he adventures of the Star Traveler Andromeda that started in Among the Stars, Beyond the Farthest Planet, and So Far From Home, continues in the final chapter The Voyage Home.
CHAPTER 11 A
Millions of stars stretched out around them as Andromeda wound it's way home. Kate waited for the informal hearing for Ensign Devoe to begin. Three civilians with no ties to either service, sat on the bench and would decide if Ensign Devoe's complaint against Kacey had any merit. They would also decide if Kacey's accusation of negligence and incompetence were founded.
Kate, as Captain, only served as a figure head to make the hearing official as the two people involved were service persons. She would also be the one to pass sentence on the two should they be found guilty of the charges. She sat in the audience section until she was needed.
Each side would be able to present their case with any corroborative evidence or witnesses. Both Kacey and Ensign Devoe waived their right against self incrimination. In short they could not plead the fifth if they did not want to answer the questions asked of them. Each person could, if they desired, have another serve as their advocate.
Kacey chose Natalia as her advocate, while Devoe chose to be his own advocate. With the ground rules set down, the hearing began with the bang of a gavel.
Natalia stood and spoke to the panel. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen. What we will prove is that Ensign Devoe disobeyed a direct order from two superior officers. His action resulted in the serious injury of four bridge officers as well as minor cuts to three others. The first person I would like to bring up is Colonel Kirsten O'Malley."
Kacey walked to the chair next to the table where the judges sat.
"Colonel please explain the events that started this problem."
"During our return trip through the Kuiper Belt, our sensors and Navigation consoles went down. The problem was the result of damaged wires. I repaired the wires so that we would have at least partial sensors and navigation until we were in a safe area to make full repairs. Once we stopped, I ordered Ensign Devoe to replace all the wires under the consoles."
"What did Ensign Devoe do?"
"He argued that replacing all the wires would be a time consuming job."
"I asked him if he had a hot date." The viewers of the proceedings laughed. "He said no. Captain Jensen ordered him to replace the wires. I marked all the wires that needed to be replaced."
"Did you explain the importance of replacing all the wires?"
"I did. I told him that just because the insulation was not damaged did not mean the wires were intact."
"Were all the wires changed?"
"No they were not and as a result the wires that were not changed overheated and caused a fire. that in turn melted the insulation causing the wires to arc against each other resulting in an explosion of the sensor and navigation consoles."
"Do you have proof that this is what happened?" Ensign Devoe asked.
"I have proof that we will be providing." Kacey answered.
"What are your qualifications to make such a statement Colonel?" One of the panel asked.
"I majored in electrical engineering as well as flight training and minored in music at the Marine Academy. I hold a bachelors degree in all of those as well as being a board certified electrician." Kacey looked at the panel waiting to see if they needed more information.
Natalia continued. "After the explosion what did you do?"
"We were attacked which caused damage to our hull. With Captain Jensen unconscious, I had the ship land on a planetoid so that repairs could be made to the consoles and hull."
"Just a minute Colonel. Why were you in charge. If the Captain is hurt wouldn't that task fall to her next in line, her first officer?"
"On a vessel that only has one service on board then yes. On Andromeda, there are two services. Captain Jensen and I are the same rank, so the task falls to me. It is not my favorite, but in this instance very necessary with also the first officer being injured from the explosion."
"Colonel, could the explosions have been caused by the attack?" Ensign Devoe ask.
"According to what I have been told and through viewing the video footage, the fire and explosion came before the attack."
"You did not see this happen?" A member of the panel asked.
"No sir I did not see the explosion as it happened. I was out in my shuttle directing a recon mission with my pilots."
"This can be proved?"
"It can sir. It took at least five minutes for the low level fire to burn through the insulation enough to allow the wires to touch each other. The explosion came shortly before the hit to Andromeda. The Bridge video recordings will show this. The video is available for viewing." Kacey motioned for the video to play out on the video screen that was lowered. They watched the video play out. Heard Kate order them to bug out, watched the explosion throw Kate against the railing, Throw Anya ,Rhea and Natalia against the bulk head and send glass and debris flying across the bridge. Then saw the crew react when they were attacked.
"All right that video proves your statements. Continue."
"After Andromeda landed, I went to the Bridge and called for repair crews. I check under the consoles and found that the wires that caused the fire, were the same ones I had marked before I told Ensign Devoe to change all the wires. Ensign Devoe was one member of the repair crew that reported to the Bridge. I ordered him off the bridge and contacted Lieutenant Colonel Anderson."
"Did you yell at him?"
"I did and I believe my actual words were for him to get his incompetent and lazy ass off the Bridge. I also accused him of being responsible for the four people who were in Sick Bay because of his shoddy work."
"You are admitting to yelling at him?"
"I did why lie about it. I can prove I was justified in my actions."
"After you ordered him off the Bridge, you called Lieutenant Colonel Anderson to the Bridge?" "I did and charged him with going over every piece of wire to find out exactly what happened. He brought in two electrical engineers to help him. At that point I left the matter in his hands."
"What are Lieutenant Colonel's qualifications?"
"That would be better answered by him." Kacey replied.
"You are absolutely correct Colonel. Does anyone on the panel or Ensign Devoe have any further questions for Colonel O'Malley?" The panel and Ensign shook their heads no. Kacey left the chair and sat next to Kate.
"Lieutenant Colonel Michael Anderson, please come forward." Natalia stated. Mike walked to the front of the room.
"Colonel what were your exact orders?"
"Colonel O'Malley told us to replace the entire sensor and navigation consoles, every wire, nut, bolt. She then told me to gather a team to go over every single piece to find out what caused the explosion."
"Colonel what are your qualifications?" One of the judges asked.
"I majored in electrical and structural engineering and minored in flight training and design. I have Bachelor's degree in both.
"Thank you. Please continue Ensign O'Malley."
"What did you do then, Colonel?"
"After we completely gutted the consoles, we locked the pieces in the conference room and I contacted Mr. Lawrence McGill and Mr. Thomas Sickle who are civilian contractors in charge of the electrical systems on Andromeda, and also Lieutenant Dunkirk who is also an electrician. I contacted the head of Andromeda's security and set up a guard rotation to protect the pieces for those times we were not in the Conference Room. We spent several days examining each piece of wire. What we found is that the wires that were marked had two distinct breaks. The first break was from when we came through the Kuiper Belt. The second break was from the remaining strands becoming overheated which caused the fire."
"You informed Colonel O'Malley of your findings?"
"I did. She then asked us to set up a test that we will use at the appropriate time."
"What do you consider to be the appropriate time?"
"We will ask Ensign Devoe to conduct the test." Mike stated. "For the sake of time, Misters McGill and Sickle as well as Lieutenant Dunkirk have written their official reports." Natalia picked up the reports and handed them to the judges. They took several minutes to read the reports.
"Does the panel have any questions for Lieutenant Colonel Anderson?" The judges shook their heads no. "I have no further questions either, however I would like for him to conduct the test."
"Acceptable. Who is next Ensign?"
"I would like Ensign Devoe to come forward, and state his name and rank."
The Ensign walked forward. Before he sat down he said, "my name and rank is Ensign Alistair Devoe."
"Ensign would you state your qualifications?"
"I come from a family of licensed electricians and have taken courses towards earning my license."
"You are not a board certified electrician or have a degree in electrical engineering?"
"No I do not, but I know how to test wires."
"Why did you not change the wires after being ordered to by Colonel O'Malley and Captain Jensen?"
"There was no need. I tested all the wires and they registered as functioning and normal. There was nothing wrong with the wires and I could see no reason to waste time and money."
"Would you be willing to take part in a little test?"
"Of course. Just because I do not have a fancy degree or license does not mean I can not tell good wires from bad."
Mike wheeled the table with three wires to the front of the room. "Ensign would you test these wires?"
The Ensign walked to the table. He inserted both ends of each wire into the meter. The results showed on the video screen for all to see. After he finished the third wire he put the meter down.
"Ensign is that the same type of meter you used to test the wires under the console?"
"Yes it is. You all saw the meter registered that there was nothing wrong with those wires."
"Are you absolutely certain Ensign?"
"Yes I am."
"Colonel Anderson would you finish the test."
"Certainly." Mike removed the insulation from the wires. He held up each wire so show the panel. "This first wire has nothing wrong with it. On this second piece as you can see, half the wires have been cut. This third wire has only a few strands left untouched."
"Yet they all tested normal?"
"Yes they all tested normal."
"Ensign you said your name was Albert?"
"No, I said my name is Alistair."
"That is right you did say Alistair. Tell me Ensign do you know an Albert Devoe?"
"He is my brother."
"Ensign why are you heading down this route?"
"If the panel will bear with me for a minute, I will make everything clear."
"Continue."
"I have here copies of the medical report from Sick Bay, that states that the person who originally tested, and was accepted for the mission was in fact Alistair Devoe, but Albert Devoe is the person here. I also have a report from Admiral Tacher who is the Head of the Space portion of the Joint Chiefs that states that Alistair Devoe is still on Earth. That Albert who sits here now intercepted Alistair's acceptance letter and has pretended to be his brother for the past three years." Natalia stopped, to take a sip of water. "Ladies and gentlemen of the panel, we have shown that just testing the wires was not enough. If he actually was the brother with the electrical degree, he would have known that. Ensign Devoe was or rather is guilty of negligence and shoddy work that was the direct cause of the explosion that injured several of the Bridge officers. He is also guilty of impersonating his identical twin brother, who was chosen for this mission. You have copies of the medical files for both men as well as their fingerprints. I ask that you find Ensign Albert Devoe guilty of negligence and failure to follow orders and impersonating another officer."
"You have made your point Ensign O'Malley. Ensign Devoe do you have anything you would like to say?"
"What is left to say. Make your judgment."
"Ensign Albert Devoe you have been found guilty of negligence, disobeying a direct order and impersonating another officer. This panel now turns the proceedings over to Captain Kate Jensen for punishment.
Kate walked to the front of the room and read from the paper in her hand. "Ensign Albert Devoe, you have been found guilty of negligence and impersonating another officer. By the power granted to me by the Joint Chiefs, you are hereby stripped of all rank and will receive a dishonorable discharge." She stopped to rip the pips from his collar. "You will for the remainder of this journey be confined to the Brig. You will also work in the trash recycler from the hours of zero eight hundred hours each morning to sixteen hundred hours each afternoon. When we return to earth you will also face a general court martial and sentenced to a prison term."
Two guards walked up to him, took his arms and escorted him to the Brig. Kate turned to the panel. Ladies and Gentlemen of the panel, thank you for your time in this matter. Do you require any additional information?"
"No Captain. This hearing is adjourned." The gavel banged ending the hearing.
--------------------------------
They sat at the family table in the mess Hall after the hearing. They programmed their choices. Patricia and the servers brought their meals.
"Are you on a lunch break from the hearing?"
"It is all over, mom."
"So quickly?"
"He really had no defense. Kacey and her people were very well prepared and he hung himself out to dry. He has been stripped of his rank and sentence to work in the trash recycler and the Brig until we return to Earth. Then he will be court martialed and possibly serve a prison sentence."
"Here is hoping that the remainder of our trip home will be boring and uneventful." Patricia stated. "I want all my girls in one piece when we land."
"We will do our best mom." Kate replied.
"See that you all do." Patricia took the sting out of her words by smiling at them before she left to allow them to eat their lunches.
"Kate tells me you are thinking about extending your family." Anya stated.
"We are in the talking stage and have not come to any decisions."
"Will they allow you to remain in the Marines if you become pregnant?"
"If we decide we want additional children, I will be the one carrying them again." Natalia stated. "Kacey offered, but regulations state that she would be desk bound and unable to fly or train pilots. I do not want her to have to give up flying."
Kacey looked down at her plate and kept silent. Kate wanted to say more, but Anya's hand on her knee stopped her.
"Will you be going out today?"
"No I have a few reports to finish and evaluations to do. I will probably make an early day if nothing comes up.
"You are entitled to an early day, especially with all the hours you have been putting in the last few weeks.."
"When will we be on Athena?"
"A few weeks at our present speed. Why?"
"No reason. I thought I would take a few extra days off, but I can wait until then."
"Kacey it is quiet, and you have vacation time coming. Take the time off. Kate ordered.
"You're right, Kate. I will let Mike that as of tomorrow I am taking a couple days off."
"I have asked it before and I will ask it again. Who are you and what have you done with my sister?"
"Why is it so hard for you to accept the fact that I am willing to take a couple days off."
"WHY?" For you to take time off usually needs a threat. Yet here you are willingly taking time off. What is wrong?"
"There is nothing wrong. Can we change the subject please?"
--------------------------------------
Kate spent the afternoon in her Ready Room finishing the monthly reports. For the most part she succeeded. Several times her mind wandered. Her gut feeling was that Kacey was not truthful when she stated that nothing was wrong.
"Why would she voluntarily take time off?" She asked the empty room. "She looks healthy. Maybe a little tired, but who isn't after the last few weeks." The door chime rang. "Come in."
"Alpha shift ended thirty minutes ago. Are you ready to call it a day?" Anya asked as she walked in.
"Yes I am." Kate said, as she shut down her computer. They left the Ready Room together. They stopped long enough for her to give the Beta shift officer instructions. "Keep us on this heading. it has been quiet today and I hope it continues. I will be in my quarters."
Kacey set up the flight schedule and turned the troops over to Mike after she logged off duty for the next few days. She left her office and headed to the lift and her quarters where Natalia and their children waited.