Grandam could not help but smile. “Liriili of Clan Riivye, ^iizaar of Kubiilikhan, you stand accused of treasonous acts against your people and your -world. We will not ask you how you plead. You of all of us are most skilled at concealing your thoughts, one reason we felt you -would make a good administrator. But you have betrayed not only the trust of your people, but my personal trust to you of the life of a young and parentless child, as well as the life of a brave officer of our fleet.”
“It -was not my fault!” Liriili said. “I told them not to go. I told them-and this is perfectly true; any of you can read me-that we must not transmit further communications to the salvage ship that sent the piiyi message to us, for fear of the Khieevi tracing the signal back to us. It is perfectly standard procedure. I have saved us all by my actions and this is the thanks I get? That you hold me responsible because two feckless and rebellious young people stole our newest and finest vessel and took off on a pointless and dangerous joyride against my express orders?”
“Enough!” Grandam bellowed. “You knew very -well that the Condor had sent the piiyi here for translation-a translation Thariinye completed before the children departed. There is a record of the conversation in which he informed you of his translation. You knew at that time that there was a good chance of communicating with the Condor so that Captain Becker, as well as securing the safety of his ship and crew, could warn our allies of the impending threat without. Yo did nothing.”
“Allies!” Liriili snorted. “Look at the Starfarers if you thin we have allies! Did our so-called ‘allies’ not turn over our fines ambassadors and officers, teachers and traders, to enemies wh imprisoned and abused them?”
“They -were deceived,” Grandam said. “But you, Liriil were not deceived. You knew that the Condor and our allie could have been notified of the threat long before the Khlee\ were likely to be close enough to trace them. You knew tha Thariinye also knew this, and that neither he nor Maati wouli allow harm to come to Khornya, Aari, or to Captain Becker i it was in their power to prevent this. You even knew, Liriil that the piiyi contained evidence of the probability of the sui vival of Kaarlye and Miin of the Nyaarya clan, Maati’s an’ Aari’s parents. All of this information was problematic for yoi And so you deliberately ordered the children to do nothing knowing that they -would be forced to disobey you, and tha they-and all those -who depended on their information-woul be lost.”
Liriili felt a sharp pain in the middle of her back and sh was Jabbed forward so quickly she fell to her knees. “I didn know that. How could I know for certain? All of you spacefaren as usual, were off someplace else -when decisions had to b made immediately. I did what I thought was best for the peopl( Licluding you. And is this the thanks I get for my dedicatio to duty? Some thanks …”
She was weeping now with rage, -with fear, -with indigne lion, for she half-believed -what she was saying herself, as Grar dam well knew, or she could never have said it.
Oh, Liriili, my poor granddaughter,” Grandam Naadiin ^id, pushing past the Council table behind which she had bee sitting and kneeling to put her hands on either side of Liriili wet face. Liriili stared rebelliously back at her. “We have been aware of the flaw in your makeup since you were very young you know. You, of all of us, are best able to conceal your thoughts. You alone are capable of, if not lying, at least twisting the meaning of your thoughts to a degree that makes them difficult to read. We decided when the old Viizaar passed on to the land of the Ancestors that this-difference-in your makeup need not be a flaw, but could be used for the greater good of all. And you are correct. In general you have been an excellent and conscientious administrator.