louder, and then he said—” Saben stopped abruptly and blushed.
“Yes? What?”
“He said she must have bedded someone, to be a file leader. It was terrible, sir, Paks of all people, and she was really angry. I didn’t think he should be acting like that, so I left to find you. Only I couldn’t find you or our corporals, for the longest time—I didn’t want to yell it out to the whole courtyard—and when I finally asked a guard, he said you were in the Duke’s court with the captain. The guard at the gate wouldn’t let me in, and at first he didn’t want to take a message. I shouldn’t have left, I guess, but I didn’t know they’d beat her up.”
“You couldn’t tell. Next time there’s trouble, though, go to one of the guards at once to find me. Now, do you remember who else was in the room when Stephi came, and who left before you?”
“Korryn and Jens, Lurtli, Pinnwa, and Vik, I think. Vik left just as the corporal came in; I don’t know about the others. I was watching Paks.”
“Saben, have you ever asked Paks to bed you?”
“No. I’ve wanted to, though. But she has enough trouble with Korryn bothering her; I didn’t want to be that kind of worry. If she wants it, she’ll let me know. We’re friends, anyway.”
“All right, Saben; you can go.”
“Sir, you won’t let them hurt her any more, will you?”
“I’m doing what I can.”
“But, sir—”
“Enough, Saben. Go on, now.”
A full glass later, after talking to everyone he’d summoned, Stammel faced his corporals and sighed.
“I’m convinced,” he said. “And you are. But I wish it were any captain but Sejek.”
“He’s a hard man,” said Devlin, nodding.
“And stubborn. If he’s still in the same mood, evidence won’t mean a thing to him. Once he’s made up his mind—”
“You can insist that Valichi preside,” said Bosk suddenly.
“By Tir, I can! How did I forget that? It’s not as if Valichi yielded command to Sejek; he was just away. And since she’s a recruit—of course her commander has jurisdiction.” He rose. “Sejek’s going to be furious, I don’t doubt, but with what we’ve found, he’ll have to agree. I hope.” With a wave of his hand, he left the recruit barracks for the Duke’s Court.
At the gate, he spoke to the guard. “I need to speak to the captain.”
“He’s gone up,” said the guard. “Are you sure you want to disturb him?”
“He’s not asleep,” said Stammel, cocking his head at a lighted window across the court. “I need to see him before he goes to bed.”
“About—?”
“Just announce me. He’ll see me.”
“On your head, Stammel.”
“It already is.” Together they walked across the court and the guard spoke to the door sentry.
“Very well, sir. Down this passage, up the stairs, second door on the right. Not carrying any weapons, are you?” Stammel sighed and handed over his dagger. “Thank you, Sergeant.”
Stammel took a deep breath, checked the hang of his cloak, and strode down the passage, up the stairs, to pause in the second doorway on the right. Inside the room, a roomy study, the captain sat writing in the light of a double oil lamp. The captain finished his line and glanced at the door.
“Come in, Sergeant Stammel. Did you check on your recruit?” Captain Sejek’s broad, rather flat face rarely showed much expression, and didn’t now.
“Yes, sir.” Stammel stood stiffly halfway between the door and the desk.
“Well?”
“Sir, I’m not—easy about this.”
“Tir’s bones, man, no one expects you to be happy about one of your recruits going crazy—it just happens sometimes. Has she calmed down at all yet?”
“Sir, according to the guards who took her down, she made no resistance; she is not violent now.”
“Well, she was violent enough. Of course she’s big, but I never thought a recruit could mix it with Stephi and come off on top. That man’s known to be a tough unarmed fighter. Still, I suppose the surprise—” The captain leaned back in his chair and let the pause lengthen. Finally Stammel broke it, his voice as neutral as he could make it.
“Sir, I don’t think that’s the whole story.”
“Well, Stammel, she’d have some sort of story cooked up.”
“No, sir. It’s not that.”
“Well, what is it? You won’t make me like it better by being coy.”
“Captain, I wish you’d go and look at her—just look—or send someone you trust—”
The captain raised his eyebrows. A danger signal. “What—has she been drugged?”
“No, sir. Beaten.”
“Beaten? You’re sure? All I saw was a royal black eye and a bloody nose—maybe broken—but that’s nothing.”
“No, sir. More than that—a lot more.”
“Well, maybe the guards gave her a few licks going to the cells.”
“They say they didn’t; they say she was quiet.” Stammel sighed. “Sir, what she looks like now, I don’t see how she could have hurt Stephi much. How bad is he, really?”
“He’s in the infirmary; they say he’ll live. Has two broken fingers, fingerprints on his throat—I don’t know what else. He seemed dazed, couldn’t really talk to me, and the surgeon said to let him sleep. But really, Stammel, that doesn’t get you anywhere. She attacked a corporal. If she got beaten up, she deserved it.”
“I wish you’d look, sir,” said Stammel doggedly.
“I’ll see her in the morning: not before. You realize there’s no doubt she’s guilty, don’t you? An eyewitness out of your own unit, plus Stephi—don’t you?”
Stammel stood perfectly still, expressionless. “No, sir. I think there is a doubt.”
“Stammel, what kind of ridiculous story had she come up with?”
“It’s not her story, sir; it’s looking at her, and realizing that Korryn, the other recruit, must have been lying about one thing at least. She could not, absolutely could
“She’s faking.”
“No, sir. Sir, I know that recruit, one of the best we’ve had, and she is not faking. That Korryn, he’s been walking on the edge since he joined, and if he’s lying about having to pull her off, he could be lying about the whole thing.”
“What about Stephi?” asked the captain coldly.
“I don’t know.” Stammel sighed. “I know him too, Captain, and he’s always had a good reputation. But— something’s wrong here, sir, and I don’t think we know all the facts yet.”
“Have you found out anything?”
“Yes—not enough for a full defense yet, but—”
“Stammel, are you trying to hold out for a formal trial, or something like that?”
“Yes, sir, I am.”
“Oh, for—! Stammel, how many days till Captain Valichi gets back?”
“Three or four, sir.”
“All your precious physical evidence will be gone by then.”
“Not Paksenarrion’s. Besides, you could take evidence tomorrow.”
Sejek was scowling as he considered this. “Both of us are a bit partisan on this case,” he said finally.
“Yes, sir. I wouldn’t ask you to accept my assessment. But what about calling witnesses from Duke’s East, say, who could come, examine, and present their findings to Captain Valichi?”
The captain thought a moment. “I suppose that could be done, though it seems a waste of time.” He glanced up at Stammel. “You realize Val may be just as summary as I would be—”
“Yes, sir, but—”
