Article 23

by William R. Forstchen

  Justin looked at the chronometer on MacKenzies computer screen. Just over seven hours to go.

  "Thank you, sir."

  "Bell."

  "Yes, sir?"

  "Don't do or say anything foolish. So far you have been spared in spite of some indications casting doubt upon your loyalty."

  Again Justin could see the warning in Zhing's eyes. So Colson had tried to drag him into the net. It was to be expected, because he had witnessed most of the encounters.

  "Sir, my loyalty to the service has always been foremost in my mind," Justin replied.

  "And to me?"

  "I am always loyal to the captain of the ship," Justin announced, not adding his own inner question that wondered who indeed should be captain of this ship.

  "You're dismissed, Bell. You have ten minutes with the condemned."

  Justin backed out of the room, trying to keep from breaking down into a bitter denouncement.

  He went down the corridor and turned right by the door leading into the lounge. The stairs up to the flight deck were now on his right, and to his surprise he saw Colson coming down. Colson froze, his eyes darting back and forth nervously.

  "I guess you heard," Colson finally said when Justin refused to move aside.

  Justin nodded, wondering if a computer link in the corridor might be on.

  "Look, Bell," Colson began, and then his eyes lowered.

  Justin studied his face. It was pale, drawn, eyes sunken from lack of sleep, streaks of sweat bathing his forehead. Some of it was obviously the strain of being in the suit, and Justin realized that the days of lugging the bulky anti-radiation gear around must be taking a toll. He could feel it himself the increasing sense of claustrophobia, the screaming desire to tear the damn thing off and just run naked, to have a cool, soothing shower and then clean sheets to crawl between. He knew it was setting the entire crew on edge. But the stress in Colson was far more than that.

  "Having second thoughts now?" Justin whispered.

  Colson looked back up, trying to hold Justin with his gaze. "Everett went too far."

  "So far that he deserves to die?"

  "That's out of my hands now."

  "No, it's not," Justin hissed. "It started with you. You can go back to the Captain, tell the truth, and save Matt's life. Whatever happened between you and him doesn't deserve death."

  "He's a traitor," Colson declared, but the old sharp edge to his voice was gone.

  Justin drew closer and dropped his voice to a barely heard whisper. "If there's a traitor here, a traitor to the traditions of the Academy, it's you, Wendell."

  He wanted to leave it at that, but for Matt's sake he knew he couldn't.

  "You can still change that, retrieve your honor and your good standing with your shipmates. Tell the truth, save Matt, and you would deserve this far more than I ever did," and as he spoke Justin pointed to the life-saving stripe above his left breast pocket. "Just tell the truth, Wendell, that would be an act of heroism and bravery reflecting the highest traditions of the Academy."

  Colson looked down at the coveted award and for a brief instant there was a look of sadness and longing on his face. Justin actually felt a moment of pity, wondering what inner turmoil must be tearing Colson apart. Surely there had to be a sense of guilt and fear screaming inside of him.

  "Mr. Colson?"

  The voice on Colson's commlink tab startled him.

  Colson pressed the tab.

  "Sir?"

  "Where are you, Colson?"

  "Coming off the flight deck, sir."

  "Report to me in five minutes, Wendell."

  "Yes, sir," and Colson punched the tab, shutting it off.

  "I have to go."

  "You can go in there and straighten this problem out," Justin begged as he reached out and grabbed Wendell by the arm.

  Wendell looked down at Justin's hand and shook it free. He hesitated for an instant then shook his head.

  "Its beyond that now," Colson said. "The Captain has made up his mind and it's final."

  "And you gave him the ammunition to do it with."

  "I did my duty."

  "A line so many have hidden behind," Justin hissed, and instantly regretted his words. He had to use persuasion, an appeal to a higher sense of honor, not condemnation.

  Colson drew himself up and started to shoulder his way forward.

  "You're in my way, the Captain wants me."

  "Wendell, please."

  The smile returned and Justin knew he had lost.

  "I did do my duty. Thorsson would never see it that way, but I wonder if he'll be in any position to object after all of this is over. MacKenzies right and I know there are others out there who will agree. And don't forget, Bell, my family will back me up, so if I were you I'd find a safe place to hide."

  A spasm of rage swelled in Justin and Colson quickly slipped past. For an instant Justin wanted to reach out and grab him, to somehow beat the truth out of him, but he knew it would be useless.

  He let Colson go and then stood alone for several minutes struggling for self-control. He had to be calm when he saw Matt; being angry or upset in front of his friend wasn't going to help the situation.

  Continuing down the short corridor he turned right and went down the stairs to the lower deck. He approached the guard and announced the purpose of the visit. The guard called up to the Captain and after several more minutes of waiting MacKenzie gave permission for Justin to go in. Justin watched as the guard undipped a key from his belt and unlocked die padlock. Looking farther down the corridor Justin saw what he assumed was the barrier door leading aft to the hydroponics room. Just before the door was the weapons storage area, padlocked as well.

  He entered the room and saw that all of the prisoners were asleep, floating. Reaching over to Matt, he touched him lightly on the shoulder. Matt stirred and woke up, this time without thrashing about.

  He rubbed his eyes and smiled. "How you doin't buddy?" Matt whispered.

  Justin struggled for control.

  "What is it?"

  Madison, floating behind Justin, awoke. She pushed off the ceiling, let her sticky boots make contact with the floor, and settled down beside Matt and Justin.

  "Come on, Justin, spill it," Matt said.

  "It isn't good."

  "No fooling," Madison interjected. "We've been locked up in here till we're ready to go bonkers. Two chances to hit the head and that's it. And we're slowly getting cooked."

  She pointed to her dose meter, which indicated she had picked up half a dozen rad.

  "Several years worth, makes me wonder what my lads will look like."

  "You'll be all right. Zhing give you iodine doses to flush your thyroid?"

  "Yeah, big help. But that's not my worry now," Madison whispered.

  "No one's talked to us, questioned us, read us our rights, even told us formally what we've been charged with. So when are we getting outta here?"

  Justin struggled to form the words. "Madison, you'll be going before a court-martial board once we arrive at Deimos."

  "A court-martial?" Madison hissed. "I haven't even been questioned yet or charged. How can he do that? Besides, I haven't done anything but try and keep Matt here from getting into a brawl with that idiot Colson, and you're telling me I'm facing a court-martial? This is nuts!"

  "What about me?" Matt asked, "You said Madison, but what about the others and me?"

  "The others will face court-martial as well."

  Matt reached out and touched Justin on the shoulder, hand shaking. He gulped, face pale.

  "I think you're trying to say something and you can't get it out," Matt whispered.

  Justin nodded, and in spite of himself tears came to his eyes. In zero gravity they simply pooled, dulling his vision so Matt looked distant and hazy.

  "Justin?" Madison whispered. "What is it?"

  "He's going to space me, isn't he?" Matt asked, his voice strangely calm.

  Justin nodded. "Seven in the morning."r />
  "Walk the plank and breathe vacuum," Matt tried to chuckle but it came out strangled, his voice choking.

  "As a sailor I always figured I'd drown in vacuum some day a lot of us go that way," Matt rambled.

  "But I never figured I'd know the time and date beforehand."

  Madison started to cry, her sobs waking the other cadets. Word of what was to happen flashed through the room and for a moment Justin lost Matt as the others swarmed around him, some crying, others swearing, shouting their protests so loudly that the guard flung the door back open.

  "All right, pipe down in there!" she roared.

  A storm of angry shouts greeted her. Frightened, the enlisted woman waved her laser pistol, but Justin could see that her heart wasn't in it.

  "Please, just be quiet or the Captain will be down here to kick my butt."

  "He's getting spaced and you're worried about your butt?" Marissa Livollen cried. "Give me that damn gun and I'll take care of MacKenzie for you."

  "Don't talk like that!" Justin shouted, "Just everyone pipe down."

  Startled by his vehemence, the cadets looked over at Justin.

  "Please," he said softly, looking at the guard. "I'll be right out, but just forget what you heard here. OK?"

  She nodded her head. "Sure, OK, but you gotta keep it quiet," and she half-closed the door.

  Justin stood up and grabbed hold of Matt.

  "Look, buddy, this isn't going to happen."

  "Yeah, sure, Justin."

  "I mean it."

  "Look, Justin. You're the first real friend I've ever had. I wanted you to know that. It means a lot to me."

  Justin grabbed Matt by the shoulders and hugged him.

  "My stuff. Whatever you want, it's yours."

  "I don't want anything of yours except you."

  "Look. At least hang on to that picture your mom took of us canoeing on Sugar Creek. Make sure the rest gets back to my Uncle Dan." Matt smiled sadly. "Old Dan will take it hard. Down deep I know he didn't want me to go. Funny. My 'bot, my robot friend I think he'll miss me too. He was a great chess player. When you get a chance, would you visit them? Tell Dan I took it like a real sailor, no whining or pleading. Walked the plank and spat in their eye, I did, before they popped the door."

  With that, Matt started to break down.

  The chaos around them swelled again with Madison shouting that they should rush the guard.

  "Get out of here before you get locked in with us," Matt shouted. "Go on, Justin, do me the favor. I don't want you getting hurt too."

  Matt pushed Justin away. Justin started to move back, wanting to spend the last hours with Matt, but his friend drew back into the group.

  "See you in the morning," Matt said and he smiled through his tears.

  Time seemed to drag out. Justin stared at Matt as if really seeing him for the first time. He remembered as well so much of what Thorsson had said about loyalty, loyalty to the Service and, by extension, loyalty to those who served in it.

  Matt had exemplified all those virtues to anyone who extended a friendly hand to him. He remembered how in the first days at the Academy it was Matt who had befriended him, and then helped to pull him into the circle of their platoon. He realized so clearly now that without Matt he would have undoubtedly washed out of the Service. If there was anyone aboard who truly showed what the Service was about it was Cadet Matthew Everett and not the man who claimed to be Captain and was now about to kill him. In that instant Justin fully realized what he had to do.

  Without another word Justin stepped out of the room, watching without comment as the guard slammed the door shut and snapped the padlock closed. She looked over at him.

  "You OK, kid?"

  Justin nodded.

  "I heard about your buddy," she whispered. "Tough break. Real tough break. I'm sorry."

  "Do you think it's right?"

  "It's the law," she replied slowly.

  "What law?"

  "Listen kid. There are two kinds of law out here. Fleet law and the Captain's law. And what the Captain says is the higher law, at least aboard this ship."

  "So you're only following orders," Justin said in a voice edged with sarcasm.

  She hesitated. "Go on, get outta here, or I'll place you on report."

  "Would you?"

  "Just get out of here."

  Justin stepped back and looked down the corridor heading aft. He studied it for several seconds, then turned and went forward and upstairs. Stepping into the corridor topside he passed the flight deck and reached the doorway to the lounge. He heard loud arguing coming from the Captain's cabin, and stepping past the door he went and looked down the corridor leading forward. The guard by the doorway into the Captain's cabin was leaning against the bulkhead and obviously eavesdropping. At the sight of Justin looking at him he shook his head.

  Justin hesitated, realizing he was standing next to Lieutenant Hemenez's door. He knocked on the door, ignoring the guard who stirred but then did nothing to stop him. ;

  "Enter."

  Justin stepped into the tiny room. Hemenez was sitting at her terminal, studying the screen. She looked up as Justin came in.

  "How are you, Bell?"

  "Not good, sir. And you?"

  "Oh, just checking the transmit systems," she said, nodding at the screen. "Kind of hoping the storm was dying down. No such luck, we're cut off. Occasional bursts of traffic from high-gain transmitters, but nothing coming our way and most definitely nothing going out."

  She turned around to face Justin.

  "Guess you heard the verdict?"

  Justin nodded. "Also heard about you. I'm sorry."

  "Don't feel sorry for me, Bell. Maybe I'll get cleared. If not, there are always the commercial transports."

  "Is that what you want?"

  She shook her head sadly. "Never thought I'd see something like this. I just graduated last year and nothing like this ever happened at the Academy or aboard my off base postings."

  "Care for some coffee? We have to talk about things."

  She started to shake her head.

  "Galley in ten minutes," Justin whispered.

  She hesitated. "OK."

  Justin left the room and headed aft, hoping that Hemenez could bluff her way past the guards.

  He slowed as he approached the galley and was grateful to hear O'Brian banging some pots inside. Looking through the door he saw the cook loading food containers into the cleaner. Justin turned to go in.

  "Hey, you. Bell."

  Justin looked back and saw Petronovich approaching.

  "Sir?"

  "Into your room."

  "O'Brian just called for me and Leonov," Justin said loudly. "Said he wanted us to help."

  "Into your room."

  "But, sir."

  "Don't 'but, sir' me!"

  While Justin hesitated a beefy hand reached out, grabbing him by the shoulder.

  "That's what I said, sonny," O'Brian announced while dragging Justin into the galley. "I need a couple of rats to help me scrub things. You wanna join us?"

  Petronovich hesitated. "Even though I'm a cadet, I am a senior cadet holding the rank of ensign and should be addressed as 'sir.'"

  "Yeah, sure, sir. Now either he helps me or you help me, what's it gonna be?"

  "I've heard nothing from the Captain granting approval for cadets to leave their rooms tonight."

  "Well, sonny why don't you just call him on that commlink of yours. And by heavens he'll tell you that at this end of the ship it's O'Brian who runs things and if I want a couple of rats to help me, by God I have them. Now are you coming in to help or are you going back to pacing your beat?"

  "I'll remember this," Petronovich snapped. "When things calm down here you'll be on report too."

  O'Brian snickered. "Sure, sure. Lose my stripes again. Won't be the first time. Now let us get to work."

  Petronovich backed away, trying to maintain his dignity.

  "Bell, once things are over with this
morning, report to me. We're going to see the Captain about this, and you, too, O'Brian."

  "Yes, sir, I'm sorry, sir," O'Brian replied in a wheedling tone.

  The cook reached across the corridor and slid the door open into Tanya's room. "Hey, you lazy Russian, get your butt outta the net and in here. I need you."

  O'Brian pushed Justin into the galley. Justin went over to the coffee dispenser, filled a container and took a gulp of the scalding brew. The caffeine, lack of sleep and nerves started him shaking. O'Brian went back to work. A minute later Leonov, obviously in a bad mood, came in.

  "Close the door," O'Brian snapped, "and get to work."

  "Look, O'Brian," Leonov began. "No one calls me a lazy Russian and Her voice trailed off as she looked at Justin.

  "You look like hell, Justin, what happened?"

  Justin told them the news and the two looked at him, stunned.

  "I knew he'd flip some day," O'Brian snarled. "Damn all. It's going to be straight into the fan once we dock."

  "What do you think will happen then?" Leonov asked.

  "What if this separatist thing on Gustavus goes bad? What if personnel from the Service got killed? I think there might be some who will back MacKenzie up. At least in public. Say that it was an emergency, Everett was talking sedition and mutiny. MacKenzie is shrewd. None of the personal stuff will come out he'll act remorseful, claim that he was reluctantly forced to act to save his ship and he'll be exonerated. Besides, notice how he claims to have compromised by sparing the other eight. That'll make it look like he tried to be fair. And there's one thing that separates Everett from the others. "

  "What's that?" Leonov asked."

  "That Matt supposedly hit MacKenzie," Justin said.

  "So there's two counts against him and your friend gets spaced."

  "Thorsson would never sit for that," Leonov replied. "He'd bust his own career to get MacKenzie for killing one of his cadets."

  "Would he? Look young lady. There are some who think Thorsson's off his nut with all this talk about the brotherhood of the service and our destiny to go for the stars; the emergence of the new generation of humanity. Chances are Thorsson will fall too because of this."

  "Thorsson fall?" Justin cried. "That's impossible."

  "There are some folks who think your Academy is nothing but a billion-dollar toy. They'd turn around and say that Thorsson was soft and Everett was the result. The truth of it all will get buried in a lot of mudslinging. And I tell you this, even if MacKenzie never goes a step farther in the Service, he'll have won what he wanted. He showed everyone that he was tough."