Part 72: QUAGMIRE BOG

When the D 40 Long range shuttle of the Devi arrived a few days later we had time to complete our Shuttle landing deck. We had not started on the actual space port landing field, called for in the plans for the medium sized Planetary base, since it would take our robots many month to prepare the foundations and pour thousands of tons of duro crete, but the Landing deck on top of the base was more than adequate to accommodate a D 40 shuttle.

We had remained in contact with the Devi and transmitted a detailed written report.

We all assembled before the entrance to the landing platform elevator, wearing fresh clean uniforms and had our luggage ready behind us.

From the now landed D 40 emerged Captain Harris and the Admiral himself and behind them a group of fleet officers with science team badges on their sleeves and five marines stepped on the platform.

I called my friends into attention and the Admiral gave us a short crisp inspection before he allowed me to put them at ease. I said saluting them.” Admiral, Sir. Quagmire Bog Forward research base Cara Paterhum ready for your inspection.”

Harris stood behind him and asked.” Cara Paterhum what does that mean?”

“Sir, Fleet Regulation 4539-575 subsection eight pertaining the establishment of new bases upon previously unoccupied spatial bodies gives the officer in charge the right to name said base, if no name had been chosen by fleet command prior to construction. We decided to name this base after the so named local temple that used to be here, in doing so we wanted to honor the original inhabitants of this world.”

Both of them raised their eyebrows simultaneous and almost the same way, attesting to the fact how long these two men had served together and Harris nodded.” Fine sentiment, Midshipman.”

We gave the arrived officers a tour of the facility and showed them the captured Snake beings held in stasis. Wetmouth explained to them that the crates in another store room held the salvaged alien machinery from the cave we had assaulted and other crates were filled with pieces of temple artifacts, collected plant and animal specimen.

Near the end of the short tour while Wetmouth and Cirruit showed off golden artifacts and jeweled statues that was part of the temple treasures she was able to excavate and secure, Stahl stood in the back and said quietly to me. “I understand the military greeting and I appreciate all the crisp and professional way you are displaying but all this quoting of military regulations and handbooks seems out of character, Mr. Olafson. What has happened that changed you?”

“Admiral Sir, we are at war with the Nul are we not?”

“No son we are not at war with anyone at the moment. Why do you say that?”

“We have working GalNet terminals and we figured only a war could have kept you all that long away. None of our enemies has the technology to jam GalNet communications after all, besides It is beyond my understanding of fleet regulations why fleet command saw it fit to send midshipmen to this planet without clear instructions or adequate equipment. In light of previous experiences I therefore came to the decision to stick to the military rules and regulations, quote them where ever I go, since they seem to have so very little meaning to those in charge, Sir.”

There was actually something like pain in the old warriors face and I already regretted my sharp tone, but I had to put the anger I felt in words.

“Son, I was not aboard the Devi for the last six weeks and Captain Harris did not know you were gone. There is a pile of manure crawling with vermin on the Devi and we will clean house when we are back, you have my word on that.”

I wanted to apologize for my choice of words but he stopped me. “I want our future officers to speak their mind. I understand your anger and while I appear calm, I assure you there is a volcano boiling inside me for what has been done right under my nose and there will be an eruption and it won’t be pretty.”

I officially turned the base over to Lieutenant Strasenburgh and his team; it was him who had come along with the Captain and the Admiral. We briefed them on the conditions on the planet and then as we boarded the shuttle, I could almost sense the relief my friends felt.

Returning to the Devi was like coming home. We were checked out in sick bay and after we had time to clean up we were summoned by the Captain himself to the big auditorium on deck 54. All other midshipman groups were there and to our pleasant surprise we saw Lt. Merkus. He was standing next to Lt. Clusen. The chief instructor tried to look indifferent but I sensed how displeased he was to see us. He could not completely hide his nervousness as he nibbled on his lower lip.

Suppor and the red team were there, sitting prominently in the lower middle. The Thauran was much less successful to hide his feelings seeing us.

The Captain greeted us and asked us to join him at the podium while Admiral Stahl stood in the back by the main entrance with his arms crossed before his chest.

Harris asked us to give an account of where we had been and what we had done.

I delivered my report and concluded: “For our scientific report, the collected specimen, unearthed ruins, captured alien psionic gifted beings and the ancient alien breeding facility I am giving the podium to Midshipman Wetmouth.”

Harris raised his hands. “One moment Mr. Olafson, would you mind and explainto me how you ended up on a planet that was strictly off limits and deemed too dangerous for anyone except a special selected team with Marine support?”

“Sir, we had no knowledge of our destination being off limits; we had no control over the destination of the shuttle that dropped us of. We did asked several times to verify our orders and destination and each time the orders were confirmed, by Lt. Clusen, the Shuttle hangar officer and the shuttle pilot.I recorded all orders given on PDD as all instructions and orders given to us were verbal only.

We were ordered to conduct this mission as our field test. The nature and name of the planet was only revealed when we found the PDD in the packing crate.”

Admiral Stahl’s voice sounded calm as he asked form the back where he was standing. “Lt Clusen, can you shed some light on this mystery then? Sending Midshipman to Quagmire Bog was certainly not part of the field test.”

Clusen shrugged and said. “I can’t know all the planets that are off limits or deemed dangerous, Sir. I received the orders to send the Olafson team there for their evaluation test from Academy HQ. That particular Midshipman team received so much attention from Senior Command, over other much more deserving teams, made me believe it would be a particular easy assigment.”

Harris said. “Academy HQ has never in its entire history sent Midshipmen to restricted planets. The HQ orders were for Lt Strasenburgh and his team and came from the Science Corps not the Academy, including the equipment on the shuttle.”

Clusens said with a tone of accusation in his voice. “The Olafson team has been favored since they came aboard. Their impossible scores inflated by military decorations they could not possibly have earned, making it unfair to those Midshipmen working hard to gain their accolades. Commanding the Devastator, being picked for fighter class, and showing off obviously choreographed fighting before important dignitaries and showing off at the Diamond ball escorting royals. How should I know that this was anything different? I simply followed orders and sent them along. Frankly I have to say since they have been gone; things ran much smoother on Deck 54 and those who really deserve it excelled.”

Someone handed Harris a PDD and the captain looked at it at the same time marines escorted a Chief Petty Officer to the front. The man had light blue skin and wore the insignia of a Shuttle pilot on his sleeve.

Harris looked up. “Mr. Uhrim, I understand you flew the shuttle that dropped these Midshipmen on Quagmire Bog. I was also informed you are currently investigated for stealing five highly classified Jammer Drones. I am sure it won’t surprise you to hear we found them in an orbit around that planet. You know what the penalty is for stealing classified Mil Tech?”

The shuttle pilot grunted. “I am not taking the fall for this alone. I had no choice; I am Thauran and was forced to obey him.”

“Lt. Clusen?”

“No not him, he has little to say. I am talking about Midshipman Suppor.”

Clusen still tried to save the situation. “The orders came from Academy HQ. If one of my midshipmen did something illegal, then I will investigate and deal with it. Sir this discussion should not take place before all these midshipmen.”

“Oh it will happen right here. They earned the right to hear why the Navy sent a bunch of Midshipmen ill equipped to one of the most dangerous planets without any support.”

Stahl walked to the front of the auditorium. “I give you one chance and one chance only Mr. Clusen. If you tell me the truth now I will give you a fair trial and court martial. If you lie to me I will not consider you an officer and deal with you accordingly.”

Clusen remained defiant. “I followed HQ orders.”

Stahl waved at someone and a marine escorted a furry gray being in Lt Uniform.

Stahl said to it. “Lt. Nort. You are the Communications Officer that was on duty while these orders supposedly were received from Academy HQ. We can find no transmission log for that day. Your signature however can be found on a document that chancels the deployment of the actual survey team and substitutes it with the Midshipman team. Can you explain that?”

The being was nervous and Clusen was staring at the being with such intensity as if he wanted to kill it with his gaze.

The furry Lt tried to escape the stare and said in a quiet tone.” No Sir I cannot confirm that. No communications have been received from the Academy during that time or any time while I was on duty since we left Arsenal 4.”

“How come the orders where decoded by you?”

“Sir I let Lt. Clusen change the orders that came for Lt. Strasenburgh from the Science Council and I used a comm. Loop with an old Academy code to create these orders for Lt. Clusen.”

“Why would you let him do that?”

“Because he has powerful friends and they threatened to kill my family back home.”

Clusen hissed. “And die they will!”

The furry Lt straightened. “I am glad I came forward Sir and I will face charges as an officer and not as a coward. The Worm will die when you step on it.”

Stahl said: “Mr. Nort, yes you will face charges, but I will send NAVINT to your home world to protect your family.And believe me I will step on the Worm that crawled on my ship, so hard it will be felt across the galaxy.”

He then turned to Clusen. “Why?”

“My family is forced to live below our status; Namamir Suppor has the fate of my mother in his hands. His family is influential and has the ear of the Emperor himself.”

“I am ashamed to have men like you on my ship. I am ashamed that this navy allows trash like you to wear this uniform. Marines take him and that Midshipman and get him out of my sight.”

Stahl looked away as the Marines dragged them out. Then he said and I was certain his words were transmitted through out the ship.” The Devastator will remain where she is, we will not approach any planet, nothing will be launched or allowed to leave before everyone aboard has been checked by PSI Corps. Anyone belonging to any secret society or organization can come forward now and I promise everyone receives a fair trial. My offer ends in thirty minutes anyone caught after that will be hanged, no appeal, no trial no second chances. Remember this is my ship and there is no place you can hide and I can’t find you.”