Chap. 213 Confession

Chap. 213 Confession

What to do. What to do with Shawn.

K'ndar stood in the cave, Master-at-Arms Lief next to him.

"You know him?" he asked.

"Yes. His real name is Shawn. He is..well, I guess now,he WAS the Chief Acquisition Officer at Landing. He's the one who would say whether something you brought in was a real artifact or just an old bone that someone's dog had buried."

Lief laughed. "Aye, I hear that. My boy is constantly bringing in stuff and saying Daddy, look, it's something from the Star People. I have to break it to 'im gently, no, laddie, that's just a rusted old boot nail. How is it this bloke is now Karloch?"

K'ndar shook his head. "Don't know. I have a feeling he was banished from Landing after he was caught stealing real artifacts and selling them to 'unknown' persons for a lot of money. He even tried to bribe me to bring him artifacts on the sly, he'd said he'd make it worth my while. I made him mad, said no way, and then he threatened me, said he'd make it sound as if I were the briber. That made me laugh, he didn't know that dragons hear every word said to their riders, and will attest to it."

"Huh. I didn't know that. I don't know much about dragons, K'ndar. Good on you for telling him to shove off. Well, then, what are we going to do with Shawn Karloch? Leave him out for the wherries?"

K'ndar shook his head. "No, I think...I think he needs to be sent to Landing. And soon, before rigor mortis sets in. Stiffs don't ride well on dragon back."

Lief laughing, said, "But I bet they're quiet."

K'ndar laughed.

Lord Dorn, D'nis and M'rvin came in.

"Good grief, look at the weapons. It's an arsenal," M'rvin said as they approached.

D'nis continued on to join K'ndar and Lief. He stopped at the sight.

"Blast my eyes, it's Shawn," he said, shocked.

"Aye," K'ndar said.

"Amazing. I'm speechless. Was he doing this all this time? How can a man turn so completely?" he said.

"His name is Shawn?"

"Yes, my lord, from Landing."

Dorn shook his head. Then he said, "Lief, I want the men out there separated and searched. It looks to me as there's about 35 all told, they need to be processed. Two of your men per raider. I want names, Holds, what they're doing here, if they have family here, you know, the regular procedure. Secure this cave, I'm betting there's more in here than just weapons," he said.

"Aye, my lord," Lief said, and left.

"My Lord, with your permission, I think his body should be sent to Landing," K'ndar said. "Also, I heard the men discuss that "Karloch" had things like datalinks, and I know the sentry had binoculars. I'd be willing to bet there's items in here that are valuable...and possibly stolen. So..."

"We'll find them and secure them. Don't worry, they'll be treated as valuables. As for who murdered him, I'll find that out," Lord Dorn said.

Murder? The word affronted him. It wasn't murder, K'ndar thought.

"Sir, I know who killed him," he said, and related the entire sequence of events that he'd witnessed through Siskin's eyes.

Dorn looked at him with an unfathomable expression. K'ndar thought it meant resolve.
No. It wasn't murder.

"If I may, sir? I have no jurisdiction here, nor am I willing to judge him. I've been to one of your trials, sir, if you recall, and I believe you to be a fair man in these situations. In my opinion, sir, the man who shot him didn't 'murder' him. He killed him. To me, there's a big difference. I'm willing to bet he made the decision to kill Shawn as he'd been left with no other option. These men were terrified of Shawn, sir, even the enforcers. I have a feeling Shawn used their wives, children and mothers as..um, hostages, to insure their obedience. I would have probably shot Shawn, too, were I in that man's boots. I can tell you, sir, that Shawn had no scruples,not an ethical bone in his body. He tried to enlist me into his schemes of giving him any artifacts I might find, rather than turn them into Landing. He tried to bribe me, sir and then when I refused, he threatened me. I laughed at that. I also reported it to Landing," he said.

"But not to ME," M'rvin snapped, surprised.

I know, K'ndar thought, and at the time I didn't know why. NOW I know why.

Dorn nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, K'ndar."

"Lord Dorn!" a voice called behind them. They turned to see one of Dorn's armed men, holding Alph's arm.

"Yes?"

"My lord, this man, named Alph. He absolutely demanded to see you RIGHT NOW. He's unarmed,my lord, I made sure of that."

Dorn looked at K'ndar.

"Is this the man?" he asked.

K'ndar nodded, feeling he knew what was coming.

"I'll see him," Dorn said.

When he reached Lord Dorn, Alph pulled his arm free and dropped to his knees.

"You are?"

"Alph, my Lord, I am holdless. I'm originally from Far West Hold. My lord, I killed this man, Karloch," he said.

He looked up at Lord Dorn, then dropped his eyes. Dorn was struck speechless.

"My lord, Karloch ordered me to take a crossbow and shoot the sentry for not giving the dragon alarm. I..I couldn't do it, my lord. I begged him, please, don't make me do that, I am not a murderer. Karloch said I had a choice, I kill the sentry or Karloch kills me. I couldn't do either one, my lord. I begged him, sir, no, I can't do it. But he...he said I had to choose, my life or the sentry's. So I went and picked up my crossbow and my mind is saying, no, you can't do this. It's not who you are. My lord, Karloch never allowed anyone to handle a weapon near him 'cept for his enforcers. I went and picked up my crossbow. Then it was like my mind stopped feeling. It was like I wasn't in it no more. I wasn't angry. I was sad. I didn't decide to kill Karloch. It was as if my body decided. My lord, there was no thought in my mind other than, "one last look at the sunshine." Then I shot Karloch. Just like that, without thinking, my lord, something I've never done in my life, I didn't think. I just...did it.

The things he made us men do because of our women, the things he did to our women, my lord, will make you ill. So, my lord, I am at your mercy. If you're going to behead me, please, sir, do it, now. I'd rather die than rot in a cell for the rest of my life. I'd go insane just from the guilt," Alph said.

He met Dorn's eye. There was no fear in it. Rather, it was relief. He'd made his peace with whatever Dorn chose.

Everyone else's guts were in a twist.

Dorn was stuck. He'd never gotten a confession quite so eloquently, so willingly. It helps, he thought, that your story jibes exactly with K'ndar's testimony.

K'ndar thought, by the egg, I am so glad I told his story first. This man has courage to fill an entire weyr.

Dorn, his eyes locked on Alph's, were unseeing as he thought.

Then he heaved a sigh.

"Alph, you put me in an unusual position. I happen to agree with you, that there is murder and then there is killing. For instance, had one of your people here attempted to shoot one of us, he'd have been killed in a moment. I have not had a chance to talk to any of your people here, but I believe you. I thank you, too, for your honesty and your courage to accept whatever punishment I may choose. In a way, you make my ruling easier. However, I cannot, now, treat you like everyone else here. There must be consequences, SEEN by everyone else. So..." he raised his eyes to the top of the cavern, looking for a solution.

K'ndar, the armed man, and M'rvin all held their breath. They were sympathetic. But they were powerless in this, Dorn's Hold.

Dorn chose. "Weyrleader, I need two dragonriders, one to take this dead man to Landing, another to take Alph, here, to my Hold. I will direct that Alph be placed in one of my cells, until I return to Singing Waters and deal with him on an individual basis," he said.

Alph looked stricken.

Dorn seeing it, said, "Fear not, Alph, you will keep your head. And, eventually, gain your freedom, but for the moment, I must keep you separated from the rest. You will be chained, placed aboard a dragon and transported. My cells aren't cold, wet holes, they are warm and dry, and once you are safely in a cell, your chains removed. You will be fed and treated well. If you have any belongings that you want to keep with you, my guard here will accompany you to gather them up."

Alph bowed his head. Tears dropped from his eyes.

"Thank you, my lord," he said. The guard nodded to Lord Dorn. "My lord," he said, then "Come on, Alph, I've got to chain you up, first," he said, then led the man away.

M'rvin had to work the knot out of his throat. "Lord Dorn, I will have one of ..."

K'ndar interrupted.

"My lord Dorn, M'rvin, I've been here all day. I've not had a bite to eat, and I'm starving. I know who to talk to at Landing, so I volunteer to take Shawn here to Landing. Please."

M'rvin opened his mouth to protest, then...stopped. Something in K'ndar's demeanor disturbed him, but he had too much on his mind to parse it out.

"Certainly, K'ndar," he said, not too happy, but not really knowing why. "I'll ask D'mitran to take Alph to Singing Waters," he said.

They heard a roar emit from the men and women, outside the cavern.

They rushed to the entrance, expecting to see a mob, or a riot.

Instead, it was the people crying out in protest.

The guard, having been joined by another, was chaining Alph's wrists.

Alph stood, head high, still unbelieving of it all.

"NO! Alph's a good man! He don't deserve chains!"

"Karloch should be the one in chains, he's a monster!"

"What the shaff are you doing to Alph?"

"SILENCE!" Leif shouted.

They stopped shouting.

Leif raised his hand, four fingers stretched out. Four of his men came running.

"There's a dead man in the cavern. Go collect him. You'll be taking him to K'ndar's dragon for transport."

"Aye, sir," one said, and they hustled to the cavern.

Dorn, followed by the rest, stepped outside and looked at the crowd.

A woman began to cry.

"My lord, whatever Alph done, Karloch had it comin," she said.

The crowd agreed with ayes. Lief growled and they quieted again.

Lord Dorn put his hands on his hips.

"Hear me. There are too many of you for me to transport and hold at my Hold, thus, I will be trying you right here.

I am going to talk to each one of you. I don't know if every one of you is a raider, or if you're a victim or a prisoner of a raider. I will be the decider of your fate.

Understand that raiding in my Hold is a crime. Cutting a tree down without planting two to replace it is a crime. I saw cattle and horses in your herd that are clearly not yours. I see an arsenal of weapons that, in my Hold, at least, are illegal. I have no issue with someone using a bow to hunt with, or a dagger...but swords and crossbows are only for my armed men. Some of my cotholders were extorted, being forced to pay tribute to Karloch, meaning, he was stealing MY rightful tithe.

Criminals must pay a price. Whether Alph is a murderer or just killed Karloch, I will determine at my leisure, and at my convenience. If I determine that those of you have committed crimes, I will be the judge of what punishment you shall earn.

At this time, Alph will be in a cell in my Hold. The rest of you...if you are honest with me, I will take whatever you relate to me into consideration. I will be asking you if you know of other's actions, for instance, theft or murder. I will want to know precisely what Karloch did to you. If you lie to me, if I learn that one of you intimidates or threatens another into keeping information from me, it will go very hard on you.

I am known as a reasonable man, and can understand why sometimes, one does something like send a bolt through a man.

But I also must keep my Hold lawful and productive. I tolerate no criminals, no rapists, no thieves or frauds.

"Now, if there are any questions, I will take them one at a time," he said.

A woman spoke up.

"My lord, we were just about ready to serve dinner. Can we still do that?"

Dorn laughed. When they saw that, many of the people began to relax.

"Ladies, once your leg chains have been removed, by all means. But please, bring the food out here."

"The enforcers got the keys," someone yelled.

Three of the erstwhile enforcers immediately reacted. "My Lord, we have the keys, can we unlock the women?"one cried.

Dorn nodded. Three of them hurried to the group of women.

The fourth one went, too, but with a bit less enthusiasm.

Lief caught Dorn's eye. Without a word, they exchanged the same thought: keep an eye on that one. He'll be the one to bolt, sure as sunrise.

Another person called out and Dorn held up his hand.

"One moment," he said.

He motioned the three dragonriders and Lief over.

"Weyrleader, I thank you for the transport of my men. I think we shall be staying the night here. Please have D'mitran, when he takes Alph to the Hold, inform my wife that I won't be home for dinner. My wagons will be here tomorrow. In the meantime, I would like a small number of your dragonriders to remain here, especially those with fire lizards. The main body of your weyr I release to your command, and thank you so very much for responding so quickly. It made the difference, I believe," he said.

M'rvin nodded. "My lord, I won't have any problems finding volunteers to stay. If I may ask, have you any idea what you're going to do with all these people?"

Dorn hesitated. "It's forming in my mind as I speak. I've a feeling the vast majority of these people are here by force or intimidation. I'm also sure there's a few who are true criminals, and those I'll be putting in a cell, or beheading. I bet my boots a few of them will try to escape in the dark," he laughed.

"I should hope so," Lief said, "It's a grand game, hunting fugitives. Especially with fire lizards!"

"Aye. But, I'm considering also turning this into a temporary cothold until I get things sorted out. I've got to find a man among them who seems to be honest and innocent."

K'ndar interrupted.

"My lord, if I may recommend one? The man who came out last, the one who's all bloody. He has two green fire lizards. He protected me from one I dubbed Scar when they caught me at the old people's hut. And the men in the cave seemed to obey him. He seems to be a leader. If you need a cotholder right now, he's the one I'd choose," he said.

"I remember seeing him come out, K'ndar, he has been hurt fairly badly. I'll take your recommendation into consideration," he said.

The crowd erupted into roars of fury at the sight of Shawn's body being carried out of the cave.

"There he is, the bastard!"

"He's dead, by the stars, can I kill him again?"

"He murdered my husband!"

"Whoever killed him, thank you thank you thank you!!"

"My Lord, that's Karloch, he's a murderer, he's the monster!"

Lief raised his hands to quiet them. This time they needed no orders.

"When can we talk to Lord Dorn? I got LOTS to tell him 'bout Karloch."

"In a few moments, what? In the meantime, sit down and be quiet," he said.

M'rvin turned to K'ndar and was about to say something. K'ndar, recognizing the body language, thought, oh, he's going to insist I stay here. Nope. Not tonight.

"My lord, K'ndar said, "I think I'll help load Shawn onto my dragon."

"Thank you for uncovering this nest, K'ndar," Dorn said. His eyes said something else: remember my invitation.

"You're welcome, my lord," K'ndar said, and headed for Raventh.