“No, Otakar, I don’t think so.” Jan looked down the smooth length of the Road that vanished at the horizon. “We had something to fight for then. Something physical that affected all of us. The Hradil will try to cause trouble but Alzbeta and I will handle it.”
“And me,” Semenov said. “I will have to explain my actions, account for them. It is against the law…”
“The law as written here,” Jan said. “A little work of fiction to keep the natives subdued and quiet.”
“Will you tell them that, all the things you told me?”
“I certainly will. I’ll tell the Heads and I’ll tell every one else. The truth has to come out sometime. They probably won’t believe it, but they’ll be told.”
After they slept they went on. Jan and Alzbeta had little rest, nor did they want it. They felt closer than they had ever been and their lovemaking had a frantic passion to it. Neither spoke of it, but they feared for the future.
They had good cause. There was no reception, no crowds to welcome them. The men understood that. They talked a bit, said good-bye to one another, then went to find their families. Jan and Alzbeta stayed on the train, watching the door. They did not have long to wait for the expected knock. There were four armed Proctors there.
“Jan Kulozik, you are under arrest…
“Under whose authority? For what reason?”
“You have been accused of murdering Proctor Captain Ritterspach.”
“That can be explained, witnesses.”
“You will come with us to detention. Those are our orders. This woman is to be returned to her family at once.”
“No!”
It was Alzbeta’s cry of terror that roused Jan. He tried to go to her, protect her, but was shot at once. A weak charge, minimum setting for the energy gun, enough to stop him but not kill him.
He lay on the floor, conscious but unable to move, able only to watch as they dragged her out.
Seventeen
It was obvious to Jan that his homecoming reception had been planned with infinite care and sadistic precision. The Hradil, of course. Once before she had had him arrested, but the job had been bungled. Not this time. She had not revealed herself, but her careful touch was everywhere. No reception for their return, no crowds. No chance to unite his men and the others behind him. Divide and rule, most skillfully done. A murder charge, that was good; a man had been killed so the charge was certainly in order. And he had resisted arrest just to make her job easier, just as she had undoubtedly assumed he would. She had out-thought him and she had won. She was out there drawing the web tight around him, while he sat in the carefully prepared cell. No rude storeroom this time, that might arouse sympathy, but proper quarters in one of the thick-walled permanent buildings. A barred, narrow slit of a window on the outside wall, sink and sanitary facilities, a comfortable bunk, reading matter, television — and a solid steel door with a lock on the other side. Jan lay on the bunk staring unseeingly at the ceiling, looking for a way out. He felt the eyes of the Proctor on him, staring in through the plasteel observation window in the wall, and he rolled to face away.
There would be a trial. If it were at all fair his plea of self-defense would have to be accepted. Five Family Heads would be the judges, that was the law, and all would have to agree on a sentence of guilty. Semenov, one of the oldest Heads, would sit on the bench. There was a chance.
“You have a visitor,” the guard said, his voice rasping from the speaker just below the window. He moved aside and Alzbeta stood in his place.
Happy as he was to see her it was torture to press his hands to the cold plasteel surface, to see her fingers a close centimeter beyond his, yet to be unable to touch them.
“I asked to see you,” she said. “I thought they would say no, but there was no trouble.”
“Of course. No lynch parties this time. She learns by her mistakes. This time by the book, by the rule of law and order. Visitors allowed, why of course. Final verdict, guilty, of course.
“There has to be a chance. You will fight?”
“Don’t I always?” He forced himself to smile, for her sake, and was answered by the slightest smile in return. “There is really no case. You witnessed the attack, were struck yourself, the other Proctors will have to agree with that under oath. They had all the clubs, I fought back when you were struck down. Ritterspach’s death was accidental — they’ll have to admit that. I’ll defend myself, but there is one thing you can do to help me.”
“Anything!”
“Get me a copy of the legal tapes that I can play on the TV here. I want to bone up on the niceties of the Book of the Law. Build a strong case.
“I’ll bring them as soon as I can. They said I could bring you food; I’ll cook something special. And another thing,” she looked sideways out of the corners of her eyes, then lowered her voice. “You have friends. They want to help you. If you were out of here…”
“No! Tell them no as emphatically as you can. I don’t want to escape. I’m enjoying the rest. Not only is there no place to hide on this planet, but I want to do this the right way. Defeat that woman by law. It is the only way.”
He did not tell Alzbeta that undoubtedly every word they spoke through the communicator was being recorded. He did not want anyone getting into trouble on his account. And basically what he said was true. This had to be done the legal way now. If he had to communicate, there were ways. The cell was clear, there were no visual bugs. She could read a note if he held it up to the observation window. He would save that for any emergencies.
They talked more but there was little to say. The ache of being close to her without touching her was becoming unbearable and he was relieved when the guard told her it was time to go.
His second visitor was Ryzo Santos. The communications officer was undoubtedly well aware that their talk would be listened to and kept their conversation on neutral grounds.
“Alzbeta tells me you are enjoying your rest, Jan.”
“I have little choice, do I?”
“Make the most of the quiet, you’ll be back in action soon enough. I brought that copy of the Book of the Law that you asked about. I guess the guard will give it to you.
“My thanks. I’ll want to study it closely.”
“Very closely, if I were you.” Ryzo’s scowl deepened. “There have been some meetings of Family Heads. Only rumors of course, but there was an announcement this morning, and the rumors are true. Ivan Semenov is no longer Read of his family.”
“They can’t do that!”
“They can, and they did. You’ll find the process described in your copy of the Book of the Law. He broke the law when he officiated at Alzbeta’s marriage without The Hradil’s permission. Poor Semenov is stripped of all rank and title. He’s working as a cook’s helper.”
“The marriage is still valid, isn’t it?” Jan asked worriedly.
“Absolutely. Nothing can touch that. A marriage bond is a marriage bond and completely unbreakable as you know. But, the judges have been chosen for the trial
Sudden realization shook Jan. “Of course. Re’s no longer a Family Head so Semenov won’t be there. It will be The Hradil and four more of her kind.”
“I’m afraid so. But justice will be seen to be done. No matter how prejudiced they are they can’t go against the law in open court. You have a lot of people on your side.”
“And a lot more who are looking forward to me getting it in the neck, too.”
“You’ve said it yourself. You can’t change people overnight. Even though there are changes going on, the people don’t like it. This is a conservative world and people, for the most part, are troubled by change. That’s on your side now. This trial will be a legal one and you will have to get off.”