The Star Beast (6 page)

“Uh, why, he’s just Lummox. That’s what we call him. My great grandfather brought him back in the
Trail Blazer
…her second trip.”

“That, long ago, eh? Well, that clears up some of the mystery; that was before DepSpace kept records…in fact before there was such a department. But I still don’t see how this fellow could have missed making a splash in the history books. I’ve read about the
Trail Blazer
and I remember she brought back many exotica. But I don’t remember this fellow…and, after all, extra-terrestrials were news in those days.”

“Oh, that… Well, sir, the captain didn’t know Lummox was aboard. Great-granddad brought him aboard in his jump bag and sneaked him off the ship the same way.”

“In his
jump bag?
” Greenberg stared at Lummox’s out-sized figure.

“Yes, sir. Of course Lummie was smaller then.”

“So I am forced to believe.”

“I’ve got pictures of him. He was about the size of a collie pup. More legs of course.”

“Mmmm, yes. More legs. And he puts me, more in mind of a triceratops than a collie. Isn’t he expensive to feed?”

“Oh, no, Lummie eats anything. Well, almost anything,” John Thomas amended hastily, glancing self-consciously at the steel bars. “Or he can go without eating for a long time. Can’t you, Lummie?”

Lummox had been lying with his legs retracted, exhibiting the timeless patience which he could muster when necessary. He was listening to his chum and Mr. Greenberg while keeping an eye on Betty and the judge. He now opened his enormous mouth. “Yes, but I don’t like it.”

Mr. Greenberg raised his eyebrows and said, “I hadn’t realized that he was a speech-center type.”

“A what? Oh, sure. Lummie’s been talking since my father was a boy; he just sort of picked it up. I meant to introduce you. Here, Lummie… I want you to meet Mr. Commissioner Greenberg.”

Lummox looked at Greenberg without interest and said, “How do you do, Mr. Commissioner Greenberg,” saying the formula phrase clearly but not doing so well on the name and title.

“Uh, how do you do, Lummox.” He was staring at Lummox when the courthouse clock sounded the hour. Judge O’Farrell turned and spoke to him.

“Ten o’clock, Mr. Commissioner. I suppose we had better get started.”

“No hurry,” Greenberg answered absent-mindedly, “since the party can’t start until we get there. I’m interested in this line of investigation. Mr. Stuart, what is Lummox’s R.I.Q. on the human scale?”

“Huh? Oh, his relative intelligence quotient. I don’t know, sir.”

“Good gracious, hasn’t anyone ever tried to find out?”

“Well, no, sir… I mean ‘yes, sir.’ Somebody did run some tests on him back in my grandfather’s time, but granddad got so sore over the way they were treating Lummie that he chucked them out. Since then we’ve kept strangers away from Lummie, mostly. But he’s real bright. Try him.”

Judge O’Farrell whispered to Greenberg, “The brute isn’t as bright as a good bird dog, even if he can parrot human speech a little. I know.”

John Thomas said indignantly, “I heard that, Judge. You’re just prejudiced!”

The judge started to answer but Betty cut across him. “Johnnie! You know what I told you… I’ll do the talking.”

Greenberg ignored the interruption. “Has any attempt been made to learn his language?”

“Sir?”

“Mmm, apparently not. And he may have been brought here before he was old enough to talk…his own language I mean. But he must have had one; it’s a truism among xenists that speech centers are found only in nervous systems that use them. That is to say, he could not have learned human speech as speech even poorly, unless his own breed used oral communication. Can he write?”

“How could he, sir? He doesn’t have hands.”

“Mmm, yes. Well, taking a running jump with the aid of theory, I’ll bet on a relative score of less than 40, then. Xenologists have found that high types, equivalent to humans, always have three characteristics: speech centers, manipulation, and from these two, record keeping. So we can assume that Lummox’s breed was left at the post. Studied any xenology?”

“Not much, sir,” John Thomas admitted shyly, “except books I could find in the library. But I mean to major in xenology and exotic biology in college.”

“Good for you. It’s a wide open field. You’d be surprised how difficult it is to hire enough xenists just for DepSpace. But my reason for asking was this: as you know, the department has intervened in this case. Because of
him
.” Greenberg gestured at Lummox. “There was a chance that your pet might be of a race having treaty rights with us. Once or twice, strange as it may seem, a foreigner visiting this planet has been mistaken for a wild animal, with…shall we say ‘unfortunate’ results?” Greenberg frowned, recalling the terrible hushed-up occasion when a member of the official family of the Ambassador from Llador had been found, dead and stuffed-in a curiosity shop in the Virgin Islands. “But no such hazard exists here.”

“Oh. I guess not, sir. Lummox is…well, he’s just a member of our family.”

“Precisely.” The Commissioner spoke to Judge O’Farrell. “May I consult you a moment, Judge? Privately?”

“Certainly, sir.”

The men moved, away; Betty joined John Thomas. “It’s a cinch,” she whispered, “if you can keep from making more breaks.”

“What did I do?” he protested. “And what makes you think it’s going to be easy?”

“It’s obvious. He likes you, he likes Lummox.”

“I don’t see how that pays for the ground floor of the Bon Marché. Or all those lamp posts.”

“Just keep your blood pressure down and follow my lead. Before we are through, they’ll be paying us. You’ll see.”

A short distance away Mr. Greenberg was saying to Judge O’Farrell, “Judge, from what I have learned it seems to me that the Department of Spatial Affairs should withdraw from this case.”

“Eh? I don’t follow you, sir.”

“Let me explain. What I would like to do is to postpone the hearing twenty-four hours while I have my conclusions checked by the department. Then I can withdraw and let the local authorities handle it. Meaning you, of course.”

Judge O’Farrell pursed his lips. “I don’t like last-minute postponements, Mr. Commissioner. It has always seemed unfair to me to order busy people to gather together, to their expense and personal inconvenience, then tell them to come back another day. It doesn’t have the flavor of justice.”

Greenberg frowned. “True. Let me see if we can arrive at it another way. From what young Stuart tells me I am certain that this ease is not one calling for intervention under the Federation’s xenic policies, even though the center of interest is extra-terrestrial and therefore a legal cause for intervention if needed. Although the department has the power, that power is exercised only when necessary to avoid trouble with governments of other planets. Earth has hundreds of thousands of e.-t. animals; it has better than thirty thousand non-human xenians, either residents or visitors, having legal status under treaties as ‘human’ even though they are obviously non-human. Xenophobia being what it is, particularly in our cultural backwaters…no, I wasn’t referring to Westville! Human nature-being what it is, each of those foreigners is a potential source of trouble in our foreign relations.

“Forgive me for saying what you already know; it is a necessary foundation. The department can’t go around wiping the noses of all our xenic visitors…even those that have noses. We haven’t the personnel and certainly not the inclination. If one of them gets into trouble, it is usually sufficient to advise the local magistrate of our treaty obligations to the xenian’s home planet. In rare cases the department intervenes. This, in my opinion, is not such a case. In the first place it seems that our friend Lummox here is an ‘animal’ under the law and…”

“Was there doubt?” the judge asked in astonishment.

“There might have been. That’s why I am here. But, despite his limited ability to talk, his other limitations would keep such a breed from rising to a level where we could accept it as civilized; therefore he is an animal. Therefore he has only the usual rights of animals under our humane laws. Therefore the department need not concern itself.”

“I see. Well, no one is going to be cruel to him, not in my court.”

“Certainly. But for another quite sufficient reason the department is not interested. Let us suppose that this creature is ‘human’ in the sense that law and custom and treaty have attached to that word since we first made contact with the Great Race of Mars. He is not, but suppose it.”

“Stipulated.” agreed Judge O’Farrell.

“We stipulate it. Nevertheless he cannot be a concern of the department because… Judge, do you know the history of the
Trail Blazer?
”

“Vaguely, from grammar school days. I’m not a student of spatial exploration. Our own Earth is confusing enough.”

“Isn’t it, though? Well, the
Trail Blazer
made three of the first interspatial transition flights, when such flights were as reckless as the voyage Columbus attempted. They did not know where they were going and they had only hazy notions about how to get back…in fact the
Trail Blazer
never came back from her third trip.”

“Yes, yes. I remember.”

“The point is, young Stuart—I can’t call him by his full name; it doesn’t seem right—Stuart tells me that this loutish creature with the silly smile is a souvenir of the
Trail Blazer
’s second cruise. That’s all I need to know. We have no treaties with any of the planets she visited, no trade, no intercourse of any sort. Legally they don’t exist. Therefore the only laws that apply to Lummox are our own domestic laws; therefore the department should not intervene—and even if it did, a special master such as myself would be obliged to rule entirely by domestic law. Which you are better qualified to do than I.”

Judge O’Farrell nodded. “Well, I have no objection to resuming jurisdiction. Shall we go in?”

“Just a moment. I suggested a delay because this case has curious features. I wanted to refer back to the department to make sure that my theory is correct and that I have not missed some important precedent or law. But I am willing to withdraw at once if you can assure me of one thing. This creature… I understand that, despite its mild appearance, it turned out to be destructive, even dangerous?”

O’Farrell nodded. “So I understand…unofficially of course.”

“Well, has there been any demand that it be destroyed?”

“Well,” the judge answered slowly, “again unofficially, I know that such a demand will be made. It has come to my attention privately that our chief of police intends to ask the court to order the animal’s destruction as a public safety measure. I anticipate prayers from private sources as well.”

Mr. Greenberg looked worried. “As bad as that? Well, Judge, what is your attitude? If you try the case, are you going to let the animal be destroyed?”

Judge O’Farrell retorted, “Sir, that is an improper question.”

Greenberg turned red. “I beg your pardon. But I must get at it in some fashion. You realize that this specimen is unique? Regardless of what it has done, or how dangerous it may be (though I’m switched if I’m convinced of
that
), nevertheless its interest to science is such that it should be preserved. Can’t you assure me that you will not order it destroyed?”

“Young man, you are urging me to prejudge a case, or a portion of a case. Your attitude is most improper!”

Chief Dreiser chose this bad time to come hurrying up. “Judge, rye been looking all over for you. Is this hearing going to take place? I’ve got seven men who…”

O’Farrell interrupted him. “Chief, this is Mr. Commissioner Greenberg. Mr. Commissioner, our Chief of Safety.”

“Honored, Chief.”

“Howdy, Mr. Commissioner. Gentlemen, about this hearing. I’d like to know…”

“Chief,” the judge interrupted brusquely, “just tell my bailiff to hold things in readiness. Now leave us in private, if you please.”

“But…” The chief shut up and backed away, while muttering something excusable in a harassed policeman. O’Farrell turned back to Greenberg.

The Commissioner had had time during the interruption to recall that he was supposed to be without personal emotions. He said smoothly, “I withdraw the question, Judge. I had no intention of committing an impropriety.” He grinned. “Under other circumstances I might have found myself slapped for contempt, eh?”

O’Farrell grudged a smile. “It is possible.”

“Do you have a nice jail? I have over seven months leave saved up and no chance to take it.”

“You shouldn’t overwork, young man. I always find time to fish, no matter how full the docket. ‘Allah does not subtract from man’s allotted time those hours spent in fishing.’”

“That’s a good sentiment. But I still have a problem. You know that I could insist on postponement while I consult the department?”

“Certainly. Perhaps you should. Your decision should not be affected by my opinions.”

“No. But I agree with you; last-minute postponements are vexations.” He was thinking that to refer to the department, in this odd case, meant to consult Mr. Kiku…and he could hear the Under Secretary making disgusted remarks about “initiative” and “responsibility” and “for heaven’s sake, couldn’t anyone else around this madhouse make a simple decision?” Greenberg made up his mind. “I think it is best for the department to continue intervention. I’ll take it, at least through a preliminary hearing.”

O’Farrell smiled broadly. “I had hoped that you would. I’m looking forward to hearing you. I understand that you gentlemen from the Department of Spatial Affairs sometimes hand out an unusual brand of law.”

“Really? I hope not. I mean to be a credit to Harvard Law.”

“Harvard? Why, so am I! Do they still shout for Reinhardt?”

“They did when I was there.”

“Well, well, it’s a small world! I hate to wish this case on a schoolmate; I’m afraid it is going to be a hot potato.”

“Aren’t they all? Well, let’s start the fireworks. Why don’t we sit
en banc
? You’ll probably have to finish.”

They started back to the courthouse. Chief Dreiser, who had been fuming some distance away, saw that Judge O’Farrell had forgotten him. He started to follow, then noted that the Stuart boy and Betty Sorenson were still on the other side of Lummox’s cage. They had their heads together and did not notice that the two magistrates were leaving. Dreiser strode over to them.