The War Room the next morning was in semidarkness, the holotable in the center lit, a holographic representation of Morricon hovering silently above it. Arkwright stood next to the table idly, flipping through plans and data regarding their cleanup in the system. As soon as the Captain and Lieutenants showed up they could begin their debriefing.

Presently, Dakron entered the room and stopped in the doorway, a silhouette against the light in the hallway, and saluted by the book. "Commander."

Flynn looked up and peered at the shape through the hologram. "Morning, Dakron. I'm still waiting on the others." He waved him down to the table and turned back to the datapad.

Darktrayn came down the stairs tentatively, stopping at the bottom. "... will you be assigning me a placement, sir?"

Flynn looked up again. "Oh. No, just ... gather around the table," he said, trying to smile pleasantly. "I'm just looking over our exit strategy. We have to try and leave everything the way we found it."

Dakron nodded slowly and proceeded to take a seat. "Yes, sir ... " He dropped his weight heavily into the seat, visibly upset about something. Arching an eyebrow at the figure on the other side of the translucent sphere, Flynn once again looked back to his datapad.

"Mornin'," another voice said from the other direction. Rince ambled down the aisle to the table looking an absolute mess, still wearing the same stained clothes he had been in since the last of the Lib's marines had dusted off and left Morricon.

"You slept in that bloody mess?" Arkwright asked.

"Didn't do much sleeping." Rince pulled up a seat across from the engineer, coolly staring down a fiercely disgusted look, and asked, "So how's the cleanup lookin'?"

Flynn set the datapad down on the glowing tabletop. "Not bad. Fighters have cleaned up the remaining Imperial ships, and the Old Man tells us he can handle anything that's left on the surface ... so we can pretty much take off as soon as we're packed."

Darktrayn folded his hands on the table, cutting off Rince as he opened his mouth to reply. "Well, I suppose I will now take the liberty asking what exactly is happening on this ship. I assume that you are prepared now to answer my questions."

Arkwright looked at Rince in mild surprise, and Rince looked back with a knowing lack of expression.

"As a commanding officer on this ship, I belive I should be made aware of these ... scenarios," Darktrayn continued, glancing at Arkwright. "I would like most to hear your explaination of the situation, Commander."

"These scenarios being ... ?" the Commander replied. Rince frowned in irritation, kicking back in his seat to prop up his worn combat boots on the very edge of the table.

"Sir, I am sure you are aware of the absense of Corporal Scourge and Agent Draco, are you not?"

"... Scourge, yes. Where's Draco? He's been on a pretty long leash - I had no idea he hadn't come back."

Rince folded his arms, still silent.

Leaning forward over the table, Flynn asked him, "Where is he?"

"That's what I would be interested in knowing," Dakron added, "... Lieutenant."

Arkwright wondered exactly why the engineer was so interested, but said nothing.

Rince looked at a fingernail on his left hand, then used his thumbnail to scratch away a dried stain on it. "Draco won't be rejoining the Liberator."

"You seem so certain," Darktrayn said accusingly.

"I'm positive, Dakron."

"How, so Lieutenant?"

"Quit beating around the slagging bush, pal. He's dead. Dead men don't exactly sign on for another tour of duty."

Darktrayn leaned a little bit closer. "Did you see him die, Lieutenant?"

Wind remained reclined. "Looked right in his eyes." He stared directly at Dakron, eyes narrowing briefly before returning to normal. "Any other tidbits you'd like me to enlighten you on?"

"Who killed him, Lieutenant Wind? Who killed agent Draco?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Conall was suffering from injuries sustained during the operation aboard the Judicator. He had lacerations across his abdomen, and apparently had neglected to inform anyone of the fact that he had been bleeding out for quite some time."

Darktrayn raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Is that right?"

Wind nodded. "That's right."

"Funny, I didn't notice that Lieutenant."

"Nothing's funny about someone dying, Lieutenant."

Arkwright looked back and forth between the two men as they bickered, trying to learn what he could before opening his mouth. He hadn't pressed the Widowmaker for his report because the marines had been through a long three days on the surface, and would have thought he'd be told expressly about anybody that didn't come back.

"He seemed quite healthy in the escape pod," Dakron continued.

Rince threw his arms out at his sides in a shrug, palms upraised. "What the hell do you want me to tell you? Draco wasn't exactly the kind of man to complain about being ripped up. He probably would have been fine if he would have gotten some semblance of medical attention, but he allowed himself to bleed out for too long."

Dakron nodded. "Tragic," he said emotionlessly. "And what about Corporal Scourge? Can you explain his absense?"

The marine glanced at the chronometer on the wall. "I don't like having to repeat myself. We can wait for the Captain's arrival."

"As you wish ..." Darktrayn turned to Arkwright for an answer. "Commander?"

Flynn unfolded his arms. "Dakron, I'll say it once, and it doesn't leave this room. Kesk was already convicted of espionage. We didn't have time for the ... punishment until all of this was dealt with, and besides which ... we needed him. The details are unimportant."

Darktrayn was taken aback. "You are certain of this?"

"Positive," Wind interrupted, scratching the growth forming into a beard on his jaw.

Arkwright shrugged. "He confessed. "

"And, so you killed him?"

Rince stayed silent, looking at the table.

Darktrayn turned back to the Commander. "And you ordered this?"

"Don't even try bringing anyone else into this, Darktrayn," Rince said again.

"Excuse me, Lieutenant?" Darktrayn snapped.

Flynn held up a restraining hand. "Rince." When he was satisfied he had silence, he continued. "The Captain ordered it and I supported him. The penalty for treason is death. And that's all there is to it."

Darktrayn shook his head. "Regardless. That is totally unacceptable procedure. Executing a crewmember, on a remote planet, without proper direction to higher authorities? I cannot believe you did this. This is TOTALLY unacceptable. Is this how matters on handled on this ship?!"

Rince paid no attention to the engineer's tirade, pulling his feet back from the table, then slowly rising.

"And dont think i believe your story about Draco, now, either," Dakron continued.

Towering over the table, Wind reached into the pocket of his uniform, removing a clenched fist. "Let's get a couple things straight here. "I could care less whether or not you believe what happened to Draco. "As for Scourge ... what's done is done."

Dogtags, stained with blood, along with a spent silver slugthrower casing clattered onto the table. Flynn could just make out the name on the tags from his seat: Shurdin Kesk.

"Deal with it."

Both naval men looked up from the grim evidence. "With the Commander's approval," Dakron said, "I am having all of your weapons and garmets confiscted for proper analysis.

"Not going to happen," Wind answered

"I'm not asking you."

"Who's gonna confiscate them then, huh, engineer? You? Your little band of spanner monkeys?"

Darktrayn stood to his full height as well, voice escalating. "I will be sending them straight to Commodore Wolfe on the Silent Waters."

"With what justification? You didn't like the way something happened, so you want someone to pin the blame on?" Rince scoffed. "That's life, pal."

The engineer changed tones. "Why do you seem so worried, Lieutenant?"

Rince smiled in a completely unfriendly manner. "I'm not worried, Lieutenant. I am completely positive I did not take the life of Conall McCathan."

"Well, then you will have no problem with my request."

"Oh, no, I have a problem with your request," Rince shouted. He slammed both his palms down onto the table, leaning forward. "I'll be DAMNED if some little engineer with a complex is going to interfere with my personal combat gear."

"I don't care what you think, Lieutenant, I am asking the Commander!"

Arkwright took the ensuing silence as his turn to speak. He pinched the bridge of his nose, still hesitant to take sides. He knew Rince would have it in him to take out Kesk, no question. He wasn't sure about Draco ... it didn't add up.

Rince continued before he could speak. "You're treading really fine ground here, pal. Fully accusing a fellow officer of murder isn't to be taken lightly."

Anger moldered in Darktrayn's eyes. "And letting this situation go without question isn't to be taken lightly either, Lieutenant." He leaned forward slightly. "You never really liked Agent Draco, did you?" he asked with a sinister growl. "Seemed pretty suspicous the whole time, didn't he?"

Rince leaned forward further. "About as suspicious as you."

"Okay, enough" Arkwright said, rising to his feet. He was through letting the conversation run its course.

"And Lieutenant Wind, with his uncontrollable temper, and personal sense of justice -"

"That's enough," he said again.

"- and thirst for Imperial blood, would never be one to take Draco's life, would he?"

"Keep pushing me, Dakron. You'll find out if I can take someone's life or not."

"I said that's enough!" the Commander barked.

Both Lieutenants released visible tension, closing their mouths.

"Very well," Dakron said, being the first to retake his seat. "What do you think now, Commander?"

"I think," he said coolly, "that Lieutenant Wind's department is none of your concern. Your objections and concerns are noted, and I see no point in noting them further. I will bring them up with him at an appropriate time." He then fired a warning glance at Rince. Without Draco's body, the story didn't hold water, and he was sure Rince knew it.

"Well, then, if you'll excuse me, Commander," Darktrayn said, "I think I've had all the debriefing I need. I'll speak to you again at ... an appropriate time.

Before the other two could argue, the engineer left the room.

Flynn and Rince exchanged looks.

"Apparently he still hasn't gotten used to not always doing things by the numbers," the Commander sighed. "Well ... the Captain's almost here." He looked the Widowmaker up and down. "You couldn't have cleaned yourself up a tad?"

Rince propped his feet back on the table.

"I was occupied," he said.

Auriga stepped inside the war room just then, the automatic doors swooshing closed behind him. "Good morning, gentlebeings."

Rince immediately snapped to attention. "Cap'n."

"Morning, Captain!" Arkwright exclaimed with mock cheerfulness. "Why, things were just getting interesting."

Walking up, Auriga noted the objects on the holotable. "... so I see. At ease, Rince. Fill me in."

"Scourge didn't report back with the rest of the marines," the Commander said, nodding to the objects on the table."

"Lieutenant," the Captain said, looking at Rince, "the Marines don't leave anyone behind. What happened?"

Rince took up a stance with his hands folded behind his back, legs shoulder width apart, staring straight ahead. "Sir, I believe the evidence is self-explanatory."

"Why don't we have a body, Rince?"

"That's why I brought the dog tags, sir. After I put a slug into Scourge's face, it wouldn't have mattered much to bring back the body." His gaze remained fixed. "Facts of Corporal Kesk's demise aside, sir, it's not standard protocol for us to respectfully dispose of the bodies of traitors."

Auriga swallowed hard, looking to Arkwright with a 'What do you know about this?' face. Arkwright gestured back Captain and Rince with his hand and a shrug.

"Where are Kesk and Draco?" Arkwright asked.

"Kesk is dead. Draco is dead. Draco didn't die by my hand.

"So why don't we have his body?"

"Sir Richard told me he would fit in with the dead inhabitants of Morricon that were being buried, Commander."

Auriga signed, pressing a button on the comm panel. "War Room to MARDET."

A gruff voice crackled back. "Private Dekoryeh on watch, sir."

"Private," the Captain said, looking up at the ceiling, "report to the War Room immediately with a set of stun cuffs and sidearm."

Dekoryeh replied with no small amount of surprise, "Aye aye, sir."

Rince continued standing rigid, eyes locked on a spot on the wall across the room. The Captain stepped in front of him. "I am placing you under punitive arrest until a general court of inquiry can determine how to proceed from this point, Lieutenant. You are henceforth stripped of all rank and privilege and confined under guard to your quarters. Understood?"

Rince didn't flinch in the slightest. "Aye aye, sir."

"Do you have anything to say for yourself, Rince?"

"Nothing that's going to change anyone's minds, sir."

Dekoryeh entered just then, diffuse light streaming into the war room from outside, a heavy blaster pistol in one hand and a pair of stun cuffs hanging from the other. Arkwright remained solemnly silent as he watched him walk up to the table, feeling a repeat of a previous incident.

"Reporting as ordered, sir?" Dekoryeh asked, looking between the three men.

"Private..." Auriga began, sighing. "Take Mr. Wind into custody. Escort him to his quarters and stand guard there. He is not to leave for any reason. Contact the MARDET scheduling droid and have a 24-guard assigned to his quarters."

"Make sure they run in four hour shifts, guards get lazy after that," Rince added.

"Any questions, Dek?"

"Er... uhm... no, sir," the private stammered. "This way, si- ... Wind."

"C'mon, kid ..." Rince said, holding his wrists out. "Do the job right and put the cuffs on me."

Dekoryeh sheepishly moved to cuff him. As he rigged the cuffs on his wrists, Rince glanced around. "Either of you two feel the thick irony of this situation?" he joked, testing the cuffs, and frowned. "Tighter, Dek."

Dekoryeh tightened the cuffs and hit the stun activator on his belt.

Rince glanced from the Captain to the Commander again. "Anything else or am I dismissed?"

Arkwright took a deep breath. "I know it's not like you to pull something that'll get you hauled before a tribunal, so if we should know there's anything you're not telling us ... feel free to scratch your eyebrow or something."

Rince flashed the infamous Wind smile. "Even if I did have an itch on my left eyebrow right now, sir, it'd be a tad difficult for me to scratch it." The smile vanished. "But sorry, sir, nothing to add."

Auriga gestured with a jerk of his head. "Get him out of here, Dek."

The two commanding officers stood in silence until the door closed behind them.

Sitting down finally, Auriga asked, "What's your take on this?"

Arkwright took his own seat exhaustively. "He wouldn't have killed Draco, I'm sure. No reason."

"I agree. We must therefore assume Draco is MIA. Or, more precisely, AWOL."

"Agreed. But: why would Rince cover for him? If you want me to swallow the idea that Rince has some newfound compassion for him you'd have to feed it to me with a pretty big spoon."

"Because he has nothing to lose," the Captain said. "If he's already killed Kesk, he's already lost MARDET. He murdered Kesk - there was no sanctioned execution."

"In his defense, sir, he was only doing what would have been done in short order anyway."

"That's as maybe," Auriga replied, "but a crime is still a crime."

Rince's words reverberated around the War Room again. The irony of the situation was sickening. Swallowing it, Arkwright met the Captain's eyes.

"Yes, sir."