In a strange way, Aidan is my ally, she thought. The two of us are much alike. Perhaps that is why I hate him more than any other. And perhaps that is why my destiny seems so entwined with his.
Aidan's responses to Lenore Shi-Lu's subsequent questions were desultory. No, he had not known how Ter Roshak had manipulated the events leading to his second chance. Yes, he had suspected chicanery and confronted Ter Roshak with his suspicions. No, Ter Roshak had admitted nothing of substance to Aidan. (Ter Roshak, almost everyone knew, would have been too shrewd to make that error.) Yes, the Trial of Position had been run fairly, and he had earned his warrior status through superior strategy.
Beck Qwabe's few questions added little to Aidan's testimony. When Aidan returned to his place at the table, he did not quaver before the rumble of sustained hatred against him; his calm remained. During his interrogation, he had not become ruffled, an achievement that—for Aidan—approached the superhuman. He knew what he would do, and as he heard the Lore-master calling Roshak's name, he already suspected what Ter Roshak would do.
The man stood up. His spine erect and his shoulders militarily straight, for the first time he looked like the Roshak of old.
27
"Ter Roshak? Did I hear you right? Do you mean to tell us that your motives for the crime of which you are accused were both honorable and benevolent?"
The usually detached Loremaster could not keep the disbelief from his voice. He had interrupted Lenore Shi-Lu's current line of questioning with more abruptness and less politeness than was his usual wont.
"That is correct, Loremaster."
"Ter Roshak, as a Bloodnamed warrior with a fine combat record, we must listen to your defense, but I must say that I fail to see how the terms you propose offer any justification of your acts."
"If you will hear me out, Loremaster."
"By all means. Go on."
Roshak glanced at the tiers of Jade Falcon warriors, most of whom were leaning forward with expressions of doubt on their faces.
"It has been said repeatedly during these proceedings that I arranged for Cadet Aidan's second trial because of some special potential I saw in him. Though I did recognize such potential, it was not sufficient to merit a violation of Clan law to award him a second chance. I have seen too many cadets with just as much potential end up in lower castes or dead on a scarred battlefield. If anything, Cadet Aidan's potential was almost negated by his cocksure, rash, often arrogant tactics. Daring too much may sometimes result in impressive individual heroism, but it is more likely to lead to overbidding, then humiliation in battle.
"In his official trial he came close to qualifying, but fate took his chance away. I have often believed the Clans should provide a second Trial for certain cadets, but I would not have gone against Clan law and custom for any but the most extraordinary reasons."
"It is to learn those, as you say, extraordinary reasons that we wait with bated breath," Lenore Shi-Lu commented drily. "Please abridge your prologue to the main points and provide us the evidence we require."
"I am sorry. I had wished to be as meticulous in my testimony as the Inquisitor is meticulous in her questioning."
"Flattery is an Inner Sphere weakness, Ter Roshak. Please continue without it."
"Yes. Just a bit more prologue, if you please. It is significant to this case that I previously served with Ramon Mattlov, one of the greatest Galaxy Commanders in Jade Falcon history."
Lenore Shi-Lu tapped something onto the keyboard of the computer console set into the main table, then scanned the monitor. "Mattlov is the male progenitor of Star Commander Aidan's sibko, quiaff?"
"Aff. He was a great hero in his life, Ramon Mattlov, and I watched him die as one. When I left warrior duty and took command of the Ironhold training center, I dedicated my service to him. Indeed, Ramon Mattlov was often in my thoughts as I went about my duties. I considered his views whenever I made my own decisions, and in my briefings and meetings with my training officers, I often repeated Ramon Mattlov's views and beliefs verbatim. There were times—and I must ask the council's indulgence for uttering such unClanlike sentiments in this official session—when I almost believed I wasRamon Mattlov. I would dress down a cadet just as he would have, I would demonstrate a fighting technique exactly as he had demonstrated it to me, I would conduct surprise inspections just as brutally as he did."
Perhaps, Joanna thought, you also got falling-down-drunk just like Ramon Mattlov, mistreated your subordinates just like Ramon Mattlov, foolishly defied fate just like Ramon Mattlov.
For once Lenore Shi-Lu seemed ill-at-ease. She glanced toward the Loremaster for guidance, but his attention was so focused on Roshak that he did not notice her silent plea. Finally, she turned back to Roshak: "I am sorry for being obtuse, Falconer Commander, but perhaps you can explain how this—may I call it obsession?—with Ramon Mattlov relates to the accusations and concerns of this assembly?"
"It will become clear."
"I am relieved. Go on, sir."
Roshak paused for a moment, seeming lost in his thoughts. Actually, he was marshalling them into ranks so that he could march them past the council members with military precision.
"On the day Cadet Aidan's sibko arrived on Iron-hold, I thought I was seeing a ghost when I looked at the young man. It was as though Ramon Mattlov, a bit younger than when I had first known him, were back in the flesh before me. Oh, others in the sibko also resembled my former comrade. That was only natural in a group with the same genetic background. Another one of them, a young woman, also strikingly resembled Ramon Mattlov. She is among us now, an honorable warrior who has won the right to the Pryde Bloodname."
A few in the audience glanced at Marthe, who showed no expression.
"But I saw something more in Cadet Aidan than a mere resemblance. At first sight I almost believed he was the reincarnation of Ramon Mattlov."
The gathered Clan warriors muttered at this last statement, which seemed a clear indication that Ter Roshak was mad. Insanity among Clan warriors was rare, but not unknown.
"Cadet Aidan not only looked like my former commander, he stood like him, with a defiant tilt to his shoulders, with his feet placed on the ground as though ready to spring. None of the other sibkin displayed that posture. When I noticed him speak to Cadet Marthe, he had a way of leaning his head toward her that was a duplicate of the way Ramon Mattlov instructed another officer."
"That is all quite remarkable, Falconer Commander," said Lenore Shi-Lu, "but how does it justify your subsequent acts?"
"Bear with me, Inquisitor. That day I studied Cadet Aidan secretly. When, as his commanding officer, I got close to him, I stared into his eyes. Cool, confident, they were the eyes of Ramon Mattlov. Not only that, I saw in them the same hint of danger.
"At that first encounter, the training officer gave the cadets the usual beating every newly arrived sibko deserves. When Falconer Joanna picked out Cadet Aidan for the most ferocious punishment, he gave back more fight than any cadet I have ever seen. And that, too, made him like Ramon Mattlov. Knocked down once, he got up , again. Severely beaten, he continued to fight. He would not admit defeat. Again, all traits of Ramon Mattlov. I had seen all those qualities over the course of various battles. I fought alongside Ramon Mattlov, and now I was seeing his ferocious tenacity all over again.
"As training continued, the resemblance became even more pronounced. And the major likeness was to Ramon Mattlov's tendency to go for the big strike and his unwillingness to accept defeat under any condition. Ramon Mattlov turned the tide of battle several times at a moment when most warriors would have been submitting terms of surrender. So extreme were his tactics that he often risked losing a battle. He would underbid his firepower, for example, or choose tactics so unorthodox that even seasoned combatants tried to change his mind. He was lucky, though, and usually achieved his objective. He had earned his right to contribute his heritage to the sacred gene pool long before his death in combat."