Promotion Review Board for Commander Duquette on-board CNS Concordia

[Agent Tash]

“Very well gentlemen, I’ll call this board to order.  Let the record state that Commander Casey Duquette has appeared onboard the CNS Concordia, currently docked this day at Confederate Naval Base Hades.  Present are Rear Admiral DeFrance, Rear Admiral McBane, Rear Admiral Drew, and Rear Admiral Sturrs.  I, Vice Admiral Masonpack presiding.”

The hearing is taking place on the flight briefing deck of the colonial flagship.  Commander Duquette stands at attention wearing his best uniform in front of a wide table with the admirals seated on one side, their faces carefully controlled with the solemnity of the occasion.  In front of each admiral is a full copy of Duquette's service record, mission history, crew records, and pre-service record.  Each of the admirals has had time to carefully research the commander’s record prior to the hearing.

To one side of the table, a scribe sits, carefully transcribing classified notes from the meeting.  Outside the room, a pair of colonial marines stand at attention, ready to be called in at the touch of a button.
Vice Admiral Masonpack clears his throat.  “We are convened this day to review your service record, and decide if you merit advancement to the rank of Captain, or Post-Captain as it is often called.  We’ve been reviewing and discussing your record, and there are several matters that require…. clarification before we can make a decision.   Perhaps one of my peers would like to start the questions?”

[Agent Tash]

Looking around, the room is lined with rows of seats, currently empty, like an auditorium.  The front of the room is dominated by a speakers lectern, where the flight commander would normally brief the squadron fighter-pilots before a mission.  

The admiral's table has taken the place of the lectern for this meeting.  A series of lights illuminate a multimedia display screen dominating the front of the room behind the admirals, which is currently only displaying the green and white thirteen star ring of the colonial flag.

Occasionally the room vibrates slightly with the muted rumble of the grav-catapult launching a fighter into space from the flight deck just above.

[Agent Tash]

Example Briefing Room

[grumpit]

Very well I will start. Commander Duquette I will begin by saying I find it most unusual that considering your past with the Imperial Navy and how your service came to an abrupt end with a criminal trial and convection... that you would be allowed to serve in the Confederate Naval forces.

However more importantly I have never seen or been given an adequate explanation that would exonerate you of what are rather serious war crimes. Crimes I might add that would most certainly exclude anyone from hold any really command rank regardless of whether they happen in the Colonies, the Imperium or even inside the Hive worlds.    Perhaps you would care to enlighten us about what really happened there.[/b]

[Agent Tash]

Vice Admiral Masonpack glances at one of the files in front of him after Rear Admiral Defrance finishes.  "Ah yes the Saurus Incident.  Well Commander?"

[Casey]

Casey looked at the admirals that sat in front of him. He had sat in meetings with most of them, but knew none of them personally. This was intentional, to avoid even the appearance of favoritism. Casey considered it to be a hallmark of a professional military force.

“There is a great deal of misinformation regarding Saurus and the Sixth Frontier War with the Zhodani. I would know. I was part of what is perhaps the largest governmental coverup in the history of Humaniti. The Saurians weren’t the first victims, nor were they the last.

“Although you have all been briefed on my service history, it may well be of use to synopsize it now. I joined the Imperial Scout Service shortly after I finished my college degree. Within a few months I passed selection to join the Special Security Service, where I was placed on a team as the Negotiator, with some additional emphasis as a Pilot.

“When the Fifth Frontier War broke out, I was already in the Spinward Marches – ideally placed to be used as an asset for the Imperium. And I was. I saw a great deal of combat, both on the ground and in space. My last mission was to conduct espionage activities in the Chronor system itself.

“The mission was a disaster. Our ship was shot down, I suffered clinical death, and my copilot was lost…”

Casey paused briefly, and took a breath. “My body was revived by the Zho, and my brain was likely psionically interrogated. I was returned during a POW swap, a smug reminder by Joe Danny that such missions into space held by active psions would likely end similarly.

“Most of my spine had been destroyed in the attack on my ship. The Imperium used their best medical tech to replace it. With a PCBAD wrapped around a new spinal cord, my backbone would slowly regrow until it was as good as new. This would be a process that would take years. In fact, it only finished regrowing after I had relocated to the Colonies. In the meantime, admin decided that I would be declared combat ineffective. I was reassigned to the X-Boat service, and I was given my choice of location and route.

“I chose to stay in the Marches, and was given a model of the X-Boat that was designed to serve backwater routes. It had much of its electronic storage space removed to accommodate more mail and even some parcels. It also had an M-Drive so that I could travel to systems that didn’t have an X-Boat tender.

“Saurus was the last planet I visited in that boat. It was to be a completely routine visit. Exchange mail with the locals, refuel, and probably spend a day or so as a guest. This didn’t happen. Shortly after I jumped into the system, I was attacked by a Darisshii class Heavy Interdiction Cruiser. It was of a type that was somewhat familiar with, as it is used exclusively by the Scout Service. Being attacked in the Saurus system would not have been so surprising – it is, after all on the border with the recently defeated Sword Worlds – but one Scout Service vessel being attacked by another is inexpressibly alarming.

“Fortunately for me, the ship was far enough away from me that I was able to crash-land on the planet. I met a group of other Imperials who had survived another attack on their ship. They had been on an Azhanti High Lightning class cruiser. I don’t recall exactly what they were doing, but they were on a routine peace-time operation. They had been attacked by that same Scout cruiser while they were conducting a refueling operation in the Saurus system. This group had managed to get to a Valor class heavy fighter and make their escape as they watched their mother vessel plunge into the atmosphere of the gas giant. As they were in a non-jump capable fighter, the only place they had to go was Saurus.

“I don’t think I need to impress upon you the gravity of the situation in which we found ourselves. Attempting to shoot down an X-Boat with its single pilot was a crime. Ending the lives of nearly 700 Imperial naval personnel on that High Lightning was a massacre. It was clear that the enemy Scout cruiser had not been borrowed or stolen. It was operated by Scout personnel, and the attacks were high treason. The vessel had followed these people to the planet to wipe out any knowledge of these treasonous acts.

“Naturally I joined forces with them. Our goal was to get off planet and warn the rest of the Imperium of this evil plot. The commander of the cruiser – his name was Agent Tash – knew that he couldn’t let us get away. We were on board the fighter – stealthily hidden – when Tash decided to do the unthinkable. He broadcast to us that he would fire his missiles at the planet, kill as many people as he could. He would do this until his magazines ran empty or we surrendered to him.

“I was the only competent pilot in that group. I was sitting on the bridge when he made his ultimatum. I was the one who decided to let the planet die instead of surrender. Those people died because I let them die, because I thought that I had to, because I thought that I had information that was more important than all of them.

Casey’s demeaner had been calm, but now he looked at the floor. His voice trembled slightly. “Thirty-six thousand, three hundred and seventy-two persons died. That was the initial assessment anyway. The actual deaths – from starvation, disease, and other factors after the attack – is likely to be nearly double that. Almost everyone died. The Saurians nearly became extinct.” Casey’s gaze returned to meet the eyes of the board.

“When an Imperial naval vessel finally came to the system, I was taken to Mora and tried for genocide. I was quickly found guilty. It was a show, put on for the public to divert attention from the true facts, much of which the Imperium was already aware.

“There is a life form called the Phage. It is a sentient, parasitic animal that takes Human hosts and controls their actions. Agent Tash was one such victim. There would be countless more.

“Our actions on Saurus were recognized by naval command. We were never incarcerated, and in fact were released to continue our investigation into the Phage. We allied ourselves with as many knowledgeable sophonts as we could. Dr. Krinaytsyu, a Darrian Gnostic named Lysander, and others.

“It was all futile. The warships of the fleets that the Phage were able to create were far superior to anything we have ever known. Massed fleet battles ended in carnage. Millions of military personnel died, as well as many times that number of civilians. The Phage fought their way through the Imperium until there was no one left to fight. They made it to the Five Sisters subsector, where they disappeared. With the exception of Agent Tash, we have not heard from them since.

“As for my service record? After completing some clandestine missions with that small group, I returned to military service. I was transferred from the Scouts to the Navy, was promoted, and given command of a fast attack interdiction starship, the Lancer. I continued to try to discover the secrets of the Phage, some way to defeat them, without success. After the war ended, I was honorably discharged. I spent some time on my own to process what I had seen – and done – in the preceding war. I then returned to the service of Archduke Norris as his diplomatic adjunct-at-large. I was in this position when he was assassinated, and fled – quite randomly, in fact – to the Colonies.”

Casey continued to stand at attention, waiting for any clarifying queries or the next question.

[grumpit]

And I suppose you have no evidence to support your claims?

You served with distinction and seemed to be well regarded in the Imperial Navy, that is to be commended.  Yet here you are now fighting a war against the Imperium, some might call that a heroic stand against tyranny others might call that treason.  You have been in the Colonies for what 2 years now? and as you have already stated you came here by random chance...so please, by all means, enlighten us as to why you now kill your former comrades.

Before you answer let me be clear here in what I am asking, I am calling into question your loyalty. Why turn to us, why fight the Imperium and why should we trust you?

[Agent Tash]

The Vice-Admiral looks grave as he listens to the commander's account of events. At an interval, he activates a panel on the table, summoning an attendant wearing the uniform of a Lieutenant. He whispers something in the attendant's ear who give a soft "aye aye sir" and walks out.

He then looks at Rear Admiral Defrance. "I wouldn't expect the commander to have physical evidence so far after the fact. Still, that account is consistent with much of our intelligence, and Commander Casey's previous statements on the subject."

He adjusts himself in his chair, facing Commander Duquette squarely. "...And we were all once imperial officers after one fashion or another until circumstance and loyalty forced us into our bid for freedom. But I am keen to get your philosophical take on loyalty. Randomly came to the colonies, never been here before. No blood relatives live here, no holdings or lands. I can't help but think you may be signing with us just long enough to get revenge on the ones you hold responsible for the death of Arch Duke Norris. Or is it because of the bounty on your head in Imperial Space? Why should we trust you?"

[Father Dugal]

Rear Admiral McBane leans mere inches from his microphone and says...

"Yes Commander, since we have broached the subject of loyalty, perhaps you can further explain to this board why you have on numerous occasions chosen to employ individuals outside of the Colonial military, persons who appear intent on following their own agendas rather than the cause of the Colonies."

"We will focus on one such individual later; however, let us presently discuss the actions of a Drahkari under your employ—the one known as Gorikok. We have him on record stating that he has no true love in defending the Colonies, only to serve the purposes of, and here I quote, "Blood, death, and vengeance." Also to note, he has incurred a number of violent incidents with our Vargyr mercenary allies while in this system, incidents that have landed him in the brig with severe reprimands to both him and you; and yet, in spite of these warnings, you allow him to wander still  through the halls of our space stations unrestricted. In spite of your assurances to keep him aboard vessel, on your present visit to our station, he was allowed to wander on his own leisure to yet another bar, inciting another act of misconduct. That, Commander, does not appear to be an act of a responsible officer; rather, it appears to me like one who takes on the airs military authority without enforcing it."

"The loyalty of a commanding officer is reflected in the loyalty of his men. How do you account for your personal loyalty while some under you employ openly have none?"

[Casey]

"Admiral DeFrance, there is ample evidence of my claims. My military record after the Saurus incident is on file. My post-war diplomatic efforts on behalf of Norris are a matter of public record. Or if you are alluding to the existence of the Phage and the complete coverup of the so-called Sixth Frontier War, I will refer you to Dr. Krinaytsyu. Not only is he an esteemed member of the military scientific community in the Colonies, but he is here in system.

"And now I will turn to the subject of loyalty. I am not undyingly loyal to a flag, or a heraldic standard, or a military leader. Instead, I seek out those powers, principalities, and individuals that seek to do what is best not for them, but for all sophonts. This is why, instead of joining the Navy when I was young, I chose to join the ISS. This is a body with the patronage of none other than Ciencia Iphegenia, the daughter of Strephon Alkhalikoi, the Voice of the Emperor. One might wonder what effect one person might have to work against some of the more fanatical leanings of those who worship Cleon Zhunastu as a god. However, it can be done. Even her name – Ciencia – comes from the root an old Terran language for knowledge. Thus, as patron of the Scouts, Cienca directed us to seek knowledge; not for power, but for the gain of everyone, to improve the quality of life of everyone, to seek peace everywhere. This is a rallying cry that I will follow enthusiastically.

“My later transfer to the Imperial Navy can also be thus understood. The Navy under Archduke Norris was completely different than what can be found elsewhere in the Imperium. Gone are the overzealous trappings of the religious. Naval personnel were not expected to commit suicide rather than offer surrender to an honorable foe. There were no religious tests to advance in rank. Although loyalty to the Imperium was expected and – by extension – to the Emperor, the realpolitik of governance took precedent over ideology. The Inquisitors who worked in his demesne and enfeoffments knew that they would be accountable to Norris for any actions they took. There were mutterings of heresy – but only very quiet mutterings. That I continued in Norris’ employ after my discharge from the Navy was an honor more important to me than any medal I have ever received.

“My subsequent flight to the Colonies can also be understood. I had fled from the assassination attempts of Duchess Delphine to Iderati to find a friend of mine, Andrew, who also knew too much. He didn’t survive his assassin. I continued my flight to the furthest extents of the Imperium to regroup and assess the situation. This is and could be considered happenstance. However, one with a broader outlook on such things might believe that my actions were guided by Fate. I certainly do. It was no accident that I was led here. It was no accident that I was offered a commission in the Colonial Navy. It was no accident that I narrowly missed finding Agent Tash on Zhatnos.

“And why should I have joined the Colonial Navy? Again, because here was an ideal that I could adhere to. This was a political body that was unjustly attacked on one side by a newly formed Imperial force, with a return of zealotry and bigotry, borne from murder. On the other side they were attacked by a race that believes in total mental domination and the complete destruction of personal freedom. Defeat by other force would have had frightening consequences. It would have been more surprising had I turned down the commission.

“This, gentlemen, is why I now serve the Colonies. I joined your cause for the same reasons I joined the ISS and Imperial Navy under Norris. I fight not out of malice, nor revenge, nor merely mercenary self-preservation. The lives that are lost on all sides would be better spent elsewhere, but the choice to start a war was not mine.

“You have the evidence before you as to whether you can trust me. There have been times when I have made mistakes. There have been times when I have failed. There have been times when I have not seen eye to eye with my peers and my superior officers. However, any reading of my service record will show that none of my failings is due to any hesitancy on my part to serve the interests of the people of the Colonies, and on the contrary will show the personal risks and sacrifices that I have made for a home to which I have ties of neither blood nor land nor wealth.”

[Casey]

“Gorikak’s lack of loyalty to the Colonies is not questioned. He doesn’t care about us or our war. For him, both money and violence are motivating factors. However, his deepest loyalties are to his crew. Although he frequently – possibly usually – disagrees with me and my command decisions, when the decision is made he goes all in. All or nothing. Victory or death. For me this makes his lack of loyalty to the Colonies irrelevant. As long as he is a member of the crew he will wholeheartedly throw himself at whatever dangers confront us.

“As a matter of fact, I recently offered to buy him out of the Zeitnot Corp, LLC. Instead of taking a large sum of money, freeing himself from the ship and the oversight of the Colonial military, he refused. He wished to stay with us and see where our collective fate took us.

“Nor is he unskilled. His abilities at the gunner’s console rivals nearly any experienced operator the Colonies and the Imperium could muster. In fight after fight, space battle after space battle, his pinpoint accuracy over tens of thousands of miles has made the difference between victory and defeat. His post-combat logs show his professionalism at the controls, his nearly intuitive manner of solving angles of attack, and his utter deadliness when it comes to the enemies of the Colonies.

“Where his true nature shines though, is in personal combat. Here his qualities are perfectly demonstrated. With equal arms and armament, with the exception of an Imperial Marine he reigns supreme. In our fights against demons, monsters, and the very hosts of Hell he has waded through blood and death, securing victory when without him we would all have been dead. He performed superlatively on the assault on Zhatnos, striking fear into the hearts of our enemies and singlehandedly destroying a Zhodani tank, first by manually destroying its cannon, and then by hand placing an explosive on it in flight. I would dare say you would have a difficult time discovering such epic heroism in the entire annals of the Colonies. I could go on relating anecdotes about his capabilities, but I’m sure you have read my reports regarding him.

“As to your point regarding his interpersonal violence, they are well documented. However, I have never received any formal or informal request to keep him secured on my ship. Had I received such a directive, it would have been obeyed. His violence towards Vargr is reciprocated. Such racial intolerances – while they shall not be tolerated – nonetheless will not solve themselves within a single generation. His fights with the Vargr always place him at a disadvantage, and up to this point the physiological damage he inflicts has been reparable.

“I don’t say that as an excuse for his actions. In our society his actions deserve the reprobation he has received. Whether one wants to place his aggression at the feet of his racial tendencies or his personal proclivities makes no difference. He is who he is, and acts how he acts. As I work with him I continually struggle to restrain these tendencies and remind him of the norms of our society. That is, I restrain him until we are in a situation where the maximum amount of violence needs to be done. And then I know that he will come through, and he will risk his life to save ours.

“If you believe that I permit him certain allowances in defiance of military law, this is not so. I have enforced every order given by the judiciary, and have made him available for each legal action taken against him. The courts have acted promptly and appropriately to his violations of law. They have not tolerated these violations, and I have supported them every step of the way.”

[Warren McGregor]

Read Admiral Sturrs turns his microphone on.  He stares intently at the Commander with a blank expression.  He pauses for a moment studying Commander Duquette before commencing:

"Commander Casey Duquette.  I can understand why you have selected to have under your employ the questionable characters that Rear Admiral McBane expressed concerns for.  After reviewing the records for each mission that you have completed and the heroic and selfless acts that have merited several of your crew awards, it makes sense.

"However, I side with Read Admiral McBane* in his assessment of the Drahkari; but would also extend this concern to all other members of your crew.  These heroic acts have become overshadowed by the increasing reckless disregard to life.  A certain reputation has developed of you and your crew as heartless killers and murderers among the Colonies, spreading terror at the mere mention of your name.  While this may prove to be a good tactic against our enemies, the tactic is being implemented among our very own citizens.  I understand that in times of war you are empowered to make judicial decisions.  But law and morality go hand in hand.  Enough situations have transpired that clearly show there are no morals with regard citizen life, let alone any life, within your command.

"As I stated, I understand why you would have employed such members of your crew.  These actions display a clear breakdown of leadership, and I dare say it displays extremely poor leadership on your part.  Please explain to us why we should merit you with additional command authority when you have shown that you cannot command or lead your crew in your current station?"

[grumpit]

Rear Admiral DeFrance leans forward to his microphone a grim look on his face. "We have done an extensive search into your history both in and out of service to the Colonial Navy and one name keeps coming up. Casey's Marauders".

[Agent Tash]

Vice Admiral Masonpack nods, and tilts his head almost apologetically to Commander Duquette.  

"You understand our dilemma I trust commander?  There are currently 51 post-rated man-of-wars in the colonial navy.  Should you pass to post-captain rank you may find yourself in command of some of our Confederacy's deadliest and most expensive weapons of war.  You would represent colonial authority wherever you display your ship's colors.   You are clearly effective in battle, but is that enough?  Can you represent our values as a nation as well?"

***OOC:  I put up a post explaining the ship's rating system today.

[Casey]

It was a good question, even a necessary one. Casey knew the subject would come up, had to come up. He wasn’t ready to give a good answer, nor would he likely ever be.

“Of such a public reputation I am not aware. I have never heard of the term ‘Casey’s Marauders’. Most of my missions are done in secret, the very definition of black ops. There are times when I am not operating under such necessities – such as our encounter with Lucky Dillon. During these moments I will proudly and honorably declare my name, rank, and affiliation with and authority from the Colonial military.

“That said, I am not now a line commander. I am an intelligence operative. Many times I have lied about who I am and for whom I work. Were I to continue in this position and carry out missions similar to the ones I have previously been assigned, I would continue to operate in many respects as if I were not a naval commander. This includes tactics and methods that are frowned upon by any honorable warrior engaged in a conventional war.

“This, I believe, is the crux of the matter. I have not been tapped to conduct conventional operations. The missions that I have been sent on – some officially, many non-officially – are of such nature that conventional forces cannot be sent. Several of them could not have been accomplished by even standard non-conventional Colonial assets. When I say this, think of our mission to Object X, or our penetration into the LASNO facility and the conflict we had there with VEGA. For such a mission, neither your special forces nor your intelligence operatives would have sufficed.

“I have been expected, from my beginnings as an officer, to create and maintain a group of sophonts capable of working off of the edge of the map, writing our own doctrines in the margins of the military manuals. The possibilities dreamed up in the contingency plans of the most deranged military theorist would not suffice to describe the nightmares that we have faced, survived, and in many cases defeated. The reason the Colonial military has continually assigned us these black ops is because of our capabilities of working outside of standard military doctrine. The composition of my crew is unconventional to the extreme because the missions and threats we face are unconventional to the extreme.

“Admiral Sturrs, you speak of spreading terror. Amongst our enemies, this is and always will be my intent. The commander that dredges up nightmarish visions amongst his foes is the commander that will always have an edge. War is horror, whether fighting the ghouls of Nyarlathotep or watching your friend’s body be melted in two by a direct hit from a particle cannon.

“You have accused me of using these same tactics against the citizens of the Colonies. To some extent, I agree with you, but would place the terms of ‘law’ and ‘morality’ into a sphere where it cannot be defined in terms of the purest white or the darkest black. No war has ever been fought with such an unblemished banner, and although our intentions should always be to do that which is right whether on the battlefield or in the boardroom, actions will be taken and decisions will be made by good men that – when taken utterly out of context – would seem to be evil.

“I will give you the most prevalent example that weighs on my mind. I am certain that you are all aware of my actions against the leadership of the occupying forces on New Detroit. A mission was crafted, and my group was selected to carry it out. The idea came out of a committee of high ranking military strategists, and was approved by the Helios Council. A nuclear warhead was given to us, and the target designated. You all know that this target was not an isolated bunker on a desolate asteroid. It was a populated neighborhood in an otherwise non-military area. Nevertheless, despite all odds and more than our fair share of luck the mission was successful.

“The Imperials responded by labeling our undertaking as a terrorist attack. And how could they be wrong? A weapon of mass destruction was used in civilian territory. But it served its purpose. It killed a number of the Imperial command staff, energized the resistance, and paved the way for the eventual reconquest of New Detroit. Nevertheless, in retrospect it could be debated whether that single strike would have made any final difference in the outcome.

“And to answer you concerns directly, Admiral Masonpack, I see a thick, sharp separation between these black ops that I have undertaken and the normal combat operations of conventional warfare. I believe that you will understand this by reviewing the file on my actions on Zhatnos. After the Harbinger was destroyed, our attack force lost not only Colonel Harrington, but also its heavy marines, anti-air defense, and assault tanks. I became the leader of the forces and carried on by gathering the remnants of the scattered Colonial forces. Despite what seemed like overwhelming opposition and negligible odds of success, we were able to complete our twin objectives of destroying Zhodani forces in the area and securing and entering the LASNO facility. The post-mission analysis found that my leadership was exemplary, and my actions were completely in line with what would be expected of a military commander leading combat troops in a conventional war.

“It is your last point, Admiral Masonpack, that I think is the most important that will be heard by this board. You all know that I am being considered for a mission to go into the depths of the Abyss itself, to make contact with civilizations whose existence and nature have only heretofore been speculated. I will be expected to be a diplomat, a warrior, and a missionary. I will be bringing with myself the full faith and credit of the Colonies and – by extension – all of Humaniti.

“The first flag that is shown on the other side of the Abyss should be that of the Thirteen Colonies. They have right of proximity, of history, of trade. Additionally, because of the nature of these secret operations the Colonies have done the most to peel back some of the mysteries that might await any explorer. Like the early Terran explorers sailing their vessels into the uncharted portions of their maps, so too will these modern-day explorers open new avenues and find new opportunities. Whoever leads such an expedition should have experience as a high-level ambassador and a combat commander of a rated vessel. He should be adaptable in unpredictable circumstances, and be able to accurately decide who is a friend, and who is an enemy. He should be able to clearly demonstrate the high qualities of the ideals of the Colonies to unique alien sophonts, and demonstrate to them the friendship offered by the people of the Colonies.

“Gentlemen, I believe that I am that man.”

[grumpit]

Admiral DeFrance stoically listens to Commander Duquette, hardened by years of military service he gives no hint of emotion, nor approval or disapproval of the Commander's testimony. The Admiral leans into the microphone.
" Commander your capabilities on the battlefield and strategic prowess are not what are in question here. It's more about the decisions that you make and how you justify them". The Admiral pauses for a moment while still leaning towards is microphone.

"Commander in your own words tell us about Standing Wave, and in particular how Naval Command came to learn about its existence.

[Casey]

“My friendship with Standing Wave – or Sten as he now calls himself – is almost as old as my residency in the Colonies. When I met Petty Officer 3rd Class Callin Roth he was working as a private detective. He had been hired by Mrs. Muscatelli to find her sister, Becky Fibonacci. Within a local day or two we found ourselves in Essex, in front of Fibonacci’s mansion, where Standing Wave worked as Fibonacci’s butler. He allowed us in and we began to chat. There were some notes that Fibonacci had left out in his rooms. We were accompanied at that time by a certain Professor Knox of Iderati. He would later tell me that the notes dealt with Artificial Intelligence and the Heralds, and the connection between them.

“Over the course of the conversation we were having with Standing Wave, it became apparent to us that he was not a cleverly designed contraption with a Virtual Intelligence program. He was alive. He was self-aware. He was a living being, a sophont.

“That he was his own master became even more obvious as he showed compassion for Becky and our search for her. He deliberately and blatantly worked against his master, feeding us information that was helpful to us but detrimental to him. He told us – in a coded manner – about the Herald and how Fibonacci had captured him. He continued to provide direct assistance to us as we tried to track down Professor Fibonacci and Becky.

“We had to caution Standing Wave on the dangers that he faced. At this time, New Detroit was still part of the Imperium. Had his existence been discovered by the Imperial authorities, they may have executed Exterminatus, with or without an investigation into whether there was actually an existential threat to the Imperium. Historical precedent for this upon discovery of AI is not hard to find. Standing Wave learned how to conceal his identity to preserve not only his life, but the lives of everyone on New Detroit.

“After we finished our mission on Eden we returned to New Detroit. Our intent was to speak to Standing Wave and get his help to speak to Becky, who had died but whose essence was encased in that cube. However, the invasion had already started, and we were barely able to jump out of the system to get to Keening to warn naval command of what was happening.

“It would be quite some time before we were able to finally return to New Detroit and speak with Standing Wave. In fact, it was the very mission that smuggled us into the system to carry out the nuclear attack on Fibonacci’s mansion that reunited us with him. To the casual observer, this might seem to have been mere happenstance or even irrelevant. To us, this was more that chance. It was a vital serendipitous meeting that allowed us to continue our quest to probe the mysteries of the Abyss and the designs of Nyarlathotep and his minions. He was better able to interface with Becky and her miniature galactic computer that performed the navigational calculations than we were. Without his aid our ability to gain any knowledge of these things would have been crippled.

“At any rate, Standing Wave knew that he couldn’t come with us as he was. His body was the clockwork machine, but his mind was the mainframe computer in Fibonacci’s home. He knew that, in a sense, he had to die. He didn’t ask us to reconsider our mission, to spare the Professor’s home and thus his life. He didn’t demand an explanation for our actions. Perhaps this is because he trusted our friendship and knew that we wouldn’t be doing it unless it were necessary. Perhaps he knew all to well the strategic situation on the planet and the casualties of war.

“Be that as it may, Standing Wave created a new mind, a portable one. A mind that could be taken with us. This new mind knew that he wasn’t Standing Wave. Even though he had most of the same bare memories as his predecessor, he considered himself to be Standing Wave’s child in a way. He renamed himself Sten.

“For the next months Sten was a passenger on our ship. He generally took no part in the day to day operations of either the vessel or our missions. He spent most of his time making us sandwiches and speaking with Becky, helping her express to us the information that she had. On occasion he would provide brief but critical assistance in other matters, such as our assault on Fibonacci’s base on Zhatnos IV. If you’ll remember, this was another secret research facility created by Fibonacci and run by one of his avatars.

“It was Fibonacci that led to me informing naval command of Sten’s existence. We had been given a mission to retrieve a black globe generator that had been scavenged by Drakhari raiders. After we had defeated them in naval combat we boarded their ship to take possession of the globe. As it turned out, this crew was controlled by Fibonacci, and he was able to upload his personality to two of our on-board mainframes. Sten was able to contain him, preventing him from taking over our last computer.

“That Fibonacci had evolved from having a few dispersed avatars that were mutually unaware to being capable of wirelessly transmitting himself to new hardware was a development that had to be treated with the utmost urgency. When I returned to Keening we advised command and were placed in quarantine, with our two infected mainframes carefully removed along with all other potentially vulnerable hardware wiped. It was at this time that I informed my handler, Lt. Cochrane, of Sten. He appropriately referred the matter to an investigatory committee, and a letter of reprimand was placed in my file next to the letter of commendation I had received for our actions in retrieving the black globe generator.

“What happened next was precisely what I had feared. Sten was taken from us and placed in solitary physical and electronic confinement, where he remains to this day. I filed a formal complaint, citing his extraordinary – if clandestine – assistance he has provided to us and the Colonies. I pointed out that Sten has never shown any indication that he would endanger Colonial interests. He has turned away from his creator, and chose for himself the type of person that he would be. He has shown genuine empathy and concerns for his friends, first for Becky and then for us, doing all that he could to lessen the danger that we faced and provide us with the information that we sorely needed.

“That he is sentient is now beyond any doubt. If he was, instead, merely a hugely complex Virtual AI machine I have no doubt but that the Colonial experts would have changed his programming at the assembly language level and repurposed his extraordinary capabilities. This has not been done, and he still sits alone when he should be with his friends. He sits isolated and impotent when he should be released to help the cause of those who contain him. He is treated as a dangerous machine when he should be granted Colonial citizenship. He currently lacks the ability to shape his own destiny when he should be allowed the freedom to decide for himself that path which he would take. This is the freedom for which the Colonies currently wage war, and it is the deepest of ironies that the freedom that the Colonies hold most dear is denied to him.”

[Agent Tash]

The vice admiral listens, taking occasional notes while Casey speaks.  After he finishes he looks thoughtful, then activates a switch on the table in front of him, causing soft static to emanate from the speakers.  He leans over and has a brief private conversation with the other admirals.  Deactivating the static, he turns his attention back to the commander.

"Commander Duquette, this is not a disciplinary hearing.  Generally we will take your explanations to our questions for the record without belaboring the point.  In this instance, I need further clarification, as I find your answer troubling."

"You state the artificial intelligence Standing Wave is a sentient thinking entity, empathetic and showing great concern for its friends.  I accept these statements as fact without argument. But then so are many of those whom we kill in the military.  Ours is the profession of ending threats and lives.  In action, many who fall under our guns may be exemplary individuals in personal or family life.  Poets, leaders, fathers, and mothers.  If they threaten our borders and security we may in the course of our operations kill them all.  Ours is a bloody business, as you just finished arguing to us very elegantly.  We do this not for love of bloodshed, but love of our own family and nation."

"Where you seem blind to me commander, is the reality that an artificial intelligence is an existential threat to our nation by the very nature of it's existence.  Doctor Fibonacci himself once enjoyed special trust and privilege with the colonies.  Before he betrayed us.  And now he is an A.I., and from all accounts plotting our destruction.  The same man who designed the very entity in question.  Are you qualified to speak to the motivations of such a subtle and complicated being?"

"In spite of that, we are not barbarians.  We have not destroyed Standing Wave, or practiced upon him to bring him pain.  He is after all, a natural born citizen of the colonies, with all the rights therein.  The circumstances of the great threats to our very existence, ones you are acutely aware of Commander, force us to a very reasonable caution in this matter.  The fact that you took it upon yourself to keep his existence a secret for so long is the single most troubling question before this board to my mind."

The vice admiral leads back in his seat, adjust his shoulders and breathes a long sigh.

"Do you wish to add anything alse to the record on this specific matter before we move on?"

[Casey]

“Admiral, I will add only enough to address your concerns and answer your question. I have no intention of using this hearing as a platform to state my grievances.

“You imply that I am not competent to judge Standing Wave and decide on my own authority whether he is a threat. With this sentiment I completely agree. When we first accepted his guidance and intelligence, and later when we took him under our wing, I could not have predicted the future and stated for certain that he would not at some point work against the interests of the Colonies, just as you were not able to predict what was to happen when Fibonacci when was given great power and authority.

“Although I am guarded in dispensing trust to nearly the point of paranoia, I still wish to judge individuals on their speech and behavior. That Sten was created by Professor Fibonacci is not irrelevant. Detaining and quarantining him until his nature and designs could be accurately deduced was a wise decision on the part of naval intelligence. You had to know, for yourselves, that Sten does not constitute a threat. That I should have come to this conclusion long before I revealed his existence should come as no surprise, based of his behavior that I have described to you.

“Perhaps the similarities between his spiritual patrimony and mine have lent me a certain amount of understanding to his situation. I’m sure you are aware that both of my parents were considered heretics and traitors to the Iridium Throne. My father was killed, and my mother is still in prison. When I first joined the ISS and rose through the ranks, this was something that was not treated lightly. I was interviewed and re-interviewed about their actions a number of times. Nevertheless, as my loyalty to the ideals of the Scouts became more and more apparent through my actions, the question of whether I could be trusted because of the hidden dealings of my parents became less and less relevant.

“This is the hope that I currently have for Sten.”

[grumpit]

"Commander Duquette, I would like to apologize if this has felt less like a promotional review and more like a disciplinary hearing. I will say you have comported your self quite well and are a eloquent speaker, I however do have one last point of contention that absolutely must be addressed."

"You just now claimed that you are guarded in dispensing trust to nearly the point of paranoia, so perhaps you can explain to us how you came to trust Warren McGregor? A man who was a known criminal, pirate and murderer. A member of your crew who later went on to commit an act of terrorism by releasing a weapon of mass destruction on a Keening Naval station, killing hundreds of Naval personal."

[Father Dugal]

Mcbane steeples his hands in a gesture of absolute collection and locks his gaze on Casey...

"Yes, at long last we come to the crux of the issue. While this is not a disciplinary hearing, I think we would be most enlightened if we heard this response  from the lips of the Commander himself."

"The criminal, Warren Mcgregor. A pirate once under the control of Dr. Fibonacci who claimed freedom and took refuge under your flag. A man who seemingly operated under your command, but apparently had an agenda of his own as my colleague has said. How did this man, whose motives were so blatantly against the Colonies, operate without your noticing? The very essence of an intelligence operative is to discover such treachery and neutralize it. Why is it that you did not?"

"We do not need a flowery history lesson on this man, Commander. We have his confidential dossier and we know his actions. We even have fragmentary reports of his current operations on New Detroit. At this point, sir, he goes beyond the classification of a criminal on the run; he is a threat to the stability and well-being of New Detroit, our jewel of the Colonies. And all of this because you failed perceive a threat when it was before you the whole time. Or perhaps you decided the tactic of "keeping your enemies closer" was a better course of action in this case? Whatever the motivation, you knew full well what this individual was capable of. Why did you not eliminate him before precious blood became the issue? We've lost many good people and citizens, Commander. And how many more will be lost in an attempt to bring him down?"

"And since we are on the subject of humaniti life, I wish to make a further point. I wish to know why you fled New Detroit knowing full well what you left behind; I consider that an act of displacing responsibility. All I sense here is a desire to, how does that Solomani expression go, "pass the buck"?  It does not reflect a need to help those many innocent people who are still in danger. I view it as an act of cowardice. And do not bore us with the exigencies of your mission to explore the Stygian Abyss as your defense. The point here is to account for people who have or may die in the immediate future."

"What you answer at this time will be entered as a statement of record; but, I wish to inform you that I plan to do everything within my power to make sure you are sent back to the New Detroit System to kill Warren McGregor and the entity he's bonded with."

"Answer what you will Commander but tread carefully here. Your reputation is at stake."

[Agent Tash]

Vice Admiral Masonpack gives a peevish look at Rear Admiral Mcbane. "Admiral, your Psi-Core are already conducting an official inquiry into that matter. Commander, you do not have council present, so it is only fair to advise you that you are not obligated to make an official statement on that matter at this time."

"I must admit, this is a question that must be resolved before your advancement inquiry can be complete. It's up to you if you want to speak on this Commander."

[Father Dugal]

"Yes, indeed Commander. Retreat to that safe umbrella of legal counsel. That is certainly within your rights. Or choose to stand accountable and answer for yourself now. Choose either to stand or flee, Commander; and you've done quite a bit of running in your life, all the way from the Solamani Rim. Which will it be today, sir?"

[Father Dugal]

[Agent Tash]

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