"I'll be with you three in a minute," Zhing announced. "But for heaven's sake don't stand around there gawking, get your anti-radiation suits on right now."
Justin suddenly realized that he had been getting a heavy exposure for nearly an hour.
He stepped closer to Matt and clumsily took his friend's hand.
"Thanks again, old buddy, I owe you one," Matt whispered.
"No matter what, it was worth it, Matt, it was worth it."
"Hard dock!"
"All hands, all hands, proceed to the main airlock."
Justin unstrapped from his seat and looked over at Tanya. The storm had finally abated the day before, allowing them to at least get out of the anti-radiation suits. Zhing estimated that their little one-hour jaunt free of protection had exposed them to over a year's acceptable level of radiation, which would mean either grounding or limited duty aboard a well-shielded habitat. The end of the storm had meant that communications had been reestablished as well, and when the USMC heard the news they had been ordered straight to the moon of Mars as Hemenez had assumed they would be. The base commander was undoubtedly waiting just on the other side of the airlock.
The one great irony to the entire crisis was that the incident aboard Gustavus had been resolved without casualties; in fact, the first report of injuries was exaggerated, only one crew member of the ship had been injured, a tooth loosened in a scuffle, and one separatist slightly wounded. After holding the ship for only a day they had disembarked without incident and fled upon the approach of a Service heavy cruiser, which had not engaged in pursuit.
He could well imagine, though, that with the Gustavus incident fading into the background what had happened aboard the Sotners would now be the center of attention.
"Ready for this?' Justin asked, extending a hand to Tanya to help her up.
"Got butterflies in my stomach. More scared now than when we stormed into the lounge."
"You were one cool piece of work on that," Justin said.
Tanya laughed. "You should've seen yourself wish I had a vid of it. My God, you looked ferocious."
"Who, me?" and he suddenly felt even more nervous.
"Yeah, you, Justin Wood Bell. I think you would have drilled MacKenzie without a second thought if it came to it."
Justin wondered about that. He had, indeed, hesitated, letting MacKenzie get off two shots, and he wondered why. Yet for an instant there he really did want to kill him, especially after seeing Matt in the airlock, fully exposed to the vacuum of space. The whole thing was far too confusing to sort out right now.
Madison gave Tanya a hand as well and die two pulled her up; together they headed out into the corridor. Those around them fell silent as they passed, a few whispering "good lucks" before hurrying on.
"Well, children, are we ready to face the music?"
Justin smiled at the sight of O'Brian. For the first time since he joined the Somers Justin saw the cook not in an old T-shirt but dressed in full class-A blues, a tangle of ribbons on his left breast. Justin was surprised to see a Medal of Honor with Oak Leaf Cluster and a Purple Heart among the "spaghetti." O'Brian caught him staring.
"Yeah, saw a little fun now and again but I tell you, this ride took the cake. Now let's get forward, can't be late for what might be our funerals."
Justin stepped into the lounge and, seeing Matt coming slowly through the door to the forward section, went over to join him.
"How we doing today?" Justin asked.
"Feeling coming back in my fingers and toes gosh, I thought old Zhing was gonna have to lop them off."
"Your ear?"
"Healing. He did a little laser surgery on it yesterday, said I should be back up to Service standard in a month. Darn, can't wash out just because of a bad ear."
Justin smiled. Washing out over a busted eardrum was the least of his worries for Matt at the moment.
"Captain on deck," someone announced, and all came to attention as Hemenez, her arm still in a sling, came into the room. She went up to the airlock door, stopped, and slowly surveyed the group.
"You're a good crew and I hope you don't think it strange for me to say that it was an honor to serve with you. As I promised, I have not looked at your reports. I know you filled them out honestly and that's all that I ask that if questioned about the events which transpired on this ship you speak truthfully and with courage no matter how you feel about what happened here. Open the airlock."
As the door unhinged a bosun's pipe twittered. Justin drew in his breath and he saw a quick sidelong glance of reassurance from Hemenez.
The first man through the door was a fully armed marine in battle gear. The marine cleared the airlock, sharply scanned the group, and then stepped to one side. A short portly man wearing the uniform of a base commander came through the door, and Hemenez snapped to attention and saluted.
"Acting Ship's Captain Hemenez, sir. Welcome aboard."
The commander returned the salute and then slowly examined the group, his gazing lingering on Justin and Matt as if he had been studying their pictures long before actually meeting them face to face.
"Captain, you are relieved. My Exec will take command. Where are Captain MacKenzie, Lieutenant Lewis and Cadet Colson?"
"Down below, sir."
The commander motioned with his hand; half a dozen marines came aboard and immediately headed for the lower deck.
"Lieutenant Hemenez, Sergeant O'Brian, Cadets Everett, Leonov, Smith and Bell, come with me."
Justin spared one final glance for his comrades, and he could see that all eyes were fixed on him. He was tempted to say something but knew it would be inappropriate, and as he left the ship he wondered if he would ever see any of them again.
Chapter X
"Plebe Cadet Bell, Justin, 144-99-1842 reporting as ordered."
Justin stood before the Court-Martial Review Board, eyes straight ahead. Behind the five men sitting at the long table he could see Mons Olympus framed by the airlock window. The highest mountain on Mars soaring upward, its summit lost beneath a thin line of clouds wreathing the slopes. It felt good to have one-third gravity under his feet again; it made him feel steady.
Outside the window he saw a few protesters standing outside the base perimeter; one sign caught his eye, Space Mackenzie! Justin flushed at the sight of it.
The hearings and trial had been moved down to Lowell City, the main base of the USMC on the planets surface. The general explanation was that a matter of such grave significance had to be heard by the office of the rear admiral in command of Mars, Omar Singh. Justin could understand the unstated political reasons as well. The separatists had seized upon the "Somers Incident," as it was now called, to demonstrate that the USMC was a service out of control. Holding the trial in the heart of the separatist region would be seen, hopefully, as an act of fairness. He also knew that the media back on Earth saw the holding of the review board on Mars as caving in. More than one commentator was openly stating that MacKenzie had in fact shown restraint and should be decorated for heroism rather than face a court-martial. Justin and his followers were already being branded as a group of reckless, spoiled children.
"Mr. Bell, you may be seated."
Justin sat down in the plain armless chair in the middle of the room. Admiral Singh was sitting less than a four meters away, a semicircle of glittering brass flanking him on either side. Singh nodded to the Judge Advocate, who stood up.
"Mr. Bell, I am Captain Tracey Houston. I want to explain something to you before we proceed. This is not a general court-martial but rather a review board hearing to decide if the events that you were involved in aboard the Somers warrant the need for a general court-martial, and if so what charges the USMC will bring against you and others. Do you understand that?"