William Forstchen - Article 23

Though he wished he could blame his reaction on the suit he knew that it was fear that was hitting him and he was glad that the only visible part of his body was his face, otherwise the fact that his knees were shaking might be noticeable.

"Mr. Bell, nine cadets are now under arrest. I do hope that the list stops there. Do you understand me, Mr. Bell?"

Justin nodded, unable to speak.

"Captain, can I ask something?"

MacKenzie barely turned to look at Hemenez, who had spoken.

"Sir, are we holding an inquiry regarding the allegations surrounding last nights incident or are we interrogating this cadet as a possible suspect?"

MacKenzie's gaze shifted from Justin and he breathed an inner sigh of relief.

" lieutenant Hemenez, are you a pilot or a ship's lawyer?"

"Sir, it's just that Fleet Proceedings makes it very clear how inquires aboard an active duty ship are to be held. If Mr. Bell faces arrest he should be informed of that before being questioned and he is entitled to representation by an officer serving as his advisor."

'Your opinion is noted," MacKenzie said coldly, "and will be remembered."

He looked at the other two officers.

"Any other objections? Lieutenant Lewis? Doctor Zhing?"

Zhing looked as if he were about to speak, but then lowered his head. Lewis said nothing.

"This is an informal discussion," MacKenzie announced smoothly. "I have learned to have confidence in Mr. Bell here. I just wish to ask him some questions or is that no longer the right of a Captain, Lieutenant Hemenez? Have the bureaucrats at headquarters taken even that away from me?"

He spat out the last words with a cold anger that surprised Justin.

Hemenez struggled to hold his gaze.

"Sir. Is the presence of another cadet," and she nodded towards Colson, "appropriate?"

"He is here as a representative of the cadet unit by my invitation or am I not allowed to even do that?"

Hemenez said nothing.

"Fine, then, let's continue, Mr. Bell."

Attention focused back on Justin and he struggled to calm his nerves, realizing that whatever he said, he'd have to do it truthfully but carefully as well.

"Mr. Bell, you are a friend of Everett and Smith?"

"Yes, sir."

"For how long?"

"We met the first day at the Academy. We were in the same platoon during scrub summer. Cadet Everett and I have been roommates since joining."

"I see. I understand that Everett is given to, how I shall I say this, to telling tales."

"Sir. Matt is a solar sailor. As I understand it, tall-tale-telling is a tradition with them."

"Just yes or no, Mr. Bell, is sufficient. We in the Fleet are quite familiar with some of the more questionable traditions of these sailors."

Lewis smiled and nodded his head when Mac- Kenzie turned back to look at him.

"Have you ever heard Everett utter traitorous comments?"

"No, sir," Justin replied forcefully. He knew that was going to be a question MacKenzie would throw at him. Looking back on the months they had been together, their discussions had ranged over nearly every topic imaginable. A large part of it had been about girls, but there had also been school, classes, comparing their lives in Indiana and in the for reaches of the asteroid belt, and how to lasso and catch a comet so it could be mined for water. And a fair amount of time as well about the separatists. As a freewheeling solar sailor Matt had grown up in a tradition that emphasized individualism, stoicism and mistrust of any large center of civilization. Anyone living "down sun," towards the inner worlds, was viewed with suspicion, especially when it came to laws, taxes, and the myriad of regulations. Of course, he had expressed an understanding of the separatists, but if Justin ever admitted that to MacKenzie, it would only be twisted and distorted.

"That's not true."

Surprised, Justin looked over at Colson, who had interrupted him.

"Sir, this is highly irregular," Hemenez interjected. "Mr. Bell at least has the right to discuss this situation without another cadet present."

MacKenzie started to make an angry retort, then stopped. "All right, Wendell, why don't you go aft. "

Colson smiled, then stood and left the room.

Wendell the Captain had addressed him by his first name. The realization was disturbing. So Wendell was now the good boy the Captain had said was so rare. Justin wondered if he himself was about to fall from grace and be arrested.

"Cadet Colson accuses you of lying, Mr. Bell. Do you have a response?"

Justin could see a look of warning in Hemenez's eyes. To counter that Colson was a lying toady wasn't going to help either his situation or Mart's.

"Sir. I can not speak for any encounters between Cadets Everett and Colson when I was not present. The Matthew Everett I know is loyal, courageous and forthright. We won the lifesaving award together just before the end of scrub summer. In actuality it should have been Cadet Everett alone who won it, sir."

"We're not questioning Everett 's courage here," MacKenzie replied. "Only his loyalty and integrity."

"Sir, Cadet Matthew Everett has never uttered a traitorous comment to me."

"And Cadet Madison Smith?"

"No, sir."

MacKenzie nodded.

"Cadets tend to be loyal to each other," MacKenzie said quietly. "Your Academy works to instill that, even if it is carried to an extreme. There is this ill-founded tradition of not telling on a comrade, no matter how terrible their fault. I'll ascribe your response to a naive purity in you, Bell. Either that or a foolishness that renders you immune to the darker nature that lurks in most souls."

Justin said nothing.

"You were present when I placed Everett and Smith under arrest."

"Yes, sir."

"You were wide awake."

"Yes, sir, I was studying when you came into the room, reading the book you assigned to me."

"You saw Everett hit me?" MacKenzie asked slowly.

"Sir. It was an accident."

"Did you, or did you not see Everett hit me?"

Justin could feel the sweat breaking out on his brow.

"Sir. Cadet Everett was having a bad dream just before you came in. He wasn't awake, sir, when he banged into you."

Justin wanted to add that MacKenzie had grabbed Matt first, violently dragging him out of his sleeping net.

" 'Banged into me'? With what?"

"His arm, sir."

"You mean a clenched fist."

"His arm, sir."

"I know what a fist feels like when it hits me, Bell. Are you contradicting me?"

"No, sir," Justin said quietly. "It was confusing; the room is very small, sir and the lights were turned down."

"And your view was partially blocked by Everett. I know what I saw and felt, Bell."

Hemenez, sitting behind MacKenzie shook her head.

Justin was silent.

"You are dismissed, Bell."

"Sir, may I ask a question, sir?"

Annoyed, MacKenzie merely nodded.

"Sir. Exactly what is going on here, sir? Is this a trial?'

"That is not your concern, Bell. You are dismissed."

"It is a legitimate question, sir," Hemenez added.

"We are under emergency conditions as outlined by Fleet Regulations," MacKenzie snarled. "One of the last transmissions before we were cut off announced that all ships of the Fleet were about to be placed on formal alert. As captain of this ship in such status I have declared a full military alert for this vessel and shall act accordingly. Do I make myself clear, Bell?"

"Yes, sir." Justin wasn't quite sure of the implications of what MacKenzie said but sensed it was best not to push any further.

He saluted, then turned and left the room and headed aft.

He ignored the inquiring stares as he went through the lounge and made it a point to avoid the knot of cadets gathered around Colson.

"Hey, Bell, I need you in here."