Warzone: Nemesis: A Novel of Mars (38 page)

“I did leave the post in a tank alone, but I believed I did so to preserve the security of the post.”

“Please explain.”

“The post itself was secure enough with or without me. My men do a fine job of defending her. COL Kiknadze had already sent a team of assassins after my former commander. In light of that, I viewed COL Kiknadze as a direct threat to the integrity of my post.”

“For the record, are you saying that you did so in defense of your own life?”

“Perhaps. In any case, as long as Kiknadze was alive, any American command officer was in jeopardy of an assassination attempt.”

“I see. Did you have any assistance or aid from anyone else in this…” he hesitated, reconsidered, and continued. “… In this event?”

“I did not.”

“COL Kahless, what happened on the twenty-fourth day of the Martian month Kumbha, Earth date March 8, 1980?”

“I overrode the security protocols on the post, took my tank and found COL Kiknadze and his two guards. I shot and beheaded them all. I wiped my tank’s computer, set my tank to blow if tampered with, then took Kiknadze’s tank and returned to my post.”

The attorney paused and turned off the recorder. “Colonel, I find this quite amazing. You went into enemy territory alone, killed the Soviet commander and his two guards, stole the commander’s tank and hardly have a story to tell. I’ve heard men come back from a deer hunt with longer tales.”

“My providing more details doesn’t change the truth as it relates to the charges, does it?”

“I suppose not.” The captain turned the recorder back on again. “Colonel, is there anything else you would like to say?”

“Only that I consider it an honor to have served my country up to this point and would like to continue to do so.”

His lawyer turned off the tape, looked thoughtfully at his client. “Colonel, the prosecution’s case concerning the failing to maintain the integrity and security of you post charge entirely rests on the fact that you jeopardized the post’s most valuable asset—you. I believe I can win that argument. We may not be so fortunate with the abandoning your post charge. Normally no one would put their career on the line to order an unscheduled fitness exam for a decorated command officer, but you are due for a routine exam right now. If you do not pass your fitness examination, your detractors will win without going to trial.”

“How strong are my enemies?”

“In any military order, there are some high-ranking officers who are results oriented hard-charges. They think the rules can be broken, from time to time—if you win. Then there are those that are so focused on the process that they take it as a personal affront to their authority if you break one of their rules.”

“Who’s going to be on the tribunal?”

“The Central Command staff, minus your distinct commander BG Moore: GEN Speers, LTG Mondragon, BG Edwards, MG MacNeil, MG Whitacre, and BG Buchanan.”

“Are the sticklers or hard-chargers in power?”

“It’s split down the middle. The two ranking officers, GEN Speers, and LTG Mondragon are solidly for you, along with BG Edwards. In the opposing camp, MG Whitacre, and MG MacNeil strongly oppose you. Even though they are not the two ranking officers, two major generals won’t be ignored.”

“Where does BG Buchanan stand?”

“He’s MG Whitacre’s nephew.”

“I see.”

“Understand this—the sticklers want you found unfit for duty and expelled from service. The hard-chargers admire what you have done, but feel that you’ve left them out of the loop by striking out on your own.”

“How can I keep my command?”

“The act was obviously premeditated. That works against you. The fact that you appear to have planned it a long time ago speaks to possible emotional instability. Your first hurdle is to pass your fitness examination with MAJ Sawbones. If the doctor gives you a green light, we’ll discuss the next step.”

“Understood.” Kahless launched and then aborted a smile. “I guess I’ll have to study for my sanity test,” he said, dryly.

CPT Defender rose, gathered up his tape player and briefcase. “Colonel, even if you pass your fitness exam, the sticklers will try to force some censure or demotion upon you.”

“Why is it so important to them?”

“You’ve been locked up since you got back, so I guess it won’t hurt to tell you. Our satellite was in position during the “event” and recorded it all. Your story has spread like wildfire from Earth to Titan. From what I’ve heard all ready, you are being referred to as some sort of superhero, ten feet tall and bulletproof. It is important to the sticklers that you are not venerated as being a law unto yourself. They must bring you down a notch.”

“The hard-chargers?”

“They like superheroes. They rally the men and give them someone to emulate. They will not let you be destroyed, but they will compromise with the sticklers to appease them. The failing to maintain the integrity of your post charge is weak, but abandoning your post is the one we have to worry about.”

“Where do we go from here?”

“Pass your fitness review first, and then… I’ll fight for your career.”

“What if I am crazy?”

“Then the fight is over before it starts.”

“One more thing… May I have visitors?”

“Yes.”

“May I be allowed in-house communications?”

“Only if you go through security, but you can relay verbal messages of course through your visitors.”

“Thank you. Will you please contact my aide and ask him to come by for a visit?”

“Of course. One more thing—you may not be visited by anyone who is being investigated for your “event”: LTC Ricochet, MAJ Norsemun, CPT Black Ice, Chief Wolverine, or any officers in security, or any technicians who maintenance the hangar door locks. They haven’t been cleared yet, and they may yet be called as witnesses.”

“Very well.”

“You will get your examination with MAJ Sawbones in the morning. In the meantime, I have a lot of work to do.” CPT Defender left the room, passing between the two guards outside Kahless’ door, who were gravely quiet with expressionless faces.

CPT Defender promptly advised PFC Gray Eagle that the colonel wished to see him. The young man picked up Blaze from tac ops and walked her to the colonel’s quarters. As the young private passed by, men stopped moving, stopped talking and stared after him, him, hoping to learn news of their commander. He arrived at the colonel’s quarters—one guard on each side of the door wearing very serious expressions. The ranking guard conceding that entrance was acceptable: PFC Gray Eagle was not on the restricted visitor list. Gray Eagle knocked on the door.

“Come.”

The young man walked Blaze into the room. The colonel had been watching
Star Trek
on his TV. The colonel turned the volume off on the TV set.

“You know, Private, Kirk cheats death and sometimes defies authority, but at the end of the story, he always winds up on top.”

“Yes sir.” Gray Eagle looked awkward as the colonel looked intently into his eyes as if looking for an answer.

“You want to know what I think?”

“Sir, yes sir.”

“William Shatner had control over the script. It’s science fiction, not reality. Me—I don’t get to write the script. I’m just a man in trouble and that’s the truth of it.”

“Sir, is there anything I can do for you?”

“Just stop by and pick up Blaze and drop her by tac ops in the morning. No doubt MAJ Norsemun is upset that I bypassed his system to take leave of the post. Blaze will help him adjust to his world being disturbed.”

“Anything else, sir?”

“No, thank you, Private. Have a nice evening.”

The young man sighed, saluted and left Kahless alone with his dog.

Blaze looked at Kahless, trying to interpret his mood. “You know Blaze, I should have negotiated for script control,” he sighed and went to make them both supper, but was interrupted by a knock on his door.

“Come.”

The door opened, and SGT Gutshot pushed in a food cart. He stopped, sharply saluted, and then rolled the cart to the table. “Good evening Colonel, Blaze.”

“Good evening, Sergeant. You could have had someone else deliver that. You didn’t have to bring it yourself.”

“Sir, this is an honor. I have never felt so proud to be an American as I am today.” He wiped a tear from his eye and pointed at the cart. “Enjoy.” Embarrassed by his display of emotion, he quickly excused himself, and left the colonel and his dog to their supper. The colonel took the stainless steel cover off of the food cart to reveal some of his favorite dishes, steak and chicken smothered in onions over rice, a spinach salad, and pecan pie for dessert. There were two cold long-necked beers in an ice bucket, and a sizzling-hot steak for Blaze.

“Well, girl, looks like we still have friends where it counts.”

Kahless had finished feeding Blaze breakfast just in time. A sharp knock on the door announced that his aide was here to pick her up. The young private called her to heel and walked her to tac ops, and Kahless got dressed for his interview with MAJ Sawbones. Kahless heated some leftover rice and steak from last night set the teapot to boil. After breakfast and two cups of tea, Kahless got dressed for his interview with MAJ Sawbones. Wearing his uniform jacket and with hat in hand, he walked with his “escort” to sick bay. At the sight of their highly respected but troubled commander, everyone that he passed became still and quiet, and snapped to attention and held the salute until he was no longer in sight.

MAJ Sawbones greeted Kahless when he arrived at sickbay. He directed the guards to wait outside of sick bay, and ushered Kahless into his office. Mounted on the wall behind his desk was a medical diploma from the National Naval Medical Center, alongside a diploma declaring he had completed his Surgical Critical Care fellowship. He pointed at the couch.

“No thanks, Doc. I’d rather sit.”

“Suit yourself.” Both men took a seat.

“Colonel, this is a routine fitness exam that you are required to take every six months. It is not linked to the events of yesterday, but I would like to use those events to gauge your fitness. My duty is to be objective and determine thing, and one thing only—to identify if you have a physical, emotional or mental problem that would prevent you from doing your job in a safe and effective manner, or jeopardize the men under your command. I will ask you several questions about the recent events, to determine if you have a firm grasp of reality regarding these events and if the thought processes driving your behavior were rational.”

“Understood.”

“Colonel, the report states that you did willfully, without consulting any of your superiors or even you own men; sneak out of here with the intent of killing COL Kiknadze. Is that about right?”

“That sums it up.”

“Why did you do it?”

“COL Kiknadze was a clear threat to our post. His recent breaking of the accord and the assassination of COL SEAL showed that he was willing to set ambushes for command officers, even at the cost of violating the accord and plunging us into all-out war.”

“Ah, COL SEAL… And exactly when did you decide upon this course of action.”

“The day of the ambush near Valles Marineris.”

“Did you feel responsible for COL SEAL’s death?”

“I felt I had failed to protect him.”

“Did you believe that your two tanks could defeat five or theirs?”

“No, but we did defeat them—though the cost was very high.”

“Were you responsible for his death?”

“No, I did not order the attack.”

“Did you feel responsible?”

“Yes.”

“How could you have been responsible?”

“I was not, but knowledge and feelings are two different things. I felt as if I had failed to protect my commander.” The doctor wrote some more in his notebook, then looked at Kahless, his eyes narrowing.

“What were the circumstances surrounding the death of LTC Matulevich?”

“We laid a trap for two squadrons of Soviet tanks. LTC Matulevich was among the enemy casualties.”

“Did you kill him yourself?”

“I did.”

“Was he trying to surrender?”

“He was not.”

“I see…” MAJ Sawbones stroked his chin thoughtfully, jotted down some more notes, and studied his patient. Kahless felt uncomfortable under the doctor’s scrutinizing gaze. “Colonel, I understand that you forged a rather impressive blade.”