Birthright

“Oh, I agree with them, too. That's why I'm drinking with you.” He uttered a long “Ahhh,” wiped his

mouth off, and passed the flask to Kominsky. “I want you to hunt up Braque as soon as you can. Assuming he hasn't been sleeping all afternoon, he should have figured out what form of communication passes for video on Atria XVI. Have him line up a couple of guys who can use the medium, and have them make a five-minute recording.”

“Of what?”

“Of an Atrian whose protective glove accidentally comes off while visiting Deluros VIII, thereby freezing fifty-seven Men to death.”

“Okay,” said Kominsky dubiously. “But...” “But what?”

“But I think the Atrian judge may sentence the actor to death for even pretending to take someone else's life.”

Khalinov just glared at him.

* * * *

The courtroom was filled by the press, Krantz's parents and their influential friends, Khalinov's staff and assistants, and a handful of beautiful, blue-white, grasslike creatures. Khalinov himself, terribly uncomfortable in his modified heat-and-oxygen suit, sat at a table some twenty feet from a large crystalline figure, who was either standing, sitting, squatting, kneeling, or lying down, Khalinov couldn't decide which.

“Has the defense anything to say before sentence is passed?” said the Atrian. The words were like delicate chimes, but they came out in flat, unaccented Galactic-O through Khalinov's T-pack. The lawyer rose to his feet.

“Your honor,” he said, “I have not even heard the charges against my client.” “Were you not sent a copy of our penal code, along with a report of Man Krantz's actions?” “Yes, but it is customary for the prosecuting attorney to state his case prior to the opening statement of the defense.”

“Whose custom are you referring to, Man Khalinov?” asked the judge. “Yours or ours?” “My apologies, your honor,” said Khalinov, bowing deeply. “That being the case, I would like to enter a plea of innocent to the charge of premeditated murder.” “I do not recall that the word ‘premeditated’ was included in the charges,” said the judge. “But it must have been implied, your honor,” said Khalinov, “or else some crime other than murder has been committed.”

“That is for me to decide,” said the Atrian. “You have waived trial by jury, for reasons best known to