“I hope that all is well with my fellow Student? I am anxious for his sake.”
She didn’t expect the blatant lie to fool Tutor Chonis, although the situation could be honestly interpreted in such a way as to hint at a problem. A suicide, for example. Chonis would be more distracted in his behavior had Koscuisko tried to escape in that way, though. There would be political repercussions, complications, a scandal, if the oldest son of the Koscuisko prince had killed himself after his family had entrusted him to Fleet.
“And I’m certain that Student Koscuisko cherishes the same fondness for you. Now. First Secretary Verlaine has asked us to send copies of your Intermediate Levels to him through the Administrative center at Pikanime. Administrator Clellelan has released your records on the freight run that went out yesterday, and he released the complete record, so Secretary Verlaine will have a chance to evaluate your Advanced Levels as well.”
That was a strange thing to have done, wasn’t it? They both knew that Verlaine had asked for the record so that he could judge Koscuisko’s potential for himself, if indirectly. Koscuisko’s talent would only be more obvious in her Advanced Levels than they were at the Intermediate. “I am unsure about the drug Student Koscuisko selected for the Ninth Level. I had wished to make a private question of it, Tutor Chonis.”
Tutor Chonis almost smiled. “No doubt, Student Noycannir, no doubt. But the best drugs in the world won’t help unless you pay enough attention to working with, and not against, them. Let us consider your Tenth Level exercise. The final test is crucial to your graduation, as you know.”
This was getting frustrating. “I hope to profit from instruction, if I may speak to Student Koscuisko in this matter . . . ”
Meeting her eyes squarely, blunt and candid, Tutor Chonis declined to take the bait; offering her instead a sop of teasing information clearly intended to be deliberately provoking. “That will not be possible, Mergau. I suggest you concentrate your energies on your Tenth Level. You must pay more attention to what you’re doing, if you mean to graduate at the end of this Term.”
Why would it “not be possible” for her to talk to Koscuisko? All Chonis had to do was issue the summons, and Koscuisko would of necessity come promptly, no matter what he might have been doing. Such a pretense on Tutor Chonis’s part made no sense.
Nor did the Administration’s willingness to release her Advanced Levels to Verlaine, unless . . .
“The drug was not correct for my last exercise, Tutor Chonis. You told my Patron that I would receive support.”
Verlaine had asked for her records so that he could judge Koscuisko’s worth and decide whether to preempt Fleet’s posting to take Koscuisko for his own. The Administration had sent the records Verlaine had requested, those and more. Tutor Chonis knew very well what she had been trying to get Verlaine to do — Mergau was certain of that. The conclusion was easy to derive but impossible to credit.
“This Administration has done everything in its lawful power to accommodate First Secretary Verlaine, Mergau. But nothing will do the job for you if you cannot remember the most basic restrictions of the Levels. Rehearse for me if you will the requirements for satisfaction of the Tenth Level exercise, Command Termination.”
If they had sent the records directly to Chilleau Judiciary, she would be graduated and gone before Verlaine would have the time to prepare a requisition override for Koscuisko’s posting. Tutor Chonis had said Pikanime, though. That meant that Verlaine had asked for more immediate access. A requisition override could be prepared and delivered to Fleet within a matter of days from Pikanime. Tutor Chonis had also said that it would “not be possible” for her to speak to Student Koscuisko. Therefore and necessarily, Tutor Chonis had released her records to Verlaine because he felt that Koscuisko was secure from any intervention from Pikanime Judiciary; and Koscuisko would only be secure from such last-minute revisions to his orders if his orders had already been issued.
“Mergau? I’m waiting. If you would be so kind.”
They had sent Koscuisko away to Fleet, so that the Bench could not have him. It was an outrage, so blatant an insult that it took her breath away. It was also a mistake, because her Patron knew how to deal with intriguers of this sort.
“The Tenth Level of the Question, Tutor Chonis, Inquiry, Confirmation, and Execution. Command Termination. The required elements include the cumulative execution of the Fourth through Ninth Levels, over a period of not less than three and ideally lasting five days.”
Would they defy the Bench and deny Verlaine access to their prize Student?
Would they indeed?
She would be out of here in less than three weeks’ time; she would bring the Writ to the First Secretary. She would bring words and knowledge to him as well.
Let Koscuisko hide in Fleet, and pinch his nose in mockery toward Chilleau Judiciary.
Her Patron would know well enough how to repay Andrej Koscuisko for this insult.
For supplementary text and miscellaneous vignettes please see “Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor” at www.sff.net/people/susan.scribens/excerpt.HTM.
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An Exchange of Hostages Page 42