Of a Note in a Cosmic Song; Part Five Page 19

  Leni agreed to bring Rorag along as a witness.

  Would he refuse to talk again?

  Leni – who agreed to the diplomatic position of Kunot (mother of the kennin, guarding fertility) – promised she’d make sure he wouldn’t. To Benjamar’s question of whether it was too early for them to have this trial she answered no, it was better to deal with it before Frimon’s farewell ceremony.

  Kunag might be vital to the facts in this trial, but Benjamar didn’t want the boy to be there if it could last all day. His biggest problem was Laytji. She may have indirectly caused two of the three incidents. She had certainly witnessed them, but to put her on the spot, so emotionally vulnerable… Though older than both Doret and Rorag, he considered her still much more of a child. If he summoned her, she would be used to give answers to the secrets that had been kept from Benjamar on his round of questioning yesterday, something Kunag, Leyon, Doret and Rorag had all been unwilling to share. Should he pursue the truth because a trial was about facts? Or would he go with Nini and consider the motivation of these young people for wanting to keep it from him? At least they all stood together in this. Never mind that, but could he put Laytji in that position? Repeat what he’d done to Daili? Repeat past mistakes?

  “No, you don’t want to put her in a situation where they’ll start feeling resentment toward her,” Yako answered when he asked.

  That was fair enough. That would certainly not be in line with the goal of the new justice – that of peace within the community.

  Did Yako want to be in the council now it was no longer about politics?

  Yako said he wouldn’t object, but had Benjamar considered that the population may complain if the entire council was made up of people from his own hearth?

  Benjamar had not, but it was too late to start over. He’d deal with that if it came up later. He asked Yako for the role of the cultural advisor, the role of SJibi; to stand guard over traditions and values, because people needed to make sense of their lives.

  Yako knew the chart better than Benjamar did, he understood what was needed. He preferred the strategic role that was to do with diversity and adaptations for the future, represented on the chart by Bue, the stranger or wanderer. He had his own ideas about the guardian of culture.

  Benjamar gave him his wish and ate a solitary breakfast in his shelter to prepare himself for what would be the first act of the kennin council and his as kollen, a role he’d never pictured himself in, nor did he know exactly what it meant yet. The people who knew had lived so long ago that no trace was left of their existence but that one cave on Freberer. Those people had lived by the values that protected them and had done so for grans of generations, while the civilization built by modern people had sold out its values in return for luxuries and technology.

  Could they do this, return to basics? Only time would tell.

  A TRIAL IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD

  Benjamar watched his shelter fill with people once again; twelve people, including himself. He wanted it so. This was the one place nobody would enter uninvited. All could comfortably sit on the ledge that ran all the way around the room and still leave space to move at the centre, thanks to Leyon’s natural gift. Three of these people had been on the wrong end of DJar law prior to coming here. Only one of them was in that position now. But it was different; it had to be. Could he still sail his kabin and be captain?

  He made a short opening speech to explain the changed situation of a trial by group rule and what that would be like. “The aim is to come to an agreement. Only mutual consent or a majority vote in the case an agreement cannot be reached will be conclusive. The initiative to a solution can be taken by either party. A proposal made by the guilty party and accepted by the victim or a request from the victim and consented to by the guilty party can both lead to an agreement, but anybody here will be allowed to make suggestions. The council’s role is to guarantee that the demands are not excessive and that no force is used in getting a confession or consent. The council will also see to it that both parties stick to the agreement. Are we clear so far?”

  He let his eyes travel along the ledge. On his left sat Doret, here as a witness, but a vital one since he’d been present at every conflict. He didn’t seem as eager to be at the centre of the action as Benjamar had thought he would be.

  Next to him, Jema appeared relaxed enough. She had one leg pulled up on the ledge, which caused the oversized dress to trail around her like a screen, concealing both physical shape and responses. She was studying the faces of the people on the other end of the room.

  As in town, Leyon seemed to regard this more like a show he was to perform in. He was also looking around, with a big grin for Maike, who was opposite him.

  Aryan, better groomed than ever before, also studied Maike, but calmly, leaning back. His was also the role of witness.

  The third person here to defend his actions sat slumped in the corner between Aryan and the entrance. Tigor made no effort to look at anyone.

  On the other side of the entrance sat the last witness. Rorag was a quiet boy, hard to read. Besides the physical discomfort left from that abuse, this must be difficult for him emotionally. He’d just lost his father, but the main bulk of the discussions today would have to do with Frimon. Next to him, Leni, Maike, Yako, Wilam and Nini, on Benjamar’s right, were here as members of the new council. They’d agreed to take on this new role and make the best of it.

  More than ever was the round shape of his shelter a benefit now; all could see each other equally well. Nobody had a central position.

  Benjamar looked around once more. They’d acknowledged that he’d been clear but nobody started to talk. “Maybe we should begin with those who are here to explain themselves. I want stories, motivations, and descriptions of what happened. We will be dealing with two different series of events; the ones involving Frimon and the ones that ultimately resulted in Kunag’s injuries. So talk.”

  Jema wouldn’t refuse today. Somebody had to start. It would inform the rest of them that no matter how unconventional the situation, he still meant business. She caught his look from over Doret’s head. The first hesitant words belied her apparent relaxation, but as she had in the challenge, so now did she recover.

  She told the facts only, from when she’d gone to the Society hearth in an attempt to stop the forced penance to the point where she had left them to cope and walked away. She looked at Benjamar most of the time and occasionally glanced at Rorag and Leni. Nobody responded when she finished.

  Benjamar stood up. Though he’d said ‘discussion’ that didn’t mean he’d sit back and wait. “So you deliberately destroyed Leni’s ancient print; an heirloom handed down in her family for generations?”

  The look he got confirmed his suspicion: She’d not known that the print was Leni’s.

  “Well, did you?”

  She nodded, then, remembering she had to speak, said, “Yes”.

  “Who gave you the right to take somebody’s property and throw it into the fire?”

  “He was using it as an excuse for the beating.”

  “I didn’t ask why, I asked who.”

  She hesitated. “Nobody; I didn’t think.”

  “You mean you gave yourself that right?”

  “No, I mean I didn’t wait to consider that.”

  She was at least playing by his rules.

  “But you thought about it long enough to decide he might stop if the print was gone?”

  “I didn’t know he’d go in after it.”

  “I realize that, but that’s not what I’m asking.” One step forward would get him a straight answer.

  “Yes.”

  “You then stood by when Frimon burned?”

  Silence. It had, of course, not been that easy. “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

  “Yes, I did.”

  She had prepared herself for this after yesterday and was focusing on getting it right. So far so good. By now the sailors would know what the right c
ourse was and who was at the rudder.

  “Why did you go there in the first place?”

  “I don’t know. I thought it was because I promised Kunag. I thought I could handle it, but–”

  “What?”

  “I keep wondering why I waited until Kundown. I could have gone earlier, but I didn’t.”

  Benjamar nodded to encourage her to continue now the defence was gone.

  “I can’t help thinking I went there to show the mob… that I wasn’t like them.”

  “To avenge the fact that they stood by when the guards beat you by proving they’d do it again?”

  She made a short laugh, nodded, then shrugged and shook her head. “I hope so, but I can’t help… Maybe I needed to prove it to myself more.”

  “Or maybe you felt there was more chance Frimon would listen to you in front of the crowd?” Yako suggested.

  Jema said no to that. The crowd didn’t question Frimon.

  Benjamar stepped out of the way and allowed them to talk.

  “What has Kunag to do with this?” Yako asked. “You said you promised him.”

  So far Yako was the only one to try and make this into a deliberation rather than an interrogation, but he was after this secret. He asked how she had known about the penance and that it would be forced, and why Kunag had talked to Jema. While evading the point, Jema answered his questions, occasionally looking at Rorag, who then deliberately turned his head away.

  “So what is it that got Frimon so upset that he would threaten Kunag as well?” Yako asked.

  “I cannot tell you what it was. Kunag told me in confidence. I can only tell you that Frimon drew conclusions that were unfounded.”

  There had definitely been more to this swimming at night than Kunag had told Benjamar earlier. Time to stop Yako. “How did Frimon find out, Rorag?”

  “I don’t know. I often went to that part of the stream. No one else had ever been there. My father never left home at night.”

  This was getting more interesting. Now Rorag was protecting Laytji.

  “Is it likely somebody spied on you?”

  Rorag shrugged.

  “You have no problem coming up with possible names and accusations without proof, do you, Leyon?”

  Put on the spot, Leyon didn’t have a response, but he, too, would now be aware that this was no place for games.

  Benjamar briefly described the amount of interpersonal conflicts he’d come across yesterday. It was not impossible that somebody had been out to set others up against each other. “Why were so many people hurt that night, Jema?”

  Her expression could have been a smile if you looked hard. She’d seen this coming. “Because I said things that hurt their feelings.”

  “Is it a normal reaction for people to take revenge on just anybody if they feel hurt?”

  “For some people, maybe.” A diplomatic answer.

  “Why would a person run to Frimon to tell on Rorag and Kunag? Would they have intended to get him upset?”

  “Probably, or to hurt him as well,” she answered.

  “So this person must have thought that what they were doing was wrong and so did Frimon. Am I correct, Rorag?”

  The boy made a face.

  “Did you think it was wrong, Rorag?” Benjamar insisted.

  “Ask Leyon.”

  Leyon lunged forward so abruptly that Benjamar almost lost his balance trying to avoid a collision. Before he had a chance to attack, Leyon was stopped by both Maike and Aryan, each jumping at him from a different direction. Benjamar watched Rorag, whose face had shown fear for only a moment and now held a smile.

  Once Leyon was back in his place, ordered not to move by Maike while Aryan made sure he didn’t, Benjamar stepped back into the centre.

  “Let me make something clear here: This is a hearing. We are trying to solve problems. That is very difficult if people keep having secrets; we’ve seen that in previous trials. I know I wasn’t told the truth yesterday when I asked you boys what happened. Some things may need to be kept confidential, for Kunag maybe. But if I hear or see any more provocation to a fight from either of you, I will regard that as an invitation to go after the truth. Do you understand?”

  Benjamar looked at Rorag for a reply. The boy nodded, one eye on Leyon. That wasn’t good enough. He may be only a witness, but he would still answer the questions.

  “Yes, I understand,” Rorag corrected himself.

  “Was what they were doing wrong, Jema?”

  “No.”

  Benjamar trusted her sense of right and wrong for what it was. For Kunag’s sake he steered away from the subject.

  He reminded them that the point of this discussion was the penance which had been forced rather than consented to. Leni confirmed that this was not the normal procedure. When asked why his father would do that, Rorag said that he’d refused to consent. “It wasn’t wrong, so I wouldn’t do it.”

  “Did you realize that Jema came to try and help?”

  For the first time the boy looked directly at her. “She wasn’t helping.”

  “I didn’t know that then,” Jema told him.

  “Because you were stupid.”

  She spread her hands, indicating she wasn’t ready to argue that.

  At the very least, the interactions in the room were interesting to watch, but it was time to get some other people involved. Benjamar mentioned that Kunag couldn’t give his side of the story, which brought them to what had caused his injuries. Nini had found Kunag after having been alerted by Doret. Underneath Kunag was the creature that had been cut with a digger. “How did the animal die, Tigor?”

  His timing was perfect. The farmer wasn’t prepared for this direct attack.

  As before, this game of questions and answers exhilarated him, but Benjamar was cautious. It was too easy to lead the conversation. Nobody should be allowed to fall overboard in order to reach the destination more quickly.

  Tigor, however, was no child. “It must have happened in the fight.”

  “What fight?”

  “When he came.” He indicated Wilam.

  “The animal got caught between the fighting farmers?”

  Tigor said yes. It was a lie and it finally set off the conversation Benjamar had been waiting for. He didn’t have to ask questions anymore. One after the other, Aryan, Doret and Wilam put in their version of what happened. Tigor was outtalked faster than Benjamar could have managed it. The farmer admitted that the creature had been killed with the original digging, but he insisted that nobody had known it was an animal.

  “But it was part of the natural habitat you purposely destroyed?”

  Benjamar was given no answer. Of course not. Nobody ever answered if they knew he was right, unless some challenge bound them to doing so.

  On request, Wilam described for the others what had preceded the farmer’s confrontation. Aryan and Doret confirmed having helped until Tigor was under control and described the fog’s response.

  Benjamar concluded that Kunag had found the animal and was attacked by the troop. “Who found Kunag first?”

  “We did. We heard screaming and the creatures were all over him. I chased them away,” Leyon said.

  “So who is ‘we’?” Benjamar asked.

  “Me and Doret.”

  “‘Doret and I.’ Was this when Doret ran for help?”

  “Yes.”

  Benjamar looked at Doret, who sat looking at Leyon. No sign of disagreement.

  “Did you chase the animals away as well, Aryan?”

  Aryan shook his head slowly. “I had injured my leg.”

  “How did you injure your leg?”

  “It happened when I tied Tigor to the tree.”

  “You? You mean when you charged at him like a mad bull,” Maike sneered.

  “Okay, I needed help, but you just stood to the side and gave orders,” Aryan retorted.

  “It isn’t like you needed help in beating people up before now.”

  Aryan jumped to his fe
et – no sign of a bad leg. “At least I don’t need tools to control them!”

  “Damn you, Aryan! There’s no talking to you. I wasn’t trying to be a hero.”

  “Just as long as you can step on someone to win a challenge, right?”

  The whole exchange went very quickly and both seemed to overreact to each other’s words. When Maike threatened to get up as well, Benjamar had enough. “That’s it! I have told the two of you to leave your issues outside. We are looking for solutions to the existing problems, not for you to go causing more. I won’t tolerate anymore such arguments in this home. This is the last time I’m saying it. Aryan, sit down and let’s concentrate on the matters at hand.”

  It was one thing for Benjamar to say this to the two of them, but to be told so in front of all these people… Aryan had only agreed to come to do him a favour. He didn’t need this. He turned to leave, but found Benjamar blocking the light and the only way out.

  “Don’t walk away, Aryan.”

  As if that was so easy right now.

  Benjamar didn’t move, but went into one of his lectures, stating that things had changed since DJar. “We all need to contribute to the solution. Every one of you is here, not as a spokesperson for a group, but as part of the kennin conscience. You need to speak for yourself, not attack others.”

  Aryan didn’t feel much like being anybody’s conscience right now, least of all his own. He abruptly turned back to his seat, irritated that he obeyed the command. The only consolation was that nobody seemed surprised by Benjamar’s right to say these things. He had the same influence on all of them, Maike included. Where did he get that power?

  A slight push from Tigor’s elbow drew Aryan’s attention to the flask in the farmer’s pocket. He was being offered a drink and it sure wasn’t water in there. Was this how Tigor coped with the put-downs? Aryan shook his head; he didn’t want any.