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A Matter Of Honor

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H

Hammerlock

Executioner
A MATTER OF HONOR

"The defendant will rise," intoned the judge, as he took his seat behind the high bench. The members of the jury, all fully-uniformed members of the various military groups, finished filing in and took their seats. Karyn Greylocke and her court-appointed attorney, a young Navy lawyer named Peter Fortuna, rose and faced the bench. Karyn was dressed in her best army uniform, her black hair pulled back in a French braid; she nervously fidgeted with her hands as she waited for the court-martial judge to hand down his sentence.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asked, placing his glasses on his nose and shufling the papers on his desk. He was an Army judge, one of the most experienced in the military. He was as impartial as they come; the fact that he was set to hand down a sentence to a beautiful female Army officer mattered not a bit.

Karyn swallowed nervously and glanced at her attorney. Fortuna smiled back, weakly. Both of them knew that this didn't look good; Karyn had been charged with several offenses, any one of which carried the death sentence. Peter had argued her case forcefully and vigourously, but she had no false hopes. This was serious, and it didn't look good.

"Yes, your honour, we have," said the jury foreman, a Navy officer, holding out a pice of paper to the bailiff. The bailiff retrieved it and presented it to the judge.

The judge unfolded the paper and read it briefly, then looked up at Karyn. "The jury has reached it's verdict," he announced. Holding the paper in his hand, he read from it.

"On the charge of dereliction of duty in battle, the jury finds the defendant guilty as charged.

"On the charge of cowardice in battle, the jury finds the defendant guilty as charged.

"On the charge of insubordination in battle, the jury finds the defendant guilty as charged.

"On the charge of refusal to obey a direct order from a superior officer while in a battle, the jury finds the defendant guilty as charged.

"On the charge of aiding and abetting the enemy, the jury finds the defendant guilty as charged.

"On the charge of conduct unbecoming an Army officer, the jury finds the defendant guilty as charged."

Karyn swallowed hard and tried not to collapse. Peter reached out and took her arm, steadying her, as the judge continued.

"The court is satisfied with the jury's verdicts, and will now impose sentence on the defendant." He looked directly at Karyn, and impassively intoned, "This court-martial has determined that you have committed offenses detrimental to your unit in battle, and detrimental to your status as a sergeant in the United States Army. Your willful refusal to obey orders in a combat situation placed your unit in serious danger and is a serious crime, worthy of the most severe sentence this court can impose. Even though the orders you were given were deemed contrary to the Rules of Engagement, your refusal to carry them out was in direct contradiction to the best traditions of the United States military, and represents a serious breach of honour. You are not worthy to continue in your present role as a sergeant in the United States Army. It is with this in mind that the court imposes the following sentence. You are to be stripped of your rank as Sergeant, dishonorably discharged from the United States Army, and sentenced to be executed by firing squad in one week's time. MP's, return the prisoner to her cell. This court is adjourned." The gavel came down smartly, and all in the courtroom rose as the judge and the jury filed out.

Karyn leaned heavily on the table before her, in shock even though the sentence had been expected. She heard the crowd filing out of the courtroom, and, without even looking, knew that her father was not there. He had already let her know that her failure to kill unarmed women and children in the little hut in Afghanistan , as ordered by her captain, was a serious breach of honour that had smeared her family's long and glorious military past. He still loved her, but he was ashamed of her guilt and had no wish to attend the court-martial. Nor would he attend her execution. he was finished with her, although he regreted it. But military honour in this family was eevrything, and she had just destroyed her family's entire honourable history.

The two MP's materialized at her side, and Peter stepped aside. "Don't worry, Karyn, we'll appeal. It's not over yet."

She stood straight, and sighed. "Yes, it is," she said. "An appeal will take too long. They're going to strip me naked, tie me to a post, and riddle me with bullets long before an appeal can be considered. But there is another option, and I'm going to take it. I have no choice. I need to restore my honour and the family's honour."

"You mean...no, you can't possibly mean that."

"Yes, I do," she said firmly, staring at the floor as the MP's shackled her hands behind her. "Please inform the judge that I wish to impose the sentence of crucifixion upon myself."
 
"Counselor, have you informed your client of the facts of her request?" the judge asked, seated behind his desk in his plush office. Facing him sat Karyn and Fortuna, Peter in his dress uniform, Karyn in her bright orange prison jumpsuit. Karyn's hands were manacled to a chain around her waist, and her bare feet were shackled together with enough chain to allow her to walk.

"Yes, your honor, I have done so. She remains adamant in her choice."

The judge leaned back in leather chair and regarded Karyn, not unkindly, for a moment. "Ms. Greylocke, I'm familiar with the background--a very unusual and unfortunate background, if I may so--of your story. Only child of Colonel Michael Greylocke, a highly-decorated Viet Nam War veteran. Mother passed away in 2015--a heart attack--father retired in 2017. I was familir with your fathyer; we served together at Ton Son Nut in the War. I remember him as a passionate, highly effective commander in the field, with a highly-developed sense of military honor in everything he did. Did you join the military because of him?"

"Yes, sir," Karyn replied softly. "It was a family tradition, I guess. My great grandfather was a union commander in the Civil War. After that, every Greylocke family generation has contributed a family member to the military. I was an only child, so I went by default."

The juge sighed and set his reading glasses on his desk. "Ms. Greylocke," he rumbled in his low bass voice that Karyn found soothing, "your case is the most troubling one I've ever dealt with. It's also the most unfortunate, in at least two other respects. The unfortunate fact is that, no matter what you had done in that hut in Afghanistan, you were doomed the second the captain ordered you to fire. Sad to say, there is no other way out for you. Since the near-mutinies in 2015--which your father had a large part in quelling--the military, to deter any other tendencies in that respect, instituted some harsh laws and some harsh punishments, which you unfortunately have run afoul of. I am deeply distressed at how many good men and women I've to send to the firing squad in the last few years. It weighs heavily on my mind, as does your case, and I will probably retire within the year.

"You were unforunate in one big respect. Your captain was Arthur Prescotte, who comes with a...rather sordid...past. While an extremely effective soldier on the ground, he also carries a reputation of being a misogynist, who hates having women in his units. He generally gets rid of most of them by putting them in the forefront of battle, where they're more likely to be killed in action. He seems to stop at no boundaries when it comes to ridding his units of women. With you, he found a most effective one. If you had opened fire on those women and children, you would have been charged and convicted of committing atrocities in war, a death penalty. If you--as you did--refused to fire, then he had you for insubordination and the other offenses with which you were charged with--a death penalty. You were truly doomed the minute he gave that order."

Peter spoke up. " I tried to have Prescotte court-martialed for giving that order, which is contrary to military law and would have resuted in a death penalty for him, as well. My request was dismissed out of hand by the Military Tribunal Authority."

"Indeed it was," the judge replied. "That's because Captain Prescotte is the son of Brigadier General Arlton Windrom Prescotte the third, a very valued and respected assistant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff--probably will be the next Army Chief of Staff. He has effectively quashed many charges against his son. I don't have the power to fight him on this or any other case." He leaned forward, beckoning Karyn and Peter closer, and said, in a low voice, "But I am fighting him. The reason I will probably take a year to retire is because a group of judges has gone underground to either charge Captain Prescotte or negate his father's influence. That may constitute treason, or it may simply be a lobbying effort to get the rules changed. Because of your case, Ms. Greylocke, I have joined them. One way or another, we'll get him. You understand that this is completely confidential?"

Both Karyn and Peter nodded solemnly. The judge continued, "And that if either of you ever divulges from this confidentiality, I will have to break the law and deny I ever said that?" More nods. "And that I will, if this is ever leaked, have the power to bring you, Counselor, to court-martial on the charges of treason and false accusations--itself a death penalty?"

Peter gulped and nodded.

"Very well, then," the judge said and leaned back for a moment.He leaned forward. "I cannot change, soften, or remove a case sent to me on those charges you faced, except in one respect. Military law does allow me to change the sentence of firing squad to a prisoner-requested sentence of crucifixion. It has rarely been requested, for obvious reasons, but you have done so, and I understand why. Let me ensure that you have been fully briefed on what to expect."

"Ms. Greylocke, military law has placed certain rituals, requirements, and ceremonies as attachments to the sentence of crucifixion. If, after I have outlined the rituals and protocols of a prisoner-requested crucifixion, you wish to change your mind, it will be your last chance to do so. If you don't, then I will authorize it. Do you understand?"

Karyn nodded and said, "Yes, sir, I do."

"Good. The fact is, Ms. Greylocke, crucifixion is an ancient and excruciating death sentence. You are going to be nailed to a cross."
 
Wragg134 said:
You are absolutely right, gentlemen, a great start to a great story. Hammerlock was a great crux author and artist, but Melissa informs us here

http://www.cruxforums.com/xf/threads/karyns-choice.1078/page-3

that Hammerlock succumbed to cancer later in 2011, and may his soul rest in the everlasting peace he deserves.
Click to expand...
Hammerlock asked often (he knows he would not live long) to finishing his unfinished stories. I'll start a new thread.
 
Wragg134 said:
Hammerlock succumbed to cancer later in 2011
Click to expand...
Sad to hear. I did not know (I signed in only in 2014 and there are so many threads left to explore). Last weeks, I have been thinking about possible developments of this story, but I did not know whether it was considered appropriate in this forum to continue since longtime unfinished stories from other authors (off course with reference to the orignal source).
 
Having a ‘go’ from Melissa (thanks for that), I have started to write down the story I had in mind. The reason why Hammerlock’s unfinished story drew my attention is, that I like imagining stories of execution by crucifixion, Roman style, in a today’s modern world. The surrealistic confrontation of both worlds, civilization versus an ancient punishment method, mostly from the viewpoint of the condemned…! It offers many possibilities.
From my raw text material, I started polishing the first parts already. Today (during a nearly two hours of mowing the grass – crux fantasies are a delight in order to ease such boring household jobs), I finally figured out how to include the last subplot of Hammerlock’s original story into my continuation, so that I can as faithful as possible to the original concept. So I thought I could launch the first chapter soon. It will be my first story here, and although being aware, as a beginner, of the high standards and the high expectations of this forum , I hope you will enjoy it.
 
A MATTER OF HONOR (part 3) A continuation of an unfinished story started by Hammerlock in 2011.
The judge explained her in detail the procedures, protocols and rituals of crucifixion according to military law. Protocols foresaw that the condemned would be stripped naked, nailed to the horizontal crossbeam by the wrists and sideward to the vertical beam by the ankles. The condemned would not be allowed to have any support. No cornu or sedile. And no blindfold or hood.

The sentence would be carried out outdoors, in a military camp. Because of the restricted access to military area, the execution would not be public as such, but there would be a lot of onlookers. For some of them, like the judge himself, being present at the execution was a matter of duty. But others would be invited or would be summoned, or they even volunteered to represent their unit, in order to witness the execution of military law. As the judge said : “All the joint forces will be there, represented by a whole bunch of stars and other brass!” The judge warned her that tens of onlookers would, sometimes eagerly, watch her suffering, watch her nudity and her agony and her bodily degradation. He warned her that even strong men have, in front of the onlookers, broken down on the cross. They have wept, cried of pain, begged for mercy, cried for their mother…

But public humiliation was only one aspect of the execution. The judge also explained her how nailing causes severing of flesh, of muscles, of nerves, of arteries, of bones. And pain, of course. After the nailing, the cross would be raised so that she would hang on it by her weight. She would experience even more pain. But particularly, as her stretched up arms would carry her body weight, the unnatural tension on the muscles in her chest would prevent her lungs from breathing out. She would then try to raise herself, in order to transfer her body weight directly to the nails, allowing her to relieve her chest muscles. But seeking support on the nails would be extremely painful, and in the meantime pulling up herself by her arms and knees would be exhausting. In that position, she would be able to breathe, but not for long. Ultimately, the physical efforts and the pain would force her to give up and lower herself again. She would be once more hanging by her arms, and experience trouble with breathing, until she would have to pull up again. This continuously up- and downward motion, the judge explained, is sometimes called ‘the crux dance’. Her ordeal on the cross, he told her, would be one of continuous pain, suffering, a never ending search for physical comfort, that she would never find.

At the end of the talk, the judge asked her if she still wanted to go on. She was allowed ten minutes to confer with her lawyer privately. But she turned away the offer. She had made up her decision already.
“Sergeant Karyn Greylocke, do you persist in your request to be executed by crucifixion according to military law?” the judge then asked.
“I do, Your Honour, Sir!!” she had answered without hesitation.
“Then you will have to sign this form, and your counsel too, in order to confirm your signature. From the moment you sign this form, the verdict holding your demotion, dishonorable discharge and execution by the firing squad will be suspended. Upon your death, it will no longer be executable. ”

Karyn was back in her cell. Alone. On death row. Contemplating her choice. There was no more way back. The judge had told her that her request would be submitted to the Office of the Court-martial General. Once her request would be approved, a day and place would be fixed. Orders for the execution would be issued, men and material will be brought in place.

(to be continued)
 
A MATTER OF HONOR (part 4) A continuation of an unfinished story started by Hammerlock in 2011.

It was late in the night, but Karyn could not sleep. In her death row cell, the light was never switched off. At such moments, in the quiet of the night, in her noise-tight cell, she was often engulfed by doubts and fear. But she had no choice. Death by the firing squad was a quick death, and even not dishonorable as such. Compared to that, crucifixion would be a terrible agony. But the quick death of the firing squad would her only be granted after a humiliating public ceremony during which they would demote her by ripping off her insignia of rank. Then they would dishonorably discharge her, by ripping off all the buttons and all her unit and other insignia from her uniform. Finally she would have to file off between the ‘walls of shame’, between two rows of soldiers turning their back towards her. Only after all that, she would be granted to be shot.
"Counsel, have you informed your client of the facts of her request?" The judge had asked to Peter
"Yes, your honor, I have done so. She remains adamant in her choice."

Indeed he had informed her. Initially he had tried by all means to dissuade her. It had resulted into a violent argument between them.
“Sergeant Greylocke! What do you think you are doing?”
“This is my choice, Lieutenant Fortuna! And I insist you do not attempt to pull rank on me in this issue, Lieutenant, Sir!”
“Right! Right! Karyn! Anyway, it is the most stupid idea ever! What do you think crucifixion is about? Some kind of transcendental meditation? It is a terrible and slow death! It is a hell of a choice you want to make. Literally! And as your counsel, I have the duty to protect you against yourself! You should appeal against the verdict!”
“That would be meaningless!”
“In the past, there have been cases…!”
“Counsel! I know, and you know too, that the military appeal courts never, I repeat, never, turn down recent verdicts, because they fear it would undermine the authority of military justice! The cases you likely have in mind were only reconsidered after decades, when all the people involved were dead, so that no reputations, no careers or no authority could be damaged! Right!?”
“The incident you were involved in, is still under investigation…!”
“But in the meantime there is already a court-martial verdict! You know well how it works, the conclusions of the investigation will never challenge the verdict, and the appeal court will rely on the conclusions of the investigation. These institutions protect each other’s authority, and I am stuck in it!”
“Yes, yes, you are probably right! But what point do you want to make? Honor is an important value in the military, but is it worthwhile to get yourself subjected to such a terrible ordeal? That is futile!”
“It has to do with Prescotte! I don’t want him to win!”
“Karyn, I still hope Captain Prescotte will not get away with giving that order, that is right. But that is another case. Anyway, I have heard that he has the reputation of being a very good field commander, so…”
“I told you already! He is reckless. He achieves his combat targets by aggressive action! But he performs only when he feels he has the initiative and the control. If not, he messes up and brings lives into danger. Like that action in Afghanistan. That was a very confusing one. In such moments, he turns against women under his command. There was no threat from that hut, the enemy fire came from elsewhere. But Prescotte hates women in the military, and he tries to squeeze them out, by confronting them with dilemma’s : moral values against discipline. And if it suits him, he then blames them for his failure!”
“I hope you don’t intend to become a martyr?”
“No, but, after all, by my refusal to carry out the order to kill innocent and unarmed women and children, I saved the honor of the whole Army. I am aware I made a severe breach of discipline, unacceptable in a combat situation, and I am ready to accept the consequences of my action. But under the terms of honor they allow me! I do it for myself and my family! They may strip me of my uniform, but not of my rank! They may nail me, but they shall not fire me! That is my point of honor, counsel! And if, as a collateral benefit, I can save lives by doing it, the better it is!”
“All right! All right! I will arrange an appointment with the judge!”

Had she convinced him to accept het choice, or had it been the judge’s unexpected revelation about Captain Prescotte's conduct? About how the father was protecting his son and about the uprising 'conspiracy' in the military justice against it? Anyway, after the talk with the judge, Peter had promised her that he would no longer try to oppose her choice, although he obviously would continue to perform his duties as her defense counsel, and try to fight the verdict itself by all legal means. But both knew there was little time.

Karyn had made her choice. Throughout history, being executed by crucifixion has always been considered as a dishonorable punishment. Ironically, in the Ancient military, crucifixion was often applied to deserters, insubordinates, mutineers,…. In other words, for the same kind of severe offenses against discipline as she had been sentenced for.

So, why had the US military made this strange twist of logic, and allowed its condemned to death to opt voluntarily for crucifixion? Because the Afghan and other rebels they had been fighting during the last years, had regularly executed their POW’s by crucifixion, particularly in case of captured officers and NCO’s. All soldiers knew it was the risk they faced over there. The numerous posts put on the internet by the rebels, of US military men and women, suffering naked on their crosses for hours, in the heat of the desert, had given a true blow to the moral, as it suddenly seemed that the army was no longer able to protect its troops from such savage harms. Suddenly there were numerous desertions and mutinies, resulting into even numerous demotions and dishonorable discharges. The court-martials became more severe in their verdicts, and for infractions against discipline in combat, death sentences became more and more the rule, as well as executions on the spot of deserters and insubordinates.

Finally, the military issued an order, that those condemned to death by US court-martials for desertion, insubordination, mutiny,…, were given the opportunity to opt for a solution that would allow them to keep their rank and ultimately avoid dishonorable discharge. By volunteering for execution by crucifixion, as if they would have been captured by the enemy. As a last opportunity granted by the military, to show that they were no cowards, that they were ready to face the risks of combat against the invisible enemy in Afghanistan. Off course, for many, there was more at stake in this choice. Close surviving relatives of someone who gave his or her life in the service of the country, were granted the payment of a life insurance and a pension by the US government. But the relatives of a service member that had been dishonorably discharged, and then been executed, were deprived from these benefits. They even got charged with the bill for the execution and burial.

On Friday the 10th of July, 2020, Karyn was informed that her request had been approved by the Office of the Court-martial General. Karyn would die as a sergeant, as a service member of the US army, and hence she would save herself and her family from disgrace. The execution would take place ultimately within a week. Little time left, indeed!

(to be continued)
 
Loxuru said:
A MATTER OF HONOR (part 4) A continuation of an unfinished story started by Hammerlock in 2011.

It was late in the night, but Karyn could not sleep. In her death row cell, the light was never switched off. At such moments, in the quiet of the night, in her noise-tight cell, she was often engulfed by doubts and fear. But she had no choice. Death by the firing squad was a quick death, and even not dishonorable as such. Compared to that, crucifixion would be a terrible agony. But the quick death of the firing squad would her only be granted after a humiliating public ceremony during which they would demote her by ripping off her insignia of rank. Then they would dishonorably discharge her, by ripping off all the buttons and all her unit and other insignia from her uniform. Finally she would have to file off between the ‘walls of shame’, between two rows of soldiers turning their back towards her. Only after all that, she would be granted to be shot.
"Counsel, have you informed your client of the facts of her request?" The judge had asked to Peter
"Yes, your honor, I have done so. She remains adamant in her choice."

Indeed he had informed her. Initially he had tried by all means to dissuade her. It had resulted into a violent argument between them.
“Sergeant Greylocke! What do you think you are doing?”
“This is my choice, Lieutenant Fortuna! And I insist you do not attempt to pull rank on me in this issue, Lieutenant, Sir!”
“Right! Right! Karyn! Anyway, it is the most stupid idea ever! What do you think crucifixion is about? Some kind of transcendental meditation? It is a terrible and slow death! It is a hell of a choice you want to make. Literally! And as your counsel, I have the duty to protect you against yourself! You should appeal against the verdict!”
“That would be meaningless!”
“In the past, there have been cases…!”
“Counsel! I know, and you know too, that the military appeal courts never, I repeat, never, turn down recent verdicts, because they fear it would undermine the authority of military justice! The cases you likely have in mind were only reconsidered after decades, when all the people involved were dead, so that no reputations, no careers or no authority could be damaged! Right!?”
“The incident you were involved in, is still under investigation…!”
“But in the meantime there is already a court-martial verdict! You know well how it works, the conclusions of the investigation will never challenge the verdict, and the appeal court will rely on the conclusions of the investigation. These institutions protect each other’s authority, and I am stuck in it!”
“Yes, yes, you are probably right! But what point do you want to make? Honor is an important value in the military, but is it worthwhile to get yourself subjected to such a terrible ordeal? That is futile!”
“It has to do with Prescotte! I don’t want him to win!”
“Karyn, I still hope Captain Prescotte will not get away with giving that order, that is right. But that is another case. Anyway, I have heard that he has the reputation of being a very good field commander, so…”
“I told you already! He is reckless. He achieves his combat targets by aggressive action! But he performs only when he feels he has the initiative and the control. If not, he messes up and brings lives into danger. Like that action in Afghanistan. That was a very confusing one. In such moments, he turns against women under his command. There was no threat from that hut, the enemy fire came from elsewhere. But Prescotte hates women in the military, and he tries to squeeze them out, by confronting them with dilemma’s : moral values against discipline. And if it suits him, he then blames them for his failure!”
“I hope you don’t intend to become a martyr?”
“No, but, after all, by my refusal to carry out the order to kill innocent and unarmed women and children, I saved the honor of the whole Army. I am aware I made a severe breach of discipline, unacceptable in a combat situation, and I am ready to accept the consequences of my action. But under the terms of honor they allow me! I do it for myself and my family! They may strip me of my uniform, but not of my rank! They may nail me, but they shall not fire me! That is my point of honor, counsel! And if, as a collateral benefit, I can save lives by doing it, the better it is!”
“All right! All right! I will arrange an appointment with the judge!”

Had she convinced him to accept het choice, or had it been the judge’s unexpected revelation about Captain Prescotte's conduct? About how the father was protecting his son and about the uprising 'conspiracy' in the military justice against it? Anyway, after the talk with the judge, Peter had promised her that he would no longer try to oppose her choice, although he obviously would continue to perform his duties as her defense counsel, and try to fight the verdict itself by all legal means. But both knew there was little time.

Karyn had made her choice. Throughout history, being executed by crucifixion has always been considered as a dishonorable punishment. Ironically, in the Ancient military, crucifixion was often applied to deserters, insubordinates, mutineers,…. In other words, for the same kind of severe offenses against discipline as she had been sentenced for.

So, why had the US military made this strange twist of logic, and allowed its condemned to death to opt voluntarily for crucifixion? Because the Afghan and other rebels they had been fighting during the last years, had regularly executed their POW’s by crucifixion, particularly in case of captured officers and NCO’s. All soldiers knew it was the risk they faced over there. The numerous posts put on the internet by the rebels, of US military men and women, suffering naked on their crosses for hours, in the heat of the desert, had given a true blow to the moral, as it suddenly seemed that the army was no longer able to protect its troops from such savage harms. Suddenly there were numerous desertions and mutinies, resulting into even numerous demotions and dishonorable discharges. The court-martials became more severe in their verdicts, and for infractions against discipline in combat, death sentences became more and more the rule, as well as executions on the spot of deserters and insubordinates.

Finally, the military issued an order, that those condemned to death by US court-martials for desertion, insubordination, mutiny,…, were given the opportunity to opt for a solution that would allow them to keep their rank and ultimately avoid dishonorable discharge. By volunteering for execution by crucifixion, as if they would have been captured by the enemy. As a last opportunity granted by the military, to show that they were no cowards, that they were ready to face the risks of combat against the invisible enemy in Afghanistan. Off course, for many, there was more at stake in this choice. Close surviving relatives of someone who gave his or her life in the service of the country, were granted the payment of a life insurance and a pension by the US government. But the relatives of a service member that had been dishonorably discharged, and then been executed, were deprived from these benefits. They even got charged with the bill for the execution and burial.

On Friday the 10th of July, 2020, Karyn was informed that her request had been approved by the Office of the Court-martial General. Karyn would die as a sergeant, as a service member of the US army, and hence she would save herself and her family from disgrace. The execution would take place ultimately within a week. Little time left, indeed!

(to be continued)
Click to expand...
Eulalia said:
I'm glad you've picked up this thread, Loxuru,
with imaginative ideas worthy of the memory of Hammerlock.
Click to expand...

I for one am REALLY enjoying it! :)
 
A MATTER OF HONOR (part 5) A continuation of an unfinished story started by Hammerlock in 2011.

Somewhere, Nevada…..
Somewhere deep in the Mojave Desert, far away from civilization, lays a valley called Hades Junction. That remote spot is the home of the 513th engineers-carpenters company.
On the evening of the 10th of July 2020, the commander of the 3rd platoon, First Lieutenant Douglas Macarthur Warren Jr., received marching orders from the Office of the Court-martial General. He immediately summoned the Company Sergeant Major to his office.
“Chief, we have a combat assignment. One Soul for the Treatment, on Thursday the 16th. I have decided to dispatch Sergeant-Major Buckley’s section. Gather them and order to pack! War starts Monday the 13th at zero-seven-hundred hours local time. The actual hour we will march out will be communicated as soon as the Ops Bureau has arranged airlift!”
“Yes, Sir!”
“And Chief, the action will take place in D.C.! So, I expect all the men to get a decent army haircut, faces clean-shaven, boots and brass shiny polished, uniforms bright clean and ironed! Make them clear that I will personally harass them with inspections over there, for their own good! There will be a whole bunch of high brass looking upon us, and I don’t want anyone to get into trouble with some zealous Pentagon ringknocker, just because of a disciplinary nothing!”
“I’ll see for it, Sir!”
“I will have to look impeccable myself, by the way, as I am expected on a reception, in the Officers Club of Fort McNair, on Thursday evening! Mess dress! I will have to carry my whole wardrobe with me!”
“Sir, they will hold a reception after a…?
“Yes, Chief, it is part of my marching order, believe it or not! The Army’s vice chief of staff would kindly appreciate my presence on the reception. In other words : a direct order to report there! Remember, Chief, the Army is a home, and apparently, for the vice chief of staff, every occasion suits to gather the homemates for a social event! It could be, anyway, that they are expecting a big audience for the Treatment this time, because, Chief, our Soul is a she-Soul!”
“Oh dear…! Euh.. A-hem! Sorry, Sir!”
“Yes, Chief, stuff happens! A certain Sergeant Karyn Greylocke. For insubordination in a combat situation in Afghanistan. But I will inform Buckley and the men about it I myself in good time..”
“Yes, Sir! Euh.. Sir! With permission, Sir?”
“Yes, Chief?”
“In that case, may I advise You to add Captain Gallo to the medical team?”
“You are absolutely right, Chief. That’s what I had already in mind too. No one but Captain Gallo! Now, carry on, Chief! There is a lot of work to do!”
“At your orders, Sir!”
All personnel of the 513th is handpicked. They are preferably former members of special units or combat medical units with actual combat experience in which they had been confronted with real casualties, and in which they have proven to perform well under such tremendous pressure of terrible human suffering around them. Even more, in order to be eligible for the unit, a Purple Heart is a must. Any member of the 513th engineers-carpenters company has to have experienced his or her body being violently pierced by metal flying around, either bullets or shrapnel. Furthermore, there is a stringent psychological screening of the applicants. Sadists are absolutely undesired. The unit relies on performing its duty by ‘empathic professionalism’.
Soon, Lieutenant Warren had his airlift confirmed. They were scheduled to land at Andrews AF base in the early Monday afternoon. After unloading, they would move into their assigned quarters. Together with the condemned, they would go through the planning for the next days, imposed by the protocols. Planning included a medical, psychological and technical preparation. During the medical examination, an X-ray radiograph would be made of each limb of the condemned, with markings, in order to locate as exactly as possible the cavities between her bones, where the nails would have to be placed.
Another part of the technical preparation was a ‘field exercise’ with Sergeant-major Buckley’s section. They would train for the actual procedure of the crucifixion, together with the condemned, who would be strapped on an exercise cross. So, the condemned would get a foretaste of what was about to come, including putting the cross upright. The exercise was also important to get the body shape and measures of th condemned, in order to find out the best lying position for the actual nailing. There would only be two differences with the real thing. The condemned would keep her sports clothes on during the exercise, and no nails would be applied, only straps.
The evening of Sunday the 12th of July, around 22:00 hours local time in Somewhere, Nevada. The heath of the day was waning. Sergeant-major Buckley’s section was rested and ready to march out. There was just one thing to do for Lieutenant Warren : inform the men about the Soul’s identity (only the medical officers already knew about it). That would be for the next morning, after the inspection.
In his office, Lieutenant Warren was reviewing the ‘Treatment protocols’ for the last time. Warren knew that in D.C., he should better stick to the protocols. The OCG will be around everywhere, scrutinizing every move he would make.
With the section being ready, Lt. Warren himself could finish packing. His checklist was almost completed. But for a few details, he needed Captain Gallo’s advice. She also had to bring back Sergeant Greylocke’s file she had been studying. He stood up, walked to the window and looked through it, to see if she was already underway. But outside there was only a pitch black desert night, apart from a few faint fluorescent lights against the walls of the office containers. Most apparent in the window was his own reflection. Briefly, he stared at the mirror view of his face, his short black hair, his thin moustache. He looked into his own eyes, noticed his stern look. It made him wonder for a moment what he was doing there, in a place like Hades Junction. ‘Where every living creature is either deadly or doomed’. And he was not that sure to which side he belonged..

For Lt. Douglas Macarthur Warren Jr., the Army had been a home all his life. He was a descendant of the first generations of Afro-Americans who had made it in the US Army. His destiny had been forged from the first moments of his life, by his ancestry and his given names. He had to make it at West Point and beyond. But ‘beyond’ made a false start. Immediately after his graduation, he was assigned to a unit in Germany, not exactly a war zone. But within an hour after his arrival, the army bus bringing him to his barracks, was taken under machine gun and grenade fire by terrorists. Everyone on board got wounded or killed. Although being hit by two bullets, Second Lieutenant Warren remained cold-blooded and took command of the evacuation of the bus, which had caught fire. The next day, he was flown back home, awarded with a Purple Heart. Later he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for going back twice into the burning bus, despite his wounds, to help others out. But his wounds and the damage to his lungs due to the poisonous gas he had breathed in the burning bus, had made him medically unfit for further combat assignment.

Warren stared once more through the window, but still Gallo was not in sight yet. Captain Linda Gallo was not a graduate from West Point. She had entered the Army through the Officer Candidate School. After having been wounded in action, she was allowed to follow the scholarship program of the Medical Corps. She was a rather rectangular shaped woman, although with somewhat wide hips. She was about seventy inch tall, comparable to Warren. She had ash brown wavy hair, only down to half way her neck. Her face had a somewhat heavier lower jaw and a slight tendency, only visible when she was speaking, to develop a double chin. Warren felt sometimes she looked like a live incarnation of the Venus de Milo.

She was highly appreciated because of the mental support she provided to both the execution teams and the condemned. Her ability to ‘talk’ condemned to their ordeal, eased the job of the executioners significantly. But she was also very capable in stress or conflict management, as often happened in the aftermath of an execution, as men sometimes lost their nerves. To Lieutenant Warren’s opinion, she was a remarkable woman, whose presence on a mission always paid off. The way she smoothly combined adherence to military discipline with her ‘disarming’ femininity, in an almost motherly way… Warren sometimes wondered what kind of a home she had been looking for, when she had joined the Army.

Warren went back to his desk. He grabbed his marching orders, one of the last things to pack. The Office of the Court-martial General had officially acknowledged that the execution was scheduled to take place on Thursday the 16th of July 2020, at exactly 10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, in the courtyard of the Old Arsenal barracks in Washington D.C. Instructions were issued. Executioners and guards would wear a combat uniform. The officers were requested to report in service dress.
The service dress wasn’t a problem. The officers of the unit wore it regularly. But his mess dress uniform, required for the reception on the other hand… It had a little problem Warren had tried to solve, but as yet in vain. He hoped that it would go away by itself. Perhaps if Gallo, sensitivity as she was, wouldn’t notice it, then it probably wasn’t that bad…
She entered the office, and immediately her attention was drawn by the mess dress uniform, displayed on a chair.
“Gosh, Lieutenant, I love the smell of mothballs in the evening! ”
“Very funny, Captain, very funny!”
“Anyway you better hope it will go away, otherwise you just heard the running line of next Thursday’s reception at the Officer’s Club!”
(to be continued)
 
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