“Well, Captain Greibenfeld,” the Chief Justice said, “I assume you mean to introduce further testimony about the observations and studies made by your people on Xerxes.  For the record, we’d like to have it established that they were actually taken there, and when, and how.”

“Yes, your Honor.  If you will call the fourth name on the list I gave you, and allow me to do the questioning, we can establish that.”

The Chief Justice picked up a paper.  “Lieutenant j.g.  Ruth Ortheris, TFN Reserve,” he called out.

This time, Jack Holloway looked up into the big screen, in which he could see everybody.  Gerd van Riebeek, who had been trying to ignore the existence of the woman beside him, had turned to stare at her in amazement.  Coombes’s face was ghastly for an instant, then froze into corpselike immobility:  Ernst Mallin was dithering in incredulous anger; beside him Ben Rainsford was grinning in just as incredulous delight.  As Ruth came around in front of the bench, the Fuzzies gave her an ovation; they remembered and liked her.  Gus Brannhard was gripping his arm and saying:  “Oh, brother!  This is it, Jack; it’s all over but shooting the cripples!”

Lieutenant j.g.  Ortheris, under a calmly blue globe, testified to coming to Zarathustra as a Federation Naval Reserve officer recalled to duty with Intelligence, and taking a position with the Company.

“As a regularly qualified doctor of psychology, I worked under Dr. Mallin in the scientific division, and also with the school department and the juvenile court.  At the same time I was regularly transmitting reports to Commander Aelborg, the chief of Intelligence on Xerxes.  The object of this surveillance was to make sure that the Zarathustra Company was not violating the provisions of their charter or Federation law.  Until the middle of last month, I had nothing to report beyond some rather irregular financial transactions involving Resident General Emmert.  Then, on the evening of June fifteen—­”

That was when Ben had transmitted the tape to Juan Jimenez; she described how it had come to her attention.

“As soon as possible, I transmitted a copy of this tape to Commander Aelborg.  The next night, I called Xerxes from the screen on Dr. van Riebeek’s boat and reported what I’d learned about the Fuzzies.  I was then informed that Leonard Kellogg had gotten hold of a copy of the Holloway-Rainsford tape and had alerted Victor Grego; that Kellogg and Ernst Mallin were being sent to Beta Continent with instructions to prevent publication of any report claiming sapience for the Fuzzies and to fabricate evidence to support an accusation that Dr. Rainsford and Mr. Holloway were perpetrating a deliberate scientific hoax.”

“Here, I’ll have to object to this, your Honor,” Coombes said, rising.  “This is nothing but hearsay.”

“This is part of a Navy Intelligence situation estimate given to Lieutenant Ortheris, based on reports we had received from other agents,” Captain Greibenfeld said.  “She isn’t the only one we have on Zarathustra, you know.  Mr. Coombes, if I hear another word of objection to this officer’s testimony from you, I am going to ask Mr. Brannhard to subpoena Victor Grego and question him under veridication about it.”