Chapter 583: Stock Car Race (1/2)
”I rode a tank, held a general's rank, when the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank...” Riddle carved on an obelisk found drifting between galactic arms.
”The idea of an all powerful figure that examines a being's life upon death and decides on punishment or reward for an eternal afterlife is the most base of primitive superstition. It is a denial of mortality, of the fleeting of existence, an attempt at immortality through superstitious belief.
”It is often discarded by the time a species achieves the harnessing of electricity.
”Leave it to the Terrans to create something that does exactly that.” - Former Grand Most High Sma'akamo'o, from I Have Ridden the Hasslehoff
7th Army Bugler
All News! No Rumors!
With what looks to be the trial of the eon starting, all everyone is talking about is the fact that an entity known as ”The Detainee”, who apparently acts as the Devil for the SUDS system, will be representing the prosecution.
Investigation by the 7th Army Bugler has found absolutely no references to The Detainee anywhere in the historical archives. Despite appearing as a middle aged Terran Descent Humanity female, her biometrics and appearance apparently have no matches throughout archives available to investigative journalists. Some have pointed out her general resemblance to the Confederate Intelligence Services primary agents, the Grey Girls, but at this time there is no known connection.
For those of you unaware, despite Tri-Vee dramas, a military court martial has no place for interesting twists and turns. With the fact that it is the Confederate Armed Services Code of Military Justice in place instead of the much more complex and flexible civilian justice system, that means that the only things involved are basic facts.
THE FACTS
The Great Terran Die-Off destroyed nearly 87.56% of V Corps' active troops, including support and logistics personnel.
V Corps was engaged with defending the home of the Welkret, Laglun-3, a world inhabited by 17.8 billion sentients that was under attack by Atrekna forces.
3rd Armor Division was completely wiped out by the Great Terran Die-Off, with the exception of General Trucker.
General Trucker activated the Black Cauldron Protocol.
The Black Cauldron Protocol reanimated the TDH struck down by the Great Terran Die-Off.
Third Armor Division was deployed to a region of the heaviest fighting in the theater.
THE CHARGES
General Trucker is not being accused of activating the Black Cauldron Protocol, rather that he acted without performing due diligence on whether or not the Black Cauldron Protocol was an appropriate response to the situation on Laglun-3.
As of this morning, General Trucker has plead Not Guilty.
THE REPERCUSSIONS
Allies of Terran Descent Humanity have always known that humanity has kept their more ugly side hidden from the rest of the Confederacy. The use of the Black Cauldron Protocol at this time, with so many new ally species, could harm diplomatic efforts.
Additionally, there has been rumors and attitudes regarding Terran Descent Humanity's 'disposability' on the battlefield. This has led to accusations over the centuries that commanders take less care with TDH soldiers than they do other species.
The Black Cauldron is viewed by some as the ultimate in TDH 'disposability' on the battlefield.
This trial will undoubtedly decide how and when it is appropriate to use such mechanisms and could even go into such things as ”Clone War Lyfe” and ”Repeat Till Victory” attitudes that some commanders hold.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR US
An Old Blood unit only allows a single battlefield 'death' before being sent to an old unit. Some analysts claim that this is the reason that (Old X) units have a higher K/D ratio as well as a lower casualty rate.
Other units that perform the rapid reload system as well as the rebirth systems are considered the standard for the Confederate Armed Services, but more than a few critics have emerged over the centuries, criticizing using 'immortal soldiers' to fill out the ranks.
Many have pointed that, statistically, those who join the Confederate Armed Services rarely exit before serving out the 500 years maximum time in service. Those who have been killed and restored at least once remain in service at a rate of 98.93%, with those who are not killed and restored commonly leaving after 35-50 years, which is the usual amount of lifespan spent on a single career by the majority of Terran Descent Humanity.
The decisions regarding the Black Cauldron Protocol could very well lead into inquiry of the SUDS system itself as well as bringing up questions regarding the possibility of alteration of serving service member's attitudes toward the service.
With the Devil herself acting as the prosecution's lead prosecutor, this case promises to make history, one way or another.
[WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE?]
General NoDra'ak was wearing his full dress uniform. Not the Dress Greens, which used small ribbons for the awards and only allowed combat and meritorious service awards to be worn, but the Dress Blacks, which required every award, badge, certification, and medal ever earned.
NoDra'ak was just glad it had a sash. His service record left him with nearly a hundred combat awards, not to mention badge certifications like orbital grav drops, spaceship boarding training, and more.
NoDra'ak personally despised the Dress Black Uniform and was not too happy he had to wear it twice in the last week. The first time was when the Immortals had landed.
Now, he wore it on the witness stand.
He sat down, took the oaths, and watched as the matronly looking woman in a uniform-esque blouse and skirt, complete with stockings and low-heel shoes, referenced her paperwork before looking up.
While others were still debating if the woman was indeed the Devil, General NoDra'ak had seen her before.
Once, in the memories of a soldier who had escaped the SUDS. That time he had seen the large demonic figure that the woman had worn when she arrived by clawing her way out of the ground. Then, at the very end of the security recording, he had seen her, largely obscured, staring at the camera after the ”Ordnance Man” had been escorted from the interrogation room.
The woman stood up and moved over to in front of General NoDra'ak, looking him up and down slowly.
The Devil AKA The Lord of Hell AKA The Detainee.
”General NoDra'ak, did General Trucker request the use for the Vānaras System to be activated as part of the Black Cauldron Protocol?” the Detainee asked.
”Yes, but,” General NoDra'ak said.
”What was your estimation of the situation, at the time, of the situation on the surface of Laglun-3, in as few words as possible,” the woman interrupted.
”Dire,” NoDra'ak said. ”The Atrekna had landed in force and were bringing in troops across a broad zone. Every minute was costing the civilians hundreds, possibly thousands or millions, of lives.”
”What assets did you have that could have taken V Corps place?” the Detainee asked.
General NoDra'ak shook his head. ”None. I had already deployed everything I had. There was additional...”
”Was the initial deployment plan yours?” the Detainee interrupted.
”No.”
”Who's was it?” she asked.
”Admiral Shtuklar, Commander of the Task Force,” NoDra'ak said.
”Was the Admiral, at the time, trained for ground force deployment and combat operations?” The Detainee asked.
”No. At that time Space Force and the Navy did not train flag and staff rank for ground side combat,” General NoDra'ak said.
”Had you exhausted all other available assets? Including special assets?”
General NoDra'ak nodded slowly. ”A Novastar pilot in Ringbreaker configuration had already been deployed, but was not enough.”
”Were there any authorities that you neglected to confer with before you authorized the Vānaras System?”
”No.”
The matronly woman took the time to light two cigarettes at the same time, closing the lighter and putting it in a pocket of the blouse. She handed one to NoDra'ak and took a deep drag off of her own.
”There is no non-medical allowances for smoking in government buildings,” the judge said. ”Please, extinguish your cigarette.”
The Detainee looked at her for a long moment. ”Make me,” she turned and stared at the two bailiffs.
NoDra'ak saw her shadow shift, warp, becoming a massive creature with a large set of bat wings.
”Come, make me. Interfere with my duties and obligations,” the woman said.
NoDra'ak saw her eyes glow red. Not the normal red he'd seen with Terrans, but something different, almost like flickering flames deep in her eyes.
The judge shifted and then held up her hand. ”Seeing as you are the embodiment of the devil, I'll allow smoking at this time.”
The Detainee turned to General NoDra'ak again.
”In your professional experience and knowledge, was using the Vānaras System the correct decision at the time, with the knowledge you possessed, and the situation you were facing?” the Detainee asked.
”Yes,” General NoDra'ak said.
”And thus, based on your own knowledge and experience, you authorized General Trucker's request to activate the Vānaras System, knowing full well that the Black Cauldron Protocol was part of that system?” the Detainee asked.
”Yes,” General NoDra'ak said.
The Detainee turned to the judge. ”Nothing further, Your Honor,” she said.
The lawyer for Trucker stood up. ”No questions, Your Honor.”
The judge paused for a moment, then addressed the Detainee. ”Will you be making a case for the government or just for the defendant?”
The Detainee paused at the table for a long moment then turned around, removing the cigarette from between her lips and exhaling smoke.
”Judge Lemoyent, while it may be the burden of the State and the Confederate Government and the Confederate Military to prove guilt, the exact nature of guilt is what we are here to determine,” the Detainee said. She took another drag, staring at the judge. ”I must determine what, if anything, was misapplied in the decision to deploy the Vānaras System, of which the Black Cauldron Protocol is a part of.”
The judge just stared at the short woman in front of her.
”If you feel I should have asked questions more pertaining to General Trucker's guilt, then perhaps you would like to suggest those questions to me,” the Detainee smiled. The judge looked away. ”Very well. I would like to call for my next witness, Admiral Shtuklar.”
There was some stirring in the audience, but everyone watched the Admiral, in his Dress Blacks, moved up to the witness stand and be sworn in.
”You were responsible for the initial deployment, were you not?” the Detainee asked.
”I was,” the Admiral said.
”Were you trained in ground combat force deployment prior to that?”
”I was not.”
”During your deployment, did you or did you not deploy Chief Warrant Officer Casey in a suit of Novastar power armor in Ringbreaker configuration?” the Detainee asked.
”I did.”
The lawyer for Trucker stood up. ”Objection, Your Honor. Relevance. What does this have to do with the decisions of General Trucker?”
The judge looked at the Detainee for long moment.
”The line of questioning is relevant, Your Honor,” the Detainee said.
The judge looked at Trucker's lawyer. ”Overruled,” she looked back at the Detainee. ”I'll be watching carefully, counselor.”
The Detainee smiled, showing long incisors, then turned back to Admiral Shtuklar. ”Admiral, were you or were you not subjected to a board of inquiry for that action?”
”I was.”
”What was the determination of the board of inquiry?”
”I was found to be Not Innocent.”
”Of?”
”Crimes against sentience and a war crime in inhabited planet deployment of a Novastar pilot in armor as well as in a Ringbreaker configuration.
”And the penalty?”
”I was stripped of all Deck Rank as well as all Metal Rank as part of my lateral demotion to the rank of Admiral,” Admiral Shtuklar said. He looked down for a moment then back up. ”I was then placed under a bar to reenlistment as well as a bar to promotion.”
”Since that time, have you received training in ground combat deployment?” the Detainee asked, a large smile on her face.
”I have,” the Admiral managed to hold onto his dignity and composure during the questioning.
”With the knowledge you possess at this time, would you still deploy Chief Warrant Officer Casey in the same armor and configuration?” the Detainee asked.
Admiral Shtuklar nodded. ”I would.”
”Objection, Your Honor, relevance?” the lawyer for Trucker asked again.
”I am establishing the fact that Admiral Shtuklar has experience regarding the deployment of something like the Vānaras System,” the Detainee said.
The judge thought for a long moment then nodded. ”Overruled.”
The Detainee turned back to Admiral Shtuklar. ”Admiral, knowing what you know now, would you authorize the deployment of the Vānaras System?”
Admiral Shtuklar thought for a long moment, then finally nodded. ”I would.”
The Detainee looked at the judge. ”Nothing further.”
The judge looked at Trucker's lawyer. ”Your witness.”
The lawyer got up, moving in front of the Admiral. ”Admiral Shtuklar,” he said.
”Yes?” The Admiral looked perfectly calm.