All That Glitters Ch. 03

"All personnel, this is Captain Whatt. Due to an inexcusable act of stupidity, this ship is now under quarantine protocol. All personnel who have been in hold three within the last twenty-four hours are to identify themselves immediately to medical staff. Remain where you are if you are isolated until medical staff can get to you.

"This is a precautionary measure. This will be an inconvenience to you, and hopefully that is all that it will be. You are ordered to cooperate fully with medical staff and any personnel investigating this incident. You may be asked to provide statements on this incident. Refusal to cooperate will be considered a breach of good conduct and will result in subsequent disciplinary actions. Bear with us people. Actions will be taken against those responsible. Whatt, Out."

He looked at his two senior officers. It was going to be a long couple of days...

Liramor-23 Mining Platform, 109 Piscium Star System

It had been four days since the incident at the cemetery. By order of Director Marsh, all work on station was suspended for four hours during the Military Honors Parade at the site.

Personnel all over the platform, watched in fascination as two sections of marines in glittery EVA suits pulled a metal box draped in the Terran Union flag out of the ship and moved it to a location in the cemetery. Eight men transported the box and delicately placed it back into the original space from which the body had been taken.

Senior ships officers and Senior NCOs acting as honorary pallbearers followed the box to its grave.

After the box had been replaced, seven marines fired a twenty-one-gun salute with pulse rifles, beams exploding thirty meters above them, coloured bursts flaring.

The affair was a solemnly staged military rite with words spoken from the gravesite by the ship's captain. The honorary pallbearers and honour guard approached the grave in pairs and saluted, before returning to the ship. The flag was left draped over the box. There was no one to present it to.

"Attention all personnel. Director Marsh will make an address," a voice intoned. Station personnel watched and listened as Ms. Marsh's image appeared.

"A few days ago, members of the scientific team breached protocol and brought that body aboard the NS Wimple. In doing so they compromised the ship's personnel. Fortunately, the ship's medical personnel have determined that the body in question had apparently died of old age and there is no threat to personnel.

"As we suspect that these people are senior representatives of their government, the honoured dead, the body was returned to it's place of origin with full military honors.

"The actions of these few scientists are inexcusable, especially when they had previously been ordered not to compromise the cemetery site. As a result, all further scientific exploration at that site is shut down. Until further notice, all personnel in system are restricted from this site. Personnel breaching this order will be fired for cause and removed from this system and/or be subject to jail terms in accordance with Terran Union Law.

"Tribunal for these actions will take place on this platform within a few days. Tribunal will be broadcast to all.

"All personnel are free for the remainder of this shift. Supervisors, we are back to full routine on shift change. That is all."

Miners, free for the day smiled happily, while those coming up on shift began to prepare for the work ahead.

End of chapter three.

Many of you will note the use of capitals on Full Military Honours and not on full military honours. One is an Honours Parade, the other a statement. Deal with it.

There are different levels of disciplinary justice in militaries around the world. They usually start with Summary Trail, an informal trail that is held at the lowest level possible i.e. Company Commander or ship's Captain level, move through some form of Tribunal, a more formal trail again kept at the lowest level possible but would be held above the level of ship's Captain, and Court Martial, which is held at the highest level.

What I call Tribunal would be known by different names in different militaries. The Tribunal of a disciplinary parade is different from the Tribunal of a court. But in each case, three people would act as judges. In the more formal Court Martial, one would actually be a judge. Again, it is my story so I can call it what I want, as long as the readers understand.

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Thanks, Bigtddybr