A Covenant of Justice (32 page)

“Shit,” said Harry.

“He sees my point,” Campbell explained to the others.

“I assume then, that I may interpret this as a request for me to assume the responsibilities of a formal arbitration?”

“You may,” agreed the Captain.

Harry stroked his chin. “Does anyone disagree?” He looked to Three-Dollar and Nyota and M'bele.

All three nodded their assent. “We want you to proceed.”

“All right,” said Harry. “On your own heads—” He explained, “We have several matters here. First off, the brothers Markham vs. the Lady Zillabar, representative of the Regency. Secondly, Lady Zillabar vs. the brothers Markham on a civil charge of kidnapping. We'll have to consider those two actions as appeals, seeing as how Three-Dollar has already ruled partially on them. Thirdly, Lady Zillabar vs.
The Lady MacBeth
, accessory to kidnapping, destruction of private property, terrorism. Finally, the issue of Lady Zillabar's status aboard this vessel. Ordinarily, I would disqualify myself, because I too have some history with the Lady, but because of the urgency of this case, I will take extra steps to keep my personal feelings from coloring my decisions.”

Captain Campbell spoke up immediately. “I can't believe you. I save your life—how many times over, old man? And you demonstrate your gratitude by making me a defendant? I asked you for an arbitration—and now you make charges against me and my ship?”

Harry held up a hand. “Dear lady, you have asked me to make law, not friends. The two have no relation at all. When you ask for justice, you should remember that she carries a double-edged sword.”

“Gito—” Captain Campbell called into the galley. “Do you remember the name of the last lawyer we shoved out the airlock?”

Harry Mertz leaned back in his chair, frowning and pursing his lips. He cradled his cup of spice-tea—still steaming—and inhaled its vapors deeply. “After some consideration,” he said, “It seems appropriate to me to dismiss the charges against Captain Campbell and
The Lady MacBeth
, without prejudice. We needed to consider the charges so as to demonstrate that this court has neither prejudice nor favoritism for either party in the matter.”

Captain Campbell folded her arms, satisfied. “I can accept that. Go on.”

“You need to understand this, Captain. Your threats did not influence my decision. I do not threaten that easily. Let me explain the reasons for my decision to dismiss the charges.” He grinned at her and continued, “The actions of the Regency in relation to this vessel so transcended the boundaries of law that you had no choice but to act as you did in response. Therefore, while this court would find your actions objectionable under normal circumstances, the greater crimes committed against you mitigate all charges of piracy, terrorism, etc., and I hereby publish a summary dismissal of any Regency warrants based on those charges. Additionally, this court awards you 5 million caseys in damages for the confiscation of your cargo on Burihatin-14 and an additional 5 million caseys in punitive damages; such sums to come from the Regency treasury accounts administered on behalf of the Dragon Lord and Lady Zillabar.”

“Thank you,” said Captain Campbell, politely.

“Don't thank me. You'll probably have some trouble collecting that debt. Especially if the Gathering succeeds in dissolving the Regency.”

“If the Gathering succeeds in dissolving the Regency, a lot of my other debts will magically disappear with that bastard government. Approximately 18 million caseys worth. So either way, I'll come out ahead.”

Justice Harry Mertz smiled in satisfaction. “Good. Now, as to the other matters, we'll have to reconvene with the Lady Zillabar in attendance, at which time I will hear arguments from both sides. I expect to make a decision on all matters before me before we reach the Gathering.”

Justice Godfrey Daniels Harry Mertz, wearing a white robe, entered the salon from the bridge. He waited until Ota announced, “Oyez, oyez. All rise before the Honorable Justice Harry Mertz, Arbiter of Thoska-Roole, and chief officer of this court.” The room rustled with movement as the various attendees shuffled to their feet.

Harry straightened his crisp new gown and grinned appreciatively at Robin and Shariba-Jen. The two had spent several feverish hours sewing an appropriate robe for Harry. Because the workings of justice required a certain amount of ritual and ceremony in order to convey the importance of the process, Harry had not simply requested the robe and certain other props—he had
demanded
them as necessary. He knew that he could not risk having the proceedings look haphazard or slipshod in any way. He couldn't allow any of these matters to arrive at the Gathering incomplete.

Harry seated himself at the forward end of the ship's brinewood salon. Glancing around, he grinned, “I've worked tougher rooms, but never one as pretty as this.” He tapped the bell on the makeshift desk in front of him and announced. “The session has begun. We will now consider the first case on the docket, the matter of the brothers Markham vs. the Lady Zillabar, in reference to a contract to locate and secure the personage of the TimeBinder of Thoska-Roole, in return for which, the Lady or her representatives would supply a cure for Finn Markham's affliction, the blood-burn. Now, let's see—” Harry shuffled through the documents on the table before him, sorting his notes for the fifteenth time, then looked up again.

Sawyer and Finn sat at a table on the right side of the room, Zillabar sat stiffly on the left. Harry nodded and glanced back to the papers in his hands. “I see that the TimeBinder of Thoska-Roole has already made a previous ruling on this case. The Lady Zillabar has contested that ruling. I shall regard this hearing, then, as an appeal for total reconsideration.” He looked to the Markhams, he looked to Zillabar. “Do all parties here recognize the authority of this court?”

Sawyer and Finn nodded. The Lady Zillabar remained dispassionate.

“Lady Zillabar?”

She glanced up slowly. “I don't recognize your authority over me,” she said quietly.

“Unfortunately, that defense won't work here. Aboard a starship, the Captain has ultimate authority and has delegated that authority to me to reach a just solution to certain problems that need resolution before we reach our destination. Whether you recognize the authority or not, under Regency law, I have it.” He tried to resist the impulse to grin. The Lady Zillabar had once tried to strip him of his title and whatever ceremonial authority it had carried. Now, he had all the authority and more that she had tried to deny. The situation here tickled his sense of karmic retribution. He covered with a cough, hoping to hide even the slightest sense of a smirk. He didn't succeed.

Zillabar snorted. “I do not have appropriate representation,” she said.

“I recognize the limited skills available here. However, you have access to EDNA, the ship's Artificial Intelligence engine, and the court will appoint either William Three-Dollar or Nyota M'bele to assist you with appropriate case-precedents and advice.”

“I will represent myself, thank you.”

“As you wish.”

“—but I want you to put it on the record. I do not believe I can get a fair hearing in this venue.”

Sitting off to one side, Captain Campbell couldn't help smirking. “You don't like having the situation reversed, do you?” she said to Zillabar. In the back of the salon, Gito laughed aloud and Kask rumbled good-naturedly. Lee snorted derisively.

Justice Mertz rapped his gavel lightly. “Uh-uh-uh-uh,” he said. “Captain Campbell, if you do that again, I'll have to ask you to leave. This court will not tolerate any disrespect.”

“Yes, your honor. I apologize.” Chastened, Campbell sat back in her chair, and folded her arms across her chest.

To Zillabar, Harry said, “I recognize your objections. I promise you that this court will make every effort to see that you receive every consideration that the law demands. Conversely, if the final ruling goes against you, this court will also make every effort to see that you receive every punishment the law demands. If you wish to offer terms for a settlement before we get into the details of the case—or if the brothers Markham wish to make an offer—the court will gladly allow that.”

Harry looked to Sawyer and Finn expectantly. The brothers Markham shook their heads. “We have nothing to offer.”

The judge turned his glance to Lady Zillabar. “Do you wish to offer a settlement?”

She returned his gaze stonily. “What I wish to offer,” she said, “I don't think you would allow.”

“Perhaps not,” Harry agreed. “Let's get on with it then. To speed this matter, we'll proceed with informal court rules. Please state your case.”

The Lady Zillabar stood up and said, “I have a simple case, your honor—” She inclined her head in a slight nod at the words
your honor
. Harry couldn't tell if she intended the gesture with respect or sarcasm. “—I wish to halt the illegal draining of my blood.”

Her words drew a sharp reaction from the audience gathered in the rear of the salon. Lee-1169 hooted out loud. Arl-N guffawed. Kask roared. Ibaka chittered and pounded his chest. The sight of a Vampire—especially
this
vampire—protesting a blood-draining had a delicious irony to everyone in the chamber, most of whom had suffered sorely at her hands in the recent past.

After a moment or two of this, Harry picked up his gavel and rapped it lightly on the table. “Order, order,” he demanded. “We will have order. The court recognizes that many of you have strong feelings about this plaintiff. Nevertheless, we will not allow the rude behavior of anyone in this chamber to compromise the integrity of the proceedings. You will maintain decorum.” The room began to settle down immediately. To Lady Zillabar, Harry said, “I have some experience with the circumstances of this case. The brothers Markham agreed to provide services, which they did—”

“They reneged.”

“Only after you did. Nevertheless, they did locate and secure the personage of William Three-Dollar for you. So they fulfilled their part of the contract. You and your representatives agreed to provide an antidote or cure for the blood-burn. You reneged on your part of the contract. Do you wish to offer any explanation or mitigating circumstances?”

Lady Zillabar glared at Harry. She knew what he meant. She knew she didn't dare risk it. She shook her head curtly.

But Harry refused to take her head-shake as an answer. “Correct me if I've made a mistake, but I had heard that you considered the Markham's part in the death of Lord Drydel as a factor in your decision to not honor your part of the contract. Perhaps we should discuss that for a bit? I have several witnesses to that affair here; it might cast additional light on this matter. Although it represents a diversion from the main direction of this case, I think the circumstances of Lord Drydel's death belong in the public record, don't you?”

“No, I do not,” said the Lady Zillabar dispassionately. “I still carry my grief as a private affair. I do not want old wounds reopened, and I request the court's understanding in this.” Underneath, she seethed. She couldn't possibly allow any public acknowledgment that Lord Drydel had violated the Regency Charter at her private feeding grounds.

Harry smiled gently. “Well, yes—as you wish. Perhaps another time, then.” He glanced back at the papers before him. “So, then we may correctly assume that you never intended to honor your part of the contract at all, did you?”

Lady Zillabar didn't reply.

“In earlier testimony, Sawyer and Finn Markham, both stated that you told them you had deceived them about a cure for the blood-burn, that it didn't exist. Would you like to clarify that statement now?”

She shook her head slowly.

Sawyer and Finn exchanged a confused glance. Why didn't Lady Zillabar try to argue or explain the facts. By stipulating these points so easily, she gave her case away. Even Harry Mertz seemed puzzled. He glanced around the room, as if looking for an answer, then back to Zillabar again.

“All right,” he said. “You leave me no choice, but to rule against you. You made a contract with the Markhams; they kept their part of it, therefore you must keep your part of it. That no antidote exists does not mitigate the debt. You may not use that as an excuse for non-payment. Because you allowed the Markhams to believe that an antidote existed, you committed a fraud, and this court must take steps to repair the damages wrought by your deception. Let me note here that the Markhams discovered on their own the possibility of a treatment or cure for the blood-burn which would require your physical cooperation. Because you represented yourself as the source of a cure, this court finds that you must make yourself available for Finn Markham's continued blood-cleansing treatments.” He tapped his gavel and added, “Ruling for the defendants. Lady Zillabar's blood now belongs to Sawyer and Finn Markham for the purposes of Finn Markham's continued treatment for as long as necessary to obtain a permanent state of good health for Finn Markham.”

“I expected nothing less from you,” said Lady Zillabar.

“Madame Zillabar,” Harry said, “I believe you have not yet seen the whole picture. Sawyer and Finn Markham now have a vested interest in keeping you
alive
. It has not escaped my attention that some of the other passengers and crew members aboard this vessel heartily wish you dead. You now have two very dedicated bodyguards who will not allow that to happen. Here or anywhere else.”

“You'll forgive me if I don't find much consolation in that news, your honor.” She remained standing at her table. “I would now like to appeal your ruling on the grounds that it represents a cruel and unjust punishment.”

Harry laid down his gavel and stared at her. “All right,” he said. “Let's hear it.”