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."
"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."