“As you may or may not know, I have always been an advocate for genetic purity and a devout Catholic.” Izzy began, addressing the officers seated around her, watching her. Behind her, Tessa breathed a quiet sigh, tried to lose herself in memories of happier times, tried to lose herself enough to dull the blade she knew Izzy’s words would drive into her heart. Virek steepled his hands again, fingers touching lips as the lieutenant continued. “Suffice it to say, I am the last person you might expect to take a stand for someone like Major Eisenherz, but I hope that the conviction with which I defend her humanity will convince you, as even I, one of the most hardened critics of GMO rights have been convinced, that to condemn someone based solely on their ancestry is the only true abomination here, in this room.”

Tessa’s eyes snapped open and she looked up reflexively, stared at Izzy’s back, the firmness of it, the way her hair fell across it as she spoke. One thought blasted through her, hung on in her mind even as the other woman continued. No way. No way.

“In the years that I have known her, both as a friend and as a lover,” Izzy glanced at each captain in turn. “I have come to see the person beyond the flesh, the person that is Major Tessa Eisenherz.” She paused, bit her lip lightly. “As a soldier, she is unparalleled. As a friend, she is loyal and more supportive than anyone I have ever known. She is an officer who genuinely cares about her squadron, her subordinates, and her support staff, and she keeps a cleaner house than I do.” She cracked the edge of a smile. “I fell in love with her because of the person she is, and it wasn’t until very recently that, like you, I discovered she was a person of genetically modified ancestry, that she was the very thing I had crusaded against for so long and called abomination in front of so many people.” She looked down, breathed a sigh in the pause, glanced back. “The Lord works in mysterious ways. He tests us, challenges us on the beliefs we hold and urges us to question the things that we do in His name that are not in the spirit of His teachings. To me, Tessa is a friend, a lover, someone I could see spending my life with.” Eyes moistened, tears forming at the edges. “To you, she is a soldier without parallel, someone who deserves our respect even now, at the very least, for her service to the Commonwealth and in the light of her recent actions.”

A few of the captains glanced at each other, whispered quietly among themselves for a moment. Yuuki’s stare of hatred had softened, but found a new target in Izzy. Only Kongar-Ool was smiling, and his was a thin line of respect that curved slightly at the edges.

“I’ve read the charges as they stand.” Izzy began again, clearing her throat. “Treason and intent to undermine the structure of command– that comes entirely from the fact that the major willingly lied about her heritage and served with the Navy illegally for six years in her own timeline, two by our reckoning, an act which some may condemn but which I believe to be courageous on the level of bonafide heroism.” She paused, pulled in a shaky breath. “While other genetically modified citizens of the Commonwealth have been content to be barred from military service, this woman stood up in the tradition of so many rights activists that have come before in our checkered history as a species and defied the unjust laws of the past century, risking her very life to serve the Commonwealth to the best of her ability in any way she could manage. The very fact that she has ascended to the rank of major within Ultima Thila is a testament to her value as a soldier.” Izzy paused again, made a soft gesture. “As a woman who has the right to vote and as a person who comes from a family which claims, as so many of us can, roots in cultures and ethicities that were once discriminated against, African, Irish, Native American, Jewish. . . I applaud Eisenherz for her bravery, her strength to persevere and show us as citizens of the Commonwealth, that we are not so enlightened as we might like to believe, and that indeed we still have work to do if we are ever going to come together in a society where everyone is truly equal.”

“Your point is well made.” Kongar-Ool said firmly, levelly. “But the validity of the major as a person does not address the other charges that have been brought before this court.”

“You’re right, and I’m glad you brought that up, Captain.” Izzy paused, breathed, half smiling. “Captain Kongar-Ool is, of course, referring to charges such as the theft of experimental military technology, namely the Stormfury which everyone is so excited about and Seindrive is already suing for control of.” She breathed a sigh, glanced at the ground. “If you’ll check the transcript records on data article 227 slash B among the materials recovered from Major Eisenherz’ person when she was admitted to Medical yesterday, you’ll notice that there is a copy of a signed order made by Admiral Blavatsky herself, dated March first, 2308, which states, and I quote: ‘I hereby order the pilot Tessa Eisenherz to act outside the conventions of New Arahal and cross over into the past in an attempt to avert or significantly improve our chances in the war that history will come to know as The Cygnus War.’” She paused, wet her lips anxiously. “I’d say that wraps up the charges of theft and of breaking the conventions with intent to modify the course of events.” The edge of a smile pulled at her lips. “Our major was under orders to do everything she has done, and she has performed her duty with distinction, yet again.”

Silence dropped in to fill the pause. Virek tapped his steepled fingers against his lips, hesitated.

“That still leaves the matter of the murder.”

“In cases of extreme disability where the quality of life of an individual is significantly reduced, that individual has the right to request and be administered euthanasia, is that not correct?”

The admiral nodded. “Of course.”

Izzy smiled again. “I can’t think of any form of euthanasia more effective than twelve nine millimeter rounds administered to the brain, and since it was Tessa Eisenherz herself who did it, it falls under voluntary and acceptable suicide as witnessed, approved and confirmed by the deceased’s next of kin, making it a private matter and dismissing the need for an investigation.”

“This is ridiculous!” Yuuki made a sharp, curt gesture. “Admiral, I move that the court dismiss all of this evidence, especially the last piece, as having no relevance to the situation at hand. It is clear that–”

“Captain Yuuki, is it not true that the historical records brought back by the major show that your entire ship was destroyed by its proximity to a detonation of the core of a Coralate warship, indeed one of the warships that is now safely in our possession, thanks to Major Eisenherz?” Kongar-Ool grinned sharply. The other Captain sputtered, glared, fought for words, but his rebuttal didn’t come fast enough. Glancing up at the admiral, Kongar-Ool’s smile softened, became almost proud. “Admiral, I move that this court be dismissed and the major be exonerated of all charges.” He turned back to Tessa, locked eyes with her. “It is the least we can do after the sacrifices she has made, giving up a life and several years of her existence in order to save all of us, indeed the entirety of the Commonwealth as it stands.”

“I appreciate your enthusiasm, Captains.” Virek nodded at both Yuuki and Kongar-Ool in turn. “But I think that it is still too early to make a final, formal decision, even in the light of Lieutenant Copperfield’s rousing speech.” He paused, regarded Tessa carefully.

“Do you have anything to add, Major Eisenherz?”

Tessa swallowed. Tears had left thick trails across her cheeks, her smile. “No. No sir.”

Virek nodded once, a soft acknowledgment, then dropped his stack of silicon sheets against the table.

“Very well. This court is adjourned until tomorrow at 08:00 hours, at which point we will have our decision.” He made a quick gesture to the guard. “Sergeant Dougherty, return the prisoner to her cell, please.”

Standing, Tessa caught Izzy’s eyes, the tears there, the conflicting emotions, the burning hatred mixing with confusion, love, fear. Tessa smiled back, offered the most loving look she could manage.

“Thanks, Izzy.”

“You’d do the same for me.” Was all the other woman could manage to say.

- - -