Chapter 14

Ring ... Ring ... Ring

“Good afternoon. You have reached Jon Reppa’s office. I am his Administrative Assistant Joan Reppa. How can I help you?”

“Good afternoon, Mistress Reppa. I’m Master Sergeant Aubrey Warton. Colonel Fenton asked me to contact General Reppa and let him know General Henderson and the Colonel need to speak with him in the Command Center conference room as soon as he is free. Can you put me through to General Reppa?”

“Certainly, Sergeant. Hold on for a minute.”

Contacting Jon via his intercom line, Joan said, “Jon, a Master Sergeant Warton is on line three for you.”

“Thanks, Joan.”

Selecting line three, Jon said, “Good afternoon, Sergeant Warton. What can I do for you today?”

“General Henderson and Colonel Fenton would appreciate your joining them in the Command Center conference room, Sir. Three of our SCC’s commanding officers are in route from the Freight Yard to brief them on a problem at their SCCs. The General thinks it has to do with this morning’s radio traffic regarding people shooting at our Survivor Collection Patrols.”

“Thank you, Sergeant, and tell them I will join them in ten minutes.”

As he prepares to head for the Command Center, Jon stops at Joan’s desk. “I’m heading for the Command Center and have a feeling this is going to take a bit of time, Joan. If anyone needs me, take care of it yourself or schedule them an appointment for tomorrow. If you think it’s critical, call me there.”

“Okay, Jon. Since it’s late afternoon, I doubt you will be back; I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”

“I hope we finish by dinner time, but if not, tell everyone I’m sorry for not being there, and will eat later.”

“Do you have any idea of what this is about, Jon?”

“Well, this morning Alpha, Delta, and Echo Companies each had one of their Survivor Collection Patrols call their SCC to report they had taken fire from survivors, but had the situation under control. They didn’t provide details over the radio, but each patrol requested their commanding officer join them at their location.”

“We’ve been doing Survivor Collection Patrols for three days now with no problems, Jon. It seems odd to have people shoot at three different patrols all in the same morning.”

“I agree, Joan. If it had been a simple sniping, I doubt the commanding officers would want to talk with us.”

“Well good luck, Jon.”

Five minutes later Jon is entering the conference room. “Afternoon, Mike, Carl. I would say Good Afternoon, but something tells me this won’t be a pleasant meeting.”

General Mike Henderson said, “Carl and I were just talking about that, Jon. Captain Russel called from the Freight Yard to tell us he waited for the other Captains to arrive and the train was about to leave. Since it was a landline, he told me his incident was an ROE matter that required him to order an execution, but he would rather discuss the specifics face-to-face. I think it is the same with the other two Captains.”

Jon said, “I thought the ROEs were in place and would be carried out by the person in charge of the patrol, Mike.”

Mike said, “Jon, for the first few months, I thought it might be a good idea for the unit commander to review the ROE offense before the execution and for the Division commander to discuss the situation with the unit commander after the execution took place. Basically, I wanted some insight to confirm everyone acted in an appropriate manner.”

Carl said, “Mike and I discussed this with the Company commanders before they deployed to the SCCs. We made it clear to them that if possible we wanted them to verify the ROE conditions requiring execution before anyone was killed. We also let them know this requirement would be dropped once we are assured things are being done properly.

“The direction I gave them was they were to instruct their patrols that the Patrol Commander was to summon the Company’s commanding officer for ROE offenses requiring executions. The commanding officer will question the Patrol Commander and any witnesses about the incident and the proper disciplinary action. If the Company commander concurs with the Patrol Commander’s assessment, the Patrol Commander will be told to carry out the execution and then the commanding officer is to report back to Mike and me.”

“I see. So the two of you think this morning’s sniping has resulted in executions.”

Mike said, “That’s right, Jon.

Ten minutes later there is a knock on the conference room’s door and the response to come in leads to Captains Bell, Russel, and Kander entering the room. Once the protocol of reporting to their superiors has been satisfied, they are offered seats at the table.

Mike said, “Captain Russel, your patrol generated the first radio traffic so tell us about the encounter.”

“Yes, Sir. Staff Sergeant Finn Temple was the NCO in charge of First Platoon, Second Squad. While Second Squad was deploying to their search area, their point man observed a man leading two women down the sidewalk on leashes and the women’s hands were secured behind their backs.

“When the man became aware of Second Squad, he dropped the women’s leads and concealed himself behind some shrubbery that was on the side of a house. Sergeant Temple ordered the man to drop his weapon and come out with his hands on top of his head. The man responded by firing his Glock at the patrol. Sergeant Temple ordered a warning burst of automatic weapon fire to be fired into the corner of the house where he had taken cover, but over the man’s head. The man threw his weapon out and then came out with his hands on his head. The Sergeant had his Squad secure the man and talked to the three survivors. He then requested my presence per my instructions.

When I arrived at the scene, Sergeant Temple briefed me on the circumstances of the encounter. He informed me that the two women had informed him of the address where they had been held and that there were three additional women at that address who were tied to their beds. He informed me that he had sent one of his Fire Teams to release the women and bring them back to the scene of the encounter.

“When I asked the Sergeant for his assessment of the circumstances in regard to his ROEs, the Sergeant said that based on the statements of the five women, he considered the man’s actions to be holding the women in slavery and abusing them physically, mentally, and sexually. He said he believed the man’s actions were a clear violation of his ROEs and the ROE’s penalty was execution.

“I spoke with the man and the five women. What they told me confirmed the Sergeant’s understanding of the circumstances and I concurred with his recommendation. I ordered the Sergeant to take the man behind the house and carry out the execution. He with the aid of two soldiers complied with my orders.

“After executing the man, I had Second Squad escort the five women back to the house where they had been held so they could collect any belongings they may wish to retain. Once that was done, the Sergeant was to take them to the SCC and ensure that they were in-processed and received medical care.

“Once I returned to the SCC, I prepared a detailed report on the incident for Major Brown and I left it with Master Sergeant Morales on the way in to see you, Sir.”

Mike asks, “Does Captain Russel’s account comply with your instructions, Colonel Fenton?”

“Yes, Sir. From what I heard Sergeant Temple, Second Squad, and Captain Russel’s actions were appropriate for the situation.”

“I concur, Carl.

“Captain Kander, tell us about your patrol’s encounter.”

“Staff Sergeant Devan Chalk was the NCO in charge of Second Platoon, Second Squad. He and his Squad were searching the area to the north of Skyridge Elementary School and east of Auburn-Folsom Road.

“They were on Skyridge Drive with their speaker truck playing our recorded message, when they observed a woman run out of a home they were approaching. Before she reached the street, they heard two shots fired and the woman fell to the ground. They later ascertained that she was dead.

“Sergeant Chalk ordered his Squad to take up defensive positions around the house to prevent the occupants from escaping. Sergeant Chalk ordered the occupants of the house to drop their weapons and come out with their hands raised above their heads. A man in the house told them to go away or he would shoot them. The house was a single story structure so Sergeant Chalk ordered his men to put a full burst of automatic fire into the house’s ceiling. The two men, six women, and five children in the house came out unarmed with their hands raised.

“Once the men and women were secured, one of the Squad’s Fire Teams searched the house while the second Team attempted to reassure the children that they were safe. Sergeant Chalk interrogated the two men; he had two of his female personnel, Sergeant Abby Hull and Private Alaina Zaph, talk with the women.

“Once I arrived on the scene, I spoke with the two Sergeants and Private Zaph. They had been told that the man in charge was a major controller and he had been arguing with the woman he killed all morning. When the survivors heard the speaker truck’s announcement, he told everyone to stay inside and not attract attention. The woman waited until the patrol was almost to the house, and then she ran outside before either man could stop her. That enraged the man in charge and he shot her. He claims he didn’t intend for the bullets to hit her, just come close. Both men admitted to having sex with all of the women, but claimed it was consensual.

“The women told Sergeant Hull and Private Zaph that the men found them and their children on the street and forced them to return to the house. At first the women were tied to their beds and raped. Later the men used the women’s children, who were all under ten years old, to control their mothers and the other women by threatening to abuse the kids. The kids were slapped around despite the women’s efforts to protect them, but they were not sexually abused.

“I spoke with the men about their conduct and later with the women and kids about their life with the two men. What they told me matched what the Sergeants and Private said. When I asked Staff Sergeant Chalk for his recommendation, he said to execute both of them for rape and murder since the men’s actions were a clear violation of the ROEs. I concurred with their assessment and ordered that the two men were to be taken down the street and around the corner to where the kids couldn’t see them, and then execute them. I returned to the SCC to write my report, which I left outside with Master Sergeant Morales. The patrol was to bury the woman and transport the other women and kids to the SCC.”

Mike asks, “Does Captain Kander’s account comply with your instructions, Colonel Fenton?”

“Yes, Sir. From what I heard, Sergeant Chalk, Second Squad, and Captain Kander’s actions were appropriate for the situation.”

“I concur.

“Captain Bell, what do you have to say?”

“Sir, my incident is considerably different from the ones Captains Russel and Kander’s people encountered.

“First Platoon, Third Squad was searching the northeast quadrant of our area and playing our recorded message. Staff Sergeant Jules Richardson was the NCO in charge. They were on Bean Road when a man came out of a house just across from Auburn Elementary School and fired two shots in the air. He claimed it was to get their attention. Once he was disarmed, Sergeant Richardson learned his name is Colin Crowley. Crowley asked that we take him, his eight women, and ten kids to the SCC. At first, it seemed to the Sergeant that they were your normal family group of survivors.

“As the women and kids started bringing their belongings out of the house, Private First Class Jenna Pickering noticed that the women and children seemed afraid of Crowley and that the women had bruises on their bodies. She informed Sergeant Richardson of her suspicions and he had his people put the man under guard until he could question the women and kids.

“The Sergeant tasked two of his female personnel with talking with the women. It seems that the man liked rough sex. The women all indicated that they joined the man’s group voluntarily, but felt they had to stay with him because they believed he could provide for them and the kids better than they could by themselves. They also indicated that he didn’t exactly rape them, but he was physically forceful and coerced them into joining him in his bed by threatening to kick them out of the house if they didn’t do what he told them to do.”

“When I asked Sergeant Richardson for his recommendation, he said that he didn’t see a clear cut violation of the ROEs. He felt the man’s actions were wrong and right on the edge of violating the ROEs. The Sergeant said the man should be punished, but didn’t feel execution was warranted per the ROEs; however, he personally would have no objection to shooting him for the way he treated the women and kids.”

Jon interrupts to ask, “Did anyone talk with the children to determine how he treated them?”

“I’m not sure, Sir. I know I saw no visible signs of physical abuse on the kids. They also seemed very afraid of me and the patrol’s people, so I didn’t push the issue, and I didn’t think to ask the women. I guess I assumed they would volunteer that type of information if he had physically or sexually abused the kids. When I get back to the SCC, I will follow up on that possibility.

“Anyway, after I talked with Crowley and the women, I had to agree with the Sergeant Richardson. Morally, Crowley doesn’t deserve to be part of our new civilization, but I can’t justify executing him. I’m leaning toward banishment, but I don’t want to inflict him on other survivors. I ordered Sergeant Richardson to take everyone to the SCC and to detain Crowley after they get to the SCC, until I could consult with Colonel Fenton. So that is why I’m here.”

Mike said, “Thank you, Captain Bell. Colonel Fenton, let’s set Captain Bell’s issue aside and finish with Captains Russel and Kander’s incidents first.

After a short, whispered conversation between Jon, Mike, and Carl, Mike said, “Gentlemen, General Reppa, Colonel Fenton, and I concur that your two situations were handled properly and from now on, a personal visit with us won’t be required after future executions. If you trust your NCO’s judgement, you are not required to review their situations before they execute an offender. Just send us a detailed report on any future incidents, and if we have questions, we will summon you and the NCO to discuss the incident. You are dismissed. If things are under control at your SCCs, you can spend the rest of the day and tonight with your Bond Groups.”

After the two Captains depart, Jon said, “Captain Bell, I think you and your people handled the situation properly. Have you put together a written report?”

“No, Sir, but I started writing the report on my way here.”

After whispering with Jon and Carl, Mike said, “Captain, Crowley should be locked up and the key thrown away in my opinion, but we don’t have prisons. What that means is we have a choice of execution, expulsion, corporal punishment, or allowing the man to remain with us without punishment. Which of the four do you think is most appropriate?”

“For me, execution and no punishment are off the table, Sir; assuming of course that he did not harm the kids. If he did, I would say execute him.

“I know corporal punishment is an option for members of the Ark Army for certain ROE violations; however I hadn’t considered it for someone outside the Ark Army. Assuming no harm was done to the kids, corporal punishment and expulsion seem like the only two acceptable punishments. Like I said, expulsion would just be passing the problem on to someone else, so I don’t care for that option. I can see corporal punishment as long as it is tailored to fit the crime.”

Colonel Fenton asks, “What do you mean by tailored to fit the crime?”

“Well, Sir, Crowley used a degree of force and coercion to compel the women to repeatedly have sex with him. During those multiple sexual encounters, Crowley physically abused his partners. In my opinion, Crowley committed two offenses every time he took a woman into his bed: sexual assault and physical assault. The Ark Army’s idea of corporal punishment is a one-time administration of pain on the ROE’s violator, but Crowley inflicted pain and suffering on his victims on multiple occasions.

“If it were up to me, I would subject Crowley to corporal punishment on multiple occasions. Perhaps once a month for six months or a year. On each occasion, I would split the punishment into two parts. Crowley seemed to enjoy anal sex, so the first part would be to have one of our well-endowed, male soldiers who prefer sex with males to engage in anal intercourse with Crowley. The second part would be to secure Crowley to an X-frame and administer twenty to fifty strokes with a whip, switch, or cane. During and after his punishment, I would monitor his activities in regard to any women Crowley comes in contact with to ensure he doesn’t start his pattern of abuse again.”

Looking at Carl, Mike asks, “What do you think of the Captain’s idea of appropriate punishment, Carl?”

“Personally, I would like to just execute him and be done with the problem; but, if Crowley didn’t violate the ROEs that mandate execution then that option wouldn’t be appropriate. I agree with Captain Bell that we can’t let his actions go unpunished and expulsion is just passing our problem on to someone else. Corporal punishment seems most appropriate, and in my opinion, the Captain’s tailoring of the punishment does fit the offenses Crowley committed.”

Turning to Jon, Mike said, “I concur with the Captain and think we should go with her idea of suitable punishment.”

“I agree, Mike, with three provisos. The first proviso is if the man physically abused the kids, we execute him. Second, the man who anally rapes Crowley is to have the choice of whether he wishes to use lubricant. From my experience, anal sex without adequate lubrication can be uncomfortable for both parties. The third proviso is Crowley doesn’t get to lube himself before being anally raped.

“We still need to discuss the implement to be used to strike the man and the number of strokes to be administered. Depending on the implement selected, twenty strokes may be too little and fifty too many.”

Mike said, “When we were defining the ROEs, I did some research on different implements that are used for corporal punishment. Something like a one-inch diameter wooden rod applied with sufficient force can break bones, and I don’t think that would be appropriate in this case. Twenty to thirty strokes with a cane using sufficient force to leave welts and cuts seem appropriate to me. If we go with a whip, there are different types and each type would inflict different degrees of injury. A bullwhip has a single lash and can cut a person severely when applied with force. A Cat o’Nine Tails is a commonly known type of flogger. Floggers can have a different number of lashes and they usually have a short handle and short lashes. A strong person can inflict severe tissue injuries with a flogger, but as long as the person administering the lashes isn’t trying to cripple the person on the receiving end, twenty or thirty forceful strokes would probably be sufficient. A flexible switch with a small diameter and weight is probably the safest for an inexperienced person to use. An extremely hard stroke can cut the skin and cause bleeding, but it won’t break bones and the cut is relatively shallow. I think forty firm strokes with a switch should be adequate.

Looking at the Captain, Jon asked, “Does anyone have a preference for the implement used and number of strokes?”

Captain Bell said, “I sort of like the idea of a Cat o’Nine Tails and at least thirty firm strokes once a month for six months.”

Carl said, “I find that acceptable. I was thinking of a year, but I agree that the idea is to punish Crowley for mistreating the women, not kill him.”

Getting a nod from Jon, Mike said, “Okay, Crowley is to be anally raped and receive thirty strong strokes with a Cat o’Nine Tails once a month for six months.

“If the first session proves the stroke count is too severe, we reduce the stroke count or the amount of force. Captain Bell, you are to see the first punishment session is carried out at your SCC as soon as you can make the arrangements. When the first session is complete, transfer him to Company E’s SCC. It seems appropriate for the ladies he abused to see he is being punished, but they shouldn’t have to endure his presence. He is to be temporarily returned to your SCC for subsequent punishments.”

Jon said, “Agreed. If the punishment is more than Crowley can take, he always has the option of heading out of town and not stopping. Personally, I think that would be a death sentence for him.”

The day starts with a lessening of the rain’s intensity and the raindrops are no longer the thick mud drops that met the Ark Army when it first returned to the surface over a week ago. The sky even looks like the cloud cover may be ready to break up and reveal the sun.

After falling-in for morning roll call at 0500, the members of Seal Team 2 were directed to continue their respective tasks. Yesterday, the three tree cutting parties finished cutting the trees in their drop zone, removing the tree stumps, and filling in the holes. While that was happening, CPO Woodard led a second work party across the highway, and using the cherry picker, Seaman Rayden Dobra requisitioned six hundred feet of stranded steel wire cable. The unsupported power lines were left hanging from the telephone poles. The cable was cut in half so each tree cutting party would have a three hundred foot length of wire cable.

This morning, Chief Kaner had Seal Platoons 3, 4, and 5 set up their equipment, so they can drop the trees that are close to the Inn. He was supervising the delimbing work group while Chiefs King and Woodard directed their tree cutting work parties.

CPO King had PO Cranham and Seaman Bowman chain a pulley to a large tree on the far side of the drop zone from the Inn. Pointing to the tree with the pulley, Chief King shouted, “Torres, move the bulldozer fifty feet to the west of the tree with the pulley so we can connect the cable to it.

“Dobra, move your cherry picker to where you can connect the cable to the first tree. Cranham, get someone to run the other end of the cable through the pulley and connect it to the bulldozer.”

Using the cherry picker, Seaman Dobra secures the chain that has been connected to the tree end of the cable to the upper portion of the tree that Bowman is preparing to cut down. When he finished, he moved the cherry picker to Chief Woodard’s work area. PO Marcel Cranham had Seaman Quinn Coolidge route the other end of the cable through the pulley. Seaman Coolidge cut off the excess cable and secured the cable to the bulldozer. Ten minutes later all was ready to drop the first tree. Chief Woodard was supervising his tree cutting detail as they prepared their equipment to cut down their first tree of the day.

Looking around Chief Kaner noted Seaman Dobra moved the cherry picker to Chief Woodard’s work area and they are busy connecting the chain that is attached to the end of the wire cable to the tree that Chief Woodard’s work party will cut down. Since they have only one bulldozer, Woodard is using one of the dump trucks to direct the tree’s fall into the drop zone.

After confirming that a half-sheet of one-inch plywood is secured in place behind the bulldozer driver’s seat to protect Torres from the cable in case it broke, Chief King motioned Torres to pull the bulldozer forward slowly. He motioned to Torres to stop when tension was placed on the cable and the top of the tree was being pulled slightly toward the drop zone.

Chief King shouted, “Torres, watch me. I’ll wave you forward when the tree starts to fall. When I give you the signal, pull forward about thirty feet so the tree will be pulled toward the drop zone.”

Turning toward Seaman Bowman, King shouted, “Go ahead and cut it down, Bowman. Get well clear when it starts to fall.”

Seaman Bowman moved to the side of the tree and checked to ensure the path he will take when the tree starts to fall was clear. Positioning the chainsaw’s bar against the tree trunk he started cutting through the tree trunk. Torres was maintaining the bulldozer’s engine at a fast idle as he watched Chief King for the signal. As the tree started to tilt toward the drop zone, Bowman moved away from the tree and King waved Torres forward. With smoke belching from its exhaust stack, the bulldozer lurched forward directing and accelerating the tree’s fall into the drop zone. Seamen Bowman and Coolidge then used their chainsaws to cut the tree into three manageable sections while Seaman Ray Tripper and his partner prepared to cut down the next tree.

After connecting the cable to the tree to be cut down in Chief Woodard’s area, Seaman Dobra drove the cherry picker back to Chief King’s work area and positioned it for connecting the cable to another tree, while Chief Woodard’s work detail cut down their first tree of the day.

Chief Kaner watched as his delimbing team drove one of the front loaders into Chief King’s work area. Seaman Ogden guided Seaman Hauser, the driver of the front loader, as he lifted the first of the three tree sections and placed it in the second dump truck, which is located between the two work areas on the far side of the drop area. He returned for the remaining sections while Chief King’s people cut the tree that they dropped into sections. Meanwhile, Seamen Sanchez and Wooster are using the second front loader to place tree sections into the dump truck. When full, Seaman Quinn Coolidge will drive the truck to the delimbing area and drop off the trees.

Before noon, all of the trees close to the Inn were cut down and hauled away to the delimbing area. Chief Kaner has Seaman Torres removing the remaining stumps with the bulldozer while Hauser and Sanchez loaded them into the dump truck with the front loaders.

When all the stump holes were filled in, Torres drove the bulldozer over the barricade’s path packing the soil. Petty Officer Cranham lined up the grader for his first pass at leveling the newly cleared area. He angled the blade to move the soil away from the Inn and lowered the blade until it was barely contacting the soil. With Chief Kaner guiding him, he slowly drove forward making his first pass. After lifting the blade, he drove the grader back to where he started the first pass. When he is lined up, he lowered the blade until it is barely pressing into the soil and began his second pass.

After several passes of the grader, the path of the barricade was reasonably well packed and reasonably flat. No one said it had to be perfectly level, and it wasn’t; but, it didn’t need to be. In fact, a sloped surface is better for the rain will run off instead of standing in pools. At least that is what PO Cranham decided he would say, if someone should be unwise enough to comment on the quality of his work.

A small convoy of pickup trucks approached Blocking Post 1 from the south in the middle of the morning. The Seals that made up the work parties knew that Captains Charles and Johnson were due to arrive with a few members of their staff on an inspection tour and they believed this was their convoy. But assumptions of that sort can be bad for your health, so they unslung their weapons and prepared to defend themselves if this was not the group they were expecting.

Lieutenant Morrison and the two Ensigns were waiting to greet their Division’s commander, Captain Thomas Charles, and Division 3’s commanding officer Captain Phil Johnson. After the initial ‘Good Mornings’ were exchanged, Lieutenant Morrison escorted the two senior officers and their staff to the Seal Team’s new Headquarters Office; the men resling their weapons and went back to work.

After the making themselves comfortable in the office, Captain Charles said, “From what little we could see, Lieutenant, it appears that your people are making excellent headway in setting up your Blocking Post. Captain Johnson and I noticed the heavy equipment you obtained to further your efforts. That was good thinking on your part.”

The Lieutenant said, “Thank you for the compliments, Captain, however obtaining the equipment was actually Chief Cirque’s idea. His initiative has helped to advance our schedule for building our barricade.”

“Then it sounds like you have some good people, Lieutenant, and I’m glad to hear it.

“Our primary reason for this inspection tour is to see how the Seal Teams are doing in setting up the Blocking Posts and to gather ideas to share so everyone is doing the best job possible. We will pass on the idea of scavenging heavy equipment to the other Blocking Post commanders. A second reason is to discuss the support problems everyone is experiencing in performing their assigned duties. I want to address those issues first, and then you can give us a tour of your area.

“Yes, Sir. My people and I were informed of the problem the Ark is having yesterday and we have an idea or two that may help.”