The Naval officers filed into the spectators’ benches and mixed with the already sizable crowd. Ignoring the bailiff and court officers, I strode past the polished wooden rail to the unoccupied table.

“You are Captain Seafort of Hibernia?”demanded the

judge.

“No, sir, I am not,” I said firmly. He looked up in astonishment. “I am Nicholas Ewing Seafort, senior Naval officer on Hope Nation and commander of Admiralty House.

I am also in command of U.N.S. Hibernia.’”His smile was not friendly. “Let the record show the defendant has identified himself.”

I abandoned thoughts of being conciliatory; my voice rang through the courtroom. “I am no defendant, Judge Chesley.

I have come to warn you, in my official capacity, that you have exceeded your authority.”

There were gasps from the visitors’ benches. The judge slammed his gavel. “How dare you, Captain? Any more such talk and I’ll hold you in contempt of court, which you’re already in anyway by your continued imprisonment of the Treadwell girl!”

I shot back, “Any more such talk, sir, and I will declare a state of insurrection and assume military government of Hope Nation until civil order is restored!”

It had popped out of my mouth, before I had time to think.

Now my bridges were well and truly burned.

Pandemonium broke out in the courtroom. The judge was apoplectic. I let my voice ring out. “You know perfectly well, as does everyone in this room, that I am lawful Captain of U.N.S. Hibernia,that while under weigh I enlisted Paula ‘Treadwell into the United Nations Naval Service, and that her enlistment may not be challenged in civil court. This piece

of paper that purports to be an order”--I pulled out the crumpled paper Alexi had given me--”argues that Paula’s enlistment was not voluntary and that therefore she should return to the Treadwells’ custody. Is that your assertion?” I turned to the Treadwells and their advocate.

The lawyer jumped up. “It certainly is, Your Honor,” she said. “The evidence is clear that the minor child was not in full possession of the facts which--” “Thank you,” I cut in coldly. “This court may take judicial notice of Naval regulations. Involuntary enlistment is permitted when in the Captain’s judgment the safety of the ship so demands. Cadet Treadwell was so enlisted. She will remain in the Service for the full period of her enlistment.

You, sir, have no authority whatsoever over my actions as Captain of Hiberniaor as senior Naval officer in Hope Nation.

I’m surprised you didn’t know that or, worse, that you chose to ignore it. I shall suggest to the Government that they recommend your immediate replacement on those grounds.”

I turned to go. When I was two steps past the bar the judge’s strangled voice broke the silence.

“Arrest that man!”

The court officers moved forward. I pointed to the judge, snapped to Captain Forbee, “Arrest that man!”

It stopped them in their tracks. The livid judge and I exchanged glares. After a moment of ominous silence I said calmly, “Would you care to retire with me to your chambers to resolve this matter?”

He glanced back and forth between my unarmed officers and his court officials. With a sharp nod he lunged off the bench to the doorway at his side. He slammed the door behind him.I paused at the entryway. “Carry on,” I said into the stunned silence. I followed into his chambers.

The judge, trembling with rage, faced me from behind his desk.

“Would you like a way out of this?” I made my tone as reasonable as I could manage. At first he was too furious to respond. After a moment he nodded. Apparently he knew the law as well as I did.

“Very well. One, I apologize publicly to the court for my lack of respect and manners. Two, the hearing never took place. The record of it is destroyed. Or gets lost. Three, you dismiss the case for lack of merit, which you discover immediately upon reading the filings today.”

It was the Naval solution, of course. A confrontation like ours was intolerable, so we wouldn’t allow it to happen. We wouldn’t recognize its existence, just as a Captain would be blind to a midshipman’s black eye. My apology would satisfy his pride, but would have no other effect; I’d be putting it on a record that was to be destroyed.

He glowered. “You goddamn wiseass.”

I ignored the blasphemy. “You tried a fancy move and it didn’t work,” I said. “If I’d handed her over, you’d have kept her past the time I sailed and the issue would be moot.

As it is, I win. Why’d you go out on a limb for the Treadwells? They’re not even locals.”

The Judge pulled out his chair and slumped into it. “Their lawyer,” he muttered. “Miss Kazai. She’s helped me out.”

“Well, she’ll know you tried.” Having won, I could afford to be conciliatory.

He gave me a small, grim smile. “Never come back to Hope Nation as a civilian. Not while I live.”

My triumph vanished. I thought of Amanda. “No,” I said.

“I won’t be back.”

We returned to the courtroom and went through our charade. I apologized humbly for my unmannerly remarks. The judge erased the record. He then looked through the file and dismissed the Treadwells’ petition for lack of jurisdiction.

Mrs. Treadwell jumped to her feet as I passed her on the way out. “You won’t get away with it!” she shouted. “The courts in Detour will help us! We’ll see you there!”

I shrugged. Perhaps.

26

Though the hearing was officially suppressed, the story made its way through the ship. Vax wore a foolish grin for the rest of the day, even during his watch. Alexi went so far as to congratulate me openly; I bit back a sharp reproof.

The rest of our crew straggled back from shore leave. Our final passengers were ferried up to the ship and settled in thencabins. Among the last to board were the Treadwells. I had them escorted directly to the bridge.

“I thought of refusing you passage,” I told them. “But I don’t want to separate Rafe and Paula sooner than necessary.

I let you aboard, but one more protest, one petition, a single interference with the operation of my ship--and that includes harassing Paula--and you’ll spend the entire trip in the brig.

Is that understood?”

It wasn’t that easy. I had to threaten to have them expelled to the station before they finally gave me their agreement.

The purser’s last-minute stores were boarded. A new ship’s launch, replacing the ill-fated one on which our officers perished, was safely berthed by Lieutenant Holser under my anxious scrutiny. Darla recalculated her base mass without comment.

To my relief all our crew members returned from shore leave; we had no deserters, no AWOLs. Seventeen passengers for Detour chose not to continue their trip; that didn’t bother me. Others took their places. On this leg, we would cany ninety-five passengers.

Derek paged me fromhis duty station at the aft airlock.

“The new midshipman is at the lock, reporting for duty, sir.”

“Very well. Send him to the bridge.” Suddenly I was back at Earthport Station, smoothing my hair, nervously clutching my duffel, anxious to make a good first impression when I reported to Captain Haag. Now I was at the other end of the interview.

“Permission to enter bridge, sir.” An unfamiliar voice.

“Granted,” I said without turning.

“Midshipman Philip Tyre reporting, sir.” He came to attention smartly, his duffel at his feet.

I turned to him and fell silent. He wasn’t handsome--he was beautiful. Smooth unblemished skin, wavy blond hair, blue eyes, a finely chiseled intelligent face. He could have been lifted from a recruiting poster.

I took his papers, letting him wait at attention while I looked them over. He’d joined at thirteen and now had three years service. That put him senior not only to Derek, but to Alexi as well. A disappointment for Alexi, but that couldn’t be helped. I had plans for Alexi soon enough.