Throy (28 page)

As soon as circumstances permitted, Glawen and Chilke made their report to Bodwyn Wook. He extended them a stately, if qualified, commendation. “You have achieved a very fair measure of success: perhaps all that I might have expected, under the circumstances.”

Glawen and Chilke said that they were gratified to hear Bodwyn Wook’s praise. “We had you in mind at all times, and knew that we must give you no possible cause for complaint,” said Glawen.

          “Nor any other kind,” added Chilke.

Bodwyn Wook grunted, and looked from one to the other. “You both seem quite brisk and well fed, as if you stinted yourselves nothing. I hope that your expense accounts will not reflect this impression.”

“We are gentlemen and officers of the Cadwal Constabulary,” said Glawen. “We maintained a proper style of life.”

“Hmf. Give your accounts to Hilda; she will separate the wheat from the chaff.”

“Very well, sir.”

Bodwyn Wook leaned back in his chair and gazed toward the ceiling. “It is a pity that you neglected an integral part of your mission - which is to say, the capture of Namour. I gather that while you were resting at the Stronsi ranch, he quietly gave you the slip and attacked Lewyn Barduys. Then, with truly insulting bravado, he escaped in Barduys’ Flecanpraun.”

“It is true that we met a few setbacks along the way,” Glawen admitted. “But even while we lay in a coma, we were subconsciously aware of our duty to you and Bureau B. This urgency hastened our recovery and we are still hoping for success.”

          “At Bureau B, the word ‘hope’ is not one of our favorites,” said Bodwyn Wook, somewhat sententiously.

“Actually, we have the case well in hand,” said Chilke. “Namour and Smonny are in a submarine with no place to go. They are like two flies in a bottle.”

“It is not all so jolly and nice,” rasped Bodwyn Wook.

“They will surface during the night near a beach, come ashore in a dinghy and let the submarine sink. Then they will steal a space yacht from the terminal and be away before anyone has time to blink. Have you posted a guard at the spaceport?”

“Not yet, sir.”

Bodwyn Wook spoke into a mesh. “It is done now, and just barely in time, or I do not know Namour. It would be a sorry state of affairs if he bamboozled you again.”

“That is true,” said Glawen.

Bodwyn Wook leaned forward and ordered the papers on his desk. “Let us revert, if you will, to the Bank of Mircea. I am not at all clear as to the sequence of events - or the events themselves, for that matter.”

So far, no one had mentioned Kathcar, but both Glawen and Chilke were assured that, in his attempts at ingratiation, all Kathcar knew had gushed forth like the contents slumping from a split haggis.

Bodwyn Wook spoke on, his voice unusually easy and casual. “According to that rogue Rufo Kathcar, you were lucky enough to deny Sir Denzel’s funds to Julian Bohost. Kathcar’s version of events is confused; I can’t make head nor tail of the transaction, save that certain of the funds found their way into your personal account.”

“That is partly correct. I placed these funds into what I call ‘the Floreste account’ - moneys of which you are aware.”

“Hmf. The sum seems to have been significant; am I right?”

“I forget the exact amount; it was probably about fifty thousand sols.”

Bodwyn Wook gave another noncommittal grunt. “Whatever the case, it dealt Julian and the LPF a shrewd blow. And what next?”

“We encountered the usual incidents. At Zaster Commander Chilke and I consumed several hygienic meals, but we left the planet before we became truly fit. However, we had taken directions which ultimately led us to Lewyn Barduys on Rosalia. Namour attacked Barduys and we were able to interfere. As a result Barduys will transport the Yips to Rosalia at no cost to us. That is the gist of events.”

“Most interesting! And of course there was no other advantage or perquisite gained during this time?”

“Not altogether. Commander Chilke has established a close friendship with Flitz. More formally, she is Felitzia Stronsi, and she owns Stronsi Ranch. This connection might well be regarded as a ‘perquisite’ and certainly as an ‘advantage.’”

Bodwyn Wook drummed his long fingers on the arms of his chair. “Interesting.” He looked at Chilke. “I hope that you confined these activities to off-duty hours?”

“Absolutely!”

“That is good to hear.” Bodwyn Wook again ordered the papers on his desk. “And this happy new relationship was the only adjunct or perquisite enjoyed during your mission?”

“Just so, sir,” said Chilke.

Glawen added, by way of afterthought: “Except, of course, for the trivial business of the space yacht, of which Kathcar has surely informed you.”

“He mentioned something of the sort. Where is this luxurious and expensive Fortunatus space yacht now?”

“It is stored in a hangar at Ballyloo terminal, near Pasch on the world Kars.”

          “And why has it been secreted there, when it is the property of the Conservancy?”

“Because we returned to Cadwal in company with Lewyn Barduys, the better to fulfill our mission.”

“Hmf,” said Bodwyn Wook. “It seems a bit circuitous. But no matter; we shall examine the case from all directions. Conservancy property is sacrosanct.” He leaned back in his chair. “That is all for now.”

Chapter 8, Part II

Six days after the two disasters, the Court of High Justice convened in the Moot Hall of the Old Agency building, at the far end of Wansey Way.

The three judges, Dame Melba Veder, Rowan Clattuc and High Justice Hilva Offaw, entered the chamber and took their seats on the dais. The three semicircular tiers were already crowded with spectators. The bailiff struck a gong calling the court to order and the prisoners were brought into the chamber and ushered to seats in the dock. There were eight: Dame Clytie Vergence, Julian Bohost, Roby Mavil, Neuel Bett, Kervin Mostick, Tammas Stirch, Torq Tump and Farganger. All except Tump and Farganger were native-born Naturalists at Stroma and members of the LPF society. All had been present at the hangar when the gunships were sent out against Yipton, and so were considered accomplices to all crimes named in the indictment. Torq Tump gave his place of origin as Smuggler’s City on Terence Dowling’s World, far off across the Reach. He spoke in a soft voice, without accent, and demonstrated no emotion: neither anger, nor dread nor humility. Farganger, however, had withdrawn into himself and refused to speak, and would not even acknowledge his own name. Unlike Tump, his face was drawn into a mask of contempt for everyone in the chamber.

The spectators found both Torq Tump and Farganger objects of fascination. As for the other defendants, Dame Clytie Vergence, despite the mulish set to her mouth and her generally sullen demeanor, comported herself with dignity. Julian was pale, nervous and disconsolate, and clearly would have rather been a thousand light-years away. Roby Mavil slumped in his chair, his mouth drooping; apparently he had been weeping out of sheer misery and frustration. Bett seemed rueful and glanced here and there with an uncertain grin, as if inviting the spectators to join in his own sardonic amusement for the fix in which he found himself. Stirch sat in a state of morose apathy, while Kervin Mostick glared about in angry defiance.

The bailiff announced that the accused persons sat in readiness to hear and declare themselves in reference to the charges which had been made against them, with defensive counsel at hand. “Now let the prosecutor come forward and state his indictment!”

Elwyn Laverty, a tall thin old man with heavy brows, hollow cheeks and a long keen nose, rose to his feet. “Honorable members of the court, I will dispense with formalities. Six days ago these persons acted or conspired to act in an illicit manner: to wit, they ignited a conflagration at Lutwen Atoll which caused the death of many thousands of men, women and children. The deed is ascribed to them in this fashion. In defiance of Charter law, they imported two Straidor-Ferox gunships and concealed them in a hangar near Stroma, intending to use them against the constituted authority of the Conservancy, as defined by the Charter. If necessary, I can summon witnesses who will attest to this plot, which in itself is a capital offense. These gunships were used to perpetrate the crime of which they are accused. After their attack upon Lutwen Atoll, the gunships returned to Throy. They were followed by patrol craft operated by officers of Bureau B. Upon arrival of reinforcements, an attack upon the hangar resulted in the capture of the defendants. They were discovered in the act of boarding a small spaceship, at one time the property of Sir Denzel Attabus. These persons were taken into custody and brought to Araminta station and there incarcerated.

“I have given a brief account of the crime, every phase of which can be proved by witness or inference. If the court needs confirmation as to any assertion I have made, I will supply it; otherwise there is no reason for me to prolong my statement.”

High Justice Hilva Offaw spoke. “Let us hear from the accused persons. Are you guilty or not guilty as charged?”

The defense counsel now came forward. “Honorable justices, the persons accused all declare themselves not guilty of the crime imputed to them.”

“Indeed! Do they admit to sending the gunships to Lutwen Atoll?”

          “They agree that they sent the gunships, but they state that their crime was at worst vandalism; that they intended only to eliminate an eyesore and by this act to improve the natural charm of the environment.”

“And the numerous inhabitants burned, drowned, or asphyxiated?”

          “There is no proof that such inhabitants existed.”

“Interesting! How did they arrive at this conviction?”

“Through the force and solemnity of our own laws, Your Dignity!”

“Even more interesting! Please elaborate and, if you can, cite me the relevant statute.”

“It is a matter of reasonable interpretation. For centuries, a firm and fixed doctrine has shaped both our laws and our thinking; this doctrine, indeed, has become the very foundation of our existence as a Conservancy. Both implicitly and explicitly, it has proscribed the habitancy of Lutwen Atoll to any and all persons. The majesty of our institutions and public respect for law makes it necessary to assume that these laws were rigorously enforced, since the idea that we are living in a lawless society is repugnant to everyone.

“Let me reiterate: the thrust of our own statutes denies the existence of habitancy upon Lutwen Atoll. In the absence of such habitancy there was no crime of the sort mentioned in the indictment, which is clearly false, prejudiced, and poorly conceived.

“I declare that the most severe charge which can possibly be placed against the defendants is that of igniting a bonfire without a permit. To this offense the defendants plead guilty. The penalty stipulated for this offense is a fine of not more than twenty-five sols. I therefore petition the justices to fix a reasonable fine, and to allow these worthy folk to settle the matter out of hand and go about their affairs.”

Justice Hilva Offaw said to the prosecutor. “Sir, do you care to offer a counter-argument against the compelling statement which we have just heard?”

“No, Your Dignity. It is patently absurd.”

“I think not, Prosecutor. There is more to the defense than appears on the surface. In a certain sense, it could be argued that not only the perpetrators of the so-called bonfire, but also every citizen of Araminta Station, living or dead, must share in this guilt.”

“Very well, Your Dignity!” said Elwyn Laverty. “Let us consider counsel’s contention that since no person is authorized to take up habitation on Lutwen Atoll, no person has done so. In effect, the defense is pleading that since the laws of gravity forbid rocks to roll up a mountain slope, there are no rocks to be found at the top of the mountain. But no matter! For the sake of argument, let us temporarily accept the position, and agree that the defendants were entitled to expect no human population on Lutwen Atoll as they went about their campaign of beautification, and merely ignited innocent bonfires. Facts however, in the form of charred corpses prove that human beings were indeed present upon the scene of the LPF reclamation program. As to their identities, it is irrelevant. Perhaps they were picnickers from Araminta Station, visiting Lutwen Atoll for a holiday. Now, if counsel will refer to the statute controlling the ignition of bonfires, he will discover that any fire purposely set, without a permit, which results in a fatality may be considered a capital crime, depending upon circumstances. Therefore, even if the charge is merely igniting a bonfire without a permit, the penalty is still severe.”

The defense counsel, now somewhat crestfallen, said: “I rest upon my previous statement, which is cogent and should carry the day.”

Justice Offaw leaned forward. “You are telling me that the prisoners were motivated by a desire to tidy up the environment when they set fire to Yipton?”

“No one lived there, Your Honor! I have proved this; therefore, what other motive could possibly have influenced them?”

Hilva Offaw said: “Counsel, you have done your best, and your arguments are well reasoned, even though they deal with imaginary situations. This court - and I think that I speak for my colleagues -” he glanced left and right “- reject your theory of the case. The fact that they secretly possessed the gunships and were evidently planning armed rebellion only solidifies the force of the accusation.”

          The counsel stood silent. Justice Veder asked: “Which of the prisoners piloted the gunships?”

The counsel turned to the prisoners. “Do any of you wish to answer? It cannot affect your case, which is already lost.”

Torq Tump said: “I drove one and Farganger the other. We insisted that Julian Bohost ride in one craft and Roby Mavil in the other, since the rest of the group would have been off and away into space, leaving us to face the music. With the two boffins aboard, we knew they would wait until we returned.”

Dame Clytie rose to her feet and called out in a loud voice. “I wish to make a statement!”