THE TWELVE -- Chapter 18 - Conflict

In the afternoon of the sixth day, Kandryl made his way through the work areas of each of the Komislavian boys, checking on their work and also gauging any residual emotion that may have lingered from the night previous.  The youngest three seemed to have been very much affected, but most of the older ones showed little or no change.  It was, of course, possible, Kandryl reasoned, that the older ones were simply better able to hide their emotions.  Eriane was, understandably, the most changed; he was silent and withdrawn, and he refused to look Kandryl in the eye when the other visited his work area.  Kandryl was not surprised by this, and he did not attempt to speak with Eriane directly.  Leil seemed a little more quiet than usual, but he was always so quiet and shy that it was hard to tell whether he was any more so today than any other day.  Observing him, Kandryl found himself longing for the successful completion of the testing phase of this experiment, when he would be able to put away this one who was, indeed, not worth keeping alive.  Still, until the testing phase was complete, all of the boys needed to remain alive and in good physical and mental health, if at all possible.
 

Kandryl checked on Jaeger last.  He saw that Jaeger's work was being done well and that Jaeger answered any pertinent questions without hesitation.  Indeed, if Jaeger had been at all affected by the previous night, he hid it well.  As Kandryl was finishing and preparing to leave however, Jaeger arrested his attention.
"If you please, sir," said Jaeger as Kandryl had started to turn away, "may I ask you a question relating to the treatment of certain other members of my group?"
 

Kandryl turned back, guarded.  He was not about to give any information regarding either Djaisiuk or the other three imprisoned ones, about whom he was sure that Jaeger was going to ask.  However, he simply said, "You may ask."
 

"Two of my Komislavian brothers, Wysire and Detrin," began Jaeger, "had brought books with them when they exited our ship.  These have been taken from them with no reason given and have not been returned.  May I ask whether this was by your orders?"
 

"What were the books?" asked Kandryl, arching an eyebrow.
 

"They were books which meant a great deal to each of them," answered Jaeger evasively.  "You must understand that, being an emotional race, it is not particularly easy for any of us to acclimate ourselves to these new positions in any short period of time.  Having the one possession that they each chose to bring taken from them for no apparent reason did nothing to assist in the acclimation."
 

Kandryl smiled somewhat condescendingly.  "You are deliberately avoiding my question," he said softly.  "What were the books?"
 

Jaeger hesitated only a moment.  "Each brought his Bible," he said.
 

"In that case, yes to the one and no to the other," Kandryl answered.  "In the one case, I did give the order; in the other I did not."
 

"In the one where you did not, may I ask whether he would be allowed to have his Bible returned?" asked Jaeger.
 

"I left the fate of the counselor to his supervisor," replied Kandryl.  "If Moru thought it best that he not have a copy of that book, then I will stand by his decision."
 

Jaeger blinked.  "I--" he began, seeming unsure of his words.  "I had thought that, if you gave the order in only one of the two cases, you would have taken Wysire's Bible before Detrin's."  He paused.  "I don't understand."
 

"I did order that no religious material was to be allowed in the case of the electrician," said Kandryl, "but I gave no orders regarding the reading materials of the counselor."
 

Jaeger continued to look at him in confusion.  "Why Detrin?" he asked.  "As you say, he is an electrician.  What difference would it make with him?"
 

"He was the one who exited your ship with burned hands, was he not?" asked Kandryl.
 

Jaeger had to think hard for a moment to remember.  "Yes," he said at last, growing a little angry despite himself.  "Yes, he did, but only because you or one of your men sent a power surge through the wiring while he was working on it!"
 

Kandryl nodded.  "That was the one," he said.  "I do not take kindly to insurrection.  He defied me."
 

"We all did!" exclaimed Jaeger angrily.  "He was acting under my orders.  Any of us would have done the same.  Djaisiuk himself was--"  Jaeger cut off suddenly, fearing he may have said too much.  Kandryl's expression had changed as soon as Djaisiuk's name entered the conversation, but it quickly returned to his customary cool attitude and condescending smile.
 

"You were saying?" said Kandyl.  "Djaisiuk himself . . . ?"
 

"Forgive me," said Jaeger, lowering his eyes and avoiding the question.  "I'm afraid that I nearly lost my temper.  It is a area with which I struggle."
 

"No need to apologize," Kandryl assured him.  "Please continue."
 

"I was only going to say," said Jaeger, "that it seems hardly fair to punish Detrin when he was only acting under orders."
 

"Whose orders?" asked Kandryl.
 

"Mine."
 

"Then would you prefer that I punished you?" asked Kandryl softly.
 

"I would always prefer that," Jaeger
 

Kandryl smiled, amused at the obvious change that had already come over Jaeger since their group had come to Vukosava.  Only three nights ago, he had assured Kandryl that he was not, indeed, the 'leader' of the boys, although 'they would follow him if they felt that his decision was correct.'  Now, when it appeared that one member of the crew would be punished for something that Jaeger had asked him to do, Jaeger was suddenly the definite and undisputed leader of the group.  It was true that Jaeger had not made such a bold claim as this, perhaps, but his intent was clear.  And it was as amusing as it was obvious.
 

"Very well," said Kandryl at last.  "If that is your preference, then so be it.  Have you one of these books?"
 

Jaeger stiffened ever so slightly.  "I have," he answered.  "But it is this book which makes me what I am, and it is the same with any and all of the others.  We need them.  If you must punish me or any of us for our 'insurrection,' as you call it, then please use some way other than taking our scriptures."
 

An expression of thinly veiled disgust passed swiftly over Kandryl's face at the last word.  He straightened somewhat and held out a hand.  "You will give me your book," he said.
 

"Please, will you return Detrin's?" Jaeger asked.
 

"No."
 

"What of Wysire's?" persisted Jaeger.  "Seeing that you did not order it, will you not return his to him?"
 

"I will not," Kandryl answered.  His hand was still outstretched toward Jaeger, and his voice hardened as he continued, "I said, you will give me your book."
 

Jaeger hesitated.  "If I refuse?" he asked.
 

"Then I will immediately instruct every supervisor of your friends to search each of them and their quarters for any copy, complete or otherwise of these religious manuscripts and destroy them all," answered Kandryl.
 

Jaeger held Kandryl's gaze for a moment as if unsure as to whether or not to believe him, but there was no bluff in Kandryl's hard expression.  His smile was long gone.  He was serious.  Slowly Jaeger lowered his eyes and reached inside his uniform to pull a small book from an inner breast pocket.  This he carefully handed to Kandryl.
Kandryl 

held the book lightly between his thumb and forefinger.  He lifted his hand to look at the book a little closer, the expression of mild disgust showing on his face again, then shook his head.
 

"What a waste," he said.  "The stupidity of your race will never cease to amaze me.  You reject weaponry that can make you strong, yet you cling so stubbornly to a piece of ancient religion that only makes you weak.  What a waste indeed."
 

Kandryl stepped to one wall of the room and kicked an incinerator to life.  He held the small Bible out, about to drop it in, but Jaeger spoke quickly.
 

"Please sir," he said.
 

Kandryl paused and looked at him, still holding the book over the humming incinerator.  Jaeger licked his lips as if trying to decide what to say.
 

"If you must destroy it," he said at last, "will you at least first explain why?"
 

"I expect obedience from those under me," said Kandryl, "whether or not I explain myself."  With that, he dropped the book.  There was a soft hiss and the book was gone.  Kandryl again kicked the incinerator, and it shut down.  "Return to your work," Kandryl instructed, and he turned and walked out of the room.
 

Jaeger stared after him for a moment in silence as Kandryl's footsteps died away down the hallway.  Slowly Jaeger lowered himself into a chair and pressed a hand to his forehead.
 

"Lord God, tell me what to do," he prayed quietly.  "In the name of Jesus, please tell me what to do."