Coombes glanced toward the table where he and Brannhard were sitting,
caught sight of Baby waving to himself in the big screen and turned to
Fane with an indignant protest. Fane shook his head. Coombes protested
again, and drew another headshake. Finally he shrugged and led Kellogg to
the table reserved for them, where they sat down.
Once Pendarvis and his two associates--a short, roundfaced man on his
right, a tall, slender man with white hair and a black mustache on his
left--were seated, the trial got underway briskly. The charges were read,
and then Brannhard, as the Kellogg prosecutor, addressed the court--"being
known as Goldilocks ... sapient member of a sapient race ... willful and
deliberate act of the said Leonard Kellogg ... brutal and unprovoked
murder." He backed away, sat on the edge of the table and picked up Baby
Fuzzy, fondling him while Leslie Coombes accused Jack Holloway of brutally
assaulting the said Leonard Kellogg and ruthlessly shooting down Kurt
Borch.
"Well, gentlemen, I believe we can now begin hearing the witnesses," the
Chief Justice said. "Who will start prosecuting whom?"
Gus handed Baby to Jack and went forward: Coombes stepped up beside him.
"Your Honor, this entire trial hinges upon the question of whether a
member of the species _Fuzzy fuzzy holloway zarathustra_ is or is not a
sapient being," Gus said. "However, before any attempt is made to
determine this question, we should first establish, by testimony, just
what happened at Holloway's Camp, in Cold Creek Valley, on the afternoon
of June 19, Atomic Era Six Fifty-Four, and once this is established, we
can then proceed to the question of whether or not the said Goldilocks was
truly a sapient being."
"I agree," Coombes said equably. "Most of these witnesses will have to be
recalled to the stand later, but in general I think Mr. Brannhard's
suggestion will be economical of the court's time."
"Will Mr. Coombes agree to stipulate that any evidence tending to prove or
disprove the sapience of Fuzzies in general be accepted as proving or
disproving the sapience of the being referred to as Goldilocks?"
Coombes looked that over carefully, decided that it wasn't booby-trapped
and agreed. A deputy marshal went over to the witness stand, made some
adjustments and snapped on a switch at the back of the chair. Immediately
the two-foot globe in a standard behind it lit, a clear blue. George
Lunt's name was called; the lieutenant took his seat and the bright helmet
was let down over his head and the electrodes attached.
The globe stayed a calm, untroubled blue while he stated his name and
rank. Then he waited while Coombes and Brannhard conferred. Finally
Brannhard took a silver half-sol piece from his pocket, shook it between
cupped palms and slapped it onto his wrist. Coombes said, "Heads," and
Brannhard uncovered it, bowed slightly and stepped back.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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