Deadly Force by Keith Douglass Page B

him.
    â€œThis court-martial is now in session. Will the clerk read the indictment?”
    A clerk rose and read a two-page charge against Private Tauba Kidira. General Assaba knew the crimes, which included desertion and stealing government property, namely a jeep. The man pleaded not guilty and the trial began.
    The Army prosecutor brought two witnesses to the stand. One said that he saw the accused drive a jeep off the military post without authorization.
    â€œI object,” the defense counsel said. “It was dark at the time the alleged drive took place. The witness was more than thirty yards from the jeep. How could be identify Private Kidira as the driver in that darkness?”
    General Assaba scowled at the lawyer. “The man is a second lieutenant in the Army. Officers don’t lie. Objection overruled.”
    A second soldier testified that he had talked with Kidira the day he left and that Kidira had sworn that he would be a soldier no more. He would run as far away as he could.
    â€œI object to this testimony, Your Honor,” the defense counsel said, rising quickly.
    â€œOn what basis, Counselor?” the general asked.
    â€œThis is barracks talk. Every soldier who ever wore a uniform has cursed and yelled and sworn that he would desert. It’s part of being a soldier. Almost none of the menever do it. This is simply barracks-room talk that has no bearing on the truth of my client’s action.”
    â€œObjection denied. The court will ignore what the counselor has said about the testimony.”
    The defense counsel tried to question the witnesses, but was denied the right. The defense counsel said he had no other witnesses. The prosecutor gave a one-minute summary and the trial was over. The officers on the bench stood and conferred briefly, than sat down.
    â€œThe finding of this court is that the accused is guilty of high treason, desertion, and stealing government property,” one of the officers on the bench said. “The prisoner is sentenced to death. The sentence will be carried out immediately.”
    Two armed soldiers led Private Kidira out of the court. The judges and the general followed him. The condemned man walked to a stone wall just behind the courtroom, and turned to face the wall. When he was completely turned, General Assaba drew a .45-caliber automatic, put the muzzle against the back of Private Kidira’s head, and fired one shot. The blast knocked Kidira down and killed him instantly. General Assaba moved up a step and fired three more times into the dead man’s head as he lay on the ground, then holstered his weapon.
    â€œNo one deserts from my Army,” he bellowed at the dozen witnesses. “No one. Any man who tries will wind up like this one did. Remember that.” He turned and marched back into the building toward his office.

7
NAVSPECWARGRUP-ONE
Coronado, California
    Platoon Three of SEAL Team Seven enjoyed its second day of “camping out” on the beach just below the Kill House on the Coronado Strand and just north of the Navy antenna farm. Murdock thought about yesterday. They had started with a full-operational-gear jog down the six miles to the antennas in the loose sand. Then, after a five-minute blow, they walked into the sparkling Pacific Ocean surf, dove under the breakers, and swam out a mile due south, then retraced their route. All of the SEALs now had the new underwater Motorola personal radios, good for seven miles underwater and five miles on land. It helped them keep in touch with each other fifteen feet underwater even on a moonless night. After the two-mile trek they worked through the Kill House three times, taking names and times. The new man, Omar Rafii, hadn’t seen the new Kill House.
    â€œHey, I ain’t been through one of these for over a year,” he said. “We don’t get out to the desert training much in the other platoons.”
    â€œYou’ll have plenty of it