Amie Kaufman - Gemina

Chief Prosecutor: Gabriel Crowhurst,BSA, MFS, JD

Chief Defense Counsel: Kin Hebi, BSA, ARP,JD

Tribunal: Hua Li Jun, BSA, JD, MD; Saladin AlNakat, BSA, JD; Shannelle Gillianne Chua, BSA, JD, OKT

Witness: Leanne Frobisher, Executive Director,BeiTech Industries, MFA, MBA, PhD

Date: 10/14/76

Timestamp: 13:06

cont. from pg.359

Frobisher, L: over seven hundred thousand employees across dozens of colonized worlds. Is it that difficult to believe?

Crowhurst, G: Dr.Frobisher, this was a major invasion. Thousands of personnel. Trillions ofIS worth of equipment. Yet youre alleging you had no idea aboutyour companys attack on Wallace Ulyanov mining operations in the KerenzaSector? Despite your position as director of acquisitions for BeiTechIndustries?

Frobisher, L: [Consultswith counsel.] Ive already stated I was appointed to that role well after the alleged invasion.

Crowhurst, G: But well before BeiTechs attack on Jump Station Heimdall.

Frobisher, L:Alleged attack.

Crowhurst, G: Dr.Frobisher, youve read accounts of the alleged attack left behind by residentsHanna Donnelly and Niklas Malikov, correct? Id like to direct you to theIlluminae Files testimony, Exhibits 178a through

Hebi, K: Defense objects tothe inclusion of the so-called Illuminae documents in these proceedings in thestrongest possible terms.

Al Nakat, S: Counselor, weve discussed this already. The documents have been accepted into the record. Move on.

Crowhurst, G: Dr. Frobisher? Have you reviewed the Illuminae Files?

Frobisher, L: [Consults with counsel.] Yes.

Crowhurst, G: What do you make of Niklas Malikovs testimony?

Frobisher, L: Frankly, Im surprised this tribunal considers the fictions of a teenage drug dealer and convicted criminal worthy of the title testimony.

Crowhurst, G: Dr. Frob

Frobisher, L: A born-and-bred foot soldier of the Dom Najov? Son of Zakary Malikov? Everyone here knows what that boy went to prison for. This is your star witness?

Crowhurst, G: Do you understand this is the first Dom Najov testimony to ever be entered into the records of a UTA tribunal? The House of Knives cartel doesnt speak to the authorities, Dr. Frobisher.

Frobisher, L: Im certain if given a choice, Niklas Malikov wouldnt have spoken either.

Crowhurst, G: But he didnt have a choice, did he? Your people saw to that.

Hebi, K: Objection. Combative.

Crowhurst, G: Ill withdraw.

Dr. Frobisher, I have a few questions regarding Mr. Malikovs testimony, and that of Hanna Donnelly, as pertains to the alleged attack on Jump Station Heimdall. You wouldnt mind if we review these files for a while, would you?

Frobisher, L: [Consults with counsel.] No. I have no objections.

Crowhurst, G: Excellent. Perhaps we should start at the beginning.

To: Director Taylor, BEITECH HEADQUARTERS, JIA III

From: GHOST ID From: GHOST ID (9876-5432-1098-7654-ERROR-ERROR-ERROR)

Incept: 08/01/75

Subject: [!] Operation: Plainview. Priority Alert

Director Taylor,

I know Im not supposed to break comms silence until Operation Plainview is complete, so consider this an EMERGENCY.

Ive been aboard Jump Station Heimdall intercepting communications from the Alexander and the Hypatia since the colony assault, as per your instructions. Not a whisper of the attack has gotten through. But I just snatched the attached transmission, and deleting distress calls is about to be the least of my troubles.

Very soon, somebodys going to be here to deliver the news in person.

The Lincoln has failed.

Were absolutely **** ed.

Awaiting instructions.

Rapier

RADIO MESSAGE: HYPATIA INITIATED
TRANSMISSION FOLLOWS
COMMUNICATION INTERCEPT

FROM: WUC SCIENCE VESSEL HYPATIA78V 101:421:084 (Kerenza system)

TO: JUMP STATION HEIMDALL

INCEPT: 08/01/75

Mayday, mayday, mayday, this is Acting Captain Syra Boll of the WUC science vessel Hypatia calling Jump Station Heimdall, please respond.

Please respond, Heimdall, over.

And of course you dont. Why should today be any different from yesterday? Im not even sure why the hell Im transmitting anymore.

Well, for the record, and at the risk of repeating myself, here goes. On January 29, 2575, the Wallace Ulyanov Consortium mining colony on Kerenza IV was attacked by hostile forces in the employ of BeiTech Industries. The colony was decimated, and several thousand survivors fled aboard WUC science vessel Hypatia, WUC heavy freighter Copernicus (subsequently destroyed) and UTA battlecarrier Alexander, which answered the colonys SOS calls. This fleet was pursued by a BeiTech dreadnought, BT042-TN, aka Lincoln.

Please be advised the Alexander and Lincoln engaged each other twenty-four hours ago. Both vessels were completely destroyed. Hypatia is now the only remaining vessel in the fleet.

On the off chance we are not receiving your transmissions, or you are unable to reply, Hypatia is still en route to the Heimdall waypoint with Alexander survivors and refugees from the original Kerenza assault aboard. Were hoping like hell its not just a smoking pile of debris when we get there. Estimate our arrival in fifteen days.

If you guys can roll out any kind of cavalry, nows the goddamn time.

Hypatia out.

HEIMDALL CHAT: HANNA DONNELLY

Donnelly, H: Hey, peon.

Guest423: Lo, the Princess.

Donnelly, H: Aha, youre there.

Donnelly, H: Thought you might be off skulking somewhere in the depths.

Guest423: Who says Im not? Im skulking like a mother ****** in here.

Guest423: So is this a social call?