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uncertainty in the
eyes of his opponent, Flydd gave a savage grin. The man was weakening. Flydd
snorted in disdain and suddenly the secretary broke. Choking back a gasp,
Fusshte looked down at his papers and the battle was over.
    Such
a little thing, but the atmosphere of the room changed subtly. Flydd was not
defeated yet. He turned back to the chief scrutator.
    'I
have a countercharge against Ghorr!' Flydd said flatly.
    'We'll
hear it after your trial is done,' said Chief Scrutator Ghorr.
    'I'll
not fall for that one. Once you convict me, as you plan to, I'll have no right
to put a countercharge.'
    'You
were charged first,' said Ghorr. 'The procedure can't be changed.'
    'My
entire case depends on my countercharge.'
    'How
unfortunate.'
    'I
appeal to the Council to set aside your decision.'
    'On
what grounds?' asked a diminutive dark woman whose cheeks were painted with red
wax: Scrutator Halie.
    Flydd
was pleased to discover that she was the appointed appeals scrutator. Halie had
been an ally of his previously in difficult times; he could rely on her to be
impartial. 'On the ground that a failure on the part of one or more members of
the Council led to the destruction of the node.'
    'How
so?' said Halie in a dangerous voice.
    'My
first countercharge is that Chief Scrutator Ghorr provided me with a defective
device to destroy the lyrinx node-drainer, and that device failed in use. My
second countercharge is this: in commissioning that device, Chief Scrutator
Ghorr negligently failed to appreciate that it was likely to cause the
destruction of the node itself.'
    'These
are serious charges, Scrutator Flydd,' said Halie.
    'And
I intend to prove them.' He held her gaze as rigidly as if she had been his
most bitter enemy, then broke it before it became a contest.
    'I
shall set aside Chief Scrutator Ghorr's ruling for the moment. The Council will
hear your charges first. Present them with dispatch, Flydd.'
    'Thank
you,' said Flydd. He stood up and met their eyes, one by one. 'You have heard
my first two countercharges, which relate solely to the destruction of the
node. Ghorr's other charges are frivolous and motivated by mischief. He's happy
to waste the Council's time, even at this desperate hour, so long as he can
bring me down.' He turned eyes like lighthouse beams on the chief scrutator.
'That is my third countercharge.'
    'I
did not formulate the charges,' growled Ghorr, glancing at the secretary.
    'But
you gave them your authority.'
    'Make
your case, Flydd, if you have one.'
    'Putting
it simply, the device you gave me was defective.'
    'On
what evidence?'
    'It
failed when I used it, and led to the destruction of the node.'
    'That
proves only that you used it incompetently,' said Ghorr.
    'Also
an assertion that must be proved,' Flydd retorted. 'It's up to the accused to
prove his innocence.' 'And I'm accusing you.' Flydd flung out his arm. The
chief scrutator smiled thinly. 'Very theatrical! You were charged first. Your
claims are countercharges.'
    'Ah,'
said Flydd, making a desperate gamble without knowing what the answer was. 'But
my countercharges are being heard first, and therefore you must prove your
innocence. Is that not so, Appeals Scrutator?'
    Halie
looked dubious, but reached below the table, brought up a bound volume and
began flicking through the pages. After some minutes she put it down again and
went into a huddle with three other scrutators. When it broke up, all the
scrutators, apart from Flydd and Ghorr, went to the other end of the tent,
speaking in low tones with much glancing back at their chief. Ghorr grew purple
in the face. Finally they returned to the table.
    'Though
this question is unprecedented,' said Halie, 'we have reached agreement.
Confirm that you have, members of the Council.'
    Each
of the scrutators affirmed that they agreed. Halie continued. 'We have voted, by
a margin of six votes to three, that the countercharges must be defended
first.'
    'Be
damned!' roared the chief