The great bandit Trial, part 2

Writers: Eimi, Estelle, Paula
Date Posted: 4th June 2019
Series: The Great Bandit Trial

Characters: Corowal, Zandan, Tasni, Jihan, Hakob, Neliar, Terren, Tedek
Description: The great bandit trial is finally being held.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 10, day 22 of Turn 9
Notes: Part 2 of 4

"And now, if I may, my Lord," Jihan said, rising to his feet once
more, "I would like to present witnesses concerning the robbery of the
trading caravan."

Two traders from caravan had arrived to witness. Getting them was one
reason why it had taken so long to arrange the trial. They told their
story and identified the stolen necklace as well as the bandits.

Neliar spent more time grilling them than the riverboat folk but his
good attempt was rather futile, there was little doubt in traders'
mind that these were the people who had attacked them.

Jihan also called Raviol, the smith who had identified the necklace as
being the one that Tedek had brought to him in order to sell after the
caravan attack. After cross examination finished, the assistant steward
called his next witness. "My Lord, I would like to call Tedek,
Holdless, as witness to all of the charges of the accused."

The holdless man was led forward by one of the guards, his eyes darting
around the court in evident fear - and with good reason. There was a
stir among the chained bandits as he appeared, and he received several
filthy looks from their direction. In a faltering voice, he confirmed
his name and that he knew the accused, having been part of a gang with
them that had carried out the robberies described by the previous witnesses.

"I never hurt no-one," he protested. "I was just a look-out, and I sold
things sometimes. Like that necklace. I had to do it, to survive."

"Please, Holder Tedek," Jihan said firmly, holding up his hand to stop
him. "You are not here today to give testimony against yourself. You
are here to bear witness to the events of the hijacking of the
Cornflower and the robbery of the trading caravan and the actions of the
accused in those events." Though he was sure that his exact role would
be addressed in cross examination, he preferred the man stay on topic
for now. "Now. Tell us first about the hijacking. How did that come
about?"

"It was Brugan's idea. He was the leader, and he got word the riverboat
would be carrying the tithe." Tedek glanced nervously at the bandits.
He'd heard the man had been killed in the ambush. At least a dead man
could no longer threaten him. He pointed at Arvidon, the man who'd held
the captain's wife. "He was on board, pretending to be a passenger, with
Deeton and the woman and some others. One of the crew was paid to break
something in the engine room when it got to the right place. I dunno who
that was. Then they were supposed to overpower the crew and lock up the
passengers. The rest of us were waiting on the banks for the signal,
with wagons."

"And what happened when the signal came?" Jihan prompted.

"We moved the wagons down to the river's edge, and started offloading
the cargo." Now he pointed to Adrik. "He was leading one of the wagons,
and Brugan had the other. It was raining hard, but we managed to get it
all off before nightfall."

The assistant Steward nodded encouragingly. "What was your intent once
you had offloaded the cargo? Was hijacking the boat always part of the
plan?"

"I think they were going to move it away and sink it, so the sweepriders
wouldn't find it before we'd got away," Tedek said uncertainly. "I
didn't know the whole plan, I wasn't one of the leaders. My job was just
to move the cargo and keep a lookout for wings in the sky. But when the
ones who'd been on board got back, it sounded like something went wrong,
and they had to abandon it. Maybe it wasn't as easy to sink as they
thought."

That seemed to corroborate Hakub's version of the events. "And what had
they intended for the passengers and crew if they sailed off with them
still aboard? To sink them along with the boat?" Jihan asked, looking
pointedly at the group standing accused.

The holdless man turned even paler. "I don't know, sir. I didn't ask. I
thought they'd let 'em off, somewhere. We just wanted the goods."

"You would think. And yet they didn't." Jihan moved on before an
objection could be raised. "Moving on, please tell us about the trading
caravan."

"That was simpler. Brugan got word that the caravan had split off from
the main group, and that they were carrying valuables. I heard it was
someone in a tavern that tipped him off, but I don't know who. We lay in
wait close to the camp where they were expected to stop for the night,
and sure enough, they arrived just around sunset." Tedek's voice had
grown a little more confident. "I was keeping watch and stayed back, but
those others surrounded them and overpowered the guards - "

"You lying snake!" One of the prisoners was unable to listen to any
more, and shook his fist at Tedek with a rattle of chains. "You was in
there with the rest of us!"

Neliar sighed heavily. They really were doing Jihan's work easier and
his impossible.

***continues***

Last updated on the June 24th 2019

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The great bandit Trial, part 2