The Day of the Court Martial

Sharpe sat down thankfully. He'd rather be facing a whole French battalion than a single man firing questions at him. At least there, you could see the attack coming...

The proceedings had gone rather strangely so far, but now was the time for him to stick his oar in. Hakeswill got up from the bench, made his way across the floor to the required place and stood rigidly to attention. A more smarter manoeuvre you could not have seen on any parade ground.

[someone administers oath etc]

Willis: Sergeant Hakeswill. Tell the court what you saw on the night in question.

Sharpe wondered which poor bastard had ended up cleaning his kit for him. One thing was sure; he hadn't raised a finger to do it himself.

Williams looked across at Hakeswill. How could others not see him for what he was? The Sergeant was gloating already, and he hadn't even started.

"I will, sir. On the night in question I was walking up near the Cathedral end of the city, a-mindin' of my own business when from not so far away I hears a shot. Knowing this to be a friendly city, sir, and knowing it o be my duty as a sergeant of 'is Majesty to keep the peace I proceeded towards the sound to discover what was 'appenin'. I arrived at the street in question and there saw private Willaims a-bendin' over Lieutenant Sharpe who was lyin' on the floor, his hands around his neck. Naturally I went to apprend the private, seeing as he had assaulted an officer and as should be arrested, sir."

It was a good statement. He'd had time to work on it.

The lying bloody bastard. Padstowe would have him for breakfast, though, coming up with a pack of lies like that.

Sheppard: "Does the prosecution have any questions for this witness, Captain Willis?"

Willis: Yes, Sir. Sergeant, did you see the accused in the act of physically assaulting Lieutenant Sharpe?

"So it appeared to my eyes, sir. And when I nabbed him I saw the garotte string fall from his hands, so I did."

Willis: Thank you. That is clear. And were others present when you apprehended the accused Williams?

Cotton had been watching and listening intently. At Hakeswill's last statement, his bit his lip. Don't say anything, Taffy, he urged silently. Let Mister Padstowe deal with it, that's why he's there.

"No as when I laid hands on him, sir, but shortly after four officers arrived on the scene, including the good Captain Padstowe what is here today." He shot a smile at the captain, his face giving a twitch. "Saw me with his own eyes, so he did."

[Got carried away prosecuting. Forgot I was the defendant ]

"Sir, does the Sergeant actually understand your plan - that we don't prove he's a murdering bastard, and he doesn't get me shot. So we both walk. Because I think he just wants me dead."

Trying to toady up to Captain Padstowe now, are you? Sharpe thought, glancing across the room to see how this would be taken.

Willis - to President. We have evidence from the officers concerned. None of them witnessed the accused's assault on Mr Sharpe. Captain Padstowe, if I may just clear this up. You were not present at the moment when Sergeant Hakeswill apprehended the accused?

Padstowe merely returned Hakeswill's smile with a look of frigid disinterest that would have done Sir Arthur proud. Keep smiling, Obadiah, he thought. He would see if he could not wipe that smile from his face.

He did not reply to Williams' muttered attempt at joviality regarding the Sergeant's motives. In truth he had not seen or spoken to Hakeswill, as firstly he already knew what the man would want to say, and secondly he might as well have asked night to be day as try and persuade the Sergeant to drop the charges - he was the one who'd brought them up in the first place.

At the question from the prosecutor Padstowe stood to answer -

"I was not, sir."

- before regaining his seat.

Willis: So you cannot confirm - or deny - Sergeant Hakeswill's evidence of what Williams was doing at the time of the Sergeant's intervention. Thank you, Captain. And thank you Sergeant. Now, Captain, do you wish to cross-examine the Sergeant?

[OOC edit: that's going to be difficult!]

(OOC: When I said about questioning myself earlier, I completely forgot that's what you'd end up doing!)

Cotton bit his lip, hoping that Padstowe would be able rip the Sergeant's evidence to shreds. He was one of the very few officers who seemed like he could see through Hakeswill's 'perfect sergeant' act.

And up yours too, my good sir.

"I do and I shall."

He stood from his seat and straightened his jacket, picking up his notebook and flicking back a couple of pages to where he had minutes before scribbled down Hakeswill's statement.

"Sergeant Hakeswill, in your statement you declared, "So it appeared to my eyes," when questioned as to whether Private Williams' posture was that of an attacking man?"

"I did, sir. With my own eyes."

"And that you saw "his hands around his neck" and "saw the garotte string fall from his hands" when you apprehended Williams?"

What the hell are you playing at, sir? Cotton thought. Are you trying to get him shot?

"I did, sir. All true, sir!"

What was the little prig playing at? He just seemed to be getting him to repeat parts of his statement, and he could not see how that was helping the defence.

It was impossible to sit and listen to this without reacting. But Williams knew that Hakeswill, for all he appeared to be paying close attention to the counsel, kept flicking glances at him, checking his reaction. And he was damned if he was going to flinch. So he fixed his gaze on one of the candlesticks on the table in front of the President, trying to look calm. His fingernails were gouging little crescents in his palms, but that was not visible over the table.