by Chris Hechtl
“I know,” Admiral Sharp Reflexes stated, wishing he had known this was going to happen before he'd allowed Yukio to go off on her mission or Hilda for that matter.
“We will wait about two light minutes outside the picket zone. I realize it is too far to be effective, but it is the best I can do. I've got my fingers crossed it will all work out but you know the deal on that. If I start running low on supplies, I'll send my support ships back to you by a roundabout path to resupply. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that though.”
“Yeah, hopefully,” Commodore Fournier murmured.
“Fourth Fleet out.”
@
Alice shook her head as she read the latest report. She wiped sweat from her brow and then rolled her shoulders tiredly. They were making steady progress or had been. The new arrivals from Fourth Fleet had just thrown her a curve ball. And of course, the brass wanted the ships overhauled so they could replace Third Fleet's picket.
She shook her head. She should be grateful she thought; the odds were turning slowly in their favor. Not by a whole lot, but by some. Every little bit helped. Still, it would have been nice if Weaver or one of the others from Pyrax had shown up with Fourth Fleet. Was that too much to ask? She shook her head in bemusement at the thought.
Even just some of the officers having implants would have been nice. Two of the Marines and one of the officers from Fourth Fleet had turned out to have implants. Illicit implants though, ID implants installed by Lieutenant Weiss and Jaroslaw apparently. None of the implants had engineering keys. She couldn't pass on her own keys either.
The Marines were just that, Marines, no help for engineering there. The single officer was a communication's officer who had wanted the ability to store keys and passwords internally, also not much help.
“Still at it?” Commander Hobart asked in passing.
She nodded. “You know it!” she said with false cheer as she waved at him.
“You've got a class tonight, right?”
“Hands-on. Two of them in, oh, an hour and twenty minutes,” she said, checking her implant schedule keeper.
“Nice you can be that accurate,” he said with a snort.
“It comes with implants. Trust me, they make your life a whole lot easier, if a bit complicated sometimes,” she said.
“Oh?”
“Try being woken up by an alarm sometime,” she said sourly. He snorted again. “Or having someone text you while you are in the head, or,” she coughed into her fist, “otherwise indisposed,” she said. That earned a sympathetic chuckle.
“Well, the boss is happy with you. So are the other brass. I know it doesn't seem like you are making headway since you spend so much time in the trenches, but you are,” Hobs said. “You also tend to lead by example. That's appreciated.”
“Thanks. I think,” she drawled.
“No, seriously. I'm an engineer, and you are putting us all to shame,” Hobs replied with a shake of his head. “Implants again?”
“In part. Training too. I've had sleep training. But yeah, the implants allow me to have the blueprints on my HUD. I can lay a wiring diagram out right over what I'm looking at. Plus, I've got a setup to allow me to diagnose systems faster. It makes repairs and replacements a snap.”
“Ah.” Hobs paused and then grimaced. “Where can I get them again?”
“Well,” she shook her head. “I was going to say Pyrax, but apparently that's not the case. The nearest place is Bek A, unless we can get in there and nab one or both of the doctors and their gear. Then we'd have as many as we wanted here,” she said suggestively.
He nodded slowly. “I'll remember to bring that up in the next skull session. And I'll make sure they know who suggested it.”
“I don't know if you are doing me any favors that way,” she said with a shake of her head.
“Probably not,” he said cheerily as he departed.
She snorted and went back to the install of the computer server tower. She had another hundred connections to go before that one was finished. By rights she should leave it to the techs nearby. She was supposed to be just minding the replicators, but she hated to leave a job half finished.
Besides, working on the installs got her away from sitting and watching objects print. There was only so much she could take of that. And if she was busy, it meant someone like Hobs wouldn't see idle hands and inflict paperwork on her.
Not that she wouldn't put it past him to do it anyway she thought darkly as she stripped an ODN coupler and then began to reattach a new one that worked with the server they'd just installed.
@
Admiral Nilsson grinned as they arrived at Depot 5B. “This is Admiral Nilsson. Your comms have been jammed. Stand down and prepare to be boarded,” she ordered over the radio.
“Ma'am?”
“Your facility is under new management,” she said.
“Oh, thank the gods of space! Take us with you!” a voice said. She blinked, then heard a chuckle behind her.
She shook her head. “Okay, we'll consider it,” she said as she nodded to her chief of staff to send the shuttles in. “We're going to be stripping your depot down to the bulkheads. I guess we can take you along too,” she said.
“Thank you, Admiral, we appreciate it,” the lieutenant replied with heartfelt relief.
She snorted as she cut the channel. Her plan to go in with a small raiding force and empty support ships was working out so far. This was their second stop. Two of her other raiding forces were hitting two stops each. They hit all three at once initially. So far there had been no resistance.
“Okay, like I said, take everything not nailed down,” she said as she turned to her staff. “I want every ship topped off. Fill the fuel bladders. Anything we can't carry internally gets stuck in a cargo pod. Don't damage anything or anyone; remember, this is naval property. We've got the inventory, so I want proper manifests before our next stop,” she growled.
Heads nodded. “Let's be about it, people; we've got one more stop to make. We can only do this once so let's get it right.”
Chapter 45
Admiral Draken was not surprised by the raids. He realized it was the logical move. Without Fourth Fleet on the border, they were buckass naked there. He'd deployed the screening units from First Fleet around the gas giant P and a thin shell inside the super gas giant's orbit, but they weren't enough.
Some of the personnel remained behind, but not all of them. None of his ships could generate an intercept before the ships departed, usually with generous raspberries at the impotent distant picket ships.
Two more ships had gone missing, one of them only that morning, Punch Dagger XII. He suspected some were turning up in Bek B. But they had found out through one of their few remaining ONI sources in the star system, not many. Only half of Fourth Fleet was reportedly in Bek B. The rest were either out of sight or somewhere else. He didn't like those implications one bit. It meant First Fleet had to be on constant alert in case of a possible sneak attack.
He knew Omar was fuming over the situation.
@
“Are you sure you want to do this? You have your Article 31 rights. You don't have to take the stand.”
“I know. But if I don't, it will look like I have something to hide. I don't want that. I want to face this head on.”
“I can set the narrative,” Commander Chedwiggen stated. “We'll spend a day or two prepping you so you get your story out in a way that will hit the jury the way we want.”
“That's my part,” Doctor Bullettine stated.
“We'll also work on prepping you for cross. Captain Rising Tide is going to come after you with everything he's got. He's going to try to nail you with short, simple yes or no answers. He'll do everything he can to trip you up.”
“That's why going on the stand is a gamble, Admiral,” Benny warned. “You can lay out your case, be as truthful as you can, and still look like you are lying and incompetent or devil spawn on cross.”
“But some have been won as well,” Doctor Bullettine stated.
“Agreed,” the commander said reluctantly.
“Hell, the odds are stacked against me; it's not like I don't have anything more to lose,” Horatio stated.
“Okay.”
“But, there is something we have overlooked. I was doing some light reading, and it occurred to me that we've neglected a couple witnesses. I think they should be called as well.”
“Oh?”
“Sending you the files,” Horatio said, touching his finger against the commander's jack port. The commander blinked, then frowned as he tried to access the file.
“Wait, I … damn it, this is harder than it looks. Okay, got it,” he said as he opened the file. The names fairly leapt off the file at him. “Holy … Admiral, now I know you are insane or you've got some serious balls,” he said.
“Or both,” Benny said warily. “Dare I ask?”
“I'll let you know in your office. But,” the commander frowned as he gamed the scenario out, “I highly doubt they'll do it.”
“But if they do, it is worth it,” Horatio said with an enigmatic smile.
“I think I can see this playing for us even if they don't,” the commander replied.
“Okay, now he's got me worried. How can he do that?” Benny asked with a shake of his head.
“It depends on who he wants to call. I can venture some guesses but not out loud. Not here anyway,” Doctor Bullettine said.
“Wise. I can't detect any electronics but that doesn't mean they haven't gone old school or found a way to monitor us remotely,” Horatio stated.
Benny grimaced but nodded in understanding. “Better to be safe than sorry. Right.”
“We'll have to file subpoenas. That will be interesting to see how they play out,” the commander said.
“I'd love to be a fly on the wall when they get them,” Horatio said with another brief smile. The commander snorted and then sat back, chuckling.
“Yeah, me too.”
Benny looked at Doctor Bullettine, but the psychologist was smiling too. He just shook his head. “Mad. I'm surrounded by madmen.”
@
Horatio took the stand in the middle of the week. Over the course of three and a half court days, which spanned that week and the following week, Benny or Commander Chedwiggen questioned him about every charge, no matter how small. He did his best to answer on point as they had rehearsed.
Benny made a point of pointing out his treatment since the arrest and that all of the charges were nonviolent. “In all this time, you have not offered violence to anyone through deed or word. How are they treating you?”
“Like an animal. Like someone who has already been convicted.”
“Describe that,” Benny said.
The prosecution objected and ended that line of questioning. But it did put it out before the members.
When it was the prosecution's turn, Captain Rising Tide did his best to pick Horatio's testimony apart with hypothetical questions with only a yes or no answer. Benny went on rebuttal and had Horatio bring up the narrative of each incident and then back it up with his recordings.
Still, Horatio thought they had made an impression, but he wasn't certain if it was a good one or not. Theresa insisted that it was a wash.
@
“Admiral Childress?” a voice asked as Omar arrived just outside of security to the admin complex in Command One. He stopped and turned. “Yes?” he demanded as the MP with him stepped up to examine the potential threat.
“This is for you, sir,” the young woman said. She handed him a folded piece of paper and then walked off before he could say anything.
He stared, surprised by the action. He hadn't had his morning coffee yet, so it took a moment before he realized the woman hadn't been in uniform either. She had to be military to get into Command One though. He frowned as he opened the paper and scanned it.
“Of all the nerve …,” he said crumpling the paper up. “He's got some balls; I'll give him that!” he snarled as he stormed into the admin complex.
@
Admiral Draken received his subpoena when he visited his favorite coffee shop on his way in. The woman who handed it to him did so with a smile and salute of her own coffee cup. He looked at the paper and then stuffed it under his arm as he went into the office.
@
“Who does he think he is, subpoenaing me!” Omar snarled in a conference call between Sherman and Admiral Shren.
“Me as well,” Sherman replied, lifting a clawed hand.
Omar turned to look at him and then turned a glower on the elf TJAG. “Well?” he demanded.
“He's a defendant. You are the person who leveled charges against him. You should have known this was coming.”
“Why the hell didn't you squash it? Why didn't you warn me?” the admiral demanded.
“I did. I admit, I did it in an email. But I did warn you,” Admiral Shren said. “All of the senior staff were warned. I'm waiting for my own subpoena myself.”
“Well, I'm not testifying,” Omar snarled.
“Omar, you have to testify. It is a summons by the court. You have to honor it. He has the right to face his accuser in court. Some of the charges require your witness testimony to be substantiated given the ONI recordings were without a warrant.”
“The hell I do. I am going to be unavailable. I'll …,” he scowled and then looked at the plot on another screen. “ …I'll be elsewhere. Inspecting the fleet,” he said lamely.
“That might work. If you are in the office when called, the court can send bailiffs to collect you. If you don't comply, you will be arrested,” Admiral Shren stated.
“Then let me know when they are coming and I'll leave. But the hell of it is that I'm being run out of my own command,” Omar snarled.
“It is that or drop all charges,” Sherman replied.
“Frack that. We're in this for the long haul,” Omar growled.
“Now, if you'll excuse me I have got some security and ONI people to scream at. The person who delivered that damn summons got way too close. That shouldn't happen.”
“Agreed,” Sherman replied. He could just imagine what a good assassin could have done. A single gunshot or a poison dart, anything, he thought glumly.
“Have fun,” Admiral Shren said, glad he was no longer the target of Omar's ire as they disconnected the circuit.
@
When court was back in session the following Monday, Admiral Thurgrad gaveled them into session. “Call your next witness,” he said, looking at the defense table.
They were ready for that simple statement. Benny rose and took the heat. “The defense calls Admiral Omar Childress to the stand,” he said simply.
There was a gasp at that announcement.
“You aren't …,” Admiral Thurgrad cut himself off.
“A subpoena was hand delivered to the admiral on Thursday, Your Honor. He is aware he is on our witness list,” Benny replied.
“Objection, relevance,” Captain Rising Tide protested.
“Admiral Childress leveled the charges. He can explain his reasoning behind them and his own interactions with Admiral Logan, which is where some of these charges stem from. It is Admiral Logan's right to face his accuser,” Commander Chedwiggen said, rising to his feet as well.
“So be it. Admiral Omar Childress is ordered to the witness stand,” Admiral Silvestri stated.
Admiral Thurgrad gave him a brief horrified look, and then his eyes cut to Colonel Talia. The Neodog looked amused. He flicked his ears at the human admiral.
A bailiff went outside the courtroom and called for the admiral, then called the admiral's office. They waited patiently for him to appear.
After a half hour, Admiral Thurgrad grew annoyed. “What is the delay?”
“Sir, it appears that Admiral Childress has left Command One.
He has made himself unavailable,” Captain Rising Tide ground out, clearly unhappy about being put into that position.
“So be it. Call your next witness,” the admiral replied with a brief smirk.
“The defense reserves the right to call the admiral at a later time then. The defense calls Vice Admiral Sherman Draken to the stand.”
“Not this again,” Admiral Thurgrad muttered in disgust as he sat back in his chair and tossed a stylus on the blotter in front of him in disgust. “So be it,” he said when he realized all eyes were on him.
It took another hour for the order to go out. The yeoman reported that Admiral Draken received an urgent call and had left his office. Paging him over Command One's intercom proved fruitless.
“The prosecution begs to report that the witness is not available,” Captain Rising Tide stated.
“The defense requests bench warrants to bring those officers before the court to testify, Your Honor,” Benny said.
“Nice try, Counselor. You are treading fairly close to insubordination with such a trick,” Admiral Thurgrad growled.
“No trick, sir. They leveled the charges and have made claims against my client. And for the record, I am not an officer. I don't have the honor of being one, Your Honor,” Benny stated with a slight bow to the bench.
“Of course you don't,” Admiral Thurgrad stated. “But putting this in front of the jury …,” he shook his head.
“It wasn't our decision to run from a subpoena, Your Honors,” Benny replied smoothly. “If they have nothing to hide, why aren't they here?”
“That will be enough, Counselor, or I will have you up on a contempt of court charge,” Admiral Thurgrad snarled, clearly angry and frustrated over the situation.
“I don't see the counselor as committing contempt of court. His witnesses seem to be doing so,” Colonel Talia stated mildly.
Admiral Thurgrad glared at him, and then his eyes cut to Admiral Silvestri. The other human admiral puckered his lips silently but didn't say anything.