Free Mission Zero (Fourth Fleet Irregulars) by S J MacDonald Page B

error of judgement was in sitting down to play poker in a high stakes game in a dodgy club with people he didn’t know.  The panic came in when he found himself in debt to them for far more money than he could possibly raise, at which point they told him not to get any ideas about skipping out on them by leaving the planet, because they knew where his family lived. 
    ‘He was terrified, particularly when they kept sending him holos of his relatives.  Instead of doing what he should have, of course, and going to his skipper, he panicked and tried to sell ship’s supplies to raise the cash.  Frankly, the fact that he was so useless at it that he was caught immediately just tells you in itself that he’d never done it before.  The admiral presiding had no choice about the sentencing, but he did make recommendation for Barrington to be considered for early release on parole, and both his skipper and his squadron captain stood by him, applying for continuance of service.’
    ‘Yes, I saw that, very strong support, there,’ Mako said, making a note.  ‘And all three, I understand, had been paroled to the Fleet base on Cestus before the Senate Fleet Sub-Committee approved the scheme.  So had they been sounded out beforehand as to whether they’d be willing to participate?  And was that in any way part of the consideration of their parole?’
    ‘No, of course not.’  Alex said, after a moment or two to be sure that the inspector was serious.  ‘That would have been wholly unethical.  That would have been, in fact, the abuse of prisoner rights that the activists are screaming about.  To make them being released on parole in any way conditional on them agreeing to volunteer for this unit would have been, very obviously, a totally unethical pressure on them to do so.  They were granted parole unconditionally, on full and proper determination that their cases merited it.  They had several options available to them, including, if they chose, leaving Fleet service.’ 
    ‘Right, I see.  And they are not, I take it, being treated as prisoners under guard?’
    ‘No, they’re like anyone else on parole, free to go about, subject to the terms of parole restrictions on them.’  Alex said.  ‘They’re being escorted from Cestus by an officer, but that is for their welfare, just someone looking after them.  They’re travelling on ordinary Fleet travel warrants and are in no way prisoners or under guard.’
    ‘I see.’  Mako made another note.  ‘Thank you, Skipper.  So can I ask on what basis it was decided to take the parolees straight out on patrol?  I understand that the normal procedure would be to allow them time at a base and an opportunity for leave before joining a ship.’
    ‘That’s for their welfare,’ Alex told him, readily, ‘because of the media situation.  If they say when they get here that they feel they’d like some time groundside or at a base and don’t want to go with us, that will be accepted immediately.  There are fall-back arrangements for that if need be, and I will not, I promise you, launch this ship without being fully assured that everyone aboard is here of their own choice.’
    ‘Ah.’  Mako made a note and went on, ‘Would I be allowed to stay for the voyage even if all three of the parolees were to opt to leave the ship?’
    ‘Certainly, though I doubt they will.’  Alex said, mildly.  ‘But just a small point, Inspector, small but socially important – only liners go on ‘voyages’, okay?  Freighter journeys are called ‘runs’ and Fleet ships are either on patrols, which means out and back again to the same port, or flights, which are journeys to other systems.  And if you could please try to avoid using the word ‘cruise’ in connection with this or any other warship, that would be appreciated.’
    ‘Ah.’  The inspector made a note, and gave a wry little grin.  ‘Lots to learn,’ he observed again.  ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean any