JAG Incident Report (local) 475-A

JAG Incident Report (local) 475-A was the record of the official proceedings of a UNSC Judge Advocate General's Corps Board of Inquiry at the Academy at Mare Nubium on Luna in 2492. It concerned an investigation into a number of incidents involving Inna Volkov, the daughter of Admiral Konrad Volkov. The report included the testimony of a future Vice Admiral, Preston J. Cole.

A scandal had occurred after the overnight absence of Inna Volkov from the family officers' quarters on base: she was seen in the company of an unidentified young man and was later found to be pregnant. A Board of Inquiry was subsequently convened, and six cadets (including Crewman Apprentice Cole) were brought before it for questioning on June 7, 2492. The results of the hearings were ultimately inconclusive. Cole was initially charged with contempt and obstructing the tribunal's investigation; however, both charges were drop two days later. On June 13, the log file of Cole's testimony was sealed in accordance with UNSC-JAG ORD: 8-PD-3861. Cole later married Inna Volkov, although DNA analysis showed that he was not the father of the child.

An excerpt of the report was included within the file Historical/Psychological Analysis of Cole, Preston J., sent by Codename: SURGEON to Codename: USUAL SUSPECTS in 2552. SURGEON believed that the report was important in helping to understand Cole's moral character, even if it left certain questions unanswered.

Cole's testimony

{Excerpt} Transcription of Cole, P. J. (UNSC Service Number: 00814-13094-BQ) testimony before Board of Inquiry, Academy at Mare Nubium JAG Incident Report (local) 475-A \ June 7, 2492 (Military Calendar) \ Log (video, spatial, psychological enhancement=TRUE) FILE *SEALED* (UNSC-JAG ORD: 8-PD-3861), June 13, 2492 (Military Calendar)

Seated Board of Inquiry: Colonel Mitchell K. Lima (UNSC Service Number: 00512-5991-IX), Captain Maria F. Gilliam, JAG officer in residence (UNSC Service Number: 00622-7120-RJ), Frank O. Welker (Civilian Liaison to the Academy at Mare Nubium, Civilian ID#: 8813-316-0955-G)

[Crewman Apprentice Preston J. Cole is sworn in before the Board.]

COLONEL LIMA: State your name for the record.

CREWMAN COLE: Cole, Preston J., sir.

CAPTAIN GILLIAM: Tell us, Cadet, where exactly you were between 1900 and 2300 hours three days ago?

[Cole remains standing at attention and stares up and to the right. Since Cole is right-handed this indicates he is accessing the visual memory portion of his brain (and not lying).]

COLE: I was on watch duty on Shadow Perimeter Three with Cadets Parkins, Haverton, and Tasov, ma'am.

MR. FRANK O. WELKER: Describe "shadow perimeter three" for me, Cadet.

Cole: Yes, Mr. Welker. Shadow Perimeter Three is the colloquial term used for the series of tunnels and surface tubes that run across the Mare Nubium, connecting the Academy to the civilian sectors of Asimov Center. The "shadow" part of the name comes from the shadows cast from the nearby crater walls.

WELKER: Why guard that particular sector?

[Cole's eyes now lock forward.]

COLE: I was ordered to do so.

GILLIAM: Cadet, speculate as to the reason required for guarding Perimeter Three.

COLE: Yes, ma'am. There are two reasons. First, we always maintain a guarded perimeter against unauthorized civilian incursions on Academy grounds. Second, there have been recent reports of unauthorized military personnel and supplies moving into the civilian territories.

[The five other cadets who await questioning in the tribunal chamber shift in their seats.]

LIMA: Do you know of any such unauthorized crossing of our military personnel?

COLE: I have not read of any such occurrences in the incident report, sir.

LIMA: That was not my question.

[Cole pauses, looks straight down.]

COLE: I have never seen any such incidents, sir. If I had I would have attempted to stop them from occurring. If I could not, I would have immediately reported it and been required to make a note of it in the incident log.

[Gilliam leans forward and removes her glasses.]

GILLIAM: You say "never seen," but have you heard rumors or otherwise received any indication of such illegal base crossing on or off your watch?

[Cole swallows, eyes back up, staring past Captain Gilliam.]

COLE: I cannot substantiate any rumors I may or may not have heard, ma'am. I have insufficient evidence to do so.

LIMA: I'm going to remind you once, Cadet, and only once, that obstructing any military investigation is a serious offense that carries a minimum of five years of hard labor.

[Cole gives no response.]

LIMA: I am now ordering you, Cadet, to tell me everything you know about any military personnel crossing the perimeter the evening of the twenty-fifth - or any tampering with security devices or recordings of the region during that time - or any detail of anything unusual that evening.

[Cole inhales deeply, looks directly at Colonel Lima.]

COLE: Sir, no. Nothing... unusual.

[Captain Gilliam, Mr. Welker, and Colonel Lima confer among themselves.]

[Cole remains standing at attention].

GILLIAM: If you are trying to protect a fellow cadet through some sense of camaraderie or honor - it is misplaced. Do not throw away your otherwise sterling service record to protect someone who, to be blunt, does not deserve to be an officer.

[At this time, Admiral Konrad Volkov enters the room and sits.]

[Cole faces the tribunal and cannot possibly see the admiral, but nonetheless stands straighter and begins to sweat.]

COLE: Sir, what kind of officer would I make if I said what you wanted me to say just to avoid trouble - regardless of whether it is the truth or not? Or if I guessed at any wrongdoing to make myself look better? I will not do such a thing.

LIMA: Crewman Cole, you are in contempt of this Board of Inquiry. I'll deal with you later.

[(Colonel Lima motions for the court guards. The guards move to escort Cole).]

[Cole salutes the presiding officers, turns, makes direct eye contact with Admiral Volkov, and is marched from the tribunal chamber.]

List of appearances

• Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
  • The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole (First appearance)