'Recorders and witnesses,' Ghorr said in that low, carrying voice, 'for these vile traitors there can be no formal inquisition. We are deep in enemy territory and cannot afford such niceties for those who would give comfort to the enemy.
Nevertheless, the process laid down for this situation will be followed to the letter.
'I must be brief, for even now the enemy could be on their way. The Council of Scrutators has appointed me to summarise the evidence. In each case, I assert that the prisoners are guilty of treason, and other capital crimes too numerous to list. The penalty for such wickedness is flaying, selective disembowelling while maintaining life, and, finally, dismemberment. Ultimately, the body parts shall be distributed to feed the lowest of carrion eaters.'
He paused to scowl at the prisoners, and then at the assembled witnesses, though to Irisis he seemed to be striking a pose for the tale-tellers and the artists. How she despised the man.
'However,' Ghorr went on, 'the formalities of trial must be preserved. Let it not be said that the scrutators are above the law.'
You stinking hypocrite, Irisis thought. A hundred thousand times, when it suited you, the scrutators have acted as judge, jury and executioner, so don't pretend otherwise for the sake of your own place in the Histories. She was drawing breath to scream it at the world when Flydd elbowed her in the ribs.
'Don't!' he hissed. 'It won't do you any good at all.'
'It'll give me the satisfaction!'
'The scrutators have unique forms of excruciation, should you prove recalcitrant. To make an example they may take you back east, tormenting you all the way-'
'It'd be worth it.'
'Oh, Irisis, you have no idea! Nothing is worth what they can do to you. Just shut your mouth and pray for the quickest possible death. I'm looking forward to mine,' he added in a low voice.
'Surr!' she whispered, shocked.
'I mean it. I've fought the long fight and been defeated. The present is a bitter failure, a reminder of a futile life. All my hopes, and all my work, have come to nothing. There's not a thing I can do now and I no longer have to carry the burden of the world. I can let it go at last and go to my death with dignity. I'll embrace it.'
Embrace it?'
Since the scrutators tortured me as a young man, I've not had a day without pain. Not even poppy syrup can cure it now. Death is the end of all pain and I long for its release.'
Irisis shivered and said no more.
'.., therefore,' Ghorr was going on, 'before I pronounce sentence, I call upon the assembled witnesses to confirm the guilt of the prisoners. Witnesses, should any one of you disagree with the verdict, you must come down and state your case for the prisoner, after which the other witnesses shall vote on the merits of the case. The scrutators will, of course, abstain from the vote. Should the vote be for the prisoner, that prisoner will be freed. If the vote goes against the prisoner, guilt is confirmed and the sentence will be carried out as soon as the remaining trials are finished.'
Ghorr motioned to the master of the executions who, with a flourish, presented him with a scroll and bowed low.
'No, man, that's your job!' Ghorr's low voice carried as far as Irisis. 'Get on with it! We've a war to win.'
The master of the executions dropped the scroll and scrabbled on the canvas for it, looking uncomfortable. He held the scroll out in front of him. 'Pilot Inouye,' he said in a nervous whine, 'the Council of Scrutators, in formal assembly, has found you guilty of treason. Does any witness disagree with the verdict?'
'I beg leave-' Flydd began.
'Denied,' said Ghorr.
No one else spoke. After a lengthy pause, during which the master of the executions scanned the rows of witnesses, he turned to Ghorr and said, 'Since no witness has come forward to oppose the verdict, the sentence is confirmed.'
'Say it to the witnesses,' hissed Ghorr, 'not to me, you damn fool! The scrutators must appear impartial.'
Turning to the witnesses in front of him, the master of the executions said, rather more loudly than was necessary, 'Pilot Inouye has been found guilty of treason. Take her to the place of execution to await her fate.'
The little pilot was dragged away to a pen surrounded by barbed ropes, plus at least twenty guards, weapons at the ready.
'Sergeant Flangers,' said the master of the executions. 'The Council of Scrutators, in formal assembly, has found you guilty of treason. Does any witness disagree with the verdict?'
After another lengthy pause there was a stir in the crowd and someone shouted, 'Sergeant Flangers is a war hero, awarded the Star of Valour for heroism beyond the call of duty during the Siege of Plimes. I contest the verdict.'
Ghorr scowled. 'Come down, witness. State your case for the defence.'
A soldier moved down through the ranks, wearing the uniform of a high officer. 'My name is General Galliman, and I was the commanding officer of the garrison at Plimes during the onslaught by the enemy two years ago. Sergeant Flangers was instrumental in saving the city. Ten times he fought off an attacking force of lyrinx, slaying nine of them and fighting alone for more than two hours when the remainder of his squad was dead. Though sorely wounded, he held the breach against the enemy for most of the day, and remained at his post until reinforcements broke through the enemy lines to relieve him. His Star of Valour was confirmed by the full Council, and it is not the only instance of his heroism, which should be an example to us all.'
The master of the executions turned to Ghorr for the rebuttal.
Ghorr smiled thinly. 'I am well aware of the case, for I personally awarded Sergeant Flangers the Star of Valour. But not even the greatest hero can be exempt from the justice of the scrutators. Sergeant Flangers has since turned on his own kind, conspiring in the escapes of Irisis Stirm and Fyn-Mah, and later, Xervish Flydd and the detestable Cryl-Nish Hlar. He fired on a Council air-floater and destroyed it, causing the deaths of many men and grievous injuries to Scrutator Klarm. here.' Ghorr indicated a big-headed dwarf of a man sitting to his left, one little leg supported by metal calipers. 'Scrutator Klarm only escaped death by a miracle. And Flangers committed this treasonous act even after his air-floater had been ordered to surrender.'
'As I understand it, surr' said General Galliman, 'Sergeant Flangers was obeying a legitimate order from his superior, Perquisitor Fyn-Mah.'
And as I understand it, General Galliman, Sergeant Flangers was aware that Perquisitor Fyn-Mah had been ordered to surrender her air-floater by a representative of her lawful superior, Acting Scrutator Jal-Nish Hlar, and that she had wilfully and treasonously disobeyed that order. Master of the Executions, put the judgment to the witnesses.' 'I beg leave to defend Sergeant Flangers,' said Flydd. 'Denied!' snapped Ghorr.
'I appeal to the witnesses,' said Flydd, turning to face them. 'Sergeant Flangers is a soldier with a perfect record. The Siege of Plimes was not the only battle where he displayed courage far beyond the call of duty. I can name a dozen other struggles, not least the fall of Thurkad, and the first battle for Nilkerrand, where he was equally bold, equally heroic. What say you, witnesses, may I speak for my man? Yea or nay?' After a brief hesitation, there came a great roar of 'Yea!' Ghorr was furious, but there was little he could do. He signalled to the master of the executions.
'You may speak,' said the master of the executions, 'but you have only one minute. Make it to the point.'
'One minute.' Flydd licked dry lips; he'd prepared a case but there was not the time to put it. 'My argument is simply this: Sergeant Flangers obeyed a direct order from Perquisitor Fyn-Mah, who was following written orders I had given her while scrutator and commander-in-chief of the army at Snizort. These orders took precedence over any orders from Acting Scrutator Jal-Nish, or Scrutator Klarm, whom I outranked. Equally, Flangers had no option but to follow her legitimate orders, for he is a man who loves his country and always does his duty, no matter the cost to himself. His action in shooting down the air-floater was correct in military law and therefore he is innocent.'