Part the Very Tenth
In which: Justice demands answers
(as recorded by Fajitas)
Anvil pauses outside of the door to Stalwart’s cell. He listens carefully. There is no sound of anyone within. Nor should there be, as Stalwart is supposed to be working elsewhere at the moment. Slowly, Anvil reaches for the doorknob and turns it. >click< The door opens.
He reflects briefly on Thatch’s reaction when Anvil had announced he intended to search Stalwart’s cell. “Um, can you do that?” Thatch had asked. “I mean, isn’t that like breaking the law or something?”
“Justice demands it,” had been Anvil’s reply.
Anvil slowly creeps into the empty cell. Nothing in plain view is obviously criminal, so he begins his search. No suspect documents. No direct evidence of a connection between Stalwart and the Aegosian Count Missola. Not a lot to go on.
And then he checks under the bed, and finds a bag of gold. 75 Aegosian gold pieces. The jackpot.
*************
Thatch, Reyu, and Cyrus stand around and look imposing, as Anvil slams the bag of gold down on the table in front of Stalwart the Just. “Explain these,” Anvil demands.
Stalwart stares at it. “You invaded my cell?” he asks.
“That is not the issue,” Anvil insists. “Explain these.”
It is not, strictly speaking, forbidden for Justicars to maintain personal funds. It is just very uncommon. The Temple provides most of what a Justicar would need: food, clothing, equipment. It is not considered seemly for Justicars to have an alternate means of making money, as it could be perceived as damaging to their objectivity. In fact, it could be damaging to their objectivity.
Stalwart looks up, a twitch in his eye. “I’ve done nothing wrong,” he says, defensively.
“Nothing wrong!?” Thatch blurts. “You framed us and were gonna have us sold into slavery!”
“I did nothing of the sort!” Stalwart cries, his voice rising a tone in pitch. “I never framed anyone! I always acted within the law. If others have bent the law, how could I know--"
“Then you admit your collusion with nefarious men,” Anvil says.
“I didn’t-- I don’t--" Stalwart stammers. He finally gets out, “I’ve studied Aegosian law! It’s only natural that Aegosians would come to me.”
“And pay you to rule in their favor?” Anvil demands.
“That’s how things work in Dar Aego! Each side in a case makes a contribution to the Temple,” Stalwart protests.
“They pay to the Temple or the Justicar?” Cyrus asks.
“The-the Justicar.”
“What size… contribution are they allowed to make? Are there any limits?” Reyu asks.
“Well, no. It-it depends.”
“And when one party gives more money to a Justicar than another, that never affects the judgement, does it?” Thatch asks.
“Kettenek supports the pious, the pious give freely to the Temple, so those who give freely are clearly--" Stalwart begins, but there’s little conviction behind his words. He seems to be reciting from rote something he read once, and it comes off as a pathetic justification.
The others are disgusted, but Anvil is incredulous. “This system is what they call… this is how they dispense… that’s supposed to be Justice!?” he roars.
Stalwart cowers before Anvil’s fury. “They were entitled to be treated under Aegosian law,” he says meekly. “It is the law.”
Anvil storms about the room, while Reyu’s cooler head takes over. “Tell us exactly what… business… passed between you and Count Missola. It may go better for you if you are… honest. Were you contacted by this man, Remmer or perhaps Reller?” she asks, showing him the sketch. “He has often changed his name and appearance.”
“I never met anyone named Remmer, nor anyone who looks anything like that,” Stalwart says, indicating the sketch. “I never even met Missola. Only his factor, Desalle. He said they were looking for an expert in Aegosian law. He… well, he made sure to mention that they were willing to… tithe. Like Aegosians.”
“Then they framed innocent people for crimes of property, sent them before you, paid you in gold, and you sentenced them to slavery?” Cyrus asks, skipping to the end.
“I didn’t know they were innocent,” Stalwart protests.
“Um, they all said they were,” Thatch points out.
Stalwart looks to Anvil for support. “Nearly everyone judged in a criminal case claims they’re innocent. Anvil, tell them.”
“It is true miscreants often lie about their culpability,” Anvil says grudgingly, but then turns on Stalwart, “which is why Justice must be demanded! The truth of the matter must be ascertained. It cannot be accepted. The claims made against these two…” he indicates Thatch and Reyu “…were proved suspect by the most basic of questions. Did you even bother to investigate the innocent pleas of those who stood before you?” Anvil stares at Stalwart, who hangs his head in shame.
“No,” he says quietly. Then he adds “it… it was all legal under Aegosian law.”
There is silence around the room for several long moments. Finally Thatch asks, “Um. So, does that prove we didn’t do it? Are we free to go now?”
To Thatch’s dismay, Anvil shakes his head. “Though Stalwart can tie Count Missola to multiple heresies of Justice, he cannot tie him to the scarred man you saw in the Marketplace,” Anvil says. “Until that connection can be drawn, the charges against you cannot be disproved.”
“It seems,” Reyu says carefully, “that there are few who can make that… connection. And they seem to be limited to those involved in the conspiracy themselves.”
“Yes,” Anvil says, thoughtfully. He turns to Stalwart. “Your acts demand Judgement by those higher than I. Do you wish a chance for partial atonement? I will testify to such actions on your behalf.”
“Yes,” Stalwart replies. “Yes. What would you have me do?”
“Do you have a means of communicating with this man, Desalle?”
“I can send him a message.”
“Excellent. You will send Desalle a message that I have discovered the identity of his associate, Remmer, and that he had best advise him to leave town.”
“All right. And then?” Stalwart asks.
“Then nothing,” Anvil responds.
“Um, what do the rest of us do?” Thatch asks.
“We? We shall follow Desalle …”
To be continued…
