The major, who at least had a small table to himself, stood up and saluted. "No, sir," he said. "We are awaiting - "
The doors opened again. Jade was brought in, chained between two much larger trolls. Maladict and Blouse trailed behind her. It seemed that in all the rush and confusion no one had found any trousers for Blouse, and Maladict looked slightly blurred. His chains jingled constantly.
"I object to the chains, sir," said Clogston.
The general held a whispered consultation with a few of the other officers. "Yes, we do not want undue formality," he said, nodding at the guards. "Remove them. You trolls can go. I just want the guards to remain on the door. Now, let us proceed. This really shouldn't take too long. Now then, you people," he settled himself in his chair, "this really is very simple. With the exception of Lieutenant Blouse, you will agree to be returned to your homes and placed in the charge of a responsible male, understood? And no more will be said about this matter. You have showed considerable spirit, there is no doubt about that, but it was misplaced. We are not ungrateful, however. We understand that none of you is married and so we will present you all with suitable, indeed, with handsome dowries - "
Polly saluted. "Permission to speak, sir?"
Froc stared at her, and then looked pointedly at Clogston.
"You'll have a chance to speak later, corporal," said the major.
"But what exactly have we done wrong, sir?" said Polly. "They should tell us."
Froc looked at the far end of the row of chairs. "Captain?" he said.
A short officer got to his feet. In Polly's face, the tide of recognition raced across the mudflats of hatred.
"Captain Strappi, political division, sir - " he began, and stopped at the groan from the squad. When it had died away he cleared his throat, and went on: "Twenty-seven Abominations have been committed under Nugganatic law, sir. I suspect there have been many more. Under military law, sir, we have the simple fact that they posed as men in order to join up. I was there, sir, and saw it all."
"Captain Strappi, may I congratulate you on your rapid promotion?" said Lieutenant Blouse.
"Yes, indeed, captain," said Clogston. "Apparently you were a humble corporal only a few days ago?"
Plaster dust drifted down again as something heavy struck the wall outside. Froc brushed it off his paperwork.
"Not one of ours, I hope," he said, to a certain amount of laughter. "Do go ahead, captain."
Strappi turned to the general. "As you know, sir, it is occasionally necessary for us in the political division to assume a lower rank in order to gain intelligence. Covered under the Regulations, sir," he added.
The look that General Froc gave him stirred a little teacup of hope in Polly's breast. No one could like something like Strappi, not even a mother. Then the general turned back to Clogston.
"Is this germane, major?" he said testily. "We know they disguised themselves as - "
" - women, sir," said Clogston smoothly. "That's all we know, sir. Apart from Captain Strappi's assertion, and I intend to suggest later that this is tainted, I haven't yet heard any evidence that they have dressed in any other way."
"We have the evidence of our own eyes, man!"
"Yes, sir. They're wearing dresses, sir."
"And they're practically bald!"
"Yes, sir," said Clogston. He picked up a thick book, dripping with bookmarks. "Book of Nuggan, sir: 'It is a Beatitude Unto Nuggan that An Woman shall wear her hair short, that the amorous propensities of men be not therefore inflamed.'"
"I don't see a lot of bald women around!" snapped Froc.
"Yes, sir. It is one of those utterances that people find somewhat tricky, like the one about not sneezing. I should say at this point, sir, that I intend to show that Abominations are routinely committed by all of us. We have got into the habit of ignoring them, in fact, which opens up an interesting debate. In any case, short hair is Nugganatically correct. In short, sir, and in short hair, the ladies appear to have been involved in nothing more than a little laundry, a kitchen accident and the release of your good self from the cells."
"I saw them!" snarled Strappi. "They looked like men and they acted like men!"
"Why were you in the recruiting party, captain?" said Major Clogston. "I would not have thought one of those would have been a hotbed of seditious activity?"
"Is that a relevant question, major?" said the general.
"I don't know, sir," said Clogston. "That's why I asked. I don't think we would wish it to be said that these ladies had not been given a fair hearing?"
"Said by whom?" said Froc. "My officers can be relied upon to be discreet."