document. But Paul was still puzzling over the statement when Judge Campbell pointed her gavel at Commander Carr. 'Is Trial Counsel prepared for closing argument?'
Carr stood. 'I am, your honor.'
'Then let's get on with it.'
Commander Carr paced slowly forward, her steps deliberate, the slow steadiness of her motions drawing attention to her. 'Captain Nguyen. Members of the court. This is a simple case.' She turned, raised and extended her arm, and then pointed at Lieutenant Pullman with the same slow deliberation. 'Lieutenant Pullman was caught off of his ship with two data coins in his possession. The coins were carefully concealed on Lieutenant Pullman's person. One held illegal software whose sole purpose is to bypass security safeguards. The other held classified information downloaded without authorization that day from the systems on Lieutenant Pullman's ship. There's nothing inadvertent or careless about that. It can only reflect deliberate and carefully carried out actions. Actions which violate regulations known to Lieutenant Pullman.'
'Actions which may well have led to the deaths of civilians. Because other documents stolen from Lieutenant Pullman's ship are known to have been delivered to a foreign power. Documents which gave that foreign power inside knowledge. Knowledge which that foreign power may well have used to plan a massacre.'
Carr's arm held steady, her forefinger still pointing at Pullman. 'Lieutenant Pullman's possessions are known to have contained concealed instructions for committing espionage. The defense tried to explain such instructions in terms of games. This was not a game. There is nothing in that material which indicates it is anything other than actual instructions for successfully delivering stolen classified material to a foreign power.'
'Lieutenant Pullman had in his possession a station pass which had been altered in a very sophisticated fashion. Even the defense's own witness had to concede that this was a real tool of espionage, not a prop for someone playing at espionage.'
Paul was torn between staring at Pullman, whose face reflected quiet determination and who was occasionally shaking his head as Carr spoke, and staring at Carr's arm, which remained extended and leveled at Pullman like a rifle. The arm wasn't even quivering despite being held in that position for so long, making her gesture seem all the more powerful.
Commander Carr kept speaking. 'Lieutenant Pullman has money whose source he can't explain. Money hidden in accounts under false names with the help of the finest money laundering schemes known to the underground financial community. Where did Lieutenant Pullman learn such skills, and why did he go to such lengths to hide that money, and why has the defense not presented proof that it came from illegal betting on professional sports?'
'Lieutenant Pullman cannot deny he was caught with the tools of espionage and the fruits of espionage. The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable. Lieutenant Pullman, for reasons still known only to himself, chose to betray his uniform, his shipmates, and his country. He sold the secrets of our country, even those protecting his own shipmates, for money. There aren't words strong enough to describe the depth of his betrayal or the damage his actions have done to his country. He should be convicted on all charges and all specifications so his cancerous presence can be eliminated from the proud ranks of the United States Navy.'
Carr finally lowered her arm, still moving it slowly and steadily. Only when it had dropped all the way down did Commander Carr finally walk back to the trial counsel table and sit down.
Judge Campbell moved her gavel to point it at the defense table. 'Is Defense Counsel prepared to present closing argument?'
'Yes, Your Honor.' Paul had forgotten to look over at David to see how he'd reacted to Carr's speech, but now David Sinclair looked somber. He stood next to the defense table, not moving, but speaking in that same compelling voice he'd used to read Pullman's statement. 'May it please the court, the defense holds that the government's evidence is not conclusive. There are other explanations for why Lieutenant Pullman had those materials. There are other explanations for how classified material came to be in the hands of a foreign entity. In some cases, no incontrovertible proof exists that the evidence belonged to Lieutenant Pullman. In other cases, others had access to the same material.'
'It is not enough that the evidence could be read to indicate that Lieutenant Pullman could be guilty. No. For Lieutenant Pullman isn't just anyone accused of a crime. He is a man who has given service to his country, who has worn the same uniform as you, who has declared by his words and actions a willingness to lay down his life for his country. How can you convict such a man because he could be guilty? Doesn't his service require, doesn't his service demand, a higher level of certainty than that?'
'I know the demands which military service places upon a man or woman and a family. My own parents are retired officers. The military should be demanding, for its responsibilities are great, but it must not be blind to the possibility of human error, of mistakes of judgment which do not rise to the level of criminal action.
'The defense has offered alternative explanations for the evidence against Lieutenant Pullman. Lieutenant Pullman, a man trusted by his shipmates with their lives and entrusted by the U.S. Navy with the gravest of responsibilities on a warship, has declared himself innocent of these charges. I ask you to judge him based upon his own words and based upon your common bond. Lieutenant Pullman is one of you. His declaration of innocence is made to his fellow officers. Lieutenant Pullman should be found innocent as to all charges and specifications.'
David Sinclair sat down in the silence which followed the end of his speech.
Paul, who'd watched his brother while he talked, finally looked over at the members. If he could read faces and postures at all, he saw doom for Lieutenant Pullman there. Nice speech, David. Maybe, as Commander Carr says, the best you could do under the circumstances. Paul studied Brad Pullman, who still seemed as calmly confident as if he were assuming the watch on the bridge of the Michaelson. I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop in Brad Pullman's defense, waiting for whatever was giving Pullman that confidence, but I still haven't seen or heard it and now the case is going to the members. What's going on?
Judge Campbell's gavel moved again, coming to rest pointed at the members' table this time. 'Captain Nguyen, the members may begin their deliberations. The court-martial is closed, and will reconvene tomorrow morning at ten hundred in this courtroom.'
'All rise!'
Paul lost sight of Pullman as everyone stood for the judge and the members to leave, then got only a brief glimpse of Pullman's back as he was led out of the courtroom and back to the brig by the masters-at-arms. Commander Carr stayed standing, looking down at her table and idly tapping her data pad with one finger. 'Ma'am?' She looked up and over at Paul in response. 'How did you do that thing with your arm?'
Commander Carr looked briefly amused. 'Pull-ups and push-ups and weight training.'
'That was a very good speech, ma'am.'
'Thank you.' Something seemed to be bothering her, though Paul couldn't tell what. Then Commander Carr looked up again, toward the defense table.
Paul automatically looked that way himself. David was standing as well and looking straight at them. No. Not at them. At Commander Carr. Their eyes had met and some sort of unspoken message was being exchanged.
Carr made a warding gesture toward Paul. 'I'm sorry. I need to take care of something.' She hesitated. 'Will I be able to contact you later if I need to?'
'Yes, ma'am. Just put a call through my data pad. That's always on. It's required.'
'Good. Perhaps I'll talk to you later, then.'
Recognizing the dismissal, Paul started walking out of the courtroom. At the entrance, he looked back. David Sinclair and Commander Carr had met about midway between their desks and were speaking to each other, Lieutenant Owings standing slightly to the side and listening to both. What the hell's going on?
Chapter Twelve
About an hour later, after he'd already returned to his ship, Paul's data pad buzzed urgently. 'Paul, this is Alex Carr. I'd like you to see Pullman in the brig. As soon as possible.'
'What? The defense isn't going to want me to see Pullman.'
