The Rise before the Fall
Chapter 11: The Inquisition
The council review was a routine process in which the commander of each ship engaged in a battle was asked a series of questions concerning the battle. If the battle had been lost, the review panel would normally be made up of two admirals, a tactics specialist, two council members and a representative from Ctarl Intelligence. In defeat, these reviews could be rather lengthy and emotionally draining for the commanders involved. If the battle had been won, the review panel would normally consist of one or two admiral's assistance and one or two council aids. Ctarl Intelligence normally wouldn't bother sending a representative. In victory, the review was simply a formality. Something that had to be done because Space Fleet Policy said it had to be done.
**********
This formality was what Aisha was expecting when she arrived five minutes late to the Ctarl Ctarl Space Fleet Command Center. She started to head towards the lower level where the council reviews were normally held but was stopped by building security.
"Lady Aisha, where are you heading is such a rush?" A broad chested, tower of a man with a dark complexion and narrow eyes asked her.
"Hi Maxis, to the council review." She checked her chronometer. "And I'm already late."
"You'll be even later if you head down there." He informed her.
"What do you mean? The reviews are always held in sublevel 4."
"Not today. Today you need to go to executive chamber 4, up on the third level." He pointed up the stairs.
"Umm? Okay, well thanks Maxis; catch you later." Aisha yelled back as she sprang up the stairs.
"Later, Lady Aisha!" Maxis yelled after her.
As Aisha turned the corner to the entrance of the council chambers, she was mildly startled to see the seven other captains seated outside the chamber doors.
"What's going on? Why is everyone out here? The review was supposed to start…"
Aisha checked her chronometer, "seven minutes ago."
Captain Bellana responded first. "For some reason they've decided to interview us one at a time."
"So who's in there now?"
"Commodore Jisco," answered Captain Purez.
"And why is it being held up here?"
"Because the number of panelists." Responded Captain Azar, "I got here early and walked in unexpectedly. I saw at least five admirals, two tactics specialists, a chief engineer, six council members and Governor Jiudus."
"You're kidding?"
"I wish I were."
"Woooow!"
Aisha looked around for a place to sit. The only available seat was next to Augusta. Upon sitting down, Aisha turned to Augusta and whispered.
"Do you know what's going on?"
"No, but I'm sure it's nothing good." Augusta replied, clinching and un-clinching his fists and staring down at the floor in front of him.
Aisha pinched him on the back of his arm. He jumped slightly as he turned his gaze on her.
"You worry too much." She smiled.
"The problem is, you don't worry enough." He smiled back.
"Maybe, but at least I won't lose sleep over it." Aisha said as she stretched her legs out in front of her, crossing them at the ankles and leaned back into the chair with her hands behind her head.
She closed her eyes and whispered. "Wake me up when it's my turn." Grinning ever so slightly.
Augusta shook his head as he rested it on his hand with his elbow resting on his knee.
**********
About an hour later, Commodore Jisco exited the executive chamber. He walked straight and tall, eyes set forward. He came to a stop when he was parallel with Aisha, who was still sleeping. He turned his head and stared at her. Augusta quickly tapped Aisha on the leg but got no response so he pinched her hard on the side of her thigh.
"Ouch! That hurt!" Aisha sat up and rubbed her leg. She noticed Augusta wasn't looking at her but off in front of her. She followed his gaze to see Commodore Jisco standing about 4 meters in front of her, staring at her. Aisha's reaction was to jump to her feet. Her expression was blank except for the slight trembling of her lips and her shortness of breath.
The Commodore's expression was totally unreadable. He didn't appear angry or outraged. He didn't appear calm and at ease either. Aisha couldn't tell what he was feeling and so didn't know how to react. Her anxiety level was climbing the longer they stared at each other. At Alpha 63, she had plenty of choice words for the Commodore, but here, now, she didn't know what to say. In the end, she didn't say anything. Jisco straightened his gaze and walked away without a word. Aisha watched him go until he was out of sight. She sat back down still staring off to where Jisco had been. Augusta's hand on her knee brought her back.
"Aisha, are you alright?"
She looked into his concerned eyes. "Yes, I'm fine, I'm fine."
A security officer stepped out of the chambers.
"Captain Azar, this way please."
Captain Azar rose and walked into the executive chambers. The heavy door closed behind him.
An hour later the chamber door opened and Azar stepped out followed by the same security officer that had summoned him. Aisha looked at Azar and was shocked at what she saw. His hair was mated with sweat, his cheeks flushed and his nostrils flared.
'What happened in there that angered him so,' she wondered. "Azar?"
He looked in Aisha's direction.
"What happened in there?" She inquired.
He looked as if he wanted to speak but then he looked over his shoulder at the security officer.
"I can't say, not right now." He looked down at the floor in front of him and walked away.
All remaining seven captains watched Azar storm off in disbelief.
Wanting some answers Aisha addressed the security officer.
"Hey! What exactly is going on in there?"
"Sorry ma'am but all proceedings are confidential until the committee issues their report. Captain Purez, please step this way."
Purez looked around at his fellow commanders then slowly rose and walked into the chambers.
An hour later, the chamber doors opened and Purez walked out looking very much like Azar had. When he came out, he began walking away then stopped abruptly and turned towards Aisha.
"Lady Aisha, beware."
"Captain Purez, you are not allowed to discuss these proceedings with anyone." The security officer warned.
"That is not a review. That is a witch hunt and they're making Lady Aisha out to be the witch!"
"What?!" The six remaining captains said in unison as they all rose to their feet.
"Another word Captain Purez and you will be placed under arrest."
Purez stared down the security officer for a moment then turned to Aisha giving her a sympathetic look, then he left.
"Captain Juliua, please step this way."
**********
Over the next seven hours the same thing was repeated. One of the captains walked in, an hour later they walked out visibly shaken and upset. Aisha was the last one waiting.
"Umm, if I knew it was going to take this long I'd have been nine hours late instead of seven minutes late." She moaned.
Finally the door opened and Augusta strutted out and immediately headed over to Aisha. Augusta sat down next to her and took her hands into his.
"They're trying to blame you."
"For what?" Aisha asked, confusion written all over her face.
"For everything, the damage to the Sabre Hone Hone, the damage to our ships, the loss of lives."
"Captain Augusta, that is enough! You were sworn to silence."
Augusta ignored the security officer's warning.
"Don't let them get you so upset, so angry that you end up admitting to doing anything wrong."
"Captain Augusta, that's enough!"
"You did nothing wrong. You saved our lives. You saved all our lives."
The security officer had had enough. He marched over to Augusta and grabbed him by the elbow. The force with which the security officer grabbed Augusta caused him to turn and stare up at him, but only for a moment. He turned back to Aisha.
"I'll see you later." He nodded and rose to walk away.
As Augusta turned the corner and was out of sight, the security officer addressed Aisha.
"Ma'am, they're ready for you now."
Aisha sprang to her feet.
"Fine, let's get this over with." Aisha marched into the executive chambers.
**********
After an hour of answering the same questions over and over, Aisha was well beyond having lost her patience.
"So did you consider the risks of performing such a maneuver?" The tactical expert asked.
"Yes, of course."
"And you went ahead and performed it anyway?"
"It seemed better than the alternative."
"Which was?" A council member asked.
"To attack in standard formation. If we had done that our shields would have collapsed before we ever reached the Coalition ships."
"But with your superior firing range, couldn't you have stayed at a safe distance and fired at will?"
"For a time perhaps but eventually the Coalition would have advanced on us, encircling us, trapping us and eventually destroying us."
"You're sure of this?"
"Yes Admiral, I've seen them use that tactic before."
"But you had another alternative, didn't you?"
Aisha thought for a moment but couldn't come up with another.
"To follow the orders of the officer in command. To withdraw to Sector Alpha 54 as you were ordered to by Commodore Jisco." Stated in a loud and angry tone by another council member.
"The orders from a coward are no orders at all." Aisha responded calmly but sharply.
"Are you calling Commodore Jisco a coward?" Prodded the councilman.
Aisha bit her tongue and remained silent.
"Lady Aisha, didn't Commodore Jisco make it clear that the order to withdraw was to enable support ships to have time to arrive?"
"He expressed that opinion, yes Lady Sacurii."
"But you disagreed?"
"The Coalition would not have stayed in Alpha 63. They would have seen our withdraw as a sign of weakness and would have advanced as quickly as possible."
"So since you disagreed with Commodore Jisco you decided you did not need to follow his orders?"
"My orders from Space Fleet were to engage the Coalition Fleet at Sector Alpha 63, not to turn and run away."
"Did it ever occur to you that the reason the Coalition Fleet opened fire on the Sabre Hone Hone when they advanced with their shields down was because they saw the destroyer fleet waiting in the distance as a sign of insincerity, as an attempt to deceive them?"
Aisha thought for a moment, "Commodore Jisco was trying to deceive them."
"But they did not know that."
"Admiral, I've engaged the Coalition more times in the past three years than any other active line captain or commodore. I've seen their tactics and what they do to otherwise defenseless ships and colonies. The bottom line with the Coalition is that they are cold blooded reptilian bastards that hate all mammalians and will attempt to exterminate them whenever possible, including we Ctarl Ctarl."
The council chairman banged on her gavel.
"That is enough! I will not have you using such profanity in our presence. Another outburst like that and you'll be placed under arrest. Do I make myself clear."
"Yes, Madam Chairman, I apologize for my outburst." Aisha bowed.
"Alright than."
"Madam Chairman, if I may be allowed to ask a question of the panel?"
The chairman looked left, then right. With none of the other panelists objecting, she responded. "What is you question, Lady Aisha?"
"We did win the Battle of Alpha 63, didn't we?"
"Your sarcasm is not appreciated."
"I was not attempting to be sarcastic. I'm simply trying to understand why this panel is treating the Battle of Alpha 63 as a defeat rather than a victory."
"A victory?" Asked Governor Jiudus, "Engineer Chief Friesa, please read off the damage assessment of all nine ships."
"The Sabre Hone Hone suffered irreparable damage to three of its sub-ether engines. Its ether engines will also need to be replaced. Structural damage over 40% of its hull. Weapons systems destroyed, shields destroyed, decks six through nine suffered serious fire damage and the bridge also suffered serious fire damage, not to mention the loss of six Ctarl Ctarl lives and thirty-seven Ctarl Ctarl injured and still being hospitalized. All the destroyers suffered serious structural damage to at least two of the sub-ether engine supports. The Al Tigaro Tigaro suffered structural damage to all four of its sub-ether engine supports. All eight ships suffered ether engine damage from being forced to 110% of capacity for an extended period of time. Shields systems on all eight ships will need to be repaired and re-calibrated. Weapons meltdown occurred on a total of sixteen missile launch bays. In total the estimated cost for repairs will exceed 700,000,000 durwongs and repairs will take approximately three weeks for the destroyers and three months for the battle cruiser."
The governor followed. "700,000,000 durwongs is an expensive victory, don't you think Captain?"
'Bill me' is what Aisha wanted to say but instead she restrained herself and replied.
"Would the Governor prefer having Coalition ships overhead as we speak?"
"Enough! I warned you once before Lady Aisha. I will not warn you again." Snapped the chairman.
This time Aisha simply remained silent.
The Governor continued. "To answer your question. No, I would not prefer to have Coalition ships overhead. And for that I'm sure I speak for everyone present when I say we are most thankful for your heroic acts and those of the other destroyer captains.
We are simply trying to deduce if the course of action you took was truly the best course of action given the circumstances. Now if we can go over it one more time. Where did the idea to attack in a heptagon formation come from?"
"I instructed my tactical officer to come up with a plan of attack when the Sabre Hone Hone began to advance towards the Coalition Fleet."
"And this is what he came up with?"
"Yes Governor."
"Was this the only plan he came up with?"
"Yes Governor."
"Are you sure?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, did you ask him if he had any other alternative plans?"
"No, I did not."
"And why not?"
"Because if he had, he would have told me."
"Are you sure of this Lady Aisha?"
"Striker Craaw Craaw has served under my command for three years Governor, the past eighteen months as ship's tactical officer. We have been in over thirty conflicts together. Yes Governor, I am sure."
"So that was the only viable attack strategy presented to you?"
"Yes Governor"
"Did you consult your fellow captains to see if they could come up with an alternative attack strategy?"
Aisha paused a moment, doing her very best to maintain her professional demeanor.
"As senior captain, it is my responsibility to come up with viable attack strategies and implement them, not to open it up to committee. That approach may work well for running a government but not in space when you're face to face with the enemy, where any delay in action could mean death."
"A simple NO would have sufficed." The Governor paused briefly as he looked over his notes.
"So Lady Aisha, withdrawing to Sector Alpha 54 was never a viable option for you? Why not?"
Aisha sighed. "There were two reasons: one, the Coalition fleet could have advanced onto our home world without passing through Sector Alpha 54. By diverting through the CoFory Nebula the Coalition fleet could have advanced onto this planet undetected until they reached Outpost 29. By then it would have been too late. We would have been playing catch up along with any support ships that answered our distress call. In addition, my tactical officer assured me that the planetary defense system would have been no match for the Coalition Armada. The second reason for not withdrawing," Aisha paused. "We in Space Fleet have a saying, Victory and Honor. It is sometimes misquoted, as Victory with Honor and while this is also desired what Victory and Honor means is we first strive for victory but even in the face of defeat we always maintain our honor. To turn and run in the face of the enemy is an act of cowardice and a coward can have no honor. For these reasons I made the command decision to stay and fight."
"Lady Aisha, are you familiar with the Terran expression, He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day." Asked the Governor.
"No Governor, I am not familiar with that saying but I am familiar with the Ctarl Ctarl saying, A life without honor is death." Aisha replied.
"Well spoken!" said one admiral.
"Here, here!" Seconded another admiral.
A long period of silence fell over the committee for several seconds.
"If there are no further questions I will call this board of review closed." Said the chairman.
"If I may, I only have a few more questions for the Captain." Injected the Governor.
"As you wish Governor Jiudus." Acknowledged the chairman.
"Lady Aisha, approximately twenty-seven hours after the battle did Captain Augusta board your ship?"
"Yes, he did Governor."
"For what purpose?"
"To go over the events of the battle in preparation for this review."
"I see. Did you invite any of the other captains?"
"No Governor."
"And why not?"
"I did not invite Captain Augusta over in the first place."
"You didn't?"
"No Governor, he requested to come over. Had any of the other captains requested to come over to discuss the battle, I would have allowed them to as well."
"Yeesss, Lady Aisha, where did this… discussion take place, in you ready room?"
"No Governor, in my quarters."
"Your quarters? Do you have a desk or table in your quarters?"
"No Governor"
"So what do you have in your quarters?"
"My bed, a nightstand, a dresser, a chair, a closet, and of course a bathroom."
"So where did you and captain Augusta sit?"
"It varied, sometimes the bed, sometimes one of us sat on the chair or on the floor."
"Really? And how long did this discussion take place?"
Aisha paused, "about six hours."
"Six hours! That was almost six times as long as the battle itself."
"This review has also taken longer than the battle, Governor."
"Yes, but you and Captain Augusta were at the battle, we were not. What else did you do during those six hours?"
"Nothing really, small talk, chit chat."
"Hmm, for six hours? What if I were to tell you that Captain Augusta told this panel that you and he were engaged in matters of a sexual nature during those six hours?"
All of the other panel members quickly shifted their attention from Aisha to Governor Jiudus. That was an instant tip-off to Aisha that Jiudus was lying.
'But how do I respond without calling the Governor a liar?' Aisha pondered.
"I would say that even if the Governor's assumption were true, Captain Augusta is too much of a gentleman to speak of such things."
"And I'm sure Lady Aisha is too much a lady to speak of such things as well?"
"The Governor would be correct."
"Yes, of course. Now Lady Aisha at approximately 0730 the fleet passed Deep Space Station 14. Is that correct?"
"Yes Governor"
"And what took place after that?"
"My crew and I indulged in a little celebration."
"A little celebration?"
"Perhaps not so little." Aisha conceded.
"Was Ctarl Ctarl Ale consumed during this celebration?"
"Yes Governor"
"How much ale was consumed?"
"I could not tell you Governor. I simply do not know."
"Well allow me to inform you. According to Space Fleet supply records, destroyers are supplied with 900 liters of ale. The typical destroyer, when re-supplied, usually requires between 200 to 400 liters of ale. You and your crew managed to consume all 900 liters of ale on your ship."
"It was a, lively celebration."
"Apparently, from reports I've received the celebration went on for nearly sixteen hours and you consumed so much ale you had to be assisted to your quarters by two of your officers."
"I have no recollection of that occurring."
"Why, because you were too drunk to remember?"
"I cannot say."
"Cannot or will not?"
"Cannot Governor."
"Very well than, let us address the self-promoting cheers you lead."
"Self-promoting?"
"Is it true you pronounced yourself commodore during the celebration?"
"No Governor, that is not true."
"So you didn't say you were deserving of the rank of commodore?"
"What happened Governor was my tactical officer announced that I was to be promoted to Commodore."
"Based on what information?"
"Apparently he spoke with my comms officer, who through reliable sources, found out that I was to receive the Order of Ctarl, an honor that has always included for its captain that received it the promotion to commodore, at least until yesterday."
"So based on heresy from you comms officer you allowed your crew to prematurely celebrate your assumed promotion to commodore, is that correct?"
"Information from my comms officer is hardly heresy and yes in retrospect celebrating an unconfirmed promotion was premature but when was personal ambition within the Space Fleet a sin?"
The Governor smiled.
"It's not, not at all."
Turning his attention to the chairman.
"Madam Chairman, I have no further questions."
"Very well, if no one else has any question…" She paused, looking to her right then to her left. "This board of review is completed. Captain Aisha Clan Clan, you are hereby ordered by this panel not to speak of any of the events that took place during this review until after this panel has issued its official report. You will be notified of our findings within the week. Please remain available in case further inquires are needed. You are dismissed."
Aisha turned and marched out of the executive chambers.
"GRRR!" Aisha panted, her face flushed with pent up rage. She marched out of the building, ignoring several friendly greetings from building personnel.
She got in her hovercraft and inserted the key. By now her restraint had totally given way. She gripped the steering wheel with enough force to snap a terran's neck in two. She gritted her teeth so tightly the veins in her jaw and neck were visibly pulsing. Finally she could hold back no longer.
"AAAUUUUGGGHHH!!!!!!"
She let out a scream that caused her vehicles windshield to shatter and windows to rattle up to 60 meters away. Breathing hard and resting her forehead on the steering wheel, Aisha tried to gather her composure once again. Confident she was now composed enough to drive; she turned on her craft and sped home.