All Good Things... (Part 3 of 6)

Posted on 21 Oct 2017 @ 12:34pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Commander Aren Ban & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant Tuula Voutilainen M.D. & Lieutenant Amaranai Franklin & Commander Marisa Wyatt & Ensign Miraj Derani & Chief Warrant Officer 3 Greg Mitchell & Ambassador Soral Varro & Lieutenant JG Eelim Galan & Charlotte Franklin
Edited on on 21 Oct 2017 @ 12:43pm

2,162 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Earth - Starfleet HQ, JAG Complex
Timeline: MD 21, 1020 hrs

Previously, on All Good Things (Part 2)...

As Mimi left the stand, Doolittle looked at his chronometer. It was just a few minutes shy of 1000 and he thought it a good time for a recess. "It is almost twelve hundred hours," he said, "and I believe it is time for a break. We will reconvene promptly at 1015 hours. Until that time..." he added as he picked up the gavel on the bench before him, then banged it down, "...we are in recess."

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

An hour later...

Amaranai entered the courtroom again after grabbing lunch with her sister. After talking, Charlotte had decided to join her sister in support of her lover. Amaranai had explained what Ensign Mimi's testimony was and what it meant to both sides of the trial. Either way, it wasn't good. Amaranai had wished that she would have been able to talk to Lirha, but she knew that it wouldn't be in their best interest. If people were to know that they were lovers, it might be worse than a court martial. They could be separated completely and Amaranai didn't want to think about that. For now, she would simply wait until the end of the day and later tonight when she would be able to sleep next to Lirha and not think about the trial.

Rachel had thought about the tack the defense had taken and it was a good one. Her witness had speculated that perhaps it was to get the Klingons to cooperate. Still it was only speculation on her part and not a proven fact. There were a few things still that would not probably sit well and the next couple of witnesses might bear that out. She had arrived back a little early and was seated at the desk awaiting the call to order.

Despite it already being 1300, the Orion rear admiral wasn't hungry. She was so full of anxiety and stress that any semblance of food, drink, or temporary relaxation was now in the very back of her mind. When she walked back into the court room, her eyes once again scanned the assembled people while she silently walked to the dense desk and took a seat. Lirha wondered what other witnesses would be called while knowing that she, herself, would eventually be summoned to testify for her actions.

"Stay calm," Hedra murmured as she walked next to the Orion. "Nothing bad has happened yet."

Varro and Galan had gotten some coffee and chatted a bit when the session broke. They both had opposing views. Varro thought it was going well, Galan not so well but all would be revealed in the end.

Returning to the courtroom after a small snack and a drink Mimi took a seat, with her own part done she waited to see what would happen next.

After a quick sushi lunch, Tuula took up a seat in the corner, strategically staying as far away from her crewmates as she could while she awaited the results. As much as she was emotionally invested in the outcome, having not experienced what the crew went through firsthand, she felt awkward being too close to them in this moment, and truth be told, she didn't know which side to cheer for.

Marisa grabbed a bowl of soup and a salad at a corner café and hurried back to the trial, again finding a seat on the back row.

Greg re-entered the courtroom a few minutes after the others had already entered and situated himself next to the other Security personnel.

"Where the hell were you?" the same guard next to him as before asked.

"Getting a hot dog. What did I miss?" Greg answered.

"Actually, we were just about to start again, I think."

The bailiff watched as everyone filed back into the room, then at precisely 1300 hours as the members of the board entered, he stepped front and center of the bench once again.

Rachel got up as the board began to file back in. There was the quick reminder for everyone to rise and then the call to order.

"Everyone please be seated and come to order," he called out. "These proceedings are once again in session."

Rachel took her seat wondering if the defense would call Ensign Mimi or if they had finished their line of questioning. She was pretty sure the defense had made its point but one never knew.

Doolittle once again took his seat then looked at commanders Goldstein and Hedra. "Before we begin again, I have something I want to say to both counselors. I know that both of you have sworn to do your best to conduct these proceedings in the best interests of those you represent, and sometimes that means resorting to some rather harsh tactics. Be that as it may, let us not forget that the accused as well as those who may be called as witnesses are first and foremost presumed officers and gentle-beings, and as such are due both courtesy and respect. Are there any questions?" It was a rhetorical question and as such he did not expect a response. Then, turning to the prosecution he said "Commander Goldstein you may call your next witness.'

Rachel felt a little flutter of victory. Though she had been over ruled earlier it seemed the panel had not taken the questioning of the ensign too kindly and had actually dismissed any further questioning. Score one for her side. She nodded and moved toward the panel and then turned. "The prosecution would like to call Commander Aren Ban."

Aren stood and straightened his uniform, before making his way to the witness stand. He turned to face the bailiff, keeping his face neutral.

The court bailiff quickly swore the commander to oath, then motioned for him to take the stand.

Rachel waited while the commander was sworn in and then headed to the witness box.

"Good afternoon commander," she started out and then asked, "tell us a bit on how you came to be on this colony and what interaction did you have with the crew from the Galileo"

Aren nodded. "On Stardate 67844.9 myself and one other crewmen were passing near the Paulson Nebula enroute to the USS Tian An Men, in a Type 9 Shuttle, out of Starbase 234. We detected a strange reading emanating from the nebula. Before we could get a clear picture of what it was we were detecting, we were ambushed by a Klingon B'rel and were fired on. We weren't able to send out a distress signal before they beamed us aboard. Crewman Galihan died of his injures." Aren said, summing up the events in as clear and concise manner as he could. "I was on the B'rel for about a day or so, before the Klingon's came to talk to me, and to take the body Crewman Galihan away. It was another couple of days before the ship arrived in orbit around Kreanus and I was transported to the surface. I remained there for close to a month, assisting the civilian colonists and captured Federation personal where I could. Once the crew of the Galileo was brought to Krenaus, I did my best to figure out what happened. I was given a limited set of sensor logs of what happened to the Galileo. Once I had the opportunity to review the situation, I meet with the surviving command staff, minus the Rear Admiral. At the time, I was the only known ranking member of the Starfleet and was responsible for them."

Rachel nodded. "Tell me Commander did you have any interaction with the command staff, or administrators on the colony?"

Aren nodded. "Yes I did. Upon first arriving at the colony I had brief contact with Commander Medara. Besides that my only other contact I had with the leadership council was through the colony's internal messaging system. That was until the crew of the Galileo arrived on planet. Commander Medara gave me access to some Sensor Logs and a limited accounting of the crew for review. It was then that I reached out the Commander Warraquim and the surviving members of the Galileo Command Staff."

"And at any time did you see in person, on a record or have mention of Admiral Lirha being a prisoner?"

Aren shook his head. "No. I did not."

"Very good commander. Now then, when did you see the Admiral again?"

"It was shortly after the survivors of the Galileo and Federation Personnel, boarded the Klingon starship. It was when it was discovered that Admiral Saalm was still alive.” Aren replied.

"And describe for the court the admiral's appearance, her clothing and did she affect any particular title other than admiral?"

"When we first came into contact with the Admiral, she went by the title of general and was in garb of a Klingon officer. " Aren said.

Rachel nodded but went without comment. "I would like to move ahead to where the Duq'Q encountered the Federation ship the Sentinel. According to your deposition you were on the bridge of the Duq'Q at the time of the encounter. Who ordered the Sentinel to be fired upon?"

Inwardly Aren wanted to wince. Outwardly his faced showed no emotion. "General Saalm gave the order to fire upon the Sentinel."

"This was a Federation ship and much of crew on board theDuqa'Q were Federation personnel. Did Admiral Saalm at any time to your knowledge attempt to surrender the ship, or contact the Sentinel?"

"No. The mission parameters that were set forth by the colony administrators, both forbade us from making contact with Starfleet and the communication system was locked and controlled by the Klingon crew. But at no time did General Saalm attempt to contact the Sentinel." Aren said.

Rachel nodded. "Let me jump ahead post the encounter with the Sentinel. From debriefings, it indicated that once the Klingon ship effected some repairs that it again proceeded toward the Klingon home world is that correct?"

"Yes, that is correct." Aren said.

"And who was in charge on the bridge when the ship entered the Neutral Zone" Rachel phrased that carefully since it appeared that the ship had always been headed for the Klingon home world which meant crossing the zone. Thus whoever was in charge of the ship was the responsible party.

"It was General Saalm." Aren said, shooting a quick but apologetic glance over to Admiral Saalm. He didn't hate her, and felt that she dealt with the situation the best she could considering the circumstances.

"Thank you commander, no further questions at this time," Rachel said with the professional neutral voice. She returned to her spot and waited to see if the defense wished to cross exam.

After taking notes on her PADD, Vance looked to the witness. "Before I hand the witness to Commander Hedra, Mister Ban correct me if I am wrong but in your testimony, I will paraphrase here did you state that the mission parameters were set out by the colony?"

Aren nodded. "There were certain parameters that the colony administers asked use to abide by. Additionally while we had limited control of the ship, the Klingon crew retained the ability to have full control of the ship if we did not abide by the parameters that the colony administrators set forth."

"And by whom do Starfleet officers receive orders from?" she asked perking a brow.

"That is a pointed question, specifically in this matter. Officers take orders from those within the chain of command, specifically flag ranks, Standing Orders, and other such polices and laws that are set forth within the United Federation of Planets and what is stipulated within the charter of the Federation." He said, pausing for a moment. "While we were out of contact with Starfleet, myself and Commander Warraquim became the ranking Starfleet officers, and our goal at that time, was to get those under our command back to the Federation, without compromising our integrity as Starfleet officers." Aren said with grace and respect.

She turned away from Ban now looking at Hedra. "Your witness Commander."

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

RADM Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

LuAnn Lovegood
Counselor
[PNPC Sandoval]

Lieutenant JG Marisa Sandoval
Former Chief Counselor

Commander Aren Ban
Executive Officer

Lt. JG Eelim Galan
Security officer
[PNPC Varro]

Ambassador Soral Varro
Diplomatic Officer

Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Medical Officer

Rachel Goldstein
JAG
[NPC Allyndra illm Warraquim]

Nesh Saalm
Civilian
[NPC Derani]

Ensign Miraj Derani

Commander Czarien Hedra
JAG
[NPC Derani]

Nathan West
Rear Admiral
Head of Starfleet Intelligence

RADM Harold Doolittle
BUPERs
Starfleet Command

CWO3 Greg Mitchell
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

ENS Mimi
Operations Officer
USS Galileo

LTJG Amaranai Franklin
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

CMDR Scarlet Blake
Instructor
Starfleet Academy

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