To The Stars

“People of Halvmork. I am being tried today because l did everything in my power to save your lives and save the corn which is sure to be badly needed by the ships when they come. That is all I have done. Some have opposed me and they were in error and it will be proved that they were in error. My only crime, and it is not a crime, was to point out the new and dangerous situation and outline ways to handle it. Things we did have never been done before — but that doesn’t mean that they were wrong. Just new. The old rules did not apply to the new situations. I had to act as strongly as possible or the new things would not have been done. What I did was not treason, but just common sense. I cannot be condemned for that

“That is enough,” The Hradil said, breaking in. His microphone went dead. “The prisoner’s arguments will be considered. The judges will now confer.”

She was arrogant in her power. There was no conferring. She simply wrote on a piece of paper and passed it to the next judge. He wrote and passed it along. They all wrote quickly; it was obvious what the word was. The paper was passed in the end to Chun Taekeng who barely glanced at it before he spoke.

“Guilty. The prisoner is found guilty. He will die by garroting in twenty-four hours. Garroting is the punishment for treason.”

There had never been an execution on this planet before, not in the lifetime of any of those present. They had never even heard of the means of punishment. They shouted to each other, calling out questions to the judges. Ryzo Santos pushed through the crowd, to the edge, and his voice could be heard over the others.

“That’s not treason, what Jan did. Re’s the only sane man here. If what he did was treason then the rest of us are guilty of treason as well—”

Proctor Captain Scheer raised his gun, at point blank range, and fired. The flame wrapped Ryzo’s body, charring him in an instant, turning the shocked horror on his face to a black mask. He was dead before he fell.

There were screams as those nearby pushed back, moans of pain from those burnt by the edges of the blast. The Hradil spoke.

“A man has been executed. He shouted aloud that he was guilty of treason. Are there any more who wish to cry out they are guilty of treason? Come forward, speak plainly, you will be heard.”

She purred the words, hoping for a response. Those closest pushed back, on the verge of panic. None came forward. Jan looked at the body of his friend and felt a strange numbness. Dead. Killed because of him. Perhaps the charges were right and he did bring chaos and death. He stirred when Scheer stepped behind him and grabbed him by the arms so he could not move. Jan understood why when he saw The Hradil coming slowly toward him.

“Do you see where your folly has led you, Kulozik?” she said. “I warned you not to defy me, but you would not listen. You had to preach treason. Men have died because of you, the last but moments ago. But that is at an end now because you are at an end. We will soon be finished with you. Alzbeta will be finished with you…”

“Don’t soil her name by speaking it with your putrid lips!”

Jan had not meant to speak, but she goaded him to it.

“Alzbeta will no longer be married to you when you are dead, will she? That is the only way to terminate a marriage, and this one will be terminated. And your child will be raised by another man, will call another man father.”

“What are you talking about, hag?”

“Oh, didn’t she tell you? Perhaps she forgot. Perhaps she thought you might find the idea of her married to another repugnant. She will have a child, your child—”

She stopped, gaping, when Jan burst into loud laughter, shaking in Scheer’s hard grip.

“Do not laugh, it is true,” she cried.

“Take me from her, take me to my cell,” Jan called out, turning away, still laughing. Her news had had the opposite effect from that she had wished for. This was such good news. He said that to Alzbeta when she came to see him in his cell after he had been locked away.

“You should have told me,” he said. “You must have known better than that scruffy old bitch how I would react.”

“I wasn’t sure. It was such wonderful news, just a short while ago. The doctor must have told her, I didn’t know she knew. I just didn’t want to bother you.”

“Bother? A little good news goes a long way in these bitter times. The baby itself is what counts. I could be killed at any time — but you will still have our child. To me, that is the important thing. You should have seen that monster’s face when I started to laugh. It wasn’t until later that I realized it was the best thing I could have done. She is so evil she can’t appreciate that others can have any wholesome or decent thoughts.”

Alzbeta nodded. “I used to be hurt when you talked like that about her, it bothered me so. After all, she is The Hradil. But you are right. She is all those things and more…”

“Don’t talk like that, not here.”