New Homeport Island (31 page)

the charges yet.” Hauldbalm said, “ahh, Okay. You have to
 forgive me I just got out of a rocky relationship.” Artimus heard
 a whisper from behind him, a couple of women in hushed
 conversation. It was Charlie McCree saying, “Does he mean
 me?” He glanced back and saw Charlie stand up fold her arms
 and cock her head with an angry look on her face as tears started
 to flow from her eyes. Hauldbalm said, “It looks like I am
 misjudging things already…I don’t know these procedures but I
 have heard of recusing yourself  or in layman’s terms, which I
 actually do speak, someone else is going to have to do this.”
Mike Elper stood up and said, “I’ve been with the
 guys over there maybe I should do this.” With a facial
 expression artimus signaled no to mike and his lawyer mister
Deckly replied, “I don’t think you want to drag them into this.”
Mike replied, “Well, I’m over here now. I’m one of you not one
 of them.”
Mike saw his opportunity and felt he needed I
 leadership position. He had originally tended the boilers and
 helped build the additional three after the first one was proved to
 work. He figured he would build up the other side of the island
 and manage the work flow there. He knew there were some
 things that ‘Lyon’ knew that just hadn’t become relevant yet. I
 had become a giant in his mind and between being in my
 shadow and needing something for himself he ventured out to
 where I would not go.
Mike took his place at the judges table and pick up a
 rock from the ground and smashed it as hard as he could against
 the stone table top saying with supreme confidence, “I call this
 court to order.” After looking around at the shock and
 astonishment of the crowd seated there he knew he could
 manage this group taking him seriously and continued with,

“The court will hear from the accused before opening statements
 for the benefit of the courtroom.”  
Artimus said, “Thank you, your honor. For the record
I state to the court and all gathered here I am David E. Artimus
Captain United States navy and your commanding officer. I
 recognize our plight and the need for acknowledgement of your
 contribution and your sacrifices. What we will find through this
 formal inquiry is that we did the best we could, but the odds
 were stacked against us. Rescue and truth will come; the very
 delay of rescue infers our brothers and sisters in the armed
 forces are otherwise engaged in some manner of conflict
 preventing them from attending to us.” Artimus began to pace as
 he said, “We have to get beyond the past, we have to accept that
 we all had a part in those events, we have to…” Mike
 interjected, “Captain if you could please refrain from pacing.”  
Artimus struck an argumentative demeanor and
 replied, “Well I’m sorry your honor, I’ve been in a god damn
 cage for a week…while you were out with the natives living it
 up in ‘we have water and fish town’” Mike replied, “Captain
 please…” Artimus ranted, “No…fuck you. What do you have
 over there.” The crowd jostled and mike became visibly
 nervous. As captain artimus began to smile mike regained his
 composure and said, “Captain, I am well aware of my
 accomplishments; because, it was hard work. But we are here in
 a trial, not an ‘inquiry’, to present charges as to your guilt.”
Artimus lashed out, “well maybe you can tell me what that
 was.” Mike responded angrily, “Yes, let’s finally get to that,
 let’s do that, let’s get to that. Prosecutor, please present your
 charges. Because I am an impartial judge that was making fresh
 water and even catch fish for food since we got here, I don’t
 even know what the charges are!” Brosuer said apologetically,

“That’s your job judge.” Mike Elpers retorted, “What!?”
Brosuer again speaking apologetically said, “Well, I don’t have
 anything to write with.” Mike sighed and said, “Chief…just say
 what the charges are.”  
Brosuers looked down at his feet and said, “I don’t
 have any shoes, because of where we are…” then pointed at
Artimus. He continued, “I haven’t had any real food despite the
 hard work of the natives…” Mike noded and interject, “right”
 signifying he had taken no offense and Brosuer continued,
“because of him. So in the legal terms we non-lawyers are not so
 familiar with what is he guilty of? Well, he lost the ship, made
 no distress call, and couldn’t for the life of him tell these other
 officers exactly where we were. And I don’t mean exactly in
 terms of GPS coordinates down to hours, minutes, and
 seconds…” Brosuer than turn red in the face and yelled, “I mean
 he doesn’t know what god damn hemisphere we’re in!” Brosuer
 look around with his hand extended and said calmly, “You all
 know I’m trying to be professional about this…He willfully
 disobeys orders which we chiefs hear about in the chiefs mess
 refusing to get underway because he’ll miss a football game.”
Artimus in a hush gestured to himself and said, “That wasn’t
 me, it was a large portion of the crew.” Brosuer yelled again,
“Captain! Stop…” Brosuer gestured an apology and continued,
“We lost the ship, we’ve lost crew…I don’t want to break with
 my role but that cage is no solution. I would like to know why
 we had him instead of a real captain, I would like to know what
 he plans to do, I would like to know why we built him a
 pentagon and on that note, I’m wondering if he is running for
 president here on ‘oh fuck oh fuck we’re lost’ island.”    
Hauldbalm had begged forgiveness from his girlfriend
 for his insecurities and literally kissed her ass in apologies and

now with those issues at rest he said, “Maybe I should step in a
 prosecutor.” Mike replied, “Let’s stick with this prosecutor but
 if you can make it sound more formal please do.” Brosuer
 looked back and shrugged at the Master Chief and Hauldbalm
 counted on his fingers, “Let’s see destruction of government
 property possible misuse, hazarding the ship, hazarding
 personnel, abuse of authority, malicious maleficence , and
 something I can only describe as ‘aqualung’.”
Brosuer exploded, “Aqualung! That’s a good example.
It’s a crime, it is recognized, then joked about…the guy that did
 it…the assailant, is ridiculed and then nothing…we still have to
 work with the jack asses! Because he doesn’t want anyone
 looking at his conduct.”  
With distain Hauldbalm offered the correction, “I was
 referring to the way I almost drown.” There was a grumble in
 the crowd and Brosuer said, “I’m sure it was traumatic…”
Hauldbalm interjected, “Your god damn right it was, I…”
Brosuer spoke over him, “Exactly so now we joke about it and
 then it’s forgotten. But we all almost drown!” Hauldbalm said
 quietly as he sat down, “Your right.”
Brosuer said, “Let’s just cover everything until we
 know where this goes. I mean who this guy has actually been.”
Brosuer shrugged and looked around and continued, “Maybe
 there is actually a mitigating factor I honestly don’t know”
Artimus interjected, “That would be that I am the Captain.”
Brosuer retorted in a strong clear voice that trailed off as he
 spoke, “Not anymore…not anymore…not anymore.” shaking
 his  head in defeat and disbelief.
There was a crack of thunder from the horizon, a
 storm was rolling by, or at least that’s the way I remember it. I
 had been watching from the mountain top along with several

others, we were still proficient lip readers, over the course of
 that trail there would be drama and inanities but we would sit
 back and watch, because we had nothing better to do.
Artimus stood up and asked, “Have I finished my
 opening statements?” and looked around and saw there was a
 general affirmative from the crowd and he added, “So, I made
 my point then? What does the jury say?” Mike Elper acting as
 judge said, “Not so fast there slick. I honestly think some of
 these people believe you failed in leadership one oh one, and
 would like to see you never referred to as Captain ever again,
 others…seem to have put a lot of effort into that cell. But then I
 am impartial and perhaps, there are mitigating factors?” Brosuer
 asked, “So they I’ll continue then?” and mike replied, “If there
 aren’t any rebuttals or objection from the defense, we’ll continue
 in this forum.”
Deckly said, “I’m just waiting to hear something that
 isn’t whining about having to follow instead of lead.” Mike
 replied, “Point taken.” Brosuer redirected, “Then I will continue
 to make my case.” and from the background a voice called out,
“I think you guys are starting to get the hang of this.” As more
 and more terms from T.V. law shows started to come out their
 vocabularies became refined. Marcy stood up and said, “Stop. I
 think you said party of the parties.” and everyone decided he
 need not be present and he was sent to check on Hudlow and his
 followers. Marcy had remembered hearing a legal contract read
 in central control by Clarkson to see if anyone had that level of
 reading comprehension, “party of the first part, party of the
 second part”; he thought maybe it’ll be funny this time.  
Brosuer continued, “We all seen this captain at his
 finest asleep in his bridge chair while the ship is underway, but
 what about that night watch? It was cold that night and he and

the entire bridge crew were asleep, when as cold as it was there
 was a cold snap and they nearly died of hypothermia. And when
 the vertical launch system needed to be tested and he and several
 fire controlmen stood there playing with the wires until one of
 the caps blew off and broke a bridge window. The captains mast
 he broadcast on sight t.v. because his bailiff a third class
 engineer was in the habit of kicking the command master chief
 out, only for us to find out the minor infraction being discussed
 was soliciting comments and admissions on the part of the
 captain that were in fact criminal offenses. And the utter
 insistence that the manuals don’t run the ship, the captain
 does…well, the manuals weren’t running the ship and maybe
 that’s why it’s at the bottom. I would like to know Captain, why
 is the ship at the bottom?”  
There was a pause and Artimus felt it was working
 against him so he asked Mike, “Would you like me to answer
 that?” Mike Elper serving as the judge replied, “Yes, sir.”
Artimus stood up and said, “Metal stress.” Brosuer scoffed with
 a degree of condescension, “Mental stress?” Artimus replied,
“Metal stress. The ship’s hull has a long, twenty year history
 that doesn’t start well, nor did it end well. The ship fell off the
 blocks during construction, in its initial sea trails the sonar dome
 cracked, years later it cracked again on a deployment in the
 eighties, the ship has been struck by mines, The ship came in
 contact with pier stanchions as the low tide side in Everett
 before the extension of the piers breaking those stanchions and
 stressing the hull near three generator room to the point of a
 leaking fissure. I did the best I could with what we had and you
 were here to help me not hinder me but look where you have us
 and now I am to blame?”

Mr. Deckly interjected, “I think it is time for the
 defense to speak now. This man has been your captain, he
 carries your pride for which you loath him but he also carries
 your shame for which you have hidden behind him and now
 when he needs something from you…A little trust, a little
 consideration you turn on him. This crew should be glad for him
 without him you wouldn’t have survived to this point. Maybe
 some of you have a true reason for resentment, the ship was
 never properly maintained because you didn’t work at it, but you
 said you had. When those transgressions were found I felt he
 was far too lenient. The corrosive element with in the crew
 remained and hazarded us all but not on his account but on your
 own. Which of you should have been sent to the stockades for
 derelictions and which of you were just in competent is perhaps
 where this trail should focus, but a few of you did work hard.
So, don’t give it a name…don’t answer as to whom it was that
 failed all of us, just start again. And, with that I move that the
 charges be dismissed.”  
Brosuer pointed at Mike and said, “I object to that.”
Mike smiled at them both and said, “Objection over ruled but
 the motion does not carry. There is more to be heard.”
Brosuer asked, “Captian, why did we fail those
 inspections.” Artimus replied, “We weren’t ready.” Brosuer
 asked further, “Was it the leadership that wasn’t ready.” Artimus
 replied, “You know…I’m accustom to concealing certain things
 about what happens, where, and why, so as not to overwhelm
 you. But I realize now there’s no rason for that concern here. We
 were a part of using an obscure law to give ourselves access to
 private property owned by the electric company to restore power
 to the civilian populous during a blizzard. To some that was
 martial law to others it was a military cue da  ta. That drew some

unwanted attention and some attacks that may have been
 justified. We weren’t ready because you weren’t ready because
 someone was trying to put you on an ego trip to see just how
 arrogant you were, while others were trying to show they are
 your adversary no matter what you are doing.” Brosuer asked,
“But, captain what does that have to do with what we are
 discussing here?”  
Artimus struck a refined posture and answered with a
 sense of command in his voice, “You have just reminded me
 you are a chief petty officer and in doing so reminded me that I
 am a captain. Your understanding of the ‘scope’ of a situation
 and the implications of actions taken are devoid of any
 comprehension as to the meaning or definition of the words,
‘scope’ and ‘implication’.
Mr. Deckly said, “Your honor these questions are far
 too vague, my client would have to give a four year long class
 on various topics of education for his responses to these
 uncertain and generalized ‘why, but..but, why’s’ we are hearing.
Mike replied, “Chief keep your questions simple enough that I
 could answer them.”  
Brosuer said, “The Captain was in misconduct and he
 made political enemies and he is trying to blame us for
 something that was done right but be someone beneath his
 rank.” Mike replied, “Then chief ask him questions that will
 either establish in his own words that that is the case or explain
 why it isn’t that way.” Brosuers face turned bright red and he
 looked to the sky and said while looking up, “Captain were you
 placed in hack” Artimus replied, “Yes.” Brosuer again in
 obvious frustration asked, “Captain, does ‘Hack’ stand for
House Arrest and Confinement.” Again Artimus replied, “Yes.”
Brosuer then turn to him and asked, “Why?” Artimus responded,