Mikel barely gave him courtesy. They grappled ungracefully. The Meteor fell, though merely onto his rear. Mikel leaped and forced his shoulders to the ground. He conceded and left. By then, of course, the situation elsewhere had changed and Mikel’s earlier idea was of no use.
”Poor, poor form,” said Arkezhan. “Score his team down.”
”My lord,” protested Ibram, “the action was not very esthetic, lint I found no real fault.”
”Nor I,” added Malena. Jon could say nothing, his attention having been on others.
”Did you not observe how he butted with his arms and fumbled with his hands?” Arkezhan replied. “Score his team down, I say. Three points.” Each counted as a man lost, which might force the Sirians out of the game early, and the record would show this was due to Mikel Belov.
”One at most, my lord,” Malena argued. “Few actions are ever perfectly executed.”
”Three.”
Nobody refused. Arkezhan was Supreme Steward, after all; and the designated stewards had plenty else to grip their attention; and markdowns, frequent enough in any closely refereed contest, canceled each other by apportionment among the two rival groups.
Wei’s mouth drew tight.
The auvade went on. The spectators yelled, waved kerchiefs and flags, pranced on their benches when someone’s idol was victorious.
”Behold what an opportunity our Mikel Belov missed,” said Arkezhan after some minutes. “If he had taken that Altairian Planet, a Betelgeusean Comet would have been open to attack by an Altairian Star. However that encounter came out, there would have been one less survivor for the Sirians to meet.”
”Yes,” admitted Ibram. He studied the skyscene. “Easy for us to see. But who in the midst of an engagement can survey it all?”
”Competent players can, to a considerable extent. Of course, possibly our brave little Comet did not choose to meet the Planet, who does appear quite formidable.”
Malena scowled into her viewer. “My lord, you seem determined to pursue this man,” she said. “We have others to watch as well.”
”Of course. I would not criticize your decisions, my lady and my lords. But you must agree that certain players require more zealous monitoring than most. For the good of the game.”
”My lord, I do not feel that Mikel Belov is among them.”
Arkezhan shrugged. “Well, you may be right, my lady. You are old acquaintance with his family, are you not? Very close old acquaintance.”
Malena stiffened.
”If you please, my lord,” said Jon, ice in his voice.
Arkezhan raised his palms. “Oh, no, no! I would never imply, nor imagine for an instant, that my lady or either of my lords would heed any offer that any player’s father may have made.”
Wei snapped after air. The Regnant sat expressionless. The stewards could not respond, for the game was becoming ever more rapid and complex.
Suddenly Arkezhan raised his eyes from his own viewer and cried, “A foul, a foul!”
”What?” The stewards’ heads jerked about toward him.
”Did you miss it? When Mikel Belov met that Altairian Moon just now, he grabbed after the man’s groin.”
Wei’s knuckles whitened on the arms of his chair.
Malena forgot civility. “He did not.”
”Were you watching him, my lady?” Arkezhan replied. “You have the entire board to follow. I choose to focus on where my suspicions lie.”
Wei half rose. Ibram said hastily, “My lord the Supreme Steward probably missaw, as can happen to anyone. We will replay the encounter in slow motion if he insists.”
Arkezhan smiled. “No need, my lord. I will accept your judgment.
Perhaps I was mistaken. Perhaps in the excitement I confused a tendency with an intent.”
Wei got to his feet. His face was blanched. “Sir,” he said word by word, “I trust that that remark was inadvertent and you will retract it and apologize.”
The stewards kept their gazes on the viewers, scanning to and fro, as duty required; but Malena blurted, “Your Radiance has heard-“ She broke off, appalled at herself.
The Regnant sat unstirring.
Arkezhan smiled. “Why, I meant no harm, my lord, no basic fault to find. We are what we are. That boy has evidently chosen to do little or nothing about the characteristics he has inherited from, say, his mother.”