near-collision course?'
'There's always some danger when that happens.'
'After the SASAL ship changed course and headed toward the Michaelson, didn't the Michaelson 's collision warning alarm sound?'
'Yes, it did. Twice, if I remember right.'
'And isn't that system set to warn of situations in which the ship's tracking equipment assesses a danger of collision? That is, actual physical contact between two ships?'
'Yes, ma'am.'
'Do you recall what the estimated closest point of approach was for the SASAL ship?'
'Yes, ma'am. It was about two kilometers. Maybe a little less.'
'Two kilometers? At the velocities your ships were traveling? How dangerous is that?'
'Extremely dangerous.'
Paul listened with growing curiosity. Garrity's questions seemed to be simply reinforcing Wilkes' point that Wakeman had failed to maneuver when he should have.
Lieutenant Commander Garrity looked over at the members before asking her next question. 'Now, Lieutenant Sindh. The SASAL ship had refused to communicate with you.'
'Objection. The reason for the failure to communicate remains unknown.'
'I will rephrase. The SASAL ship had failed to communicate with you. It had changed course, coming to a vector which created the risk of collision between your two ships. Did you have any way of knowing how the SASAL ship would react if you maneuvered the Michaelson?'
'I don't understand the question, ma'am.'
'If you had maneuvered the Michaelson, couldn't the SASAL ship have altered its vector to counteract that maneuver and maintain a situation in which your own ship's tracking systems had declared an imminent risk of collision?'
'Yes… I suppose that's true, ma'am.'
'The SASAL ship had deliberately come to a course risking collision. Did you have any way of knowing whether or not it would do so again even if you maneuvered?'
'No. It could've done that.'
'And you had no means of determine its intentions, did you, Lieutenant Sindh? Because the SASAL ship hadn't communicated with you, you had no way of knowing how it would react to an attempt to maneuver on your part.'
'That's true, ma'am.'
'Assuming the SASAL ship did maneuver in response to any evasive action you took, could that have actually brought about a collision even earlier than predicted by your own ship's tracking systems? Too quickly for the Michaelson to react again?'
'Objection. The defense counsel is asking the witness to speculate about events which did not occur.'
'I withdraw the question.'
Paul nodded to himself. But you got your point out to the members of the court-martial, didn't you?
Garrity came close to Sindh, looking at her intently. 'Lieutenant Sindh, when the SASAL ship came to a near-collision course with the Michaelson, did you, as a qualified officer of deck, feel your ship to be in danger?'
'Yes, ma'am.'
'And is that assessment based upon your professional experience?'
'Yes, ma'am.'
'Then would you regard it as reasonable for another professional officer to feel the same or greater degree of concern for the safety of the ship?'
Sindh paused before replying. 'I… yes, ma'am.'
'You wouldn't regard such a concern as unreasonable?'
'No, ma'am.'
'Did you feel in danger? Did you think the ship was threatened by the actions of the SASAL ship?'
'Yes, ma'am. I did.'
'Thank you, Lieutenant. No further questions.'
Wilkes stood quickly. 'I have a few more questions, if it please the court. Lieutenant Sindh, as the officer of the deck during this incident, did any action by the SASAL ship strike you as hostile? Not reckless, but hostile.'
'No, sir. I can't honestly say the SASALs did anything I could definitely classify as hostile.'
'Have you encountered situations before where civilian spacecraft maneuvered in a reckless fashion near your ship?'
Sindh couldn't help smiling bitterly. 'Every officer has encountered such situations, sir. None of us are really comfortable with civilian spacecraft nearby.'
'But Captain Wakeman brought his ship close to a civilian spacecraft.'
'Yes, sir, he did.'
'Even though civilian spacecraft sometimes maneuver recklessly.'
'Yes, sir.'
'Again, as a qualified officer of the deck, do you believe there is any circumstance in which you are authorized to fire upon another ship just because it is behaving recklessly?'
'I'm not aware of such a circumstance. No, sir.'
'Do the standing rules of engagement, which you are required to be familiar with as a fleet watch officer, authorize you to fire upon a ship simply because it is acting recklessly?'
'No, sir.'
'What would do if a ship was behaving a reckless manner?'
'As I said before, I would attempt to steer clear of it, sir.'
'But Captain Wakeman didn't even attempt to steer clear of the SASAL ship. He didn't even try such a maneuver.'
'Uh, no, sir.'
'Didn't Captain Wakeman in fact order you to close on the SASAL ship?'
'Objection.' Lieutenant Commander Garrity stood as well. 'It has already been established that Captain Wakeman's decisions to close on the SASAL ship occurred prior to the SASAL ship's own maneuvers. He did not order any closer approach after the SASAL ship itself began maneuvering.'
'I withdraw the question. No further questions.'
'Do the members wish to question the witness?'
Admiral Fowler looked to either side. 'Apparently not.'
Paul took a deep breath as Lieutenant Sindh stood and walked down off the witness stand. I wonder if I'll do half as good as Sindh did? Sindh's a lot more experienced with handling pressure than I am, and Wilkes will be gnawing on me during cross-examination, not Garrity. The members were impressed enough by Sindh not to even ask her anything. What'll they do to me?
Judge Holmes looked out over the courtroom. 'The court-martial is closed. It will reconvene at ten hundred tomorrow morning in this courtroom.'
Paul looked toward the back of the room as he stood. As she'd predicted, Jen wasn't there.
Carl spotted Paul looking his way and mimed a flat hand across his throat as he shook his head. The message You're going to have a rough time was unmistakable.
Thanks, Carl. Like I needed you to tell me that. I hope Jen has something pleasant to talk about.
Paul rapped a couple of times on the bulkhead next to the port ensign locker, then stuck his head inside. Jen Shen and Kris Denaldo were both in the stateroom, seated at their desks, Kris as usual absorbed in her work even though it was after normal working hours. 'Hey, Jen. You asked me to look you up after the trial.'
Jen leaned back in her chair, grinning at Paul. 'Yeah, I did. I got some really good news, Paul.'
'Really good news? What's that?'
'I got orders.'
'Huh?' Paul felt a sinking feeling in his gut. How can Jen have orders? A normal tour of duty for a junior
