Article 23 (14 page)

"It's like Matt said. We were coming into the room. Matt suddenly tumbled into me and then hit the locker. I turned and saw Wendell going up against the wall. It looked like Matt kicked him by accident after Wendell pushed him."

"Where's Tanya?"

"She went to the head, she didn't see it."

"They're both lying," Wendell cried. "He turned and hit me as I came through the door."

"You're a bloody liar," Matt shouted. "If I'd really hit you, you'd be out like a light."

"Both of you, shut up," Justin snarled, surprised by the anger in his voice. Startled, both looked at him.

"Wendell, you lost your footing, broke free from the floor and banged into Matt. Matt, you accidentally connected with him. Now that's it. Do you understand me?"

The three were silent for a moment. Justin was surprised at himself for attempting to seize control of the situation before it got out of hand.

"I'm not going to ask you two to shake I think things are a bit too hot right now. But this is my room too and I want peace in it or I'll knock both your heads together and then all three of us can get kicked out of the Academy together."

"What's going on here?"

Tanya tried to slip into the room and stopped when she saw the blood.

"An accident," Justin quickly said, "just an accident."

Justin fixed his gaze on Wendell.

"Maybe you better go up to Doctor
Zhing
and get that bump taken care of."

Wendell opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He pushed off from the wall and went for the door. Grabbing the doorsill, he stopped and looked back.

"You'll see," he snarled, "you'll see."

Releasing his hold on the door, he disappeared.

Tanya shook her head and sighed. "He's dangerous."

"He's a coward," Matt snapped.

"I don't want to hear any talk like that, Matt. It'll just make it worse."

"Well, he tried to sucker punch me from behind,
then
make it look like an accident."

"Maybe he did lose his footing. Not everyone's as good at bouncing around in zero-gee as you are.
Besides, hauling these suits around only makes it more difficult."

"I think it was deliberate,"
Madison announced. "He's still sore about the argument in the lounge."

"Look, guys. We're on a real ship here, not safe in the Academy. We're expected to act like officers, not a bunch of quarreling kids. Matt, you've got to cool it."

"Yeah, sure," Matt said morosely. "Look, I wasn't asking for an argument. He started it."

"He did,"
Madison interjected. "Matt and the others were minding their own business."

"Well, for the sake of everyone aboard, but especially you, I hope you end it when he comes back. Maybe the guy will cool down a bit by the time he gets back. Either way, just let him know you want to back off."

"That's a tall order, buddy."

"Matt, it's for your own good," Tanya said.

"OK, I'll try, but I think I'd rather be mining rocks on Ceres."

Justin slapped his friend on the shoulder and offered him the rest of his chocolate.

He went over to the computer terminal, settled down and punched up Moby Dick. The other three settled into their sleeping nets, Tanya and Madison studying on hand-held units while Matt simply stared off into space.

The loudspeaker, turned down for the nighttime watch, chimed ten o'clock, the signal for quiet hours. Justin looked at his watch. He was supposed to get up at four to help O'Brian prepare the morning meal. At least he didn't have to serve the Captain breakfast; that was Wendell's job. Browsing through the book, he got to the first sighting of Moby Dick and the pace picked up. He was surprised to find that he was actually getting into the story. The writing was a bit strange at times, but there was something about Ahab that was weirdly compelling. Finishing another chapter, he looked down at the clock at the corner of his screen. He suddenly realized that Wendell had been gone for over two hours.

Justin looked over his shoulder. All three of his roommates were asleep.
Madison was scrunched up, curled almost into a ball, floating inside her sleeping net. There was something about the way she looked that aroused a childlike desire to pull a prank, to disconnect her netting, roll her up and then send her floating down the hall.

Matt, arms splayed wide, slowly tossed back and forth, rolling the netting in tight around himself so that he looked like an ungainly fly caught in a spider web. He mumbled something in his sleep and started to thrash around, then settled back down again.

What a trying friend you are, Justin thought. Half the time lately I'm ready to kill you, but there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. He remembered how, when they had returned to Earth after scrub summer, Matt had stood by his side when he had to confront some of the bullies who had made life a torment in school. It was good to know, at a moment like that, that your best friend was by your side. He thought as well about how they had rescued Tanya and Sue from falling off the cliff on the Moon. He'd have gone over the edge rather than give up.

Strange how behavior in one place seemed innocent but here, aboard this sad ship, Mart's slightest utterances made him wince. Couldn't he sense that even the
most idle
comment about the separatists might be dangerous?

Tanya, floating in her net, sighed and interrupted Justin's musings. A stray wisp of hair had come out from under the protective cap Tanya was wearing. He watched as the black strands gently undulated back and forth on the currents of air wafting through the room. There was a faint scent of her soap and he smiled watching her. At least now he could look at her without worry that she might notice and take offense.

She stirred in her sleep; her eyes half-opened. She sighed, whispering something in Russian. For a moment he thought she was looking at him; her smile lingered, then her eyes gently closed.

Justin enjoyed the moment of watching her and his friends, glad for the quiet.

The door into the room slid open. Wendell returning, Justin thought. Maybe with the others asleep I can talk some sense into him.

Justin looked up and was so surprised that he completely forgot to stand as Captain Ian
MacKenzie
came into the room. He was wearing a sidearm, hand resting on the grip of the blaster. Behind him stood Frank
Petronovich
, similarly armed and looking decidedly uncomfortable with the weapon nervously poised in his hand.

"Matthew Everett!"
MacKenzie
barked.

"Huh? It ain't four o'clock yet," Matt groaned, "let me sleep."

MacKenzie
stepped up to Mart's sleeping net and ripped it open. He reached in, grabbed Matt by the shoulder and tore him out of the net. Matt started to flail around, eyes half-open.

"Get your hands off of me, you creep," Matt yelled, still not fully awake.

"Hey, what's going on?"
Madison cried as Matt bumped into her.

Justin was on his feet, trying to reach for Matt to calm him.

"He doesn't wake up easy," Justin shouted, "just give him a second!"

MacKenzie
slammed Matt up against the wall.

"Colson, you creep!" Matt cried, and, flailing about, his left arm slammed against the side of
MacKenzie's
head.

A roar of outrage greeted the blow. Pushing Matt away with such violence that he bounced against the wall, the Captain drew his pistol and aimed it at Matt.

"Sir, don't!"

Justin moved to get between
MacKenzie
and Matt.

"Stay out of this, Cadet Bell,"
MacKenzie
shouted.

"Sir, it was an accident!"
MacKenzie
shifted his weapon, pointing it straight at Justin. There was A

frightening
moment when Justin saw the Captain's finger curled around the trigger as if ready to shoot. Justin held his hands up and backed away.

Matt, now fully awake, looked around in obvious terror.

"Sir, I'm sorry, sir," Matt blurted out, "I thought Colson was hitting me. I was dreaming it, sir."

MacKenzie
shifted his weapon back to Matt and looked at him coldly; then tie slightest of smiles creased his face.

"Mr. Everett. I am placing you under arrest.
You too, Cadet Smith."

"Sir?"
Surprised she looked at
MacKenzie
, her mouth open.

"Sir, I didn't mean to hit you," Matt cried, and Justin could see that his friend was almost at the point of tears.

"That only adds to it,"
MacKenzie
announced. "Cadets Everett and Smith, you are under arrest for violation of Article Twenty-Three of the Fleet Code.

"As for the other charge of striking an officer Mr.
Petronovich
, Cadet Bell, and Cadet Colson, you were witnesses to that as well."

For the first time Justin saw Colson standing in the doorway, holding a pistol and grinning. Justin struggled with the urge to leap forward and smash the smirking grin off the cadet's face.

"Cadet Everett, you are also under arrest for striking a superior officer while he is executing his duty. Mr.
Petronovich
, take them away."

Justin came into the lounge and looked around. All were silent, staring at him. Saying nothing, he headed for the door to the forward section where
Petronovich
was standing again. There was one difference, though, and Justin found it disconcerting
Petronovich
was fully armed, laser assault gun by his side, a heavy blast jacket and helmet layered on top of his anti-radiation gear.
The combination of equipment made
Petronovich
look sinister.

Justin stopped before
Petronovich
and formally saluted.

"Reporting as ordered by the Captain," Justin announced.

Petronovich
pressed a communications tab on his collar and whispered into it. Several seconds later the door behind him unlatched and Justin stepped through. One of the enlisted men, armed and dressed like
Petronovich
, was on the other side of the door. He motioned Justin down the corridor to the Captain's cabin where yet another guard stood waiting.

The guard opened the door into that sanctum and Justin stepped through, snapping to attention at the sight of
MacKenzie
, who was standing and looking through the forward view port. Justin saw Doctor
Zhing
and the other two officers on board, the pilot and co-pilot, sitting at a table.

MacKenzie
turned and looked at Justin.

"Stand at ease, Cadet Bell."

Justin did as ordered and waited nervously. He had gone without sleep for the entire night, trying to stay removed from the chaos that had reigned in the ship after the arrests of Matt,
Madison, and all the other
offworlders
from the cadet unit. Wild talk had echoed through the corridors all night. Some of the cadets were stunned, claiming that
MacKenzie
was insane. Others, the circle who had followed Colson, argued back fiercely enough so that
Petronovich
, fully armed and under orders from the Captain, finally threatened to shoot anyone who set foot in the corridor for the rest of the night.

This incident had shown Justin yet again just how out of control the ship was. The thought of a senior cadet having to threaten violence in order to maintain control would have been almost beyond comprehension before shipping aboard the Somers,

"Mr. Bell, this is an informal inquiry to gather certain facts before proceeding,"
MacKenzie
announced, his back still turned. "You are expected to answer truthfully. I hope they still teach honesty at your Academy."

"Yes, sir, that is part of the code of honor," Justin replied, trying to keep any hint of sarcasm out of his voice.

"Funny, it didn't seem to take with Everett and his fellow conspirators."

Justin looked around the room and noticed Colson sitting in the far corner. If he was being asked to give evidence, even for an informal inquiry, why was Colson allowed to be present?

Something was terribly wrong and then he realized that no
vid
was hooked up to record the testimony. Also, he had not been asked to swear an oath, nor had the actual purpose of the inquiry been formally stated. He remembered these requirements from his Procedures and Customs of the Fleet class; their instructor had been very specific about how such things worked.

MacKenzie
turned and looked at Justin.

"You know your friend is a traitor, don't you?"

"Sir, he made nothing of the kind known to me."

"I doubt that," Colson announced.

MacKenzie
turned and stared at Colson, who visibly wilted.

"Mr. Colson, I am a good judge of character and Mr. Bell here has been truthful with me in the past. I saw that in his eyes. His father served well and blood will tell Mr. Colson, blood will tell"

Justin wondered if there was some sort of veiled rebuke in
MacKenzies
comment, for Colson lowered his eyes.

"Now, let us continue."

Justin wanted to voice a protest but the look in
MacKenzie's
eyes stilled him. There was a grim purpose and he suddenly wondered if he protested would he wind up getting arrested as well? Already two of the cadets who had been so vocal with their opinion after Mart's arrest had not returned after being called forward to meet with the Captain. He was on relatively safe ground because of
MacKenzie's
strange internal reasoning, and he didn't want to damage
MacKenzie's
trust. There was no chance of helping Matt and the others if he was locked up along with them.

Justin stood silent. He looked at
Zhing
, who was staring straight
ahead,
as was the first pilot For a brief instant he caught the gaze of Maria
Hemenez
. There was a look of warning in her eyes.

"Mr. Bell, I have so far found you to be a reasonably trustworthy cadet, so don't disappoint me,"
MacKenzie
began. Justin looked up at
MacKenzie
, who had drawn closer.

Justin remained silent. As he looked at
MacKenzie
his heart started to beat faster. The room seemed uncomfortably warm, and he felt a cold sweat breaking out, the clammy feeling made worse by the clinging bulk of the anti-
rad
suit. It was becoming increasingly intolerable and he wondered if everyone else was feeling the same way. Could the darn suits be one of the factors helping to drive this along he wondered.

Though he wished he could blame his reaction on the suit he knew that it was fear that was hitting him and he was glad that the only visible part of his body was his face, otherwise the fact that his knees were shaking might be noticeable.

"Mr. Bell, nine cadets are now under arrest. I do hope that the list stops there. Do you understand me, Mr. Bell?"

Justin nodded, unable to speak.

"Captain, can I ask something?"

MacKenzie
barely turned to look at
Hemenez
, who had spoken.

"Sir, are we holding an inquiry regarding the allegations surrounding last nights incident or are we interrogating this cadet as a possible suspect?"

MacKenzie's
gaze shifted from Justin and he breathed an inner sigh of relief.

"
lieutenant
Hemenez
, are you a pilot or a ship's lawyer?"

"Sir, it's just that Fleet Proceedings makes it very clear how inquires aboard an active duty ship are to be held. If Mr. Bell faces arrest he should be informed of that before being questioned and he is entitled to representation by an officer serving as his advisor."

'Your opinion is noted,"
MacKenzie
said coldly, "and will be remembered."

He looked at the other two officers.

"Any other objections?
Lieutenant Lewis? Doctor
Zhing
?"

Zhing
looked as if he were about to speak, but then lowered his head. Lewis said nothing.

"This is an informal discussion,"
MacKenzie
announced smoothly. "I have learned to have confidence in Mr. Bell here. I just wish to ask him some questions or is that no longer the right of a Captain, Lieutenant
Hemenez
? Have the bureaucrats at headquarters taken even that away from me?"

He spat out the last words with a cold anger that surprised Justin.

Hemenez
struggled to hold his gaze.

"Sir.
Is the presence of another cadet," and she nodded towards Colson, "appropriate?"

"He is here as a representative of the cadet unit by my invitation or am I not allowed to even do that?"

Hemenez
said nothing.

"Fine, then, let's continue, Mr. Bell."

Attention focused back on Justin and he struggled to calm his nerves, realizing that whatever he said, he'd have to do it truthfully but carefully as well.

"Mr. Bell, you are a friend of Everett and Smith?"

"Yes, sir."

"For how long?"

"We met the first day at the Academy. We were in the same platoon during scrub summer. Cadet Everett and I have been roommates since joining."

"I see. I understand that
Everett is given to, how I shall I say this, to telling tales."

"Sir.
Matt is a solar sailor. As I understand it, tall-tale-telling is a tradition with them."

"Just yes or no, Mr.
Bell,
is sufficient. We in the Fleet are quite familiar with some of the more questionable traditions of these sailors."

Lewis smiled and nodded his head when Mac-
Kenzie
turned back to look at him.

"Have you ever heard
Everett utter traitorous comments?"

"No, sir," Justin replied forcefully. He knew that was going to be a question
MacKenzie
would throw at him. Looking back on the months they had been together, their discussions had ranged over nearly every topic imaginable. A large part of it had been about girls, but there had also been school, classes, comparing their lives in
Indiana
and in
the for
reaches of the asteroid belt, and how to lasso and catch a comet so it could be mined for water. And a fair amount of time as well about the separatists. As a freewheeling solar sailor Matt had grown up in a tradition that emphasized individualism, stoicism and mistrust of any large center of civilization. Anyone living "down sun," towards the inner worlds, was viewed with suspicion, especially when it came to laws, taxes, and the myriad of regulations. Of course, he had expressed an understanding of the separatists, but if Justin ever admitted that to
MacKenzie
, it would only be twisted and distorted.

"That's not true."

Surprised, Justin looked over at Colson, who had interrupted him.

"Sir, this is highly irregular,"
Hemenez
interjected. "Mr. Bell at least has the right to discuss this situation without another cadet present."

MacKenzie
started to make an angry retort,
then
stopped. "All right, Wendell, why don't you go
aft.
"

Colson smiled, then stood and left the room.

Wendell the Captain had addressed him by his first name. The realization was disturbing. So Wendell was now the good boy the Captain had said was so rare. Justin wondered if he himself was about to fall from grace and be arrested.

"Cadet Colson accuses you of lying, Mr. Bell. Do you have a response?"

Justin could see a look of warning in
Hemenez's
eyes. To counter that Colson was a lying toady wasn't going to help either his situation or Mart's.

"Sir.
I can not speak for any encounters between Cadets Everett and Colson when I was not present. The Matthew Everett I know is loyal, courageous and forthright. We won the lifesaving award together just before the end of scrub summer. In actuality it should have been Cadet Everett alone who won it, sir."

"We're not questioning
Everett's courage here,"
MacKenzie
replied.
"Only his loyalty and integrity."

"Sir, Cadet Matthew Everett has never uttered a traitorous comment to me."

"And Cadet Madison Smith?"

"No, sir."

MacKenzie
nodded.

"Cadets tend to be loyal to each other,"
MacKenzie
said quietly. "Your Academy works to instill that, even if it is carried to an extreme. There is this ill-founded tradition of not telling on a comrade, no matter how terrible their fault. I'll ascribe your response to a naive purity in you,
Bell. Either that or a foolishness that renders you immune to the darker nature that lurks in most souls."

Justin said nothing.

"You were present when I placed Everett and Smith under arrest."

"Yes, sir."

"You were wide awake."

"Yes, sir, I was studying when you came into the room, reading the book you assigned to me."

"You saw
Everett hit me?"
MacKenzie
asked slowly.

"Sir.
It was an accident."

"Did you, or did you not see
Everett hit me?"

Justin could feel the sweat breaking out on his brow.

"Sir.
Cadet Everett was having a bad dream just before you came in. He wasn't awake, sir, when he banged into you."

Justin wanted to add that
MacKenzie
had grabbed Matt first, violently dragging him out of his sleeping net.

" 'Banged
into me'?
With what?"

"His arm, sir."