An Open Mind
January
21st, 4998 (Holy Terra calendar)
Noon
I look at Sanjuk oj Kaval and wonder
at the ferocity and tragedy from which her life is built. They
are marked on her very skin, these stories of loss and ruin, surrounding
the few tales of triumph and transcendence. Her baa'mon, her body
carvings, tell all about her. I wish I could fully read them.
I know only a little written Ukari,
enough to tell a clan marking here and there, and sometimes a
coming-of-age mark, but little beyond that. They fascinate me,
though, and I wonder if it would be impertinent to ask her to
teach me the marks.
But my pondering is interrupted by
the entrance of the bailiff, come to take Sanjuk back to her cell
where she will await trial. I must put aside my journal for the
moment
Evening
Erian has been successful in convincing
the court to hear her argument; her station does bring its privileges,
even here on Leagueheim. Julia, as a Charioteer, has already been
called upon as a character witness. Although Sanjuk is a low-ranking
Scraver, she is still a member of the guild, and thus allowed
representation.
I fear, however, that her guild is
prepared to throw her to the void on this case. It is too high-profile,
one even they shun. I had best describe the charges for the record.
Sanjuk oj Kaval has been accused of
murdering Paano HanJoirii, a high-ranking Ur-Obun diplomat in
the service of the emperor. Indeed, HanJoirii was a confidant
of Bran Botan voKarm, the emperor's Left-Hand Council. Serious
charges.
Sanjuk is an old friend of Erian from
her days on Midian. While she is native to Ukar -- she calls the
world Kordeth -- she spent her early years in the Scravers guild
on Midian, scrounging ancient ruins under the patronage of Erian's
uncle, a man obsessed with Second Republic art. She is, of course,
an Ur-Ukar.
She claims innocence in this affair,
and tells Erian that she was set up by rivals in her guild to
take the fall -- what better suspect for the murder of an Obun
than his hateful cousin, an Ukar? She has too little pull to even
find out who was behind this high-level murder, and has thus swallowed
her pride and asked Erian to intervene on her behalf. It was mere
coincidence that we were on Leagueheim at this time.
I am unaware of the full details of
the investigation, but from what Erian has disclosed, there is
scant evidence for Sanjuk's involvement. For one, it is unlikely
that she would have ever been allowed access to the ambassadorial
grounds, although she was seen outside them soon after the murder.
However, she was on duty at a Scraver-run pawnshop on the nearby
corner at the time.
This shop is located just outside the
grounds and is merely a front, a place to arrange various clandestine
activities for any adventuresome ambassador who seeks diversions
from his duties. It is not the sort of work Sanjuk is normally
involved in -- Ukari are generally considered untrustworthy for
such secret affairs -- but since the claim on her recent reclamation
operation had not yet come through, she signed up for any duty
available. She claims that someone in her guild purposefully positioned
her there to become the main suspect in a planned assassination.
Her guild, of course, does not appreciate
being accused so.
Julia has done her best to find out
who would have set Sanjuk up, but has gained few leads. She suspects
that little word will be heard, for anyone involved in murdering
an imperial ambassador would surely cover his tracks well.
Erian has arranged for good advocacy:
Derrick LeFamon, a Reeve known to her uncle, has agreed to represent
Sanjuk, although he believes her chances are slim. While there
is little but circumstantial evidence against Sanjuk, the prejudice
against the Ukari will work against her -- especially that from
the prosecution witness, Lorim HanPavak, the murdered Obun's brother.
It is LeFamon's hope that enough doubt can be raised that the
case will be dropped.
The trial is tomorrow. I will pray
for our friend tonight.
January 22nd, 1998 (Holy Terra calendar)
Morning
We all gathered at the courthouse,
a former Second Republic court that still serves its original
function. Its huge, vaulting ceilings are higher than those of
many cathedrals I know. It does seem that worship of the law eclipsed
that of the Pancreator in those times.
Lorim HanPavak sits across the hall
from us, watching Sanjuk. I cannot read his expression; he is
well trained in stoicism. Sanjuk stares back at him, her face
also a mask of calm. I wonder what she is thinking?
I wish I could say this was to be a
lengthy trial, but it just is not so. The odds are against Sanjuk.
LeFamon makes his opening arguments
most eloquently. He is a fine Reeve, well-versed in rhetoric.
But the prosecutor is even more so, a greatly experienced consul,
one in imperial employ.
LeFamon tells the court somewhat of
Sanjuk's life and the hardships she has had, the struggles she
has made, emphasizing the sheer folly of imagining that she would
throw it all away in a fit of anger against an ambassador she
never met. As he tells us about her, he points to her carvings
as proof of his story, showing that her life is written for all
to see.
He calls upon Erian to describe her
friendship with Sanjuk, and she tells of an incident in her youth
where Sanjuk and she discovered a valuable sculpture from the
Second Republic, marveling over it together, revealing that each
was more versed in art than the other had thought. LeFamon then
asks how anyone capable of such cultural appreciation could be
a murderer.
Julia is called upon next, and explains
her work with Sanjuk on Midian. She occasionally flew finds from
Sanjuk's digs back to the Li Halan palace, and had multiple opportunities
to discuss League matters with Sanjuk. She makes the point that
Sanjuk would never betray the guild which provided her an escape
from the clan wars on Ukar.
Our advocate then details the lack
of evidence against the accused, and how her proximity to the
scene of the crime is the only reason she is here in the court
today. He has done a very good job of raising doubt.
And then his rival stands to speak
and brings forth a list of reprimands Sanjuk has received throughout
her career from her Scraver chiefs. This list is long and full
of petty crimes, such as assault and theft, none enough to warrant
expulsion, but all enough to paint her as a criminal.
It is clear that both Erian and Julia
were unaware of these reprimands and look disappointed. Sanjuk
does not look at them as they are read; she only looks at the
Obun across the hall from her, who stares back, unmoved.
And then the prosecutor calls upon
Lorim HanPavak to explain why the Ukar hate the Obun and why Sanjuk
would have done murder upon one.
The Obun rises and then closes his
eyes for a moment. I notice Sanjuk sit back and close her's also,
as if she was very tired. The Obun then speaks:
"It is true that the Ukari hate
our people. But it is also true that some of our people despise
the Ukari. Nonetheless, I came here to see justice done. To see
that my brother's killer was tried and punished. That killer is
not in this room."
A gasp of shock traveled across the
chambers, and even the judge stared at the Obun in surprise. The
prosecutor's jaw even dropped.
"The accused, Sanjuk oj Kaval,
has graciously allowed me to read her mind, hiding none of its
contents. While I must say that I find much of her past repugnant,
I find her character strong. If I had to suffer as she had, I
wonder if I could carry myself as well. There is much my people
have yet to learn from our long-sundered cousins."
"This is ridiculous!" the
prosecutor yelled. "You cannot simply walk into the court
and make such claims!"
"I have been asked to come and
bear witness against the accused. I know for a fact that she is
not the murderer. There are some who can hide memories from others,
and even those who can weave false ones, but she is not one of
these adepts. Indeed, she is nearly mind-blind.
"She is innocent and I must ask
that the case against her be dismissed. I then ask that the real
murderer be found. My brother's close friend, Bran Botan voKarm,
desires true justice in this matter, and will not be content until
it has been received. Let the innocent go free, and find the true
culprit."
He then sat down, his face as expressionless
as always. But those around him were far from expressionless.
The prosecutor seemed not to know what to do. But the judge decided
the matter for him.
"There is scant evidence against
the accused. Unless you can bring forth convincing evidence, I
see no reason to waste the court's time further."
"I have no more to say,"
the prosecutor said as he sat down, exasperated.
"Then let Sanjuk oj Kaval go free,"
the judge said. "And let it be known that all charges brought
against her for the murder of Paano HanJoirii are dismissed."
He stood and began the long walk down from his high perch.
Once he left the room, we all stood,
looking dumbfoundedly at each other. We all knew that, if this
was not a League-run court, such witchery as psychic mind-reading
would never be allowed. Indeed, had it been a Church court, I
fear that Lorim HanPavak would have been censured and removed
as a witness, his comment stricken from the record.
Sanjuk seemed not the least surprised.
She smiled, looking at the Obun, who nodded to her and rose to
leave.
LeFamon was perhaps the most surprised
of us all, confiding that he had fully expected to lose the case.
This was now a feather in his cap, one he planned on spreading
news of quickly. As he gathered his notes and portable think machine,
he thanked us all for an exciting case and turned to leave, heading
for the closest town crier.
"It's all so creepy," Julia
said. "I don't know if I'd want someone like that peering
into my soul."
"If you were facing the gallows,
you would," Sanjuk said. "I still wonder at you humans,
so virginal when it comes to mind-sight. Few Ukari grow to adulthood
without suffering the mind-gaze of another -- or even the mind-commands
of others. That you believe your souls are your own is your great
ignorance."
"I would prefer not to discuss
such possibly heretical matters on such a happy day," I said.
Sanjuk looked at me and smiled. "You
I could like. The rest of your order no."
As I make this entry, the others are
readying to go to a celebratory feast at a local restaurant. Erian
has offered to pay (as she has the court costs), although she
has not revealed to Sanjuk just how little money she has at present.
I suspect she will learn soon enough.
From what Julia told me, Sanjuk may be joining our entourage when
next we depart.
"She doesn't know it yet,"
Julia said. "Whoever set her up won't be happy. It's probably
a Scraver crime family, one that won't want her hanging around.
If she doesn't leave on her own soon, she may wind up dead in
a sewer drain."
"But she's a Scraver!" I
said in disbelief. "How could they do that to one of their
own?"
"Wise up. It's not the guild as
a whole that'll do it. It's whoever murdered that Obun. They may
not even be Scravers. Could be Slayers. But they've got some sort
of connection to the guild, one which ain't healthy for Sanjuk
to be around. I figure she'll be okay if she gets off world. A
few months away and everybody'll forget about her."
"Have you told Sanjuk or Erian
this?"
"Not yet. Like you said earlier:
Why spoil the celebration? I'm just telling you so you can help
figure out where to fit another bunk on the Resurgent."
It seems that I will soon be able to
broach the topic of Ukari writing with Sanjuk. There will be little
else for her to do on the long journey to the jumpgate.