ition."

"Don't worry, Gerd," Gus Brannhard told him. "Leslie Coombes will bring a
nice shiny new definition into court. We'll just use that."

XIV

They walked together, Frederic and Claudette Pendarvis, down through the
roof garden toward the landing stage, and, as she always did, Claudette
stopped and cut a flower and fastened it in his lapel.

"Will the Fuzzies be in court?" she asked.

"Oh, they'll have to be. I don't know about this morning; it'll be mostly
formalities." He made a grimace that was half a frown and half a smile. "I
really don't know whether to consider them as witnesses or as exhibits,
and I hope I'm not called on to rule on that, at least at the start.
Either way, Coombes or Brannhard would accuse me of showing prejudice."

"I want to see them. I've seen them on screen, but I want to see them for
real."

"You haven't been in one of my courts for a long time, Claudette. If I
find that they'll be brought in today, I'll call you. I'll even abuse my
position to the extent of arranging for you to see them outside the
courtroom. Would you like that?"

She'd love it. Claudette had a limitless capacity for delight in things
like that. They kissed good-bye, and he went to where his driver was
holding open the door of the aircar and got in. At a thousand feet he
looked back; she was still standing at the edge of the roof garden,
looking up.

He'd have to find out whether it would be safe for her to come in. Max
Fane was worried about the possibility of trouble, and so was Ian
Ferguson, and neither was given to timorous imaginings. As the car began
to descend toward the Central Courts buildings, he saw that there were
guards on the roof, and they weren't just carrying pistols--he caught the
glint of rifle barrels, and the twinkle of steel helmets. Then, as he came
in, he saw that their uniforms were a lighter shade of blue than the
constabulary wore. Ankle boots and red-striped trousers; Space Marines in
dress blues. So Ian Ferguson had pushed the button. It occurred to him
that Claudette might be safer here than at home.

A sergeant and a couple of men came up as he got out; the sergeant touched
the beak of his helmet in the nearest thing to a salute a Marine ever gave
anybody in civilian clothes.

"Judge Pendarvis? Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, sergeant. Just why are Federation Marines guarding the
court building?"

"Standing by, sir. Orders of Commodore Napier. You'll find th