"Objection! The prosecution is making a statement, not asking a question. This is neither the time nor the place." Wearily, Lofton stood and leaned over the defense table, supporting himself on his two hands. No one in the courtroom could fail to read the exhaustion in his slumping frame or the nervous tic tugging at the corner of one eye.

"Sustained." Courtney looked over at the Corporal acting as court stenographer. "Strike those comments. Count Vitios, please call your next witness."

The Count graced Lofton with a sly nod of the head, then smiled cruelly. "The prosecution calls Quintus Allard to the stand."

Justin's father marched stiffly down the aisle from the gallery, anger flashing like lightning from his blue eyes. He allowed himself to be sworn in as though it were the most onerous task he'd ever been asked to perform. He glared at the prosecutor.

Vitios smiled almost graciously. "State your name for the record, please, and your position."

Quintus's nostrils flared. "Enough games, Vitios. I'm here. I'm your Judas, so just get it over with."

Vitios nodded curtly, then looked to Courtney. "Your Honor, you can see that this will be a hostile witness." With the judge's nodded acknowledgement, Vitios started in. "You are the head of the Davion Counter-intelligence Division, are you not?"

"Among other things, yes." Quintus spat out the words as though they were poison.

Vitios smiled without compassion or sympathy. "In your capacity as Acting Minister of Intelligence Information and Operations, did you attend the interrogation of a captured Capellan MechWarrior by the name of Lo Ching-wei?"

"Yes."

"In this interrogation, did you identify him as a member of the Yizhi tong of Shaoshan? And did you identify him as one of the people who claimed some knowledge of the ambush in which your son was injured?"

Quintus tightened his grip on the witness box railing to white-knuckled intensity. "Yes, to both counts."

"What did he identify as the type of 'Mech that destroyed your son's Valkyrie?"

Pain creased Quintus Allard's face as the answer came reluctantly from his lips. "An UrbanMech."

Justin quickly whispered something to his lawyer, and Lofton stood. "Objection, your Honor. This is hearsay evidence."

Vitios wheeled and stabbed a finger at Lofton. "Are you doubting Quintus Allard's sworn word? Obviously, this man is fighting me as hard as he can, and yet you object?"

Lofton removed his glasses and leaned toward Vitios. "Need I remind you, my Lord, that it is not the veracity or credibility of a witness that makes his testimony admissible or not."

Courtney's gavel slammed into the bench and broke the tension much like the bell ending a round of a prize fight. "Leftenant Lofton, return to your place. Overruled!"

"Overruled!" Lofton grabbed for a stack of law disks and would have thrown them at the judge except that Justin restrained his arm. Lofton snapped around and stared at his client as though he'd stabbed him in the back. Justin merely shook his head resignedly. Lofton sank mutely back into his seat.

Vitios turned again on Quintus Allard. "Lo Ching-wei also surrendered the identity of an agent within the Federated Suns forces in Shaoshan, did he not? What was the designation the tong gave to this agent?"

Muscles bunched at Quintus's jaws. "They called him Ivory."

Vitios closed his eyes and clasped his hands before him like a man in prayer. "And what is that designation in Capellan, Minister Allard?"

"Xiangya."

Vitios smiled. "Louder, please. I did not hear it."

"Xiangya!" Quintus raked his fingernails over the oak railing. "There, I've said it. Is that enough?"

Vitios's dark eyes snapped open. "No, that is not enough. In the interrogation, Lo identified the agent, didn't he? He identified him as your son, Justin Xiang Allard, didn't he?"

Quintus bit back angry tears. "Yes, he identified him as my son."

"But you were not satisfied with this identification. You directed a full-scale investigation that included a sweep of the Kittery base computer for security codes. What was your son Justin's activation code for his 'Mech?"

Quintus stared up at the ceiling. "Zhe jian fang tai xiao."

Vitios closed on him. "In English, Minister."

Quintus lowered his head and stared bitterly at Vitios. "This room is too small."

Vitios smiled. "This room is too small. This phrase has another meaning among the Yizhi tong, doesn't it?"

"Yes. It signifies that the speaker fears that someone is listening in on the conversation, and the phrase is a warning to be careful."

Vitios turned to point at Justin Allard. "And this phrase—of all the possible codes he could have used—in either Capellan or English, is the one he chose. Ironic, isn't it, that he chooses an enemy expression for caution as the password to his 'Mech."

"Do you expect me to respond to that?"

Vitios shook his head. "No, I suppose not. I withdraw the question. I am finished with this witness."

Leftenant Lofton leaped to his feet. "I have only one question for this witness." As he started to phrase it, Quintus slowly shook his head. Justin clutched at his lawyer's sleeve, but Lofton marched straight into the trap, heedless of the warning signs. "Mr. Allard, do you believe your son is a traitor?

Quintus looked down at his shoes. "I don't know. I just don't know."

14

New Avalon

Cruris March, Federated Suns

30 January 3027

David, you mustput me on the stand!" Though speaking in a low tone, Justin's voice seethed with anger and filled the prisoners' holding room. "I need my chance to speak."

Lofton shook his head. "It will do no good."

Justin smiled coldly, but his brown eyes had become dark slivers of fury. "Oh, it willdo some good, David."

Lofton's nostrils flared. "Since when have you become a lawyer? Do you think I'm oblivious to what's going on out there? They might as well have strapped you to a K-F drive and jumped you straight into the grave. I look at you and see an officer who cared for his men and who tried to normalize relations with a conquered people. I see a man proud of his mixed heritage, and I see a man who's been decorated for bravery .. ."

Justin thrust his right hand at the Lieutenant. "You see that, perhaps, but you stand alone. To them, out there, I'm the rogue. They gave me everything: a name, a place to live, a career, and their trust. The problem is that they're so used to hiding the skeletons in their own closets that they imagine everyone else is, too. My case gives them a chance to direct their fears and hatred at a living target. Well, I'm ready to shoot back, David, and you have to give me the chance."

"Justin, Vitios will crucify you. You saw how he forced your father to say things he didn't want to say. You heard how he twisted the interpretation of your normal behavior to look like the sinister machinations of a master spy. What can you do on the stand that will help you?"

Justin shook his head. "Nothing."

"Exactly . .."

"Nothing but point up what an absolute travesty this whole trial has been from the start."

Lofton thrust his face at Justin. "No! If you go rogue in that courtroom, if you sink down into the pits with Vitios, they'll kill you. Treason is still a capital offense, Justin, and if you anger enough people out there, you'll be dead."