William Forstchen - Article 23

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."

"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?"