The Starlight Lancer

Chapter Forty-Seven: The Council of Scholars

"All of the Order's decisions must flow with Riiva's accordance. We are but pieces of its infinite wisdom, never to be fully enlightened. A leaf cannot see the full scope of a tree; the tree cannot see the full scope of its forest, nor the forest of its world. There is only harmony, and in harmony, there is trust."

—High Scholar Benzus Faid, former Scholar Suprema of Mentorship, in a controversial speech allowing half-heretic Ela Artfor to enter the Order of Riiva

The elderly scholar waved his hands. "Tragedy has struck our Order. The loss of two lancers—one a High Lancer—within such a short time is, unfortunately, not as uncommon as we'd like, but we have not allowed ourselves to become numb to the pain of loss. High Lancer Girxorgian of Clan Ra-Folgoth and lancer Drel Ofrans have both been confirmed to have perished while failing to complete their respective missions."

Without thinking, Zaina stamped her foot and said, "Gir didn't fail!"

The scholars muttered amongst themselves in the background. When the elderly scholar raised a hand, they all fell silent. "Citizen of the galaxy, if I may, I do not believe we've had the chance to formally introduce ourselves. To whom am I speaking?"

"My name is Zaina Quin. I'm from Demelia, and—"

"Young Zaina," the scholar interrupted, "you have no way of knowing our procedures or unspoken rules of decorum, so I cannot hold your unknowing actions against you; however, it is common courtesy to allow the courtmaster, whichever scholar, lancer, or citizen it may be at the time, to fully speak their part without uttering a challenge or disturbance."

"Oh," she said. Of course. They weren't even going to hear her out. Her shoulders slumped.

The scholar's hover-bed floated toward her. "Have no fear, young Zaina. You will have your say when it is time. All that being said, the point you contested does pique my interest; we sent High Lancer Terco"—he motioned toward the human lancer to Zaina's side—"to ascertain the fate of Demelia, and it was found broken. The Eldritch's next move is unknown to us. I request that you elaborate."

Zaina gulped and tried to sound less nervous than she was. "Gir didn't fail. The fact that I'm here at all is because he saved my life. And as for the Eldritch, you won't have to worry about that thing anymore."

The scholar's head tilted to the side. "It seems we know little about the happenings of these past weeks. I greatly look forward to hearing what light you can shed on the gaps in our knowledge."

The human scholar who'd first met Zaina, seated lower on the antler-tree, shouted, "Why are you even giving her the chance to speak? Anyone can see, plain as day, that she's a heretic! She arrived on the stolen ship of a missing High Lancer with another lancer's corpse on board. Those two things are facts, and they alone—"

The elderly creature cleared his throat. "High Scholar Elest Vae, you speak out of turn. I, as Scholar Suprema of Arbitration, will oversee the proceedings until such time as I have ceded my role as courtmaster. A decision must be made as to what to do with this citizen of the galaxy."

Elest Vae, turning beet-red with anger, shouted, "She's no citizen of the galaxy—she's a heretic!"

The elderly scholar's hover-bed rotated toward the antler-tree. "I did not believe one of our own scholars would require reminding about our procedures and unspoken rules of decorum, especially when the infraction was cited mere moments ago. High Scholar Vae, please return to your seat. If you are called upon to speak or render judgment, you will be notified."

Elest grumbled to himself. Zaina glared at him for a moment before turning her attention back to the elderly scholar in the hover-bed.

He placed a shriveled hand over his heart. "My name is Ardo Nash, and you've already heard my title. You indicated you were a resident of Demelia. Is that correct?"