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played a role in bringing him onto the ship.
Difficult to guess what such a trial would accomplish. But
no doubt the Nunuli Master was up to one of his devious
games. The sly underlying purpose would eventually emerge
from what was happening.
The hyena-officer said respectfully, "I have been asked to
secure your promise to appear as a witness as ordered."
Modyun hesitated. But truth was, what else could he do?
His own systematic thought required that he let the villains
have their way. By winning without a fight, they would be
appeased... his philosophy argued.
Nevertheless, he remembered his exhortation to the ani-
mal-men an hour before. And, though the accusation didn't
seem to be too serious, and was probably only a part of a
bigger scheme against himself, he asked the decisive question:
"Will it be a trial by jury and judge?"
"Yes."
"You're sure?" Modyun persisted. "You understand what
that means?"
"A judge and twelve jurors will consider the evidence, and
the accused will have a defense attorney assigned them."
That certainly seemed to be it. "All right," said the human
being, "I'll be there."
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"Thank you." Whereupon the officer reached into his
pocket, drew out another folded sheet, and held it out.
Modyun gazed at the paper doubtfully. "What's that?" he
asked.
"I was told that if you agreed to be a witness, you would
be assigned a cabin as you requested this morning. This is
the cabin number and location."
Modyun took the paper with considerable relief. He had
been wondering where he would spend his second night.
He said, "Please convey my thanks to the Nunuli Master.
Tell him that I appreciate his courtesy."
As promised, the trial began promptly at nine the next
morning, and the first witness called was Modyun.
XVII
THE COURTROOM was arranged exactly as he had pictured it
from the description of the teaching machines.
The dozen jurors, all hyena-men, sat in a jury box along
one wall. The hyena-man judge sat on the bench in his robes.
The witness chair, to which Modyun had been called, was
just to the left of the judge. The hyena-man prosecutor sat at
one of the tables to the judge's right, and the hyena-man de-
fense attorney at the other. Directly behind him in a special
enclosure sat the four defendants, with hyena-man police of-
ficers lined up behind them. Directly opposite these various
legal apparati, beyond a low fence, were several dozen rows
of seats. In these sat the members of the public.
With the setting so perfect, it was somewhat jarring to
have the prosecutor climb to his feet and say without pause,
"This witness is named Modiunn. He is an ape from Africa,
and he was brought illegally aboard this vessel by the four
accused. This is a crime of treason, sedition, and otherwise a
capital offense, punishable by execution of all four guilty par-
ties."
He had been, as he spoke these words, addressing the jury
box. Now, he turned to the defense attorney, and said, "What
is the witness's plea to this vile crime?"
The defense attorney without rising said, "The witness ad-
mits all of these statements as being true. Proceed with the
trial."
"Objection!" roared Modyun at that point. His body was
warm from head to foot. He was vaguely amazed to realize
that he was trembling.
"Objection overruled," said the judge in a courteous tone.
"The defense attorney has spoken for the witness."
Modyun yelled, "I object to this travesty of a trial. If it
continues in this fashion, I shall refuse to be a witness any
longer."
His Honor bent toward the witness chair. He seemed
puzzled, as he went on in the same courteous tone, "What
fault do you find with this trial so far?"
"I demand that the witness be questioned directly and that
he shall be allowed to answer the questions himself."
"But such a thing is unheard of," protested the judge. "The
defense attorney, being familiar with the law, is obviously
more qualified to answer for a defense witness." A new
thought seemed to occur to him, for his eyes widened. "Oh,"
he said, "you're from Africa. Is what you are requesting the
common procedure there?"
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