Inquisition

Disclaimer: Same as before...The characters of Kolopak (based loosely on a Voyager character) and Anora are my own creation.

The next morning, Prue asked Daphne, "How are you holding up?"

At Daphne's quizzical expression, Prue added, "I was asking how are you?"

"For God's sake, I was raped two nights ago and Hari is missing. How do you think I am?" Daphne replied, with uncharacteristic anger before tears welled into her eyes, "I haven't seen him since I was attacked. I don't know if those thugs killed him, or if the Heartless did..."

"Let's go see." Prue replied.

"I really shouldn't, what if he died? What if...?" Daphne replied, sniffling.

"Then you can have closure." Prue replied, sighing, her thoughts running to Andy. As terrible as it was to know for certain that he was dead, it would have been worse to not know.

"Come on...I'll go with you." Prue urged gently. Daphne complied, and the two women walked out of Lady Chatterjee's house.

Workers, soldiers, and civilians milled about trying to assess and repair the damage the attack of the day before had caused in Mayapore. They saw Godfrey, his wounded left arm stiff at his side, issuing orders to Donalbain as the latter was directing the high traffic of trucks from the Royal Indian Engineers, helping to rebuild Mayapore.

"Godfrey." Prue called out to him and the British policeman turned.

"Yes?" Godfrey asked, tersely, "State your business."

"Have the bodies all been identified?" Prue asked.

"We've been at this since yesterday afternoon and we're fairly short handed. Eighteen of our constables died, another twenty are wounded." Godfrey replied, as he swallowed a pain killer tablet, sweating in the sweltering Indian humidity, "Who are you looking for, specifically?"

"Hari Kumar." Prue replied.

"Ankur," Godfrey called out, and an older Indian man with tousled graying hair walked over with a clipboard, "Is Hari Kumar among the dead?"

The old man looked through the pages on the clipboard, "No sir. I've heard nothing from him for two nights..."

"What about Daphne's rapists?" Prue asked, "Have they been caught?"

"In case you've not noticed, Prue, we're in a bit of a hotspot. The bloody Engineers keep asking for my men, and we're having a hell of a time rebuilding the town. One rape isn't exactly a high priority." Godfrey replied.

"Then I'm going to talk to your boss." Prue replied.

Exasperated, Godfrey replied, "For now, I'm in charge. Merrick just informed me that for now I'm the officer in charge of this effort while he's investigating the rape of Miss Manners himself."

"Fine, I'll go find Merrick." Prue replied.

"Suit yourself." Godfrey replied, "I've not heard from him since last night..."

"Sir!" came a shout from behind and Godfrey turned yet again to see Constable Rees running up to him, "The rapists have been apprehended."

"Right. Inform anyone who asks that I'm off to the lockup." Godfrey replied.

"We're coming with you." Prue added.

Presently the reached the precinct and Godfrey opened the heavy door, ushering the two women in. Captain Merrick walked out of the lock up area and said, "Mr. Godfrey, you saved me the trouble of bringing Miss Manners here to identify her attackers."

"Right this way." Merrick directed, as he unlocked the heavy door behind him and led the two women inside.

Daphne stood aghast as she stared at one of the prisoners. One eye was swollen closed, while the other had enough pain for a dozen. The way he clutched at his ribs suggested at least one was broken.

"Daphne... " Hari said, weakly.

"Oh God! Hari!" Daphne replied, rushing to the bars of the cell.

"Stand away, Miss Manners. Are any of these men familiar?" Merrick asked, Prue noticed he emphasized the word 'familiar' especially.

"It was dark last night, Ronald, the only person in this group I recognize is Mr. Kumar..." Daphne began.

"So Mr. Kumar assaulted you last night?" Merrick asked.

"No, he didn't...He..." Daphne replied.

"Then who did?" Merrick asked.

"He tried to ward off my attackers, but was beaten instead..." Daphne replied.

"I have reason to believe that Mr. Kumar was there before he allegedly tried to fend off your attackers. One man fighting against five is hardly a possible fight." Merrick replied, "Mr. Godfrey."

"Sir?" Godfrey replied.

"Please escort these two ladies out." Merrick replied.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but I was ready to call Dr. Poole over here for Mr. Kumar and then conduct the questioning of the suspects..." Godfrey began.

"Mr. Godfrey, you'll do no such thing. You've got other tasks." Merrick replied.

"Sir, we have suspects in custody and as the Acting XO it's my job to conduct questioning." Godfrey replied.

"No need, Mr. Godfrey, I'll conduct the interrogations of these men myself." Merrick replied.

"Yes sir." Godfrey replied, and carried out his orders.

"That's it?" Prue fumed, "You're going to let him steam roll over you like that."

"I have my orders, Prue. There's a town outside that needs order restored and having lost over half of the constabulary to injury or death..." Godfrey began. The town's security force was decimated, two of the four senior noncoms, and two officers were dead, including the XO. To add further injury, another officer was wounded, as was one of the other NCOs. The other ranks had suffered the bulk of the deaths.

"Don't you see he's using your sense of obligation to this town against you." Prue replied, "He wants to personally question those men and you know Hari needs medical attention..."

"For heaven's sake Prue, don't think I've not seen where this is headed." Godfrey replied.

"I know you know what Merrick's probably up to, I just wonder what you're going to do about it." Prue replied as she and Daphne left the precinct.

"Mr. Kumar," Merrick said, as he paced back and forth, holding a two and a half foot stick behind his back, "What is the nature of your relationship with Miss Manners?"

"She's a friend." Kumar groaned, painfully. He stood with his hands cuffed over his head in the questioning room, balancing precariously on the tips of his toes.

Merrick whacked him in the calves with a hard swing. Kumar screamed. "I would think she was rather more than that, after all, you were discovered just outside the Bibighar Gardens after she was raped."

"I told you, she was raped and I tried to fight off her attackers." Kumar replied.

"A rather unimaginative lie." Merrick replied, walking in front of Kumar and striking the side of his left knee with the stick.

Kumar saw the world flash red as the blow struck home on the side of his leg. "Where's my counsel? I am entitled to legal counsel, by English common law and Indian Civil Law..."

"You're not civil and rapists have no rights." Merrick replied, poking Hari's chin up with the stick, "It would do you well to look your betters in the eye when you speak to them."

"I didn't rape Daphne. It was a gang of five others..." Kumar protested.

"Ah, so she's Daphne now. When did the two of you become so familiar?" Merrick replied, walking 'round the prisoner like a shark circling wounded prey.

"She's my friend..." Hari began.

"A friend with some intimacies involved?" Merrick asked, leering wolfishly at him and whacking him in the right elbow.

"What?" Kumar asked.

"Using a woman's first name usually denotes intimacy among polite society." Merrick began, "Especially among those of you educated at Chillingsborough."

"Why would she share intimacies with me?" Kumar replied, somewhat sardonically, "That would offend polite society. She is a mere confidant."

Merrick whacked him in the injured rib, and hissed, "Don't be cheeky with me, Mr. Kumar. I have evidence that can link the two of you to the Bibighar. I know all about your secret little late night meetings."

Kumar spat, striking Merrick with a projectile of blood, spittle, and mucus right on the pant leg.

"Don't spit in my interrogation room." Merrick said, striking Kumar in the ribs. Hari saw stars and felt the world go dark for a moment as the stick made contact with his broken ribs.

"What the devil is going on in here?" came a shout from the doorway.

"I'm questioning Miss Manners' rapist, Mr. Godfrey." Merrick replied, turning to see him, "Don't make me regret my having made you XO."

"The hell you aren't!" Godfrey replied, indicating Kumar's bowed head, "This is the Holy Inquisition all over again."

"Mr. Godfrey, we are officers of the law to preserve good order in this town on the Indian frontier." Merrick replied, "We are to uphold justice."

"Justice?" Hari replied, "Mr. Kumar needs medical attention. Once he is attended to, then he can be questioned."

"It is for the sake of expediency. Mr. Lockwood would have understood that." Merrick replied.

"Unlike the late Mr. Lockwood, I don't simply tow your party line." Godfrey replied.

"There's a reason that you weren't chosen as my exec, and I'm seeing that now." Merrick replied, "You're interest in the pursuit of justice is lacking, as is your respect for authority, as evidenced by your confrontational attitude."

"You call this pursuit of justice?" Godfrey demanded.

"You will use the proper tone when speaking to your superiors, Mr. Godfrey." Merrick warned.

"Yes sir." Godfrey replied, practically spitting out the second word.

"Now, I would hate to enter a letter of caution into an otherwise clean record, but your recent behavior has been inexcusable. I would hate to call the magistrate over this." Merrick replied.

"On what grounds, sir?" Godfrey replied.

"On the charge of insubordination, of which this incident is the latest. Your insistence on defending the Indian side of the river was a foolish decision, so a charge of incompetence could be added to your record." Merrick replied.

"And I could simply enter an abuse of prisoner charge into your record." Godfrey replied.

"It will be my word, Mr. Godfrey, my word as an officer of high standing against yours. You will lose." Merrick replied.

"Before you attempt to punish me, be aware that this incident could return to haunt you." Godfrey replied.

"Where is your witness?" Merrick sneered.

"Dr. Poole, please come forth." Godfrey replied, and stepped aside.

"Dear God." Poole replied, paling. Though Kumar was an alleged rapist, the state of his health was of greater concern to the doctor.

"Very well. I release custody of the prisoner to you, Dr. Poole. However, if any other trouble develops, you will be held personally responsible, Mr. Godfrey." Merrick replied.

"Thank you." Kumar breathed to Godfrey as Rees uncuffed his wrists and gently helped him to a waiting stretcher.

"Don't thank me just yet, Hari." Godfrey replied, "There's still the matter of this allegation of rape. I'm not sure how far your involvement with the incident two nights ago is."

"I assure you, I'm innocent." Hari said.

"That may be, but I'm still assigning a constable to keep watch around you." Godfrey replied, mentally noting to make sure to remind whoever was watching Kumar to keep Merrick or his latest toady, Worrel, away.

"What will it be, Mr. Hiller." Chaudhuri asked, as he dried a glass.

"The usual." Hiller replied, as the sun set over the horizon outside the shattered window behind him, "Actually, bollocks to that, I just survived a battle. I'll take a shot of cognac."

"Feeling expansive, Sergeant." Poole asked, as he took his customary seat by the pub, "Barkeep! One for me as well."

"At this rate, I'll be wealthier than a maharajah if all residents of Mayapore are in this sort of mood." Chaudhuri remarked, "Which reminds me, Doctor, your tab from two nights ago is rather impressive."

Nearby Prue and Daphne sat at a table as Godfrey walked into the room. The Indian barkeep raced over to him before he got anywhere near the two women.

"Mr. Godfrey." Chaudhuri began, as he handed him a slip of paper.

"Thanks Mr. Chaudhuri." Godfrey replied, as the Indian man walked off with several more slips of paper in his apron.

"Let me guess," Prue quipped, "Another consequence of trying to match drinks with Dr. Poole?"

"Yes." Godfrey replied.

"I wonder why Mr. Chaudhuri's been passing those slips about?" Daphne asked.

"Isn't it obvious." Godfrey remarked, as he gestured to the two shattered windows, which two of Chaudhuri's employees were sweeping up and a couple broken chairs piled in a corner.

He indicated Poole and Hiller saying, "With those two's bar tabs, he could replace at least one of his windows."

As they spoke a British officer entered the room. He was an unremarkable fellow in his mid thirties with neatly combed brown hair and a mustache, he turned to talk to Chaudhuri who indicated Godfrey's table.

"What does he want?" Prue asked.

"I'm not so sure." Godfrey replied. The man strode with long limbed strides towards them, "But we're about to find out."

"Lieutenant Godfrey?" came the query.

Godfrey stood to face the newcomer, "Yes sir."

"Major Daniel Waverly, Royal Indian Engineers. I would like to speak to you. Alone."

"I'll be along presently sir." Godfrey replied.

"Very well." Waverly replied, motioning him to another table.

Prue noticed Nigel standing just outside the broken window and said to Daphne, "I've gotta go."

"I'm off to see Hari anyway. Mr. Godfrey, can I visit him?" Daphne said, catching Godfrey on his way to the major's table.

"Certainly. I've authorized Mr. Kumar to receive visitors. Simply inform the constable on duty and you should be cleared." Godfrey replied.

Prue walked out into the balmy tropical night where Nigel stood. "What's going on?" Prue asked.

"The Elders wish to know more about the Heartless." Nigel replied.

"Why?" Prue asked.

Nigel indicated the night sky, a dark blanket with many stars. Suddenly a star began to wink, like a burned out lightbulb. "The Heartless are a threat to all worlds. Yours included. Your sisters could very well be the force that will help your world fight off the darkness. But it can't be done without information."

"I see." Prue replied, "And where am I supposed to find all this information?"

"A document known as Ansem's Report should be quite helpful." Nigel replied.

"Ansem?" Prue asked, "Who is he?"

"Years ago, Ansem was a Wiccan sage of great power and renown of the Radiant Garden." Nigel replied, "He became obsessed with the idea that darkness lives in every person's heart. He carried out experiments on the innocents he had been entrusted to protect, cultivating the darkness in their hearts, eventually creating the first Heartless."

"Wait a second, shouldn't the Elders have yanked his powers the moment they found out he had turned?" Prue asked.

"As Ansem's knowledge of darkness grew, so did his ability to cloak his activities. The Elders were unable to discover him." Nigel replied, "And by the time we had, it was too late. Anora, the second most powerful witch on his world cast a spell to vanquish him. It failed, only removing Ansem's essence from his body and the incorporeal Ansem killed her."

There was a brief, barely perceptible look of anguish on Nigel's face. However, Prue was able to pick up on it.

"She was my charge." Nigel replied brusquely at Prue's quizzical look.

Prue decided not to pursue the matter any further. "So what is it the Elders want me to do?" she asked.

"They want you to find Ansem's Report, and share that knowledge with your sisters." Nigel replied, "Only finding this information will help the power of three when, not if, the Heartless invade your world."

"Where is Ansem now?" Prue asked, "Why not bring my sisters here to try and vanquish him?"

"Prue, Anora was a witch many times more powerful than your sisters. I had hoped that she would be able to vanquish him, but Ansem had become too powerful. Even in his noncorporeal form, Ansem was powerful enough to kill her. If I were to send the Charmed Ones to battle Ansem, we would lose our best chance at defeating him once and for all." Nigel replied.

"Where is this report?" Prue asked.

"Scattered throughout the worlds. The answers you seek you will find in a place known as Traverse Town." Nigel asked.

"How do I get there?" Prue asked, "I can't do this all alone?"

"You won't. Others seek to overthrown the coming Darkness that has consumed or threatens to consume their worlds." Nigel replied, "Find the Morrowind and you will find what you seek."

Just then Nigel orbed away, leaving Prue standing alone. Just when I think he'll stop acting so cryptic. Just when he starts giving me a lot of information, he just disappears all over again. Who or what is this Morrowind he keeps talking about?

"Mr. Godfrey," Major Waverly began as the two men sat at a table, "A number of important people have had their eyes on you for quite some time."

"If you're referring to Colonel Bagley and some gentlemen from the Pankot Rifles, then I do believe you are correct." Godfrey replied, and belatedly saying, "Sir."

"Not exactly, Mr. Godfrey." Waverly replied, "As you've no doubt heard, the head shed under General Wavell wants to start calling up emergency officers for the Army from the ranks of the Indian Police Service and Indian Civil Service for duty. My organization has had it's eye on you for some time, but you came to my attention for your role in preparing and defending Mayapore from the recent invasion."

"Really." Godfrey replied, "From what Colonel Bagley and the rest of the blokes in the Pankot Rifles said, I seem to be persona non grata about this place."

"The Pankot Rifles are not the only regiment in the Commonwealth." Waverly countered.

"If you don't mind my asking, what do the Royal Indian Engineers see in me that makes me so sought after?" Godfrey asked.

"They aren't asking for you." Waverly asked, "I asked for you."

"You aren't with the Royal Indian Engineers, are you?" Godfrey asked.

"No, I am part of an organization known as the Allied Intelligence Bureau." Waverly replied.

"I've heard something of it." Godfrey replied.

"We would like you to work for us." Waverly replied.

"I've responsibilities here. Rumor has it that Captain Merrick will be sent off to the Pankot Rifles, plus Worrel will be sent over to the Bengal Light Infantry, leaving O'Dell as Merrick's only successor." Godfrey replied.

"As far as I can tell." Waverly replied, "You're one of the Mayapore constabulary's more controversial officers. You've been virtually blackballed from higher social circles since the Edjali incident. You've seen how closed minded a lot of your fellow officers are about the citizens they are assigned to protect."

"I still have responsibilities to Mayapore." Godfrey replied.

"But it seems more and more like a thankless job by the day, doesn't it Mr. Godfrey?" Waverly continued.

As if to prove Waverly right, a woman and her seventeen year old daughter walked in. Godfrey recognized them as Lisa and Jessica York respectively, the mother and younger sister of the now deceased Edward York walked by.

"Mum," Jessica said, "Can we thank Mr. Godfrey for all he's done for us?"

"No," Lisa replied, "It would be a disservice to your late brother to do that."

"Mr. Godfrey's done so much for us, mum." the girl replied.

"He made a promise he would look after your brother." Lisa replied, "But he failed, and now your brother is dead."

The two women moved to the other side of the club, with Lisa giving Godfrey a cold stare.

Waverly said, "Socrates performed a great service to Athens, yet his own people condemned him to death. Townsfolk can be so closed minded and ungrateful to those that tirelessly protect them. I can't guarantee gratitude, but I can guarantee that you'll find satisfaction in seeing places few have seen before."

"I'll consider the offer, sir." Godfrey replied.

"You've got twenty-four hours, Mr. Godfrey." Waverly replied, and as Godfrey reached for his wallet, "Don't think of it, I'll cover the meal. If I'm not mistaken, you've got a bar tab to settle with Mr. Chaudhuri."

The strange airship touched down in the deserted clearing in the Indian jungle. The landing struts extended and it touched down gently. Its pilot had followed the cross shaped pattern of lights and the ramp extended downward to the earth.

Walking down the ramp was an older man, with a swarthy man with neck-length salt and pepper hair. He was followed by a slender brown haired American with thick, coke-bottle glasses. At the edge of the clearing, just in sight was a fellow in the olive green tropical uniform of a British Commonwealth army, the badge on his cap was that of the Royal Indian Engineers, but the old man knew his contact was no engineer.

"It is good to see you Kolopak, my old friend." Major Waverly said to the old man.

"Likewise, Daniel." Kolopak, the swarthy man, replied.

"And it is good to see you as well, Milo. I only wish this were under better circumstances." Waverly replied.

"The supplies we requested?" Kolopak asked.

"I had a hell of a time finding fuel." Waverly replied.

"At least enough to get us to Traverse Town?" Milo asked.

"It's on the manifest." Waverly replied, as a working party of the ship's company and several British soldiers began to load the supplies on board.

"How long are you here?" Waverly asked.

"A couple days for some R&R." Kolopak replied.

"I'm afraid you'll find Mayapore in a less pleasant state since your last visit." Waverly replied.

"They invaded?" Milo Thatch replied.

"Sadly. The local constabulary warded them off, but took a hell of a beating." Waverly replied, "I'd love to catch up on business, but I've got a potential recruit."

"Take care." Kolopak replied.

As soon as Waverly was out of earshot, Milo turned to Kolopak saying, "I hope Merlin was right. That the Charmed One is here."

"Since when have you known Merlin to have led us astray." Kolopak asked.

"There was that incident with the Italian restaurant where he said we'd have 'an experience for the pallet'," Milo began, gesturing expansively by spreading his arms out, "Not only were there roaches in the kitchen, the food was terrible, and we all got food poisoning."

"There's an exception to every rule." Kolopak replied.

"Is that another crazy Rubber Tree People saying." Milo asked.

"No." Kolopak replied, "And besides you did have an experience of the pallet. Did you not?"

"You..." Milo said at Kolopak's cryptic grin.

TBC