Chapter Eight: Moment of Truth, Part One

The days passed quicker than I would've thought - and perhaps quicker than I would've liked.

Unlike earlier in the week, Willis and I hadn't see much of each other the past several days, other than to exchange the kids. I supposed we were back to giving each other space again, or maybe he thought I needed it before my big day. I did and I didn't. It was difficult, at least when I didn't have my children, to be alone with my thoughts and the ever-present worry. That's when having Chief around - someone to take care of and hang with - helped. And my workouts, of course.

I met with Commander Roth once a couple of days prior to the court-martial, just to go over potential character witnesses that might be called upon for my defense. Ultimately, though, this was going to be won or lost depending on what and how much the judge believed had occurred between Ethan and I on Puget. Roth had told me that, understandably, hard evidence for cases like these were nearly impossible to come by, unless a pair had been legitimately caught in the act. That was good news for us, although the rebel's inflated statement could just as easily swing the pendulum in the other direction.

So it was with some understandably deep trepidation that I walked into the courtroom that morning, along with Roth. This was it - make or break. My career as a Marine depended on everything said and decided here today.

"All rise," the same enlisted female called out, and each of us did so. I stole a quick glance to my right to look at Ethan, in the center with his counsel, and on the far side, our prosecutor, Major Lee. Then I took a deep breath and faced forward again.

"Captain Terrance Prim presiding."

The Navy captain sat down at the judge's bench and looked out at us. "Today we are here for the court-martial of Colonel Natalie Cooper and Lieutenant Commander Ethan Ackerson, accused of adultery. Both have plead not guilty, but we will hear evidence from a number of witnesses and sources, and at its conclusion, I will make my decision." He looked out at Commander Roth, then Captain Johan, and finally Major Lee. "Counsels? What witnesses will we be hearing from today?"

"Sir, the defense for Colonel Cooper would like to call up Major Brewer and Lieutenant Lloyd to testify." Roth paused to give me a quick glance, then added, "As well as Major Hawk."

"What?" I said low, but Roth remained focused ahead.

"Sir, the defense for Commander Ackerson would like to include the defendant's own testimony."

"Very well," Captain Prim replied. "Major Lee?"

"Sir, the prosecution would like to enter in Sofía Valentina Rios's statements against the pair as evidence. We will also be cross-examining the defense's witnesses for inconsistencies and further details."

Captain Prim raised an eyebrow. "Do you have any new evidence to include, Major? Or further witnesses to the alleged incident?"

"No, sir. But I believe some of the defense's witnesses can corroborate Rios's story."

"Very well," Prim said again. "I'll allow that. Commander Roth? Floor is yours."

"Thank you, sir."

He gestured behind us, and I watched as our three witnesses walked in. They sat on the bench to our left. I saw Willis there, too, in his Class As, but we didn't make eye contact. I had no idea Roth had asked him to be a witness for me. Or that he'd accepted.

"I'd like to call Lieutenant Lloyd up as first witness, sir," Commander Roth said, and Prim nodded.

"Step forward, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir."

He did so, and got up on the stand beside the judge's bench.

"State your full name and rank for the record."

"Lieutenant Caleb Dylan Lloyd, sir."

"Do you swear to speak only the truth here today?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well." To Roth, he said, "Continue."

Commander Roth stepped forward, occupying the space between our tables and Captain Prim's bench.

"Lieutenant Lloyd, would you please explain to our presiding judge what your relationship is to the defendants, and in what capacity you've served them."

"I work in ONI, sir. I'm a colleague of Commander Ackerson, and a subordinate to Colonel Cooper. The commander and I are the only two spooks attached to her command."

"And how long have you known each of them?"

"I started working with Colonel Cooper four years ago. We were on a mission on an Outer Colony world called Khan. She was a major then, in charge of the Eighth Engineer Battalion."

"This was before the formation of the 52nd Regiment, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

Roth nodded. "And how would you describe the major at the time?"

"Focused, professional. Wasn't afraid to take charge when things went truly belly-up and we needed strong leadership. Got us out of some very difficult positions with the locals, and the Storm, and the Prometheans, later on."

"So you'd say, in effect, that she was an exemplary officer."

"Yes, sir. Good caliber. She cares not just for the mission, sir, but the troops as well."

"And what about Commander Ackerson?"

Caleb frowned. "I met him the following year, on our way to a new mission on Requiem. I...didn't like him at first."

"Why not?"

Lloyd hesitated, but Roth encouraged him to go on.

"Well...he's a dick, sir."

At that Roth and the other counsels let out a laugh. Including Ethan's new girlfriend.

"All right. Keep order," Prim commanded.

"Got it, Lieutenant," Roth answered back, still grinning a bit. "Can you elaborate on that?"

"Yes, sir. He's arrogant, smarmy, and generally unsympathetic. But, I will say, he's a damn good operative, sir. I may not like him personally, but professionally, he's top-notch. The best I've ever worked with."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. No further questions."

Commander Roth walked over then to resume his seat beside me. I felt that had gone reasonably well. But now, it was the prosecutor's turn to cross-examine him.

Major Lee began speaking even as he approached the witness stand.

"Okay. So we've got the upstanding officer and the roguish operative so far. Start of a good story, huh?"

"I guess," Caleb replied.

"So was there ever a story between them? Did you ever witness anything personally? Any misconduct or inappropriate interactions?"

Lloyd swallowed. "That's a lot of questions, sir."

"Then I'll start with an easier one first: you said that Colonel Cooper is a commander that cares for her men."

"Yes, sir."

"Does that include you, Lieutenant Lloyd?"

"Yes, sir."

"And the two of you were recently interred together, were you not? A harrowing experience to go through with another person, to be sure."

"Yes, sir," Caleb said for the third time. "I don't - "

Commander Roth stood. "Objection, sir. I don't understand where the major's going with this, either."

Captain Prim looked at Lee. "Major?"

"I'm getting there, sir. If I may?"

"Go ahead. But this better be relevant."

"It is, sir." Lee turned back to Caleb. "So would you say that the two of you have become close as a result? Friends, even?"

"Yes, sir."

Major Lee chuckled. "Okay, then. You have great cause to back her up in these proceedings then, don't you?"

"I haven't lied about anything - "

"Of course not. I haven't asked the relevant questions yet, son. So let's return to those and see how you answer. Did you ever get the sense that there was something going on between the colonel, your friend, and the commander?"

Lloyd paused again. "Well..."

"I'll advise you not to lie on the stand, Lieutenant."

He released a sigh. "I could tell they'd gotten close over the course of our deployment on Puget together. They were often seen talking or just...around each other. But I didn't think that was a problem at the time."

"All right. I'll ask one of my other first questions again: did you ever personally witness anything that made you change your mind about the nature of their relationship?"

"No, sir. I just heard rumors, like what the rebel prisoner said."

"You say 'rumors'. Were there others?"

"I mean, there's always rumors floating around a camp, sir. People get bored. They see two people together a lot, and they assume things. But I'll say again, I never saw or heard anything inappropriate occur. And when I confronted them about the rumors, both denied it."

"Says the friend. No more questions."

Major Lee made his way back over to his table then, and I breathed a sigh of relief. At least one witness was down.

Only three more to go for our side.

Captain Prim motioned to Commander Roth, and he stood.

"I'd like to call our second witness forward, sir. Major Brewer."

My XO made her way over to the witness stand, medals clinking together on her uniform jacket as she walked. I noticed she wasn't showing yet, although she wouldn't be this early. Then again, I didn't know how far along she was. I wondered briefly if she'd told anyone in command yet.

"State your full name and rank for the record."

"Major Danielle Marie Brewer, sir."

"Do you swear to speak only the truth here today?"

"Yes, sir."

Captain Prim gestured to Commander Roth. "Go on."

"Thank you, sir. Major, we're going to go through a set of similar questions to start. How long have you known the defendants?"

"Not as long as the lieutenant. I met Colonel Cooper later on during our campaign on Khan. My battalion and I came in as reinforcements."

"And the commander?"

"I met him when we were on Requiem a year later."

"And how would you describe him?"

Major Brewer shrugged. "To be honest, I've only interacted with him in professional settings, sir. He strikes me as an intense and intelligent individual."

"How so?"

"He's...decisive. Usually knows exactly what to do next and how he wants to go about it. He's also fairly outspoken. He's not afraid to back you up, or tear you a new one if he thinks you're wrong."

"And the colonel?"

"Well, they share their decisiveness trait. I've never seen the colonel think for too long about a choice. But that's not to say she acts rashly. I think she just...knows."

"So you'd say she acts on instinct, then."

"Yes. Very much so. She's a good leader in that regard, and usually right. I've enjoyed serving with her."

"No further questions."

Commander Roth surrendered the questioning to Major Lee then, and the prosecutor gleefully stepped forth.

"Major Brewer, what is your relationship to the defendants?"

"I'm Colonel Cooper's executive officer. As I said before, I don't really interact with the lieutenant commander at all beyond command briefings."

"So you're close to the colonel, yes?"

"I'd say so. Professionally, we have to be."

"And personally? Would you regard her as a friend, as your husband does?"

"Yes."

"So you, too, have reason to be on her side in this." He paused, then added, "Not to mention you may wish to see her return for your benefit."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you're in charge of the 52nd Regiment now in her place, yes? At least until we reach a verdict here. And that's a big burden for a major to bear. Perhaps you'd like to see her return, lighten the load. You don't really want to take full command while you're expecting, do you?"

Commander Roth stood. "Objection, sir. Irrelevant."

"I agree," Captain Prim said. "Major Lee, please stick to the topic at hand. We don't need to veer off onto any tangents."

"Yes, sir."

It angered me that the prosecutor had somehow tried to use Brewer's pregnancy against her - and against me. I guess that answered the question as to whether or not she'd finally announced it to our higher-ups, though. That put everything in limbo now for the 52nd.

"As I was saying," Lee continued. "You have cause to see this end favorably for the colonel."

My XO just glared at him. "Is there a question in there somewhere?"

But Lee went on undeterred. "The question is, did you ever witness anything inappropriate between the commander and the colonel?"

"No."

"Did you get the same sense as Lieutenant Lloyd did, that perhaps they were getting to be a little too close?"

Brewer huffed a sigh. "Like I said, I saw nothing."

"But?"

She hesitated. "There were...obvious tensions when her husband arrived. I make up the rosters for the troops' billets. Major Hawk requested they bunk in separate quarters."

The courtroom definitely got more quiet then.

"Ah," Major Lee smiled, but it wasn't a pleasant one. "There it is."

"But that doesn't mean anything sexual happened between Colonel Cooper and Commander Ackerson," Brewer amended. "I'll repeat, I never saw anything." She looked out at everyone in the court. "In fact, what I did see made it pretty clear there was only anything...physical going on between the colonel and her husband."

"What did you see, Major?"

"I said before that Major Hawk requested separate quarters when he arrived. But things definitely didn't stay that way."

"Elaborate for us."

Major Brewer took in a deep breath. "What I did see - and the only relevant thing I saw - was Colonel Cooper leaving her husband's quarters very early one morning. I know she spent the night. You can...extrapolate from that what you will."

"And you never witnessed a similar episode between her and the commander?"

"No. Never."

Major Lee frowned, suddenly not so satisfied with where the testimony had gone. "No further questions."