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Chapter 16 “I don’t believe you,” Madame Zinkrey said sharply, looking down her nose at Katrina and Tabi. “I do not believe that someone broke into this school and attacked this girl. Any intruder would have been picked up by the security system, assuming he even managed to get in and that is extremely unlikely in itself.” “He did,” Katrina argued hopelessly. “A lie conjured up to excuse your being out after lockdown!” “Katrina was on her way to her room when the rooms were locked,” Tabi tried to explain for the second time since the meeting had begun. “She knows as well as all others when the doors are locked, it is no excuse.” Madame Zinkrey had found Katrina and Tabi in Tabi’s chambers after the emergency alarms had been silenced. At first she had appeared concerned for the girl’s health, seeing her laying bleeding and bruised on Tabi’s bed, but that emotion had not lasted long. “According to your story you, Tabi, had come out of your room to find this girl and the supposed intruder fighting. How did you do that if the door was locked?” Madame Zinkrey leaned forward in her chair to appear even more threatening to the Weequay. “I broke the lock years ago,” Tabi told her, unphased by her posturing. “I will not be kept prisoner her any more than need be.” “Really! That will have to be repaired, of course. The cost of which will be taken out of your wages. Shall I add ‘breaking school property’ to your list of offenses?” “Alvis Ker was here!” Katrina insisted, bringing the attention back to the original subject. He cornered me in the hall and said he would take me away. I refused and we fought.” “Do not expect me to believe that you fought off a grown man, a ‘Dark Jedi’, as you put it.” “I fought him, but he won. If Tabi hadn’t come out when she did I would have died!” “Why was your uniform not torn?” Madame Zinkrey asked, sitting back to watch Katrina squirm. “If it was such a great battle why were your cloths not even dirtied or wrinkled?” Katrina and Tabi both looked away and the girl did squirm. She had been so happy about Tabi’s gift of new cloths that she had forgotten to change back into her uniform after trying them on. The cloth had been ripped badly but Tabi believed it could be fixed without too much trouble. Had Madame Zinkrey found out about the new cloths she might very well have punished Tabi and Katrina severely for the supposed theft of school property as well as breaking the school’s rules, so Tabi had quickly changed the girl before Madame Zinkrey could see her and neither admitted the truth. “Suddenly so quiet,” Madame Zinkrey mused aloud. “How surprising. Since you have proven so very fond of each other as well as working together to tell tales I think it only right for you to be separated as punishment. Katrina, you will spend the next two days alone in your room then you will begin taking classes with the other girls of your age. A month among the general population will do you some good, I should think. Tabi, consider your workload doubled.” With that she dismissed them both. Katrina trudged unhappily out of the room, Tabi walking calmly behind her. “I’m sorry, Tabi,” Katrina turned as soon as they were out of the room. “It is not so bad, young Katrina. Neither of us is being sent away. Think of all the stories you will have to tell after the month.” Katrina smiled weakly at her friend but nodded, planning to listen to every single thing she could hear so that she could tell Tabi all that went on. Maybe, Katrina thought to herself, she could even find the secret escape route she had once heard mentioned. |
