The Armstrong Incident

"Man overboard, Starboard Airlock Number Two," I said. Instantly, alarms began to sound and a crowd started showing up at the airlock. I looked up and saw Alan running toward me. Alice was next to him. A few moments later, I saw Tabby.

"Commander Travers, sir," I said. I handed him the tiny storage device with video of the last several minutes. "He admitted sabotaging the weapons and admitted to having an affair with Lt. Jones. He also admitted planning to kill me and make it look like a suicide. It's all on here."

"Bull!" Tabby exclaimed as she looked into the airlock. By now, the force of Bull's ejection had sent his body into an unstable orbit around Mars, and it would take hours to recover, if ever. She turned to me, tears falling down her face.

"You killed him," she cried. "You fucking bastard! You killed him! I hate you! You hear me? I HATE you!"

"That will be enough, Lieutenant," Alan ordered. He grabbed Tabby by the shoulders and handed her to the medics. "Take her to sick bay. Get her under control. Then hand her over to security." He turned to me as the medics took her away. "You know the drill, Lieutenant," he said sadly. "I've got no choice. You're relieved of all duties pending an investigation. I'll take a look at this."

"Yes sir," I said quietly.

"All right, that's enough," Alan commanded. "Get back to work. There's nothing more we can do here." He turned to Commander Carson before speaking again. "When she's calmed down, get her statement. I don't want her anywhere near the bridge. Call Mars Station and see about recovering Commander Travers' body."

"Yes sir," Carson said before leaving. Alan then turned to Alice.

"It looks like you've just been promoted, Alice," he said. "Until further notice, you're my Number One. You'll need to adjust the bridge assignments. The mission will probably be scrubbed after this."

"I understand, sir," she said. "Commander Carson and I have finished our initial investigation, sir. We'd like to discuss our findings with you."

"In my ready room, Number One," he said. "Immediately."

"Yes, sir," she said. She turned to me before leaving. "I'm sorry, Bill," she told me. "You didn't deserve any of this."

"Thank you, Commander," I said before making my way to my quarters. When I got there, I pulled all of Tabby's things out and placed them in her duffel bag. I didn't want her anywhere near me and knew she would probably be assigned the quarters originally intended for the senior pilot, which were now empty. A couple hours later, someone from security came by and gathered her things. I didn't know where they were being taken and I frankly didn't care.

I turned the rubberized mattress over and replaced the soiled bedding, tossing the old bedding into the hamper. I knew that until further notice, I would be confined to my quarters, and my access would be limited to the galley and the gym. So I sat at the computer console in my cabin and searched the JAG forms until I found the one requesting divorce.

I filled out the form, requesting a divorce on the grounds of adultery. Since our marriage was handled by the Corps' JAG, the divorce would also be handled by them. There was nothing to split up and no children involved. We each had the same pay grade, so there would be no support. It was a simple split where she kept what's hers and I kept what's mine. I did request that she give up my surname and return her rings. After reviewing everything, I hit "send" and waited until I got confirmation that the request had been received by the JAG system.

It's amazing how fast the system can work sometimes. Within 24 hours of the incident, I had spoken to not one, but two agents from the Huygens CIU. It was clear to me they were trying to make it look as if I acted out of revenge. The JAG officer they brought with them to represent me in the questioning kept me from making any statement that might incriminate me, however.

I was on pins and needles for the next 24 hours, wondering if I would be taken into custody. I paced back and forth in my cabin most of the time. I knew that by now, what Tabby and Bull had done would be common knowledge aboard ship, so I deliberately stayed away from the galley during normal meal times as I wanted to avoid the rest of the crew.

I was sitting on my bed when I heard a knock on the hatch. I wondered if this was the station security coming to take me into custody and braced myself for the worst.

"It's open," I said. When the hatch opened, I saw Alan and Alice standing there. I came to attention as they entered the small room.

"As you were, Lieutenant," Alan said, taking a seat. Alice sat down as well. I relaxed and sat back down on the bed. "Mars Station has recovered Commander Travers' body. They also got the illegal firearm he had tethered to his arm. We've reviewed all the evidence, and the CIU report says you acted in self defense."

"The tracking history logs show that Commander Travers was at both of the sabotaged weapons stations just before Lt. Robinson noticed the calibration error," Alice added. "And the DNA from the blood you found matched the commander's."

"Put that together with what he confessed to you, and it's pretty clear he's the one who sabotaged both those systems," Alan said. "Your wife claims she didn't know anything about the sabotage, but she supposedly knew what he intended to do with you."

"But Travers told me it was all her idea," I said.

"Perhaps it was, perhaps not. Who knows? At any rate, she's being held in the brig as an accessory in Commander Travers' plot to murder you. She may be charged with conspiracy, but that's up to the authorities on Earth."

"So we're going back to Earth, sir?" I asked. He nodded his head.

"We are, Bill," he said. "The mission has been scrubbed, at least for now. Command is set to conduct a board of inquiry when we get back."

"So does that mean I can go back to work?" I asked.

"It took some doing, but I convinced Houston I need you on the bridge, now that we're down by at least two officers. Think you can handle both Ops and Weapons? Alice here tells me you're ready to handle Ops."

"Yes sir," I said.

"Good," he said. "We launch in 12 hours, so I want you rested and ready to go."

"Thank you, sir," I said. "Would it be alright if I see my wife? I need some answers."

"Are you sure you want to do that, Bill?" he asked.

"I'm absolutely sure, sir," I told him. He thought for a moment, then nodded his head.

"Alright, Bill," he finally said. "I'll allow it, so long as Commander Brewster here accompanies you. You okay with that, Alice?"

"I am, sir," she said.

"Right," he said. "Well, get to it, son, then get some rest. It's about time you started earning your pay around here."

"Yes, sir," I said. He stood, signaling the end of the meeting. After he left, Alice looked at me.

"You ready, Lieutenant?" she asked. I nodded my head.

"Yes, ma'am," I said. We left and headed for the brig, located in the lower deck of the ship.

"Don't tell anyone I told you this, but Captain Simmons put you up for a commendation," she said.

"For what?" I asked, surprised.

"He says your actions not only saved your life, but the lives of a number of your shipmates. If Travers had fired that weapon while in the airlock, there's no telling what damage he would've caused to the ship," she said.

"Damn," I said. She smiled.

"Congratulations," she said. We finally got to the brig and checked in with the security officer on duty. Then we walked to the tiny seven-by-six foot cell where Tabby sat on her bed, wearing an orange jumpsuit.

"What do you want, Lieutenant?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm and derision.

"So, it's 'Lieutenant' now. Not even 'Bill' or Lt. Jones," I said. "Alright, have it your way, Prisoner. I just have some questions, then I'll leave you alone."

"Ask your questions, Lieutenant," she said, staring straight ahead, not bothering to even look at me.

"How long have you been screwing Travers?"

"Since the second year of Academy," she said. "He was my counselor."

"I know," I said. "What started it?"

"You really want to know?" she asked.

"Yeah, I do," I said.

"Alright. Since you asked. I failed a test. He fixed it for me. I almost lost my appointment. But I didn't. Thanks to him, I was able to re-test. I owed him a favor so I fucked him. I loved fucking him so I kept on doing it."

"So, the two of you cheated, then you repaid him by cheating on me. Is that about it?"

"Yeah," she said. "You have no idea how many times you had me a few hours after he did. And you know what? I loved it. I loved the idea of you sucking my pussy after he filled it with his cum. You know what else?"

"What?" I asked, about ready to throw up after what she just told me.

"His cock hit places in me you could never reach. I'm surprised you could even feel me after he fucked me."

"And you fucked him all those times you worked with him?"

"Whenever we could," she said. "You know sex in low-g is next to impossible. So we did it before we left and after we got back."

"Did you ever love me, or was that all a lie?"

"I loved you," she said. "But I loved fucking him. And that's all it was. Just sex. Nothing more."

"You knew what he was going to do once we got on board, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did. I knew he was going to arrange the shifts so we couldn't see each other very often. He didn't think you'd figure out a way to squeeze in some time with me, though. Frankly, neither did I. But you fooled us both. So we decided to wait until we got to Mars," she said.

"And you knew he would sabotage the weapons platforms?"

"I knew he was going to do something, but I didn't know exactly what," she said. "All I knew is that he was going to make sure you wouldn't be able to take shore leave. We didn't think you'd turn it into a federal fucking case."

"And tossing me out of an airlock was just icing on the cake, right? He told me that was your idea. Was it? Did you really hate me so much you wanted to murder me?"

"That was all his idea," she said.

"But you went along with it. You never once did anything or said anything to anyone to stop him, did you?"

"No, I didn't," she said quietly. "And I'm sorry for that. I didn't think he would really do it."

"Well, he tried. And he failed. And you're going to end up in prison for your part in that. I hope it was all worth it to you. By the way, I've filed for divorce."

"Big deal," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. I shook my head and stood up.

"I was so proud of you, the way you handled this ship. I loved you with all my heart. But now, I wish to God I had never met you. I can't wait to testify against you at your court-martial. Goodbye, bitch." I turned to leave and heard her call out to me.

"I'm sorry, Bill," she cried. "Really, I am." Without looking back, I held up a middle finger and kept walking.

...

After we returned to Earth, Tabby was taken to a federal prison where she was held throughout the inquest and her court-martial. Several members of the crew, including myself, Alan and Alice, were called to testify.

We sat through hours and hours of depositions and took questions from a number of investigators and high-ranking officers. The worst part of it was the days we spent waiting for something -- anything -- to happen.

The only thing that did happen was the approval of my divorce, which came through at the beginning of April. The only thing that remained was the filing in state court, which the JAG officer said he would do. Finally, on Friday, April 18, we were called into the hearing room where we would learn our fate.

Alan, Alice and I sat in one row, while Tabby was brought in. Like us, she wore her uniform, but unlike us, she wore chains around her ankles and wrists. Two armed prison guards in black uniforms accompanied her, ready to take action.

We all stood as the board members were ushered into the room, their uniforms covered with ribbons and the gold braid that signified their rank. The senior board member, Admiral Cartwright, opened the meeting.

"Please be seated," he began. "Let me start by saying this is simply a board of inquiry and not a judicial action. Our job is to learn what happened and make recommendations to ensure it doesn't happen again."

From there, he read the board's executive summary, which outlined what happened during the voyage to Mars. He concluded with a simple statement.

"In summary, Commander Travers' personal agenda took priority over his duty to his ship, his captain, the crew and the Corps, leading him to violate the law, not to mention a number of established protocols. As a direct result of his actions, many of those serving aboard the Armstrong were put in danger, and the ship was taken out of commission," he said. He turned his attention to me.

"Senior Flight Lieutenant William Jones," he said. I stood at attention upon hearing my name. He looked at me before continuing. "Lieutenant Jones, this board has reviewed all the evidence in this case, and has come to the conclusion that your actions not only saved your own life, but quite possibly, the lives of many of your shipmates.

"In addition, your hard work, initiative and attention to detail was instrumental in finding and correcting the deliberate sabotage that could very easily have cost many lives, not to mention a trillion-dollar spacecraft. This board has reviewed your service record and we agree with Captain Simmons' evaluation.

"As a result, we have approved his recommendation that you receive the Distinguished Service Medal. In addition, we believe that your talents would be of great value to the Corps in our future endeavors. You can expect to receive a set of orders to report to Advanced Spacecraft Operations School for the class starting on 1 June. Congratulations and good luck to you."

"Thank you, sir," I said. The admiral nodded his head and turned his attention to Alan.

"Captain Alan Simmons," he said. Alan stood at attention. "Please understand that this board feels you did everything you possibly could under the circumstances. We understand your desire not to undermine your senior staff in the eyes of your crew, and to be honest, none of us have ever encountered a situation like this before. Nevertheless, as the captain and master of your ship, you are directly responsible for everything that takes place upon it."

"I understand, Admiral," Alan said.

"This board agrees that you should continue as the commanding officer of the Armstrong, however, a note has been placed in your service record. The Armstrong is currently undergoing some upgrades and new crew assignments will be made.

"We agree that Lt. Commander Brewster would be a good choice as First Officer. Therefore, this board has recommended that she be immediately promoted to the rank of Commander and permanently assigned to serve as your First Officer. You can expect a new set of mission orders very soon," he said.

"Thank you, Admiral," Alan said. The admiral then turned his gaze upon Tabby.

"Senior Flight Lieutenant Tabitha Abernathy," he said, calling Tabby by her maiden name, which she had to take as a result of the divorce. Tabby stood as the others did before her. "It would be an understatement to say this board is very disappointed in you. Not only have you disgraced your former husband, you have disgraced your uniform and you have disgraced the service as a whole.

"Your actions in this whole sordid affair -- no pun intended -- quite possibly put the lives of many of your shipmates, including your ex-husband's -- at risk. As a result of statements entered into the record, both by you and by Commander Travers, we have been forced to evaluate your entire service record, including your record at the Academy.

"We were able to confirm that Commander Travers, while acting as your counselor, intervened to help you pass a test that you initially failed. Had he not intervened on your behalf, you most likely would have washed out and would not have earned your commission. Granted, your record as a pilot has been exemplary, but we cannot help but believe you should never have received a commission to start with.

"The sexual quid pro quo you engaged in with Commander Travers cost him his life and nearly cost the life of your former husband and a number of others. Your actions can only be described as unbecoming of the office you hold.

"We understand that you are currently facing court-martial for your actions, however, this board has recommended to the Office of Personnel that you be stripped of your commission and reduced in rank and pay to Crewmember, E-1. They have agreed and your new rank and pay grade are effective immediately. Take her away," he said, addressing the guards.

They turned her toward the door and started escorting her away, but she stopped as she came close to Alan, Alice and me.

"Bill," she began, tears falling down her face.

"Stand at attention when you speak to me, Crewmember," I said harshly. She snapped to attention and looked straight ahead with tears falling down her cheeks.

"Permission to speak, Lieutenant," she said.

"DENIED," I growled. "Take this... thing... out of my sight," I told the guards. They snapped at attention.

"Yes, sir!" They took hold of her and led her out as she sobbed. At that point, I really didn't care what she had to say.

"A copy of the Board's findings will be forwarded to each of you and placed in your permanent record. This Board is adjourned," Admiral Cartwright announced, pounding his gavel. We stood as the board left the room. Alan turned to me after they left.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," he said. "What do you say we grab a beer or something? I'm parched."

"Sounds good to me, sir," Alice said.

"What the hell," I added. We left the building and went to the O-Club where we proceeded to get a nice buzz.

...

Epilogue -- 17 months later:

Standing at the airlock that led to the Galileo Station orbiting on the dark side of Mars, I thought back over the previous 17 months. Tabby's court-martial wrapped up a month before I reported to Advanced Spacecraft Operation School. Of course, I testified for the prosecution, and I did so gladly, even though I hated to recall the memories of my time with her and Bull on the Armstrong.

Tabby looked like hell when she was brought in. This time, she wore the uniform of an enlisted crewman, and her flight wings were gone. She had lost weight and her eyes were sad and sunken. She had lost everything she loved -- her rank, her wings, the man she once called her husband and her lover. She had also lost any hope of a career as a pilot. No matter what happened to her today, her record was permanently tarnished and she would never be at the controls of another spacecraft -- civilian or military.

The members of the court-martial filed into the courtroom and we all stood until told we could take our seats. The judge looked at the members of the jury and asked if a verdict had been reached.

"We have reached a verdict, your honor," the senior member, a full Commander, said.

When asked, the Commander said the jury found Tabby guilty of being an accessory after the fact to my attempted murder, but not guilty on the conspiracy charge. Apparently, the defense had won the argument that it was a matter of "he said -- she said" and there was no direct evidence to show she had actively conspired to murder me. There was, however, plenty of evidence to show she knew about Travers' plan to throw me out of the airlock but did nothing to stop it.

The judge had no mercy on her and sentenced her to ten years of hard labor in a federal penitentiary. She would also be given a dishonorable discharge at the end of that ten-year period. The judge thanked the members of the jury and pounded the gavel, bringing the matter to a close. Tabby was led out the same way she was brought in -- in chains. She never once looked at me or made any effort to speak to me.