144 - As if my own hand clasped the whip

Excerpt from the proceedings of the Chevengani Mental State Assessment Committee, atakina 9, Y. 1556

Da: With great regret, I propose that we request of the Servant of Michalere that he resign from the Committee... I would even go so far as to say that the Servant of Michalere has made use of his position on the Committee to further his aim of removing Chevenga by damaging his reputation—which is an abuse of his position on the Committee.

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Li: Thank you for your fairness, president Lanai. That was quite the damning presentation, Darosera, but I’ll contend myself that it is only so on the surface, and answer your accusations point for point…

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La: Thank you, Darosera, for your presentation, and Linasika, for your defense. That we request of the Servant of Michalere to resign from the Committee due to a conflict of interest of intent, discussion from other members: I recognize the Servant of Terera South.

Ku: Thank you. Now, as you all know, the citizens I represent are very convenient to me here, and so I am never really away from them, as are those of you from more distant counties. Thus I hear from them every day. Now I have had more than one person say to me in the last few days, “I thought the Committee was convened to study Chevenga’s mental state; why are you out to destroy him?”

Each time I have said it is not so, of course, but then asked, “How did you come to think that?” And each time I’ve been told “Linasika said,” or been shown a quote from the Servant of Michalere. Each time I say, “That is his view; he does not speak for the entire Committee.” And often I hear, “He doesn’t? But it sounds that way.”

Now I don’t know whether it’s by implying that he speaks for the Committee, or simply the number of times that he has spoken to writers about what we do here, while the rest of us have generally not done so at all, Linasika is giving this impression enough that people are getting it. I don’t think this is proper. Our mandate is to investigate and then present the people of Yeola-e with a complete report at the end of that investigation, all properly written, and signed by all of us as members. It isn’t to spread selected bits of our proceedings to the public before we’ve even formed conclusions, let alone finished the report. The Servant of Michalere’s doing that has made me for one feel ill-at-ease. I have to share the opinion that it has been done specifically to harm Chevenga’s good name and standing, and agree that this is not something any of us should be doing.

La: I recognize the Servant of Kaholil.

Cha: Thank you, sib president. The Committee resolved at the outset, though I can’t recall the precise wording, to treat Chevenga with sympathy rather than judgment in our dealings with him. Now Linasika is speaking ad hoc to the writers, of course, so we can’t say his efforts in that respect are Committee dealings, but when we question, and we vote, those most certainly are Committee dealings. I must concur with Darosera that now and then, during questioning sessions—especially the one under truth-drug—the Servant of Michalere has taken quite the opposite approach, in breach of that resolution. That session was in fact precipitated by repeated accusations of dishonesty on Chevenga’s part, and repeated threats to him of truth-drugging, even though we had voted not to use it, from Linasika. We all know that Chevenga did not consent to it so much as insist on it, out of what I consider a quite understandable anger. It’s a stain on the good name of this Committee, as far as I’m concerned, that he has been treated so poorly by us, even though we’d committed ourselves—as well as being required, by simple courtesy—to treat him well, that he felt impelled to do this. I have said little about it, but I’ve been increasingly concerned over time about how Linasika’s Chevenga-grudge has been made manifest here, inappropriately.

I draw my fellow-members’ attention to the voting record also. I haven’t gone through the record to do a count, but I doubt I am the only one who has noticed how many times our vote-counts have been six chalks and one charcoal, with Linasika dissenting on anything favourable to Chevenga, no matter how minor. For example, the times in which he’s requested of us that we call in his healer with him—which is invariably helpful to our investigation, since Surya so frequently and ably clarifies matters—Linasika votes against, as if Chevenga having his healer there is somehow too easy on him. Just now, at the start of today, he requested that we schedule any questionings of him around the Games, as he’s taking part—not an unreasonable request, since we’re past the phase of questioning him intensely. But Linasika voted charcoal, and cast aspersions on Chevenga’s motives for taking part in the Games by way of explanation. To me these things seem like no more than unthinking attempts to make his life more difficult in any way possible, and they are not appropriate to the proceedings of a Committee of the Assembly of Yeola-e. That’s all for now, thank you.

La: I recognize the Servant of Tassumai.

I: I think that the Servant of Thara-e-Kalanera has made many good points, and I also think the Servant of Michalere has answered them well. I agree with the latter that it is our duty as public servants to be vigilant in regard to wrongdoing by our fellow public servants, but I tend to agree also with the former that the latter has been somewhat excessive in his vigilance.

However I think that Linasika has been a very valuable member of our Committee, and his contribution would be sorely missed. It’s as Darosera said in her motion; his presence has brought a suitable balance in our measure of a person who is so charismatic, and has become so dear to the hearts of Yeolis, that he has the usename “Beloved,” so that it’s very difficult, I think, for any citizen of this nation to hold an unemotional view of him at all. I think that is very valuable and our work as a Committee would suffer without it. Accordingly, I would vote charcoal to the proposal, with the intention of instead proposing that we formally censure the Servant of Michalere for certain of the actions he has taken, to be agreed upon, and abjure him not to do the like for the duration of the mandate of this Committee. Thank you.

La: I recognize the Servant of Thara-e-Tinanga-e.

O: Thank you, president Lanai. I would like to say that, while I rarely meet constituents of mine in the streets when I am here, unlike Kusiya, I have heard similar to what he has from citizens, at least I presume they are citizens, of Terera and Vae Arahi.

As you might recall, I voted chalk for truth-drugging Chevenga; my thought was that it might perhaps clear the air and open the way for some measure of reconciliation between the Servant of Michalere and the semanakraseye. Since he was flogged, I’ve been asked by many people—upwards of thirty—which way I voted, and berated by the majority of them for it, since it led to what, in their view, was a harsh punishment unjustly inflicted. And I have to say that had I known what the ultimate result would be, I would never have voted as I did. There is no vote I have ever taken in my time as a Servant that I have regretted more. I feel as if my own hand clasped the whip, in part.

I should add that I have yet to hear any Yeoli thank me for that vote, or say that they are glad Chevenga was flogged because he was deserving of it and Yeola-e will be better for it, or that he ought to be impeached. The closest I’ve heard to a favourable reaction is words along the lines of, ‘Maybe it was good in the sense that it will slake the thirst of the Chevenga-haters and they’ll lay off him.’

Now I admit that this is his place of origin and he is more closely known and deeply loved here than anywhere else in Yeola-e, but if there’s a such unanimity of feeling here, that feeling must surely be held by a sizable majority in the rest of the country. I expect that we will all receive many letters in the next half-moon.

La: Pardon me for interceding, Omonae, but I would like to survey, by a show of hands, the full Committee, for the record. To each of you, have you heard similar sentiments expressed informally—or formally, for that matter—and in similar proportions, as Kusiya and Omonae have, since Chevenga’s flogging? I see four chalks and two charcoals. Five chalks if I may be counted. I ask the Servant of Tassumai, who answered charcoal, in what proportion have you heard favourable and unfavourable reactions to what we’ve done in relation to the charges and sentence?

I: I would estimate I’ve heard about three in four unfavourable, and the three are passionate, whereas the one is more… what I would describe as dutiful.

La: Servant of Michalere, the second chalk vote?

L: I have heard about half and half. All passionate, but the unfavourable ones extremely passionate. I’ve been spat at on the street. I’ve been told that if Chevenga commits suicide it will be my fault, and I’ve even been accused of wanting him dead.

La: Thank you, all; Omonae, please continue.

O: Well, I would also like to recount a bit of conversation I overheard between two writers, one a Yeoli and one an Arkan, while they were attending an Assembly session yesterday. They had also both attended the flogging. I heard the Arkan say words to this effect: “I don’t understand what you Yeolis have against Chevenga. You’re harder on him than we are, and he saved you all, while he conquered our empire and sacked our capital. I’m not sure that being rewarded this sort of way for everything he’s done wouldn’t make me want to jump off a cliff, too, if I were him.” Now it’s only an opinion, of course, and it’s from a foreigner, who doesn’t understand our culture; but still I think, frankly, it’s telling. I think—

I: Forgive me for interceding, but I’m curious to know how the Yeoli answered, if you heard.

O: I did, and he answered, and I ask the Committee to excuse me for using the language he did, “If I were him, I’d resign in disgust and tell us all to eat shit. I think he doesn’t only because he knows that Linasika and his ilk are few and everyone reasonable is with him.”

Li: Quaint language.

O: Forgive me, Linasika, I admit I’ve toned down how he characterized you, somewhat.

La: Continue please, Omonae.

O: Thank you. I think, with all due respect to the Servant of Michalere, that his actions are a clear sign that, where it concerns Chevenga, he has allowed emotion to outstrip reason, and I wonder at this point whether he is capable of reversing that, given how publicly he has committed himself to his position. Thank you.

La: I recognize the Servant of Tinga-e-Pekola.

Mi: Thank you, president. I essentially have my mind made up on this, and I get the impression that everyone else does, too, and so I have little to say. But I’d like to note that I have observed on many occasions that the Servant of Michalere has been so manifestly passionate in his anti-Chevenga stance during our deliberations that it’s disrupted our process to some degree, with interruptions, exclamations that were out of order, outbursts that have raised tensions and disturbed the peace among us, and in short made it more difficult for all of us. If other members of the Committee request it I will go through the record and make a count of instances, but we’ve all been witness to them so I hope that isn’t necessary. That is all. Thank you.

La: Now all have spoken once, and I know some are hungering very much to answer each other’s points, but I think continuation best go to a vote. That we call the debate and vote on the motion, all chalk, all charcoal, I see four chalks and three charcoals, carried by a majority, thank you. That we respectfully request of the Servant of Michalere to resign from the Committee due to a conflict of interest in intent, with the Servant himself recused from the vote, I see four chalks, one charcoal and one abstention, carried by a majority, thank you. Now it falls to the Servant of Michalere to accede to or deny our request.

Li: I wouldn’t dream of denying it, sib gentlefolk. I hereby resign my position on the Chevengani Mental State Assessment Committee, effective immediately. May Yeola-e be the better for it.

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