ordered all rise, and the judge and members filed out.
The masters-at-arms came forward to escort Lieutenant Pullman from the courtroom, both David Sinclair and Lieutenant Owings following right behind. Paul watched them go, trying to read the expression on his brother's face.
The moment Lieutenant Pullman and his lawyers were outside the door the room erupted into conversation. Paul turned to Commander Carr. 'Ma'am? Do you have any idea why my brother didn't do a better job?'
She gave him an arch look. 'Paul, your brother's done the best anyone could do. This isn't a case built on opinions or circumstantial evidence. We've got hard evidence to back up every charge. Your brother's done his best to try to chip away at that evidence by raising doubts in the few ways he could do so. But he can't make the evidence go away. Though he did try even that where he thought there might be a chance.'
'You think he's done a good job. Really.'
'The best he could,' Carr repeated. 'Usually, espionage cases are resolved with plea agreements because they always include strong evidence. If they're good cases. Sometimes somebody gets accused of spying or espionage on the basis of flimsy evidence and those cases usually fall apart before the trial stage. But this isn't like that. I never thought we'd get to this point in this trial.'
Paul shook his head. 'Why doesn't Pullman look worried?'
'You tell me. You know him better than any other officer on your ship does,' Carr stated dryly.
He could almost laugh at the reference to his testimony. But not quite. 'Do you know why my brother sandbagged me by calling me as witness?'
'You could ask him that yourself, but my opinion is that he didn't sandbag you. Which available character reference did your brother know best? You. Who could he trust to be even-handed and not assume guilt? You. Don't look at me like that. You've got a record, Paul Sinclair. If I'd been in your brother's place I'd have called you as a witness, too.'
'But I didn't help Pullman. I might've ensured his conviction.'
Commander Carr sighed. 'You spotted the members' reactions, eh? Putting you up there was a gamble by the defense. You might well have presented such a strong characterization of Pullman that it would've swayed some of the members. I know that's a weak reed, but I can't imagine what else the defense could do. Good for me, but I prefer a solid fight to a one-sided battle like this.' Carr looked past Paul. 'Friends of yours?'
He turned and saw his parents. 'My mother and father.'
'Ah, the Sinclair family reunion proceeds apace.'
Paul pretended not to hear her. 'Commander Carr, this is Commander Sinclair and… Commander Sinclair.'
His mother shook her head. 'Retired, both of us.'
Commander Carr grinned. 'You left the Navy in the hands of your son? He seems to be taking the responsibility seriously.' Her smile faded. 'I hope you can forgive me for trying to send your future daughter-in-law to prison.'
'From what I hear you did your best to make amends when you learned of evidence of her innocence,' Paul's mother replied. 'I know enough about the legal system to know that's not a given with prosecutors.'
'Sadly, no.'
'Will you be able to attend the wedding? We're going to be a little short of guests thanks to a sudden change in schedule.'
Carr gave Paul a look. 'I don't think that'd be wise. There's still hard feelings toward me from the bride. I don't blame her in the least, but I don't think she needs me there to remind her of the past on her wedding day.'
Paul nodded. 'Commander Carr's right.'
'But I hope to see your entire family outside a courtroom someday,' Carr added, then she hastily checked the time. 'I'd recommend returning to your seats. When Judge Campbell says ten minutes, she means ten minutes and not a second longer.'
Lieutenant Pullman was already being escorted back into the courtroom by the masters-at-arms. Precisely ten minutes after the bailiff had called everyone to attention, she ordered them all to rise again. Judge Campbell settled herself, the members took their seats, then the judge eyed David Sinclair. 'I'll ask again. Does the defendant desire to make a statement?'
David Sinclair stood and nodded, his face composed. 'He does.'
The judge gestured to Pullman. 'Stand up.' As soon as Pullman had come to attention, Judge Campbell began reciting the required instruction. 'Lieutenant Pullman, you have the right to make a statement. Included in your right to present evidence are the rights you have to testify under oath, to make an unsworn statement, or to remain silent. If you testify, you may be cross-examined by the Trial Counsel or questioned by me and the members. If you decide to make an unsworn statement you may not be cross-examined by Trial Counsel or questioned by me or the members. You may make an unsworn statement orally or in writing, personally, or through your counsel, or you may use a combination of these ways. If you decide to exercise your right to remain silent, that cannot be held against you in any way. Do you understand your rights?'
Lieutenant Pullman stood up and nodded gravely, though his expression remained quietly confident. 'Yes, Your Honor.'
'Which of these rights do you want to exercise?'
'To make an unsworn statement, in writing, Your Honor.'
'Do you wish the statement to be entered into the record, or read?'
'Read, Your Honor.'
'By you or your counsel?'
'My counsel, Your Honor.'
'Very well. Does Defense Counsel have the defendant's statement?'
David Sinclair nodded. 'I do, Your Honor.'
'Then proceed with the reading whenever you're ready.'
'Thank you, Your Honor.' David Sinclair looked down at his data pad and began reading in a voice that didn't seem loud but carried clearly through the courtroom. He didn't put obvious emotion into his reading, but still managed to convey feeling. Paul couldn't help being impressed by the presentation, and realized Pullman had wisely chosen to have his statement read by a professional orator to make it sound better.
'Statement of Lieutenant Bradley Pullman, United States Navy.'
'I am a military officer. I have already dedicated years of my life to the service of my country, and I hope to dedicate many more years to such service. I have agreed to place my life on the line in the service of my country. I have labored under harsh and demanding conditions in the service of my country. Now I am accused of committing crimes against that country.'
'No one should believe these charges. I may have erred in various ways, through carelessness or over- eagerness or perhaps excessive dedication to getting the job done. Those are the sort of 'crimes' all junior officers commit at one time or another. They lead to mistakes, they lead to errors, but such mistakes and errors come from a desire to get the job done.'
'I should have told my shipmates I enjoyed building complex role-playing scenarios. It's easy to understand how such scenarios could be confused with real mischief. But my failure to tell them that doesn't mean it isn't true.'
'Many people supplement their incomes or just enjoy the thrill of wagering on professional sports. They can't openly acknowledge the source of such money, but that doesn't mean they acquire it from foreign powers.'
'I ask you to accept my plea of not guilty to all charges and specifications. I do not believe the government has proven these charges. I do not believe the government has given you grounds to believe them when more plausible explanations exist. I do not believe my past service to my country will be ignored and that I will be cast aside in this fashion.'
'Very Respectfully, Bradley Pullman, Lieutenant, United States Navy.'
David Sinclair sat down, leaving a period of silence in his wake. Paul assumed everyone else was doing what he was, trying to work their way through Pullman's statement for what it said and didn't say. He had to admit that David's reading of the statement had given it much more power than if an untrained speaker had recited the
