"I'll ask this directly, Lieutenant Shen. Did you do anything, either any act of commission or omission, on or before 21 February, which in any way could've have contributed to the destruction of the engineering compartments on the USS Maury?"
"I did not. I am offering sworn testimony to emphasize that I have nothing to hide. I did not commit the crimes of which I am accused. I could not."
Lieutenant Bashir nodded, then faced Commander Carr with a challenging expression. "Your witness, ma'am."
Judge McMasters exhaled heavily, then looked toward Carr as well. "Does trial counsel wish to cross-examine the defendant?"
Paul looked over at the trial counsel's table. Commander Carr had her head bent as she massaged her face with both hands. Lowering her hands and raising her head, Carr stood slowly, focused on Jen, and began walking toward her. Jen's eyes flicked toward Paul, her face betraying no emotion now.
Carr stopped before Jen and began speaking in a quiet but clear voice. "Lieutenant Shen, you've just testified to several things. You testified that Commander Juko, the chief engineer of the USS Maury, had stated concerns regarding the engineering system on the ship. Do you have any witnesses to this?"
"Lieutenant Schmidt, Ensign Guerrero, Chief-"
"Any living witnesses, Lieutenant?" Carr interrupted. "Anyone who can come to this stand or provide a statement supporting your testimony?"
Jen shook head, eyeing Carr defiantly. "No. They're all dead."
"Do you have any documentary evidence?"
"No. Everything was destroyed."
"You testified that the after power coupling was giving contradictory signals. Do you have any living witnesses to this?"
"No."
"No documentary evidence?"
"No."
"You testified that Commander Juko personally ordered you to go aft and investigate the power coupling. Are there any living witnesses who can corroborate this?"
"No."
"Any documentary evidence?"
"No."
Commander Carr looked downward, then back up. "What did you find at the after power coupling?"
"I never got to it."
"Are you aware that the investigation into the incident could find nothing wrong with the power coupling which was not clearly attributable to the shock of the explosions which the Maury suffered?"
Jen's eyes were wide now, but she kept her gaze steady. "I have been told that."
"Can you explain why the investigation found that there was nothing wrong with the power coupling when you claim to have been ordered to investigate problems with it?"
"No. Commander Juko told me to check it."
"We can't ask Commander Juko to confirm that, can we, Lieutenant Shen?"
Jen's jaw tightened spasmodically. After a few seconds she managed to answer. "No."
"How do you explain the fact that you reached safety from the explosions just moments before they destroyed the engineering compartments on the USS Maury?"
"I…" Jen stared at Paul for a moment.
I remember, Jen. You asked me 'why.' I couldn't tell you. How can anyone know the answer to that?
"I…" Jen swallowed again. "I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I don't know why the explosions happened then and not five seconds earlier!"
Carr nodded, her own expression momentarily shifting in a way Paul couldn't decipher. "Thank you, Lieutenant Shen. Then you cannot offer any evidence to substantiate your account of events or any explanation as to how you happened to survive something which killed all of your co-workers?"
Paul almost flinched from the look in Jen's eyes as she stared at Commander Carr. Now I really know what "if looks could kill" means.
But Jen just shook her head. "Only my word as an officer."
"Thank you, Ms. Shen. What were your relationships with the other personnel in engineering on the Maury?"
"I… fine. Not perfect. Good working relationships."
"That's it? Nothing closer with anyone?"
"No!"
"Not with your superior, Commander Juko? Not with Lieutenant Schmidt?"
" No! That earlier testimony from Lieutenant Taber was bu-… totally unsubstantiated."
Carr lowered her head again. From his angle, Paul could see her biting her lip, but when she raised her head Carr's face was composed. "Lieutenant Shen, have you ever had a physical relationship with another officer assigned to the same ship?"
Paul felt his throat tightening so much he couldn't breath. Jen's face had frozen. A long moment passed. Jen didn't look at him again, even for an instant. She did have one. With me. Only after we both knew she was leaving the ship within a few days. But still, she had one. With me. And now she has to decide whether to lie about that. Under oath. But if she doesn't lie about it, it'll look bad.
How did Carr find out? I never even hinted at it. Who else knew? Kris Denaldo wouldn't have — Paul's eyes jerked involuntarily over toward Commander Herdez. Herdez knew. As our XO back then.
Even though she didn't return Paul's stare, Herdez moved her head back and forth slightly in a single, firm denial.
"Objection!" Lieutenant Bashir was either angry or very convincingly faking it. "Trial counsel is introducing issues which were not part of the defendant's sworn statement."
Carr shook her head. "Your Honor, the defendant made statements as to her relationships with others on the Maury. This is an elaboration on that."
"Your Honor, there is-"
Bashir subsided as McMasters held up one hand. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. But Lieutenant Shen did address the issue when she described her relationships with her shipmates and when she made the very general statement that she knew of no reason why she'd want to harm her shipmates. That opens the matter for cross-examination by trial counsel. Objection overruled. Proceed, Commander Carr."
"Lieutenant Shen?" Commander Carr leaned a little closer. "Did you understand the question? Do I need to repeat it?"
Jen closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them with every appearance of calm. "Yes, ma'am."
"And what is your answer?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Carr kept her eyes on Jen even though she seemed to be addressing the entire courtroom now. "You've had physical relationships in the past with officers assigned to the same ship."
" No, ma'am. I had a physical relationship with an officer during a period of six days in which we were still assigned to the same ship. That is the only time such a thing has ever occurred and it wouldn't have happened then if I hadn't been leaving the ship in the very immediate future."
"But, Lieutenant, by your own admission, it is not something you'd never consider. Not something you'd never do. Can you disagree with what I'm saying?"
Jen looked as if she were choking but her voice was clear. "No, I cannot. But I swear I had no such relationship on the Maury with anyone."
Commander Carr watched Jen for a long moment, then turned away. "No further questions."
Lieutenant Bashir stood again. "Lieutenant Shen, let's get this out in the open. Did you have any personal reasons to dislike or even hate any members of the Maury 's crew, officer or enlisted?"
"Not that much, no."
"Did you want even any single one of them dead?"
"No. They were normal working relationships. I didn't hate anyone on the ship."
"Did you have any reason to want any of them dead?"
"No."
"Thank you, Lieutenant Shen."
Judge McMasters gestured toward the members of the court. "Captain Carney, do the members of the court wish to question Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen regarding her testimony?"
Captain Carney frowned and looked to either side. "I, um, what else can we ask?"
Lieutenant Kalin looked beseechingly toward Jen, ignoring Carney. "Lieutenant Shen, can you provide us with any alternate explanation for what happened to the USS Maury?"
Jen stared back, then shook her head. "No, ma'am."