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received.”
    Andrej concentrated on the Tutor’s words, doing his best not to think about why it was so important to rationalize the institutionalization of torture. Deterrent terror. Swift and strict punishment for crimes against the Judicial order. The shock value of a mutilated body on display at local Judicial centers. Living, breathing examples of what a person risked when they tried to challenge the rule of Law.
    It didn’t matter how he felt about it.
    He would keep up and do well; it was expected. It was required. For the rest — since there could hardly be any congenial drinking-places at a stand-alone Station founded on a barren piece of rock — he would simply have to find distraction where he could.

    ###

    Mergau Noycannir was prompt to class, and had been prompt each of the forty-eight Standard days that class had met since the Term had opened. Forty-eight days; six weeks, Standard. They were halfway through the initial orientation phase and still just speaking in generalities. What good could all of this background do anyone?
    Did they think that they were going to lecture her to death, and be rid of her that way?
    She heard the signal at the Tutor’s door. It would be Koscuisko, of course, since Chonis did not signal for admittance to his own office. She threw an idle taunt at him as the door opened, pretending to be providing reassurance.
    “Safe you are, Student Koscuisko, our Tutor is delayed.”
    Six weeks. She was bored, and getting anxious. Koscuisko was a safe target. He came into the room with too much energy, like a man who’d never been forced to watch his step, moderate his gestures, or govern his expression. People who were so egocentric, so self-defined, could only disgust her. Had he never learned to be afraid of somebody? Would he ever take any of this seriously? And yet she had to be wary of him, because he had the medical education that Fleet valued so highly.
    She did not.
    Secretary Verlaine had seen no reason to lose one of his best Clerks of Court to years of medical training when all he wanted was someone who had custody of a Writ to Inquire.
    “Thank you, Student Noycannir. I trust you had good practice.”
    Koscuisko answered politely, clearly not noticing her reprimand. Koscuisko didn’t notice her at all, in some fundamental fashion. That was much worse than any criticism he could have turned on her; but it was not surprising.
    “Thank you, I have had good practice.” Of all those here, only Security gave her a measure of the respect that she had earned, that she deserved. It wasn’t hard to force them to respect her in combat drill. They were not permitted to rebuke her if she hurt them or failed to observe the rules of practice. And she could fight. “Your practice also?”
    Koscuisko, on the other hand, was still learning recruit-level hand-to-hand; she knew that from things Tutor Chonis said. She was better than he was in the arena. If she could have him to herself, no interference, one-on-one, she would not even ask for a weapon. She was confident that she could make him respect her then.
    Koscuisko met her eyes and laughed, small and meekly. “Not up to your standards, Student Noycannir, I am quite sure. I find it much more complex a procedure than breaking brew-jugs over peoples’ heads.”
    He knew she was better, but he didn’t believe it. She could fantasize all she liked; it wasn’t the same. Nor could she afford even fantasies any longer — Tutor Chonis arrived, which meant that she had to make a good show of attention.
    The Tutor set his cubes down at his viewer and began to talk without looking at either of them. It was his way to try to catch them unawares. She had learned his habits, and she could best him at his own game. “Well, as I had been saying this morning. History, philosophy, a little — shall we say — political context.”
    The standard Judicial Structures chart was still on the projection viewer, displayed across the length and breadth