Выбрать главу

“I did not actually see Marak talking with a slave, Lord Marshal,” answered Koors, “but it is common knowledge that the Squad Leader went to speak with his mother. As for his orders, I am his Cortain and issue his orders personally. His orders did not include any association with slaves.”

The Lord Marshal stared at Marak, looking for any signs of emotion, but the Squad Leader just stood at attention and looked straight ahead. “A man is not stripped out of the Army and into slave browns on common knowledge, Cortain,” instructed the Lord Marshal. “If you did not see him talking to slaves, then what is your evidence?”

“His own admittance,” beamed Koors. “I was waiting in his barracks for him to return and I asked him straight out if he had been in the slave compound. His own admission is sufficient guilt.”

The Lord Marshal rose and walked to the window overlooking the orchard and barren field. The men of Tagoro’s squad were performing their duties, but each of them kept an eye on the Lord Marshal’s window.

“Squad Leader Marak,” asked Grefon without taking his gaze from the window, “is the account given by Cortain Koors accurate?”

“It is, Lord Marshal,” Marak answered.

“You have shown great promise, Squad Leader,” declared the Lord Marshal. “You were raised to Squad Leader after only four years and your efforts have proved to me that it was a wise decision on my part. Your men are the most efficient and best trained in the entire Army. What could have been going through your head to risk all of this and your own freedom on a whim?”

The Lord Marshal returned to his chair and watched Marak as the Squad Leader tried to justify his actions.

“Lord Marshal,” stated Marak, “I have enjoyed my service to the Army of the Situ Clan and I have always tried to perform at my best, but since I joined the Army, I have not been allowed to speak with my mother. While I would not hesitate to put my life on the line for the Situ Clan, I could no longer tolerate the injustice which has been forced upon me by my superiors. Five minutes of speaking with my mother does not make me any less effective as a soldier, which is the function I perform for the Situ Clan.”

“So,” summarized Grefon, “you feel that following orders and honoring your pledge to Lord Ridak are not the proper duties of a soldier? Do you think an Army can be run with every soldier interpreting the rules as he sees fit?”

“Certainly not, Lord Marshal,” agreed Marak, “but I also do not believe that a just ruler intentionally inflicts pain on his loyal supporters. Does Lord Ridak think that I kill his enemies for the food he puts on my plate? Do you believe that I put my own body in harms way for the fine bed and roof that has been provided? Men serve for a number of reasons, Lord Marshal. Some serve out of fear and some serve out of loyalty and respect. Still others join to aid in a cause they believe in.”

“And which reason has you serving the Army?” interrupted the Lord Marshal.

“I have served out of loyalty and respect, Lord Marshal,” answered Marak. “Loyalty and respect are attributes that swing both ways, Lord Marshal. Every day of my service in the Army has become harder to bear. Every day that I watch my mother in the fields being abused by the Lord I serve becomes another day in which my respect dwindles. Every day I watch men being belittled by superior officers, whose only existence is seen as that of a tormentor, and it lowers my respect.”

“Are you quite through Squad Leader?” snapped the Lord Marshal.

“No, Lord Marshal, I am not,” retorted Marak. “The men under my command perform well because I treat them with respect, respect they deserve. The men in this Army are paid the same whether they excel at their job or not. My men do not excel because they are getting more than the next man, they excel because it is appreciated. I know you agree with what I am saying because you treat your own men with respect, but your Army is large and those under you do not follow your ideals. Cortain Koors has intentionally been after this moment for six years, six years in which he has done everything he could to get me out of the Army.”

Koors started shifting uneasily, but his face still held his wide grin. Lord Marshal Grefon shook his head and stared at the Squad Leader.

“Are you now going to place all of the blame for this incident on Cortain Koors?” sighed Grefon.

“No, Lord Marshal,” replied Marak. “The incident is my own doing and no one else deserves the blame. I am not trying to escape your justice. I am explaining what path brought me to this office so that you may help others avoid a similar mistake. I am leaving some good men behind, men who have been treated with respect and need to be treated so in the future. If they are not, you will lose their efficiency. I guess what I am trying to say is simple. Do with me what you will, but for the sake of the Army, make the changes that are necessary to ensure that it does not happen to others.”

“Are you suggesting that I get rid of Cortain Koors?” questioned Grefon.

“No, Lord Marshal,” Marak sighed. “Koors is only a symptom of the problem. His removal would help only three squads. What I am suggesting is that part of your training be to instill respect for the rest of the men who constitute your Army. Treat the men with respect and they will respect your every order.”

“Lord Marshal,” interrupted Cortain Koors, “with all respect, I do not have to stand for this insolent slave deriding my character. What his justification is for his outlandish behavior is unimportant. The fact remains that he has violated his Vows of Service and the punishment is quite clear. Not even the Lord Marshal can override the Vows. To do so would violate your own Vows. You cannot allow Marak to remain as Squad Leader any longer, not even until the official sentencing by Lord Ridak.”

“I am quite aware of my Vows, Cortain,” snapped Grefon. “The fact is, Marak is no longer a Squad Leader. Marak, did you discuss this problem with anyone?”

“Only Squad Leader Tagoro, Lord Marshal,” answered Marak. “He was present when Cortain Koors and I spoke on the evening in question.”

“In your opinion,” quizzed Grefon, “would he discuss this problem with anyone else?”

“No, Lord Marshal, he would not,” Marak replied.

“I am, then, puzzled by the annoying show of support for you this morning,” commented Grefon. “I do not appreciate such displays in my Army. I find them insubordinate. Cortain, who have you spoken with concerning this affair?”

“Everyone in the Corte knows about it, Lord Marshal,” stated Koors as his smile turned to a tight-lipped grimace.

“And how do they know?” prompted the Lord Marshal. “I wish to hear how this confidential matter has become common knowledge.”

“Well, Lord Marshal,” fretted Koors, “one of Rybak’s men spotted a soldier leaping the fence into the slave compound and reported it to Squad Leader Rybak. Rybak immediately informed me and I waited for Marak in his barracks.”

“That explains how two men knew that some soldier was in violation,” remarked Grefon impatiently. “What I asked was how the entire Corte knew that soldier was Marak.”

Beads of sweat formed on Koors’ brow. While he had been successful in getting Marak forced into slavery, he had erred in letting the knowledge out before sentencing. It was not a serious offense, but Grefon could take his yellow plume for it and lower him back to Squad Leader if he was angry enough. Koors contemplated lying about it and decided to just stretch the truth a little.

“I did discuss the matter with Squad Leader Rybak,” admitted Koors. “Perhaps some of the men overheard us.”

Lord Marshal Grefon again rose from his chair and paced to the window. He could strangle Marak for giving in to temptation and Koors for being such a belligerent fool. The worst part of it was that he could come out of this looking like a fool, himself.

“Both of you wait in the sitting room and send Squad Leader Rybak in,” ordered the Lord Marshal.

Squad Leader Rybak entered and closed the door before saluting.