Illegal Alien by Robert J. Sawyer

Author:Robert J. Sawyer
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, General, Legal, Mystery & Detective
ISBN: 9781937007218
Publisher: ACE
Published: 1997-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

“The People call the Tosok named Stant.” Stant rose from one of the six Tosok chairs in the seating gallery and strode through the gate into the well in front of Judge Pringle’s bench.

“You do solemnly swear or affirm,” said the clerk, “that the testimony you may give in the cause now pending before this Court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

“I do.”

“State your name, please.”

“Stant. Phonetically: S-T-A-N-T.”

“Be seated.” While Stant was being sworn in, a bailiff had removed the standard chair from the witness stand and replaced it with another Tosok one. Stant made himself comfortable, the high sides of the chair nestling in the hollows beneath where his legs joined his torso.

Linda Ziegler rose. “Stant, before we begin, I think it’s necessary to talk a bit about that oath you just swore. Do you know the difference between lying and telling the truth?”

“Of course.”

“You said ‘I do’ when the clerk said, ‘So help you God?’”

“Yes.”

“Do Tosoks in general believe in a higher being?”

“Yes.”

“This being—he or she is held to be the creator?”

“She is the creator of the universe, yes. And of certain lifeforms.”

“And do you personally subscribe to a belief in this being?”

“Yes.”

“So when you invoke God’s aid in helping you tell the truth, you are in fact calling on a power in which you personally believe?”

“I am.”

“You understand the weight we place on telling the truth during a trial, don’t you?”

“It has been explained to me at length. I will tell the truth.”

“Thank you—and forgive me for asking those questions. Now, please, Stant, tell us what your relationship is to the defendant, Hask?”

“I am his half brother.”

Ziegler was visibly flustered. “I—I beg your pardon?”

“I believe I have used the term correctly. We have the same mother, but different fathers.”

Ziegler glanced over at Dale. Dale was as shocked by this revelation as Ziegler was, but he kept a poker face. She then looked behind Dale to where Nobilio was sitting; he, too, had an expression of complete surprise on his face: eyebrows high, open mouth rounded into a circle. It had been a simple, pro forma opening question, and she’d doubtless anticipated the answer to be, “I’m his shipmate” or “he’s my coworker” or something equally obvious. She visibly tried to regain her own composure. “Your half brother,” she repeated.

Stant’s tuft waved front to back; the Tosok equivalent of a nod. “Yes.”

“Your Honor,” said Ziegler, “permission to treat the witness as hostile.”

“I am not hostile,” said Stant.

Judge Pringle looked at Stant. “By hostile, she means vehemently opposed to the prosecution’s case. Now please don’t speak again until I’ve ruled in this matter.”

“Your Honor,” said Dale, rising to his feet and spreading his giant arms, “the defense objects. Stant has exhibited no hostility.”

“Your Honor,” said Ziegler, “some latitude would be appropriate.”

Pringle frowned. “Being someone’s brother doesn’t necessarily confer hostile status. Besides, we don’t know anything about Tosok family relationships. I’m going to reserve judgment until we do.”

“Very well,” said Ziegler.

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