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you still ought to leave well enough alone.
Mykel stood as well. The Marshal of Myrmidons ordered us here directly. That
means I can t very well leave, but I do appreciate your coming in.
Croyalt nodded brusquely. Don t envy you, Majer. Not at all. Could be a long
cold winter. Good day. He stepped out of the study.
After Croyalt left, Mykel began to search through the file cases. It took him
half a glass, but he finally found the record of the court-martial of
Undercaptain Emolart, such as it was. Emolart had been charged with three
counts of failure to carry out the orders of a superior officer, disrespect to
a superior, and striking a senior officer. He d been shot by a firing squad
the night of the court-martial.
There was no transcript, and only a brief summary of the alleged events. After
having known Majer Hersiod and almost suffering the same fate as Emolart,
except at the hands of Majer Vaclyn, Mykel had no doubts that Croyalt had been
basically accurate in his assessments.
Mykel replaced the files and closed the box. He just stood there and looked at
the wall.
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Why had the previous marshal wanted both Hersiod and Vaclyn to do stupid
things? It was as if he d wanted to destroy the effectiveness of the Cadmians.
But for what reason? If Rachyla were right, that the Cadmians were the
alectors sheep dogs, what purpose was served by destroying them?
Then, too, there were the outholders. They were breaking the Code with their
heavier rifles. But Croyalt had been telling the truth about the sandwolves,
and that meant that the outholders had been using heavy rifles against the
sandwolves for generations despite Hersiod s report that the sandwolves were a
new predator.
Had the alectors ignored the Code-breaking? Or had the outholders kept it
secret? Had there been some sort of tacit agreement? Had the alectors decided
to break that agreement, or had they only just discovered what the outholders
had been doing? Given the Talent skills of the alectors and their Tables,
Mykel doubted that the heavy rifles had been unknown to all alectors.
Then, there were the questions surrounding the miners. From what Mykel had
discovered so far, over the past two years, the miners mainly malcontents
sentenced to terms in the iron and coal mines had been forced to work longer
and harder for reasons that no one had spelled out anywhere. More had died, so
many that the survivors had risked death to try to change matters, except...
if Croyalt happened to be correct, Hersiod had decided on his own to teach
them a lesson. That didn t make sense, either, because dead miners didn t mine
anything.
Uneasy as he had been before, Mykel was feeling even more so with every glass
he spent in Iron Stem.
25
Midmorning on Londi found Dainyl in the Hall of Justice, sitting across the
small table from the High Alector.
I must say, Dainyl, that your handling of the Third Cadmian Battalion is
masterful, Zelyert observed with a broad smile. You did not let them return
to Elcien, but immediately dispatched them to Iron Stem. That way, there is
far less chance of contamination once matters are resolved.
That seemed to make the most sense. How much did Zelyert know? I did worry
about them realizing their effectiveness in dealing with the rebels in
Tempre.
Shastylt would never have considered that. He had a tendency to underestimate
all those below him as you well know.
I ve discovered that some of the Cadmian officers are quite resourceful,
Dainyl temporized. That can resolve immediate difficulties, but... He
shrugged.
Exactly. There is a balance involved. We need resourceful monitors to control
the steers, but monitors who understand and accept that they are indeed our
monitors, working under our guidance. The High Alector of Justice smiled
coolly. What do you intend to do with Majer Mykel?
Nothing not until I find out what really is happening in the Iron Valleys. He
is most resourceful. Everything I have seen suggests that the ancients are
planning something there. It is in his self-interest to oppose whatever they
have in mind. I would prefer using him rather than hazarding Myrmidons, or
removing them from Elcien, especially since there are indications of growing
... mutual interest between Ruvryn, Brekylt, and the Duarch Samist.
Do you think Submarshal Noryan will follow you and Submarshal Alcyna, or High
Alector Brekylt in a case of divided loyalties, shall we say?
That will depend on the circumstances. Noryan is a very direct officer.
You know he is not who everyone thinks he is, yet you think he will oppose
Brekylt?
Not only had Dainyl never mentioned Majer Mykel s abilities to Zelyert, but he
had also never revealed Noryan s false identity to anyone besides Lystrana
except to Shastylt and Captain Sevasya. As Khelaryt s daughter, Sevasya was
highly unlikely to have told Zelyert, and Shastylt was dead. Although Dainyl
couldn t have verified it in any way, he doubted that Shastylt would have told
Zelyert about Noryan. I don t know. Under certain circumstances, it might be
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possible. Dainyl offered an ironic smile. I m not counting on such. That is
one reason why Seventh Company has been relocated to Tempre.
That was another good move. It limits the scope of
Brekylt s possible influence. Zelyert steepled his long fingers. Still... I
think you should give a full account of the latest developments to the Duarch
directly. I ve made arrangements for you to see him tomorrow morning, at the
third glass of morning.
Dainyl almost protested. Not that much had happened since he had last briefed
the Duarch. What else would you like me to convey?
The High Alector offered a deep, warm, and rumbling chuckle. Any reaction the
Duarch might have, especially to the ... positioning of Seventh Company.
If he has one, sir.
That will be a reaction as well. You might also mention that the number of
attempted long translations from Ifryn is continuing to increase.
Although Zelyert s words suggested Dainyl had an option, it was clear that the
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