按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Everything would have worked out perfectly if Kellogg had only kept his head and avoided collision with Holloway。 Why； even the killing of the Fuzzy and the shooting of Borch； inexcusable as that had been； wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't been for that asinine murder plaint。 That was what had provoked Holloway's counter plaint； which was what had done the damage。
And； now that he thought of it； it had been one of Kellogg's people； van Riebeek； who had touched off the explosion in the first place。 He didn't know van Riebeek himself； but Kellogg should have； and he had handled him the wrong way。 He should have known what van Riebeek would go along with and what he wouldn't。
〃But； Victor； they won't convict Leonard of murder；〃 Emmert was saying。 〃Not for killing one of those little things。〃
〃 'Murder shall consist of the deliberate and unjustified killing of any sapient being； of any race；' 〃 he quoted。 〃That's the law。 If they can prove in court that the Fuzzies are sapient beings。。。 〃
Then； some morning； a couple of deputy marshals would take Leonard Kellogg out in the jail yard and put a bullet through the back of his head； which； in itself； would be no loss。 The trouble was； they would also be shooting an irreparable hole in the Zarathustra pany's charter。 Maybe Kellogg could be kept out of that court； at that。 There wasn't a ship blasted off from Darius without a couple of drunken spacemen being hustled aboard at the last moment； with the job Holloway must have done； Kellogg should look just right as a drunken spaceman。 The twenty…five thousand sols' bond could be written off； that was pennies to the pany。 No； that would still leave them stuck with the Holloway trial。
〃You want me out of here when the others e； Victor？〃 Emmert asked； popping another canape into his mouth。
〃No； no； sit still。 This will be the last chance we'll have to get everybody together； after this； we'll have to avoid anything that'll look like collusion。〃
〃Well； anything I can do to help； you know that； Victor；〃 Emmert said。
Yes； he knew that。 If worst came to utter worst and the pany charter were invalidated； he could still hang on here； doing what he could to salvage something out of the wreckage…if not for the pany； then for Victor Grego。 But if Zarathustra were reclassified； Nick would be finished。 His title； his social position； his sinecure； his grafts and perquisites； his alias…shrouded pany expense account…all out the airlock。 Nick would be counted upon to do anything he could； however much that would be。
He looked across the room at the levitated globe； revolving imperceptibly in the orange spotlight。 It was full dark on Beta Continent now； where Leonard Kellogg had killed a Fuzzy named Goldilocks and Jack Holloway had killed a gunman named Kurt Borch。 That angered him； too； hell of a gunman！ Clear shot at the broad of a man's back； and still got himself killed。 Borch hadn't been any better choice than Kellogg himself。 What was the matter with him； couldn't he pick men for jobs anymore？ And Ham O'Brien！ No； he didn't have to blame himself for O'Brien。 O'Brien was one of Nick Emmert's boys。 And he hadn't picked Nick； either。
The squawk…box on the desk made a premonitory noise； and a feminine voice advised him that Mr。 Coombes and his party had arrived。
〃All right； show them in。〃
Coombes entered first； tall； suavely elegant； with a calm； untroubled face。 Leslie Coombes would wear the same serene expression in the midst of a bombardment or an earthquake。 He had chosen Coombes for chief attorney； and thinking of that made him feel better。 Mohammed Ali O'Brien was neither tall； elegant nor calm。 His skin was almost black…he'd been born on Agni； under a hot B3 sun。 His bald head glistened； and a big nose peeped over the ambuscade of a bushy white mustache。 What was it they said about him？ Only man on Zarathustra who could strut sitting down。 And behind them； the remnant of the expedition to Beta Continent； Ernst Mallin； Juan Jimenez and Ruth Ortheris。 Mallin was saying that it was a pity Dr。 Kellogg wasn't with them。
〃I question that。 Well； please be seated。 We have a great deal to discuss； I'm afraid。〃
MR。 CHIEF JUSTICE Frederic Pendarvis moved the ashtray a few inches to the right and the slender vase with the spray of starflowers a few inches to the left。 He set the framed photograph of the gentle…faced； white…haired woman directly in front of him。 Then he took a thin cigar from the silver box； carefully punctured the end and lit it。 Then； unable to think of further delaying tactics； he drew the two bulky loose…leaf books toward him and opened the red one； the criminal…case docket。
Something would have to be done about this； he always told himself so at this hour。 Shoveling all this stuff onto Central Courts had been all right when Mallorysport had a population of less than five thousand and nothing else on the planet had had more than five hundred； but that time was ten years past。 The Chief Justice of a planetary colony shouldn't have to wade through all this to see who had been accused of blotting the brand on a veldbeest calf or who'd taken a shot at whom in a barroom。 Well； at least he'd managed to get a few misdemeanor and small…claims courts established； that was something。
The first case； of course； was homicide。 It usually was。 From Beta； Constabulary Fifteen； Lieutenant George Lunt。 Jack Holloway…so old Jack had cut another notch on his gun…Cold Creek Valley； Federation citizen； race Terran human； willful killing of a sapient being； to wit Kurt Borch； Mallorysport； Federation citizen； race Terran human。 plainant； Leonard Kellogg； the same。 Attorney of record for the defendant； Gustavus Adolphus Brannhard。 The last time Jack Holloway had killed anybody； it had been a couple of thugs who'd tried to steal his sunstones； it hadn't even gotten into plaint court。 This time he might be in trouble。 Kellogg was a pany executive。 He decided he'd better try the case himself。 The pany might try to exert pressure。
The next charge was also homicide； from Constabulary； Beta Fifteen。 He read it and blinked。 Leonard Kellogg； willful killing of a sapient being； to wit； Jane Doe alias Goldilocks； aborigine； race Zarathustran Fuzzy； plainant； Jack Holloway； defendant's attorney of record； Leslie Coombes。 In spite of the outrageous frivolity of the charge； he began to laugh。 It was obviously an attempt to ridicule Kellogg's own plaint out of court。 Every judicial jurisdiction ought to have at least one Gus Brannhard to liven things up a little。 Race Zarathustran Fuzzy！
Then he stopped laughing suddenly and became deadly serious； like an engineer who finds a cataclysmite cartridge lying around primed and connected to a discharger。 He reached out to the screen panel and began punching a bination。 A spectacled young man appeared and greeted him deferentially。
〃Good morning； Mr。 Wilkins；〃 he replied。 〃A couple of homicides at the head of this morning's docket…Holloway and Kellogg； both from Beta Fifteen。 What is known about them？〃
The young man began to laugh。 〃Oh； your Honor； they're both a lot of nonsense。 Dr。 Kellogg killed some pe