police investigation
embarrassing, because we weren’t respectable at all, and couldn’t afford to
have officials nosing around some of our more questionable business affairs.
“We’ve heard
more than enough accusations and denials,” continued Marissa Breck Thane, “so
the witnesses will now take the stand and we will establish the true facts.”
Lolek caught my
eye, and gestured at one of several large metal discs in the centre of the
room. I walked between the chairs and went to stand on the disc, and was taken
by surprise when a second, much smaller, metal disc hovered up to float in
front of me.
“Put your right
hand on the disc, Lolia,” said Lolek.
I put my hand on
the disc, and the pulsing blue light of a scanner appeared. When I looked up
again, I saw Ardreath was standing on a matching disc, facing me. I fought the
urge to turn away, staring straight into his eyes instead. I’d done nothing
wrong. He was the one who’d broken our marriage, not me.
Marissa Breck
Thane took a moment to study both of us. “Alliance council will be basing its
judgement on the Betan laws regarding assault. Given the relative sizes of the
two participants, I think we can ignore the legal exemptions for brawls
involving equally matched and willing parties.”
There was a
ripple of laughter from the clan leaders.
Marissa Breck
Thane nodded at Lolek. “You may establish the truth of your accusation.”
“Lolia, did
Ardreath hit you?” asked Lolek.
I smiled coldly
at Ardreath, and was pleased to see the panic in his eyes. I carefully chose my
words to avoid the letter “b,” because that was always the most likely to
trigger my stammer. “Yes, he hit me.”
“Scans show that
Lolia is almost certainly telling the truth.” Marissa Breck Thane turned to
Arden. “You may counter the accusation.”
Arden frowned. “Ardreath,
did you hit the girl?”
Ardreath looked
down at the blue light scanning his right hand. “I may have accidentally
touched her.”
“And Ardreath’s
statement is definitely not true,” said Marissa Breck Thane. “I would advise
him to stop wasting alliance council’s time with lies, because such behaviour
will count against both him and his clan.”
Ardreath took a
deep breath. “Yes, all right, I lost my temper and hit Lolia, but Lolek’s
accusation of second level assault was a lie. I didn’t do anything that would
draw blood. That vid Lolek showed you, with Lolia’s face covered in blood, was
a fake.”
“Now Ardreath is
speaking the truth,” said Marissa Breck Thane. “Lolek, please respond to his point
about the blood.”
“Of course,”
said Lolek. “Lolia, did Ardreath’s jewel-encrusted ring cut your face and make
it bleed?”
“Yes, it did,” I
said.
Ardreath gave me
a startled look, which changed to one of pure apology. He’d been my husband for
two years. Despite Lolek’s orders, I couldn’t stop myself from responding to
his contrite expression.
“I’m sure
Ardreath didn’t intend that to happen,” I added. “He turned round and left
immediately afterwards, so he probably never saw the blood.”
“And that
statement is also true,” said Marissa Breck Thane. “I believe we have now
established the real facts. Does anyone have any additional questions for the
witnesses?”
She waited a
moment, glanced round the circle of clan leaders, and nodded. “The witnesses
may stand down.”
I went back to
stand behind Lolek’s chair. As I walked by him, he gave me a single harsh
glare, before returning his attention to Marissa Breck Thane. She was on her
feet now, looking solemnly around the circle of clan leaders.
“Lolek’s clan
made an accusation of second level assault against a member of clan Eastreth.
Clan Eastreth claimed the accusation was false and countered it with a demand
for the expulsion of Lolek’s clan. The accusation has now been proved to be
true, but it appears clan Eastreth had had genuine reason to believe it false.”
She
embarrassing, because we weren’t respectable at all, and couldn’t afford to
have officials nosing around some of our more questionable business affairs.
“We’ve heard
more than enough accusations and denials,” continued Marissa Breck Thane, “so
the witnesses will now take the stand and we will establish the true facts.”
Lolek caught my
eye, and gestured at one of several large metal discs in the centre of the
room. I walked between the chairs and went to stand on the disc, and was taken
by surprise when a second, much smaller, metal disc hovered up to float in
front of me.
“Put your right
hand on the disc, Lolia,” said Lolek.
I put my hand on
the disc, and the pulsing blue light of a scanner appeared. When I looked up
again, I saw Ardreath was standing on a matching disc, facing me. I fought the
urge to turn away, staring straight into his eyes instead. I’d done nothing
wrong. He was the one who’d broken our marriage, not me.
Marissa Breck
Thane took a moment to study both of us. “Alliance council will be basing its
judgement on the Betan laws regarding assault. Given the relative sizes of the
two participants, I think we can ignore the legal exemptions for brawls
involving equally matched and willing parties.”
There was a
ripple of laughter from the clan leaders.
Marissa Breck
Thane nodded at Lolek. “You may establish the truth of your accusation.”
“Lolia, did
Ardreath hit you?” asked Lolek.
I smiled coldly
at Ardreath, and was pleased to see the panic in his eyes. I carefully chose my
words to avoid the letter “b,” because that was always the most likely to
trigger my stammer. “Yes, he hit me.”
“Scans show that
Lolia is almost certainly telling the truth.” Marissa Breck Thane turned to
Arden. “You may counter the accusation.”
Arden frowned. “Ardreath,
did you hit the girl?”
Ardreath looked
down at the blue light scanning his right hand. “I may have accidentally
touched her.”
“And Ardreath’s
statement is definitely not true,” said Marissa Breck Thane. “I would advise
him to stop wasting alliance council’s time with lies, because such behaviour
will count against both him and his clan.”
Ardreath took a
deep breath. “Yes, all right, I lost my temper and hit Lolia, but Lolek’s
accusation of second level assault was a lie. I didn’t do anything that would
draw blood. That vid Lolek showed you, with Lolia’s face covered in blood, was
a fake.”
“Now Ardreath is
speaking the truth,” said Marissa Breck Thane. “Lolek, please respond to his point
about the blood.”
“Of course,”
said Lolek. “Lolia, did Ardreath’s jewel-encrusted ring cut your face and make
it bleed?”
“Yes, it did,” I
said.
Ardreath gave me
a startled look, which changed to one of pure apology. He’d been my husband for
two years. Despite Lolek’s orders, I couldn’t stop myself from responding to
his contrite expression.
“I’m sure
Ardreath didn’t intend that to happen,” I added. “He turned round and left
immediately afterwards, so he probably never saw the blood.”
“And that
statement is also true,” said Marissa Breck Thane. “I believe we have now
established the real facts. Does anyone have any additional questions for the
witnesses?”
She waited a
moment, glanced round the circle of clan leaders, and nodded. “The witnesses
may stand down.”
I went back to
stand behind Lolek’s chair. As I walked by him, he gave me a single harsh
glare, before returning his attention to Marissa Breck Thane. She was on her
feet now, looking solemnly around the circle of clan leaders.
“Lolek’s clan
made an accusation of second level assault against a member of clan Eastreth.
Clan Eastreth claimed the accusation was false and countered it with a demand
for the expulsion of Lolek’s clan. The accusation has now been proved to be
true, but it appears clan Eastreth had had genuine reason to believe it false.”
She
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