An Exchange of Hostages Read Online Free PDF

the Bond.

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    “Attention to the Administrator,” Tutor Foliate called. Chonis winced internally at the ragged shuffling sound of twenty ill-prepared Students trying their hand at Fleet drill and ceremony for the first time. Twenty bond-involuntaries and ten Tutors — the sound of their feet moving across the floor was as one sound, crisp and complete. Twenty Students, and it might as well have been two hundred from the time it took them to come to attention.
    Clellelan was halfway to the Captain’s Bar before the noise quieted down. Tutor Chonis could see the repressed smile of amused disgust on the Administrator’s face as he passed.
    Students. They ought to bring them in as cadets for the first half of Term. Really they ought.
    Chonis had heard Clellelan declaim on the subject often enough. As it was, Fleet simply handed them rank and bond-involuntaries, pretending they knew how to manage both — simply because they were Bench-certified medical practitioners. But it was hard enough already to find even the marginally qualified volunteers they usually got with a Chief Medical billet and Ship’s Prime status placed enticingly at the far end of the course. They couldn’t afford to make recruiting more difficult than it already was.
    Clellelan was posted, now, glancing briefly at the Record on the table at his left. Matching names to Students, perhaps. Trying to guess whether they’d all graduate this time.
    “This is Fleet Orientation Station Medical. I am Administrator Rorin Clellelan, Directing. By the Bench instruction. The Term opens with the following Students in attendance, answer to your name when called. Molt. Angouleme. Yurgenhauen. V’ciha.”
    One by one he called out their names; one by one Students answered to him-nervous, diffident, confident, bored. Too much personal feeling by half, Chonis felt. They’d learn. Discipline was the best defense, as the bond-involuntaries demonstrated. Retreat into formality could help provide the insulation that these Students were going to need.
    “Wyadd. Sansoper. Noycannir. Koscuisko.”
    Noycannir sounded bored and amused, above it all. Not obviously enough to give offense, no. But Noycannir was a Clerk of Court and a member of First Secretary Verlaine’s personal staff. She clearly meant to give the impression that she was completely comfortable in this environment.
    And Koscuisko?
    There was no particular emotion of any kind in Koscuisko’s voice, and Chonis wondered about that for a moment. Koscuisko had seemed clearly unhappy to be here during their meal last night. For Koscuisko to be suppressing emotional cues so absolutely meant he was more frightened than Tutor Chonis had guessed.
    “Shiwaj. And Bilale.” The Administrator came to the end of his list, and Chonis focused his attention to the fore. “Students, you are welcome. You represent a vital resource for the Fleet, as you know. And in these increasingly troubled times, you will be called upon to serve the Judicial order as never before in the history of the Bench.” Because never before in the history of the Bench had civil disorder been so pervasive, so corrosive, and above all so persistent.
    “Let there be no doubt in your minds, the task for which you have volunteered is a difficult one. And you will be more personally involved in the Judicial process than any of our Line officers, even those in Command Branch itself.” Clellelan had to be careful with that one, Chonis knew. It was all to the good to encourage the Students to see themselves as uniquely valuable to the Bench. But if Clellelan put too much emphasis on their critical role, they might start thinking about why Line officers wouldn’t have anything to do with it.
    “Please be assured that I personally, as well as your assigned Tutors and all of our Staff, will render every assistance in ensuring successful completion of your Orientation. Each of the bond-involuntaries here assigned has been dedicated by the Bench to