The Forlorn(87)

They'd been so intent on terrorizing the officer that they hadn't noticed his sleepy relief coming along the pier. This man's eyes suddenly focused on the drawn swords. He screamed and ran.

"Hell's teeth. That's torn it!" swore Cap, "No, Leyla! Don't shoot. After him. We may still get past before they're up and organized." But they were too late. Already bleary-eyed crossbow-armed men were spilling onto the pier.

The river quay was a long dock running parallel to the river with three piers leading in over the muddy shallows, rather like an "E" with the long edge in the deep water. The river height obviously varied considerably, and the main dock had to be built out where it could be used at all seasons. They were on the center spline of the E leading to the shore. Keilin could hear the clatter of men running across the wooden slats in the mist.

"Well, gentlemen," Cap said calmly. "It appears we have a stand-off. Several of you are going to die before you can crank those bows, so don't even start. Leyla, drop the first man that tries."

"We have a policy to condemn—" began one man.

" Yes, we've heard. But if it comes to a fire-fight I'm going to kill you first. So it won't do you much good personally," said Cap in a matter-of-fact voice. "And with that sort of threat waiting for us, we might as well go out fighting. Even if you get lucky, at least twelve of you are not going to make it. So . . . who'll be the first to move . . . and get killed? Maybe you should try another time instead, when the odds aren't stacked against you."

There was a long silence. Keilin was just beginning to hope when the Amphirian officer Cap had interrupted shook his head. "No." His voice was hard, flat and final.

He continued. "Your theft was the worst incident in Amphir's history as a safe-city. We cannot back off. It would cost all of us our jobs, and our city its reputation. You will return the black opal, and we will have ten times its weight of the thief's flesh. Then you can walk away from here."

Cap stood silent for a minute. Then: "We don't have the jewel any more."

The Amphirian officer shrugged. "Then it is twenty times its weight. And the name of the man who purchased it. He will return it, and be refunded. If he should refuse . . . then we count him as a thief, too. Come. The thief. It is one of those three, who actually took the stone. Then the rest of you can go." He pointed to Keilin, Bey and S'kith

Cap shrugged. "Keilin. You wanted to do it this way." Keilin felt his jaw dropping. Cap continued. "Twenty times the weight in flesh. See you don't take a drop of blood in the process."

The Amphirian laughed humorlessly. "We've heard that one before. The courts of Amphir were kind enough to pass a waiver, exempting us from all claims for damages caused in the execution of our duty. Now, to whom was the jewel sold, and for what price?"

"To the Tyrant. Twenty thousand in gold. Far more than it's worth, really. He wanted a jewel that had successfully been stolen from Amphir," Cap continued blandly, pushing Keilin forward.

"Hang on, Cap. You can't let the boy take the rap alone," said Beywulf, stepping forward. "You lot. I'm bigger than him, and it was only a little bitty stone anyway. Take your flesh out of me."

"No." S'kith too had stepped forward, his voice, as usual, terrifyingly flat. "You can take the flesh from my body. I am not so fat, and will eat better anyway. But try to take it from my friend here, and I will kill many of you first. Keilin, you let them take it from me. I will not feel the pain."

A snort came from behind them. It was Leyla. "Oh, that's enough, Captain Wickus. Yes, I recognize you, even if you don't remember me. Here. This is the gem." She produced a black opal.

The man accepted it warily. "Who are you?"

"Never you mind. I just remember you when you were a pompous little boy. Haven't changed much. Now you split the flesh cut between them. Off their buttocks. They can all afford to lose the thirty grains. Cap, give them an anesthetic," she said, queenly and commanding.

"I have been ordered to take it from their chests, madam." The word was a careful insult. "Inside their chests."

She shrugged. "Your orders don't permit you to interfere with innocent parties. They've confessed. Therefore the rest of us, Shael and Cap and I, are walking up to you now, innocent and untouchable. We'll watch you exact the fine. If you don't do it to my satisfaction, I'm going to rip you open from neck to ball bag, not that that's ever been any use to you. Shael'll do the same to another of you. Cap, how many do you think you can kill? Remember they're law officers. Can't touch us unless we break their law. They have to work within the local law too. Killing people is not against the law here, is it?"