Chapter 19 - The Tribunal of the Sea.Three weeks later, a specialized military tribunal convened aboard the deck of the USS Artemis—the very ship that had survived the catastrophic sabotage.
The morning sun reflected off the calm, gray waters of the Pacific, a stark and peaceful contrast to the night that had almost claimed my life.
Admiral Reed presided over the court-martial and civilian treason proceedings, his dress whites immaculate and unyielding.
Arthur Vance sat at the defendant's table, wearing standard prison blues, looking every bit of his age as the heavy weight of his crimes settled in.
Major Sterling presented the final evidence package: the decrypted drives, the financial ledgers, and the verified confessions of the syndicate members.
When the panel of judges retired to deliberate, an absolute hush fell over the assembled naval officers and international observers.
I stood at attention near the railing, looking out at the horizon where the ocean met the sky in a seamless, infinite line.
The scars on my neck still burned when the salt air caught them, but the phantom pain of that night was finally beginning to fade.
Admiral Reed walked over, stopping beside me and resting his weathered hands on the steel railing.
“The tribunal has reached its verdict, Commander,” Reed said quietly.
“And the sentence?” I asked, without turning my head.
“Life without parole in a maximum-security federal penitentiary, with all remaining assets seized by the Department of Defense to fund veteran rehabilitation programs.”
Justice had been served, not through vengeance, but through honor, resilience, and the unyielding code of those who protect the fleet.
May you like
Julian, testifying under an immunity deal, was currently serving a lesser sentence in a minimum-security facility, far away from the corporate world he was never built for.
Arthur Vance was led away in chains for the final time, casting one last, defeated glance at the daughter he had underestimated.
