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dying mentation for Terran dogs； cats and primates； and Freyan kholphs and Mimir black slinkers。〃
〃He hasn't turned up any simian or canine parallels to that funeral； has he？〃
Grego said nothing； merely shook his head。 Emmert muttered something inaudible and probably indecent。
〃I didn't think he had。 I only hope those Fuzzies don't get up in court； build a bonfire and start making speeches in Lingua Terra。〃
Nick Emmert cried out in panic。 〃You believe they're sapient yourself！〃
〃Of course。 Don't you？〃
Grego laughed sourly。 〃Nick thinks you have to believe a thing to prove it。 It helps； but it isn't necessary。 Say we're a debating team； we've been handed the negative of the question。 Resolved： that Fuzzies are Sapient Beings。 Personally； I think we have the short end of it； but that only means we'll have to work harder on it。〃
〃You know； I was on a debating team at college；〃 Emmert said brightly。 When that was disregarded； he added： 〃If I remember； the first thing was definition of terms。〃
Grego looked up quickly。 〃Leslie； I think Nick has something。 What is the legal definition of a sapient being？〃
〃As far as I know； there isn't any。 Sapience is something that's just taken for granted。〃
〃How about talk…and…build…a…fire？〃
He shook his head。 〃People of the Colony of Vishnu versus Emily Morrosh； 612 A。E。〃 He told them about the infanticide case。 〃I was looking up rulings on sapience； I passed the word on to Ham O'Brien。 You know； what your people will have to do will be to produce a definition of sapience； acceptable to the court； that will include all known sapient races and at the same time exclude the Fuzzies。 I don't envy them。〃
〃We need some Fuzzies of our own to study；〃 Grego said。
〃Too bad we can't get hold of Holloway's；〃 Emmert said。 〃Maybe we could； if he leaves them alone at his camp。〃
〃No。 We can't risk that。〃 He thought for a moment。 〃Wait a moment。 I think we might be able to do it at that。 Legally。〃
CHAPTER NINE
JACK HOLLOWAY SAW Little Fuzzy eyeing the pipe he had laid in the ashtray； and picked it up； putting it in his mouth。 Little Fuzzy looked reproachfully at him and started to get down onto the floor。 Pappy Jack was mean； didn't he think a Fuzzy might want to smoke a pipe； too？ Well； maybe it wouldn't hurt him。 He picked Little Fuzzy up and set him back on his lap； offering the pipestem。 Little Fuzzy took a puff。 He didn't cough over it； evidently he had learned how to avoid inhaling。
〃They scheduled the Kellogg trial first；〃 Gus Brannhard was saying； 〃and there wasn't any way I could stop that。 You see what the idea is？ They'll try him first； with Leslie Coombes running both the prosecution and the defense； and if they can get him acquitted； it'll prejudice the sapience evidence we introduce in your trial。〃
Mamma Fuzzy made another try at intercepting the drink he was hoisting； but he frustrated that。 Baby had stopped trying to sit on his head； and was playing peek…a…boo from behind his whiskers。
〃First；〃 he continued； 〃they'll exclude every bit of evidence about the Fuzzies that they can。 That won't be much； but there'll be a fight to get any of it in。 What they can't exclude； they'll attack。 They'll attack credibility。 Of course； with veridication； they can't claim anybody's lying； but they can claim self…deception。 You make a statement you believe； true or false； and the veridicator'll back you up on it。 They'll attack qualifications on expert testimony。 They'll quibble about statements of fact and statements of opinion。 And what they can't exclude or attack； they'll accept； and then deny that it's proof of sapience。〃
〃What the hell do they want for proof of sapience？〃 Gerd demanded。 〃Nuclear energy and contragravity and hyperdrive？〃
〃They will have a nice； neat； pedantic definition of sapience； tailored especially to exclude the Fuzzies； and they will present it in court and try to get it accepted； and it's up to us to guess in advance what that will be； and have a refutation of it ready； and also a definition of our own。〃
〃Their definition will have to include Khooghras。 Gerd； do the Khooghras bury their dead？〃
〃Hell； no； they eat them。 But you have to give them this； they cook them first。〃
〃Look； we won't get anywhere arguing about what Fuzzies do and Khooghras don't do；〃 Rainsford said。 〃We'll have to get a definition of sapience。 Remember what Ruth said Saturday night？〃
Gerd van Riebeek looked as though he didn't want to remember what Ruth had said； or even remember Ruth herself。 Jack nodded； and repeated it。 〃I got the impression of nonsapient intelligence shading up to a sharp line； and then sapience shading up from there； maybe a different color； wavy lines instead of straight ones。〃
〃That's a good graphic representation；〃 Gerd said。 〃You know； that line's so sharp I'd be tempted to think of sapience as a result of mutation； except that I can't quite buy the same mutation happening in the same way on so many different planets。〃
Ben Rainsford started to say something； then stopped short when a constabulary siren hooted over the camp。 The Fuzzies looked up interestedly。 They knew what that was。 Pappy Jack's friends in the blue clothes。 Jack went to the door and opened it； putting the outside light on。
The car was landing； George Lunt； two of his men and two men in civilian clothes were getting out。 Both the latter were armed； and one of them carried a bundle under his arm。
〃Hello； George； e on in。〃
〃We want to talk to you； Jack。〃 Lunt's voice was strained； empty of warmth or friendliness。 〃At least； these men do。〃
〃Why； yes。 Sure。〃
He backed into the room to permit them to enter。 Something was wrong； something bad had e up。 Khadra came in first； placing himself beside and a little behind him。 Lunt followed； glancing quickly around and placing himself between Jack and the gunrack and also the holstered pistols on the table。 The third trooper let the two strangers in ahead of him； and then closed the door and put his back against it。 He wondered if the court might have cancelled his bond and ordered him into custody。 The two strangers…a beefy man with a scrubby black mustache and a smaller one with a thin； saturnine face…were looking expectantly at Lunt。 Rainsford and van Riebeek were on their feet。 Gus Brannhard leaned over to refill his glass； but did not rise。
〃Let me have the papers；〃 Lunt said to the beefy stranger。
The other took a folded document and handed it over。
〃Jack； this isn't my idea；〃 Lunt said。 〃I don't want to do it； but I have to。 I wouldn't want to shoot you； either； but you make any resistance and I will。 I'm no Kurt Borch； I know you； and I won't take any chances。〃
〃If you're going to serve that paper； serve it；〃 the bigger of the two strangers said。 〃Don't stand yakking all night。〃
〃Jack；〃 Lunt said unfortably； 〃this is a court order to impound your Fuzzies as evidence in the Kellogg case。 These men are deputy marshals from Central Courts； they've been ordered to bring the Fuzzies into Mallorysport。〃
〃Let me see the order； Jack；〃 Brannhard said； still remaining seated。