Damage control One
She should have been satisfied. She had taken the odds and sods added to her crew and melded them into a crew. Even the Republican team had become part of that extended family. Cathcart and his clique should have been a minor bump.
But their actions had caused the Dollarydes to go ballistic, and that had shattered that family feeling. Worse yet she could see no way out of this trap.
As a child newly bereft of her mother, Rebecca had clung to her father as the one constant in her life. She had spent years learning his craft as he worked his way from defense attorney to prosecutor. She had wondered around the age of nine why her father was worried about a case where an enlisted man had struck an officer. She didn't see the problem. After all she had hit Jenny Sawyer at school a week before, and they were still friends!
Silently he had handed her two books from his collection, CS Forester's Hornblower and the Hotspur, and Billy Budd. In both cases, the penalty for striking a superior officer was the same, death by hanging.
Oh the RMN wasn't so draconian in most cases, but during time of war, or in the present case a time of emergency, the Regs could still give the death penalty in Fengniao's case.
That was when she learned of the dark sides of his duty. They were called regulation, and moral vacuum.
Regulation was the rules he had to stay within; the definition and punishment of crime. Striking a Superior Officer, he had explained, was worse than the average horrendous crash and burn offenses such as rape. She had ended up waiting years until he explained what rape even was; and during the period between had occasional nightmares where convicted men were placed in aircars that were crashed with them inside.
Moral vacuum in it's way was worse. To her, there was right and wrong, in fact his father had taught it to her. But as a lawyer, he had to accept that moral vacuum. That a man charged with a crime had a right to the best defense, even when he was a guilty as sin. At nine he was still a defense counsel, at fifteen when she learned what rape meant, he had become a prosecutor. By the time she was old enough to enter Saganami Island, he was the man assigning those counselors. By that time she had set her eyes on command, and while he had been a little hurt by that, he had been proud when she graduated.
Right now, she wished she had entered JAG, if only to know what to do now.
Chin Li saw the captain approaching, and tried to sit up at attention, but the quick heal had barely started on the shattered ribs, and he winced, grabbing his side. "Rest easy, snottie." She said, and he collapsed back, still holding his side. She sat, primly, hands folded on her lap. "Tell me, midshipman," She asked in a conversational tone, "do you know how badly you've stepped on your crank?". He wanted to laugh, but the first snort of laughter caused him to curl up in pain.
"I think my condition would answer that, Captain." He finally gasped out.
"Oh good. Though I think the commandant of Saganami Island will have a few choice words when you return." She replied with a perfectly straight face. "Calling a Manticoran rating an, how shall I put it, 'crossdressing faggot wanting to be sexually used as a woman', was a pretty stupid career move."
"Yes." He straightened up. "So Joshua Stanhope told me."
"But you did it anyway."
"Captain, when I was in Junker-schule before going to Saganami Island, my instructor called me that and worse. He told me afterward that he thought I might some day be a good officer, and he pushed me just as hard as I pushed Dollaryde. So when I undertook my mission to get Francis to excell, I followed the same pattern." He looked at her cold face. "That is not an excuse, ma'am. Merely an explanation. When Joshua returned aboard, he told me it could lead to a charge of conduct unbecoming under the Manticoran Navy regulations so I stopped using it. I apologized to Herr Dollaryde, and did not repeat it again."
"That is all well and good, snotty. But you didn't bother to finish the job." At his confused look she cocked her head. "You don't think Fengniao sought you out just because she felt like hitting someone, do you? She learned about that term from someone who heard you use it, right after Francis was arrested for threatening to kill you. They both added two and two and came up with different answers than four. But you were the answer in each case.
"I can't give you every jot and tittle of why they made those mistakes because frankly I do not know them all. What we do have is three careers and four lives that could ruined by your stupidity."
"I understand that, Captain, and wish I could go back, and fix the problem." For some reason, this made her smile, though it was only a flash.
"I assume Francis thought you were ruining his brewing, which would explain why he trashed his own operation, and blew up at you when you came in. We know you didn't. We have those five people being sent home on the first available dispatch boat, four of them facing courts martial I will not hold aboard, since when the crew finds out what they had done, I wouldn't have been able to empanel a disinterested court." She shrugged. "Quite honestly, if we held a court here, they'd be lucky to survive long enough to stand trial.
"But I am not sending Dollaryde and Fengniao home yet."
"Ma'am?"
She shrugged. "If I send them home without the full story, some brand spanking new ensign from the JAG office will be assigned the case, and the first reaction of a new defense attorney is to try to have them plead guilty, and throw themselves on the mercy of the court. But it won't matter why they either berated you or pounded you into the deck, not under the Articles. Francis could be looking at ten years hard labor, and Fengniao could be executed.
"But I can't see any other way to handle it myself. So I am breaking the regs myself by thinking about sending a letter to a friend of mine in the JAG office."
He closed his eyes. Captain, would it help to hold a court here?"
"I can't in Fengniao's case. Since it could be a capital case, the Regs require that it be held back home."
"Not of them. Conduct Unbecoming is not a capital crime aboard a Manticoran ship."
She shook her head. "The problem is, that thanks to the rumor mill, it wouldn't help. The politest rumor about what happened between you and Dollaryde is that he said something to offend you, and you were using your rank to get even. The worst is that you wanted the twins for youself and tried to destroy him, hoping to get them on the rebound. Sacrificing your career is not going to change that. If you claimed water was wet they'd assume you were lying. But the offer is appreciated, Chin Li." She stood. "Get better."
"Captain, I will have lost all respect in the crew's eyes."
"I know that, mister. The only alternative would be to send you home with the others. Cathcart might survive that, as a midshipman, you will not." She looked down at him. "From this point on, you are going to have to prove yourself all over again." She turned just as Cao Mei entered the sickbay. She looked upset. Strike that, she looked pissed and ready to finish what Fengniao had started. "Cao Mei!" The woman's head snapped from Krueger's bed, then she came to attention.
"This is an order, Chief. You will sit here patiently, and listen to what Mr. Krueger has to say by way of explanation. If you still feel you must physically abuse him, I order you to report to your quarters and stay there until you have calmed down, without inflicting more damage first. Is that quite clear?"
She visibly restrained herself before replying. "Zu beufehl, Kapitain!"
As Rebecca left sickbay, she heard Krueger say, "If you can't restrain yourself even under orders, I would ask you to break a leg..."
That might help, she thought. Rebecca lengthened her stride, hitting the lift button. When it arrived she rode up to the Officer's deck. Jinhua had been ensconsed in the same quarters as she'd had previously, though the dragon who guarded that portal was new. Shang-Ti Jaeger was her Majordomo, and like a dragon, he guarded her as jealously as a dragon guarded her hoard. "I would like to speak with the Graffin." She told him. His eyes didn't flicker. He only bowed, and stood aside.
Jinhua was in a chair, reading a file. She looked up, and nodded as the captain entered. Fenghua was to one side, with Daedelus on her shoulder. Since they had left the home system, the reading to her had stopped abruptly. Part of her was glad, but as she saw the girl sitting there with a book on her lap, Rebecca realized she missed it.
"This is the land of Narnia," said the Faun, "where we are now; all that lies between the lamp-post and the great castle of Cair Paravel on the eastern sea. And you - you have come from the wild woods of the west?" She read, her finger pointing at the words as she did. The Cat tapped her face, then pointed at the reader she held up. She sighed, then turned to the computer beside her. She typed in something, then paused.
"Cair is an old British word which can mean castle, city, or court. Paravel is derived from paravail, which in turn comes from the Old French language par aval, with meanings like down, lower, and lesser, and perhaps from the Latin ad vallem, meaning "to the valley". The most likely meaning for the entire name, therefore, is "City in the Valley", although "Lesser Court" has also been suggested." She looked up. "Do you understand? The cat nodded.
"What is this?" She asked Jinhua.
"During that last party, she became entranced by the treecat's signing. She told him that human names have meanings too. The treecats are like a lot of primitive human tribes assigning names that fit the person. Daedalus," she motioned toward the cat, "was curious."
"Krueger for example means potter as in an English use name like tailor or smith; like Jaeger means hunter." The girl said, looking up. "Duval means 'of the valley while Duvalier meant 'man of the valley' and your first name, captain, is from Hebrew and means to bind, Kyle means narrow, like a woods or a church. Daedalus means 'craftsman' which he likes, since Ensign Kyle told me his own treecat name means 'maker of tools'. My mother's name means 'golden brilliance'."
"And your own?" Rebecca asked.
"Spiritual wellbeing, or brilliance." Jinhua commented without looking up. Fenghua grimaced.
"Trying living up to 'that' name." She grumbled. "It's not like being tied up is all my name means."
"Enough, daughter. You wished to speak with me, captain?"
"Yes." Jinhua motioned toward the chair across from her, and Rebecca sat. "Explain to me the purpose of a Junker-schule."
Jinhua looked up without raising her head. Then she closed the file, and leaned back. "Both of our nations have a system of patronage. It is the duty of a serving officer to help her subordinates in achieving their potential. This means good men and women are promoted.
"However it is also abused; people who have friends of a higher military or social rank are promoted beyond their ability and this causes problems. Worse yet, your enemies will try to limit your promotion for their own ends.
"As much as others think our first Emperor mad, the one thing he did was create the Junker-schule, literally 'noble school'. The Junkers, our nobles, are expected to send their children who wish military commands to the Junker-schule, so they can learn that while they are of higher social rank, that does not make them better in every way. The only flaw in the system, is that he made it something ordered by law, rather than your own House of Windom making it a tradition."
"I know what you mean. A tradition is something you can't protest without looking like a fool. A law can be argued in court as to it's validity."
"Exactly. Those who have the belief that service to the Empire is what is important will send their children to the Junker-schule. Those who think their birth gives them the right to ignore that fact send their children directly to the Raum Academie. Do you understand?"
"Yes. How does the system work?"
"First, everyone, from the Kommandant of the school to the lowest enlisted rating are enjoined, under law to be of common birth. Even illegitimate children of a noble are not allowed to be among the staff or teachers. This is because during their careers, they see tthe worst abuses by those of higher stations. Second, whatever is done to them once they enter the school, the cadets must promise upon their honor as officers to not abuse those who will be training them or their descendants. Any attempt to revenge themselves on one of their teachers from the school is punishable by dimissal for cause from the service.
"It is much like your own prep schools before you go to Saganami Island. A training middle school that concentrates on the same classes you will later take. But it is much harsher, closer to your boot camp but Andermani style. You see, a drill instructor at an Andermani boot camp can call you whatever he wishes. He can berate you from the moment you wake up until you finally fall into bed from exaustion. He can also punch you in the mouth for failing to obey an order. There is no recourse for a trainee in boot camp, and none for a trainee in Junker-schule."
"So calling a man a Schwulie is acceptable?"
Jinhua looked surprised. "Oh dear. It is a pity Herr Krueger did not apologize to Cao Mei before Fengniao discovered that."
"Why?"
"Both Fengniao and Cao Mei were assigned as unarmed combat instructors to one of the Junker-schules for their first year, so they know what the regimen is like. They had been trained by their father, and were already better than most of the other teachers. One of the trainees was the son of a Baron who resigned and decided not to enter the service. He sited the fact that she beat him so easily, and it caused him to question his manhood.
"When their year was over, they were sent to their specialty schools. Cao Mei did not know it, but one of her instructors was that boy's father, a graduate of that Junker-schule. He falsified records to fail her. When it was discovered, he was cashiered. She was tested again, and passed with honors."
"So if Krueger had apoligized to them, or Francis hadn't kept it from them, Fengniao would not have beaten Chin-Li?" Jinhua nodded, and Rebecca snorted. "Heaven protect us from macho men! But that makes it easier for me."
"How so?"
"Since someone was trying to make him fail, I can set aside the charges for Francis. But as for Fengniao..."
"It did happen in the pub, Rebecca. Isn't there a rule that says there are no ranks in the pub?"
"By god, you're right! I could just kiss you!"
"Please, sharing a bed has damaged my reputation enough."
"Spoilsport. I just have to get Mr. O'Connor to rescind the charges, and I'm golden!"
The Final Nail
Chief Engineer Hayes met her outside of her office. "Captain, I was just going to round file this, but when I told Mr. C'Conner that, he insisted that it was not my call; that the Regs say it is at the Captain's discretion." He handed over the pad he was carrying. She opened it, reading the terse request that Dollaryde's permission to brew beer be rescinded because of his failure to meet the standards of his rating. The time stamp was just before Fengniao had pummeled Krueger. She tapped the pad on her hand, then motioned, walking into the office. She brought up her computer, typed in a request, and then began to grin. "Os, I'm in the mood for some Gryphon wine. Crack a bottle of the Wishbone Rhine wine. Would you like anything, Sol?"
He looked startled, and a bit pleased that she had called him by his shortened first name. "I've never tried it, so the wine is fine. But why are we drinking, especially while I am still on duty?"
"Because I think Mr. Cathcart just shot himself in the foot. But I had best make sure." She tapped her annunciator. "Corporal Ryan? Would you have someone down in the Republican quarters send up Mr. Chartaine?"
Cathcart stopped at the hatch to the Captain's office. While he was trying to hide it, he detected a gleam of amusement in the sentry's eye. "Captain? Mr. Cathcart is here to see you."
"And that other matter?"
"I'd estimate another three minutes, ma'am."
"Send him in." The hatch snapped aside. Cathcart stepped in, slowing when he saw Commander Hayes sitting in the one chair. The captain watched him walking across the carpet, and he detected glee in her expression. He snapped to attention.
"After all your work in the matter, I felt it was only fair that you know that the criminal investigation into the Dollarydes' actions has been concluded. All charges have been dropped, and both will be reinstated to duty after I inform them."
"Captain, I must protest!"
"Really." She reached out, tapping a key on her computer. "I felt you might. So please, elucidate for the record."
"I understand that the main charge, that Dollaryde had been failing his proficiency was due to falsified evidence, but he did verbally assault two officers, and he is in the brig for that.
"As for Fengniao, she physically assaulted a superior officer in front of witnesses! You can't just sweep that under a rug!"
She reached out, her hand poised. "Is that all, Mr. Cathcart?"
"I will file a protest stating that your own actions not only allowed these events to occur, but that the entire investigation you claim to have held was a blatant attempt to gerrymander the findings so that you could let two criminals go free!" At her silent query, he nodded sharply. She tapped the key, and she was not even attempting to hide her satisfaction.
"Frankly, Mr. Cathcart, you don't have the brains god gave a Gryphon Prairie Dog." At his confused look she snorted a laugh. "When I was young, my father would take me hunting them. We used 6mm rifles because they are smart enough to go underground if you're close enough to see, or if they see a bullet striking the ground. but beyond that, they're not very bright. I would see them through the scope, and sometimes I would not have a shot. So my father would say 'miss high'. When that happened, father would tell me to wait, because the sound of the bullet passing over their head would cause them to rear up, and your second shot would take their heads off.
"When Rating Chartaine went into our files illegally, he was looking for specific information; the provenance of who had created the insulting documents Francis kept. Those pads had been issued to your department, not to Engineering, so it was easy. You dodged the bullet with them, but like a Prairie Dog, you had to find out what that odd noise was. When Chartaine went back in two hours ago, as an official member of the investigation, he was told, again, to look for specific data. This time it was regarding the Addenda I gave you.
"Since it is an important document, I had the file tagged so all access could be verified. It has been accessed seven times. Once by me when I made the copy for you, which according to Ensign Kyle, is still in your desk. then by the exec, the Bosun, by me again when I gave a copy to Mr. Christian, then by Mr. Campbell when he took over from Mr. Christian, then by Mr. Hayes. The last time was by you the day before Dollaryde blew up.
"That last copy was in Mr. O'Connor's quarters, on a pad issued to your department, and it is the final nail I needed to put you in a cell right beside him." She stood, coming around the desk. "You see, Commander Hayes had been asked by O'Connor about Dollaryde's brewing. That was during the first week after he arrived. At that time, O'Connor accepted the commander's statement that Dollaryde had my permission to brew his beer. Yet he assisted you in crucifying Dollaryde. Obviously he needed help; according to Commander Hayes he never was the sharpest stylus in the box, and you, aganst my orders, gave him what he needed to request that Dollaryde's permission be revoked. And the statement that Commander Hayes did not have the authority to merely delete the request, as the Addenda states, word for word.
"As for me 'gerrymandering the investigation', as the daughter of a man who spent his entire career in the JAG office, I know more about the procedure than you imagine. While 90% of those investigations are done on site by the officers and men assigned by the commanding officer, the Jag office itself will sometimes either request further investigation, or even send their own investigators.
"Those investigating officers are men and women within that office, who will later become counsuls themselves, so that when they stand in front of a court for the first time, they know exactly how exaustive the investigations can be. My father went through that procedure, and since he hoped I might follow in his footsteps, I got to hear about three hundred such. One thing they are supposed to look for is why something happened, not just what happened. That is why the last step in the process is the investigators suggesting the specific charges for that command authority to accept."
All trace of humor had vanished, replaced with contempt and her tone was scathing. "Mr. Dollaryde blew up because you and your cohorts pushed him to. He blew up at Mr. Krueger specifically because he already knew that the young man was pushing him, he just didn't know why. I spoke with Mr. Krueger, and while I cannot accept his methods, I understand what he was doing. But you added to that burden unnecessarily.
"Fengniao acted to defend her husband's honor, not knowing what Krueger was doing, and the only one with the right to charge her for that offense is me, which I will not do. All of the decisions I have made in their case will be forwarded in a full report to the JAG office along with your self-serving complaints. All you did, was try to win a battle you had already lost, and I will tell you now, you failed miserably."
She stepped closer. "Remember the bible basic tenets of your faith? 'Be truthful to your word. For I shall judge ye by it'. You violated you oath to the Star Kingdom. 'To obey all laws of the society you are part of until the truth of my word is revealed'. You used your faith in a misguided attempt to ruin four lives, and violated regulations to do it.
"Instead all you and your cabal have done is destroy your careers. O'Connor, Driscoll, Mitchell, Daugherty, you. Think on that as you sit in the brig, as you are cast from the Navy as not worthy to wear the uniform. Think of the high honors your view of god would give you as martyrs of the faith if you had just cause, and know that here, where your good works and faith to your nation are judged by god, you were found wanting."
He screamed, left arm snapping back. As the punch came forward, she blocked it upward, then in the next instant her right leg snapped into a circle kick, coming up between their bodies, and her foot smashed into his right cheek with bruising force. He flew aside, clutching his jaw in agony.
Rebecca glared down at him in loathing, then walked back around her desk, to tap the hatch key. It snapped open, and Campbell stepped in. He looked at the man mewling in pain, then at his captain. "Ma'am?"
"Arrest him. Disobedience of a direct order, conspiracy to use falsified data to ruin a rating's career, and attempting to assault a superior officer." She looked at the man again. "Take him by sickbay. Once his jaw is wired, he can eat his meals through a straw until he's healed." Campbell came forward, hoisting Cathcart to his feet. "Oh, and lieutenant." The Master At Arms stopped so Cathcarrt could face her. "I've been wanting to hurt someone ever since your plan caused the arrest of Dollaryde. Thank you for giving me the chance."
She sat, then looked to her chief engineer. "Thank you, Sol. Contact the Exec and the Bosun. We are going to need them here for the next part."
Letting the Punishment fit the Crime
Francis Dollaryde marched down the passageway behind the guard, and he knew he was toast. He had exploded at two officers, that was the only fact the captain had to know. Definitely an Article 9. Facing her, and having her pass that sentence was a mere formality before he was shipped home to face trial and disgrace.
In any military organization, there are rules, and different levels of possible punishment. The lowest was of course a verbal or written reprimand, where you tell them what they have done, and tell them not to do it again. The only difference between the two is that a written repimand followed you throughout your career.
Then was 'non-judicial punishment', or the Captain's Mast. It was not as harsh as a full General Court martial, but the fact that it had to even be held was a black mark for years. If he were very lucky, that was what he faced, but the punishment could be as much as 45 days imprisonment with reduction in rank by three pay grades, and loss of pay per offense.
Fengniao with her own guard followed him, and that, more than anything else wounded him . She had been unwilling to speak to him, and he wasn't sure if it was because she was angry at him, or ashamed for him. He had heard what she had done, and he couldn't see any way for her to get out of this without a court. He might spend 90 days in confinement, but she could die, all because he didn't let them know what was happening.
As they approached the hatch, Dollaryde saw Midshipman Krueger coming the other way. The man was walking, but the way he held his side, and the flex-cast on his arm showed that Fengniao had really pounded him. He wanted to feel satisfaction, but the sight only reminded him forcibly that this might be the last time he saw one of his wives ever again.
"Francis-" Krueger stopped speaking as the sentry on the hatch raised his hand.
"No talking, sir." He thumbed the annunciator. When the captain answered he reported their arrival.
The hatch snapped open, and Chief Campbell looked them all over, his expression wooden. Then he pointed at Francis, and crooked his finger. The young man took a deep breath, and started forward, but suddenly stopped as Fengniao wrapped her arms around him from behind. "We love you, Francis." She whispered. "Whatever happens, we're not letting you go." She pulled back, and he stepped forward.
The captain sat at her desk. Standing to either side were the Exec and the Bosun. Francis marched forward, snapping to attention.
"Off caps!" Campbell barked, and Dollaryde reached up, took his beret off his head, tucked it under his left arm, then went back to attention. The captain watched him cooly for a moment, then swiveled her eyes to Bosun Sharpe.
"Charges?" she asked, and Sharpe consulted her memo pad.
"Prisoner was arrested for two violations of Article 9, violent, abusive and threatening language to two superior officers. However the investigation into the matter revealed evidence that brings the charges into question. It is the suggestion of that investigation by the Executive officer, myself, and the Master At Arms that they be reduced to two violations of Article Thirty-Four, instead." she said crisply.
"Were these charges investigated fully?"
The Exec opened her own pad. "The investigation shows that Fusion Tech 2nd Francis Dollaryde was discovered by Midshipman Krueger while the rating was smashing his own brewing vats with tools from the Damage Control locker. When the officer tried to gain his attention, the rating then began to berate the officer with harsh and foul language. When Lieutenant JG O'Connor came on the scene, he tried to stop the diatribe, but the rating turned and began to berate that officer in a similar manner, then made to leave the compartment. When Lieutenant O'Connor moved to stop him, Fusion Tech Dollaryde threatened to kill that officer.
"The rating then proceeded to his quarter, where he was arrested without resisting."
"So noted. Rating Dollaryde, are you ready to accept your sentence?"
"Captain," Campbell spoke up, "The incident which Chief Missile Tech Fengniao Dollaryde has been charged for has bearing on this incident."
"Does it." The captain's voice, if anything, became even colder. "Then bring her in." The Master At Arms went to the hatch. A moment later, Fengniao snapped to attention beside her husband. Francis wanted to touch her hand, to do anything he could to stop the avalanche that was about to fall. But the Captain's eyes bored into him like leveled grasers.
"Caps off!" Thomas commanded, and Fengniao hand snatched down her beret, tucked it under her arm, and snapped to an almost painful attention.
"Charges?"
The pad came back up, and Sharpe read it. "Three violations of Article 9. The first, that the prisoner sought a confrontation with Midshipman Krueger in the pub. That she verbally berated him before witnesses, when that officer made to stop her from leaving she violated Article 9 with aggravated circumstances by physically beating him before witnesses. That once she had been physically restrained she again violated Article 9 by threatening to kill him," She looked up. "However the investigation into the matter revealed evidence that brings the charges into question. It is the suggestion of that investigation by the Executive officer, myself, and the Master At Arms that they be reduced to one count of a violation of Article thirty-four, and one count of Article thirty-six, fighting with a fellow crewman, with aggravated circumstances."
"I see." The Captain regarded Fengniao. "That's a very serious offense," she said, and turned to look at Commander Hughes. Have you investigated these charges Commander Hughes?"
"I have, Captain. I've examined all witnesses to the incident. All of them agree that the prisoner intentionally sought a confrontation with midshipman Krueger, in the course of which the prisoner accused him of insulting her husband. When that officer tried to stop her from leaving, the prisoner did systematically beat midshipman Krueger, dislocating his right elbow and shattering three of his ribs, requiring reconstructive surgery."
"I take it those are the 'aggravated circumstances'?" the Captain asked.
"Yes, Ma'am. Particularly the ribs. All witnesses agree Mr. Krueger had already been effectively incapacitated, and that the kick to the ribs was deliberately intended to have the effect it did."
"I see." The Captain returned that basilisk gaze to Fengniao and leaned back in her chair. She sat there unmoving for several seconds, then lifted a finger at the woman.
"Did you in fact seek a confrontation with Midshipman Krueger?"
"Yes, Ma'am." She replied clearly.
"Did you at any time use abusive or threatening language to him?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Her voice became softer.
"And did you strike this officer multiple times?" At her mute nod the Captain clucked her tongue. "Aloud for the record, Chief. Did you strike him multiple times?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"I see. And did you intentionally dislocate his elbow, then break his ribs?"
For a long moment, she stood silent. "I was not thinking that clearly, Ma'am. When he touched me all I wanted to do was hurt him." She whispered.
The captain steepled her fingers. "By that statement, I assume that if you had not been restrained, you might have killed the man?"
Fengniao took a deep shuddering breath. "I don't know what would have happened if I had not been restrained. So I must admit I might have."
"I see." The captains hands came down on the desk. "Would you do me the decency of telling me why this confrontation occured?"
"No excuse, Ma'am."
"Come, come, Chief. I know saying 'no excuse' covers a multitude of sins, but if asked directly, you are supposed to reply. Why did you proceed on this course?" When Fengniao's eyes cut to her husband, the Captain snapped out, "Mr Dollaryde does not have the answer written on the side of his head, Chief. Answer the question!"
Fengniao sighed. "Because he called my husband by an abusive name, defaming not only him, but both of us, his wives as well. That he did so in front of witnesses; one of whom told me of it not knowing what it meant."
'I see." The captain's eyes cut to Francis. "Mr Dollaryde, would you telling your wives of this assured that this proceeding today might have been avoided?"
"Ma'am?"
She sighed, leaning forward. "I shall be blunt. Would telling your wives what you had been called have stopped your wife from physically assaulting the officer in question?"
"It might have, Ma'am."
"And further, telling them that the officer in question did stop calling you by that insulting name, and apoligizing to you for the use of it might have also had a mitigating effect on you wife's actions?"
His head started to turn at the same moment as Fengniao's, but the Master At Arms snapped, "Eyes front!"
The Captain stared at him. "Answer the question, Mr. Dollaryde."
"Yes ma'am. If I had told them, Fengniao would have restrained herself."
"Then by your statement for the record, that makes you complicit in that assault, does it not?"
"Yes ma'am." He whispered.
"As I asked her, I now ask you. Is there a reason why you did not tell them?"
"I was raised with the idea that you take care of your own problems. That only the weak need to ask for help in such a situation."
"Chief, if he had told you what was occuring, would you have understood Mr. Krueger's actions?"
"Yes ma'am."
And would you have beaten him to a pulp if you had known what and why he might have been doing this?"
She sighed again. "If I had been told what he said, and how Mr. Krueger was treating him, I would have made an accurate assumtion of his reasons. I would have asked him, ma'am."
"I am unmarried, but I will give you a word of advice, Mr. Dollaryde. When you marry, you promise to join for better or worse. A wife is not an appendage that you attach, she, or in your case they are supposed to know when you have problems, and their duty is to help when they can. For the record, Mr. Krueger went to a Junker-schule, which is a term your wives would have understood, as they served on the staff of such a facility. If they had known what Krueger was doing, as your wife stated, they would have asked rather than beating him. Neither Fengniao nor you would not be standing before me today, and Cao Mei would not be wondering about your fates."
The captain glanced at the Exec. "Recommendations, Ms. Hughes?"
"Stating that she might have killed Mr. Krueger very serious admission, Captain," the Commander said. "We can't have our people going around breaking one another's bones or killing each other deliberately. On the other hand, this is the first time either prisoner has ever been in trouble, so I suppose some leniency might be in order."
The Captain nodded thoughtfully and gazed at them for what felt like an eternity.
"The Exec is correct," she said finally. "If you had both been more willing to communicate, you would not be standing here today. Do you agree Mr. Dollaryde?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Francis replied.
"And you, Ms Dollaryde?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"I'm glad you do. I hope this will be a lesson to you both, and that you never again appear before me or any other captain on similar charges." She let that sink in, then fixed Francis with an unflinching gaze. "Are you prepared to accept the consequences?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Francis said again, and she nodded.
"And you, Chief?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"In the case of Fusion tech 2nd Francis Dollaryde; Upon the recomendation of the investigating body, the Article 9 violations are set aside and reduced to two violations of Article Thirty-Four, instead. One of those charges has been waived upon full disclosure to myself of why they occurred. You are sentenced to one day of confinement in quarters, and one week's pay.
"Since there are claims that you might be incompetent, you will then report to Lieutenant JG Sawyer, who will test your understanding of your duties at your present rating. Assuming you pass that test, at the request of Midshipman Krueger, you will be tested again to see if you are worthy of another chevron. Having checked you efficiency reports before somone began actively messing with them, I feel you might achieve that goal.
"In the case of Chief Missile Tech Fengniao Dollaryde; Upon the recomendation of the investigating body, the Article 9 violations are set aside and reduced to one count of a violation of Article thirty-four, and one count of Article thirty-six. She is hearby sentenced to three days confinement to her quarters, three weeks pay, and I expect the both of you to start communicating more openly.
"Finally," she opened her desk drawer and took out the scroll. "You have yet to fail my trust, Mr. Dollaryde. If I ever think you have, I will ask for this back. But if you throw it in my face again, I will be upset." She held it out until Francis took it from her. "Dismissed."
"On Caps!" With the ingrained pavlovian response they replaced their berets. "About, turn! Forward March!"