ADM. BLACKSTONE:
This court martial is called to order. Petty Officer Kess, you stand accused of taking Skiff-7 without authorization during the Cyreal incident of the 27th. How do you plead?
PO KESS:
Guilty to taking the skiff, sir. Not guilty to the spirit of the charges.
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
The court recognizes only the charges as stated. Lieutenant Commander Darkwind, present your case.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
The facts are undisputed. Petty Officer Kess commandeered Imperial property without authorization. The reasons are irrelevant to military law.
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
Captain Windholm, you may present your defense.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
Thank you, Admiral. I'd like to establish the tactical situation. Petty Officer Kess, at 1147 hours on the 27th, what was the status of INS Vigilant Sable?
PO KESS:
Sir, the ship was in dry dock undergoing hull repairs. The crew was dispersed across the harbor on various maintenance duties or on shore leave.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
And the command structure at that moment?
PO KESS:
Squadron Leader Lieutenant Idrin had been promoted that week and was at Naval Command receiving briefings. You were also at Naval Command, sir. There was no senior officer present with our detachment.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
When the bombardment began, what did you observe?
PO KESS:
Enemy skiffs... Hitting the civilian evacuation zones. The official evacuation ships couldn't reach the northern district due to their presence. I could see civilians—families with children—trapped in the target zone.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
What were your standing orders regarding civilian protection?
PO KESS:
Imperial Navy personnel are to protect Imperial citizens when possible and practical, sir.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
And what assessment did you make of the situation?
PO KESS:
I had a functional skiff, clear sight lines to the trapped civilians, and the practical ability to extract them safely. The bombardment pattern showed a seven-minute cycle between volleys targeting that sector.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
A precise tactical assessment. How many lives did you save?
PO KESS:
Seventeen civilians, sir.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Objection. The number of civilians is irrelevant to the charge of unauthorized use of Imperial property.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
Admiral, I submit that the preservation of Imperial lives is precisely relevant to any analysis of whether Petty Officer Kess's actions served Imperial interests. Furthermore, Petty Officer Kess is my crew, serving aboard my ship. He acted to preserve Imperial lives using resources under my ultimate command responsibility.
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
Captain Windholm, you will clarify your statement immediately.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
Sir, as commanding officer of INS Vigilant Sable, I bear responsibility for the actions of my crew—
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
Captain, you are dangerously close to contempt of court. INS Vigilant Sable is not "your" ship. It belongs to His Imperial Majesty's Navy. Petty Officer Kess is not "your" crew. He serves the Empire. You would do well to remember that distinction before this court questions your own fitness for command.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
My apologies, Admiral. I meant to say that as commanding officer, I bear responsibility for decisions made by personnel under my command authority.
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
The prosecution's objection is sustained. The defendant's motivations do not excuse the breach of protocol.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
Very well. Petty Officer Kess, in the absence of immediate command authority, what regulation governs independent action?
PO KESS:
Article 15 of the Naval Code, sir. "When communication with command authority is impossible and Imperial lives are in immediate danger, personnel may take reasonable action consistent with their training and Imperial interests."
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
And did you follow this regulation?
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Objection. There was no impossibility of communication. The defendant could have sought proper authorization.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
From whom, precisely? The absent Squadron Leader? The officers scattered across the city? While civilians died in a seven-minute bombardment cycle?
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Proper military procedure exists for all contingencies—
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
Including the procedure that authorizes saving Imperial lives when command is absent and time is critical, which is exactly what Petty Officer Kess followed.
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
Captain Windholm, you will not argue with the prosecution. Lieutenant Commander Darkwind, do you have evidence that proper authorization was readily available?
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
The defendant made no attempt to locate command authority before acting.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
Petty Officer Kess, how long would it have taken to locate the nearest ranking officer?
PO KESS:
At least forty minutes, sir. Those civilians would have been dead.
CAPT. WINDHOLM:
So you chose to preserve Imperial lives rather than preserve Imperial bureaucracy?
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Objection!
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
Lieutenant Callen, your testimony.
LT. CALLEN:
Admiral, I witnessed the entire incident. Petty Officer Kess acted with exceptional courage and tactical precision. His assessment of the bombardment pattern was correct, his execution flawless. Those seventeen people would be dead without his intervention.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Lieutenant, do you believe individual soldiers should make independent tactical decisions without authorization?
LT. CALLEN:
Ma'am, I believe Imperial soldiers should save Imperial lives when they have the clear ability to do so.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Regardless of chain of command?
LT. CALLEN:
The chain of command exists to serve the Empire, not the other way around. When following protocol means dead civilians, the protocol has failed.
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
That will be enough, Lieutenant. The court will not entertain philosophical debates about military structure.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
I call Squadron Leader, Lieutenant Idrin Savre.
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
Lieutenant Savre, you are reminded you are under oath.
LT. SAVRE:
Understood, Admiral.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Lieutenant, you were recently promoted from your position aboard INS Vigilant Sable. What was your relationship to the defendant?
LT. SAVRE:
Petty Officer Kess served as a hangar operator for fifteen months. He was a competent weapons specialist.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
On the morning of the 27th, where were you?
LT. SAVRE:
I was at Naval Command receiving briefings for my new assignment.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Did you authorize Petty Officer Kess to take independent action during the bombardment?
LT. SAVRE:
No, ma'am. I was not present and gave no such authorization.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
In your experience, was Petty Officer Kess prone to acting without orders?
LT. SAVRE:
He sometimes showed... initiative beyond what was specifically requested.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Initiative beyond orders. Would you characterize this as a pattern of insubordination?
LT. SAVRE:
I would characterize it as... exceeding expectations of his role.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Understood. Was the defendant ever disciplined for unauthorized actions?
LT. SAVRE:
Once. He modified targeting calculations without approval during a training exercise.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Unauthorized modification of Imperial weapons systems. What was the result?
LT. SAVRE:
The modifications improved accuracy.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
That's not the question, Lieutenant. Was it authorized?
LT. SAVRE:
...No, ma'am. It was not authorized.
LT. CDR. DARKWIND:
Thank you. No further questions.
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
Petty Officer Kess, do you have anything to say before this court renders its verdict?
PO KESS:
Sir, seventeen people are alive, sir. Shouldn't that matter?
[Brief recess - 1127 hours]
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
This court finds Petty Officer Kess guilty on all charges. Before sentencing, Lady Voss has a question for the defendant.
LADY VOSS:
Petty Officer Kess, do you dream?
PO KESS:
...I'm sorry, ma'am?
LADY VOSS:
It's a simple question. Do you experience dreams when you sleep?
PO KESS:
I... yes, ma'am. Sometimes. Why does that matter?
LADY VOSS:
[makes notation] That's all.
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
Very well. Petty Officer Third Class Leto Kess, this court sentences you to dishonorable discharge from His Imperial Majesty's Navy, forfeiture of all pay and benefits, and permanent prohibition from Imperial service. You are stripped of rank and dismissed from service effective immediately.
PO KESS:
Sir, again, what about the people who would've died? Doesn't that count for anything?
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
What counts, Mr. Kess, is order. The chain of command that keeps this Empire functioning. Individual conscience is a luxury the military cannot afford.
[Defendant's insignia removed]
ADM. BLACKSTONE:
This court is adjourned.