by P J Strebor
“Last chance.”
“Sir,” poke, “you will address me as sir,” poke, “do you hear me?” Po…
Nathan brushed Tivendale's hands away from his body with a fast upward sweep of his forearms. A heartbeat later the heel of his right hand struck the center of the MTO's sternum. The lieutenant staggered back grabbed his chest and winced. For a moment Nathan regretted pulling his punch. As Tivendale backed away, the pain fled from his face. In its place, a triumphant grin.
“I have you now, Telford,” he squeaked. “Striking a superior officer. You are finished.” He panted heavily, the pure delight causing his face to glow.
Aunty Babs stood in the hatch jam, her expression obscure. Tivendale finally noticed her.
“Ah, Grimmett, good,” Tivendale panted. “Did you witness what happened? Did you see what this midshipman did to me?”
“Yes, I saw everything,” Grimmett said quietly. “Do you wish to lay charges?”
“Of course I do.”
“I wasn't talking to you, lieutenant.” Tivendale's face sagged. “Well, Mister Telford, do you wish to lay charges against this officer?”
“Are you insane?” Tivendale shouted. “He struck a superior officer. You said you saw him do it.”
“Yes, I did, didn't I?” Babs winked at Nathan, too quickly for the dim-witted MTO to catch. “As a matter of fact I saw everything. If you hadn't been shouting so much you would have heard the hatch opening before you attacked the middy.” Tivendale's jaw dropped open. “To be perfectly honest, Mister Telford’s level of restraint to your unwarranted attack was quite frankly remarkable. I would have decked you the first time you put your paw on me.”
“But, but, he, he struck me.” Tivendale hovered on the brink of a meltdown. “I am an officer, and he, he, does not respect me. He calls me Mister Tivendale, he calls me lieutenant, but never calls me sir. He should be court marshaled. He …”
“Shut up you twit.” Bab’s disgust disappeared as she turned to address Nathan. “Mister Telford, do you wish to file charges against Lieutenant Tivendale?”
“No ma’am.”
“What?” she cried.
“Lieutenant Tivendale was good enough to show me a few Aikido moves. Right, lieutenant?”
Through his expression of stricken misery Tivendale managed a jerky nod. Babs stepped closer to Nathan, her mouth a tight line.
“What are you saying, middy?”
“What I’m saying, ma’am, is clear enough.” Nathan leaned in closer to her and whispered, “Please Auntie, let me handle this my way.”
She shook her head ruefully before rounding on Tivendale. “What are you doing here, Tivendale?” she growled.
Totally flustered Tivendale took several moments to partially recover his composure. “The smell,” he finally stammered. “The smell in the cargo holds. It is quite unpleasant. I want it remedied.”
“Oh you do, do you? Very well, supply this department with thirty air filters and I shall consider it.”
Tivendale's face flushed. He spun on his heel and stormed from the ECC without another word.
CHAPTER 35
Date: 19th July, 320 (ASC).
Position: Monitor Truculent. Briefing room.
Status: Captain's mast.
Waugh sat passively at the head of the table. Luis took his place to her immediate right with Tivendale two seats away from him. The middies entered the briefing room dressed in immaculate gray class A uniforms, as befitted the occasion. They took their seats beside Ensign Saunders.
Luis raised his computer pad slightly. “SMC, record. This captain's mast is now in session.” For the record he read the full names, ranks and postings of all participants, careful to correctly note the midshipmen who stood accused. “The charges brought against the accused are, A: Gross insubordination. B: Dereliction of duty. C: Gross disrespect of a serving officer.” He sighed faintly. “How do the accused plead?”
Saunders straightened his back. “Sir, for the record I have been asked to plead on behalf of all accused, not guilty.”
“Lieutenant Tivendale, describe the incidents leading to your request for a Captain’s Mast,” Luis said.
“Certainly, commander.” Tivendale's confident tone flowed as smoothly as treacle over a knife's blade. “Since being appointed as Midshipman Training Officer I have witnessed these midshipmen flagrantly disregarding authority. I have repeatedly ordered the accused not to contact me during my rest time but they have ignored my orders. Because they are only children I have tolerated the matter in the hope they will see reason. But it has become blatantly clear that they have no respect for the lawful chain of command. The situation has become intolerable and moreover confirms my belief that academy children should not be permitted aboard a serving warship.
“They refuse to call me sir, as is my right. This untenable situation is exacerbated by their generally poor attitude, their disrespect for authority and their poor work habits. Such misbehavior is one thing, but when they deliberately disobey the orders of a superior officer they go too far. Insubordination, plain and simple.
“I respectfully submit that the accused are guilty as charged. When found guilty they should be relieved of all duties, confined to quarters and returned to the academy at the earliest opportunity. Furthermore, the Superintendent of Midshipmen should be notified of these proceedings together with a recommendation that these four people be dismissed from the academy.” His self-righteous smirk loitered until he recalled the protocol. “That is my statement of charges for the record, sir.”
“So noted,” Luis said. “Ensign Saunders, do you care to respond to these charges on behalf of the accused?”
“Yes sir, I sure would.”
Waugh kept her smile in check.
“Might as well get the big one out of the way first,” Leo continued. “Lieutenant Tivendale, tell this hearing of an instance of this alleged insubordination.”
“Certainly, ensign.”
“Midshipman Telford, did I not order you and the rest of the middies not to contact me during my downtime?”
"Yes, lieutenant, you did give such an order."
“There see, he admits it. I told you so.”
Tivendale addressed his remarks directly to Luis. Recalling the chewing out she had given him, his eyes avoided her.
Spineless slug.
Saunders remained unfazed. “Can you cite any other occasions where the accused refused to follow a direct order from you, no matter how ludicrous your order might have been?”
“That is an impertinent remark, ensign. You are addressing a superior officer.” He tugged at his waistcoat. “I do not need to cite other instances of insubordination. One is quite sufficient.”
Leo leaned back, his easy smile hanging like an accusation. “So, Lieutenant Tivendale, the charges of insubordination are based solely on the proposition that the middies contacted you during your downtime. Is that correct?”
Leo's remorseless droning dulled Tivendale's former confidence.
“Lieutenant Tivendale?”
“Yes. I ordered them not to contact me and they ignored my order.”
“Very well lieutenant. Let's move on shall we? The matter of their quarters not being up to scratch. In what way was this so?”
“Bunks not made properly; clothes strewn about the quarters. Kit not kept in the storage area provided and general messiness.”
“Really?” Leo sighed wearily. “Midshipmen are taught from day one to keep their quarter's neat and tidy at all times. Mister Hayden, during your first month at the academy you were cited on a number of occasions for the messy condition of your quarters.”
“Yes sir. It saddens me to admit that was the case.”
“What was the punishment was for this messiness?”
“I marched punishment parade during midsummer until I learned the error of my ways.”
“Thank you, Mister Hayden. I will waste no more of
the captain's mast by having the rest of the accused cite similar stories of their time at the academy. For my part I have observed no such tardy behavior from my running mate. I submit for the record affidavits from all running mates.” He slid a data chip across the table to the D-O. “Suffice it to say senior middies would not be aboard this boat if they were not housebroken. You should know that Lieutenant Tivendale.” Leo smiled shrewdly. “Oh, my apologies lieutenant, you didn't attend the academy did you? No matter. Let's move on.”
Tivendale's face flushed. Waugh chose that moment to rub her hand across her mouth. Luis' left eye lid twitched. Saunders continued in the same remorselessly languid tone.
“Now let us address your allegations of poor attitude, disrespect for authority and bad work practices. Again, lieutenant, could you cite an instance of each of these supposed misdemeanors?”
Lines of irritation creased Tivendale's face. “My response to the previous charge covered disrespect for authority. And as for bad work practices,” he shrugged, "you cannot have one without the other.”
Leo waited for a moment as if expecting more. “So, lieutenant, you cannot cite one instance to back up these charges. Is that correct?”
“All of this is of little consequence, ensign. I have submitted my word under oath. The word of a serving officer.”
Leo nodded slowly before addressing the D-O. “Sir, I respectfully submit that charges B: Dereliction of duty, and C: Gross disrespect of a serving officer, be dismissed due to lack of corroborating evidence.”
"Lieutenant Tivendale?" Luis asked.
Tivendale squirmed in his seat and nodded with a sharp jerky movement. “Very well, commander, I agree to drop those two charges. However, I insist charge A remains.”
“So noted for the record. Ensign Saunders do you have anything else you wish to add?”
“Yes, thank you, sir.” Leo slid another computer chip across the table. “This chip contains endorsements from every department head on the boat.” He cleared his throat. “With the obvious exception of the supply department. They unanimously attest to the high work ethics of each middy. They also state that they encountered no instances of disrespect for authority, tardy work practices, poor attitudes or insubordination.”
“Their statements mean nothing.” Tivendale's grumbled.
“Submitted as rebuttal evidence to show the character of the accused, sir.”
“So accepted and entered into the record.”
“It does not matter what little tricks you try, Saunders. They disobeyed my orders and that stands.”
Leo tugged on his bottom lip.
“Commander Demianski, do you recall a meeting we had about a three weeks ago?”
Tivendale sat bolt upright in his chair as if he'd been goosed.
“Refresh my memory, Ensign Saunders,” Luis said.
“With pleasure, sir. You were good enough to grant Mister Telford and myself a few minutes of your valuable time. We met in this very room in fact. I mentioned that the MTO had ordered all middies not to contact him. I wondered if this was strictly in order. I asked how are the middies to be supervised if they cannot contact him.”
“Ah, yes, it comes back to me now.” Luis said. “And I believe I said balls to that. Does that sound about right, Mister Telford?”
“Balls to that? Yes sir, that’s my recollection.” Telford maintained a neutral tone. Tivendale's jaw dropped.
“I believe I said you should disregard such a stupid and obviously inappropriate order, on my authority as operations officer, and pass on the instruction to the other middies. I said I would have a word with the officer who demonstrated such gall.”
“You did not contact me,” Tivendale shrieked. “You have never contacted me.”
“It slipped my mind,” Luis said, with arid dryness. “Will you forgive me?”
“Sir,” Leo said, “under the circumstances I submit that the final charge of Gross Insubordination, be dismissed.”
“This is an outrage,” Tivendale howled as he rose from his chair. “A travesty of all proper decency. On a properly run Service ship this sort of behavior would never be tolerated. I demand the immediate removal of these children from this ship. They have disrespected me. They have plotted against me at every turn. They …”
“Sit down, lieutenant.” Waugh’s acerbic tone left no room for misinterpretation. Tivendale's mouth froze half open. After protracted seconds he clamped his mouth shut and slumped into his chair.
The commodore's steely gaze softened. “Mister Saunders, take your middies outside while we consider the disposition of this hearing.”
“Aye-aye, captain.” When the hatch shut behind them, Waugh turned a dark eye onto the supply officer.
“Lieutenant Tivendale, you are new to Monitor Corps so perhaps you do not fully appreciate the seriousness of requesting a captain's mast.”
“But captain,” he whined, “they do not show me respect. They are all plotting against me.”
“If, for the moment I accept your proposition, why do you think this group of middies would act in this fashion?”
“Why? They are ill-disciplined children is why. These academy types think they are so special. But they are the most junior officers aboard and I am a full grade lieutenant. I deserve the respect due to my rank. Perhaps you disagree with this most basic principle of military discipline, captain.”
“I don't care for your tone, lieutenant. But your disrespect aside, let us ask ourselves why you have had so much trouble with the middies.” She glanced at the readouts flowing across the comp-pad in front of her. “Within two hours of the middies reporting aboard you confined Midshipman Telford to his quarters. You kept him there throughout mess then had him stand outside the mess awaiting your arrival. Correct?”
“If he was one of the enlisted drones I would have placed the impudent boy on report,” Tivendale growled. “I caught him playing around in the drop shafts. I disciplined him accordingly. As MTO, is it not my job … captain?”
“Once again, lieutenant, your tone is doing your cause no good.” Tivendale examined his fingernails. “Certainly as MTO you are responsible for the fair maintenance of discipline with regard to the middies. However, confining Telford to quarters for showing the initiative to acquaint himself with the layout of the boat does not serve that purpose. Browbeating the middies at every possible turn does not serve – ”
“I never did that. Who said I did? I have always treated them with more respect than they deserved. Captain I protest in the strongest measure to your assertion that – ”
“Lieutenant Tivendale.” Waugh fixed him with a searing glare. “I will not warn you again about your attitude. And don't ever interrupt me again. Are you reading me?”
Tivendale's jaw hardened but he managed to nod.
“Excuse me?”
He snapped upright in his chair. “Aye-aye, captain.”
“Intimidation is something I will never tolerate aboard my boat. Don't even think about protesting your innocence. Unlike those big ANS ships, on a monitor we record everything. Including all internal communications.”
Tivendale's shoulders sagged.
“Yes, I know everything that happens aboard my command. So perhaps you would care to explain to me what you were hoping to achieve by this exercise. Or do you prefer to be questioned under Aletheia verification when we return to base?”
Tivendale blanched at the notion. The Aletheia Verification Unit had an irrefutable reputation for exposing liars. “They needed to be shown discipline. They should have learned their lesson but they kept disrespecting me. Damn arrogant academy brats.”
“I wish you would refrain from referring to those who have attended the academy in such unflattering terms, lieutenant. All of the senior officers, including the D-O and myself are academy graduates.” She turned a lazy eye on Demianski. “Doesn't that sort of talk hurt your feelings, D-O?”
“If only I had operational t
ear ducts, captain,” Luis drawled.
***
Nathan adopted the slanted way of leaning against a bulkhead, his feet angled from his body and his back flush against the wall. Within the tight confines of the corridor his friends took up the same stance. Nathan sighed. What have I done to them?
“What do you think the commodore will do to us?” Ozzie asked.
Immersed in his own thoughts Nathan shrugged. It could go either way.
“We did what we had to, in order to protect ourselves from that idiot,” Meta growled. “This isn't fair.” Her tone became a little more reserved as she asked no one in particular, “You don't think they'll kick us out, do you?”
Nathan shrugged. If they do, it’s my fault. You just couldn’t let it go could you Telford?
“I bet the skipper is chewing a big chunk out of Tivendale's backside.” Moe tried to sound upbeat but fell short of achieving the effect.
Nathan never wanted to get Leo involved in his mess. Leo knew what had been going on and had ordered Nathan to join him when he approached the D-O. Under the commander's gaze and no nonsense interrogation he could do nothing but recite the truth. Even with the commander onside the serious nature of a captain's mast could not be ignored. Their collective fates still hung in the balance.
The hatch opened and Tivendale tripped over the coaming into the corridor. His shoulders slumped as if carrying a heavy burden. He did not make eye contact as he passed.
Cmdr Demianski poked his head out. “Lieutenant Tivendale has withdrawn his charges.” The middies sighed in a combination of relief and satisfaction. “You will report to the wardroom in twenty minutes for an update to your running sheets. Carry on.”
“Aye-aye, sir,” they said and turned to leave.
“Not you, Mister Telford.”
Here it comes.
Back in the briefing room he took the offered chair. Nathan had instigated the counter attack against Tivendale and involved Leo and the D-O in it. If he had gone too far, he would be the one to pay the price.
“I suppose you’re pretty pleased with yourself, mister?” the commodore said.