'No, ma'am. There's not a lot storage space on the ship. If parts get drawn but need to be stowed for a few hours, it's not unusual at all for officers to park the parts in their staterooms.'
'Lieutenant Silver had the part on Friday night. When did you notice the part gone?'
Mike Bristol twisted the corner of his mouth. 'I know it was there when I went to sleep. I'm pretty sure it was there in the morning.'
'Then Lieutenant Silver had it overnight before providing it to Chief Asher.'
'Yes, ma'am.'
'No more questions.'
Lieutenant Commander Jones took up position directly in front of Mike Bristol. 'Lieutenant, are you certain the box you saw under Lieutenant Silver's desk was that part?'
'Yes, sir.'
'You couldn't have been mistaken? It couldn't have been something close to that part's package in appearance?'
Mike Bristol shook his head. 'No, sir. I work with spares a lot, and Commander Sykes, he's my boss, he says I need to be able to look at a box and know what's in it. I pay attention to boxes, sir.'
'You said you were 'pretty sure' the box was there the next morning. You're not certain?'
'I can't claim to be one hundred percent certain, sir. But I'm ninety percent sure.'
'Is being ninety percent sure you have the part needed to fix something the same as being one hundred percent sure?'
Mike Bristol flushed slightly. 'No, sir.'
'No more questions.'
Then came Lieutenant Fung, the officer from the station supply office. Yes, the part had been drawn late on Friday afternoon. Yes, it had definitely been Lieutenant Silver. 'He had this big sob story. I really don't remember why I agreed to let him draw the part. He's really persuasive, I guess.'
Commander Carr nodded. 'Then Lieutenant Silver got the part without requesting an emergency parts draw, which would have required his captain's signature?'
'That's right, ma'am.'
'At what time did Lieutenant Silver receive the spare controller?'
'According to our database, the part was logged out at 1630.'
'1630? Then Lieutenant Silver had the part as of 1630 on Friday the 18th of September?'
'That's right, ma'am.'
'Which, as a petty officer from the Michaelson previously testified, is at least half an hour prior to knock-off ship's work. Thank you.'
Lieutenant Commander Jones shook his head. 'No questions.'
Judge Halstead consulted his watch. 'I'm aware that line officers have a tendency to work through meals, but since this is my courtroom we will break for lunch. The court-martial is closed, and will reconvene at 1300 in this courtroom.'
'All rise!' Paul and the others in the courtroom came to attention as Judge Halstead and the members filed out through their respective doors. 'Carry on. Court will reconvene at 1300.'
Commander Carr sank back into her chair, then swiveled in it to look at Paul. 'That didn't go too badly.'
Paul nodded. 'It sure isn't making Silver look very good.'
'Ah, but we not only have to make him look bad, we have to convince those five officers that he did bad.'
'Did you deliberately set up Lieutenant Commander Jones to ask that question of Petty Officer Sharpe?'
Carr grinned. 'You caught that, huh? You may have the makings of a lawyer, Mr. Sinclair. Yes. It served two purposes. Having Sharpe say Chief Asher was upset over something out of the normal in response to the defense counsel's question gave the answer more force since no one expected it. It also made Commander Jones a bit gun-shy with the next few witnesses, since he's worried about me ambushing him again.'
'How much could Commander Jones have done against Mike Bristol and the other supply Lieutenant? Their testimony was pretty straight-forward.'
Carr's grin turned knowing. 'A good lawyer, if that term's not an oxymoron, can make any witness look bad. Exactly what time did it happen? There aren't any other boxes that look exactly like that one? Are you positive Silver is the man who picked up the part? Could it have been Chief Asher? Etc., etc., and so on. Besides, my knowledge of line officers is that they don't place a lot of credence in what supply officers tell them. Right?'
Paul smiled. 'I'm afraid so, but that doesn't apply to Mike Bristol.'
'Great. But those members of the court don't know Bristol personally. Those two supply officers would have been the easiest witnesses for the defense counsel to discredit on the stand in the eyes of the members of the court. But defense counsel held back because he thought I might have laid another mine in his path.'
'It sounds like you're into strategy and tactics as much as line officers are, ma'am.'
'Why not? We're both out for the kill. Metaphorically speaking in my case, of course, since the charges against Silver don't merit the death penalty. I'll see you at 1300.'
Paul left the courtroom trying to decide where to eat lunch, but to his surprise found someone waiting for him. 'Jen? How'd you get off your ship?'
She smiled. 'I walked. After I convinced my department head I could really use some time ashore. Interested in lunch?'
'You bet. We've got 'til 1300.'
'I've got less than that. I have to be back on the Sorry Maury by 1230.'
'Okay. Quick lunch. Let's hit some vending machines.'
Paul filled Jen in on the events of the morning, then spread his hands. 'I wish I knew what the members of the court were thinking.'
'I know what I'd be thinking. Do you ever get the feeling Silver's been coasting on being an admiral's son?'
'The thought had crossed my mind. I've also been wondering how much being a Navy officer was really his idea in the first place. He sure doesn't act like he wants the job.'
'You may be right, especially with a daddy like Vice Admiral Silver, who might've just expected his son to follow in the family footsteps. Or else.' Jen looked away, her face troubled. 'Speaking of fathers, I do have some news you need to know. My father's been tapped as a defense witness.'
'Oh, great.' I'll be sitting there looking at Captain Shen staring at me from the witness stand as he answers questions about whether or not Lieutenant Silver's to blame for that accident. 'And my captain wants me in that courtroom.'
'Captains in front of you and captains behind you. I'd dodge, if I was you.'
Paul laughed briefly. 'Immediate evasive maneuvers! Brace for collision!'
'Abandon ship?'
'No, I think I'm supposed to go down with it.'
'How do you go down with a spaceship?' Jen asked. 'Unless you're in a gravity well.'
'I'll let you know. Does this mean you've talked to your father?'
'Uh-uh. Strictly intelligence collection using secondary but reliable sources. Speaking of intelligence collection, how are you and that hot little commander getting along?'
Paul frowned. 'You mean Commander Carr? She's way out of my league, Jen, even if I wasn't taken. How would I ask a commander on a date?'
'Oh, you've wondered about how to do that, huh?' Jen giggled. 'I'm just teasing. The commander's married, in case you haven't noticed the ring.'
'No, I guess I hadn't. I haven't really looked at her that much — '
'Uh-huh. Sure. But I'll pretend to believe you.'
Before Paul knew it, Jen had to head back for the Maury. He was halfway back to the courtroom himself before he realized Jen's bantering had driven thoughts of the trial from his mind for a while. Thanks, Jen.
