“And yet you have no choice. If you embargo the evidence, the effect will be the same. Tu Chung will protest, and when his protest is ignored, Wang Sau-leyan will take the opportunity to step in. In the circumstances you would be best advised, perhaps, to take the bull by the horns. To strike before our Master’s cousin knows what is going on.” Lofgren smiled. “Why not let Advocate Ku present his evidence at once, before Iron Chi and the rest have had a chance to look at it?”
Tolonen sat forward. “Could we do that?”
“Why not? It might be suggested to Chi Hsun that, by doing so, this ‘distraction’ might be set aside and the real business of the Hearing got on with.”
Tolonen gave a short laugh, then nodded. “I like that. And Chi Hsun will buy it, I’m certain. But what of Li Yuan? Oughtn’t we to let him know?” “As soon as possible, sir. The new evidence changes everything. Unless our Master acts, and acts swiftly, our worst fears will come about. The matter will drag on and GenSyn will be lost.”
“You think it would be that bad, Bertil?” “I am certain of it, sir. Why, even before this, Tu Chung has suggested delays for the most minor of technicalities. This new matter would give him the perfect excuse to request a lengthy recess. Indeed, it could drag on for years while his clerks exhaust the search for precedents, and in the meantime all the work we’ve done these past thirty months to stabilize GenSyn’s trading position and reassure the markets would be lost. Confidence would vanish overnight.
The share price would plummet. And that cannot be allowed to happen.” “No.” Tolonen stood, nodding decisively, his granite face set. “Then I shall contact Li Yuan at once and tell him what we know.”
there was silence in the great Courtroom as the elderly Ku Hsien-ch’eng completed his opening remarks, bowed low to the panel of Commissioners, then turned, facing the seated rows of advocates. “Ch’un tzu,” he said, smiling politely.
Behind and above them, at the top of a flight of steps that formed an aisle between their seats, was a doorway. At Ku’s terse nod the Guard of the Court lifted the great keys from his belt and turned, fitting one to the lock. As the heavy door eased back, heads turned, trying to see into the darkness beyond. For a moment there was nothing, then, out into the brightness of the courtroom, stepped an elderly Han dressed in pale green silks. There was a general outlet of breath, a moment’s disappointment, then, just beyond the old man, flanked by two young male attendants in matching pale green one-pieces, came a girl. Or rather, a young woman. A Han in her late twenties, wearing a simple pink-and-mauve chang shan and a white wool flower—a tai Hsiao—in her tightly bobbed jet-black hair. At the sight of her there was a buzz of excitement. A sound that was interrupted by the sudden indignant cry of Berta Ebert. “How dare you bring that creature here! How dare you!” Media remotes buzzed here and there, almost colliding in their attempts to capture every moment of it. But things were moving fast now. Behind Ebert’s widow his daughters were on their feet and shouting, enraged by the sight of the young woman. Nearby, Lutz Ebert looked down, one hand pressed to his brow, shading his eyes.
The young woman came down the steps slowly, the two attendants leading her by the hands. Down she came, looking about her vaguely, her eyes fearful, like a young animal’s, an uncertain, apologetic smile on her lips. Up ahead of her the old Han had stopped and, after bowing to Iron Chi and the Commissioners, turned, facing Advocate Ku. Ku Hsien-ch’eng smiled, then turned, facing Iron Chi, raising his voice over the clamor in the chamber.
“May 1 present before Your Excellencies the chief witness for my claimant...”
For a moment his voice was drowned out by the shouts of the Ebert women. Ku turned, looking across, his hands tucked into his sleeves, waiting patiently while a Court official got the three women to sit and be quiet, then he turned back, bowing to Iron Chi, as if the fault were his. “Forgive me, Excellencies. As I was saying, might I present to the Commissioners the young lady, Shou Chin Hsin, better known in the Ebert household as Golden Heart, onetime concubine to the traitor Hans Ebert.” From Ku’s right the shouting began again. This time Iron Chi leaned forward angrily, calling for order.
“If I have one more outburst from you, Madam Ebert, I am afraid I shall have no choice but to ban you from this chamber until the Hearing is over. Now, sit still and hold your tongue.”
It was a severe rebuke, but Berta Ebert stood there a moment longer, defiant, glaring at the young woman, before she sat again, her body tense, her face a mask of hatred.
As for Golden Heart herself, she seemed unaffected by the noise, apart from it. There was something odd about her, something unconnected. The remotes, circling her, took in every detail of her dress, the way she stood, the way her eyes moved restlessly, flicking across the surface of things.
To Ku’s left came the urgent murmur of whispered exchanges among the advocates. Then, as if some agreement had been reached, Advocate Chang, the senior representative for Lutz Ebert, stood and cleared his throat. Iron Chi looked across at him. “Yes, Advocate Chang. What is it?” Chang bowed, then came around until he stood before the bench. “Forgive me, Excellency, but on behalf of my claimant I wish to register a protest against the witness presented by Advocate Ku. Medical testimony would merely serve to confirm what is evident at a glance. The woman is clearly mad. Any evidence she might give to this Hearing would be of as little value as the prattlings of a child. In the circumstances I beg the Commissioners to rule that this witness’s evidence be inadmissible.” Chi Hsun stared at the young woman a moment, then looked back at Ku Hsien-ch’eng. “Well, Advocate Ku, what have you to say? Personally I am of Advocate Chang’s view. Unless, therefore, you can give good reason why I should allow you to continue, I shall rule that we move on.” Ku bowed his head. “With respect, Excellency, the mental state of the witness has no bearing whatsoever on this Hearing. Nor have I any intention of letting Shou Chin Hsin utter a single word in respect of this matter. However, her presence here has a point, so if you would bear with me a moment?”
“I shall allow you to continue, Advocate Ku, but make it brief.” “Excellency.” Turning, Ku put out a hand, inviting the old Han in the pale green to come forward. Then, taking his arm, he went up to the bench, presenting the man to the Commissioners.
“This, Your Excellencies, is Professor K’ang. K’ang Hung-chang of the Kunming Institute of Comparative Genetics—a body established and licensed by special Edict of the Seven and run within the strict guidelines of the Edict of Technological Control. Professor K’ang’s expertise is in matching genotypes—“ “Forgive me, Excellency,” Advocate Chang interrupted, “but I fail to see the relevance of any of this. Golden Heart may have been Hans Ebert’s concubine—we do not dispute it—but that gives her no claim in law, particularly in view of the special Decree issued by the Seven.” Iron Chi looked about him at his fellow Commissioners, receiving sober nods from all sides, then looked back at Ku. “I must once more agree with Advocate Chang. Unless you can provide me with a good reason for continuing, Advocate Ku, I shall rule that your claim be set aside and that all matters relating to it be struck from the official record.”
Ku bowed. “I understand, Excellency. Then let me come directly to the point. There is a child.”
There was a great hiss of disbelief, then, once again, the chamber erupted with noise. Chi Hsun sat back, startled. Beneath him, on the floor of the court, Chang had turned and was staring at Ku, his mouth hanging open. On the benches across from him most of the advocates were on their feet, shouting and waving papers.