USCMRPG

Commander Soles watched as the attorneys paraded a series of witnesses and evidence to the stand. Eventually she decided that it had gone on long enough. "I've heard enough," she said coldly. "Will the defendant please stand?" she asked. "Lieutenant Quinn, based on the evidence presented in this US Military Tribunal, on the charge of destruction of government property equivalent to 18 to 20 million dollars, under Article 108, I find you guilty as charged. You will be returned to Earth for sentencing. This court is adjourned."

Captain Vanessa Agnew's eyes narrowed at the verdict. She squared her shoulders, turned to her client, Lieutenant Sixtus Quinn, and held out her hand for a shake.

"Lieutenant," she said, her voice low enough to carry only to his ears alone. "The Commander has spoken but I am not done." Agnew did not elaborate. She didn't dare, not here. "God watch over you, sir, and good luck."

Throughout the trial, Quinn had kept a straight face. Cool, calm, collected. Just like any other mission. But when he heard the decision, he hung his head. Throughout his career, he'd worked hard, DAMN hard. And now an armchair quarterback tanked his career.

With his back ramrod straight, Lieutenant Quinn stood as he numbly shook his counselor's hand. For something this grave, he'd be lucky to not have a stint in prison, let alone stay in the Corps.

Roberts shook his head in disbelief. He stood up from his chair, "Lieutenant. We all know this is bullshit. We won't forget what you've done," he said, not bothering to check his voice.

<Tag Quinn/Anyone>

Dirk listened to the trial with one thought. They had their minds made up before the trial started. Leaning over he put a hand on Quinn's shoulder.

"This isn't the end Quinn. We'll take this up to the CMC is we have to but these pougs aren't going to railroad you." Dirk said
<Tag Quinn>

eyeball had sat through the trial had heard all the information that had been given heard all the witnesses and rebuttals and had reached a verdict himself......and this was not it.

"what the fuck just happened?" he generally questioned those around him.

"that is totally NOT what the evidence supports! i may only be a PFC but even i know this stinks!""

eyeball stood and headed over with the rest of the eights to find out what they were going to do about this bullshit.

<tag eights>

Farce. That was the word that came to Obi's mind as he sat through the so called trial. Shock and anger quickly followed as the verdict was passed down.

"What. The. Fuck. Seriously what the fuck is this? How can they do this? The LT is being charged for the loss of property in a combat situation? Are they fucking serious! What's next? Marines are going to be charged for the cost of each grenade they throw?"

Tag anyone

Colson kept his mouth shut. Lips pressed in a thin line. He let the other marines voice his thoughts.

He had not been in the easy eights all that long, certainly not for the missions that were mentioned. Even so he wasn't happy, the LT was ok as officers go.

Commander Soles ignored the outcries of the angry marines. She felt guilty for what she had done, but told herself that she had no other choice.

Sal crosses his arms and leans close to Sam, his eyes on the guilty face of the Commander. "This reeks of spook bullshit." He grumbles and got up to join the Eights. Dirk said something about rattling higher on the chain of command. A Rear admiral had been here for this, what were some enlisted grunts going to do? Enlisted grunts who relied on the Navy to get them most everywhere and were in very vulnerable cryotubes for most of those trip.

"That's assuming they let us go to Earth with him." Sal spoke up, "This might be the end of the Eights." He whispered that last line, as if it might give someone behind the scenes an idea.

Vice Admiral Burns stood up from his seat, his icy gaze took in the court.
"Attention on deck," was quickly barked by Master Chief Gilmore.

"Gentlemen and ladies, I suggest you all either return to your seats or exit the assembly. If you cannot carry yourselves with proper military decorum I will personally see that you all spend the night in the brig," the typically soft spoken officer was leting his own feelings show concerning the verdict. "Do I make myself clear?"
<Tag all>

Sixtus almost flinched from the sound of the Master Chief's voice booming throughout the room, followed by the reprimand from Burns where he sat.

The Lieutenant looked back at his Marines with a cool glare, trying to will them to shut the hell up.

Already have one of us in hock, don't need another...

"Attention on deck."

Roberts snapped to attention, saluting sharply and freezing. They had made their point, now it was time to shut up.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir, Yes Sir!" he said loudly, then sat down.

Sal snapped to a salute at the call, less out of reflex then anything else. He took his seat, not wanting to be separated from the group if things continued to sour. This whole sector was screwy, and he was starting to empathize with Morse's opinion of the colonies.

That scared him more than anything, at the moment.

Choosing to not go to the hearing was an easy decision for Morse. He had never done very well when it came to sitting quietly listening to others talk. He was not the most cordial of Marines, and given he was no on the witness list he decided his time would be better spent doing other things.

Of course being on an unfamiliar base left him with very few other things to do, so he’d wound up wandering in to the mess hall, and having a short meal, while he cleaned his pistol. He did know what time the hearing was supposed to conclude and so he did plan on heading there early just to catch the verdict.

Most of the platoon had decided that it was their business to support their friend, and commanding officer. But few would likely have been surprised that Morse himself did not feel like attending. He was always rather practical in his approach, and knew that one way or another he’d find out. He also had a bad habit of making outbursts, whether they be subtle or not, and thought it best to avoid such a situation entirely.

A while before the hearing was to conclude, Morse wandered his way to the room where the proceeding was held. Rather then walk in, he took a seat in a chair across from a sentry, who was standing out front of the room. He said noting, merely opened and took a sip from his canteen, which was filled with a non scented (and non regulation) liquid which he had carried off their now destroyed ship when they evacuated. He waited for the others to come out and tell him what happened.