From: Clive@cj4386.demon.co.uk (Clive May)
Subject: Re: A story we can all create..
Date: Thu, 31 Jan 02 22:19:02 GMT


Shanneril turned from gazing out over the city through the panoramic window
of the Council Chamber, to fix her attention on Siharal.  The bright morning
sunlight made a golden halo of her hair.  "Why have I only received this
report within the last hour?" she asked.

"The serious nature of the matter did not become apparent until midnight,"
Siharal answered.  "We were already busy with this blue box business,
tracking the rebel cell, and the attempted murder of the new Overworld
advisor...There has been much to do and..."

Shanneril interrupted.  "I believe you spoke to..." She flicked open the
folder on the ledge beside her.  Scanning the page, she went on.  "...Nahlia
at the time?  How was that?"

"I was in the Monitoring Room when the incident occurred."

"One of your impromptu inspections?"

"Yes...It keeps the teams on their toes," Siharal explained a trifle
defensively.  He had a reputation as a 'night prowler' among his troops.  "It
improves efficiency; and I like to keep an eye on things."

"Quite!  So you spoke to Nahlia at the time of the incident?  How did she
seem?"

"I took her report of the incident," Siharal nodded.  A completely routine
matter - nuisance raid by the North Rimmers.  Not uncommon, get a few dozen a
year.  They shoot up a sentry post now and again.  We tolerate it because it
helps to keep the sentries sharp.  If they ever became a nuisance, we'd take
a flight down and discourage them by burning their crops - and they know it!"

"How did she seem to you when you spoke to her?"

Siharal thought about it a moment, before declaring: "Quite calm.  Her usual
efficient self in fact."

Shanneril nodded; "yes.  Which is strange?...Because according to the Medico
report, she must have been standing over Jorsam's mutilated body at the
time."

"I did not catch any hint of that in her voice," Siharal answered, a little
defensively.  "We only found out about Jorsam's murder at midnight, when the
watch was changed."

"Then what did you do?"

"I took a squad out, personally, to post five, to see what all the fuss was
about.  Just as I was leaving Central, I got another report from area 510 of
another team slaughtered.  So I detoured there to inspect the scene after
doubling the guard on all key points.  Better to be safe than sorry."

"Indeed, Siharal!  What did you find?"

Siharal swallowed and went a little pale, which alerted Shanneril to the
degree of the horror that her captain had encountered at area 510.  Siharal
did not shock easily.

"The team guarding the exits from the adjacent abandoned residential district
had been...Killed...Savaged...Horribly mutilated...Their throats had been
ripped out.  They were lying in each others arms...Covered in blood...It was
gruesome...A ghastly mess...They were still warm..." Unconsciously, Siharal
began wiping his palms on his uniform trousers.

"So it had not happened long?  Perhaps, around the same time as the murder of
Jorsam?"

"It's all in the medico report," Siharal said.  He poked at a thin green
folder, edging it along the window sill towards her.  "Medico said they'd
been killed about an hour after Jorsam.  I called in a security squad to seal
up the place, and made my way to sentry post five.  When I got there, I found
the new watch team guarding the entry...And on the platform...Jorsam with the
same kind of injuries as the two at area 510."

"And Nahlia?"

She was right out of it, just sitting by the wall, staring at the moons.
Jebba, the new duty sentry, had put her cloak around Nahlia's shoulders, but
had done nothing else, because she seemed uninjured, but in some kind of
trance.  I had her removed to Central as soon as a cart could be got out
there."

"And how is she now?"

Siharal swallowed again.  "She came out of the trance around dawn.  But she
broke down completely.  The medicos had to use a powerful sedative to quiet
her.  She and Jorsam were a life bonded pair - very close...They..."

"So you have not yet questioned her?" Shanneril cut across him.

"The medicos say that she'll not be in any fit state to answer any questions
for a long time.  Possibly never." He paused an shuddered.  "Avis knows what
did that to Jorsam and the others but she must have seen it - whatever it
was?"

"Which is why it's imperative that she be questioned as soon as practical.
Use the probe on her if you have to; but I must know what sort of monster is
loose in the city."

Siharal nodded, snapped back to his military bearing by Shanneril's focus on
the immediate practicalities.  He fished a small spheroid of lead from a
pocket, and handed it over.  "I ordered a sweep of the area.  Half an hour
ago, we found this."

"A musket ball?" Shanneril stared at her captain with suddenly hooded eyes.
"You're not suggesting that the Servii beast men have found some way into the
Sacred City?"

Before Siharal could offer an opinion, the grand double-doors of the Council
Chamber, opposite the grand window, were pushed open.  The ornately carved
wooden valves swung back smoothly, to admit porters.  They wheeled in a cart,
bearing the body of Cain, minus trenchcoat.  At the centre of the chamber,
the porters unloaded the body onto the blue carpet, and withdrew.

Gaudily garbed Counsellors began to file into the wedge-shaped chamber,
talking amongst themselves in quiet voices.  Eyeing the body on the carpet,
they took seats around the long outer curve of the council table, backs to
the window.  Last of all came the new Overworlder advisor.  She had changed
out of the rags she had worn to infiltrate the rebel cell, and was now
attired in a body-hugging scarlet coverall.  The mid-morning sun struck fire
from her flame red hair, as she settled into the chair, to the right of
Shanneril's throne.

Shanneril waited until all were seated.  She indicated Siharal should take
his place, to her left, and then seated herself in the high chair, at the
apex of the table.  Guards trooped in to flank the two walls, narrowing down
to the doors.  The doors swung closed.  Shanneril rapped the table with the
silver rod of office, and opened the specially convened meeting.

"This meeting is called to order," she announced.  "The first item of
business is the proposed execution of the Overworlder, Cain, for the murder
of three citizens and the attempted slaying of the Overworld advisor Kali!"