Chapter 42

The eastern sky transitioned from gray to blood red as Amnon Saxe tromped into the termination center.  The attendants behind the front desk snapped to attention when they recognized Amnon’s rank.

“Good morning, Director,” one of the attendants blurted.  Amnon could tell he was unprepared for such a high-ranking visit, and he hoped to use this to his advantage.

“We will see about that,” Amnon replied.  “I’d like to check on the prisoner.”

“Which prisoner is that, sir?”

“I think you know which prisoner I’m asking about.”

The attendant swallowed.  Fear was in the attendant’s eyes.  “Do you mean you would like to visit the prisoner’s cell?”

Amnon rested his arms on the countertop and leaned into the unflinching attendant.  “Is there a problem?  I didn’t come out here, at great inconvenience, only to be held up by the first person I see.”

“Yes, sir,” the attendant managed.  Something was up, and this put Amnon in a temperamental mood.

“Where is your supervising officer?” Amnon said, trying to suppress his anger.  Instantly, another guard sprang to the counter.

“How may I assist you, Director?”

“I’ve come to check on the Princess.  Your man here is either short of skills or full of treason.”

“I understand, sir.  We don’t often get someone of your… The issue that… Excuse me, Director, but we are under orders.”

“Orders?”

“Yes, sir.  Only Saw Yatha is allowed access to the Princess.”

Amnon stared at the officer as the folds in his forehead deepened.  “What?  Whose orders?”

“Chieftain Dol, sir.  You are unaware?”

“Yes, I’m unaware,”  Amnon said.  This news didn’t make sense.  For what purpose would the Supreme Leader have for blocking his Director of Prisons from seeing the realm’s biggest prisoner on the eve of her execution?  And why would that duty be granted to Saw Yatha alone?  Amnon quickly searched his thoughts for his recent interactions with Zungher Dol to see if any facial or vocal tick should have sent him a message of Dol’s dissatisfaction with Amnon before now.  Nothing came to mind.

But then there was the remembrance of the odd meeting without Dol, with Saw acting on Dol’s behalf. The meeting the day before with the tribunal, forcing them to end the trial that day. Amnon didn’t know what game Saw was playing, but he was sure there was a game.  He realized that if he didn’t tread carefully, he might tip Saw off to something that would ruin any chance of freeing Lillian.

“So,” Amnon said with a more placating tone, “should I assume that I cannot go down there even if I was accompanied by one of you?”

“That is my understanding, sir.  Except for Saw Yatha, no one is to approach or enter the cell, or speak with the Princess.  As I’m sure you’re aware, Dol has been on edge since that last Nova job showed up the other morning.  He wants to keep the authorized circle very small to keep the threat of treason at a minimum.”  The officer nodded and twisted his face with a pompous look, telling Amnon he had more inside awareness than the average officer.

Amnon’s mind raced to find a way to check on Lillian and see if any safe way existed to spring her from her cell.  Perhaps if he could contact the Chieftain directly, he could plead his case and get his permissions back.  At the very least, he would know where he stood with Dol.  Amnon stepped away from the counter and dug out his communication device.  Moments later, he was speaking with one of Dol’s sycophantic assistants.

Amnon was told repeatedly that speaking with the Supreme leader would be quite impossible.  Amnon eyed the guards behind the counter.  He didn’t want to hint at a rift between Dol and himself.  Any visible or imagined cracks in his authority would make this effort more difficult by degrees.  Amnon brought his mouth closer to the device to threaten the assistant without raising his voice or attention.  This accomplished nothing.  He was shut out.  He was shut out, and there was only one person to blame for it: Saw Yatha.  

Amnon didn’t know what sway he held over Dol.  From what he’s witnessed, their relationship was strained.  To have been granted such extraordinary power and access and in Amnon’s domain specifically seemed to bear the faint odor of sabotage.  Sabotage would explain the strange actions of Saw at the prison transfer as well.  Amnon knew that whatever plans he and the team had devised were not going to be sufficient as the rules of engagement were in flux.

Without making a scene, Amnon ended his contact with the Chieftain’s assistant and walked back to the counter.

“Did you get it sorted out, sir?” the officer asked.

Amnon smiled apologetically.  “The Chieftan could not be reached.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, sir.  I’m sure that is frustrating.”

There it was, the tone of patronage.  The officer sensed that whatever power Amnon once held was diminishing.  Amnon would need to act decisively if he was going to retain any influence now and in the coming days.  “Yes, well,” Amnon began, “it can’t be helped.  My timing is off.  I’ll have to get it sorted out later.  I wouldn’t want to encourage you or your staff to engage in insubordination.”

“No, sir,” the officer approved.  Amnon saw the tension release from the attendant’s shoulders slightly.

Amnon smiled briefly.  He saw the bank of screens behind the desk staff.  The rotating images showed various empty and occupied cells, giving Amnon a potential way forward.   “Since I can’t see her in the traditional sense, I want to see her on any of your devices.”

The attendant skewed his head slightly to see his officer’s reaction to this suggestion.  The officer, for his part, gave the request a long consideration.  Amnon saw that the guard’s judicial faculties were strained to the highest capacity.  Eventually, the officer exhaled loudly and said, “I’m not sure it is within the spirit or the letter of the Supreme Leader’s order, but I also don’t want to upset you any further.”

“I appreciate that,” Amnon smiled.

“So,” the officer began carefully, “I will grant you access to a device to observe the Princess’ cell.  However, you won’t be able to communicate with her.  Will that work for what you’re after?”

“I suppose it will have to,” Amnon said.  “All I want to do is see with my own eyes that she’s being properly tended to.”

“I assure you…” the officer began before Amnon held up his hand to cut off the bluster.

“I’m sure you’re doing everything according to your training.  It’s just that this is a very public case, as I’m sure you’re aware.  And as I’m also sure you’re aware, if anything should not go according to plan, I will be made to answer for it.  So, I want to see, with my own eyes, how things are being kept up.”

“Yes, sir.  Right this way, sir.”  The officer led Amnon behind the counter and into an adjacent room.  For all the rotating images in the reception area, this room had a dedicated view of each cell.  Most of the images looked like tiny cells themselves.  Several of the prisoners paced from the edge of on side of the image to the other as if they were, in fact, tiny people trapped in the image.  Others were motionless, laying down on the floor or bench.  As for Lillian, she was doing neither.

Amnon observed the Princess sitting as if on her Coellum throne.  Her spine was straight, and her relaxed face stared straight ahead.  If he hadn’t been aware of her condition, Amnon thought she could have been sitting for someone to make a portrait of her to be placed in some grand hall.

Once he saw that she was as well as she could be given the circumstances, he began to study anything else he could observe.  The cell’s construction was excellent.  Not only was there no chink in the armor of her cell, Amnon could see no weaknesses in any of the other cells in front of him.  Time was running out to figure something out, but while he was frustrated at the strength of the facility’s construction, he was also proud of the excellent work his colleagues had done in the design and assembly.

“Is she causing you any trouble?” Amnon asked to give his presence purpose.

“Not a peep, sir.  A model prisoner,” the officer said.  “Normally, the condemned either go passive as you see here and here,” he said, pointing to different images, “accepting their fate.  Others, frankly, go a little insane.  She’s done neither.  She hasn’t lost her appetite or her manners.”

Amnon smiled.  “Very good.  Thank you for showing me this.  Your kindness will not be forgotten.

The officer straightened a little, like a pet who had clearly pleased its master.  Amnon saw that the morsel of praise did much to restore proper attitudes of respect.  The slightest show of favoritism so easily changed people’s hearts.  “Good,” Amnon thought.  Any goodwill was a potential asset to be spent judiciously.

Amnon nodded his appreciation to the officer and complimented him on the way he was leading his men before walking back into the morning’s light.