"Did you find anyone else on the Michaelson had shown a lack of professional conduct prior to and during the fire?"
"I did."
"Objection." Commander Carr had sprung up as she'd been a coiled spring. "Irrelevant and immaterial. Lieutenant Silver is the one on trial here."
Commander Jones faced Judge Halstead. "Your Honor, Lieutenant Silver is indeed the accused. But if he is being accused of negligent behavior, it is relevant to establish how his actions were judged relative to other officers on the Michaelson."
Halstead frowned, then nodded. "Objection overruled."
Carr sat down as rapidly as she'd risen.
Jones turned back to Captain Shen. "I'll ask again, sir. Did you find anyone else on the Michaelson had shown a lack of professional conduct prior to and during the fire?"
"I did."
"Among them the collateral duty ship's legal officer whose own subsequent investigation led to the charges being filed against Lieutenant Silver?"
"Objection!"
"Overruled. For now. Counsel for the defense, you are skating dangerously close to the edge in your examination of this witness."
"Yes, Your Honor." Jones began pacing. "Lieutenant Silver's actions during the accident on the USS Michaelson were exonerated by your report, by your assessment based upon your years of experience. Lieutenant Silver was subsequently awarded a medal for his actions the night of 19 September. Yet another officer, one whose actions were judged less than adequate in your report, initiated events which led to Lieutenant Silver being court-martialed. Do you regard that as a fair summation of events?"
"I do."
Paul tried not to look away from the witness stand. He kept his eyes firmly on Captain Shen. I have nothing to hide. Nothing to be ashamed of. There's no way I'm going to act like the guilty one here. Commander Carr looked back, saw Paul's posture, and nodded with a quick, grim smile. Paul took another look at Lieutenant Silver, who now had an expression of unfairly wounded pride. How does he do that? Too bad he didn't go into acting instead of being responsible for the lives of others.
Jones drove his point home again. "Captain Shen, did you conclude Lieutenant Silver had acted negligently?"
"No, I did not."
"No more questions."
Commander Carr rose with a casual ease which startled Paul. Instead of displaying tension, she moved like a leopard stalking a challenging opponent. "Captain Shen, are you aware of the evidence marshaled against Lieutenant Silver in the subsequent investigation?"
"I am partly aware of it."
"Are you aware of the discovery that the engineering logs were deliberately damaged?"
"Yes, I am."
"Are you aware that a major piece of equipment in Forward Engineering was found to be in urgent need of repair, and that Lieutenant Silver made every effort to acquire the necessary spare without informing either his department head or his commanding officer?"
"I have heard that."
"Are you aware, sir, that Captain Hayes, Lieutenant Silver's commanding officer at the time of the accident on 19 September, believes Lieutenant Silver lied to him regarding his knowledge of events?"
"No."
"Were you aware that a statement provided to the investigation by Petty Officer First Class Ivan Sharpe of the USS Michaelson never reached you?"
"Of course not!"
"Sir, which officer on the USS Michaelso n did you assign responsibility to for gathering and forwarding documents to you during your investigation?"
Captain Shen's jaw worked. "Lieutenant Silver."
A slight rustle of motion attracted Paul's attention to the member's table. The officers there were watching Captain Shen with surprise and making notes. Another direct hit on Lieutenant Silver, courtesy of Commander Alex Carr. So that's what happened to the Sheriff's statement. I wonder how many other stealth weapons Carr has tucked away inside her blouse?
Commander Carr continued her questioning of Captain Shen as if unaware of the members' reactions. "Because Lieutenant Silver was the command duty officer on the night in question?"
"Yes."
"Do you find it interesting, Captain Shen, how many pieces of evidence regarding the accident on the USS Michaelson and the death of Chief Asher appear to have gone missing while Lieutenant Silver was in positions to influence them?"
"Objection." Commander Jones was doing his own imitation of a great cat whose territory was being challenged. "Trial counsel's statement is an attempt to prejudice the members by placing words in the witnesses' mouth, as well as an attempt to establish in court evidentiary matters still in dispute."
Commander Carr smiled at Jones. "I withdraw the question, Your Honor."
Judge Halstead eyed her narrowly. "Next time, Counsel, ensure you don't ask such inappropriate questions in the first place. The members are instructed to disregard the last question from trial counsel."
Carr looked momentarily contrite. "Yes, Your Honor. Captain Shen, does any of the information we discussed in any way alter your assessment of Lieutenant Silver's actions the night of 19 September?"
Captain Shen stared back at Commander Carr, his expression as hard as granite. "I would need to review all the information in its entirety. I do not make snap judgments based upon partial information."
Commander Carr leaned forward as if ready to spring. "Isn't that your job, sir, as commanding officer of a U.S. Navy warship? To make quick judgments based upon whatever information is available to you?"
Captain Shen's face clouded. "Commander, I do not need lectures from a lawyer regarding my duties as a line officer!"
Instead of responding directly, Commander Carr addressed Judge Halstead even as she kept her eyes locked on Captain Shen. "Your Honor, I ask that the court direct the witness to answer the question."
Halstead nodded. "It is so ordered. The witness will answer the question put to him."
"Thank you, Your Honor. Do you need the question repeated, Captain Shen?"
" No, I do not. Commander Carr, I am fully capable of, and experienced in, making the necessary decisions based upon available information. This situation does not qualify for such snap judgment."
"With all due respect, Captain Shen, that decision is for the court to make. I ask again, does any of the information found since your investigation was completed in any way alter your assessment of Lieutenant Silver's actions the night of 19 September?"
Captain Shen looked toward Judge Halstead, then Commander Jones, who grimaced but shook his head. He focused back upon Commander Carr. "Yes."
"Do you believe your assessment of Lieutenant Silver's actions the night of 19 September would differ if at that time you had available to you the evidence which has since been uncovered?"
"Yes."
"I would like to ask you, sir, as a Navy officer of unquestioned experience, what you would do if you uncovered information which a formal investigation had not been able to discover."
"It would depend upon the information."
"Information such as has been introduced into this court. Information such as we just discussed, Captain Shen. What would you have done? What would you advise another officer to do?"
"Objection. Trial counsel is asking the witness to answer a question regarding a theoretical situation."
Judge Halstead didn't wait for Commander Carr's reply. "Overruled. This is a matter within the witnesses' area of professional expertise."
Captain Shen's expression had shifted. Anger and contempt had been replaced by the intent expression of a combat officer sparring with a capable enemy. "I would tell that officer to bring the information to the attention of proper authority."
"His commanding officer, sir?"
"That's right, Commander Carr. His commanding officer."
"And that commanding officer would make the final decisions as to what action to take regarding this information?"