Burden of Proof — John G. Hemry

Aboard the galactic cruiser USS Michaelson, every sailor knows the dangers of life among the stars. But not all perils come from the cold of deep space--some come from within...

When a freak explosion on the Michaelson takes out most of Forward Engineering, an investigation is ordered. It would seem that a chief petty officer--who was killed in the accident--broke regulations by making difficult repairs alone and caused the conflagration himself. But the ship's legal officer, Lieutenant Paul Sinclair, learns of evidence that points to a cover-up--involving a rising star in the officer corps who may have ordered the dead man to work alone. The problem is, all of Sinclair's evidence is circumstantial--and the suspect is the son of a powerful vice admiral. Now, pressured from all sides, Sinclair must risk his name, his naval career, and his future to find the truth and see justice done...