Rule of Evidence

Chapter Ten

The next two witnesses for the prosecution, a civilian supervisor from Franklin's shipyard who'd overseen the Maury 's engineering systems work and the captain in charge of the Fleet Engineering Readiness Group, simply reinforced the points elicited from Rear Admiral Hidalgo. No, it couldn't have been an accident. Yes, someone had to cause it to happen. No, we don't know exactly how they did it, but it had to be sabotage.

"The United States calls as its next witness Captain Richard Hayes, United States Navy."

Paul had known his own commanding officer was going to be called to testify, but he still didn't enjoy watching Captain Hayes come down the center of the court-room and take his place on the witness stand. Hayes scanned the room quickly after he'd sat, giving Paul a sharp, quick nod of recognition as Hayes' eyes swept over him.

Commander Carr faced the witness stand. "Captain Hayes, what is your current duty assignment?"

Hayes shifted position slightly in the witness chair as he answered. "I'm commanding officer of the USS Michaelson."

"Were you in command of the USS Michaelson on 21 February of this year?"

"I was. Yes."

"And was the USS Michaelson operating with the USS Maury at that time?"

"Yes. We were."

Commander Carr walked over to the courtroom display, where an image of an area of space had appeared, two long, curving tracks superimposed over the emptiness. "Captain Hayes, this is a representation of the area of space in which the Michaelson and the Maury were operating on 21 February." One of the curving tracks glowed brighter for a moment. "This was the path of the Michaelson." The other track glowed. "And this the track of the Maury."

Hayes studied the picture, then nodded. "That looks right."

"The two ships rendezvoused here." An small area where the two curving tracks swung close together shone a bit brighter. "Can you tell us in your own words what happened immediately thereafter, Captain?"

"Nothing at first." Hayes tilted his chin toward the diagram. "As you see, the two ships came together. Then we both deactivated our anti-detection devices at the same time."

"You were on the bridge of the Michaelson?"

"Yes. It was a somewhat risky maneuver, coming so close to another ship at those speeds with the anti-detection devices fully operative. I was on the bridge, along with my executive officer."

"You said nothing happened 'at first.' What happened after that?"

Hayes looked as if he tasted something sour. "The Maury 's image was suddenly obscured on our sensors. Full spectrum obscured. It took us all a minute to realize what it meant. But our combat and maneuvering systems immediately identified the hazard to us."

Carr looked concerned. "Hazard? To the Michaelson?"

"Yes." Hayes glanced toward Paul. "An explosion like that generates a lot of debris. The Michaelson was in the path of some of it. We had to worry about the damage it might do to us."

"You couldn't just evade it?"

"No time. We were too close to the Maury and with the stuff spreading put in all directions it would have taken too long to get us clear of it. I ordered my ship to engage large pieces of debris and we rode out the impact wave."

"Your own ship sustained some damage, sir?"

Hayes made a dismissive gesture. "Superficial damage. Outer hull mostly."

Commander Carr indicated the display again. "Just before the Maury suffered her damage, was the Michaelson monitoring conditions in the area, Captain?"

Hayes nodded. "Sure. We do that all the time."

"What do you monitor?"

"Everything we can. Any objects, natural or artificial. Radiation levels across the spectrum. You name it."

"Did the Michaelson detect anything out of the ordinary prior to the Maury suffering damage?"

"Out of the ordinary?" Captain Hayes shook his head. "No."

"No unusual radiation levels in any part of the spectrum?"

"No."

"No hazardous objects near the Michaelson or the Maury?"

"No."

"Nothing that caused you concern for the safety of either your ship or the Maury?"

"No."

Carr came to stand before the witness stand again. "You detected no signs of any danger to your ship or the Maury. No external elements which could've accounted for what happened to the Maury."

Hayes shook his head again. "No, Commander. Nothing like that."

"And no unusual or worrisome detections from the Maury herself?"

"No. She'd lit herself up, just like we had, but it was all normal equipment emissions."

"Then, Captain, would you say as a commanding officer whose own ship was present in the same location as the Maury that whatever caused the damage to the Maury had to have originated inside the ship?"

Hayes pondered the question for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Yes. I'd have to say that."

"But there were also no warning signs from the Maury."

"That's right. It just happened."

Commander Carr lowered her voice slightly. "Captain, what was the reaction of your engineers when they discovered the Maury 's engineering compartments had been destroyed?"

"Shock." Hayes nodded firmly this time. "Disbelief."

"Did you ask them how such a thing could've happened?"

"Yes, I did."

"And what did they say?"

"They… said they couldn't imagine. Had no idea."

Carr nodded as well. "And then the Michaelson rendered aid to the Maury."

"Yes. I brought my ship in a little closer and started sending over damage control teams."

"Did those teams include any engineering personnel?"

"Yes. My main propulsion assistant and her leading chief petty officer."

"Did they see anything on the Maury which would've explained what happened?"

Hayes snorted. "They had other priorities, Commander. Saving that ship and her crew."

"I understand, Captain." Commander Carr lowered her head briefly as if in apology. "But they didn't report seeing anything which would explain the damage?"

"They said what the investigation later confirmed. It looked like just about everything in the engineering compartments blew at just about the same time."

"If I may summarize, Captain Hayes, your ship, there beside the Maury, saw no external cause for what happened to the Maury. Your personnel, first on the scene of the disaster, likewise saw nothing to indicate it was caused by anything but internal explosions."

"That's a fair summary. Yes."

"Thank you, Captain. No further questions."

Lieutenant Bashir glanced back at Paul as he stood, then advanced deferentially on Captain Hayes. "Captain, are there things out in space which you can't detect?"

Hayes snorted again. "The details are classified, Lieutenant, but of course that's true. I'd love to have a crystal ball. Any captain would."

"Things that pose threats to spacecraft?"

"Conceivably."

"What about internally? You testified your ship detected nothing unusual from the Maury immediately before the destruction of her engineering compartments. But isn't the Maury, like your own ship, designed to minimize the chances of radiation going out as well as going in?"

"Sure." Captain Hayes pointed toward the schematic of the Maury still on display. "Just that inner hull alone. It's filled with water cells. They help block radiation from reaching the crew. But they also block any emissions going out."

"Which would make it impossible for your own ship to have detected internal problems on the Maury?"

Carr was watching Bashir narrowly, but said nothing.

Hayes pondered the question, then gave another nod. "Essentially, yes. I mean, nothing's impossible. But it'd be very, very hard. Once something's strong enough to come through the hulls, well…" He grimaced and indicated the schematic again. "At that point you're in trouble."

"Thank you, Captain."

Commander Carr stood again as Bashir returned to the defense table. "Captain Hayes, to the best of your knowledge, is your ship incapable of detecting any threats to it?"

"No. If it's that dangerous, as far as I know we'll see it coming."

"So the fact that your systems aren't 'perfect' doesn't mean they can't detect anything important enough to worry about?"

"Uh, you could say that. Yes."

"Were you in communication with the Maury immediately prior to her suffering damage?"

"Yes."

"Did anyone or anything on the Maury indicate to you internal problems which you wouldn't have picked up with your own sensors?"

Once again, Captain Hayes shook his head slowly. "No. Nothing like that."

Commander Carr sat again, and Judge McMasters pointed to Captain Carney.

Carney gave Captain Hayes an approving smile. "Captain, I hope it's not out of line for me to express my admiration for how well your ship rendered assistance to the Maury in her time of need."

Paul barely restrained showing annoyance. I can't believe he's sucking up to Captain Hayes during the court-martial. Isn't there anything illegal or improper about that? He looked at Lieutenant Bashir, who took no action and revealed nothing by his expression. I guess not.

Jen's faced remained rigidly unemotional, providing no clues to whatever she felt inside. Paul couldn't see her eyes, which would've told him something even if Jen had been trying to hide her feelings.

Captain Hayes nodded his head to acknowledge Carney's praise. "Thank you, Captain. I'm proud of my crew."

"Didn't the defendant ride the Michaelson back to Franklin?"

Hayes nodded again. "Yes, she did."

"Any impressions of her from that ride?"

Bashir had tensed, as if ready to object, but he glanced toward Paul first. Paul tried to indicate it'd be a good idea to let Hayes speak, and apparently got that across, because Bashir relaxed again.

"Not many," Captain Hayes was saying. "We were all very busy. She was in shock, like the rest of Maury 's surviving crew, but she also asked me for any work I had to do." Hayes looked toward Jen for the first time. "I guess you could say that even in the aftermath of the disaster on the Maury she impressed me a bit."

"Did she do any work in engineering on your ship?" Carney pressed.

"Yes. Just paperwork, though she asked to do anything we needed help at."

"How'd she know the Michaelson well enough to make that offer?"

"She'd served on the Michaelson. Before I became CO."

"You didn't think it was odd that she volunteered to work so soon after such a tragedy?"

Hayes frowned, then shook his head. "No."

Carney made an expression Paul couldn't interpret, but before he could say anything else, Lieutenant Kalin spoke. "Sir, did any other members of the Maury 's crew volunteer to help out on the Michaelson?"

Carney shot her an annoyed glance, but Hayes was already nodding. "Quite a few. They wanted to repay our help. They wanted to earn their keep."

"Thank you, Captain." Kalin acted as if unaware of Carney's disapproval.

Lieutenant Commander Cloud, perhaps taking advantage of Captain Carney being distracted, gestured for attention. "Captain Hayes, could you tell us, sir, as commanding officer of one of the Maury 's sister ships, what your assessment is of the odds that what happened to the Maury could've been the result of an accident?"

Hayes stayed silent for a few seconds, then, his mouth a thin line, shook his head. "From my own knowledge, from what my own engineers have told me, it doesn't appear possible for it to have been an accident."

"Then you agree that some form of deliberate sabotage is the only possible explanation?"

Once again, Captain Hayes took a few moments before answering. "No. I feel fairly confident I know one thing that didn't cause it. I am far less confident that means one particular thing did cause it."

"Thank you, Captain."

Captain Carney cleared his throat. "Captain Hayes, do you know of anything else that could've caused what happened to the Maury? Any other specific cause that could explain the disaster?"

Hayes favored Carney with a flat expression Paul recognized. He's not impressed by Carney. He knows Carney's trying to drive the discussion in just one direction.

But Captain Hayes' answer was only one word. "No."

"Uh, thank you, Captain."

Captain Hayes left, but deliberately offered a brief wave to Paul as he walked out of the court-room.

Judge McMasters held up a hand to forestall Commander Carr. "Lunchtime, Trial Counsel. This court-martial is closed and will reconvene at 1300 in this same courtroom."

McMasters stood even as the bailiff bawled out, "all stand." After the judge left, the members of the court filed out through their door. As soon as that door closed, the ranks of spectators congealed into a crowd heading for the courtroom's main exit.

Paul waited, hoping Jen would turn and speak to him after she and Bashir finished an intense, quiet conversation. Finally, just as the masters-at-arms arrived, Jen looked his way and offered Paul a smile which wasn't either confident or genuine. But he smiled back as if reassured, wondering if his own mood was as transparent.

Lieutenant Bashir remained behind as the masters-at-arms escorted Jen to a holding cell near the court-room where she'd get a fully nutritious and horribly bland meal. Paul took a couple of steps toward the lawyer. "Well?"

Bashir gave Paul a sidelong look. "I've had better mornings. Thanks for not saying so directly."

"I still don't really understand why it's so hard. I mean, they haven't presented anything yet that links Jen to what happened to the Maury."

"It doesn't make sense, does it? But it's an uphill battle. Listen, your Jen Shen isn't helping me as much as she could. She's trying to look cool and professional, but that also looks cold. I know you won't have a chance to see her before tonight, but can you convince her to show more emotion?"

"I can try."

"Mind you," Bashir added dryly, "if she looks too emotional they'll decide that's bad, too."

"I guess we should've got a drama coach appointed in addition to a lawyer."

"It wouldn't have hurt." Bashir pointed to Paul's seat. "Make sure you're back here from lunch early. We've got the trial's prime witness coming up, and some high-and-mighty might try to grab that seat despite the sign."

Paul shook his head. "I'm not hungry. I'll stay there until the trial restarts."

"Suit yourself." Bashir went out, his face a mask.

Paul sat back down, looking around, and saw Commander Carr still seated at the trial counsel's table. She always stayed a little later at Silver's court-martial, too. Carr finally finished whatever she was working on and stood. Turning to go, she saw Paul and looked at him for a moment, then looked down and away as she left the courtroom. Not happy. Cold comfort, but she's not enjoying this at all.

The room emptied of the last occupants but Paul. The bailiff came through at one point, glanced at Paul with disinterest, then continued onward. After about half an hour, people began trickling back in. A captain came by at one point, frowning down at Paul in a why-are-you-in-that-chair way, but Paul just pointed to the placard on the back. "Reserved, sir." Apparently believing Paul must be place holding the seat for a more senior officer, the captain moved off.

Almost last to reenter was Jen and her escorts. She took time to offer him another tight-lipped smile, then bent her head to talk to Lieutenant Bashir. Paul could see her shaking her head, but couldn't hear anything.

"All rise."

Once the judge and the members of the court had once more taken their places, McMasters used his gavel to once again indicate Commander Carr. "This court-martial is open. Proceed, Trial Counsel."

"Thank you, your honor. The United States calls as its next witness Captain Elizabeth Halis, United States Navy."

The courtroom, already quiet, seemed to fall even more silent as Captain Halis entered, walking steadily to the witness stand and taking the oath with a stubbornly unreadable expression. Commander Carr stood a little further back from her than she had other witnesses, as though granting Captain Halis an extra measure of respect. "Captain Halis, please state your current assignment."

Halis actually twitched one eyebrow as if amused. "I am currently serving as commanding officer of the USS Maury."

"And you were serving in that capacity on 21 February of this year?"

Halis stared evenly back at Carr. "I was."

"Previous testimony has established that on the afternoon of 21 February, 2101, the USS Maury, your ship, was wracked by devastating internal explosions that destroyed her engineering compartments and killed sixty-one members of her crew. Prior to that happening, had you received any notification from your engineering personnel of concerns or problems in engineering?"

"There are always problems and concerns in engineering, Commander." Halis' voice betrayed nothing of whatever she was feeling.

"Anything out of the ordinary, then? Anything that aroused particular concern?"

"No. Not that aroused particular concern. As for out of the ordinary, I received a report about noon from Commander Juko that the engineering system was continuing to display what he called 'teething troubles' in the wake of our yard period and modifications."

"'Teething troubles?' Nothing Commander Juko or you regarded as too serious, then?"

"No. I would not have taken my ship out of Franklin if either I or Commander Juko had safety concerns regarding the ship."

"Then you received no warning whatsoever prior to the destruction of the Maury 's engineering systems?"

Captain Halis bent her head in thought, then shook it. "No."

"No alarms sounded. No warnings delivered. Just sudden destruction."

Halis closed her eyes for a moment. "Yes."

"Did Commander Juko tell you he had sent Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen to another part of the ship?"

Halis' jaw worked for a moment before she replied. "No. He did not. But that was not necessarily a matter he would've brought to my attention."

Commander Carr took a step closer but remained in a respectful pose. "Let me clarify that issue if I may, Captain. One of the engineering officers left the engineering compartments allegedly to personally investigate a piece of equipment. Had you received any reports of engineering equipment in the after portion of the ship malfunctioning in a fashion that would apparently require an officer's attention?"

Another pause. "No."

"Commander Juko did not inform you of any unusual concerns regarding the after power coupling on the USS Maury?"

"No. He did not."

"How long had you been Commander Juko's commanding officer?"

"Commander Juko served as my chief engineer for seven months."

"In that time, is it your opinion that he kept you, as commanding officer, well informed of engineering issues?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever feel that Commander Juko had failed to inform you of any significant problems?"

"No."

"Ma'am, did you ever personally discover that Commander Juko had actually failed to inform you of any significant engineering problems?"

"No."

Commander Carr turned and took a few steps to one side so that Captain Halis was now looking toward both her and the members of the court. "After the explosions, when you discovered that Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen was still alive in the after part of the ship, what was your first thought?"

Halis' eyes moved away from Carr and settled on Jen. "Relief. One officer and twenty-one enlisted personnel I'd thought dead were in fact alive."

"Were you surprised to learn Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen had been in the after part of the ship when the engineering compartments exploded?"

Halis visibly bit her lip. "Yes. I was." She looked back at Jen. "Pleasantly surprised."

"Did you wonder why she'd been there? Safe from the destruction visited upon the other members of her department?"

"Objection!" Bashir looked as heated as Paul had seen him. "Your honor, Trial Counsel's last sentence is inflammatory, leading and improper. She is attempting to prejudice the witness and the members of the court against the defendant by implying misconduct which has not been proven."

Commander Carr stared stolidly back at Lieutenant Bashir. "Your honor, my job as trial counsel is to prove misconduct over the course of this proceeding. I am doing so."

McMasters shook his head. "That went over the line, Commander. Objection sustained. The last sentence spoken by trial counsel is to be stricken from the record and disregarded by the members of the court."

Bashir sat down, no signs of celebration evident even though his objection had been sustained. Paul looked at the members of the court and realized why. No matter what the judge says, the members of the court heard that and they'll remember it. As if Captain Carney needed that extra dig at Jen to make up his mind. But the others might still be swayed by statements like that. I sure wish Alex Carr was defending Jen instead of prosecuting her.

Commander Carr bent her head in brief acknowledgment of the judge's rebuke. "Yes, Your Honor. I will restate the question prior to that statement. Captain Halis, when you discovered Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen had been in the after portion of the ship, did you wonder why she'd been there?"

Halis slowly nodded. "Yes. Only for a fraction of a second. I had other things to worry about."

"I understand, Captain. But you did wonder?"

"Yes."

"Because you knew of no reason why she'd have been there instead of at her duty station in engineering?"

Captain Halis stared stolidly ahead for a moment before answering. "Yes."

"If I may summarize your testimony, then, Captain Halis, you had no indications prior to the destruction of engineering on the USS Maury of any problems, and had received no notification of any problems specifically in the after part of the ship which required special attention. Is that an accurate summation?"

The captain chewed her lip for a moment before answering. "Yes."

Commander Carr indicated her data unit. "I have here the performance reports prepared by Commander Juko and signed by you regarding Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen. They're very impressive."

Paul was certain a trace of wariness had appeared in Halis' eyes as she nodded. "Lieutenant Shen is an impressive officer."

Carr nodded. "In fact, one the performance reports you signed state that Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen is quote an exceptionally capable and competent engineering officer unquote. The performance reports also state quote I believe there is no engineering task which I could set to Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen which she would be incapable of mastering unquote."

Paul tried not to wince. I remember that wording. That's what Carr got Rear Admiral Hidalgo to say would be needed to sabotage a ship's engineering systems. He could see the side of Jen's face as she watched Captain Halis. What are you thinking, Jen? That being good at your job isn't supposed to be a bad thing?

Captain Halis, unaware of Rear Admiral Hidalgo's earlier testimony, nodded. "I can't recall off-hand the exact wording, but that sounds like the sort of assessment I would've made of Lieutenant Shen, yes."

Commander Carr leaned a little closer. "You believe, based on your judgment as her commanding officer, that Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen could do anything in engineering which she set her mind to."

"Objection." Lieutenant Bashir waved both his hands, palms down, at chest level. "Trial counsel is seeking to lead the witness, to put words in her mouth, and to reformulate the witness' statements in a prejudicial fashion."

Carr spread her own hands out. "Your Honor, I am merely attempting to accurately summarize Captain Halis' own assessments."

Judge McMasters shook his head. "Let Captain Halis summarize her assessments, Commander. Objection sustained."

"I have no more questions at this time, your honor."

Paul watched Commander Carr return to her seat. Damn. They're turning Jen's skills as an officer against her. Just like when they put her in pre-trial confinement. How do you fight charges that claim you're so good you can do anything? It's not like Jen can plausibly argue that she's incompetent.

Lieutenant Bashir approached the witness stand with even more deference than Commander Carr had. "Captain Halis, these 'teething troubles' you mentioned with the engineering systems. Did they concern you or Commander Juko at all, ma'am?"

"Yes, obviously, or he never would've mentioned them to me."

"So they weren't regarded as imminently unsafe, but were a concern?"

"Yes. That's correct."

"Captain Halis, the court has been told that the engineering systems on your ship were designed so that near-simultaneous catastrophic failures were impossible. But your ship had received extensive engineering modifications recently. Did Commander Juko indicate to you that these engineering modifications had caused any unusual problems?"

Paul could see Commander Carr watching Captain Halis intently as the captain pondered her answer.

Finally, Halis nodded. "Yes. Commander Juko specifically told me the SEERS was giving him some headaches."

"That's what he said, ma'am?"

"Yes. He said it was giving him headaches. I remember that exactly because he told it to me on at least two occasions."

"Did he specify the nature of these 'headaches'?"

"No. Lots of little things. That all he said."

"Did Commander Juko routinely inform you of his orders to the other officers in engineering?'

Captain Halis shook her head firmly. "No. Of course not."

"If he sent an officer to carry out some task, he wouldn't inform you?"

"No. I don't micromanage my junior officers, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Captain Halis. So is it fair to say that there's absolutely nothing unusual or uncharacteristic about Lieutenant Shen having been ordered to go aft and you not being specifically informed of that tasking?"

"Objection." Commander Carr gestured toward the defense table. "It has not been established that Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen in fact received such an order."

Bashir looked toward McMasters and read the Judge's answer before it could be spoken. "I will rephrase my question, Your Honor. Captain Halis, is it fair to say there would be nothing unusual or uncharacteristic if Lieutenant Shen had received such an order and you had not been specifically informed?"

Halis nodded. "That is absolutely correct, Lieutenant. It would've been unusual if I had been specifically informed."

Lieutenant Bashir turned slightly and pointed at Jen. "Captain, do have any reason to believe Lieutenant Shen deliberately caused your ship's engineering equipment to fail catastrophically?"

"No. I do not."

"Do you believe Lieutenant Shen would purposely plot and execute the murder of her shipmates?"

"No. I do not."

"Do you know of any reason she would do such a thing?"

"No. I do not."

"Thank you, Captain Halis."

Commander Carr stood again but remained at the trial counsel's table. "Captain Halis, did Commander Juko ever tell you that the 'teething troubles' with engineering in the wake of the yard period constituted any kind of threat to the ship?"

Halis, her expression now openly grim, shook her head. "No."

"Do you have confidence that Commander Juko would've told you of any specific concerns regarding the safety of his equipment?"

"Yes, I do."

"Ma'am, would your Chief Engineer, Commander Juko, have characterized any problems he believed serious enough to lead to loss of life and damage to the USS Maury as 'a lot of little things?'"

Halis glanced at Jen, then shook her head. "No."

"In your opinion and based upon your experience with Commander Juko, would he have informed you of any equipment problems in the after portion of the ship which he regarded as unusually dangerous?"

"Yes." Captain Halis' face worked for a moment. "Commander Juko was a good man."

Commander Carr nodded several times, slowly. "Yes, Captain Halis. Captain, I believe it's fair to assume you were well acquainted with all your officers?"

"I know, or knew, them, yes."

"But not intimately. Would you say you knew all their personal secrets?"

"Of course not."

"Would you say you knew every factor that motivated every officer under your command?"

Halis laughed briefly. "I'm not God, Commander. The Navy may seem to give me that degree of power over my ship and crew, but I can't read minds."

Commander Carr nodded, turning away before speaking again. "Then you couldn't say you knew the reasons for every action of your officers, everything that might cause them to take an action."

" No," Captain Halis replied. "But that doesn't mean I'm incapable of judging the sorts of actions they will take. And the sorts of actions they would not take."

Carr nodded again. "Thank you, again, Captain." She returned to the trial counsel table.

Captain Carney leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table before him. "Captain Halis, you and your ship have been through hell. So let's cut to the bottom line, please. Do you think Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen was responsible for what happened to your ship?"

Halis shook her head firmly. "No. I do not."

"Do you have any other explanation for what happened to your ship? I mean, another specific explanation that might explain what happened?"

Captain Halis hesitated, then shook her head with visible reluctance. "No."

Captain Carney looked to either side. "Any other questions? No," he answered without pausing to see if the other members in fact had any. Carney focused back on Captain Halis. "My I express my personal condolences for the loss of so many of your crew, Captain."

"Thank you, Captain."

"One more question, Captain Halis. Is there anything you would've done differently, knowing what you know now?"

Captain Halis finally showed a flash of emotion, raw pain which quickly vanished again. "I have asked myself that very question many times, Captain. I haven't thought of any answers."

"Would you let Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen serve under you again? In your engineering department?"

Paul held his breath. That's two more questions, Captain Carney, but I bet no one calls you on it. He looked at Jen, sitting rigid with her eyes fixed on Captain Halis, then back at Halis herself, who was obviously struggling with her answer.

Halis spoke slowly. "I… am responsible for the well being of my ship and everyone on it."

"Captain Halis? Does that mean you would or would not accept Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen in your engineering department again?"

Halis looked downward for a long moment, then back at Jen. "Yes. I would. She's given me no reason to feel otherwise."

Paul could see Jen's back quivering and knew how deeply Captain Halis' words were effecting her. And me. Thanks, Captain.

Captain Carney nodded, smiling politely. "Thank you, Captain Halis. Your loyalty to your crewmembers is commendable."

What does that mean? Paul wondered. Is he brushing off Captain Halis' response as just reflecting loyalty? Was this question a lose-lose for Jen? He looked at Bashir's face and saw no joy there. Yeah. You know, don't you? Carney, and maybe other members of the court, would've jumped on it if Halis had said 'no.' But they're blowing off a 'yes' as not proving anything. Just a captain standing by her crew.

Captain Halis stood and walked out, every eye following her until she'd left the court-room.