In The Beginning, Gail Daley [red white royal blue .TXT] 📗

Screechers loosely resembled the parrots of Old Earth, with their colorful, brightly hued, jewel-toned feathers. Screechers were highly prized for their ability to mimic any sounds they heard and could be trained to repeat it back if called upon to do so. Unfortunately, their beauty was offset by their irascible dispositions; when disturbed or irritated which was frequently, they tended to shriek profanities at very high decibels.

Two husky crewmembers directed Katherine’s party to one side of the front row. She was unsurprised to note that Donna Sabina DeMedici had been invited to attend as well as Lieutenant Lister. Donna DeMedici was accompanied by Colonel Lewiston who had been Lister’s commanding officer. Since Donna DeMedici had accepted Colonel Lewiston’s application for his unit to become members of Clan DeMedici, her presence was required by custom. Perhaps Sabina DeMedici had not objected to his patronizing manner during the interview Katherine speculated, or perhaps he had learned something when she had thanked him and then dismissed him from consideration. He had certainly not been pleased with her rejection.

Captain Hidelberg rapped the table lightly with a large crystal. "Be seated, please," he said. "This formal hearing will be recorded into the ship’s log. Captain’s Mast, Star Date 3841, Dancing Gryphon, Captain Hidelberg Presiding, concerning the endangerment of the minor Lady Juliette O’Teague ni'Jones. Please step forward Lady Juliette."

He gestured to the chair set sideways between the audience and his table. "Lady Juliette, do you know who I am?"

"Yes, sir," Juliette glanced apprehensively at Katherine and received a reassuring smile and nod. She turned back to the Captain.

"Do you know the difference between a truth and a lie?" he asked

"Yes, sir," she gulped.

"Good. I expect you to truthfully answer all my questions."

"Yes sir," she said again.

"What were you doing in that particular corridor, young lady?"

Juliette straightened in her chair. "It’s a game sir, to learn about the ship."

The captain’s eyebrows rose. "Tell me about this game."

"Grouter, that’s the administrator at the Placement Center where we were put during the war after our parents died, used to send us kids out in the city to—well to do errands and carry messages, I guess. He wanted us to learn how to get around and not get lost, so he taught us this game. A couple of us would go around the city, spot landmarks, and come back and draw our own map. It’s kind of boring shut in the cabin all day so we started the game up again. We didn’t mean to cause a problem, sir. And we didn’t go anywhere that wasn’t marked okay for passengers. The idea was to find the places we weren’t supposed to go and not go there."

"You said we, who was with you?"

"My cousin Violet, sir. Violet is pretty young and still learning the game, so I was with her."

"You said you didn’t go anyplace that wasn’t open, so how did you get into the locked storage closet?"

Juliette jerked her chin at Lister. "She put me in there. She tried for Violet too, but I kicked and bit her and Violet got away."

Darla Lister jumped to her feet. "That’s a lie!"

Juliette flinched but glared back at her defiantly.

"Sit down, Miss Lister," the Captain ordered sternly, and she reluctantly resumed her seat, whispering angrily to the Colonel.

"That action seems a little extreme Milady", the Captain commented. "Do you know why Miss Lister, wanted to put you in that closet?"

"She said we were following her and spying on her," Juliette replied. "She said—"

Darla jumped to her feet again and this time she sprang at Juliette, "You lying little Bitch, I’ll teach you to lie about—"

She broke off with a squeak. Katherine had blocked her lunge at Juliette, and spun her away from the child, dealing Darla a backhanded blow with her fist as she did so. Reeling backward, Darla’s extended arm slapped the Screecher’s cage, setting it swinging violently. Darla then tripped over the crewman who was rushing in from behind to restrain her, and the two of them went down in a pile in front of the desk. The Screecher let forth with a stream of vituperative complaint in five languages. Colonel Lewiston and Donna DeMedici were on their feet. Out of the corner of her eye, Katherine noted Zack had come up beside her, and that the two boys had protectively flanked Juliette.

Grabbing the Screecher’s rocking cage, Captain Hidelberg bellowed for order. The outer door burst open and several more crewmembers rushed in, lining the walls ready to restore order on instructions from their Captain. He gestured for the nearest crewman, a large muscular woman, to restrain Darla Lister and make sure she stayed in her seat.

"Thank you, Milady," he said to Juliette. "You may return to your seat now. The rest of you sit down, and you shut up!" he added to the Screecher, who ruffled his feathers indignantly but obeyed even though he continued to mutter rebelliously to himself.

"Now, Miss Lister, what were you doing in that corridor?"

"It’s Lieutenant Lister," she said sullenly, "and I was taking a walk. Those nosy brats were following me. I just wanted to scare them a little and teach them a lesson. I would have come back and let them out."

The Captain grunted and frowned. "I see," he said, obviously not really believing her.

Katherine stood up. "May I speak, Captain?"

He nodded, "Certainly Milady."

"Captain Healdsburg we are guests on your ship and subject to your laws and regulations so I will accept whatever judgment you make in regard to this matter. I will take no action unacceptable to you."

She looked first at Donna DeMedici, and then addressed Darla Lister coldly. "Woman, you have twice endangered my children, and could have caused bodily harm both times. Your patron, Donna Sabina DeMedici knows full well that were we on Vensoog, your actions could have meant a clan war."

She exchanged a look with Donna Sabina DeMedici and received a nod. "I will trust both her and the Captain to ensure you take no further actions against