f your conduct as criminally reckless. Now, speaking judicially, I order
you to produce those Fuzzies immediately and return them to the custody of
Mr. Holloway."

"Well, of course, your Honor." O'Brien had been growing progressively
distraught, and his face now had the gray-over-brown hue of a walnut
gunstock that has been out in the rain all day. "It'll take an hour or so
to send for them and have them brought here."

"You mean they're not in this building?" Pendarvis asked.

"Oh, no, your Honor, there are no facilities here. I had them taken to
Science Center--"

"_What?_"

Jack had determined to keep his mouth shut and let Gus do the talking. The
exclamation was literally forced out of him. Nobody noticed; it had also
been forced out of both Gus Brannhard and Judge Pendarvis. Pendarvis
leaned forward and spoke with dangerous mildness:

"Do you refer, Mr. O'Brien, to the establishment of the Division of
Scientific Study and Research of the chartered Zarathustra Company?"

"Why, yes; they have facilities for keeping all kinds of live animals, and
they do all the scientific work for--"

Pendarvis cursed blasphemously. Brannhard looked as startled as though his
own briefcase had jumped at his throat and tried to bite him. He didn't
look half as startled as Ham O'Brien did.

"So you think," Pendarvis said, recovering his composure with visible
effort, "that the logical custodian of prosecution evidence in a murder
trial is the defendant? Mr. O'Brien, you simply enlarge my view of the
possible!"

"The Zarathustra Company isn't the defendant," O'Brien argued sullenly.

"Not of record, no," Brannhard agreed. "But isn't the Zarathustra
Company's scientific division headed by one Leonard Kellogg?"

"Dr. Kellogg's been relieved of his duties, pending the outcome of the
trial. The division is now headed by Dr. Ernst Mallin."

"Chief scientific witness for the defense; I fail to see any practical
difference."

"Well, Mr. Emmert said it would be all right," O'Brien mumbled.

"Jack, did you hear that?" Brannhard asked. "Treasure it in your memory.
You may have to testify to it in court sometime." He turned to the Chief
Justice. "Your Honor, may I suggest the recovery of these Fuzzies be
entrusted to Colonial Marshal Fane, and may I further suggest that Mr.
O'Brien be kept away from any communication equipment until they are
recovered."

"That sounds like a prudent suggestion, Mr. Brannhard. Now, I'll give you
a