Page 58 of Carousel

And it seems crazy, because no one else in the room believes that. And they saw exactly what I saw.

Yet –

“I believe you,” I promise.

Because I felt it.

The exact moment Cosmer stopped moving. It was a shock of heat. Like someone throwing scalding water over my chest and arms. I’m still broiling.

“I—”

But before I can finish my sentence, my trail of thought, Riss yells, “Everyone, shut up!”

Her voice is so loud and shrill that – even in a room full of men – they do.

She stands frozen, head lowered and ear slightly tilted.

“There’s going to be a trial.”

Her words change the atmosphere again. The soldiers shuffle on the spot and cast nervous glances at each other, just as a bell starts ringing outside.

“Must be for Chapp,” Cosmer says. “We should watch. They might need us as witnesses.”

From Deck 9, we climb one of four narrow ladders I hadn’t noticed earlier. They lead up to overhead hatches, which open out onto the very top deck of the ship, Deck 10. It turns out to be an enormous circular platform surrounded by a curving dome of panels of reinforced Lorallahan glass not unlike the one above the Palace. Around us is unbounded blue sky.

A lot of other soldiers and pilots have gathered – but not everyone from the ship is here, it seems. That’s different to Hevalla on the ground, where executions are compulsory viewing for villages. I get the thought that, maybe up here, these happen too often for that to be possible.

I’d like to get up close to the glass, as I can see ships of different sizes and shapes in the distance – but everyone’s attention is on something high above us.

I look up, to see a smaller dome within the dome itself, accessible by a steep staircase and a rickety-looking wooden platform. A woman standing beneath it with a book and pen must be preparing to scribe.

We wait for a while, bells still ringing out from the deck below us. Eventually, three people appear and walk in a procession through the crowd. They go past the four of us, standing in a line of our own. The man in the middle has a burlap sap over his head, and his arms are tied behind his back. I assume that must be Chapp. The man at the rear is dressed in a State Craftsman’s regal robes and white cape, and the other, leading the way, is in a near identical uniform to Dezeeves, apart from the fact his leather coat is slightly shorter. He’s much younger than Dezeeves, only in his late twenties or early thirties, and he looks far more menacing. A strong chin. White-blonde hair that catches the sun. A body that seems honed to perfection. Looking up at him, I think at first there might be something in his eye, because it looks silver. Then I realise it’s made of metal. It’s swivelling in its socket.

Cosmer leans into my ear. “That’s Ephraine, the XO. Executive Officer. Dezeeves’ second. Always leads on executions.”

Once they’ve climbed up onto the platform. Ephraine steps forwards to address us.

Speaking into a brass megaphone, he states, “Today, on First Day in week twenty-one of the year of the cricket, we hold the Trial on Deck of Chapp Fenman, who stands accused of one count of attempted murder of a crew member.”

Some of the crowds are dispersing. I suppose they must have only come in case it was someone they knew.

Ephraine steps over to the man and removes the sack, and then a covering over his mouth. I’m pretty sure Chapp tries to bite him.

“Do you deny the charges?” Ephraine asks him.

“No,” Chapp spits. “I only did what you should all be doing. These people are not safe to be around us. They’re not safe⁠—”

Ephraine stuffs the covering into Chapp’s mouth, a gleam in his blue real eye, which makes it look, for a moment, more metallic than his silver one.

He turns to the crowd, holding up two sheets of paper.

“We have witness statements from Second Officers Cosmer Platt and Rissa Rone to the effect that last night, at approximately one past the hour, you entered Rissa’s cabin and attempted to shoot twice at the Integrating prisoner of war under her watch. They believe that with the number of bullets in your weapon at the time, had you been successful, you would have entered Cosmer’s cabin and attempted to shoot the prisoner under his. Can we call forwards one or both of the witnesses, if they are present.”

Cosmer and Riss exchange a glance.

“I’ll go,” Riss says, already turning.

She’s light on her feet as she steps up the stairs. On the platform, she stands at her full height. Doesn’t look at all intimidated to be there.