David Robbins - Chicago Run

All eyes were fixed on the accused.

“In light of Yama’s motivation and the fact that one of the Family’s worst enemies has been defeated because of his dereliction of duty, I plead for leniency,” Blade went on. “I ask you to put yourself in his shoes and temper your judgment with mercy.”

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi looked at Yama. “Have you anything further to add?”

“Just that I will wholeheartedly accept whatever punishment you see fit to hand down,” Yama said. “I know I’ve done wrong. Not that it matters, but the shame is almost unbearable.”

“Your comments will be taken into consideration,” Rikki said, and scanned the chamber. “This Review Board will be in recess for an hour while a judgment is reached.” He used the gavel again, rose, and led Bertha and Lynx from the room.

Everyone began talking at once.

Yama turned to Blade. “I’m grateful for your help.”

“What are friends for?”

“I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you.”

Blade shrugged. “We do what we have to.”

The afternoon sun had warmed the temperature to 65 degrees. Yama stood under a tree not far from B Block and watched a cloud shaped like a turtle sail to the southeast. The fresh air felt good.

“Yama?”

He turned and saw her standing a few feet off, as beautiful as ever in a faded pink blouse and patched jeans. Her dark brown hair hung to her shoulders. Anxiety was mirrored in her green eyes.

“Mind if we talk?”

“Not at all, Melissa,” Blade said. “I still have half an hour before the Review Board is back in session.”

She came closer, her hands clasped tightly at her waist. “What do you think they’ll decide?”

“There’s no telling.”

“Rikki is one of your best friends. Surely he wouldn’t agree to expelling you.”

Yama gazed at the departing turtle. “Rikki is first and foremost a Warrior, one of the best the Family has ever had. He’ll go by the book in whatever he decides.”

“It hardly seems fair,” Melissa commented, moving to the tree and leaning against the trunk.

“You’re new to the Family. Once you’ve lived here a while you’ll understand.”

A tense silence ensued.

“May I ask you a question?” Melissa said after a bit.

“Anything.”

“What happens between us now?”

“Us?” Yama repeated, looking at her.

“You know what I mean,” Melissa stated, sounding hurt. “You know how I feel about you, how I’ve felt ever since you showed up in Green Bay and saved me from the Automatons. And I thought you felt the same way about me.”

“I do,” Yama confirmed.

“Then how could you go off without saying good-bye, without even letting me know what you were up to?”

“You would have tried to stop me.”

“Damn straight.”

“So I believed it best to simply leave,” Yama said, and sighed. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”

Melissa studied his face. “And have you laid the ghosts to rest?”

“Yes,” Yama answered confidently. “At long, long last I’ve settled accounts with my past. I don’t have the weight of Alicia Farrow’s death on my shoulders any more.”

“Thank God,” Melissa said, and beamed.

“Why are you so happy?”

“Because I don’t have to compete with a ghost any longer. Now maybe you’ll loosen up and let our relationship develop.”

Yama reached out and tenderly touched her cheek. “I’d like that,” he stated, then frowned. “But we shouldn’t be talking like this with my future hanging in the balance. We’ll wait and hear the verdict.”

“What difference does it make?” Melissa asked. “If you’re expelled, I’m going with you.”

The Warrior did a double take. “You are not.”

“You can’t stop me.”

“But you’re safer here. You know the conditions prevailing in the Outlands. A couple by themselves would be fair game for every raider, scavenger, mutation, and wild beast out there.”

“I’d rather be with you no matter where you are. The reason I came to the Home was to be with you. If you leave, I don’t want to stay.”

Shaking his head, Yama stared at B Block. “I refuse to take you along.”

“Then I’ll go by myself.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.”

They locked eyes, hers moist and appealing, his hard but melting.

Uttering a sharp cry, she ran into his arms and hugged him close, pressing her face to his neck.

“I don’t want to lose you.”

Yama stroked her hair, feeling her tears on his skin, and his entire body trembled.

“Are you all right?” she whispered.

“Fine,” he said, the word a haunted growl.

Again the lower chamber was packed. Anxious expectation hung thick and heavy over the spectators as they observed the Review Board judges returning to the long table.

“Will the accused please rise,” Rikki-Rikki-Tavi stated.

The Warrior in blue slowly stood.

So did Blade. He glanced at his friend, saw the torment reflected in Yama’s countenance, and hoped for the best.

Rikki cleared his throat. “After due deliberation this tribunal has reached a verdict. The decision is unanimous. Considering the nature of the offense, an equal punishment is called for.”

Blade swallowed, noting the severe expressions on all three members of the Board. He realized he’d failed, and dreaded the words he was about to hear.

“Before I pronounce sentence, an explanation is called for,” Rikki said, addressing the assembled Family. “This is an exceptional case. True, twice before Warriors have gone over the wall, so to speak, yet the circumstances behind their departures were somewhat different. We can’t use the judgments rendered in their cases as precedents for this one.”

Every person present hung on Rikki’s statements.

“Given the three options we had in deciding this case, we chose the most appropriate. None of us wanted to strip Yama of his Warrior status and have him live on at the Home as a Tiller or Carpenter. Not that there is any stigma attached to these vocations. Far from it. All classes at the Home are equal. But in effect we would be condemning Yama to a lifetime of personal humiliation,” Rikki said. “We’ve decided to make the punishment immediate and effective.”

For a moment Blade’s hopes soared. If they weren’t willing to boot Yama from the Warrior ranks, perhaps they would go easy on him.

Rikki straightened and stared at the accused. “Yama, for your desertion and dereliction of duty, it is the judgment of this Review Board that you be expelled from the Family.”

A collective intake of breath came from the spectators. Several Warriors bowed their heads.

Blade heard a plaintive wail, and looked back to see Melissa with her face buried in her arms, sobbing quietly. He turned to Yama, who resembled a statue, his heart going out to the man.

“However,” Rikki continued, “because of the extenuating circumstances, and because of the invaluable assistance Yama gave to the Resistance Movement in New Chicago, our punishment will be suspended for one year. During that time Yama will be on strict probation. If he commits no further violations, at the end of the year all charges will be dropped, his slate will be wiped clean, and he will be free to live out the rest of his days at the Home.”

The drop of a pin could have been heard, and then the Family erupted in a tremendous uproar of cheers and whoops of joy. Warriors laughed and patted each other on the back. There were tears in many an eye.

Blade went to shake Yama’s hand, to offer his congratulations, but someone got there ahead of him.

A streak of pink and blue dashed up to the man wearing the skull and threw herself into his arms. They embraced, Melissa flushed with joy.