Page 87 of Guiding Desire
Inside, the Judiciary was cool and airy. Scanners integrated into door frames pinged green, and right after passing through them, a massive staircase filled the visitors’ field of vision.
“I took one of my protector exams here, and they make you say the oath in front of some Judicial AIs as well.”
“How good did you do on the exam?”
Orrey shrugged.
“Tell me.”
“Top percentile. But it’s just the law. All you have to do is memorize it all. That always came easy to me.”
Senlas chuckled. “You’re smart, brave, and sexy. Am I dreaming, kitten, or are you real?”
Orrey’s blush went up to his neck, which stood out prominently when he dropped his gaze to the floor. “You don’t have to flatter me like that.”
“Huh. I’m not. I can tell you the next time I decide to flatter you, how about that?”
“Sure.”
A small serf bot hovered toward them, and they followed it to a large office filled with too many things, things that called Senlas toReachfor them andMovethem about, adjust their positions on shelves and the large desk behind which a uniformed judiciary agent sat, her hair in a tight braid, her uniform spotless.
“Guardian Senlas. We videoed.” She looked at Orrey. “You must be Conduit Orrey. I’m Judiciary agent Zimnil. You did a brave thing.”
“Not at all, just what anyone would have done,” Orrey said.
Which made Senlas empathize with how Col had mentioned wanting to slap Orrey.
Senlas cleared his throat. “Judiciary agent Zimnil, we need to be elsewhere after this.”
Zimnil stood. “Of course. It’s really just a short declaration, although I will warn you that the AI judges may still choose to go forward with the original sentence. Anyway, you need to make the statement in one of the courtrooms, just a formality. Conduit Orrey, would you like to wait here, have some tea maybe?”
Orrey’s face sank. “Right. You only need my custodian,” he mumbled.
“Pardon?”
“He’s coming along,” Senlas said.
Zimnil looked mildly surprised before shrugging it off and leading them to a courtroom the AIs had access to. To make it easier for people to address the AI judges, the cameras at one end of the plain room were mounted on a podium with Argentea’s sigil, three silver arrows pointing skyward surrounded by a circle, all set on a field of black.
Zimnil read the case file summary out loud, and Senlas looked at the podium. “Having discussed it with my Conduit and in accordance with his wishes, I appeal to this court to convert the death sentence you passed. Me and my Conduit wish to see the bomber punished, but we don’t want them dead.”
Zimnil looked at her screen. “Ah. They approved that, the whole six of them.”
Orrey stepped forward and looked to the podium as well. “Thank you, judges. It may not be my right under custody-ship, but I would like to ask whether it’s possible for you to tell me why the bomber did what they did, or whether it’s possible to speak with them in person?”
Senlas’s jaw muscles tensed. Knowing that the Op-AI was probably going to get wind of this and would be closely monitoring Orrey’s reactions outside the wall made that not a helpful question to ask.
“Conduit Orrey, you shouldn’t do that to yourself,” Zimnil said, looked at her screen. “And they agree. Your request has been noted, but it is denied. They add that your injuries have been taken into account and that this court takes protecting the victims of such a vicious attack seriously. They also wish to remind your Guardian that psychological resources within and without the Grounds are at your disposal.”
“Thank you, judges,” Senlas said.
Orrey frowned but nodded, and Senlas put an arm around his shoulders, not sure what words his Conduit needed to hear, if any.
21
ORREY
Wild Hunts: teacher says the term is old, was in use long before we had the city walls to keep us safe; says it’s unclear where it originates, but it has something to do with the Hounds’ battle cries and their attacks at night or at dusk/dawn. What’s missing? Why night? They don’t only attack at night!?
