amc.killashandra-第53章

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　Judiciary　Branch　unobtrusively　marking　the　door　panel。　She　took　in　a　deep　breath。　Looking　off　to　the　massive　tower　of　the　entrance。　As　she　had　done　for　several　days；　she　repeated　to　herself　that　〃justice　would　prevail；〃　that　the　much　edited　wording　of　the　warrant　would　support　their　hopes。　And　that　the　disclosure　of　subliminal　conditioning　would　result　in　the　swift　dispatch　of　a　revisionary　force　to　overthrow　the　Elders'　tyranny　on　Optheria。
　But　one　Killashandra　Ree；　one…time　resident　of　the　planet　Fuerte；　barely　four　years　a　member　of　the　Heptite　Guild；　had　had　no　encounters　at　all　with　Galactic　Justice；　and　feared　it。　She　had　never　heard　or　known　anyone　who　had　been　either　defendant　or　plaintiff　at　an　FSP　court。　Her　ignorance　rankled　and　her　apprehension　increased。
　Silently　the　four　settled　into　the　skimmer　and　it　puffed　along　on　its　short　return　journey。　It　did　not；　as　Killashandra　half　expected；　stop　at　the　imposing　entrance。　It　ducked　into　an　aperture　to　one　side；　down　a　brightly　lit　subterranean　tunnel；　and　came　to　a　gentle　stop　at　an　unmarked　platform。
　There　a　man　built　on　the　most　generous　of　scales；　uniformed　in　the　Judicial　Livery；　awaited　them。　In　a　state　of　numbness；　Killashandra　emerged。
　〃Killashandra　Ree；〃　the　man　said；　identifying　her　with　a　nod；　not　friendly　but　certainly　not　hostile。　〃Lars　Dahl；　Trag　Morfane；　and　Olav　Dahl。〃　He　nodded　politely　as　he　identified　each　person。　〃My　name　is　Funadormi；　Bailiff　for　Court　256　to　which　this　case　is　assigned。　Follow　me。〃
　〃I　am　Agent　Dahl；　number　…　〃
　〃I　know；〃　the　man　said　pleasantly　enough。　〃Wele　back　from　exile。　This　way。〃　He　stepped　aside　to　allow　them　to　enter　the　lift　which　had　opened　in　the　wall　of　the　platform。　〃It　won't　take　long。〃
　Killashandra　tried　to　convince　herself　that　his　manner　was　reassuring　if　his　appearance　was　daunting。　He　towered　above　them　and　both　Lars　and　Trag　were　tall　men。　Killashandra　and　Olav　were　not　many　millimeters　shorter　but　she　had　never　felt　so　diminished　by　sheer　physical　proportions。　The　lift　moved；　stopped；　and　its　door　panel　slid　open　to　a　corridor；　stretching　out　in　either　direction；　pierced　by　atriums　with　trees　and　other　vegetation。　Gardens　seemed　an　odd　decorative　feature　of　a　Judicial　building　but　did　nothing　to　buoy　Killashandra's　spirits。　She　rearranged　her　fierce　grasp　on　Lars's　fingers；　hoping　that　Funadormi　did　not　see　it　and　that　he　did；　to　show　this　human　representative　of　the　Courts　that　Lars　Dahl　had　her　total　support。
　Funadormi　gestured　to　the　left　and　then　halted　their　progress　at　the　second　door　on　the　left；　which　bore　the　legend　〃Grand　Felony　Court　256。〃
　Killashandra　reeled　against　Lars　Dahl；　Trag　behind　him　placed　a　reassuring　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　Olav　straightened　his　lean　frame　against　the　imminent　testing　of　a　scheme　that　had　been　entered　rather　lightheartedly。
　Funadormi　thumbed　open　the　panel　and　entered。　It　was　not　the　sort　of　chamber　Killashandra　would　have　recognized　as　judicial。　She　did　recognize　the　psychological　testing　equipment　for　what　it　was；　and　the　armbands　on　the　chair　beside　it。　Fourteen　fortable　seats　faced　that　chair　and　the　wall　screens　and　a　terminal　which　bore　the　Judicial　Seal。　A　starred　flag　of　the　Federated　Sentient　Planets　bearing　the　symbols　indicating　the　nonhuman　sentient　species　was　displayed　in　the　corner。
　The　door　panel　whooshed　shut　behind　them　and　Funadormi　indicated　that　they　were　to　be　seated。　He　faced　the　screen；　squared　his　shoulders；　and　began　the　proceedings。
　〃Bailiff　Funadormi　in　Grand　Felony　Court　256；　in　the　presence　of　the　accused；　Lars　Dahl；　remanded　citizen　of　the　planet　Optheria；　the　arresting　citizen；　Trag　Morfane　of　the　Heptite　Guild；　the　alleged　victim；　Killashandra　Ree；　also　of　the　Heptite　Guild；　and　witness　for　the　accused；　Olav　Dahl；　Agent　Number　AS…4897/KTE；　present　at　this　sitting。　Accused　is　restrained　under　Federal　Sentient　Planet　Warrant　A…1090088…O…FSP55558976。　Permission　to　proceed。〃
　〃Permission　is　granted；〃　replied　a　contralto　voice；　deep　and　oddly　maternal；　definitely　reassuring。　Killashandra　could　feel　her　muscles　unlock　from　the　tenseness　in　which　she　had　been　holding　herself。　〃Will　the　accused　Lars　Dahl　be　seated　in　the　witness　chair？〃
　Lars　gave　her　hand　a　final　squeeze；　smiled　with　a　cocky　wink　at　her；　rose；　and　look　the　seat。　The　Bailiff　attached　the　arm　cuffs　and　stepped　back。
　〃You　are　charged　with　the　willful　abduction　of　Heptite　Guild　member　Killashandra　Ree；　malicious　invasion　of　the　individual's　right　to　Privacy；　felonious　assault；　premeditated　interference　with　her　contractual　obligation　to　her　Guild；　placing　her　in　physical　jeopardy　as　to　shelter　and　sustenance；　deprivation　of　independent　decision　and　freedom　of　movement；　and　fraudulent　representation　for　purposes　of　extortion。　How　do　you　plead；　Lars　Dahl？〃　The　voice　managed　to　convey　an　undertone　of　regretful　passion；　and　an　invitation　to　confide　and　confess。　Highly　sensitized　to　every　nuance。　Killashandra　wondered　if；　by　some　bizarre　freak；　the　Judicial　Branch　might　actually　be　guilty　of　a　subtle　use　of　subliminal　manipulation　in　that　persuasive　voice。
　〃Not　guilty　on　all　counts；〃　Lars　answered　quietly；　and　firmly；　as　he　had　rehearsed。
　And；　Killashandra　reassured　herself；　he　was　not；　by　the　very　wordage　that　Trag　and　Olav　had　cleverly　employed。
　〃You　may　testify　on　your　own　behalf。〃　The　request　was　issued　in　a　stern；　unpromising　tone。
　Although　Killashandra　listened　avidly　to　every　word　Lars　said　in　rebuttal　and　in　explanation；　tried　to　analyze　the　terse　questions　put　to　him　by　the　Judicial　Monitor；　she　was　never　able　to　recall　the　next　few　hours　in　much　detail。
　He　was　pletely　candid；　as　he　had　to　be；　to　discharge　the　accusations。　He　explained　how　Elder　Ampris；　superior　to　Lars　Dahl；　student　in　the　Conservatory　and　as　a　ruling　Elder　of　the　Optherian　Council；　had　approached　him；　citing　the　dilemma　about　Killashandra's　true　identity　and　the　request　to　wound　her；　resolving　the　quandary。　His　reward　was　the　promise　of　reconsidering　Lars's　position。　The　point　that　Lars　had　been　coerced　to　perform　a　personally　distasteful　act　by　an　established　superior　was　accepted　by　the　Court。　To　the　charge　that　the　abduction　was　premeditated；　Lars　explained　that　he　had　e　upon　the　victim　unexpectedly　in　an　unprotected　environment　and　acted　spontaneously。　He　had；　it　was　true；　rendered　her　unconscious　but　without　malice。　She　had　not　even　suffered　a　bruise。　She　had　been　carefully　conveyed　to　a　place　of　security；　with　tools　and　instructions　to　provide　daily　food　and　shelter；　so　that　she　had　been　in　no　physical　jeopardy。　As　she　had　left　the　premises　of　her　own　volition；　she　obviously　had　not　been　denied　independence　of　decision　and　movement。　He　had　not　fraudulently　represented　himself　as　her　rescuer　for　she　had　not　required　rescue；　and　she　had　requested　his　continued　presence　as　a　safeguard　against　further　physical　violence　from　any　source　on　Optheria。　He　had　not　premeditated　any　interference　on　her　contractual　obligation　to　her　Guild　for　he　had　not　only　assisted　her　in　repairing　the　damaged　manual；　her　preemptive　assignment；　but　he　had　also　provided　her　with　conclusive　evidence　to　resolve　the　secondary　assignment。　He　therefore　restated　his　innocence。
　After　Lars　gave　his　testimony；　Killashandra　was　called　to　the　chair　and　had　to　exercise　the　greatest　degree　of　control　to　suppress　signs　of　the　stress　she　felt。　It　didn't　help　to　know　that　the　sensitive　psych　equipment　would　record　even　the　most　minute　tremors　and　uncertainties　of　its　subject。　That　was　its　function　and　the　results　which　the　Monitor　then　analyzed　against　the　psychological　profile　of　each　witness。　Objectively　she　was　pleased　that　her　voice　didn't　quaver　as　she　supported　Lars's　testimony　on　each　count；　managing　to　publicly　absolve　him　from　felonious　assault　as　he　was；　in　fact；　acting　even　when　he　abducted　her　in　her　best　interests；　contractually　and　personally。　She　kept　her　answers　concise　and　unemotional。　Subjectively　she　had　never　been　so　terrified　of　any　experience。　And　the　equipment　would　record　that　as　well。
　Trag　and　Olav　had　their　turns　in　the　witness　chair。　Each　time　the　subliminal　manipulation　was　mentioned；　there　was　a　significant　pause　in　the　flow　of　questions；　though　there　was　no　hint　of　how　this　information　was　being　received　and　analyzed　by　the　Judicial　Monitor；　since；　in　point　of　law；　this　part　of　everyone's　testimony　was　irrelevant　to　the　case　at　hand。
　When　Olav　resumed　his　seat　between　Trag　and　Lars；　the　Bailiff　approached　the　screen。　They　could　all　see　the　activity　of　the　terminal　but　the　pattern　of　its　flashing　lights　disclosed　nothing。　Killashandra；　holding　Lars's　hand；　jumped　an　inch　above　her　chair　when　the　contralto　voice　began　its　summation。
　〃With　the　exception　of　felonious　assault；　the　charges　against　the　accused；　Lars　Dahl；　are　dismissed。〃　Killashandra　swallowed。　〃Criminal　intent　is　not　apparent　but　disciplinary　action　is　required　by　law。　Lars　Dahl；　you　are　remanded　into　the　custody　of　the　Judicial　Branch；　pending　disposition　of　the　disciplinary　action。　You　are　further　remanded　for　examination　of　the　charge　of　subliminal　manipulation　against　the　Elders　of　Optheria。　Olav　Dahl；　you　are　seconded　to　assist　these　investigations；　which　have　now　been　initiated。　Trag　Morfane；　Killashandra　Ree；　have　you　anything　to　add　to　your　recorded　testimonies　on　the　charge　of　subliminal　manipulation　by　the　Elders　of　Optheria？〃
　Having　already　been　as　candid　as　possible；　neither　crystal　singer　could　expand　on　the　information　already　on　record。　And　Killashandra　did　not　quite　understand　the　matter　of　disciplinary　action　for　Lars　and　the　remand　orders。
　〃Then　this　session　of　the　Grand　Felony　Court　of　Regulus　Sector　Federation　is　closed。〃　The　traditional　crack　of　wood　against　wood　ended　the　hearing。
　Perplexed　by　the　legal　formulas；　Killashandra　turned　to　Lars　and　his　father。
　〃Are　you　free；　or　what？〃　she　demanded。
　〃I'm　not　quite　sure；〃　Lars　said　with　a　nervous　laugh。　〃It　can't　mean　much。　Everything　else　was　dismissed；　wasn't　it？〃　He　looked　to　Olav　and　was　sobered　by　his　father's　solemn　expression。
　〃He　has　been　remanded；〃　the　Bailiff　explained　kindly；　taking　Lars　by　the　arm。　〃I　interpret　the　judgment　to　mean　that　the　Court　has　dismissed　all　charges　but　Lars　Dahl's　physical　assault　on　you　in　the　matter　of　your　abduction。　Disciplinary　action　is　always　short　term。　On　the　second　remand　charge；　the　Court　requires　further　discussion　of　the　allegations　about　the　use　of　subliminal　conditioning　by　the　Optherian　government。　If　these　are　proved　correct；　then　it　is　likely　that　the　disciplinary　action　will　be　suspended。　I　can　give　you　hard　copy　of　the　precedents　involved；　indeed　of　the　entire　trial；　if　you　wish。〃　When　Lars　nodded　a　perplexed　affirmation；　〃Then　I　shall　program　them　for　your　quarters。　If　you　gentlemen　will　e　with　me？〃
　A　panel　at　the　back　of　the　seating　area　opened　and　it　was　toward　this　that　Funadormi　gestured　Lars　and　his　father。
　〃e　with　you？〃　Lars　cried；　trying　to　break　from　the　Bailiff's　grip。
　Shock　and　surprise　briefly　immobilized　Killashandra　and　before　she　could　make　a　move　to　reach　Lars；　the　Bailiff；　securely　holding　her　lover；　had　him　nearly　to　the　open　door。
　〃Wait！　Please　wait！〃　she　screamed；　falling　over　the　chairs　in　her　haste。
　〃You　two　have　been　dismissed。　Jus