<USS Avalon> The Crucifixion of Ketchum

The Crucifixion of Ketchum

âProsecution calls, Captain Ketchumâ, spoke Commander Cardonas

Ketchum stood and walked up to the stand.

âCaptain, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but 
the truthâ, questioned the Yeoman.

âI do.â

âPlease state your name, rank, ship and serial number for the record.â

âKeith David Cochrane Ketchum, Captain, serving as the Commanding Officer of 
the USS Avalon, NCC-27936-B, and Serial Number 1AD67LP3Gâ

âThank you, please have a seat.â

Keith nodded and took a seat.

Cardonas walked over, âHow long have you served on the Avalon.â

âGoing on eight years now.â
 
âAnd how long as it's Captain?â

âIt has been almost seven.â

âWhat happened to the former Captain, M'Kron was it?â

âIt was, and during a mission, he contracted a viral infection, that was 
incurable, and he was placed in stasis until a cure could be found.  I believe 
he 
is at Starbase 10.â

âI see.  And you were given command?â

âThat is correct.  The powers that be in Command felt that I was ready and 
gave me the promotion.â

Ambassador Dawson Praz sat at the defense table, representing Keith during 
this hearing, trial, crucifixion, whatever they wanted to call it.  He had a 
PADD taking notes.  Next to him sat, Jayden Cross.

âWhat was the mission that you were most recently assigned?â

âWe were dispatched based on a request of the Romulan Empire to retrieve one 
of their scientists that were attacked by a Ferengi Marauder and return him to 
their custody.â
 
âDid the Avalon fire first?â
 
âAfter repeated attempts to secure the Romulan's return from the Ferengi, we 
did fire first.â  He thought to himself, 'The first mistake.'

âWhy wasn't the Romulan immediately returned to the Romulans upon 
extraction?â

âWe needed repairs after a fire-fight.  I was not about to head towards the 
Neutral Zone with an injured vessel.â

âAnd also some of your crew did not return alive from the encounter on the 
Ferengi vessel.â

âCorrect, we lost one crewmember and several others were injured.â

âWhat occurred on Deck 13 with some of the Romulan's belongings?â

âBased on Medical reports, some others in the crew were put in quarantine due 
to an infection.â

âYet, you granted the Romulan asylum.â

âI granted him temporary asylum, until command could fully authorize.â

The prosecution walked back to his table and picked up a different PADD.

âWhat was your relationship with John Forester, your deceased crewman?â

âI was his commanding officer and I had known his mother for several years.â

âIs it true that you sponsored him for the Academy, of which he declined?â

âThat is correct.â

âDuring your exchange of fire with the Ferengi Marauder, did you order it's 
destruction?â

âThere were two Mauraders, and yes, I did.â

âWas this before or after, you found out that John Forester was dead?â

âAfter.â  Another thought, 'The second mistake.'

âI see.â

âIn the course of battle with an enemy that has surely overpowering you, two 
against one...â

âI did not ask for you to elaborate, Captain.â

â... are not the best odds, so I did what was needed for the...â

âPlease withhold your comments and only answer my questions, Captain.â

â...Survival of the Avalon.  And if you want to know what happened, you will 
let me talk.â

âYou have given your report Captain; I am the one doing the questioning.â

âObjection, this is badgering.â  Dawson stood, his face showing contempt 
for 
the prosecution.

âSustained, please do not badger the esteemed Captain again.â

âI was merely pointing out that I had not asked a question and that he was 
talking.â

âContinue your questioning, and watch yourself, or you'll spend the night in 
the brig.â

Cardonas nodded and continued, âIs it true that after you found out that John 
Forester was dead, that you ordered the destruction of the Marauder?â

âIt is.â

âDuring a leave on Earth, did you attend John Forester's mother's funeral?â

âI did.â

âDuring this funeral did you not get assaulted by Mark Forester?â

âObjection, relevance?â  Dawson interjected.

âI will show that in a moment.  If you let me continue.â

------------------------------------------

His mind wandered during the questioning for a moment, as he recalled the 
punch by Mark Forester.

As Keith was talking to John during the funeral, the man that John knew as 
his father was watching from afar.

Once they appeared to be finished Keith walked away, as Mark hurried over to 
him, âCaptain, a moment of your timeâ, motioning to a secluded area.

âOf course, I'm sorry for your loss.â

âI bet you are, Captain.  I believe that my wife's wishes were that you stay 
away from John.â

âI was offering my condolences to him and that if he wanted to attend 
Starfleet Academy, I would sponsor him.â

âI know how you are related to him, Captain.  But he does not need that, nor 
probably want it.  I suggest that you leave now, Captain.â

âAnd if I don't?â

âI'll make you leaveâ, and with that he threw a punch and hit Ketchum 
square 
in the jaw.

Keith reached up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, âSo noted. 
 And I'll forgive that attack on a officer as attributed to your loss and not 
file charges.  We don't want John hearing things, now do we?â

Mark pulled back to throw another one, but held it.

âI'm goingâ, with that Keith turned and walked away.

------------------------------------------
 
âOver-ruled, get to the point soon.  And please answer the question, 
Captain.â

âRight away, Sir.  I believe my next question will clear things up.â

Absently, Keith rubbed his jaw and answered, âI was.â

Turning back to Ketchum, âAnd is it not true that John Forester is your 
son.â

Almost as if the air was sucked out of the room and there was not a sound, 
you could hear a pin drop, as everyone awaited his answer.

He looked towards Dawson and looked into his eyes.  Quietly he answered, âI 
am.â

âWhat was that, Captain, I'm not sure the recorder could pick that up.â

âI said, âI am his fatherâ.  Is that a crime?  To be the biological 
parent 
of a child, even though they never knew.  He had a father and mother that cared 
for him.  I tried to abide by his mother's wishes.â

âAnd now he is dead, by your action.â

âNo.  He is not dead by my action.  The Ferengi were asked to turn over the 
Romulan to us to be returned to the Empire, they did not comply.â

âBut he was ordered onto their ship as part of the mission.â

âI could not intercede in the mission, I trusted in the experience of 
Commander Marksbury to choose her own team, and would not make my feelings 
known on 
the matter, to protect John.â

âBut your personal feelings came into play, did they not, Captain, when you 
found that John was dead.â

Looking down, âThey did.  But it would not have mattered if he was my son or 
not.  If one of the other members of the team returned dead, I would have done 
the same thing.â

âI doubt that, Captain.â

âObjection, speculationâ, Dawson stood.

âI retract the comment.  Your witness, Ambassador.â

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