Murder, Conspiracy and Tampering with Evidence

The uprising was not going well for the rebels, they had lost a lot of ground in pitched battled and now were be forced deeper into the country. They needed the promised foreign aid and soon or the feds could over run them. The rebels needed to strike hard and fast, they needed some victories and again they needed them fast to help keep the peoples support. It was a race. Major Stevens knew that he had to quash the rebels quickly. But force alone was not enough, he had to show these stupid back woods people that just because the government was acting harshly it was not out of hate.

“Captain, I need you to get with the imbeds and have them write up a story about what happened at that gas station, have them tell the full truth, but indicate to them it might look better if they print that we are going to hold a trial for the four soldiers involved so they can account for their actions.” The aid quickly took down some notes on his pad. “Are we actually going to try them sir?” The major pulled out a cigar and sniped the end before he lit it with his trusty Zippo. “Yes, yes we are captain. They will get a fair trial before found guilty and executed for the act of murder and conspiracy to cover up a crime, namely said murder.” He blew a smoke ring out as the captain opened his mouth to speak. “Yes, captain?” “Nothing sir.”

The aid left to go find a few reporters to drop hints to, it was easier now that they had to run all stories through the chain of command for approval, back in the old days reporters could print anything they wished, and sometimes even mad eup things, not that anyone ever talked about that anymore. The Press Corps was a good idea in Captain Schmidt’s eyes. He thought that he would just happen upon the hotel where they were staying with a bottle of scotch, he would be polite and offer a drink and let it slip that the patrol would be facing charges.

“Major Stevens here, I need you to go arrest the four on that patrol from the gas station, yeah the firebugs. Get with the Eddings and have him write up charges for murder, conspiracy, tampering with evidence. Yes, a quick trial, and invite the em-beds. We want the locals to see that we care about them and will punish anyone who gets out of line. Good” He hung up the phone and leaned back in the chair that he claimed as his own. This was good after all. He would show the Reds that the government was about the rule of law, no matter what the idiot protestors claimed. He would show them that he was here only to deal with the people that picked up arms and would do harm to this great nation. He wouldn’t be a hero to them, but he would be seen as fair, too bad those four guys from the 2nd Platoon had to die for it.