"Yes, Your Honor. No more questions at this time."
Commander Carr approached Falco with a calm demeanor that worried Paul. She seems too confident. What does she know about this guy?
"Lieutenant Falco, when you said you switched ratings from machinist to electrician, isn't it true that you'd failed to advance three times running to Machinist Mate First Class even though there was a shortage of such machinists?"
Falco's mouth twisted in a stubborn expression. "People weren't advancing in that rate. That happens sometimes."
"And when you said Admiral Michaelson asked 'for you,' didn't you mean he assigned your entire unit to the construction of Franklin?"
"He knew I was part of the unit."
"Lieutenant Falco, you were commissioned as an ensign nine years ago. Normal promotion periods should have you a Lieutenant Commander by now. Can you explain why you haven't made rank?"
Lieutenant Bashir stood up. "Objection, your honor. Trial counsel is harassing the witness."
McMasters shook his head. "Trial counsel is asking legitimate questions, Lieutenant. Overruled. Proceed, Commander Carr."
"Thank you, your honor." Carr turned back to Falco, who was now openly glowering at her. "Lieutenant?"
"I don't always rub people the right way, Commander. I may not be the most diplomatic man in the Navy but by God I know my job!"
"Why were you asked to do back-to-back tours at the Franklin Naval Shipyard, Lieutenant Falco?"
"Because they needed me!"
Carr consulted her data pad. "Do you want me to quote from the recommendation of your superior, Lieutenant Falco?"
Falco flushed. "I told you I rub people the wrong way, sometimes. That b- excuse me, my superior didn't know her job and wanted me to stay so I could cover for her."
"Didn't she actually say, in a memo endorsed by each of your superiors, that you needed to be closely supervised and were best held in that position at Franklin until you could be forced to retire next year?" Falco just glared at Carr. "Lieutenant?"
"I don't know what that memo said. I don't know what my superiors said. None of them know half what they should know to do their jobs right!"
This time, Paul tried not to let his despair show. Oh, great. Falco's a blustering braggart. His credibility just got shredded. Paul looked toward Lieutenant Bashir, who had the expression of a gambler who had just failed to draw to an inside straight.
Commander Carr audibly sighed. "Lieutenant Falco, are you an expert on engineering systems on Mahan — Class warships?"
"I'm as expert as anybody!"
"Lieutenant Falco, you're under oath. What do you believe qualifies you as an expert on the engineering systems on Mahan — Class warships?"
Falco stabbed his forefinger at her, his entire face now red. "I know engineering! It's all the same. It doesn't change."
Carr waited for several seconds after Falco finished, as if waiting for him to continue. "That's all, Lieutenant? General knowledge of engineering? That's make you a better expert on the engineering systems on the Maury than, say, Rear Admiral Hidalgo, the fleet engineering staff officer?"
Falco slumped back, his face still red. "Practical experience. Yes. Hell, yes. I've worked on all that stuff." He held up his hands. "I've got calluses from working on it! Not a bunch of college courses and theory and garbage, but on the deck working experience!"
"I see." Carr's tone carried a dismissive meaning that penetrated Falco's anger and made him glare even more angrily. Commander Carr eyed him a moment longer, then shook her head slowly. "I have no further questions for this witness."
Bashir shook his head. "No redirect."
Paul thought he could read Bashir's mind. Just get that idiot off of the witness stand before he does more damage to the credibility of the defense case. Why'd Bashir choose him for a witness, anyway? Why not somebody else? He felt a sick sensation in his stomach not unlike what happened when the main drives shut off. Maybe there wasn't somebody else. Maybe Falco was all Bashir could find willing to testify that the investigation was wrong.
Captain Carney had a smile on his face, but it wasn't a pleasant smile. "Lieutenant Falco, are you always right and your superiors always wrong?"
Falco sat up straight again. "It usually seems to work out that way, yes, sir."
Paul barely restrained himself from slapping his forehead. You idiot. You didn't even recognize the sarcasm in Carney's question.
Carney nodded. "I kind of thought you'd say that, Lieutenant. Any more questions for Lieutenant Falco?" This time, at least, the rest of the officers on the court-martial didn't need to be intimidated. All shook their heads with varying expressions of amusement or annoyance. "Thank you, Lieutenant."
Falco looked around as if unsure what to do now. The bailiff gestured him toward the main door of the courtroom and Falco walked out, his face and neck still red with anger.
Lieutenant Bashir stood again. "The defense calls as its next witness Mr. Victor Zimmer."
Zimmer wasn't really out of shape, but in a court-room full of officers and enlisted personnel who were required to meet rigorous standards for weight and fitness, the civilian looked a bit chunky. Unlike the military witnesses, he didn't march up to the witness stand, but almost seemed to stroll. Paul remembered the suggestion about using his brother David as a lawyer for Jen. He'd look like that, too. Out of place. As far as I know, David's a fine enough lawyer, but he'd be a fish out of water up here.
"Mr. Zimmer." Bashir smiled encouragingly. "What is your current position?"
Zimmer ducked his head and smiled back as he answered. "Team supervisor, Franklin Naval Shipyard."
"Did you work on the USS Maury during her recent overhaul?"
"Yes, sir. I certainly did." Zimmer nodded firmly. "Shift on and shift off for months. There's not all that much to do up here but work, so we usually work shift on and shift off."
"Yes, Mr. Zimmer. What can you tell us about the work you observed during that time?"
"Oh, we had some problems. Yeah. Drugs. Booze from local stills. Sloppy work. You name it."
Paul wanted to believe Zimmer, but at the same time he found his testimony a little too good. How could all that have been missed by the people overseeing the work on the Maury? And Jen never said anything to me about the work being exceptionally sloppy. He looked at her, but Jen's face wasn't revealing anything.
Bashir leaned closer as he pressed Zimmer. "Miswiring?"
"Sure."
"Safety rules ignored?"
"All the time."
"Work not done according to specifications?"
"Yeah."
"Do you have any estimate as to what the combined effect of all this on the engineering systems of the Maury would be?"
Paul looked toward Carr, expecting her to object, but she simply watched Zimmer.
Zimmer shook his head with a sorrowful expression. "Bad. I mean, I don't know how bad. But it wouldn't work like it should. No, sirree."
Bashir paused, then nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Zimmer. No more questions."
Commander Carr once again rose as if tired, staying behind the trial counsel's table. "Mr. Zimmer, how much time have you spent actually working at Franklin Naval Shipyard?"
"Uh, lessee, came up in, uh, September, about."
"Six months?"
"Well, I didn't start for a few weeks 'cause of some paperwork issues-"
"Five months."
"About. Yes."
"What is your primary area of work?"
"Excuse me?"
Commander Carr bent her head for a moment, then looked at Zimmer again. "What do you work on at Franklin Naval Shipyard?"
"Ships!" Zimmer looked around at the reaction to his answer, then his face cleared. "Oh, you mean like, exactly, right? I'm a multi-system connectivity specialist."
Carr nodded. "That means you run cables through the ship, right, Mr. Zimmer? Fiber optic, electrical, and other cables?"