SERIES TWO - Trial (B6)

[Corridor outside hearing room. Two Federation guards and Travis are at the door.]
GUARD: Prisoner and escort, reporting as ordered. [Door opens] Quick march! [They march inside.]

[Hearing room]
TRAVIS: I report for judgment, sir.
SAMOR: Identify yourself.
TRAVIS: Travis, Space Commander. Alpha one five one zero five.
SAMOR: So recognized. You may stand at ease. [Travis does so.] Do you accept the authority of the Arbiter, the balance of the judgment program, and the competence of the defending officer?
TRAVIS: [Pause] I do.
SAMOR: Specify the inditement.
COMPUTER: Space Commander Travis, you are charged under Section Three of the War Crimes Statute Code, Jenkin One, with the murder of one thousand four hundred and seventeen unarmed civilians on the planet Serkasta, Date Code Beta two zero zero one.
SAMOR: How do you answer the charge?
TRAVIS: I am not guilty.
SAMOR: Be seated. Major Thania, does the defense have an opening declaration?
THANIA: We reserve our opening declaration, sir.
SAMOR: Very well. Enter prosecution data. [A clerk presses some buttons.]
COMPUTER: Prosecution data begins. Identities and death certifications of all victims are entered.
THANIA: Objection.
SAMOR: Hold.
COMPUTER: Holding.
THANIA: Defense requests the names of the alleged victims and the cause of death in each case be specified.
SAMOR: All of them?
THANIA: If it pleases the arbiter.
SAMOR: Do you realize how long that will take, Major?
THANIA: A man's life is at stake, sir.
SAMOR: I KNOW what is at stake.
THANIA: My apologies, sir. I meant no disrespect.
SAMOR: Since you have at your disposal instant recall of all prosecution data I fail to see what purpose will be served by having the computer intone a catalog of one thousand corpses.
THANIA: I may wish to challenge elements of that catalog before they are entered in the judgment program, sir.
[Samor confers with his fellow arbiters. During the pause, Bercol and Rontane talk privately.]
BERCOL: Playing for time?
RONTANE: And playing for Servalan. The computer will find Travis guilty, there's no doubt of that, but those three are responsible for the sentence.
BERCOL: So?
RONTANE: So, uh, after hearing all the blood-spattered details--
BERCOL: --they'll vote for the maximum penalty.
SAMOR: Motion sustained. Victims names and causes of death will be specified.
BERCOL: [Still privately to Rontane] Do you think that Travis knows what she's doing to him?
RONTANE: A psychotic like Travis? Who can tell what he's thinking?

[The hearing room.]
SAMOR: Hearing will reconvene at oh-nine-hundred. Return the prisoner to detention.
GUARD: Prisoner, about turn. Quick march. [Travis and his two guards exit. The arbiters and court personnel exit.]
RONTANE: One almost has to admire that woman.
BERCOL: What, Thania?
RONTANE: Servalan.
BERCOL: Oh.
RONTANE: We know that she's sending Travis to his death in order to keep his mouth shut, but she is doing it with such an impeccably honest and painstaking tribunal that her real motives can't even be hinted at.
BERCOL: Has, um, a date been set for the Blake inquiry?
RONTANE: Does it matter? Without Travis' evidence the mishandling of the Blake affair becomes a matter of conjecture. The inquiry becomes a formality.
BERCOL: A Presidential stay of execution so that Travis can give evidence? After this, he should be more than willing.
RONTANE: After this he'll be a convicted mass murderer.
BERCOL: It could still damage Servalan. 'Slime sticks,' as the old saying has it.
RONTANE: Yes, but the President can't be seen to throw it.
BERCOL: Servalan picked Travis.
RONTANE: The President picked Servalan.
BERCOL: So she's outmaneuvered us once again.
RONTANE: Let's say she's outmaneuvering us, but it's not over yet. She could still make a mistake.
BERCOL: Which is presumably why we came. I was beginning to wonder.
RONTANE: We came, Bercol, because Servalan's ambitions threaten us all. And the President particularly dislikes being threatened. Shall we dine?
BERCOL: I wish I'd known that this was going to drag on so. I'd have brought my own chef. As I recall, Space Command's cuisine is appalling.

Servalan's office.]
SERVALAN: [Watching the preceding on closed circuit] Pathetic! [Into communicator] Send her in. [Thania enters] Thania. How was the first day?
THANIA: More or less as expected.
SERVALAN: So?
THANIA: Travis is behaving oddly.
SERVALAN: Three years ago, he committed a capital crime. Justice has finally caught up with him. How would you expect him to behave?
THANIA: I wouldn't expect him to sit staring straight ahead, not moving, not reacting.
SERVALAN: Not even listening.
THANIA: That's it. That's exactly how he was, Supreme Commander. Has someone else remarked on it?
SERVALAN: Oh, the, uh, Guard Commander's report mentioned something.
THANIA: It's almost as though he were drugged.
SERVALAN: No, of course not. Risk a mistrial?
THANIA: Then what?
SERVALAN: You're representing him. You better find out. I don't want any doubts about the conduct of this tribunal. Any doubts at all. [Thania rises and starts to exit.] And Thania, try not to let Travis guess your motives. He's probably mad, but he certainly isn't a fool.

[Travis' detention cell. The door opens.]
TRAVIS: Who is it?
PAR: Do you remember me, sir?
TRAVIS: Par. [Par enters.] What are you doing here, Trooper?
PAR: I'm off duty, sir.
TRAVIS: Well, I'm not. [Glances at the securicam] I gather you're tired of your freedom.
PAR: I'm a twenty-year man, sir. I wouldn't recognize freedom if I fell over it. There's a temporary fault on surveillance. Guard's a friend of mine.
TRAVIS: Stand to attention when you talk to me.
PAR: [Stands to attention] Sir.
TRAVIS: I'm putting you and your friend on report.
PAR: Only trying to help, sir.
TRAVIS: Help? And how do you think you can help me, Trooper?
PAR: Brought you something, sir. [Starts to extract something from a pocket]
TRAVIS: [Grabs Par's hand and slowly lets him proceed. It is a small flask.] Open it. [Par opens it. Travis takes it and brings it near his nose.]
PAR: That's good stuff, sir. You won't go blind drinking that.
TRAVIS: All right, Par. What have I done to deserve this?
PAR: Sir?
TRAVIS: Faithful trooper, beloved officer -- not quite how I see either of us.
PAR: You always looked after your men, sir. Now you're gonna die. We thought a drink was the least we could do, sir.
TRAVIS: Stand at ease. [Par does.] Have one with me.
PAR: Thank you, sir. [Travis pours him a drink which Par downs in one gulp.] That is good stuff.
TRAVIS: [Watches Par for about five seconds] You can go now, Par.
PAR: Oh, sir?
TRAVIS: Par?
PAR: The report, sir?
TRAVIS: No one would believe it. [Par exits.] Any more than I do. [Drinks from the flask.]

[Corridor. Thania is waiting for Par.]
THANIA: Did you give it to him?
PAR: Yes, Major.
THANIA: I appreciate it.
PAR: With respect, Major, I didn't do it for you.
THANIA: You served a full tour with Space Commander Travis, didn't you?
PAR: Five years. He was hard.
THANIA: But fair.
PAR: No, not often, anyway. But you could always rely on him not to get you killed unnecessarily. He never wasted troopers.
THANIA: Oh, that's something, I suppose.
PAR: Major, when you're up to your neck in slime and lasers, that's everything.
THANIA: All right, Par.
PAR: Major. [Starts to walk away.]
THANIA: Trooper Par? Do you think he's guilty?
PAR: No doubt about it, Major. He gave the order. We just did the shooting.
[On the planet. Blake is drinking from a pool of water. He hears noises from Zil and chases after her.]

[Travis' detention cell. Travis is lying on the cot, with the nearly empty sitting on the floor beside his dangling arm. The door opens to reveal Thania.]
TRAVIS: Come in, Thania. I've been expecting you.
THANIA: I thought you were asleep.
TRAVIS: What is it you want to ask me?
THANIA: Is there anything you need?
TRAVIS: [tosses the flask at her] You lack subtlety, Major.
THANIA: What are you suggesting, Travis?
TRAVIS: Get out.
THANIA: Look--
TRAVIS: GET OUT!

[Hearing room]
COMPUTER: Prosecution data is now entered as complete. Judgment program Jenkin One Oblique Three holding.
SAMOR: Major Thania, is your defense data prepared and ready to be entered?
THANIA: If it please the arbiter, we would like at this time to offer our opening declaration.
SAMOR: Very well.
THANIA: Thank you, sir. [Approaches the arbiters.] Gentlemen, it is with a very real sense of waste, perhaps even of tragedy--
TRAVIS: [bolts to his feet] NO!
SAMOR: Has the prisoner some objection?
[The next lines by Travis and Thania are delivered simultaneously, overlapping and obscuring each other.]
THANIA: I request a consultation [unintelligible] ...with the Arbiter's permission I must insist--
TRAVIS: Fleet Warden Samor, I have no wish to consult with my defense--
SAMOR: [cutting them both off] That's enough! I will not have this tribunal reduced to the level of a common trooper's brawl. [To Travis] You have already made formal acceptance of the competence of the defending officer?
TRAVIS: Yes, sir!
SAMOR: Defense may consult.
THANIA: Thank you, sir. [She and Travis move aside.] What the hell do you think you're doing, Travis?
TRAVIS: You handled that badly, Thania. The Supreme Commander will not be pleased.
BERCOL: [privately to Rontane] Signs of life?
RONTANE: [privately to Bercol] Death throes, nothing more.
THANIA: All right, what is it you want?
TRAVIS: The opening declaration.
THANIA: You want to know what I am going to say? I'm going to say that you were a brilliant and dedicated soldier who had a lapse of judgment, a momentary aberration--
TRAVIS: Only a momentary aberration?
THANIA: I'm further going to say that you deeply regret what happened. In other words, I am going to lay the basis of your defense.
TRAVIS: I will make the opening declaration.
THANIA: Look, don't be a fool. Do you really think you're going to impress them sympathetically?
TRAVIS: I think the Supreme Commander wants me to go to my death quietly. That is as close to quietly as I am going to get.
THANIA: Look, I'm trying to save your life, Travis--
TRAVIS: You've be better occupied trying to save your own, Thania. Majors can die quite anonymously. And your involvement in this fiasco makes your life expectancy only slightly longer than my own.

[Hearing room]
SAMOR: You may begin.
TRAVIS: [Paces about madly throughout this speech] A field officer, like myself, is frequently required to make fast, unconsidered decisions. You were all field officers, you know that's true. Time to think is a luxury battle seldom affords you. You react instinctively. Your actions, your decisions, all instinct, nothing more. But, an officer's instincts are the product of his training. The more thorough the training, the more predictable the instinct, the better the officer. And I am a good officer. I have been in the service all my adult life. I'm totally dedicated to my duty and highly trained in how to perform it. On Serkasta I, I reacted as I was trained to react. I was an instrument of the service. So if I'm guilty of murder, of mass murder, then so are all of you!
SAMOR: The prisoner will be seated. [Travis returns to his chair.] Is the defense data prepared?
THANIA: It is, sir.
SAMOR: Enter it.
COMPUTER: Judgment program Jenkin One Oblique Three running. Defense data commences.

[Hearing room]
SAMOR: The prisoner will stand. [Travis rises.] Run judgment.

COMPUTER: Judgment program one oblique three. Conclusion: Space Commander Travis, you are guilty as charged.
SAMOR: The tribunal will retire to consider sentence.

[Servalan's office]
SERVALAN: No surprise from the defense.
THANIA: How did you know?
SERVALAN: How did you NOT know?
THANIA: I thought he'd given up.
SERVALAN: I warned you not to underestimate Travis.
THANIA: I don't think he's persuaded them.
SERVALAN: I was watching Samor. What Travis said bothered him!
THANIA: You were watching?
SERVALAN: [laughs] Secret session or not, did you seriously imagine I wouldn't have a spy camera in there? Travis knew, right from the beginning. It really is a pity he's got to die. He's so much better than anything I've got left.

[Hearing room] SAMOR: Space Commander, we have considered your sentence at some length. Your contention that what happened on Serkasta was a direct result of your training concerned us greatly. We accept that you are trained to kill. As are we all. What we cannot accept is that this training leads inevitably to the murder of innocents. Your behavior was not that of a Federation officer, but rather that of a savage, unthinking, animal.

Hearing room]
SAMOR: We cannot find it in our hearts to absolve you in any way of the responsibility for these murders. The sentence of this tribunal is, therefore, that you should be stripped of all rank and privileges, that you be dishonorably dismissed the service, and that you then be executed for the common criminal you have shown yourself to be. Have you anything to say?

[Hearing room]
SAMOR: Do I take it you have nothing to say?
TRAVIS: The Federation is run by hypocrites and supported by fools. I'm glad to be rid of you all.
VOICE: [v.o.] All personnel to battle stations. All personnel to battle stations. Unidentified ship on attack run in quadrant six.

[Hearing room. Travis attacks and overcomes his guards and takes one of their guns.]
VOICE: [v.o.] Automatic airlock will trigger in three seconds.
[Travis leaps through the airlock door as it starts to close. He shoots another guard then passes through the main door and finds himself confronting Par who is pointing a gun at him.]
TRAVIS: Don't make me kill you, Par.
PAR: What happened in there?
TRAVIS: Outer wall cracked, automatic airlock sealed the chamber. They'll all be dead by now. Drop the gun.
PAR: I can't do that, sir.
TRAVIS: Don't be a fool. I've got nothing to lose anymore.
PAR: I can't let you go, sir.
TRAVIS: [Knocks Par out] Some of us weren't hypocrites, were we, Par?

[Flight deck]
BLAKE: Get us out of here, Jenna. Speed Standard by Twelve.
JENNA: Speed Standard by Twelve. Battle computers, put force wall on standby.
[Servalan's office]
VOICE: [from communicator] Single attack run on Quadrant Six. Damage is extensive but confined to that section as far as we can tell.
SERVALAN: Damage control teams?
VOICE: Moving in now.
SERVALAN: What about casualties?
TRAVIS: [from doorway] High and rising all the time.
VOICE: No estimates yet, Supreme Commander.
SERVALAN: Very well. Keep me informed. [Switches off communicator. To Travis] Well! Savage, THINKING animals have a way of surviving, don't they?
TRAVIS: Who was it?
SERVALAN: We think it was Blake.
TRAVIS: Huh. I must remember to say thank you before I kill him.
SERVALAN: What are you planning to do?
TRAVIS: I'm planning to leave. You're going to give me a pursuit ship -- oh, and the trigger circuit for this. [Raises artificial hand]
SERVALAN: Heh. You think so? [He moves in.] And you'll hunt Blake.
TRAVIS: While you hunt both of us. Now give the orders. Carefully.
SERVALAN: [into communicator] Is Pursuit Four ready for immediate launch?
VOICE: Yes, ma'am. And your crew is standing by.
SERVALAN: Have the cr
w stand down. I want them replaced by three mutoids.
VOICE: Mutoids? SERVALAN: Yes, mutoids. And have them blanked. I want their minds imprinted to receive orders only from the person who first uses the trigger word "outlaw" to them.
VOICE: Yes, ma'am.
SERVALAN: [Switches off communicator] Well, you'll need a crew you can rely on.
TRAVIS: Still one step ahead? You're not going to use me anymore. Move!

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