EXHIBIT 10.13

                            INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT


                  This Indemnification Agreement (the "Agreement") is made
and entered into this 13th day of March, 1996 by and between Shared
Technologies Inc. ("Shared Technologies"), a Delaware corporation,
The Fairchild Corporation ("TFC"), a Delaware corporation, and RHI
Holdings Inc. ("RHI"), a Delaware corporation and the sole common
stockholder of Fairchild Industries, Inc. ("Fairchild").

                              W I T N E S S E T H :

                  WHEREAS,  Shared  Technologies,  TFC, RHI and  Fairchild  have
entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger  Agreement")  dated as
of November9, 1996, as amended; and

                  WHEREAS,  capitalized  terms used  herein  without  definition
shall  have  the  respective  meanings  ascribed  to such  terms  in the  Merger
Agreement; and

                  WHEREAS, TFC is the sole common stockholder of RHI; and

                  WHEREAS,  the  execution  and delivery of this  Agreement is a
condition  to  effecting  the Merger at the  Closing and each of the parties has
agreed to effect the Merger in reliance  upon the execution and delivery of this
Agreement;

                  NOW,   THEREFORE,   in   consideration   of  the  transactions
contemplated by the Merger  Agreement and other good and valuable  consideration
the  receipt  and  sufficiency  of which are hereby  acknowledged,  the  parties
hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

         1.       Indemnification by RHI and TFC.

                  RHI and TFC, jointly and severally,  hereby agree to indemnify
and hold harmless Shared  Technologies  against any and all losses,  liabilities
and damages or actions or claims (or actions or proceedings,  whether  commenced
or threatened)  in respect  thereof  (hereinafter  referred to  collectively  as
"Losses")  resulting from any liability or claims (including  without limitation
counsel fees and expenses of Shared  Technologies  in the event RHI and TFC fail
to assume the defense  thereof)  which  related to the  operations  of Fairchild
Industries,  Inc.  or any of  its  subsidiaries  prior  to the  Effective  Time,
including  without  limitation  those which have been assumed by RHI pursuant to
the Fairchild  Reorganization  described in Schedule 9.1 to the Merger Agreement
and  including  all Taxes  (including  but not  limited to taxes  related to the
Fairchild




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Reorganization)  except  for  (x)  Losses  related  to or  arising  out  of  the
telecommunications  systems and  service  business  of  Fairchild  Communication
Services Company and (y) the other obligations of Fairchild expressly assumed by
Shared  Technologies  as  specified  on  Schedule  9.1 to the  Merger  Agreement
(clauses   (x)  and  (y)   being   defined   as  the   "Assumed   Liabilities").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Shared Technologies be entitled
to   indemnification   for,  and  the  term  "Losses"   shall  not  include  any
consequential  damages or damages which are  speculative,  remote or conjectural
(except to the extent represented by a successful claim by a third party).

If any action,  proceeding or claim shall be brought or asserted  against Shared
Technologies  by  any  third  party,  which  action,  proceeding  or  claim,  if
determined  adversely to the  interests  of Shared  Technologies  would  entitle
Shared Technologies to indemnity pursuant to this Agreement, Shared Technologies
shall  promptly,  but in no  event  later  than 10 days  from  the  date  Shared
Technologies receives written notice of such action, proceeding or claim, notify
TFC and RHI of the same in writing  specifying in detail the basis of such claim
and the facts  pertaining  thereto  (but the  failure  to give such  notice in a
timely fashion shall not affect TFC's and RHI's obligations under this Section1
except to the extent it prejudiced or damaged their ability to defend, settle or
compromise such claim or to pay any Losses resulting therefrom), and TFC and RHI
shall be entitled (but not  obligated)  to assume the defense  thereof by giving
written notice  thereof within 10 days after TFC and RHI received  notice of the
claim from Shared  Technologies to Shared Technologies and have the sole control
of defense and settlement thereof (but only, with respect to any settlement,  if
such settlement involves an unconditional  release of Shared Technologies or any
of its  subsidiaries  in respect of such claim),  including  the  employment  of
counsel and the payment of all expenses.

         2.       Indemnification by Shared Technologies.

                  Shared  Technologies  hereby  agrees  to  indemnify  and  hold
harmless  RHI and TFC  against any and all  losses,  liabilities  and damages or
actions or claims (or actions or proceedings,  whether  commenced or threatened)
in respect  thereof  resulting from any liability or claims  (including  without
limitation  counsel  fees  and  expenses  of RHI  and  TFC in the  event  Shared
Technologies  fails to assume the defense  thereof) which related to the Assumed
Liabilities   (hereinafter   referred   to   collectively   as  "STI   Losses").
Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  in no event  shall TFC and RHI be  entitled to
indemnification   for,  and  the  term  "STI  Losses"  shall  not  include,  any
consequential damages or damages which are





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speculative,  remote or  conjectural  (except  to the  extent  represented  by a
successful claim by a third party).

                  If any  action,  proceeding  or  claim  shall  be  brought  or
asserted  against RHI or TFC by any third party,  which  action,  proceeding  or
claim, if determined  adversely to the interests of RHI or TFC would entitle RHI
or TFC to indemnity pursuant to this Agreement,  RHI or TFC shall promptly,  but
in no event later than 10 days from the date RHI or TFC receives  written notice
of such action,  proceeding or claim,  notify Shared Technologies of the same in
writing  specifying  in detail the basis of such claim and the facts  pertaining
thereto  (but the  failure  to give such  notice in a timely  fashion  shall not
affect  Shared  Technologies'  obligations  under this  Section2  except to the
extent it prejudiced or damaged Shared Technologies'  ability to defend,  settle
or compromise such claim or to pay any Losses resulting  therefrom),  and Shared
Technologies shall be entitled (but not obligated) to assume the defense thereof
by giving  written  notice  thereof  within 10 days  after  Shared  Technologies
received  notice  of the  claim  from RHI or TFC to RHI or TFC and have the sole
control  of defense  and  settlement  thereof  (but  only,  with  respect to any
settlement,  if such settlement involves an unconditional release of TFC and RHI
or any of their respective subsidiaries in respect of such claim), including the
employment of counsel and the payment of all expenses.

         3.       Miscellaneous

                  3.1 Modification;  Waivers.  This Agreement may be modified or
amended  only with the written  consent of each party  hereto.  No party  hereto
shall be released from its obligations  hereunder without the written consent of
the other party.  The  observance  of any term of this  Agreement  may be waived
(either  generally  or in a  particular  instance  and either  retroactively  or
prospectively)  by the party  entitled to enforce such term, but any such waiver
shall be effective  only if in a writing  signed by the party against which such
waiver is to be asserted.  Except as otherwise  specifically provided herein, no
delay  on the  part of any  party  hereto  in  exercising  any  right,  power or
privilege  hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof,  nor shall any waiver on
the part of any party hereto of any right, power or privilege  hereunder operate
as a waiver of any  other  right,  power or  privilege  hereunder  nor shall any
single or partial exercise of any right,  power or privilege  hereunder preclude
any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right,  power
or privilege hereunder.



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                  3.2 Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement  represents the entire
understanding  and  agreement  between  the parties  hereto with  respect to the
subject   matter  hereof  and   supersedes   all  other  prior   agreements  and
understandings,  both written and oral,  between the parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof.

                  3.3 Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement,  or the
application  of such  provision  to any  Person or  circumstance,  shall be held
invalid, the remainder of this Agreement or the application of such provision to
other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby;  provided that the
parties shall negotiate in good faith with respect to an equitable  modification
of the provision or application thereof held to be invalid.

                  3.4  Notices.  (a) Any  notice or  communication  to any party
hereto  shall be duly given if in writing and  delivered  in person or mailed by
first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested),  facsimile
or overnight air courier  guaranteeing next day delivery,  to such other party's
address.

                  If to RHI Holdings, Inc.:

                           300 West Service Road
                           P.O. Box 10803
                           Chantilly, VA  22001
                           Facsimile No.:  (703) 888-5674
                           Attention:  Donald Miller, Esq.

                  If to The Fairchild Corporation:

                           300 West Service Road
                           P.O. Box 10803
                           Chantilly, VA  22001
                           Attention:  Donald Miller, Esq.

                           with a copy to:

                           James J. Clark, Esq.
                           Cahill Gordon & Reindel
                           80 Pine Street
                           New York, NY  10005
                           Facsimile No.:  (212) 269-5420






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                  If to Shared Technologies Inc.:

                           100 Great Meadow Road, Suite 104
                           Wethersfield, CT  06109
                           Facsimile No.:  (203) 258-2401
                           Attention:  Legal Department

                           with a copy to:

                           Walter D. Wekstein, Esq.
                           Gadsby & Hannah
                           125 Summer Street
                           Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                           Facsimile No. (617) 345-7050

                  (b) All notices and communications will be deemed to have been
duly  given:  at the time  delivered  by hand,  if  personally  delivered;  five
business days after being  deposited in the mail, if mailed;  when sent, if sent
by facsimile; and the next business day after timely delivery to the courier, if
sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.

                  3.5 Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and shall be binding upon RHI, TFC and Shared  Technologies and their
respective successors and assigns.

                  3.6  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be executed in one or
more  counterparts,  each of which  for all  purposes  shall be  deemed to be an
original and all of which together shall constitute the same agreement.

                  3.7 Headings.  The Section  headings in this Agreement are for
convenience  of reference  only,  and shall not be deemed to alter or affect the
meaning or interpretation of any provisions hereof.

                  3.8 Construction.  This Agreement shall be governed, construed
and  enforced  with  the  laws of the  state  of New  York,  without  regard  to
principles of conflict of laws.






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                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  hereto  have  caused  this
Agreement to be executed by their officers  thereunto duly  authorized as of the
date first written above.


                                  THE FAIRCHILD CORPORATION


                                  By: /s/ John C. Flynn
                                      -----------------------------
                                      Name:
                                      Title:

                                  RHI HOLDINGS, INC.


                                  By: /s/ John C. Flynn
                                      -----------------------------
                                      Name:
                                      Title:

                                  SHARED TECHNOLOGIES INC.


                                  By: /s/ Vincent DiVincenzo
                                      -----------------------------
                                      Name:
                                      Title: