XXVI - Vote

Casio tossed a newspaper on Kamon's desk. The bold headline nearly sprang from the newsprint -- 'DEATH!' SAYS DELPHI TO WOMAN OF PEACE .

"What are you going to do about it?" Casio demanded.

Kamon shook his head and shuffled some papers.

"Elbe's in on it, isn't he?" Casio charged.

"Shut the door," Kamon commanded tersely.

Casio closed the door. "I want in, too."

"You're not to tell anybody about Elbe," Kamon warned. "How did you know?"

"Because Elbe looks like somebody just killed his favorite puppy. I asked him what was wrong; he said he couldn't talk about it. I asked him if he had seen you this morning; he nearly broke out in tears." Casio sat down and spoke with emphasis. "I want in, Hawk."

"It's too dangerous," Kamon answered. "I don't want anybody involved. I needed Elbe's help on something, but I don't want anyone to know. He's innocent."

"I'm already involved!" Casio argued. "I'm the one that ran interference for you all day yesterday! The Council is expecting a debate and a vote on the fate of the Big Chief. They wanted you in the Council Chamber yesterday. They were ready to send some Council security personnel looking for you, but I convinced them to wait. They don't know much, if anything, about you and Jasmine. They think you've gone loony!"

Kamon pondered Casio's comments for a moment. "And the Council members can't know," Kamon said thoughtfully. "They mustn't suspect anything is wrong or out of the ordinary."

"So what's going on?!" Casio implored.

"I'm going to break Jasmine out of Ingraham Memorial Temple Prison," Kamon replied.

"How?"

"Elbe was able to give me authorization to control the electronic locks at Ingraham," Kamon explained. "He also discovered an ancient tunnel leading from the Chambers Building. It runs through the hill on which Ingraham sits and exits somewhere at the bottom. It should still be accessible."

"But you're not sure about the tunnel?" Casio asked.

"Indications are it's still usable."

"But you're not sure?"

"It's all I've got," Kamon answered.

"Where're you going if you get her out?"

"I'm going to rent a private hovercraft and take her to the Tysom Mountain Range north of my cabin. There's no chance I'd slip through the defense radar on the northern border, so if we're going to get out of the country, we'll have to walk. Or we may just live in the mountains for a while, I'm not sure."

"Where would you go if you left the country?"

"First General Venon Miscus has offered us asylum in Kefar," Kamon answered.

"Did Miscus have anything to do with the Delphi's change of heart on Jasmine being allowed to have visitors?" Casio asked. "I heard it on the radio just before I came down here. It's obviously a recent development because there's nothing in the newspaper about it."

"I assume she did," Kamon answered. "I asked her to make the call. I doubt the Delphi wanted to grant me special permission to see Jasmine, so she opened it up to everyone. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful."

"When are you going to make your move?" Casio asked.

"Tonight. I don't want to give people time to start asking questions. What happened in Kefar? What happened at Jasmine's so-called 'trial'? They might get suspicious. The Delphi might get suspicious. Then I'd never get to Jasmine."

"You'll have to show up in the Council Chambers today," Casio advised. "Otherwise, you'll attract a lot of attention by your absence."

"I fully intend to be there," Kamon said. "I've already made a call and rented a hovercraft. Everything is ready to go. And as far as the rest of the world is concerned, this is a very normal day."

"Yeah, well normalcy's right outside the door," Casio said. "Quartz Lok is in the outer office. She wants to talk to you."

"About what?" Kamon asked.

"About the Big Chief, no doubt," Casio answered. "Remember? Normalcy?"

Kamon nodded. "Send her in."

Casio left. A moment later, Councilwoman Quartz Lok entered the office. "Thanks for seeing me, Kamon," she began. "I know your busy."

"We're colleagues," Kamon said amiably. "You can see me any time. I'm just sorry I've been unavailable lately."

"Yes," Quartz Lok remarked with a smile. "You've been very busy. You're a hero in Kefar. Saving the life of First General Venon Miscus is extraordinary, to say the least, although I would never doubt your ability to do so."

"Yes," Kamon acknowledged. "The reporters are still chasing me around. I'm trying to avoid them. I don't want to talk to them about it. I was in a position to do something and I did. That's it."

"You're exceedingly modest, Kamon."

"Why did you want to talk to me?" Kamon wanted to move away from the subject of Kefar and Venon Miscus.

"Well, I wanted to speak with you about the Chief Councilwoman." Quartz Lok was clearly uncomfortable. "I understand this is perhaps not the best time. Whatever one may think of the peace agreement in Kefar, it's tragic that the Delphi would see fit to hand down such a sentence in Jasmine's case...." Quartz Lok had not used the words 'condemned' or 'death'. She feared Kamon's reaction.

"I agree," Kamon said. "Although I can appreciate the Delphi's response as head of the Fraus faith, I think she has over-reacted. I believe there's a good chance that by the end of the week, she will realize that a death sentence is really unwarranted and will change her mind." Kamon lied as best he could. He tried to sound very much at ease.

"Really?!" Quartz Lok expressed her surprise. "The stories I've read are much more somber." She could have bit her tongue. She didn't need to say that!

Kamon smiled. "Well, I was there." He was clearly claiming inside knowledge of the situation. He knew that Quartz Lok must have read in the papers that he had been at the Domus during Jasmine's trial. He may as well use that to his advantage.

"Yes...Well...I'm glad to hear the situation is not as....dire as I thought." Quartz Lok was finding Kamon to be calm and composed, not at all what she had expected. For herself, however, she remained ill at ease and surprised at every turn. "I'm sure you and Jasmine were...well, you must have seen quite a bit of her in Kefar. You were in a position to save General Miscus' life and I presume Jasmine was there, also...." She was botching this terribly. She wanted to be careful not to assume too much, yet she did not wish to be unsympathetic.

"Oh, yes," Kamon spoke up. "Jasmine and I became friends." He hoped that he sounded concerned, as a 'friend' would be, but not distraught. "I'm concerned about the situation, but as I said earlier, I expect everything to be worked out satisfactorily in Jasmine's case." Lying was not something he was at all used to. He hoped he was doing it well.

"Well, I'm glad!" Quartz Lok said with a smile of relief. She was glad, glad that Kamon had no reason to be in a bad mood. "For both of you. Now, about the chief councilwoman, if I may. I know relations between you two have been strained at best."

"Frankly, that would be putting it mildly," Kamon admitted.

Quartz nodded. "The chief councilwoman is not a saint. But neither is she the devil. With all due respects, I submit that you two might not like each other because you haven't taken the time to get to know one another."

"It's more than that," Kamon said.

"Perhaps," Quartz conceded. "But think about the Council then. You often find your service here frustrating, is that not right?"

"Yes."

"And that is one thing you have in common with every Council member," Quartz Lok claimed. "You have ideas, you have goals, you would like to see them result in legislation. But it's difficult to get a 'clean' bill through the Council. It becomes amended and burdened until you hardly recognize it. That is why it takes a very special kind of leader to keep this.....behemoth we call the Council moving, or we wouldn't get anything done at all. Mavox Pro makes the system work," Quartz said, emphasizing each word. "Is she a great Chief Councilwoman? Probably not. But who would be, given the multiplicity of viewpoints? She's the best we've had in a long time, though. That says a lot. And she cares about people more than you think." Quartz Lok leaned forward in her chair. "Who do you think got all those bills passed to feed the hungry and house the homeless before you arrived on the scene? The people of our generation didn't discover poverty, Kamon. It's been around for a long time, and it's likely it will still exist long after we're gone from the scene. But that's doesn't mean we can't try to eliminate it. M--" she stammered over the word for an instant, "Mavox Pro has been trying to do that!"

"And her stand on equal rights?" Kamon asked.

"She's a relic from a time past," Quartz admitted, sliding back in her vinyl seat and wringing her hands. "I'll concede she's most vulnerable from your point of view on that. But you have to understand the time period in which she grew up. Women controlled the government and the country. Men were put here to serve. That's what she was taught. It takes time for women her age to adapt to new ideas, new social mores! You led a revolution, Kamon! Victory comes in stages, not overnight."

"In any case, Mavox Pro is not being tried for any of these things," Kamon pointed out. "Violation of the sanctity of Raman is the issue at hand."

"You're right," Quartz agreed. "And that is one reason I am here in defense of Mavox Pro. It was necessary for her to be out that afternoon. She did it for me. I am actually responsible for her predicament! When I was near death with the grand Torman flu she risked violation of the Raman holy day to bring a friend to my side! She thought I had only hours to live, Kamon!" Quartz Lok's voice quieted. "That meant a great deal to me."

"I don't wish to minimize a good deed," Kamon said. "You were near death. Mavox Pro helped you. That's a good thing. However, you must understand, from my point of view, Mavox Pro did everything in her power to wrest from me my home. My mother died when I was very young. My father is dead now, too. My home and my memories are all that I have left of them."

"I--I don't understand," Quartz replied in genuine puzzlement. "How did Mavox Pro have anything to do with the taking of your home?"

"She knew the 'Minot Preservation Bill' would lead to logging on my land," Kamon stated. "She came to see me two weeks ago. I asked her directly and she admitted it. In my mind, she is responsible for the desecration of my home."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," Quartz responded, shaking her head. "She never told me. I just assumed it was a deal between the lumber industry and the Delphi. A lot of money was involved; I assumed that much." She paused. Quartz appeared dejected. "I don't really have anything else to add. For whatever it might mean to you, I would consider it a great personal favor if you would vote to spare Mavox Pro. You owe me no favors, but I am asking nonetheless. Please."

"I'll consider it," Kamon answered honestly. He was both mystified and moved by Quartz Lok's plea. Why did she feel so strongly about Mavox Pro? "You've always treated me fairly."

"Thank you," Quartz said. "That's all I can ask." She stood up. "Well, I won't take any more of your time. I'll see you in the Council Chamber."

Kamon nodded. "I'll be there." It was all very odd. Who was the anonymous 'friend' that Mavox Pro had summoned to Quartz Lok's bedside? She had not named the person; he had noticed that. Why? And why had the chief councilwoman risked so much for a colleague? Casio was right. It wasn't anything she had done in the past. It made little sense.

Casio opened the door and walked in. "Let's go. Debate on the floor will be starting in a few minutes. It'll look odd if you're not there."

Kamon rose to follow his friend. Much would happen on this day in his life. He wondered how it would end.

The debate in the Council Chamber lasted all morning and carried on into mid-afternoon. It was obvious from the outset that the Delphi's decision to turn the fate of Mavox Pro over to the Council had been a huge mistake, at least from the Delphi's point of view. The head of the Fraus faith had anticipated that the Council would share her outrage and condemn Mavox Pro's actions. The Delphi thought that best; the Council should convict one of their own. It would send an unequivocal message to the people.

But the early debate indicated that the Council members were uncertain. Many members had deep ties to Mavox Pro. They did not wish to see her gone. An acquittal on the sacrilege charge would save her; she could keep her position in the Council. What had seemed like a clear violation of the sanctity of Raman now grew murky ---

There were those who disagreed, however.

By late afternoon, everyone wanted to take a vote. They were tired. One way or the other, the members of the Council wanted to be rid of this matter.

A roll call vote began. The two junior members, Kamon and Casio, would come last, per usual custom.

"Did Quartz Lok talk to you?" Kamon asked.

"Yeah," Casio replied.

"What did you tell her?"

"Nothing," Casio answered. "I said you and I would discuss it."

Kamon cast a quizzical look at Casio. "But we haven't discussed it."

"I know. I figured you were busy mentally preparing for your visit with Jasmine tonight at Ingraham -- and what follows."

Kamon nodded. "I have been." He had thought of little else. "What are you going to do?"

"I haven't decided," Casio answered. "Are you going to get out of here as soon as this is over?"

"No. I'll be followed by reporters. I still haven't granted an interview. Not only do they want to question me about Kefar, but now they want to know what happened at the Domus during Jasmine's trial. I'm a marked man. I can't go anywhere except under the cover of darkness. I'll have to wait a couple of hours."

The roll call vote moved along. Current count stood at eight for conviction, seven for acquittal.

"Councilwoman Grishana from the Province of Falcon!" the clerk's voice echoed.

"No," was the barely audible response from Councilwoman Falcon.

"How are you going to vote?" Casio asked.

"I don't know," Kamon answered. "It seems close."

"I've been counting heads for the past week," Casio commented quietly. "It'll be our decision at the end, yours and mine."

"You're kidding."

"You need to make a choice, Hawk," Casio advised. "I realize it doesn't matter to you personally. Your life will change forever after tonight. But before you go, the fate of Mavox Pro rests in your hands..and mine."

"Councilwoman Endara from the Province of Quail!" the clerk's voice sounded.

"Aye," was the subdued response from Councilwoman Quail.

The count stood at twenty-one votes for conviction and twenty votes against.

Chief Councilwoman Mavox Pro was seated in her usual chair at the front of the chamber. Her shoulders sagged. Two votes to go, Kamon and Casio. She had lost. Kamon had no reason to vote against the resolution and thus in her favor. She was well aware of the man's dislike for her. If she had had any doubts, her meeting with him two weeks ago had settled the issue. Despite Quartz's reassurances that the councilman from Sparrow Hawk was not necessarily a 'Yes' vote, Mavox Pro was sure that he was. It was over. Her life as she knew it was over. What would she do now?

Meanwhile, Kamon was lost in thought. He must wait until well after dark, another two hours, before setting off to rescue Jasmine. Why had she quizzed him about this vote on the way back from Kefar. What significance had she seen in it? Was Mavox Pro somehow important to this equation? He could see Jasmine in his mind, hear her voice.

"Councilman Kamon from the Province of Sparrow Hawk!!" the clerk practically yelled for the third time.

A puzzled Casio poked his big friend. "Wake up, big guy," he whispered tersely. "They're all looking at us!"

Kamon spoke clearly and boldly. "NO!"

Murmurs of surprise and amazement quickly rippled through the chamber. Virtually everyone had expected Kamon to oust his Council foe. The opportunity had been before him, and yet, inexplicably, he had let it slip away.

Shocked, Mavox Pro suddenly sat erect. Her eyebrows darted toward her hairline. She stared in bewilderment at the man she had thought her adversary.

The clerk announced the last name. "Councilman Casio from the Province of Tanager?!"

Casio's voice was loud and clear. "NO! Negative!"

END OF CHAPTER