The Needs of the Few.
A short story by Heidi
CHAPTER ONE
Captain Delaney – relieved of duty and restricted to quarters
Commander Phillips – temporarily taking captaincy of the USS Hawkins.
Ensign Hecatri – currently standing at attention in front of Phillips desk.
“You realise that your actions have to be accounted for?”, asked Phillips. “Yes, sir” replied Hecatri.
“It will be considered a murder, and you’ll be tried. If we weren’t so far from any Federation ship, base, or planet, I’d send for a legal team to deal with this. But as it is, I’ll have to conduct the trial with prosecution and defence taken from the crew. You can choose who you want to represent you, or you can go it alone,but you cannot choose any of the commanders – Saavik, Ace, Lugii, Oldman nor Henderson. And not doctor Longbow. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir”.
“Then you will be escorted to the brig pending your trial tomorrow at fifteen hundred”.
CHAPTER TWO
Onrdriuu Delfi, a betazoid, could feel other peoples emotions as if they were his own. His race of people were empaths, and what he felt emanating from his friend was a quite resignation to her fate.
He didn’t know how to encourage or comfort her. Suddenly, their other friend – Arrax ( who was an Andorian ) burst in.
“ Hey, Hecatri!. I can’t believe they’ve done this to you. They can’t be serious!”.
“Murder IS a serious thing”. Replied Hecatri.
“But it’s NOT murder” said Arrax
The other two stared at him as if he’d lost his senses.
“Think about it. You don’t have to defend yourself on this charge. Let them PROVE it was murder!”.
The three friends spoke long into the night. Finally Hecatri said “Let’s pray. Only God can help me on this one – I need a miracle”. They joined hands…..
The conference room 2. -- 3pm….
“Hecatri, you stand accused of the murder of the being M’Fistto. How do you plead? Asked commander Phillips. He was seated in the centre of the enquiry panel, flanked By commanders Oldman, Henderson, Saavik, Red Elk, and doctors Patel and Longbow.,
Hecatri answered “Not guilty”.
There was a murmur of surprise amongst those of the crew who had gathered to hear the trial.
Phillips ( who wanted the trial over as quick as possible ) pressed on. “There are eleven witnesses to the deed. How can you refute the accounts of so many Witnesses?”
Hecatri’s heart raced. If she lost this trial, her sentence would be harder for having denied murder. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Saavik lean forward, a thing she did when she was particularly interested in, or challenging a line of conversation.
“Well….” Thought Hecatri to herself, “no-one was expecting that answer I guess” She glanced at Arrax who sat grimfaced in the row of people to see the outcome, and to lend his support. He gave her a look of confidence. So she continued.“I refute not the witnesses, but the interpretation of events. Any crewman that has killed an invading hostile is a murderer according to you”.
Excited murmurings sprung up all around the room. Then a hush descended as commander Oldman reminded those present of the event on the bridge. He called 9 of the witnesses to give a description of what they saw.
“And you say that’s NOT murder?” Challenged Oldman.
“I call on my defence representative”. Announced Hecatri. Ondriuu Delfi – lieutenant in communications department took the stand.
“Commanders, there can be no charge of murder when one has not been committed, the deceased had on TWELVE occasions boarded this ship with impunity. An intergalactic Prankster? I say NO. I put it to you that M’Fistto was a hostile, arrogantly toying with us while assessing our capabilities, our weaknesses. He was a dangerous enemy”.
“No act of war was declared” offered Oldman. “Hecatri had no evidence to suppose M’Fistto had ill-intent”.
“Does war HAVE to be formerly declared before we acknowledge it?” Delfi challenged.
Doctor Kitty Longbow stepped in with her counter-challenge…”M’Fistto was a civilian and unarmed”.
“How do you KNOW he wasn’t part of a military unit? He could have been a scout for all you know. Just because he didn’t wear what WE would pass as a uniform doesn’t mean that he wasn’t, and may I also point out that there are such things as PIRATES and MERCENARIES.”
Quite a few heads were nodding in agreement, there were a few among the crewmen who had lost a loved one to Orion pirate attacks.
“Mercenaries and pirates are also armed” replied Longbow.
Delfi looked uncertain, “I ask for a break in the proceedings” he asked.
“Granted” replied Philips.
Arrax,Delfi and Hecatri gathered and spoke in hushed whispers. Hecatri would represent herself from here on in. They also had a ‘wildcard’.
HALF AN HOUR LATER…
“You accused me of killing an unarmed man, May I now demonstrate another assumption on your part. I call for witnesses to M’Fisto’s behaviour. I call Sheesheesheshash,
Commander of Security to the stand”.
The huge powerfully built Gorn – a reptilian species, bulged in his uniform which was especially adapted for his frame. Most people found his name difficult to pronounce and even his staff shortened it to ‘Sheesh’, he gave a nod of approval as he took the stand, at Hecatri’s near-perfect pronounciation.
“Commander…” and here Oldman attempted to say the name carefully “She…she..shesh..osh, what evidence do you bring?”
“It is this – M’Fistto boarded us twelve times and each time he appeared in either the engine room, warp-coil drive chamber, weapons storage sector, the bridge or shuttle-bays two, three and eight. Do I need to remind the panel that these are classic target area’s for any boarding party to secure or disable a ship?
I will also point out that M’Fistto demonstrated ‘god-like’ powers that could be classified as ‘weapons’ – not in the traditional sense as WE understand weaponry, but dangerous non-the-less. And what tactical information was he gathering as he used his telepathic powers? I certainly interpreted his actions as hostile. He was dangerous.”
Sheesheesheshash had finished delivering his account, Hecatri retook the stand. It was time to play the ‘wildcard’.
“You said you had eleven witnesses from the bridge, but there were TWELVE. I call for Captain Delaney” said Hecatri with confidence.
“Objection” commander Lugii said, “the captain is currently detained on grounds of diminished responsibilities. For mental health reasons he is an unreliable witness”.
Hecatri challenged the panel “This must be a fair trial! You cannot dismiss the captain’s testimony – he was an eye-witness. Your issues with his command are SEPARATE to this case. He was in command and HE did NOT have a problem with my course of action. In fact, he supported it. And his command abilities are yet to be proven!”
Hecatri knew that there would be an enquiry into the relief of command, so their view of the captain could be challenged. Until proven, his insanity was disputable, and his words would carry a lot of weight in this trial.
The panel called for a break to weigh the situation, after 3 hours everyone reconvened. “Hecatri, in order to establish the truth of your interpretation of M’Fistto’s motives we ask that you submit to a telepathic enquiry”
It was Saavik who had spoken, It was probably HER idea too. Never one to take sides or show favouritism.
“Objection” broke in Delfi “as an empathy, I can attest that Hecatri had no malice towards M’Fistto”
“Over-ruled” countered Phillips, “you are a representative to the defence, we must have a neutral testimony, besides emotions can be pushed down and hidden.”
Arrax and Delfi both shot Saavik a look that could have withered a fig tree. She either failed to notice or chose not to notice. She sat bolt upright throughout the whole trial – never a flicker of reaction to anything said or revealed. It was as if she and Hecatri were perfect strangers.
“I don’t have anything to hide. Do it” offered Hecatri
Ensign Stun of the catering corps volunteered. He was the most experienced Vulcan in mindmelds. It would be impossible to hide anything from him. The thin tall Vulcan entered the room and a deathly hush fell upon all there. Even a non-vulcan knew the seriousness of what was about to happen. The two of them stood close and opposite to each other. This would prove beyond all doubt if Hecatri carried the deed with malicious intent. Stonn’s 6’9” frame towered over the 5’5” Hecatri, rendering her child-like in appearance.
“This is an invasion of privacy, are you sure you want to proceed?” he asked
“I have nothing to hide. And there is no invasion where there is invitation.” She replied
Then Stonn said loud enough for all to hear,” nahp, hif-bi tu throks” (your thoughts – give them to me).
Stonn’s fingers lightly touched the side of Hecatri’s face as he melded, almost immediately a flicker of surprise crossed his face by the briefest of moments, and only Saavik and the other Vulcan present could detect this. A minute or two passed.
Stonn withdrew his hand. Then he declared “Hecatri is innocent of malice or violent inclination or instability of mind. She saw M’Fistto as a real danger and acted accordingly.”
Sighs of relief escaped the crowd. Phillips asked for the jury to decide. It took only a minute to give the verdict.
“Ensign Hecatri, this court finds you INNOCENT of the charge of murder, having acted according to your Starfleet training concerning the boarding of an enemy. You are commended for your insight into the nature of the threat.”
Looking at Commander Phillips Hecatri saw relief on his face. Whoops of joy erupted around her as her friends gathered to congratulate her. But only Stonn and Delfi knew the deep regret she felt at taking a life. This was a victory she chose not to relish.
And Saavik, having given her congratulations wondered what had so surprised Stonn – he, an accomplished melder, had almost been caught out by.
But that is another story…..
THE END
