What stuck with me the most here is the mercy that M.I. shows to its people. Everyone was doing their best to look the other way when the recruit struck Sgt. Zim. They know, as we learn, that this sort of thing happens -- but they also know that it must not be allowed to happen. The Captain must have seen Zim's black eye, but ignored it until he couldn't anymore -- and at that point, he gave the maximum punishment he was allowed to give. Even though the men expressed a Christlike desire to take his punishment for him -- a smaller version of the Service they provide to the Terran Federation -- they know that they cannot. It can't be any other way, so the Captain makes Zim swear to quickly whoop the ass of the next recruit to try -- an act, ironically, of supreme mercy.
The discussion of value was very interesting, as well. It reminds me of an old story: the company calls out a contractor to fix their machine. He replaces a single screw and hands them a bill for $10,000. The manager says, 10,000 for one screw is ridiculous! I want an itemized bill! The contractor writes: 1 screw, .10. Knowing where to put it: $9999.90.
You know, you're right. At the end of the court martial, Spieksma (the Court) says,
"The Court will not permit you to resign. The Court wishes to add that your punishment is light simply because this Court possesses no jurisdiction to assign greater punishment. The authority which remanded you specified a field court-martial — why it so chose, this Court will not speculate. But had you been remanded for general court-martial, it seems certain that the evidence before this Court would have caused a general court to sentence you to hang by the neck until dead.
And at the beginning, the remanding officer is listed as Captain Ian Frankel. So indeed, the Captain was merciful to the poor bastard yet again by sending him to something less serious than a general court-martial. It was that Court that gave the maximum punishment, not Captain Frankel. He -- along with Sergeant Zim -- tried to go easy the entire time.
What stuck with me the most here is the mercy that M.I. shows to its people. Everyone was doing their best to look the other way when the recruit struck Sgt. Zim. They know, as we learn, that this sort of thing happens -- but they also know that it must not be allowed to happen. The Captain must have seen Zim's black eye, but ignored it until he couldn't anymore -- and at that point, he gave the maximum punishment he was allowed to give. Even though the men expressed a Christlike desire to take his punishment for him -- a smaller version of the Service they provide to the Terran Federation -- they know that they cannot. It can't be any other way, so the Captain makes Zim swear to quickly whoop the ass of the next recruit to try -- an act, ironically, of supreme mercy.
The discussion of value was very interesting, as well. It reminds me of an old story: the company calls out a contractor to fix their machine. He replaces a single screw and hands them a bill for $10,000. The manager says, 10,000 for one screw is ridiculous! I want an itemized bill! The contractor writes: 1 screw, .10. Knowing where to put it: $9999.90.
Actually if you go back, he didn't.
As Lieutenant Spieksma says, had this been referred to a general court, the sentence would have been death.
He did a field court because it was the LEAST punishment he could possibly give once he knew what the crime was.
You know, you're right. At the end of the court martial, Spieksma (the Court) says,
And at the beginning, the remanding officer is listed as Captain Ian Frankel. So indeed, the Captain was merciful to the poor bastard yet again by sending him to something less serious than a general court-martial. It was that Court that gave the maximum punishment, not Captain Frankel. He -- along with Sergeant Zim -- tried to go easy the entire time.