Under Umber Seas (Preview)

Chapter 2

Broch dragged the civilian outside, onto the wooden street. Karsten followed the crowd, into the light of the gas lamps and crisp night air of early spring, making certain that his pistol was tightly strapped down. The sky was filled with stars, at least those you could see from there. The moon was probably behind the peak of the mountain that Brandtstadt had been built on.

“I hereby convene this Justice on this, the 23rd day of Mai, in the 6th year of Kaiser Brandt Dehmel. Let those present and the gods be witness.” Broch was slurring his words.

Poldi cowered. He looked despaired, beaten, resigned, his head hanging low.

“Let it be known that I, Lance Sergeant Emil Broch, accuse this man, Poldi”—he pointed a finger at the man, and then waited for a response. Götter, he was drunk.

The word came out barely above a whisper. “Becker.”

“Poldi Becker, of cheating—an act of dishonesty and lying—an officer of the Kaiser.”

“A drunken, off-duty officer,” Karsten murmured with just enough force that it carried to everyone present. Broch shot him a threatening glance before continuing with his braying arraignment.

“What have you to say for yourself, Poldi Becker?” He spat the man’s name as if it were an insult.

“I didn’t cheat anyone, Officer Broch, sir. I just got lucky.”

Karsten had been hovering on the edge of the circle, but now he stepped fully into it, standing next to Poldi. “I object under Kaiser’s Justice, Section 76. The prosecution must first state exactly what it is she or he is accusing the defendant of.”

Broch’s already flushed faced turned a shade of red darker, but he probably didn’t know enough of the actual Justice law to counter. For all he knew, Karsten could have been making it up. But he wasn’t. It was sad that a member of the Air Defense knew more about the law codes than a Civil Defense officer, but Karsten felt it part of his duty to know them.

“I stated what I’m accusing him of. Lying and cheating an officer of the Kaiser.”

“Yes, but you did not state how. Before the defendant makes their case, you must finish your accusation. In what manner was he cheating? What lies did he tell? Otherwise, he is only defending himself against generalizations.”

Broch stared at Karsten, fuming. “Very well,” he spat through pale tight lips, “Poldi Becker is accused of using weighted or shaved dice, and lying about his use of such devious means in order to falsely claim my Marks as his own.”

“Did you not use the same dice yourself, Lance Sergeant Broch? Would your results not have been similar, if that were the case?” Karsten turned to one of the civilians who had been at the table, the man Broch had slapped. “Good man, if you would run inside and fetch these dice, we will settle this matter once and for all.”

The man turned and quickly darted back inside.

“Enough! I will have my Justice for this cheat!” Spittle flew from Broch’s mouth as he shouted. “Poldi Becker, I find you guilty of cheating, lying to an officer of the Kaiser, and theft of an officer’s property! I proclaim the sentence to be blood!”

Karsten sighed. “You can’t tack on a theft charge—”

Before Karsten could finish his sentence, Broch drew a military knife from his belt, reversed the grip, and lept for the man, stabbing toward Poldi’s chest.

Karsten reacted quickly and stepped in the way, blocking Broch’s knife arm with his own left arm. His right fist tightened firmly as it sailed, connecting with Broch’s nose with a crunching sound. Blood sprayed across Karsten’s fist, down Broch’s mouth and chin. Broch was only stunned for a second, growling like a feral animal and lashing out at Karsten, a wild swing that managed to graze Karsten’s chest, cutting into his jacket and drawing blood before Karsten managed to grasp Broch’s wrist in his right hand. Karsten was considered above average in height with a few inches on Broch, but the other man had slightly more mass, and he used it now. Broch shoved into Karsten, wrapping his left arm around him tightly, grasping at Karsten’s auburn ponytail in the process, and attempting to drive the point of his blade into Karsten’s chest.