Court martial. Full realization of what was happening flooded over Anya the next morning. Here she was, sitting in her cell, about to be court martialed from the fleet. What was she going to do with her life? No ship to fly, no place to live, nothing to call her own. Not too long after the guards arrived to take her to the courtroom. Anya didn't struggle, but went with them, a plan already forming in her mind. She was known as a quick thinker throughout the ship, and didn't let down her reputation now.
Admiral Nane glanced over the courtroom. The two Imperial officers skilled in law took their places as Anya Dariss was brought into the room. With a quick nod, the proceedings began. The prosecuting attorney stood up, and walked to the centre of the room, and acknowledged the Admiral.
"Honoured representatives of the Empire, today is a sad day in the history of this ship," began the prosecutor. "Yesterday, a junior officer had the audacity, the audacity, mind you, to strike a senior officer. And they could not stop after striking one, but had to continue and strike a second one. These unfortunate officers who were struck by this Lieutenant Dariss, were our own Lieutenant Gillins and Captain Glearis. In accordance with standard Imperial procedure, I demand that Lieutenant Dariss be court martialed from the fleet. We cannot allow our officers to so easily get away with breaking the Regulations of the Fleet. Not when we are at war. It casts a bad impression on the ship, and ultimately on the Empire itself. We can not allow the Empire to suffer because of insubordinate officers such as this one."
Anya ground her teeth, her glare only getting stronger as time went on.
"Lieutenant Dariss, would you like to take the stand?" asked Nane. "You do not need to, but if you would like to the regulations allow it."
Anya gave a nod and went over, shooting a killing look at the prosecuting attorney as she went.
"Sure, I punched them. But it's not like they didn't do anything to cause it. I didn't know that Imperial Regulations allowed senior officers to belittle, taunt, and look down upon other officers. I have had more than my fair share of that from Lieutenant Gillins since I came aboard this ship. And his good-for-nothing, scheming, and power-hungry cousin didn't do anything to help the situation. I couldn't take it anymore. So I punched them. They had it coming. Besides, its about time someone did that. I'm not sorry for it, and I'd do it again."
A ripple of shock went through the onlookers. Dowlin shook his head. If she continued in this manner, they'd have no choice but to court martial her. Or something more serious. They'd been in the academy together, and become friends then. What would become of their friendship now?
Captain Glearis looked angry, and jumped up shouting at Anya. She responded in kind. Admiral Nane called for order, but got no response. Finally he motioned to guards to come and stop this.
"Order!" he shouted once all was quiet. "Order! I will not allow this court to violate the Imperial rules for procedure! No one will speak unless they are ordered to. Do I make myself clear?" General nods from around the room gave him the response he was looking for. "Now. Let's try and conduct this in an orderly fashion. I do not want any insults thrown at one another. This is an Imperial Court, after all. Shall we continue? The prosecuting party may now take the stand."
"Admiral," began the prosecuting attorney. "Can we allow junior officers to be insubordinate to their senior officers, letting them go unchecked, unchallenged, disobeying at will? This violates all that the Imperial fleet stands for. It goes against the standards raised by the fleet, it tears down the reputation we have built. No true Imperial would dare challenge his senior officer. No true and loyal Imperial would call helpful criticism from senior officers being put down. The acts of this officer have resulted in the death of one of this ship's finest young officers. Because Lieutenant Dariss could not control her temper or her actions, she has willingly murdered an Imperial officer. Can we allow this behaviour to continue in the Empire? Can we allow it to go unpunished, can we afford to lead our officers along in the false belief they can get away with anything? It is my belief, and the belief of Captain Glearis, that we cannot. Thus, I am asking in this Imperial Court, for Lieutenant Dariss to be stripped of rank, and discharged from the Fleet. I rest my case."
Admiral Nane nodded. "Does the defendant wish to make a final response?"
With a curt nod Anya Dariss once more stepped up to the stand. "It was not my intention of killing him. Just because things don't go the way you want, you jump to conclusions, thinking such and such is true. Well, I don't know why you do this. Maybe it's just proof of how backwards the Empire has gotten. But if you're just going to sit there and spout the same thing five different ways, and they're going to listen to you, I'm glad, glad, you hear, that I'm getting court martialed. I have no wish to be associated with the likes of you." She practically spat the last word, and with a final glare in the direction of Admiral Nane, the prosecutor, and Captain Glearis, she turned and went back to her seat.
With a sigh, Nane collected his notes and stood up. "Fellow officers of the Imperial Fleet, I come before you today with the judgement on this case. Here, with you all as witnesses, I hereby strip Anya Dariss of the rank of lieutenant, and discharge you from the service of the Empire. You will be dropped off on the nearest planet we come to. This court session is now adjourned."
