FALLOUT: NEVER FADE AWAY
By Bad-Nano
Chapter One: About Face
United States Disciplinary Barracks
Alcatraz Island aka "The Rock"
Tribunal Room One
August 13th, 2077 (Two Months Before The Great War)
The prisoner shuffled along the marbled flooring, his hands and feet manacled with heavy chains. His movement was further hampered by the sixteen gauge belly chain that connected the cuffs on his wrists and ankles. To ensure his compliance, two beefy MPs armed with 10mm Remington Bushwhacker Sub-machine guns and remotes to the shock collar around the prisoner's neck accompanied him. Although he was secured by restraints and escorted by guards, everyone who looked into the prisoner's eyes could see the hate and rage seething inside him. The precautions were necessary due to the fact that the prisoner escaped from no less than ten military detention facilities and killed enough MPs to fill a whole section of Arlington National Cemetery. The prisoner was no ordinary criminal.
Until recently, he was this nation's greatest hero.
Captain Joshua Jackson Mercer, former commander of F Troop, 24th Squadron, 7th Mechanized Cavalry Regiment found himself roughly pushed down onto a chair by one of the MPs. He sat next to a bespectacled young JAG officer whose nameplate read "Bisbee". At least the weenie is wearing Army green, Captain Mercer thought to himself.
Looking over the lawyer's shoulder boards, Mercer groaned. The boards displayed the single gold bar of a Second Lieutenant. Goddamned JAG HQ couldn't send me someone equal to my own rank?
The sound of the sergeant-at-arms voice announcing that the tribunal was now in session cut into the prisoner's thoughts as three somber flag-rank officers filed into the courtroom and took their seats behind a long mahogany table. Three generals, smartly attired in hand-tailored dress uniforms, passed a pitcher of water amongst themselves to quench their thirst before the sentencing began. All three deliberately ignored the hunched over prisoner seated before them. While all three generals admired the accomplishments of the captain, they could not look over the grave offenses he committed months ago. It would be bad for morale. Discipline at all costs must be maintained in the ranks, especially during a war.
General Roland Maxson called the tribunal to order. It saddened him to bear such terrible duty, especially since the prisoner before him saved the life of his son, Roger, during the intense fighting along the Anchorage Front Line. The Chinese 6th Route Army had captured Roger in a surprise raid in Juno and were readying him for transport to Beijing when Captain Mercer led a small force equipped with T-51b Power Armor to rescue him. For that action, Captain Mercer was awarded the Medal of Honor.
General Maxson personally placed the medal around Captain Mercer's neck. Now I get the thankless job of either sentencing him to be executed or imprisoned, the general thought to himself. I'll either make him a martyr or I'll condemn an excellent soldier for following his conscience.
"Captain Joshua J. Mercer, you have been charged with a number of violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As I read each charge, you will enter a plea of guilty or not guilty."
The prisoner did not reply to General Maxson's statement. Lieutenant Bisbee merely nodded his head in agreement.
"On the violation of Article 88; Contempt Towards Public Officials, what is the defendant's plea?", asked General Maxson.
"Guilty.", replied Lieutenant Bisbee. It was publicly known that Captain Mercer had made disparaging remarks about how the war effort was being handled in Alaska and China. His comments were heard on Galaxy News Network both on the radio and on television. Not a smart career move for a combat officer looking to advance through the ranks.
"On the violation of Article 92; Failure To Obey Orders From A Superior Officer, how does the defendant plea?"
"Guilty." Captain Mercer was filmed refusing to fire upon demonstrators in Grant Park who were just voicing their dissent on the forced annexation of Canada. He was recorded on both video and audio ordering his troops to ignore a colonel's order to disperse the crowd.
"On the violation of Article 90; Assaulting A Superior Officer, how does the defendant plea?"
"Guilty." On the same footage, Captain Mercer drew his AEP7 laser pistol and shot the martinet colonel in the head. After reducing the colonel to ash, Mercer and his troops engaged both Army and Chicago PD units who had begun a systematic massacre of the protestors. Lieutenant Bisbee woefully shook his head.
"On the violation of Article 118; Murder, how does the defendant plea?"
"Guilty." Again, the footage was a matter of public record.
"On the violation of Article 85; Desertion, how does the defendant plea?"
"Guilty." Captain Mercer and his troops did leave Chicago after looting a National Guard armory for replacement parts, supplies, and weapons. None of the other members of F Troop were ever arrested except for Mercer. None of the equipment was ever recovered either.
"On the violation of Article 95; Resistance, Flight, and Escape how does the defendant plea?"
"Guilty." After deserting in January, Captain Mercer remained at large until he was captured by Army CID special agents in Kingston, Arizona on March 19th this year.
General Maxson removed his reading glasses then covered the microphone in front of him. There was an animated discussion between himself and the other two generals. Lieutenant Bisbee was busy making notes on his pad as Captain Mercer stared blankly at a wall behind the generals.
After a few more minutes, General Maxson removed his hand from the mike and placed his glasses back on. He punched in some codes on the DataPlex 2000 SmarTerminal then rendered the prisoner's sentence.
"Will the defendant please rise?" General Maxson was pleased that Captain Mercer shook off the MP's hand and stood in the position of attention even while manacled.
"Captain Mercer, you have been charged with serious crimes against the nation and the United States Army. This tribunal finds you guilty of all charges. Although the normal penalty for these crimes is summary execution, in light of your service to your country the sentence has been reduced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole. You will serve out your sentence at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Camp Tibbets, Kansas. This tribunal is now adjourned."
