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

Posted on 21 Oct 2017 @ 12:36pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Commander Aren Ban & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant Amaranai Franklin & Commander Marisa Wyatt & Edward Bauer & Nesh Saalm
Edited on on 21 Oct 2017 @ 12:47pm

4,067 words; about a 20 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Earth - Starfleet HQ, JAG Complex
Timeline: MD 21, 1403 hrs

Previously, on All Good Things (Part 5)...

It was the best answer Commander Hedra could hope for. It clearly demonstrated that Lirha had known what she was doing. Her actions hadn't been wanton destruction, but a precision strike to preserve lives on both crews. it demonstrated that there was no Mesn Rea, no intention to commit harm to the crew, would hopefully see off the accusation of Fratricide. But it was a straight up admission of wilful damage. However the extenuating circumstances of defense of her crew should hopefully open the doors of mitigations to the sentence.

And so they were at then of the narrative. Hedra had debated whether to discuss the actual mutiny. It added nothing for or against the actual charges, and they'd already touched on it in the discussions on the uniform. She turned to the Bench. "I have no further questions at this time, your honors."

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

In the gallery Nesh leaned forward, nipping at the edge of one finger nail with her teeth. The questioning had taken long enough. Would it get her sister off the hook. She didn't want to see anything happen to Lirha. But there was nothing but polite interest on the faces of the panel. You might as well try to read the emotions of a rock.

Vance remained stoic in her reaction to the defense testimony. It was a skill she had mastered in her work in human intelligence, lending itself a great asset to her in her new position. While her implant could give her a viewpoint into the emotions of the room she did not use this in her final rulings. The law was the law and she would not be a tool to circumvent it.

There was so much that had not been said, so much glossed-over. Marisa hoped Saalm's testimony would be enough.

Rachel stood, "Thank you sirs, I do have a few questions for the Admiral." She moved with her PaDD with notes and nodded.

"I know this has been probably a harrowing process as well admiral. We are just trying to get a clear picture of the whole series of incidents." She smiled. As a prosecutor there was every reason to try to be friendly at times and others times know when to pounce.

"First sir, I would like to go back to the events just before the destruction of the Galileo. Would you please confirm that you were incapacitated by a beam, trapped that is under one and suffered injury?"

Lirha regarded the prosecution counsel and confirmed her question. "A piece of overhead bulkhead collapsed on my lower abdomen, yes." She remembered all-too-well the terrible fright that'd consumed her when she'd watched the sparking structural support beam break loose and crush her bulging womb and hips.

"And can you confirm that Commander Warraquim gave you an injection and said she was assuming command?" Rachel asked.

"I believe so, yes," Saalm answered. It was hard for her to recall the minute details of everything that transpired on the bridge in the final minutes of the ship's life, but she was fairly certain she remembered Warraquim administering her an analgesic. What the CMO had been doing on the bridge instead of at her station in sickbay, however, she was uncertain.

"Thank you, now you said the Kreanians saved your life and yet they basically held you incognito for some time. Did you inquire into the fate of your crew during this time?"

"I did. Several times," the Orion confirmed.

"And they never said much beyound that they were safe and then seemingly one day they asked you to take on command of one of their vessels? I must say I find that hard to believe. Still that is not my question," Rachel let that stand out there for all the rest to hear. "What I would like to bring up is something that my colleague did not cover. At some point after the crew was onboard the Romulan vessel you participated in an emergency surgery did you not?"

Saalm frowned and shook her head. "I assisted Commander Warraquim with surgery, yes, but not aboard a Romulan starship. It was aboard DuJa'Q, the Kreanan battlecruiser," she clarified. "Petty Officer Eviess had a life-threatening injury."

"I stand corrected," Rachel said. "Indeed though, what was removed was a device of some sort, which according to documentation appears sirs to be of Romulan manufacture. Please see exhibit 583B." She turned her attention back to the Admiral. "Did you or did you not possess on your person another device that could deactivate the implanted device?"

Saalm looked at the magnified picture of the degraded implant that the prosecution showed. It was barely-recognizeable with all of its essential nano-circuitry destroyed, and no bigger than a pinhead. She remembered it all too well. "Yes, I did."

"And did you obtain this device from the Kreanens?" Rachel asked with a slight smile playing on her lips.

"No. I created it myself," the rear admiral answered.

"Interesting. So you were aware that some of the crew had been medically implanted with the devices then."

A soft sigh escaped Saalm's lips when she realized where the current line of questioning was probably going. It would be difficult to explain, to say the least. "Yes. I knew Commander Medara possessed this sort of technology and would likely use it on us. So...I created a safeguard."

"And how many of your crew, including any of the medical officers did you inform that this was the case, or that implants had been put in." Rachel inquired.

"Only a handful. I had to be discreet," said Saalm. "I followed counter-espionage protocols."

"Interesting. Thank you," Rachel then turned to the board and said, "Please note on page forty three that the chief medical officer was unaware until the surgery of such devices."

She then added, "At this point I have no further questions."

"The prosecution will make its closing statement, followed by the defense. You have the floor Mrs. Goldstein." Vance said.

Rachel got up and approached the bench. "The admiral answered a distress call from a ship listed as many years lost and out of date. While it might have seemed admiral to do so, it should have alerted her to the fact that it could have easily been a lure which it turned out it was. Then when falling into the trap, as the enemy vessels surrounded the Galileo she decided to flee even having gotten data that their weapons were charged and the ships close by. She was never thought at any moment to ask for quarter even as her ship was being blasted apart and crew were dying.

Now we come to a most interesting part. The admiral claims she was rescued and held incognito as a prisoner without contact with her crew. Then by some odd chance and I must say incredulous chance suddenly was offered a command of one of the Klingon vessels. Such vessel not being one of the smaller craft but a full battle cruiser. One can only wonder what passed between the Romulan and Klingons and the admiral over the course of time but none the less she ended up basically fore swearing her allegiance to the Federation. She then by her own admission took on the title and uniform of a Klingon officer. In such guise, she then took her remaining crew on a perilous voyage, did willfully admit to firing on a Federation vessel. Now then she said that she still considered herself a Federation officer and yet took that vessel into the Neutral Zone and there engaged another vessel in hostilities. To compound all that, she knew of devices involuntarily implanted into crew members but until one failed almost resulting in the death of that being, did she basically reveal she knew about them and had a way to neutralize them.

In this trial she claimed to have always said that she was trying to put the welfare of her crew foremost yet, she was by testimony and by Federation law no longer the commander. Her actions throughout this whole affair were capricious at best but I would use the word malicious instead. For her actions, her admissions and the testimony given by the rest of the crew that survived this whole ordeal the prosecution asks for the admiral to be found guilty on all charges."

Rachel then turned and took her place back at the table.

Commander Czarien Hedra stood, and addressed the flag officers in front of her. "Officers of the Bench," she began. "My colleague has tried to argue that Admiral Saalm committed treason by wearing a uniform of another power. She has taken no action other than that. No attempt to overthrow Federation jurisdiction. She hadn't rejected her rank to go Pirate, but took an option used by several of the greatest Federation Heroes, that of accepting another title, in order to keep her crew safe. It would seem that Admiraal Saalm's crime here is that she did not aspire to the lofty heights of Emmisary, or Arbiter Of Succession, merely a general. And it was by this action, by engendering the loyalty of otherwise hostile individuals, that her crew survived a mutiny in which no doubt many of them would have died.

"For someone to be guilty of treason they need to both act and have intention to act in such a way as to over throw the lawful government of the Federation. My colleague has failed in every respect to establish either act or intention to act against that lawful rule, and to use against her the same allowance made for another officer is in distinct contradiction with the rule of law and the defense requests that the charge of treason be dismissed.

"General orders Seventeen and Twenty Nine clearly state that a commander must consider his crews welfare above all things. In attempting to escape the ambush by General Ko'raH, Admiral Saalm was determined to prevent her crew falling into the hands of an enemy who had shown himself to be unpredictable, violent, and for a Klingon, utterly lacking in honor. Her fears would later be confirmed when those Klingons tortured her crew whilst she lay unconscious. The loss of Galileo was a direct result of preserving the life of the crew, and as such the defense urges the honorable members of the bench to dismiss the charge of Negligence.

"On the issue of Dereliction of Duty, I take this opportunity to remind the court that in a time of peace, the Klingon neutral zone acts like any other border. There is no standing order to not cross it, only to respect it, as per General Order 13, which is specifies that it does not hold where the welfare of a commander's crew is at stake. In travelling to Kronos, Admiral Saalm broke no order. Therefore the defense moves that the charge of Wilful disobedience be dismissed.

"Indeed it was the USS Sentinel that acted unlawfully in challenging them, breaking General Order 12: "when communications have not been established. then a captain should not initiate any form of offensive action." By violating Directive 12, Admiral Saalm was forced to defend her crew and only took the minimal required action to keep her crew safe, in adherence with General orders Seventeen and Twenty Nine. No-one on the Sentinel was harmed. In considering the whole of this incident there the defense moves that, due to the mitigating argument of self-defense, and the lack of serious harm to that crew, the charges of fratricide, and wilful damage also be dismissed."

Hedra tugged her dress whites down slightly, "In short, your honours, we move for the dismissal of all charges. The defense rests."

"Very well. The court is now in recess while the panel deliberates. The officer of the court will summon the respective council once a decision has been rendered. You are all dismissed until then." Vance proclaimed as she rose from her seat.

"All rise." The officer of the court announced as the panel left the courtroom.

The defense attorney leaned into her client. "I won't sugar coat it, those probes have not helped our case. But they should clear you of the treason." Hedra tapped her stylus on the PADD. "They can't revoke your citizenship, or deport you."

Saalm didn't reply, instead preferring to remain silent while her future fate was decided by unknowns. She felt neither reassurance nor fear, but could barely swallow the bitterness that she held towards certain people in the room.

Rachel only spared a glance at the prosecution. She thought that they had made good points. If it had been her on the bench she would have had some problems with some areas but not with others. Well she was not on the bench and this was a game played out over a hundred times. You won some, you lost some and some you got a bit but not everything. She tried not to look at the admiral on trial, this was her career, her freedom even and she could empathize with that but one had to keep that at bay and just focus on things.


Courtroom

Rachel seemed a little surprised when they were summoned in. The deliberations had been a lot longer then she had figured which tended to bode well for the defense. She stood as the court was called to order and waited to be seated to hear if she had won or lost.

"All rise." The officer of the court announced as the panel of Admirals filed into the courtroom. Vance took her seat once again looking without expression towards the defense. "Would the accused please rise."

Stand, sit, stand, recess, re-enter and stand then sit. So many formalities to disguise personal judgements, Saalm privately griped. She did what she was told and rose to her feet with her light green eyes trained on the head of the judiciary panel.

"Before the verdict and subsequent sentencing is read out, Admiral Saalm do you have anything to say to the court?" Vance asked Saalm.

Rachel lifted a brow at that statement. It certainly sounded as if the panel had decided on some of the charges in her favour.

Lirha's cold eyes glanced between her attorney, the prosecution, and the audience of familiar faces she could make out in the near distance. She rose and tugged down on the front of her uniform whites, perhaps for the last time in her life. "Yes I do," she began.

"All of this...this trial and these accusations... I served for 13 years in Starfleet on several postings. As a captain, you learn that a starship is a family, one that's trained to follow the Federation's humanitarian interests." Her eyes turned to Goldstein. "I did everything asked of me, followed all search and rescue protocols, and yet at our darkest time -- with all of us at the most peril -- you blame me for my decisions in battle when facing the unknown and then for betraying my crew and the Federation. ..What could you know of what we faced on Kreanus?"

The Orion rear admiral balled her fists tightly until she could feel the tips of her sharp fingernails piercing the skin of her palms. Memories of her unborn children and the joy of a swollen belly suddenly began to tear through her stoic fortitude. "...I have lost everything!" she hissed, knowing the eventuality of her judgement. "And if I have to put down a Klingon insurgency and disable a Federation starship to get my crew home, then that is what must be done." Her eyes shifted to Vance, "then, now, and always."

It was in that moment, in Vance's mind the room went completely dark leaving only she and Lirha Saalm: The gallery, the court officer, the lawyers and the rest of the panel all vanished as the two seasoned field veterans remained. Lirha staring defiantly at her executioner, firmly defending her beliefs, her decisions and most importantly her soul. It was in this moment, Vance could see herself looking into a mirror, Lirha's actions a homogeneous rendition of decisions made long ago by the woman whom had sworn to protect the laws and ideals of the Federation. It was not too long ago, the Vice Admiral found herself in Saalm's shoes, judgement weighing down upon her, the only saving grace a well-connected family reducing her sentence to serve her remaining years under the flag of the Judge Advocate General. Unbeknowst to others it served as the greatest loss to Alexandra, her freedom of the galaxy taken away, her cell a glass monolith where she would now be charged with condemning the very actions she took herself.

It was time for her to return to reality. It was time for Lirha Saalm to face her judgement.

Vance returned Lirha's gaze with a cold stone like stare of her own. Both her natural brown and bionic blue eye piercing the Admiral's, giving no indication of Alexandra's brief escape from the courtroom.

"Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm, the panel has come to the following rulings.

On the charge of treason against the United Federation of Planets, GUILTY.

On the charge of negligence with regards to the lives of her crew, NOT GUILTY.

On the charge of Fratricide with regards to the attack on the USS Sentinel, NOT GUILTY.

On the charge of willful destruction of Federation property in attacking the USS Sentinel, GUILTY.

On the charge of disobeying a lawful standing order in crossing the Klingon neutral zone, GUILTY.

Does the prosecution or defense wish to add any mitigating or aggravating factors this panel may not have considered before sentencing?" Vance asked having proclaimed her judgement, now making the final preparations before the execution of her proclamation.

Hedra had gone stock still with pure disbelief. She couldn't believe it. There was no basis in law for that decision. The evidence, such as it was, wasn't anywhere near enough to support the treason claim. And disobeying orders? The law specifically allowed for the zone to be crossed in the circumstances. Then she got to her feet. "No mitigations, your honour, but the Defense protests that there is no basis in law for the decision and will be appealing after the conclusion of these proceedings." Her voice was tight. the Ktarian was livid with the result. She sat down promptly.

Rachel listened to the panel's decisions. She made a slight nod of the head as each verdict was read. She privately had to agree with most of them and overall as prosecution she had mostly won. Almost any of those charges except destruction of Federation property would have been enough to end up with loss of rank, jail or both. As it was, she mentally figured that the soon to be former admiral would be serving in a penal colony. The final bit would be the reading of the sentence.

As the lead judge asked she shook her head, "No sir, no further mitigations." There was no reason to push things further. The game was over at this point and nothing further to be gained.

"Very well. Rear Admiral Saalm," one of the other panel judges began to read off his PADD. "In light of this verdict, you are hereby stripped of your rank as rear admiral and are dishonorably discharged from Starfleet. Your Federation citizenship will be revoked and you are to be deported to the Orion colonies after a period of five years, during which you will serve at Perth's rehabilitation facility in Australia." He looked up from his PADD and toward the Orion.

"Captain, this court recognizes your sacrifices but your conduct was unbecoming. You never tried to make contact with Starfleet after being held captive or gave us a chance to help you. You fired on one of our starships then violated the Klingon Neutral Zone, and in doing so, could have sparked an inter-quadrant skirmish with the Klingon Empire. These actions cannot stand, and your sentence is hereby delivered."

The gavel came down and pierced the silence of the room.

Rachel picked up her materials. It was over and there was no need to gloat or say anything. She turned and avoided all eye contact with the defense or the defendant now the convict. Her final thought was that more than likely an appeal would be put in place. It would be her move if she was in the defense's shoes.

"No!" the shout of surprise and anguish came not from the accused, but from the gallery, where Nesh Saalm was leaning forward against the balusrade, looking pale and wide eyed. She realised everyone was staring, and she sank bank, embarrassed. Next to her Miraj squeezed her hand reassuringly. trying to offer silent support.

Amaranai had been sitting in the back of the gallery. She didn't want to be seen by too many people, though she had a feeling that most of the crew knew what was going on with her and Lirha. The verdicts were read and Amaranai knew that it was not going to end well for her lover. It was the sentencing that was even harder for Amaranai. Being sent to a rehabilitation center was bad enough, but for five years? What was Amaranai going to do? What would happen if she were reassigned? Would it be better to request an immediate assignment, one that was being sent far away from the Sol system as possible?

Tears were beginning to gather when she heard a young woman's voice break through the general noise in the room. Amaranai looked and saw Lirha's sister suddenly sitting back down in her chair. The brunette could feel the anguish in the lost echo of her scream and felt it herself. Slowly, Amaranai stood and exited the courtroom and headed home, unsure of where her life was going to go from there.

Marisa couldn't believe what she heard. Guilty? Maybe of caring for her crew and walking in the gray areas to save them, but treason? No. She sat, dumbfounded, for several moments, then slowly walked out of the building. There would be an appeal. There had to be an appeal. The decision was ludicrous.

Aren sat in the back, disappointed at the outcome. He knew that it was to be a rough trial, but he still hopped that she would have been exonerated. He didn't know Lirha as well as others on the crew, but there was still a sense of loyalty. He stayed the entire time, waiting for her to be escorted out of the court room before leaving himself, it was the least the he could do.

Allyndra sighed. She had already used what little political capital she had to help herself. Now as she sat there, she wondered if she should have saved it for Lirha. It might not have been enough though and probably would not have helped completely but still she could not help but wonder.

So it was that Lirha Saalm's destiny now seemed altered. The Orion rear admiral had stood motionless while the verdict and sentencing had been read, knowing full well her future in Starfleet was now over. Her career -- her life that she'd given so much for -- would be forever tarnished. A miscarriage of justice that, as Saalm looked between Hedra and Goldstein, someone would eventually pay for.

She felt the looming presence of two security officers appear behind her, and then the uncomfortable sensation of restraints being placed around her wrists. As she was led out of the courtroom through one of the secure exits, she stole one last glance over her shoulder to force a smile to her crew and family that'd been in attendance. It was probably the last time she'd see most of them in her life.

[OFF]

--

Lirha Saalm
Prisoner 29-388-290

Cmdr Rachel Goldstein
Prosecution
Starfleet JAG
[NPC Warraquim]

Lieutenant JG Amaranai Franklin
Security / Tactical

Cmdr Aren Ban
Executive Officer

Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Former Chief Medical and Second Officer

Lieutenant JG Marisa Sandoval
Former Chief Counselor

Commander Czarien Hedra
Counsel for the Defense
Starfleet JAG
[NPC Derani]

Nesh Saalm
Civilian
[PNPC Derani]

Ensign Miraj Derani

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