'Why,' said Hatch, growing cagey as he remembered that he had in fact got some sleep, 'I, uh… I wouldn't want to disappoint young Lupus. But, Senk, this is no time for games. Our city's awash with blood and burning. We should be organizing the defense of our city, not playing at games.'
'This is not a game!' said Senk.
There was an entirely human anger in Senk's proclamation.
Under the lash of that anger, Hatch felt that he finally had the answer to the question of whether Senk had fully human attributes.
Senk's mission, Senk's reason to live, was to train Startroopers for the Stormforce of the Nexus. Compared to that, what was Dalar ken Halvar to Paraban Senk?
'You should disqualify him,' said Lupus. 'He's not fit to be the instructor! He places his city ahead of the Nexus!'
'Well, Hatch?' said Senk.
To his surprise and dismay, Hatch saw that Senk was treating Lupus Lon Oliver's suggestion seriously.
'Senk,' said Hatch, 'the instructor's prime task is to liaise between the city and the Combat College. The instructor can hardly do that if the city has ceased to exist. Under the circumstances, I think both Lupus and myself should be devoting our best energies to preserving the city. I suggest that you order all Combat College students to place themselves under a joint command headed by Lupus and myself. Then we'll do what we can. But if the city ceases to exist – well, what chance of recruiting a fresh class of Combat College?'
There was a substantial pause while Paraban Senk meditated on this. Senk's eyes were closed, or so it seemed from the features displayed on Forum Three's communications screen, though of course in point of fact the unembodied Paraban Senk did not possess any such organs as literal 'eyes'.
Senk's eyes opened.
'It is my belief,' said Senk, 'that Asodo Hatch and Lupus Lon Oliver lack the ability to resolve the crisis in Dalar ken Halvar, either individually or acting in concert. The present crisis must take its course. Thanks to the limited data at my disposal and the complexity of the social forces at work, I cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the crisis. However, I believe that whatever forces ultimately hold power in Dalar ken Halvar will treat with me and mine on an equitable basis, just as the Silver Emperor did.'
'Did?' said Hatch. 'Do you believe the emperor dead?'
'I have it on your own authority that the emperor is not available,' said Senk, giving Hatch the impression that some matter of either fact or rumor was being concealed. 'It may well be that the emperor will remain unavailable. If that is the case, will you treat with the city's new ruling powers on my behalf if you become the instructor?'
'Without any hesitation,' said Hatch.
'And I likewise,' said Lupus.
'Then,' said Senk, 'I find you both fit to hold the instructorship, and rule that you must fight for the position this very night. Are you both agreeable to this proposition?'
'I am,' said Lupus promptly.
'And I,' said Hatch, forcing himself to an imitation of an equal readiness.
In truth, there were all kinds of further protests, caveats and reservations that Hatch wanted to make known. But he restrained himself. Without a doubt, he had angered Senk once already. Any repetition of that angering might see Senk disqualify him from contention for the instructorship.
As for Dalar ken Halvar's fate -
What could Hatch do on his own?
Less, surely, that he could do if he won the instructorship.
If he could win quickly, then he might persuade Senk to order the Combat College's student body to place itself under his command, and then he might be able to do something to restore order in the city.
'Good,' said Senk, on hearing the prompt replies from Lupus and Hatch. 'The pair of you will prove your worth as warriors by fighting against a background of war.'
As Senk was so saying, Hatch heard a scuffle behind him, but paid it no heed, until he heard Shona say:
'What's monkey got?'
'Let me go!' said an anguished voice.
The voice was that of Dog Java, the Combat Cadet who had so recently tried to knife down Hatch. At that voice, Hatch turned sharply, and saw Dog Java trying to break free from Shona. Shona had come up behind Dog Java, and had seized Dog's arm in a grip a vice would have envied, and had got a lock on Dog's wrist.
As the human vice-rivaler exerted herself further, Dog was forced to drop the knife he had been holding. Then he cried out, for, rather than releasing her grip, Shona tightened it. Paraban Senk watched from the screen but made no move to intervene.
'Shona,' said Hatch.
'Yes, Hatch my darling?' said Shona. 'Shall I break his wrist? I'll do it for free. Just say the word.'
'If he'll give you his and agree to keep the peace in the Combat College,' said Hatch, 'then you can let him go free.'
'Well, Dog?' said Shona. 'What do you say?'
When Dog Java made no immediate reply, Shona bit his ear.
Hard. Drawing blood. At which Dog cried out anew. As if in answer, cries were heard from outside Forum Three, and then a knot of Combat College students burst into that lecture theater. Amongst them was Scorpio Fax, his face a mask of blood, his scalp lacerated. Hatch pushed toward Fax, and was in time to catch him just before he collapsed.
Then someone else entered Forum Three.
It was Lupus Lon Oliver's father: the formidable Manfred Gan Oliver, head of the Free Corps. And Hatch, as he lowered Fax to the ground, heard someone cry out in astonishment:
'It's Gan Oliver! But what's he doing here!?'
A legitimate question, for Manfred Gan Oliver had been forcibly ejected from the Combat College when he graduated from that institution at the age of 27, and had been denied entry to the precincts of the College for the last 30 years.
Chapter Eighteen
Manfred Gan Oliver: 'Manfred, the strength of the family Oliver.' An orphan who, at the behest of his uncle, sat the entrance examination for admission into the Combat College at age 11, demonstrated the necessary aptitudes, and thereafter lived as a Combat Cadet.
Gan Oliver's uncle died when he was 13, after which he did not leave the precincts of the Combat College until he graduated and was forcibly ejected at age 27, a citizen of the Nexus now forever exiled from the world which had once been his home.
Doomed to live out his days in Dalar ken Halvar, Gan Oliver vowed that his son would succeed where he had failed, and would win an instructor's appointment in the College. Gan Oliver is now aged 57. His son, Lupus Lon Oliver, is aged 27 years and some days.
If as light at dawn is resurrected -
If likewise thus the flesh -
Why is it that these unstrung bones
Find purpose unrefreshed by sleep -
This sky so surely good as air
Though far from home and alien.
There was no big mystery about the presence of Manfred Gan Oliver. Guests were allowed to enter the Combat College to observe the gladiatorial combat of those who were fighting for the instructorship. Lupus Lon Oliver had earlier given Paraban Senk a list of his guests, and so, when Senk had despatched messengers to summon Lupus and Hatch for combat, Senk had sent messengers likewise to summon the invited guests.
On entering Forum Three, Manfred Gan Oliver looked around with a positively seigniorial eye.
Then said to Shona:
