Free Sheepfarmers Daughter by Elizabeth Moon

— sort of— "
    "A little tussle? Be specific now: did you see it start?"
    "N-no - I was - was - uh - cleaning my boots. Sir."
    "Did you see any blows struck at all?"
    "Well — I saw - I saw Paks and that man rolling on the floor, and then Korryn said - said go look at the door — " Jens was staring at his feet.
    "At the door?"
    "Yes, sir. He - uh - said I should - should look for the sergeant, sir."
    "Oh? And did you?"
    "Yes. I looked, but I couldn't see him - I mean, until you came."
    "And just what did he tell you to do if you saw the sergeant, eh?" asked Kolya. She moved to his side and jerked his head up. "Look at me! What did he tell you?"
    Jens began to tremble. "He said - he said to tell him."
    "Tell who, the sergeant?"
    "No. Tell him - Korryn — "
    "If you saw the sergeant. I see." Kolya backed away. "I don't know about your Corporal Stephi, Captain, but that recruit — " she jerked a shoulder at Korryn, "is lying in his teeth."
    "Agreed," said the captain.
    "And the other one isn't much better," she said with distaste, looking at Jens.
    "They'd both better go under guard," said Sejek. "Captain Valichi won't be back for several days, so they can't be confined under ban the whole time, but until tomorrow morning — "
    "But - but ask him!" interrupted Korryn. "Ask the corporal! He'll tell you I'm not lying."
    The witnesses turned toward Corporal Stephi, who had stood silent through everything. But the captain intervened.
    "Before you question him, I want to tell you what happened this morning."
    "Very well, Captain," said the mayor.
    "This morning when I woke, I had a message from the surgeon. Stephi woke last night, and wanted to see me, but they did not call me because it was so late. This morning I went to see how he was, and found that he had no memory of the events last evening. None at all. I did not want to suggest things to him, so I told him only that he would be examined by witnesses about some trouble. The surgeon could find no physical cause for his loss of memory, and as you can see, the blood I saw on him yesterday was not his own. I must say that since he's been in my cohort, he has always been a competent, sober soldier and a good corporal, with no faults against him. I cannot imagine what caused his behavior, but I can swear that it is not typical."
    "Is it likely that he would pretend a loss of memory, if he had done wrong?" asked the mayor.
    "I think not," replied Sejek. "He has always been honest, in my experience."
    "Hmm." The mayor turned to Corporal Stephi. "You have seen the evidence of the injuries suffered by you and others, and you have heard what testimony has been given. What is your understanding of what happened?"
    "Sir, I have no memory from just after supper last night until I woke in the infirmary. When I woke I felt strange - dizzy - and of course my hand and the bruises hurt. I asked the surgeon what had happened, but when he found I had no memory, he would not say anything, only that I had been found hurt. I- when I heard this morning - and saw that girl - Sir, I've never beaten a woman so. I've never forced one to bed. I don't understand how I could have—but I saw her injuries. Someone hurt her, and if it was - if I did such a thing- I know what you must do—" His voice trailed away.
    "Why did you ask to see the captain last night?"
    "Because I was frightened. I wanted to know what had happened — I thought the captain would tell me. And - and I couldn't
remember
. "
    "But, Stephi," said the captain, "you must remember something - maybe just the beginning - you must be able to say whether this recruit is lying." The witnesses stirred but said nothing. Stephi looked at Korryn with distaste.
    "Sir - Captain - I cannot remember anything. But I'll tell you, sir, he must be lying. What we've seen and heard — "
    "You say that even if it condemns you?"
    "Yes. Sir, it's obvious. That girl didn't beat
me
up - and honestly, sir, there's no way she could have." Stephi conveyed all