Fic: Sparkling Stars VIII: Court-Martial (3/7)
Title: Sparkling Stars XIII: Court-Martial (3/7)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters: Willy Moss, Arlen Spencer, Douglas Gray, Mildred Hanover, Edward Garcia, Harrison Mencken, Quinton McHale, Wally Binghamton, Christy/Virgil, Molly Turner, Mike Bartowski
Fandom: McHale's Navy
Genres: Angst, AU, Drama, Historical, Hurt/Comfort
Rating (this chapter): G
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: The Garcia court-martial begins. Will Virgil and his fellow slaves finally get justice?
Chapter Summary: Arlen calls his witnesses.
Date Of Completion: March 23, 2023
Date Of Posting: March 25, 2023
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, Universal does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 2006
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
The entire series can be found here.
III
WITNESSES FOR THE PROSECUTION/b>
"Building a case is like building a house: you need to lay in a good, solid foundation."
Alfred M. Carstairs
Esquire
Address To The
National Bar Association
Washington, D.C.
April 10, 1942
Willy sat in the chair next to the judges' table. Arlen gave him a minute to settle in, then started his questions.
"Radioman Moss, you were the camera operator the day you filmed the events of three weeks ago?"
"Yes, sir."
"And the event took place in Gunner's Mate Edwards's hospital room?"
"Yes, sir."
"You were in the room next to Edwards's?"
"Yes, sir."
Willy looked relaxed, which always scored points with the judges. Arlen adopted a similar attitude. The physical evidence was gone. Concentrate on the witnesses.
"And who was in the room with you?"
"The Skipper and Christy, uh, Quartermaster Christopher."
"And by the Skipper you mean Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale?"
"Right. Sir."
"So what was Gunner's Mate Edwards doing after the camera was set up?"
"Pretending to be asleep."
"Was he expecting a visit from Dr. Garcia?"
"Yes, he was."
"And did Dr. Garcia show up?"
"He did."
"What did he do?"
"He bound Virgil's eyes and mouth with slave ribbons."
"What did he do next?"
"Chained Virgil's arms and legs to the bed."
Arlen walked back and forth several feet in front of the stand. "And then?"
"He sat on the bed and took out some clamps from his doc's coat."
"What did he do with those clamps?"
"Put them on Virgil's nipples."
"And..."
"Thing is, they weren't the usual kind of clamps."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, I mean yes. They were clothespins."
"Clothespins?"
"Yes, sir, the wooden kind that pinch real bad."
Arlen let that statement hang in the air a moment, then resumed. "After Garcia applied the clamps, what next?"
"He dragged a wire brush over Virgil's thigh wounds."
People's faces had scrunched up at the mention of clothespin clamps and now felt more of the same horror. Wire brushes over wounds? Cruel!
"Did he draw blood?"
Willy nodded. "There was blood on Virgil's thighs."
The crowd muttered and Gray rapped his gavel.
"What happened next?" asked Arlen.
"He used the wire brush and stuck it in Virgil's navel and twisted it."
Virgil looked down at his clasped hands in his lap. He blushed faintly.
"And after this act, what did Dr. Garcia do?"
"He took out a roller and started rollin' it across Virgil's stomach."
"What were Virgil's reactions to these acts?"
"He was twistin' and screamin'. The mouth binding muffled his screams."
Sympathy showed on some faces in the audience while a few people's eyes gleamed in enjoyment. Mildred Hanover was one of the latter. She sat in the second row behind the defense table, casting admiring glances at the golden-haired Garcia.
Arlen stepped a little closer to the stand. "Did anything else happen?"
Willy nodded. "Dr. Garcia squeezed one of the clothespins real hard and poor Virgil nearly went through the roof."
The audience rumbled again.
"Did he stop there?"
"Nope, he squeezed the other clothespin, too."
"Was that the last of the torture?"
"Yes, because the Skip, uh, Commander McHale ordered Quartermaster Christopher to stop him."
"Thank you, Radioman Moss."
Arlen went to his table and sat down. Douglas Gray said, "Your witness, Commander Mencken."
"Thank you, sir." Mencken rose to his feet. "Radioman Moss, you serve aboard the PT-73, correct?"
"Yes, sir."
"So you are a crewmate of the slave Virgil Edwards, correct?"
"That's right."
"And you're close to him?"
"Sure, like any of my crewmates."
"But aren't you particularly close with Edwards?"
"I..."
"Aren't you both fans of pulp fiction?"
"Science fiction," corrected Willy.
"Science fiction," Mencken said, his tone implying that he considered the subject on the level of comic books. Virgil frowned at the condescension.
Arlen stood. "I object. Relevance of this line of questioning?"
"I will come to that, Your Honor."
"Proceed, Commander Mencken."
Arlen sat down, trying not to let his frustration show.
"So, you're science fiction buddies in addition to crewmates?"
"I'd say so." Willy was puzzled but kept his concentration on the oily lawyer. The smug Edward Garcia sitting at the defense table boiled Willy's blood. "Virgil is a great guy. He's a crack shot and has saved us many times."
"So you would do anything to help him in this case, wouldn't you?"
"I sure would like to help him, but I wouldn't lie."
"So you are lying about your role in this entrapment?"
"Entrapment?" Willy frowned.
Arlen rose. "I object."
"To what, Commander Spencer?" asked Gray.
"This claim of entrapment."
"Well, isn't this what is it? Luring Dr. Garcia into the slave's room and being filmed?"
Arlen knew it was true but still protested.
"Sit down, Commander Spencer. Proceed, Commander Mencken."
"So you are not lying about your role in this entrapment?" Mencken asked Willy.
"Hell, no. I would never lie here on the stand. I took film and that was my role, period."
"So no embellishments?"
"Huh?"
"Did you add things that might not have happened?"
"No, I told what I saw "
"But you would do anything for your friend?"
"Sure "
Mencken ended his cross-examination with a smirk.
"Redirect, Your Honor," said Arlen. Gray nodded his consent. "Does 'doing anything' for your friend include lying on the stand?"
"No, sir." Willy was adamant.
"Thank you, Radioman Moss."
Willy left the stand and he and Virgil exchanged smiles as the radioman went to his seat.
"I call Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale," said Arlen.
McHale took the stand, calm and cool. Arlen launched into a recitation of McHale's exemplary combat record.
"That's because of my crew."
"What is Gunner's Mate Edwards's role in your success?"
"He's a crack shot. He consistently scores the highest during gunnery practice on the base, and more importantly, has shot down more Jap Zeros than anyone on the base."
"So he truly fulfills his role as one of your crew?"
"Absolutely."
"And you were the one to come up with the plan to catch Dr. Garcia in the act of torturing Gunner's Mate Edwards?"
"I did."
"And you were present in the room next to his during the torture?"
"I was."
Arlen smiled. "And you were in charge of Dr. Garcia's capture?"
"I was."
Arlen nodded. "No further questions."
Mencken took over. "So, Commander, you boast of a successful combat record?"
"I have a good crew."
"An excellent crew?"
"Yes "
"High-spirited?"
"I suppose so."
"Yes." Mencken paced up and down in front of the stand. "And hasn't your 'high-spirited' crew been accused numerous times of thievery, dereliction of duty, illegal fraternization, and other broken regulations?"
McHale was unruffled. "Accused, but we have a spotless record."
"Meaning you were never convicted."
A glint of anger flashed through McHale's eyes but so quickly it might not even be detected. "You're right; we were never found guilty of anything."
Binghamton grimaced. It was never a boost to the ego for your failures to become public knowledge.
Mencken had made his point and McHale stepped down.
"I call Quartermaster George Christopher," said Arlen.
Christy gave Virgil a quick pat on the leg and strode to the stand. He settled in and looked relaxed but was on high alert. He had seen Mencken at work.
Arlen established his presence in the room next to Virgil's during the torture.
"And you were there as...?"
"Virgil's Special Master."
"And you heard Radioman Moss's descriptions of the torture?"
"I did."
"And what happened when Commander McHale ordered you to Virgil's room?"
"I stopped Dr. Garcia from hurting Virgil."
Arlen finished and Mencken rose slowly. He shuffled some papers on his desk, trying to unnerve Christy, who was getting impatient but refused to show it.
"Quartermaster, what does a 'Special Master's do?"
"A Special Master stays with a slave when he's in the hospital."
"So why is that special?"
"A Special Master can't be sent away in any circumstances. He stays by the slave's side and looks out for him."
"Watches out for him? Why would that be necessary?"
"Just a precaution."
"Against what?"
"Nothing specific. Medical personnel are very busy people and can overlook things."
"Like what?"
Christy tried to keep the irritation out of his voice. He wasn't about to tell everybody that Virgil needed his legs kept apart, otherwise he would become agitated. There were other details he wanted kept quiet, too
"Sometimes a slave is chained by mistake or chained too long. Virgil wasn't given pajamas or a robe for a long time until we managed to scrounge some up. A Special Master pays attention to details like these."
"So you have a special interest in this particular slave?"
"Yes."
Virgil's fingers knotted tightly as he listened, but he straightened even more in pride.
"Even to the point of lying about what really happened?"
"No, sir."
Mencken crossed his arms. "You're part of a crew with a shaky reputation. Why wouldn't you stretch the truth for the sake of your special slave?"
"I'm telling the truth about what I saw."
"Which, like Commander McHale, is nothing."
"Willy told us."
"But you didn't see any of this so-called torture."
Christy stared at Mencken. "No."
"Did you hit Commander Garcia?" Mencken suddenly asked.
"I subdued him."
"You didn't punch him?"
"I wrestled him to the floor."
"Quartermaster, I remind you that you are under oath."
Christy's blue eyes were frosty. "I subdued him."
"No further questions."
Christy was dismissed and he returned to his seat, Virgil brushing his leg against Christy's as he sat down.
Arlen said, "I call Commander Molly Turner."
Molly looked crisp in her dress uniform, settling on the stand demurely.
"Commander, did you enter Gunner's Mate Edwards's room after Dr. Garcia was apprehended?"
"I did."
"Describe what you did."
"I entered the room and took pictures of the damage done to Gunner Mate Edwards's body."
"And were the wounds as described by previous witnesses?"
"They were."
"Describe them, please." Arlen wanted to keep the Court's attention on those wounds.
"His nipples were red and swollen from the clothespins used as clamps."
Virgil looked down at the hands in his lap.
"His previous thigh wounds were bleeding, and he had new cuts along his abdomen."
"And you took pictures of all of these wounds?"
"Yes, I did."
"And did you see Dr. Garcia in the room?"
"I did."
"What was he doing?"
"He was being led away by Lieutenant Commander Bartowski."
"Thank you, Commander Turner."
Mencken started his questioning immediately. "Commander Turner, as a nurse in the Taratupa Hospital..."
"Head Nurse," Molly corrected him.
"Head Nurse." Mencken smiled.
Christy hated that smile. There was nothing pleasant about it.
"Are you in the habit of taking part in plots to entrap doctors on staff?"
"Objection," said Arlen.
"Tone it down, Commander Mencken," said Gray.
Mencken took the rebuke seriously. "Commander, would you say you're friendly with the Skipper and crew of the PT-73?"
"I'm on good terms with all the PT crews."
"But you have a particularly close relationship with Lieutenant Commander McHale?"
"We're friends."
Christy smiled. Molly wasn't taking the bait.
Mencken reconsidered his next move. He had the feeling that his current antagonist could cut him off at the knees with a sweet smile.
"Did you see the actual torture?"
"I saw its aftereffects."
"But you didn't actually see the defendant perform these acts?"
Molly pursed her lips. "No, but he was the only one in the room besides the patient, and I highly doubt Virgil did this to himself, especially since he was tied up."
A twitter of laughter went around the room. The three judges glared. Morton Dedrick focused his displeasure on Molly, who ignored his dirty look.
"Heh, that Molly is somethin'," McHale said softly.
"She sure is," Mike said behind him.
"No more questions for this witness," said Mencken.
Molly returned to her seat, passing McHale, who gave her a wink. She smiled.
Arlen rose. "I call my next witness, Gunner's Mate Virgil Edwards."
Christy felt his gut clench. Virgil flinched ever-so-slightly but stood and headed for the witness stand.
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