A Hidden World

Assessment Restart

People in blue shirts lead a collection of men to the witness area. Orenda ushers us to our seats and explains blue shirts are security, this society's version of police. I scan the seats in front of us. The spectators are all sitting. Kathy is up on screen again.

"During this session of our assessment, we'll inform you about that third group's ship. You'll also find out why there has been a media blackout of these proceedings. I'm going call witnesses and do some rescuer assessments. We'll also ask for assessments from some witnesses. I'll stop witness accounts at various places, calling on other witnesses to fill in any gaps. This is a disjointed way to proceed. Many factors contribute to Rescuer Sharon's assessment. Rescuer Sharon, why did you request this assessment?"

Sharon's face is sixty feet high in front of us. "I started on an accelerated law course at fourteen in high school and finished with a university law degree. Then I followed my lifelong dream and joined the rescuers.

"My impression was I wasn't a good rescuer. All feedback from both my squad and command is that I do everything wrong. I suspected I was about to be reassigned away from ground rescues and possibly terminated as a rescuer. My parents are first generation rescuers who won many awards for their service. All their friends are rescuers. I grew up on a legend. All I ever wanted to be is a rescuer.

"My section transferred from rescue group three to group one and Commander Carol took over our section. She is approachable and very pleased with my performance. My time with her made me feel I can be a good rescuer. When I requested this assessment, I wanted to get her feedback on my performance during this rescue."

Kathy replaces Sharon's image. "Thank you, Sharon. Our first witness will be senior ground controller for rescue group one, Commander Carol. She is ground commander for rescue group one and the ground controller for rescuer Sharon's section. She led the first wave of group one rescuers in this rescue."

A woman in her thirties is ushered to a seat. She has two wide gold bars at her sleeve cuffs, which I thought is a colonel rank. "Commander, I'll stop your testimony in midsentence. I expect you to stop and not respond to any other testimony until I recall you. This will apply to all other testimony today. You are not to comment except on specific questions asked of you. Commander Carol, before this rescue, how long did you serve as ground controller for the section rescuer Sharon is a member of?"

"Three weeks."

"How much contact did you have with her section prior to this rescue?"

"None, I called seven section meetings. Rescuer Sharon is the only one who showed up for all seven. All other rescuers in her section claimed other duties for every meeting."

"Commander, when was your first time meeting any other members of her section?"

"After our disposition ship was airborne on the day of this rescue." A low murmur comes from all around us.

"On taking command of this section, did you review reports of who and what their stated abilities are, for each one of this section of rescuers?"

"Yes, they're all rated extremely high, except one. Her rating indicates she is close to termination. She missed nine rescues in her year as a certified rescuer and all scenarios. Those ratings were for rescuer engineer Sharon."

"Did rescuer Sharon's ability reports reflect her passing sergeant's exams and recently completing a communication coordinator's course to become a ground controller?"

"No."

"Thank you, Commander. Please remain seated. I call ground controller Commander Rana as a witness. Commander Carol took over his group when they transferred from rescue group three."