A light came on above one of the delegate's seats and the translators broadcast the question in Standard.
"Are these the native born Iretan children making claim for the planet?"
"No, Delegate. These children's parents lived aboard the EEC vessel, and given this furlough onplanet as an educational experience."
The light stayed on, blinking, and another question came over the speaker system.
"Did the native born Iretan children send a representative?"
Sassinak wondered where that delegate had been for the past several days since Aygar's involvement in her escapades had been all over the news media. The Chief Prosecutor looked as if he'd bitten into something sour and it occurred to Sassinak that the delegate might be already in the defense faction.
"Yes, Delegate, a representative of these children did come, but…"
Aygar stood before Sassinak could grab him, and said, "I'm here!"
A chorus of hisses, growls, and the massive heavy-worlder bailiff nearest their box slammed his staff on the floor.
"Order!" he said.
Sassinak tugged on Aygar's arm and he sat down slowly. The Speaker glared at the Chief Prosecutor.
"Did you not instruct your witness where he was to go and what the rules of this court are?"
"Yes, Speaker, but he disappeared in… ah… suspicious circumstances. He was abducted, apparently by a Fleet…"
The Chief Prosecutor's voice trailed away when he realized what that gold and white uniform next to Aygar must mean. Sassinak let herself grin, knowing that the media cameras would be zooming in on her face.
"Irregularities of this sort can precipitate mistrials," said Pinky Vigal, with a sweetness of tone that affected Sassinak like honey on a sawblade. "If the Federation Prosecutor has not readied his witnesses, we shall have no objection to a delay."
"No." The Chief Prosecutor glared. Defense Counsel shrugged and sat down. "With the indulgence of the Speaker and Justices, and all Delegates here assembled" - the ritual courtesy rattled off his tongue so fast Sassinak could hardly follow it - "if I may call the Iretan witness and any other from the guest seating?"
Above the Justices' seats, blue lights flashed, and the Speaker nodded.
"As long as you remember that it is indulgence, Mr. Prosecutor, and refrain from making a habit of it. We are aware of the unusual circumstances. And I suppose this may keep Defense from claiming your witnesses were coached excessively."
Even Pinky Vigal chuckled at that, throwing his hands out in a disarming gesture of surrender that did not fool Sassinak one bit. She felt the rising tension in the chamber. Would Aygar's presence make the conspirators here give their signal earlier or later? They must be wondering what other surprises could turn up. The delegate who had asked the original question had either understood this wrangling, or given up, because its light was out. The Prosecutor went on, outlining the events of the mutiny, of the attempted murder of the lightweights..
"Alleged attempted murder," interrupted Pinky Vigal.
The Prosecutor smiled, bowed, and called for "Our first witness, Dr. Lunzie Mespil."
Sassinak felt the surge of excitement from the crowd that almost overwhelmed her own. So Lunzie had made it! She saw a stir in the witness box, then a slim figure in Medical Corps uniform coming to the stand. Her pulse raced. Lunzie looked so young, so vulnerable, just like the younger sister that Sassinak had lost might have looked. Incredible to think that she had been alive a hundred years before Sassinak was born.
Lunzie began to give her evidence in the calm, measured voice that gradually eased the tension Sassinak felt. But a light flashed from one of the delegate's seats, this time with an objection instead of a question.
"This witness has no legal status! This witness is a thief and liar, a fugitive from justice!"
Sassinak stiffened and found that this time Aygar had grabbed her wrist to keep her down. Lunzie, white-faced, had turned to the accusing delegate's place.
"This witness pretended medical competence to gain entrance to Diplo, and then stole and escaped with valuable information vital to our planetary security. We demand that this witness's testimony be discarded, and that she be returned to the proper authorities for trial on Diplo!"
More lights flashed. As the Prosecutor tried to answer the Diplo delegate, others had questions, comments, discussion. Finally the Speaker got them in order again, and spoke himself to Lunzie.
"Is this accusation true?"
"Not… in substance, sir."
"In what way?"
"I did go to Diplo with a medical research team. My specialty and background suited me for the work. While there I was abducted, drugged, and put into coldsleep. I awoke here, on this planet, with no knowledge of the means of my departure from Diplo. I daresay it was illegal. I hope it was illegal to do that to a Federation citizen with a valid entrance visa."
"You lie, lightweight!" The Diplo delegate had not waited for the translator. He'd used Standard himself. "You seduced a member of our government, stole data cubes…"
"I did nothing of the sort!" Sassinak was amazed at Lunzie's calm. She might have been an experienced teacher dealing with an unruly nine year old. "It is true that I met an old friend, who had become a government official, but as for seducing him… Remember that I had lost over forty years in coldsleep between our meetings. The handsome young man I remembered was now old and sick, even dying."
"He's dead now, yes." That was vicious, in a tone intended to hurt, with implications clear to everyone.
Sassinak peeled Aygar's fingers off her wrist, one by one. He gave her a worried sideways glance and she shook her head slightly. Lunzie still stood calmly, balanced, apparently untouched by the Diplonian's verbal assault. Had she expected it? Sassinak thought not.
The Speaker intervened again. "Did you file a complaint about your alleged abduction?"
"Naturally, I informed the Prosecutor's office. They had me in for illegal entry."
"Well?" The Speaker was looking at the Prosecutor who shrugged.
"We took her information, but since she had no particulars to offer and we have no authority to investigate crimes on Diplo, we considered that she was lucky to be alive and took no action."
Sassinak might have missed the signal if Aygar had not reacted to it with an indrawn breath.
"What?" she murmured, turning to look at him.
"Tanegli's handsign. That guard just gave it and the other one…"
"Lying lightweight!" Again the Diplo delegate's bellow attracted all eyes. Or almost all. Sassinak saw the guard nearest thdie witness stand shift his weight, the reflections from his chestful of medals suddenly moving. What was he… Then she recognized the position.
"Lunziel DOWN!" Her voice carried across the chamber effortlessly.
Lunzie dropped just as the guard's massive leg swept across the railing. It could have killed her if he'd connected. Sassinak herself was out of the guest box, with Aygar only an instant behind her. Lunzie popped back up and, with deceptive gentleness, tapped the guard on the side of the neck. He sagged to his knees just as Sassinak met the first bailiffs staff.
"ORDER!" the Speaker yelled into the microphone, but it was far too late for that.
The bailiff had not expected Sassinak's combination of tuck, roll, strike, and pivot, and found his own staff suddenly out of his hands and aimed at his head. Singleminded in his original rage, Aygar had launched himself across the Defense table to grapple with Tanegli. A gaggle of legal clerks flailed at Aygar with papers and briefcases, trying to save their client from summary execution.