Address criticisms to [xazqrten@cox.net]. Without, it there can't be any improvement.
*****************************************************
"Captain Ivanova," said Leftcourt.
Susan was sitting ramrod straight in her chair. Inside she was
wound tighter than any spring had a right to be.
"Yes sir," she answered non-committally.
"You may remain at your table for your questioning."
"Yes sir."
"Captain Ivanova," began Conrad. "Would you tell us about the
testing you did on the Ares during builder's trials?"
"What do you want to know, captain?" she asked in a monotone.
"What was the purpose of the tests?"
"To determine the ship's limits of capabilities."
"Why? Weren't the standard trials and tests sufficient?"
"For what they were intended, yes."
"But not for what you wanted?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"They only test the ship to the specifications in the building contract.
If the ship meets these standards it is acceptable to the Supervisor of
Shipbuilding, who is the contract officer's representative for the Earthforce
procurement department."
"Why aren't they good enough for you?"
"The people who purchase the ship, the people who build it, and the
people who accept it, do not have to fight the ship in battle. I do. When
I go into a fight, I want to know exactly how far I can push my crew and
ship before they fail to perform. My life and those of my crew depend upon
that knowledge, but I don't suppose you have any idea of that kind of
responsibility, since you've never held a command of any kind."
"What tests did you run to get your data?"
"Reactor overload capacity, acceleration, deceleration and maneuvering
tests."
"Describe the reactor overload test?"
"We ran it in conjunction with the acceleration test. Simply put, I
ordered the reactor shutdown controls to be manned while we did a run-up
of the reactor’s power to the point that the overload safeties shut down
the reactor. The man at the manual shut-down switch was just in case the
automatic cutouts failed. I elected to make those a manned position for
fighting the ship. There was never any real danger since we had manually
operated backup cutout switches."
"Did you provide copies of the tests results to builders representative
and Supervisor of Shipbuilding?"
"I provided copies of the builder's tests and trials results. However,
the results of my tests were not included in the provided copies."
"Why not?"
"Ever since I got the Zeus shot out from under me, when I was ambushed
by a decoy call for help from four Drakh cruiser-carriers, I have felt that
someone sold me out. The ambush was in a very isolated area, and the odds
of it being luck on the part of the Drakh, were just too large to ignore.
So, I kept the original data crystals of the results of my tests, and
provided a copy in person to General Leftcourt. He agreed that this data
could not be safeguarded if it were available on a networked computer. I
classified it top secret (eyes only). Those who have needed that data were
provided only what was actually required. That was my ace in the hole
during the attack on Babylon 5. The Drakh never knew exactly what they
were up against."
"You admit disobeying the orders from Mr. Garvey to leave Babylon 5?"
"He is not in my chain of command, and has no authority to issue me
orders. The president can directly issue me an order or order the chain
of command to order me to take an action, and I am required to obey that
order. I don't have any problem with that at all. The chain of command
then assumes responsibility for those actions, unless it is an illegal
order, such as were issued by the late President Clark to destroy innocent
civilians. In that case, the responsibility is mine. I can't use them as
an excuse in a war crimes court."
"The tactics we saw you use during the attack. Where did they come from?"
"Before we departed on our patrol, I managed to get four programmers
assigned to the ship. Their specialties were weapons and navigations
programs software. During the patrol we simulated every possible scenario
we could imagine. We used our own fighters to simulate attackers. After
every simulation, the programmers rewrote parts of the software factoring
in the absolute maximum limits of the ship's capabilities. They developed
algorithms to combat every one of those scenarios. Then we reran the
simulations to see if the ship's computers could integrate the required
maneuvering with the required weapons deployment. If Earthforce had to
pay us overtime, Earth would be bankrupt. However, I think our performance
during the Drakh attack, and the results of that performance, exonerates
my efforts, and reflects favorably on the efforts of my officers and crew."
"Do you have a boyfriend, Captain?"
"You know I have."
"He is a telepath, isn't he? In fact he is a former psi cop."
"Yes, he is."
"Doesn't that cause some security problems?"
"If I were anyone else, it might."
"Would you care to explain that?"
"Captain Conrad, members of the board, I’m what is called a freak of
nature. I’m immune to telepathic scans. My mother was a telepath and died
while taking sleepers. I learned from birth to block telepathic scans. I
don't know how I do it, I just do it. You can test me using the telapaths
you brought with you. There must be at least one P-11 or P-12 amongst them.
I give them permission to scan me, if they can."
This answer caught Conrad by surprise. It was the last answer he expected.
Leftcourt indicated one of the telepaths the board had brought with it.
The man, somewhere in his middle thirties, stepped forward.
"Try to scan her."
The telepath stepped over to Ivanova's table and looked straight into
her eyes. A minute later he turned to face the board. "Gentlemen, not only
can I not scan her, I can't even feel her mind at all. If I weren't seeing
her with my eyes, I wouldn't know she was here. I have never encountered
anyone like her before, nor have I ever heard of anyone like her before."
"Thank you, son," said Leftcourt.
The telepath returned to his position.
Conrad looked Susan in the eyes for a long moment. She still didn't
understand what was going on. He had tore her people apart as much as he
could, and then he asks her questions any child could field. Something
was wrong. Then it occurred to her, they didn't need to rake her over
the coals. This was only for show. The real decisions had been made days
or weeks ago. The notification that she would be relieved of command had
been the real indicator for her. Guilty as charged, don't bother with facts.
Inside she felt intense pain at what was being done to her.
Conrad looked at General Leftcourt and the expression on his face told
him, it was time to quit. He turned to face Susan and said, "That concludes
your questioning, Captain Ivanova."
That was her cue. Susan started to lift her hand to her mouth to call
Commander Owens, but her arm wouldn't move. She struggled to raise it,
and got nothing for her efforts.
"It there a problem, Captain?"
"I need to call my XO, sir."
"Go ahead, captain."
Susan was visibly struggling to move her arm, but couldn't.
"Captain Ivanova, is there a problem?" Asked Sanchez.
"I can't move my arm, General."
{I am sorry, Susan. I can't allow you to do that. Listen to what Leftcourt
has to say. Quit trying to call your ship, and I will release your arm.}
Susan had a surprised expression on her face. That didn't go unnoticed
by Leftcourt and the rest of the board. {Okay. I won't try to call.}
[If you try to call, I will destroy your comm link.}
Susan tried to move her arm, and it moved without hesitation. She moved
it around to be sure it was okay.
"Is everything all right, Susan?" Asked Leftcourt.
"Yes sir, it is now."
"I need to clear up a misconception. You are not being relieved of command."
"I'm not!"
"You have been with the Ares almost two years now. It is time you moved
on to your next assignment. What we are going to have is a change of command.
Ares gets a new skipper and you get a new assignment."
Susan sat silently trying to digest what she had just heard. She wasn't
being canned. She tried her best to show no emotion at the statement, and
succeeded admirably.
"What is my new assignment, General?"
"We have been very impressed at your ability to use your and others'
experience to improve our overall performance in the field. You demonstrated
that with your insistence on changes to the Ares and its performance recently.
You are being assigned to the Department of Design and Procurement. They
are responsible for ship and weapon design and procurement. They oversee
all our shipbuilding efforts. They also oversee all the equipment and
weapon design and procurement. You are due to report no later than sixty
days from the time you turn over the Ares to her new skipper."
"Who is the new skipper?"
"Your XO."
"Commander Owens. Does he know? He submitted his request to retire more
than a week ago."
"Not yet. I didn't know about his request. You should both receive the
official notification of you new assignments sometime later today."
"If his retirement request is approved, it’ll negate his assignment.
Was his assignment going to be permanent, or temporary until Ares gets
back to the shipyard?"
"It will be permanent. Your evaluations of him convinced the review
board that he has been held back too long."
"What do you mean, held back?"
"His assignment comes as a result of his promotion to captain. You’re
responsible for that. As a matter of fact, a good many of your crew and
officers are being promoted and reassigned. Serving under you has been a
real boost to a number of careers."
"They’re only getting what they’ve worked for and deserve. Who’ll I be
working for when I get to my new post?"
"You’ll still be working for me?"
"I mean, General Zaleski is the commanding officer. Will I be on his
staff?"
"I’m afraid he is retiring in a couple of months."
"Have you decided on his replacement?"
"That's already being taken care of."
John, Delenn and Chief Comer walked up to Susan and Leftcourt.
"Chief, don't I know you from somewhere?"
"That's entirely possible, general."
"Does this mean Susan’s off the hook, Tom?" Asked John.
"For the time being. I don't know about in the future. We’ll just have
to keep an eye on her."
Leftcourt looked at the chief again, trying to remember where he had
met him before. The chief was smiling at him.
Like a wraith, Lyta approached them through the now crowded room.
"Congratulations, Susan," she said and unashamedly hugged her friend.
"I told you to trust your friends."
"They’re going to make a bureaucrat out of me, John."
"Couldn't happen to a more deserving person, at a more appropriate
time," he replied.
Susan shot him a look that said, "Watch it, bud."
"I suppose it's time for you to get the whole truth, Captain Ivanova."
"General. The only truth I’m interested in, is that I’m not being
hung out to dry."
"That was never our intent. Your telepath friend will explain what
happened to you later."
Susan looked at Lyta, who nodded, yes.
"Susan. I want to be the first to say congratulations," said John,
shaking her hand.
Susan looked at Delenn, who was smiling. "It wasn't a joke. Lt. Corwin
was sincere."
Looking at John and Leftcourt, Susan explained, "Lt. Corwin stopped at
our table last night and congratulated me on my promotion. I thought he was
rubbing my nose in the inquiry."
"It's for real Susan. You are relieving General Zaleski."
"Sir, that billet is for a major general, I’m only a captain."
"Not for long. During the change of command, you are being promoted
to brigadier general. It’s a permanent promotion. When you relieve General
Zaleski, you will be temporarily promoted to major general for the duration
of your assignment. That can be made permanent if performance warrants.
I think you will give the heavy hardware a new look."
It was all Susan could do to keep her feelings in check. Chief Comer
stepped in front of her and took her hands. "Captain. Please take a walk
with me?" Susan let him lead her out of the room.
"Where’re they going," Asked John.
"He is taking her away from here so she can cry, John," said Delenn.
"Gentlemen, it's a woman thing. You wouldn't understand," commented Lyta.
Leftcourt looked at Lyta and said, "Yes, I would. We put her through hell."
"No. You did not, General," stated Lyta. "I know who did, and they will
regret it."
"Of that, I have no doubt," said John under his breath.
*****************************************************
Chief Comer stopped at spot in the gardens that seemed temporarily
devoid of people. He indicated a well-worn park bench. Susan sat down,
fighting to hold her emotions in check.
The chief went around behind her. He handed her a very large handkerchief
over her shoulder. It's clean. Putting his hands on her shoulders and
massaging them, he said, "You’ve been through a lot, Susan. Let it out.
You have earned it."
Susan softly cried until her tears stopped flowing. All the while, Chief
Comer talked to her the same way he would his own daughters. Twenty minutes
after they arrived, they departed the area. Susan's eyes were red from the
crying. At the first public lavatory she went inside and did her best to
fix her make up.
When she came back out the chief was waiting. "Nice recovery job, captain."
She was once again his superior officer, but for those twenty minutes he had
been her substitute father.
"Shall we go back and face my friends, Chief."
"Yes sir."
*****************************************************
As Susan walked over to where John, Delenn and Leftcourt were standing
talking, Lyta approached her.
{I am sorry about your arm. I couldn't let you throw everything away,
even if it meant I wouldn't get to hire you. It wouldn't have been fair
to you.}
{You are my best friend, Lyta. You've proved it one more time.}
"I have to leave Susan. I have business waiting. I’ll see you later.
Dinner would be fine."
"I’ll let you know time and place."
*****************************************************
The yeoman came into the captain's office with a handful of messages.
Owens appeared to be preoccupied.
"Is something wrong, sir?"
"No. I’m waiting for a call from the captain." Looking at the desk clock,
he said, "I thought she would've called by now. They must be flaying her
inch by inch."
"I think you’ll find these messages of particular interest, sir. I would
like to be the first to offer my congratulations to you."
Looking puzzled, Owens asked, "What are you talking about?"
"You’re going to be the new skipper, sir. Captain Ivanova is being
promoted and transferred. The change of command is to take place two days
after the board of inquiry finishes the witness testimony phase. That
should be this afternoon."
Owens sat quietly absorbing what he had just been told. The yeoman
placed the messages on the desk in front of him. He read the first one.
It wasn't a joke; these were his orders. He looked at the second message.
It was Captain Ivanova's orders.
"Thank you, Yeoman Straus."
He reread the messages several times to be sure the words didn't magically
change. They remained the same. Captain Ivanova would be turning the Ares
over to him again. This time for real and keeps. He smiled and laughed at
the timing. The captain was being assigned to a desk, at the very time she
being pregnant and needed to be somewhere besides a combat vessel. Her
timing was impeccable. He reread his message again, and began laughing so
hard, he almost fell out of the chair.
"What is so funny, sir?"
In reply, Owens picked up a message that had come in early that morning,
just after the captain had left for her "barrel" appearance, and handed it
to the yeoman.
Straus read the message and then looked at the XO. It was the message
informing him that his transfer to the retired list was approved, effective
upon arrival of EAS Ares in Earth orbit. It was dated before the message
notifying him of his promotion. It negated the promotion notification.
The irony of those two messages would be common knowledge throughout the
ship before the hour was out.
"Yeoman Straus wait a moment. I want you to que up a message for me.
When I tell you, or whoever is on watch, to do so, I want it sent, immediately."
"Yes sir."
*****************************************************
Susan looked at her friends and said to Leftcourt, "There may be a
problem General."
"Your telepath boyfriend isn't a problem, he was working for the
military long before he met you. He has been checked out a number of
times over the years. His present employer has no qualms about giving
us all her information concerning him and his activities since he left
psi corps."
"That isn't the problem I have in mind, sir."
"What is the other problem?"
"I’m pregnant."
Leftcourt thought about it for a minute, then responded, "It appears
that we promoted and transferred you just in time. It wouldn't look good
having an expectant mother taking the Ares into another firefight. People
would scream ‘bloody murder’."
"It won't be a problem?" Asked John.
"Not now it won't. She’ll be pushing a desk and more papers than you
want to imagine, but in her new capacity, it poses no problem at all. I
just haven't ever seen a major general in a maternity uniform before. She
is doing a lot of firsts."
Unnoticed, Sanchez and Marsh had approached the group. "She will also
be the only major general I ever met, who would look devastating in a
mini-skirt," commented Sanchez.
"Gentlemen, this is undignified," commented Delenn.
"That's what it is, gentlemen," agreed Susan.
John motioned to Susan for her to do a slow turn. She did.
"What was that for?" asked Susan.
"Just noting that our comments, undignified though they are, happen to
be accurate," added Marsh.
"Face it, Susan," said Leftcourt, "You’re not the average run of the
mill general, not by any stretch of the imagination. However, for better
or worse, you are very beautiful."
"Well, just for the record, the only thing those compliments will get
you, is a dance with me, if you happen to be in the area where Charley
and I are dining this evening."
"Let me officially close this thing," said Leftcourt.
Stepping to the panel table, he banged on it with a tumbler to get
everyone's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen this phase of the inquiry
is concluded. However, I don't want to see anything in the media that
hasn't been cleared by either General Sanchez, General Marsh, or me."
*****************************************************
"I am back commander," said Susan entering her office. "I brought a
visitor with me."
General Leftcourt walked in and, and Owens stood up and snapped to
attention.
"At ease, commander."
Owens stood at ease, saying nothing.
"Have you heard the news, yet, commander?" asked General Leftcourt.
"I have the message transferring Captain Ivanova to the Department of
Design and Procurement," answered Owens. "I also have the message approving
my request for retirement. Is that what you are referencing?"
"There should have been a message telling you that you were being
promoted, and reassigned as CO of the Ares."
"Oh, there was, but since I’m retiring, I haven't given it any thought."
"I wish you would."
"I don't think so, General. I have been away from my family for twenty-two
of the last twenty-four months. When this ship reaches Earth orbit, I'm
history. I plan on making up for lost time with my wife and kids. I have
a twenty-month daughter, I have never seen. So, I don't think so, General."
"I can have your retirement authorization rescinded."
Owens punched a button on the desk comm panel and said, "Message center
this is the XO."
"Yes sir," came the answer.
"Send it. Notify me, when it is receipted for."
"Yes sir."
"What was that all about, Pat?" asked Susan.
"I expected the heavy-handed approach when you showed up with General
Leftcourt. It seems that people like him always think they can have things
their way."
"I know you submitted your papers for retirement, commander, but that
is at the convenience of the service commander."
"Yes sir, I know that. However, periodically, I have to sign a letter
of continuance in order to stay on active duty. When that time comes, if
I haven't signed one, I can resign on the spot, without giving any notification.
I have twenty-five years of service as of today, and my letter was due to
be signed two weeks ago, according to personnel."
Owens handed him an envelope.
"What is this, commander?"
"That is my hole card, General. When I read those assignment messages,
I figured I could depend on you doing exactly what you have attempted to do.
That is your copy of my resignation. The message that I just sent is to the
personnel people. As of midnight tonight local, General, I will be a civilian."
"I don't understand? Why are you throwing a twenty-five year career
out the window."
"Because I stood up for what I thought was right, my promotion to commander
was held up. I was promoted on my third time up. When I should have been a
captain, I was in the brig, and court-martialed for refusing to kill innocent
people. I watched Captain Sheridan be thrown on the trash heap, because he
did what was the necessary and right thing to do. I watched you and your board
try your best to hang Captain Ivanova. I watched you and many like you tow
the line and follow Clark's orders, even when you knew they were illegal.
None of you had one bone in your bodies. You haven't ever made a decision
that might possibly jeopardize your valuable career. Don't pretend to be
surprised at my decision. Being a captain in the same military as you and
the board, is more than my stomach can handle, sir."
At that moment the comm. panel beeped. "XO, go ahead."
"Your message has been received and receipted for, sir."
"Acknowledged."
Leftcourt was fit to be tied. "Commander, you will regret this."
"With all due respect, sir. I already regret not getting out of this
outfit after my court-martial. Captain, I need to go pack. I have to be
off the ship in a few hours."
"Go ahead, Pat," replied Susan.
"Well, your panel got results, general. For your information, he was
sitting here waiting to transmit my resignation, as soon as I signaled.
I was trying to send him that signal when I had trouble moving my arm.
Lyta wouldn't let me send it. I’m wondering if she made a mistake, sir."
General Leftcourt went over and sat down on her couch. "How could
things have gone so wrong. This isn't what was supposed to happen."
"There is desire, and there is reality, general. This is reality."
"I wonder if I could make a deal with the commander?"
"What kind of deal?"
"He takes the promotion, sees the ship through the overhaul, repairs
and upgrades, then turns her over to a new CO. It's going to be almost a
year and a half before she comes out of the yards. He was there with you.
He knows more about the ship than any other senior officer aboard. Some of
the officers being promoted and reassigned will be leaving at various
staggered points throughout the overhaul. Will you talk to him?"
"I’m inclined to say, no, general. That should have been your approach
in the first place, when he turned down the assignment. It's like he said.
You senior officers only seem to have one mode of operation."
"You aren't being very helpful."
"I didn't create this fiasco, general. I’m beginning to have second
thoughts about accepting my promotion and reassignment. It has occurred
to me that I’m in a position similar to Pat. The difference is, I don't
have enough time in to retire. I only have twenty years of service so far.
But letter-signing time is already past. I think I’ll see what Lyta has to
offer. I hear she is paying Captain Conrad a fortune to start. Hell, I must
be worth at least a tiny fortune."
"She offered him a basic salary of two million credits a year, with a
salary review after six months. She said if we canned you, she would pay
you even more. If it's money you want, you can't do better than what she
is offering."
"I'm looking at what I'm paid, what I just went through, and I’m looking
at what I’ll be doing for the rest of my career, what there is of it. I
have to ask myself, "Why on God's green Earth have I not resigned, and
taken Lyta up on an offer"."
"Will you talk to Commander Owens?"
"For all the good it’ll do, I’ll speak to him."
"If he refuses after you talk to him, I suppose we can send her back
with the ops boss in charge."
"If I don't quit, I'll take her back."
Susan pushed a button on her desk comm. panel and her yeoman came in.
"Escort General Leftcourt back to the hanger bay."
After the general left, Susan walked to Owens' stateroom and knocked
on the door.
"Come on in," responded Owens.
"What can I do for you, Captain?"
"I was asked to talk to you before you leave."
Owens stopped putting clothing into his suitcase. She noticed that he
was packing none of his uniforms.
"I see you’re traveling light."
"A change or two of skivvies and toothpaste and floss. Also one
extra pair of pants and shirt. They are uniform, but with a sweater,
no one will even notice. I don't have any civvies. Now, what do you
want, captain? You didn't come down here to shoot the bull."
"Pat. Have you thought of what this means to your family. I mean,
you don't even have a job ready."
"Odd, that. Civilians deal with those uncertainties every day, and do
it successfully. Are you implying that I can't hack it on the outside,
Captain?"
"No. That wasn't what I meant. Some headhunter outfit will snap you
up for a corporate position in a minute. General Leftcourt stuck his foot
in his mouth, again."
"That seems to be a habit with him and his cronies."
"You have been in this with me every step of the way, Pat. I don't have
a family, so I won't pretend for a second to understand your sacrifice. You
were my right hand, and supported me when I needed it. I owe you big time,
and there isn't any way I can repay you. I'm where I am, in part, due to
your efforts. I only met your wife and kids once, but I got the feeling
she was very proud of you, and the fact that you got this XO position, when
many, so called, better qualified people, didn't. Is it fair to her, after
all she has seen you through, to throw it away, without asking her how she
feels about it?"
"You're cheating, captain, but I have played to a stacked deck before."
"Do me one last favor, Pat. Talk to Lyta before you leave."
"Okay, but she isn't going to change my mind either."
Susan went back to her office and called Lyta.
"I hate to ask another favor, Lyta, but he is one hell of a fine officer,
and I hate to lose him. He’s the perfect choice to see the Ares through
her repair and overhaul yard period."
"Give me a thirty minute warning before you bring him over. I need to
make some preparations."
*****************************************************
"You want me to what?" exclaimed Garibaldi.
"Locate his wife and get her in front of a comm panel. Make sure she
has her children with her."
"Lyta, I didn't know you went in for skullduggery."
"Like hell, you didn't."
"I'll get back to you."
*****************************************************
END PART 17