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“He may be right, Devin.”
“No Axel! I will not accept this! We have too much evidence! He is guilty and we will have him executed!”
The argument was taking place in the Prosecution Council Room just off of the main court. Axel, Tannace, and his assistant, a man named Kobin, were each standing around a small conference table, debating the direction of a case that was not what it had seemed only an hour before.
“General,” this time it was Kobin who spoke. He was a small man with a prematurely bald head and old-fashioned rounded spectacles. His voice was like sandpaper to Axel’s ears. “All of this arguing is getting us nowhere. If we believe Cochrane is guilty we must press on to the point at hand, that is, to find him guilty. The judge will not challenge us. Cochrane’s conviction is in no doubt, we have seen to that. But we must take back the initiative from him. We must present our trump card, and finish this business. He has swayed the crowd with his charm. And the royal aura still carries weight among the common people here, even those exiled from Quantar. If we do not move quickly, we run the risk of losing much support among the Sanctuary populace.”
“Which is exactly what we don’t need now,” said Tannace. “Once I am named to lead the Sanctuary defense forces I can begin forming a fighting force and raise an army to return home, to avenge our families.”
Axel shook her head in disdain. “Is that all we have left Devin, vengeance? There was a time when we fought for much more, against the Empire, against a corrupt system which has plundered too many planets, too many systems. There was a time when we fought against an evil Director, and a wicked family, of whose guilt we were certain. Now I have doubts.”
“Doubts about Cochrane’s guilt?” said Tannace, incredulous. Axel put her hands on the table in front of her, leaning towards Tannace.
“Yes, doubts about who the enemy really is. For God’s sake Devin, don’t you care? Are you so consumed with vengeance against Cochrane that you would overlook the actual evidence? What if we kill him only to find later he could have been our greatest ally?”
Tannace slammed the legal pad on the conference table. “I will not listen to this, Colonel, not from you!” he yelled. “We have all the evidence we need! Layton will testify to what he saw, and I will not be challenged by my second in command during his testimony! If you cannot follow through on your commitment to me then resign your position and go defend Cochrane!”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” The anger was strong in her as well.
Tannace backed off a bit and spoke in calmer tones. “Axel, I saw what they did, to Aria. They made me watch. So do I want vengeance? Yes I do. And I thought you did too. She was your sister. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
Axel crossed her arms. “Devin, It means everything to me, and I want vengeance as much as you do. But I want it against the right people,” she said. Tannace stiffened at this.
“Cochrane is guilty.”
“We don’t know that. He was on Corant for five years. That is an eternity. The oppression started four years ago. And how do you explain the involvement of the PKI?”
Tannace shook his head. “I don’t know, and I don’t have to. All I care about is that they wanted him dead too. That’s fine with me.”
She waited until he made eye contact again. “Devin, stop and think for a moment. Why would the PKI want to kill the heir to a titled Director? It would cause an uproar in the Kallaket, possibly even calls for the removal of Pendarkin himself. They would not risk it, it’s political suicide. There must be something more to this than we know.”
“Nevertheless,” this time it was Kobin stepping between them, “We must proceed now. Even if he was away and not party to the rape of Quantar, he is guilty by association, and his execution is vital as a political gesture to the Empire that we will be triumphant. To do otherwise would mean the end of the rebellion, both on Quantar and here among the Sanctuary populace.”
Axel took a menacing step towards him. “I think not, little man. I think you have grown comfortable in your place here, basking in the shadow of the General. You are the political hatchet man, and Cochrane’s execution may serve your purpose, but it no longer serves mine. I was there! Those PKI men were under specific orders. They were very organized and knew when and where to strike. They set him up. I want to know who gave those orders, and why. That is where our true enemy lies.”
Kobin stepped back from her and looked to the General. Tannace shook his head at her. “I’m sorry Axel. Cochrane must die,” he said.
“Then you leave me no choice,” she formally faced Tannace. “I hereby resign my position as Chief of Staff.”
Tannace shook his head in disbelief. “For what? To go defend Cochrane?”
“Yes, Devin. Whether he is guilty or not doesn’t really matter now. What matters to me is that I have a clear conscience. I still believe in morality, a sense fairness, innocent until proven guilty. I also used to believe it’s what set us apart from our enemies,” she paused, looking Tannace right in the eyes.
“But now I’m not so sure.”
She turned sharply and left the conference room, quietly shutting the door behind her.
Kobin smiled wryly as she left. “We don’t need her,” he said. Tannace looked down at the smaller man.
“Not to win our case, I agree. But I will need her to fight the battles to come.”
“Are you sure? She is not trustworthy now.” Tannace placed his cap smartly back on his head.
“Kobin, you don’t understand. It took me years to get over what they did to my wife, but in time, I was able to heal, from the pain at least, not the anger. But now Axel makes it all different. I will need her by my side.”
“Why?”
Tannace smiled. “Because I love her, you fool. You spend far too much time studying politics.”
“Perhaps, sir. But it is of no matter. She has resigned.”
“I will wait a few months, then I will invite her back. She will come. It’s not like they’re close. She has hated Cochrane a long time. She will get over his death.”
Now it was Kobin’s turn to replace his hat.
“I hope, for your sake, sir, that you are correct.”
***
DANE PACED THE ROOM nervously, wondering if she would come. He looked anxiously down to his chronometer. Only ten minutes left in the recess. He had sent the guards out twice to inquire if his advocate were coming to consult with him. As of yet, she had not responded.
The knock at the door surprised him. He took in a deep breath to calm himself and after a delay he finally said, “Come in.”
Axel opened the door slowly, seeming tentative about how to proceed. She stood in the doorway looking at him, then came to a decision, shutting the door firmly behind her and walking briskly across the room to stand facing Dane with the conference table between them.
“Are you here as my executioner, my advocate, or my ally?” he said.
“For now, your advocate.” Dane exhaled and began to smile at her. She held up a cautioning hand. “Don’t misunderstand me, Cochrane,” she warned. “I still think it’s possible you are deceiving me. However, the incident with the PKI on board the Starliner has given me some idea that perhaps, perhaps, you are not party to these atrocities.”
Dane pressed his uniform jacket with his hands nervously. “So you will help me?”
She nodded. “I am considering it. But first you will answer some questions for me. Sit down,” she motioned to one of the leather chairs and then sat down opposite him. “Did your father ever have dealings with the PKI?”
“As far as I know, no. We were against the Imperial constabulary in any form, and always opposed funding for it in the Kallaket.”
She paused a moment, considering. “That could make you more than a few enemies in the Imperial court.” Dane nodded.
“True, but enough to want to kill the Director’s heir?”
Her brow furrowed as she contemplated. “Maybe, maybe not. Second question. Did your father communicate with you personally during your time on Corant?”
“Yes, often, by cable.”
“Only by cable?” Axel was surprised. “Never by open longwave?”
“No.”
“Did he write you any personal letters?”
“No, but the cables always carried his signet.”
She shook her head. “Cochrane, you have lived a naive existence. Did it occur to you those cables could be forged and the signet stolen?”
Dane was chagrined. “Well, it has occurred to me lately, but not while I was on Corant. All seemed normal at the time. The cables were very detailed.”
“I’m sure they were. How did you first hear about the rebellion?”
Dane scratched his head. “On Imperial newscasts, I think. And some conversations at the Academy.”
“He never spoke of it? Your father I mean?”
“Only in passing. It seemed a small thing, until-”
“Until I came along. I know,” She stood and paced the room. Dane watched her admiringly, noting every tug of the uniform on her body. He still found it difficult to separate her beauty from her intentions toward him. Intentions he was glad to see now appeared to be changing.
“Cochrane,” she said, turning back to him. “If these atrocities are your father’s doing, would you fight against him?”
Dane looked at her with something approaching incredulity. “I won’t lie to you and say it would be easy, but I believe that I could. Put principle before family, if that’s what you mean, yes.”
She leaned towards him with her hands on the table, looking deep into his eyes. “Is it plausible Cochrane, that someone, somewhere, would have the power to push your father aside and usurp the Chair of Quantar, and hold it for nearly five years?”
He looked up at her. “Plausible? Perhaps. Possible? Definitely. But they would have to have two things. Enough power to recruit the PKI, and help from the inside,” he said.
“Inside the Quantar military?”
Dane shook his head. “Inside the Palace.”
She sat down heavily at this, pulling on her lower lip as she raced through the possibilities in her mind. She began speaking her posits out loud.
“To recruit the PKI you would have to have strong Imperial connections. That rules out most of the powerful families, they wouldn’t risk the wrath of their fellow Directors if they got too close to Pendarkin. An Imperial governor might have the power, if he were ambitious enough, and willing to sacrifice a great deal of political capital. As far as inside the Palace-“ at this she stood bolt upright. “Oh my God!”
“What?” Dane’s heart raced as he saw the look of recognition on her face. She had pieced something very vital together. “What?” he said again.
“Dane,” she said slowly- he found he liked the way his name sounded when she spoke it- “There is a man who is going to testify, a Quantar junior officer named Layton. He saw...” she stopped abruptly.
“I know the man. Go on!” he insisted. She swallowed hard before speaking again.
“This man, Lieutenant Layton, he saw your brother, Arin...” She cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Saw him torture a prisoner to death.”
“When?”
“Nearly two years ago.”
Dane’s mind raced with the possibilities. He saw only one dark conclusion. “Axel, you must help me. We have to get to Quantar!”
“I know Dane. But first-” An alarm bell sounded, interrupting Axel. Immediately two guards opened the door and came into the room.
“I’m sorry, Colonel. Orders from General Tannace. We’re to take him right in. The trial’s starting again.” Then they stood on either side of Dane and rushed him up and out the door, leaving the surprised Axel staring after him.