The Sacrifice Read Free

a military tribunal. Which means it’s a
     trial.’
    The kids on the side table started writing
     furiously. A hum and murmur went round the room, but it was quickly silenced when Jordan
     raised his hand. Everyone was looking around, though, trying to work out who
     wasn’t there. Who might have been arrested.
    ‘A boy has been caught trying to steal
     food from the storerooms. As you know, when I took control, I wrote up a list of rules
     and stealing is one of the worst crimes on it, especially stealing food. You all know
     the rules. So there’s no excuse for breaking them. Having said that, I want this
     trial to be fair. So I will give the suspect a fair hearing. Bring him in.’
    All heads twisted round now towards the
     doors as a boy was shoved through them, his hands tied behind his back, an armed guard
     on either side of him. He was tall and fair-haired and had a bruise on one cheek. His
     shirt was slightly torn. He looked like he’d been crying, his eyes all red and
     swollen. Mixed emotions – fear, anger, defiance, hatred and embarrassment – flickered
     across his features.
    The boy was made to stand in front of the
     big table and his hands were untied. Everyone in the room was staring at him.
    ‘What is your name?’ Jordan
     asked.
    ‘You know my name, Jordan, you
     arsehole,’ said the boyand a couple of the kids giggled. Jordan
     didn’t react; his expression didn’t change; he didn’t even blink. He
     remained cold, blank, patient.
    ‘Tell us your full name.’
    ‘No.’
    Jordan raised his head now and stared at the
     boy. He so rarely looked directly at anyone that the effect was quite powerful. The boy
     dropped his own gaze.
    ‘Bren,
Brendan
,
     Eldridge.’
    ‘And what have you been charged with,
     Bren?’
    ‘Oh, for God’s sake, this is
     stupid. This isn’t a proper court. We’re all just kids. I know I did wrong.
     So give me a slap and let’s get on with our lives.’
    ‘What have you been charged with,
     Bren?’
    ‘Stealing! You know it’s
     stealing, OK? I stole some tinned fruit. Big deal, boohoo. Naughty me.’
    Jordan looked over towards the side
     table.
    ‘The charge is stealing
     food.’
    ‘Big deal,’ said Bren.
    Jordan paused for a few seconds before going
     on. ‘Without food we die,’ he said.
    ‘Tell me something I don’t
     know.’ Brendan gave Jordan a dismissive look.
    Jordan ignored him. ‘Stealing from
     other kids is one of the worst things you can do,’ he said. ‘If we
     don’t look out for each other we’re all going to die. Therefore, Brendan, I
     reckon stealing food is as bad a crime as murder.’
    ‘Oh, come off it, Jordan. It was just
     some tinned peaches.’
    ‘Was it?’
    ‘Yes, it was. You know it
     was.’
    Again Jordan turned to the side table.
    ‘Make a note of that. The suspect has
     admitted to stealing the peaches.’
    ‘Hey,’ said Bren. ‘No, I
     didn’t. I was talking hypothetically.’
    ‘I’m going to call Captain Ford
     for evidence,’ said Jordan and he nodded to the boy sitting on his right, who had
     long straight black hair and Japanese features. The boy stood up.
    ‘For the record, can you state your
     full name and occupation, rank and regiment?’ said Jordan.
    ‘Seriously?’
    ‘Just do it, Tomoki.’
    ‘My name is Tomoki Ford. Captain of
     the Tower Watch.’
    ‘Can you tell us how you caught the
     thief?’
    ‘Alleged thief,’ said Bren.
     ‘If we’re going to have a proper trial then I’m innocent until proven
     guilty, aren’t I?’
    ‘You’ve already made a
     confession,’ said Jordan.
    ‘I wasn’t under oath.’
    ‘We don’t bother with that. You
     already said you stole the cans of fruit.’
    ‘Prove it.’
    ‘OK,’ said Tomoki. ‘About
     ten days ago Captain Reynolds of the Service Corps came to see me. He told me that he
     thought someone was stealing from the Tower stores. He’d noticed some small things
     had gone missing, and when he checked he found out that