Any Reasonable Doubt- Part One

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or locations used in this story; they are the intellectual property of Rand Miller, Robyn Miller, David Wingrove, and Cyan Worlds. No money is being made off of this story, nor is it intended to infringe upon any copyright laws.

Author's Note: Behold, my first attempt at a courtroom drama. Revel in the description-blind excess of stiff dialogue, the overflowing abundance of the passive voice, the non-canon D'ni historical errors, and the strange obsession with steely, cold gazes that shift! Yeah… I was writing it in Pre-Calculus. Don't expect greatness.

Dedicated to my Pre-Calc teacher, who probably thinks that I've been taking notes on power functions all this time.

A man stood in the center of the stone hall. Though his hands were bound behind his back like a prisoner's, he wore the red cloak of a master of the Guild of Writers. He turned his head, taking in the faces of all those seated around him, challenging them to speak with his stare.

"Guild Master Agaeris."

Agaeris fixed his gaze on the Great Lord addressing him.

"Yes, my lord?" he asked with controlled indignation. "Am I to be informed as to why I, an upstanding citizen of D'ni and a Master of my guild, have been taken from my home in chains, like a common criminal, and presented before the Council to be tried for some transgression of which I have not been informed?"

The Great Lord Hemelah shifted in his seat, avoiding the accusation in Agaeris' eyes. "The Council has seen fit to question you regarding the death of your fellow Guildsman, Danleb. It is known that you were acquainted with this man visited him in his home shortly before he was found dead. Have you anything to say about this, Guild Master?"

Agaeris' expression was inscrutable. "I was unaware of Danleb's death," he said, never breaking eye contact with Lord Hemelah. "How did he pass?"

"He was found at the bottom of a steep hill in his family's private Age. The rocks at the foot of the hill broke his back, as if he had fallen a great distance."

"And you immediately assume that I pushed him?" Agaeris raised his eyebrows. "Come now, don't deny it. That's what you all suspect, isn't it?"

A wave of unsettled murmurs passed through the crowd, but Agaeris remained perfectly still. It even looked as though he were smiling.

"The Council has made no such allegation, Guild Master," Lord Hemelah pronounced. "You say these words only against yourself."

"Forgive me, Lord Hemelah," Agaeris said with a sweeping bow. "I did not mean to discomfort anyone by voicing the thought that no other here has courage enough to—"

"I would remind you where you stand, Agaeris." Lord Hemelah's voice rang against the ancient stone of the chamber. "You are not in charge of this trial!"

"After this is done, it will be the Council that must reevaluate where it stands," Agaeris shot back, his agitation evident, "when it realizes that it has unfairly tried a man of high standing for a murder to which he has no connection!"

"You call it 'murder,' Guildsman," interjected the Great Lord Taeri. "We used no such term. By introducing such an idea, you only suggest that you have further insight into the nature of Danleb's death than we. If you wish to further accuse yourself, than by all means continue in your current vein of thought."

Agaeris narrowed his eyes at the calm Lord Taeri, but held his tongue. A Guild Master of Agaeris' rank was expected to respect the opinion of the High Council, even if that opinion were leveled unfairly against himself. A silence passed before Lord Hemelah continued speaking.

"It is known that you accompanied Guildsman Danleb to his home the night before he died. Observers at the Guild Hall earlier that day reported a dispute between yourself and the Guildsman in question. Was this dispute resolved by the time you left the Guild Hall together?"

Agaeris stiffened but did not lower his eyes. "No, the dispute was ongoing."

"Can you tell us the manner of the dispute?"

"It was over a book. A proposed Age." Agaeris continued at a brisk pace. "The Guild of Caterers commissioned Danleb to write a highly specialized Age for the cultivation of exotic tropical fruits. It was a difficult task for a Writer as young and inexperienced as Danleb, so I took it upon myself to supervise his project." Agaeris smiled, his voice tinged with sarcasm. "Danleb reacted poorly to that."

"I would remind the Guild Master not to speak lightly of the dead," Lord Taeri interjected.

"I apologize again, my Lord." Agaeris cut off each word with cold restraint. "I did not mean to dishonor my late Guildsman."

Lord Taeri nodded. "Continue."

Agaeris breathed deeply. "Guildsman Danleb accused me of taking over his assignment. He showed great disrespect towards me, his elder and superior." Agaeris measured his words. "Guildsman Danleb insinuated that I, in my old age, had declined in my mastery over the Art and intended to take undue credit for his accomplishments. He was out of line." He shot a look at Lord Taeri.

"If Danleb and yourself were engaged in such a dispute, why did you visit his home?"

"I wished to settle things there!" Anger was more than evident in Agaeris' answer. He checked his rage. Taeri raised an eyebrow, but continued questioning.

"Did you wish to settle your dispute by blows?"

"No, my Lord, I thought nothing of the sort."

"Witnesses from neighboring buildings in the district say that they heard loud shouting coming from Danleb's house. Did your discussion with the guildsman become aggressive?"

Agaeris' eyes narrowed. "Voices were elevated."

"When did you leave the home of Guildsman Danleb?"

"I do not recall. It was not late in the evening."

"Did you take anything from his home?"

"What are you insinuating?" Agaeris shouted, stomping his foot. "That I would resort to petty theft to get back at an idiot who insulted me?"

"A book was missing from Danleb's library when his house was searched this morning," Lord Hemelah explained. "It was… a Linking Book. To his family's private Age."

Agaeris froze. No sound rippled the air of the chamber as the Council of D'ni waited to hear Agaeris accept or refute this crucial piece of evidence. Then, he began to make a low, indistinct noise. It was quiet at first but gradually grew to a throaty chuckle—Agaeris was laughing at the Five Great Lords.

"Search my house!" he said, laughing louder. "You will find no missing book of Danleb's! Search my family's home and my place of work and all my Ages, and you will find no book!"

"Guild Master Agaeris!" Lord Hemelah barked with uncharacteristic authority. "Restrain yourself!"

But Agaeris would have nothing of it. "No book, no book!" he sang with glee. "It matters not whether Danleb tripped or was pushed, or if I myself stabbed him through the heart and hid the body! You can find no book!"

"Agaeris!"

Agaeris stopped and directed his attention to the dais of the High Council.

"Your conduct thus far has been appalling," the Great Lord Hemelah declared. "It would appear that you have no understanding of the seriousness of your situation. I would normally allow you to stay and plead your case, but in this instance I feel that the Council need hear no more testimony. We shall recess for some period of time to discuss this case, and when a verdict is reached, you will be called back to the chamber to receive it. In the meantime, I suggest that you carefully rethink your flippant attitude toward the law of D'ni."

Agaeris met his gaze with an air of assured superiority. "You will find no book," he repeated, as if stating a plain fact. "There will be no conviction."

The Five Great Lords rose, signaling the end of testimony.

"We shall decide that."