“In order to forestall a spate of objections, I want to say that these present arrangements are temporary, and so will be the procedures which will be followed.  We are not, at the moment, trying Jack Holloway or Leonard Kellogg.  For the rest of this day, and, I fear, for a good many days to come, we will be concerned exclusively with determining the level of mentation of Fuzzy fuzzy holloway zarathustra.

“For this purpose, we are temporarily abandoning some of the traditional trial procedures.  We will call witnesses; statements of purported fact will be made under veridication as usual.  We will also have a general discussion, in which all of you at these tables will be free to participate.  I and my associates will preside; as we can’t have everybody shouting disputations at once, anyone wishing to speak will have to be recognized.  At least, I hope we will be able to conduct the discussion in this manner.

“You will all have noticed the presence of a number of officers from Xerxes Naval Base, and I suppose you have all heard that Commodore Napier has assumed control of the civil government.  Captain Greibenfeld, will you please rise and be seen?  He is here participating as amicus curiae, and I have given him the right to question witnesses and to delegate that right to any of his officers he may deem proper.  Mr. Coombes and Mr. Brannhard may also delegate that right as they see fit.”

Coombes was on his feet at once.  “Your Honors, if we are now to discuss the sapience question, I would suggest that the first item on our order of business be the presentation of some acceptable definition of sapience.  I should, for my part, very much like to know what it is that the Kellogg prosecution and the Holloway defense mean when they use that term.”

That’s it.  They want us to define it.  Gerd van Riebeek was looking chagrined; Ernst Mallin was smirking.  Gus Brannhard, however, was pleased.

“Jack, they haven’t any more damn definition than we do,” he whispered.

Captain Greibenfeld, who had seated himself after rising at the request of the court, was on his feet again.

“Your Honors, during the past month we at Xerxes Naval Base have been working on exactly that problem.  We have a very considerable interest in having the classification of this planet established, and we also feel that this may not be the last time a question of disputable sapience may arise.  I believe, your Honors, that we have approached such a definition.  However, before we begin discussing it, I would like the court’s permission to present a demonstration which may be of help in understanding the problems involved.”

“Captain Greibenfeld has already discussed this demonstration with me, and it has my approval.  Will you please proceed, Captain,” the Chief Justice said.

Greibenfeld nodded, and a deputy marshal opened the door on the right of the bench.  Two spacemen came in, carrying cartons.  One went up to the bench; the other started around in front of the tables, distributing small battery-powered hearing aids.