SEIA1

=Chapter 1=
==Silent enim inter arma: Tribunals==
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The thing is from their memorializing of the 171st to the actions on Kolwoon (Elber Toothpicks), Liz and her people have a very... bad history of war crimes.  They memorialize it. See it as throwing the Rimjobs off, but when POWs go running to other units rather than being taken by one unit, it's saying bad things about that one unit. 
-Richard Korzon, Federated News Services, 3077
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<<<Holo-Recording Begins>>>
"...breached the defenses at Brian Fortress base Running Deer Mountain at 05:30 this morning.  The orders from DeChevalier's man was to delay Rim Worlds reinforcement and cause problems, but we found a defect in their security and I exploited it."
"God help me, I wish I hadn't given what that defect was.  Alpha Company found the logistical railway open and got inside, they checked the boxcars to see what the Rimjobs needed to keep coming..."
"We had trains loaded with civilians in box cars, most sedated.  Not dependents.  but it was when we breached the locks in that the real horror began."
"They were parting these people out like used automobiles, shipments of frozen organs in alphabetically ranked rows in the outer levels.  Surgeries had been set up further down, with holding areas."
"****** them.  They were sending organs to hospitals harvested from civilians here."
"Some of the victims were children."
"****** them.  There is nothing bad enough, no punishment harsh enough, for this."
"I'll make one, and nobody will ever do this again.  Make an example so searing that it will never be forgotten."
-Tranh Truk Ngo, War Diary:Elbar Campaign 11 July, 2777
<<<Holo-Recording, Ends>>>
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LCS Hermann Steiner BB-04
Frederick Steiner Class Battleship
Sol Star System
Former Word of Blake Protectorate
January, 3078
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"I can get you out of this, Elizabeth!" Nathan insisted.
"No, you really can't." Elizabeth told him, "I need one of us to be with the kids, and Peter needs to get breathing room diplomatically. I need you to get our people out of here before they get ideas about seizing the fleet as evidence."
"Elizabeth, it is a war crimes tribunal!" nearly shouts Nathan
''
"Nathan, if our positions were reversed you would tell me to do the exact same thing.  Go home, explain it to the kids, I'll either beat this, or it's rigged. If it's rigged, they won't have to worry about assassination or kidnap teams for the next twenty years. If I'm here, instead of there-these people don't play nice. Whether it's the Combine, or Federated Suns, or the other members of the coalition.  Peter needs to show he's on board with restoring the Star League, and if he's harboring a war criminal. Even one who's conviction is in absentia, he isn't going to be able to do that. The only way to beat this, is to be here to fight it, and we can't use guns to solve this particular problem."''
"But Elizabeth-" pleads Nathan
"I have my orders from the Archon. You have yours from the Khan.  Do your duty." she told him, then looked over, "Captain Minh, is their shuttle docked?"
"Ayeh Mum." Captain Nicole Minh said curtly.
"Then it's time for me to go." Elizabeth said, "Get the fleet out of the AO as soon as I'm away.  Alicia Li and the Archon will have your orders from that point, but I don't want any...'co defendants' in the AO for them to start eyeing.  Either I'll get through this and be on my way home, or Peter will have further orders."
"Ayeh Mum, good luck." Nicole saluted.
Liz returned the salute, then, her husband behind her, headed down to the smallcraft bay.
"It is a stacked deck." Nathan said, "This tribunal will not be...fair."
"I know, but I trust Marthe's representatives on the board will. If nothing else, keep them from using speculation as the basis of their decision, at least, openly. They're going to have to convict and sentence based only on facts, and I can beat that. I think...and if I can't, well, I wouldn't be the first Ngo to be sent home after an operation in the Terran Hegemony."
"They will not just send you home." he said.
''
"No, probably not, but that's why I have to trust the Archon to have a backup plan. Even if it means just making sure my ashes get home.  Make sure our children know I did my best, Nathan."  she turned and kissed him in the airlock to the smallcraft bay.  "I love you."
"I love you too..." He had his own ideas, but she asked him...
He watched her step into the bay. Then walk across the service way and meet the Coalition force sent to arrest her. 
Through the quartz window of the airlock, he watched the shuttle depart.
He barely had time to strap down when the Jump Alarm sounded.
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