Brigets Flame first September entry
Excerpt from Official Transcript B-41568SJ; testimony of Admiral David M. Vernian
RHB Muriel C. Auchinclaus- I would like to call this hearing to order. Please state your name
and rank, for the record, sir.
Admiral David M. Vernian- Admiral David M. Vernian of the 22nd fleet, of the GA Navy.
Auchinclaus- Very Good. If you would, Admiral Vernian, please tell us what transpired between
the dates of UC 12459 and 12482.
Vernian- Yes. On UC 12458, I received orders, direct from Premiere Lachsme
WaLenziea, to check on the system around SS1856-95784-
Auchinclaus- Pardon me, Admiral Vernian. Let the record show that Exhibit A contains a Holo
of the system around SS1856-95784. Admiral, was this a routine check?
Vernian- No, Your Honor. There are no protocols in place for routine checks of that system; the
orbitals are too small to support any meaningful life forms. That entire sector is
monitored by IR scan only.
Auchinclaus- So, the IR scan turned up something that required a visit from the Navy?
Vernian- Yes; the latest IR scan of the sector showed highly increased organic, atomic and
metallurgic activity around SS1856-9784’s third and fourth orbitals.
Auchinclaus- Why was this activity so alarming that it came to the attention of the Premiere?
Vernian- Because of the rapidity of the developments; it seemed very similar to the virus that
crippled Sector 7232. I’m sure the committee recalls the damage that particular parasite
caused.
Auchinclaus- Indeed. However, let the record show that a full account of the incidents of UC
1222 to 1227 in Sector 7232 is contained in Official Transcript B-31592SJ.
Admiral, please tell us what you found when you arrived in Sector 9784.
Vernian- As I said, the IR scan had showed increased activity around two orbitals in the SS1856
system. We exited the Temporal Zone at the edge of the system, and proceeded under
power of the PA drive until we were in the ionosphere of the fourth body of the system;
this cloaked the contrail of the PA drive, providing us some camouflage.
Our sensors immediately went crazy, and we ran a full range of scans of the area; the
activity around the third and fourth orbitals was at about a 9 on the Metsger-Loian
scale. In fact, it had reached the point of being visible on the monitors, so we began a
vidlog of the mission, which I believe is catalogued as Exhibit B.
Auchinclaus- That is correct. Let the record show that Exhibit B is the full vidlog of the UA’s
22nd Fleet’s mission to SS1856.
Vernian- Very Good. Once we obtained the full set of scans, and enough vidlog documentation
of the activity, we left the shelter of the fourth planet, to get a closer look at the mess
around the orbitals. We approached to within 10 Units of the orbitals, vidlogging the
entire time, when a craft broke away from the activity around the orbitals, and
approached us. It looked to be about 2 decaunits long. A quick scan showed that it was
composed of primitive alloys and Zirconium Dioxide, and that it was powered by a
rudimentary sort of fusion drive. It was crewed by a number of somewhat
complex organisms.
Auchinclaus- So, it was a fairly primitive craft?
Vernian- Yes. However, there were two very alarming factors here: The previous IR scans of
Sector 9784 had shown only organic activity, mostly of a Carbon, Hydrogen and
Oxygen base. So, the rapidity of the atomic and metallurgic developments in the area
were alarming. Also, this particular craft was aerodynamic; it seemed to have the
capability of landfall.
Auchinclaus- Your report says that you hailed it on several frequencies, but it didn’t respond.
Vernian- That is correct. We also could not detect any broadcast from it on any communicative
channel, though is was emitting some low frequency buzzing. After a while, despite
our attempts to assure it’s crew that we were only there to observe, they fired on us
with a low-frequency laser canon. We of course returned fire, and destroyed the craft.
At this point, a swarm of smaller craft, very similar to the first one, except without the
Aerodynamic capabilities, detached from the mass around the orbitals, and attacked
us with similar laser cannons. We managed to destroy this salvo as well, at which
point we observed several other swarms arriving from the far side of the fourth
orbital. We destroyed the next two swarms, but they just kept coming. As this was an
exploratory mission to a primitive sector, we did not have our usual compliment of
defenses, and it quickly became apparent to me that we could not hold out against the
attacks.
Auchinclaus- So, you made the decision to destroy the orbitals?
Vernian- Yes. My fleet had two CBD missiles, which we deployed against the two orbitals.
Auchinclaus- but you were able to capture and examine one of their craft, and its crew?
Vernian- Yes, we captured the craft, and we made a basic examination of the organisms on board
before they perished.
Auchinclaus- and you found that they were sentient beings, but on a far smaller scale than other
Races in the Grand Aggregate?
Vernian- Yes, our examinations did indicate that they were, despite their miniscule size, Sentient
Beings, with a rather advanced society, as indicated by their off-world craft.
Auchinclaus- You are aware that it is illegal to in any way harass beings of any sentient society,
and yet you made the decision to destroy them? Could you not have taken the
time to decipher the “low frequency buzzing” their craft emitted? Did you not
see it was an obvious attempt to communicate with you?
Vernian- No, Your Honor. It is easy, now, to see that the craft’s crew was trying to
communicate, but at the time, the situation was exactly like the one encountered in
sector 7232. I thought I was dealing with a pernicious parasite. If you look at the
vidlog, you will see their craft swarming around the two orbitals, looking like a
ravaging horde of bacteria. I made the best decision I could for my fleet and the
GA.
Auchinclaus- Very well, Admiral Vernian, you are dismissed. Thank you for your testimony;
we will call you back to Chambers once our decision is made. The GA Guard will
accompany you to your quarters.
Vernian- Am I under arrest?
Auchinclaus- I’m afraid so, Admiral Vernian. You have committed a crime against the laws of
the Grand Aggregate; despite your good intentions and the extenuating
circumstances, it is a very serious one: you have destroyed a sentient society. We
cannot allow you to walk free until we have examined the case and made a
decision.
Vernian- If I might say one more thing, or the record . . .
Auchinclaus- Very well, but if it is at all inflammatory, it will be struck.
Vernian- If the members of the committee will consider this: the only difference between what
occurred in the SS1856 system and Sector 7232 is that we captured and examined one
of their ships, and found them to be sentient. Their behavior was exactly the same.
Perhaps the parasite that infected Sector 7232 was a sentient race as well, yet the
Beings who destroyed them are lauded as heroes. I maintain that I acted in the best
interests of the Grand Aggregate, and, as far as I am concerned, I believe that I
prevented an infestation that could have been more pernicious and massive than
the one in Sector 7232. Please consider this.
Auchinclaus- Thank you, Admiral; your words will remain in the record. You are once again
dismissed.
End Transcript