Why would a Space Officer lead an android
rebellion? Even Lieut. Mannion believed he was
guilty as they gave him the supreme penalty....
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
October 1957
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Lieut. Dan Mannion of the Earth Space Patrol stood in the prisoner'sdock in the courtroom, gripping the rail of his cubicle so hard hisfingers hurt.
Comdr. Edward Harkness of the SP, who was presiding, glared at himsternly. "Lieutenant Mannion, the charges against you are severe. Youface the risk of total mnemonic erasure if found guilty. Is thereanything you care to say in your own defense before we proceed with thetrial?"
Mannion glanced around the military courtroom, seeing the pale, tense,anxious face of his wife Virginia, the stern countenance of Dubrow,his former commanding officer, the interested eyes of half a hundredonlookers.
"No," he said. His voice was thin and dry. "There's nothing I can say.Nothing at all."
He saw Virginia's pleading eyes. She was telling him silently,Please, Dan. Tell them you're innocent. At least put up a defense!
"Call the witness," Commander Harkness ordered.
"Base Commandant Lee Dubrow will please take the witness stand."
While Dubrow was being sworn in, Mannion studied him. His formercommander on the Iapetus base was a tall, icy-faced man withclose-cropped gray hair and a stiff military mustache. Mannion hadnever been particularly friendly with his commanding officer.
"Commander Dubrow, will you relate the events leading up to LieutenantMannion's actions in the Android Rebellion?"
Dubrow cleared his throat. "Very well. As you know, the Space Patrolestablished its base on Iapetus last year—no, two years ago, at theend of 2365—as part of its program of preparing Saturn's moons forcolonization."
"How many members of the patrol were with you?"
"Fifteen, altogether. I was in command, naturally, and for most of theperiod we were there Lieutenant Mannion was my second-in-command."
"Isn't it fairly unusual for a Lieutenant to hold such a highposition?" the prosecutor asked.
"Major Dunphy was killed by a rebellious android seven weeks afterwe arrived," Dubrow said. "Lieutenant Mannion was the next highestranking officer in my squadron and he took over."
"How many androids did you have with you?"
"Over a hundred," said Dubrow. "It was quite a time we had when theymutinied."
"Had you any knowledge of the mutiny beforehand?"
"No."
"Did any member of your staff know about the mutiny before it tookplace?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Lieutenant Mannion. He was in conspiracy with VZ-1972, the ring-leaderof the mutiny."
Mannion felt his face go bright red. He wanted to stand up and shout,"That's a lie! I never knew anything about the mutiny!"
But he couldn't. Somewhere in the back of his mind lay a shadow ofdoubt. He could not remember anything that had happened at the time ofthe mutiny—and perhaps he had—perhaps—
The judge said, "Tell us about Lieutenant Mannion's part in the mutiny."
"Yes, sir. The first we knew about it was on the morning of November9, 2366, when the androids we used to keep the atmosphere-generatorsrunning refused to perform their regular tasks. I ordered LieutenantMannion to go outside and discover what the trouble was. He refused. Iordered him a second time, and he struck me and threw open the airlock.All of the androids rushed in."
"What happened