“July fourteenth,” I said. “You forged a medical evacuation order for Dad.”

Helen’s face hardened, the skin around her mouth tightening into a thin line.

“That is classified medical data,” Helen said. “You have no right to view it.”

“She has every right,” a deep voice boomed from the corridor.

General Drummond stepped into the room, pushing past the shore patrol officers.

Captain Hayes followed close behind him, his limp pronounced on the hard floor.

Drummond held a ruggedized military tablet in his hand.

“The terminal didn’t lock because of an intrusion, Lieutenant Colonel Rogers,” Drummond said to me.

“I locked it from my command terminal to preserve the digital log,” he said.

He looked at Michael, his eyes drilling into the young officer.

“Lieutenant Rogers, you authorized a transfer of a senior officer under false pretenses,” Drummond said.

“Sir, that was a medical emergency,” Michael stammered, his hand dropping from his sword.

“The medical board has no record of any emergency,” Captain Hayes said, stepping forward.

“I have spent the last hour pulling the transport logs from the archives,” Hayes said.