had earned a full clearance. I thought no further.”
Vopalar glanced over to her officers, clearly soliciting reaction; the First Officer spoke. To Caleigh he sounded almost more exasperated than angry. Of course Koscuisko’s action was more potentially compromising to Captain Vopalar than to the First Officer.
“So someone got knocked around a bit, Koscuisko. You know better than anyone that he was only going to get more of the same in Inquiry, what was the critical issue? Prisoners are abused outside of Protocol all the time, and no harm done to the Judicial order.”
Not where Andrej Koscuisko could do anything about it, they weren’t. But Koscuisko prudently bit back the rejoinder Caleigh knew to have been on the tip of his tongue and answered the reproach mildly and reasonably.
“He was much more than merely knocked around, with respect, First Officer. Someone had laid him open from neck to thigh with a peony or something very like it, and burned his hands and feet and genitals as well. We are not talking any spontaneous roughhousing here, and it far exceeded what the Protocols prescribe for the Preliminary Levels.”
Koscuisko turned his attention back to Captain Vopalar, who had sat back in her chair to listen as Koscuisko continued. This was new information, it seemed. Caleigh felt hopeful. “If my professional judgment were to be solicited, I would have no hesitation in calling it a solid start on a Ninth Level. Except that there were no Charges recorded. There is no excuse for it.”
Koscuisko was getting a little emotional there, toward the end. A little too absolute. Caleigh frowned, willing her officer in her mind to be sensitive to the currents around him.
“Prisoners are the First Officer’s responsibility, Koscuisko.” All the same, Captain Vopalar seemed to have made up her mind in Koscuisko’s favor. “I’m sorry it didn’t occur to you to let the First Officer be the one to log your discovery. Makes us look bad, no matter how you choose to interpret it. I don’t expect you to take things into your own hands this way. I require you to observe your chain of command, and if you just didn’t think about the consequences, maybe you should be sure you think things through in the future. You understand?”
It was a fairly mild reprimand, considering. Koscuisko would have a hard time swallowing the idea of going through channels where a clear injustice was concerned; but Captain Vopalar had a right to demand he behave like a subordinate officer, since he was one. He’d know that. Caleigh hoped.
“As Command instruction I receive and comply with this direction, your Excellency.” Stiff and stubborn. They’d know he was angry, but that wouldn’t hurt. They would expect at least that much. “First Officer, that I exceeded my authority, I must to you apologize. There was no intent to create an unfortunate appearance. But I should perhaps have guessed that such might happen still.”
“Shouldn’t happen again, Koscuisko,”First Officer agreed, without rancor. “I’ll detail an officer to accompany you on rounds from now on, just to be sure you can reach me at a moment’s notice. I’m satisfied, your Excellency. No harm done.”
They’d put a watch on Koscuisko, to be sure he didn’t take it into his head to exercise his Bench authority without prior clearance again. But that was all right. In point of fact she liked Koscuisko, she respected his ability and his instinct, but his judgment was subject to occasional lapses. It wouldn’t hurt to have someone there whose presence would remind him to stop and think things through a bit more thoroughly.
“Dismiss, then, First Officer. Doctor Clontosh, make sure that Koscuisko has no cause to complain of the treatment his patient gets in hospital, goodnight. Koscuisko, stand by.”
The First Officer and Doctor Clontosh left the room in silence, and Caleigh thought that both of them looked a little relieved. Koscuisko had not relaxed,
Vopalar glanced over to her officers, clearly soliciting reaction; the First Officer spoke. To Caleigh he sounded almost more exasperated than angry. Of course Koscuisko’s action was more potentially compromising to Captain Vopalar than to the First Officer.
“So someone got knocked around a bit, Koscuisko. You know better than anyone that he was only going to get more of the same in Inquiry, what was the critical issue? Prisoners are abused outside of Protocol all the time, and no harm done to the Judicial order.”
Not where Andrej Koscuisko could do anything about it, they weren’t. But Koscuisko prudently bit back the rejoinder Caleigh knew to have been on the tip of his tongue and answered the reproach mildly and reasonably.
“He was much more than merely knocked around, with respect, First Officer. Someone had laid him open from neck to thigh with a peony or something very like it, and burned his hands and feet and genitals as well. We are not talking any spontaneous roughhousing here, and it far exceeded what the Protocols prescribe for the Preliminary Levels.”
Koscuisko turned his attention back to Captain Vopalar, who had sat back in her chair to listen as Koscuisko continued. This was new information, it seemed. Caleigh felt hopeful. “If my professional judgment were to be solicited, I would have no hesitation in calling it a solid start on a Ninth Level. Except that there were no Charges recorded. There is no excuse for it.”
Koscuisko was getting a little emotional there, toward the end. A little too absolute. Caleigh frowned, willing her officer in her mind to be sensitive to the currents around him.
“Prisoners are the First Officer’s responsibility, Koscuisko.” All the same, Captain Vopalar seemed to have made up her mind in Koscuisko’s favor. “I’m sorry it didn’t occur to you to let the First Officer be the one to log your discovery. Makes us look bad, no matter how you choose to interpret it. I don’t expect you to take things into your own hands this way. I require you to observe your chain of command, and if you just didn’t think about the consequences, maybe you should be sure you think things through in the future. You understand?”
It was a fairly mild reprimand, considering. Koscuisko would have a hard time swallowing the idea of going through channels where a clear injustice was concerned; but Captain Vopalar had a right to demand he behave like a subordinate officer, since he was one. He’d know that. Caleigh hoped.
“As Command instruction I receive and comply with this direction, your Excellency.” Stiff and stubborn. They’d know he was angry, but that wouldn’t hurt. They would expect at least that much. “First Officer, that I exceeded my authority, I must to you apologize. There was no intent to create an unfortunate appearance. But I should perhaps have guessed that such might happen still.”
“Shouldn’t happen again, Koscuisko,”First Officer agreed, without rancor. “I’ll detail an officer to accompany you on rounds from now on, just to be sure you can reach me at a moment’s notice. I’m satisfied, your Excellency. No harm done.”
They’d put a watch on Koscuisko, to be sure he didn’t take it into his head to exercise his Bench authority without prior clearance again. But that was all right. In point of fact she liked Koscuisko, she respected his ability and his instinct, but his judgment was subject to occasional lapses. It wouldn’t hurt to have someone there whose presence would remind him to stop and think things through a bit more thoroughly.
“Dismiss, then, First Officer. Doctor Clontosh, make sure that Koscuisko has no cause to complain of the treatment his patient gets in hospital, goodnight. Koscuisko, stand by.”
The First Officer and Doctor Clontosh left the room in silence, and Caleigh thought that both of them looked a little relieved. Koscuisko had not relaxed,
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