The Modern Pentathlete (Flash)

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Yes, Officer. You want to know about Miss Chung.

She was much loved by our fellow citizens. She was born and raised on the Moon. Born the same minute as our Glorious Nation. Their paperwork was signed at exactly the same time, in fact. We all considered it a good omen that Miss Chung became an athlete while away at University. There will be some among our fellow citizens who will say she spent too much time Earth-bound, because Miss Chung had spent her University years down here, but her heart stayed with our Glorious Nation instead being captured by another and we did our best to repay her for that faith and honour.

No, I am not wasting your time, Officer. This is all pertinent, although the outcome is still obvious. If I thought there were foul play involved, I would be demanding the execution of the transgressor. There was nothing wrong here except Miss Chung’s mental state.

The International Olympic Committee were kind enough to extend an invitation to us, recognising the Confederacy of Selenian Settlements as a nation. We were told that we could put forward two athletes for each activity. We spent the best part of four years searching for competitors and training them to cope with your gravity and your atmosphere. I was given the management of the eight pentathletes, for the neo-modern and modern teams.

You know that the modern pentathlon was started to show the best skills of a soldier-messenger? So your organisers have made a show-piece of the original form and a second form using truly modern equipment. They expected to humiliate us but did you see how well Miss Chung did? Her gold will be celebrated for years to come, despite… the incident.

Yes. She also helped us find the five pentathletes who were raised on Earth but had the hearts of Selenians. Her younger brother joined her to become the seventh of my charges and the eighth is one of our military officers. In fact, Captain Taylor has been involved in coaching the three other neo-pentathletes due to her familiarity with laser, cycle and cutlass.

I don’t care what you heard, Officer, they were not expedited simply for their sporting ability. They all have family connections to the Moon and, in three cases, their families have joined them. They love the Confederacy as if they were raised among us.

No. Miss Chung was a good person, tolerant of her colleagues, whether fellow citizens or Earth-bound. She was not prone to arguing or causing disagreement. There were arguments around her, though, and I’m sure that was the cause of her… of the incident.

I’m sure the earlier issue is there in the paperwork, Officer. Miss Chung’s brother and Mr Sagoe had a misunderstanding. They argued over whether Mr Sagoe should be so familiar with Miss Chung. It was Captain Taylor’s suggestion that they settle it with swords. One hit and the matter would never be raised again. Mr Sagoe fought with an épée, the archaic weapon used in the modern, and Mr Chung used the blunt cutlass he should have competed with in the neo-modern.

No. I did not see the duel. If I had known that things had gone that far I would have separated them. I understand that the heavier cutlass broke the blade of the épée and Mr Sagoe was unable to stop his thrust in time. Mr Chung died quickly, before help could get to him. The local Police were informed but the matter was dealt with by the Confederacy’s security as no outsiders were involved.

Why did Mr Sagoe choose the modern over the neo-modern? I’m not sure. Perhaps he was in collusion with whomever feels such archaic weapons to be sporting. Ever since I learnt of the two activities, I have considered the neo-modern more sensible; there is no room on the Moon for horses and no Selenian would be stupid enough to use a projectile fire-arm in our delicate ships and settlements. But apparently Mr Sagoe does not share my distaste.

Yes. Miss Chung was understandably distraught by the duel and the death of her brother. We talked about it. She could have retired from the Olympics but she was determined to uphold our Glorious Nation’s honour. She competed in her brother’s memory. He would have been proud of her result.

You know, it’s unusual for a competition gun to be loaded with six rounds? Despite the fact that the competitors are given those archaic pistols, they are only given a magazine of five bullets at each firing point. I do not understand where the sixth bullet in her final round came from. An error on the organisers’ part, perhaps.

I don’t like your implication, Officer. If I had realised that she was so distraught as to turn the weapon upon herself, I would have forbidden her to compete. You forget that she completed a further week of training without any signs of such a desire.

Although I do admit to failings. I had no idea this combination of personalities would clash so badly. All of our athletes were carefully screened on selection and I took the word of the administrators on it. The two teams should have been separated, the modern pentathletes apart from the neo-modern pentathletes. Instead, I have lost the Confederacy four people.

Well, you know about that both Chungs are dead, leaving their parents childless. Captain Taylor and Mr Sagoe were separated from the teams and sent back the day before Miss Chung’s incident. It is unlikely Captain Taylor will be competing again as she was found to have incited the duel.

Mr Sagoe? He is still in Intensive Care. He tried to kill himself on the return flight and for a while it looked like he had succeeded. It was misreported to me on the first day and his condition is still very unstable.

Will that be everything?

Good. I hope I’ve been of help, Officer.

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