Part 16 (1/2)
”If I may interject a word here,' Rogitel said, ”since the a.s.sistant sealed the Albatross immediately upon its landing four weeks ago, they did not have time to alter the log on that journey. The need to do so would account for why they were so insistent on postponing the obligatory inspection of their craft until such time when they could return and delete the incriminating portions.” One of the Treaty Councillors rattled the deposit sheet. ”A lot of credit's flowed through this account. Where did the withdrawals go?”
”Why, to purchase illegal and smuggled items, sir,' Landreau said as if any fool could have deduced that. ”And undoubtedly to secure silence from any who might inform on their clandestine activities.”
”Frankly, Admiral, I find that allegation harder to believe than any other evidence you have presented to this court,' Madam Dupuis said. ”Both young men have worked ceaselessly to ensure that the Doona Experiment continues.”
”Ah!” and Landreau raised his hand, his face alight. ”That is why their duplicity is so monstrous.
Especially where the Reeve family is concerned, for it is well known that they would not be welcome back on Earth. Therefore, seizing an opportunity to be sure that he and his family would live in comfort somewhere else, Todd Reeve used his position and privilege to acc.u.mulate the necessary credits.” Hrruvula managed a chuckle and in a very human gesture, covered his eyes as if unable to maintain the dignity such a hearing required.
”Your humor is ill timed, sir,' Landreau said, stiffly drawing his body to its full height in the chair, ”for all of you must remember that ten years ago, demonstrationsoccurred on both Hrruba and Terra demanding that the Siwannese Noncohabitation Principle be upheld and the Doona colony abandoned as a violation.” Then he gave Hiruvula a smug glance of satisfaction for that unequivocal fact.
”Those demonstrations subsided and an inquiry proved that the agitation had not been spontaneous as claimed but had indeed been subsidized by unidentified conservatives from both planets.
”That is on record,' Madam Dupuis said. ”More to the point, at no time during the period were any colonists permitted off-planet.”
”Exactly, Madam Dupuis!” Landreau shot to his feet in triumph. ”And shortly thereafter Reeve and Hrriss began their ”goodwill” appearances.
”To dispel any lasting doubt as to the validity of the DoonaiRrala Experiment,' Hrwvula said.
”And just look how that privilege has been abused by Reeve and Hrriss!” Landreau exclaimed.
”To smuggle and steal in order to provide an alternate life-style in case the Doonan Experiment should not prove successful at the end of the Treaty period. The Reeve family has a well-doc.u.mented history of dissidence and anarchy.”
”That is libel, Admiral,' Hrruvula said.
”They are self-motivated, hardworking, disciplined colonists with achievements any Stripe would be proud to acknowledge. And do!”
”I insist that the defendants submit to interrogation under querastrin,' Landreau said, his face flushed, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng, and his manner uncompromising. ”That is the only way in which the truth of the past ten years can be unraveled.”
”I protest the need for any such extreme measure!” Hiruvula was on his feet.
The Treaty Controller gave a sharp rap of his gavel.
”That may not be necessary,' he said, though his phrasing caused other Councillors to regard him in surprise. ”The defendants will be interrogated in court in the normal manner as to the violation of the interdiction of Hrrilnorr and their possession of illegal objects found secreted on the s.h.i.+p solely used by them. The defense attorney is to have time to review the new evidence presented to this court today and prepare a defense.
Madam Dupuis regarded the Controller in a fixed stare, for he intimated that he didn't believe there could be a defense adequate to clear the charges. She noticed that Hrruvula was quick to catch the innuendo.
”If those proceedings prove inconclusive,' the Controller went on, ”time enough to administer querastnn.
Landreau covered his jubilation. He had become worried at the Controller's silence, for it had taken a long time for his colleagues to place that nominee of the bigoted Third Speaker in the senior position.
He had to deal with Hrrubans, to be sure, to effect that end, but at least they had been Hrrubans who felt as he did-that the Doonan Experiment should be disbanded. He tossed Hrruvula a challenging look.
Just let that cat try to discredit the evidence that had been so carefully obtained. Just let him try!
And after discrediting the Reeves, such sterling examples of Doonan colonials, he was quite willing to start an interspecies war to depopulate Doona.
Those plans needed only a few more little twitches to provide ample excuse for the protective preemptive strike he felt was necessary against the danger of a Hrruban invasion of Earth. Soon that twentyfive-year-old mistake would be exonerated.
The gavel startled him out of his reverie.
”Due notice of the trial date will be forthcoming,' declared the Controller. ”This session is adjourned.
Admiral Landreau sprang to his feet as the Councillors filed out, well pleased with the events.
He failed to notice either their thoughtful expressions or the bland expression of Hrruvula.
”Well, that's a horse of a different color, if you get what I mean,' All Kiachif said, startling Ken, who had been disconsolately stroking the leopard Apple hide. ”I thought so when I s.h.i.+pped it.
Alive, alert, and akicking, it was. Freddie lad told me you were looking for me. I've got another sled or two of your hides, myself, if you were interested in having them. Chance of a drink for a dry man?
Some of your p.u.s.s.ycat punch around, if you know what I'm talking about, eh? That mlada's a powerful temptation.
Ken looked from the hide on the table to the merchantman's friendly face. ”Sure thing, All,' and he swung out of his chair to get bottle and gla.s.s from the cupboard, ”but are you saying that you remember this one horse in particular, out of all the hundreds you've carried?” The captain lifted his shoulders expressively.
”Thousands, Reeve, thousands!” He knocked back the generous tot Ken had poured. ”Horses are what Doona s.h.i.+ps the most of. But that leopardie Applousa was a real looker.”
”Leopard Appaloosa,' Ken corrected automatically.
”Don't see many of them, if you know what I meanEr, I'm a bit dry.” As automatically, Ken splashed an even more generous portion and set the bottle down in front of the wiry old s.p.a.cefarer.
”Tell me all you remember, Captain, please! I'm going half crazy trying to find out where the horse which wore this hide came from. My records come up blank and we're having to cross-check it against every animal ever bred here.
All Kiachif had been lowering the level of mlada in the gla.s.s slowly but steadily as Ken spoke. Now, wiping his wild whiskers with the back of his hand, he sighed with relief. ”Ah, that cuts the s.p.a.cedust and sifts the sand, with a vengeance. I remember perfectly because one, the unusual hide on the beast, and two, it was the first time I'd seen an animal with your freeze mark being exported.
Looked like a nice animal so I couldn't understand why you'd sell it on. I take a fairly friendly interest in your family, from far away back. Got another reason to remember yon spotted laddie because I was taking your stablehand, young Mr. Aden, out into the great beyond with it! He was going to one of the new places to ply his trade.” Kiachif scratched his beard. ”Though I can't rightly remember what that trade was. He had a lot of tricky toys and equipment with him, but it was all his. He had a manifest, money, the works. A lot of money, I was thinking, for a young lad who never did anything but manage horses all his life. He was off to a grand start with all those gadgets wherever he was going.” ”Now, that's the best thing I've heard in weeks, All,' Ken said, but his smile was grim. ”And itpartially-explains who knew so much about my ranch and freeze IDs.”
”But that Apple laddie wasn't rustled. He was sold proper by that Aden feller.”
”Who's part of a conspiracy to frame me and my son.
”What's that?” All Kiachif paused, hand on the bottle neck.
”I never bred a leopard Appaloosa, All. The Solinaris do. Those are, undeniably, my ranch markings but they should be on a twyearid pinto.” ”Well, I can swear that they're on the hide of the animal I loaded. That animal!” And All stabbed a stubby stained finger at the hide in front of him.
”You'd be willing to swear to that?”
”In front of anyone and as often as need be. But it's not one hide that's got your drive revving.”
”No. So far I've found nineteen other hides, provenanced from Zapata, that don't tally with any horse I ever bred and marked.
Poldep is saying it's Todd who's been rustling from his own father, ama.s.sing a fat credit account off-world.” Ken could feel the frustrated anger building inside him again just having to repeat the foul accusations. ”And there're more rumors that Hrriss is either coming along for the ride or sharing the take.” At the astonished and disbelieving expression on All Kiachif's face, he reined in.
All did not. He poured a quick tot to steady hiniseff, for his face had turned an apoplectic red.
”Not those boys!” he said, pounding his fist on the table, a separate bang for eacti word. ”Charge anyone else from any planet anywhere in Terran s.p.a.ce or even Hrruban s.p.a.ce and I might agree, but not Todd and Hrriss.”
”The Council and Poldep do not share your faith in their honesty. And d.a.m.n it all'-the boost which Kiachif's instant defense had given Ken dissolved as quickly-'the facts, the evidence are against them.”