, the killer could be right-handed. The blows could possibly have been delivered back-hand, or with the less dominant limb."

  "Th
ank you, Doctor," Jenetta said. "Major Galont, what can you tell us?"

  "Upon discovering the body, we immediately secured the crime scene, collecting fingerprints, hair, and skin flecks. We identified all individuals represented by the evidence and determined that everyone had a valid reason for being there sometime earlier in the day. It's possible that the killer didn't leave any evidence of their presence. He or she was there for less than a minute. Although the room isn't locked, the computer keeps a log of every time the door is opened. Nichols arrived at the storage room at 2338 hours, and his ID was logged when he opened the door. The door was next opened at 23:44:06 and again at 23:44:51, but both times by the inside sensor, so no new ID was logged. The killer must have sidled up to the door, knocked, and been admitted by Nichols rather than moving into the area that would have the door's admittance sensor scan for an ID. It appears that the killer scattered a deck of cards over and around the body before he left. It's what initially made us think that Nichols might have been killed because of a gambling matter. I believe now that it was done to intentionally mislead us. We know that nothing stored in the room could have made the wounds, so the killer had to have brought the weapon with him."

  "Him?" Ashraf asked.

  "I use that solely in the generic sense. We don't know the sex of the killer."

  "Is it possible to get fingerprints from the deck of cards?" Ashraf asked.