City of Baraboo
- Автор: Лонгиер Барри
- Серия: Circus World #2
- Год: 1981
- Язык: английский
- Год: Berkley Books
- ISBN: 0-425-04940-X
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «City of Baraboo». Краткое содержание книги:
"Vito fell in love with Clia?"
The Governor nodded. "Vito was the catcher, so when Clia made it clear that she didn't love him, and found his advances offensive, Vito plotted to get rid of Anthony. At least, that's the way most of the show people figured it. The Sciavellis never worked with a net. That night they were in the middle of their over-and-under routine. Vito would do his knee drop and ready himself to do the exchanges. Clia would go first on the other bar, swing, then do a single somersault as she left the bar and come to rest holding onto Vito's wrists. Then, on the next swing, Anthony would come out, and at the same time he left the bar and somersaulted toward Vito, Clia would release and head for the bar. They would do that six or seven times in quick succession."
The Governor turned back to the window. "Maybe Vito was upset and got his signals crossed, maybe he wanted to kill Clia. In any event, she went down. I remember Anthony and Vito still hanging on their bars, swinging, looking down at the sawdust while a crowd rushed out to Clia's body. They both came down the tapes together, then Anthony calmly walked over to Vito, grabbed him around his neck, and broke it. Vito died instantly." O'Hara shook his head. "We did everything we could, but we couldn't prove that Vito was responsible for Clia's death. So, Anthony was condemned to the penal colony here, Doldra."
"Mr. John, does he blame you for being sent here?"
"I don't know. But in court he went mad—screaming threats at every and anything." O'Hara sighed.
"Mr. John, what's going to happen to us?"
"I'd just be guessing."
Tyli sniffed, then held her hands to her eyes. "I wish Duckfoot was here—and Diane. And my friends from the kid show..."
O'Hara walked over and placed his hand on Tyli's shoulder. "Duckfoot and the Patch were working on something to get us out of this mess. I didn't want to tell you because it might not have been possible." He shrugged. "I guess it doesn't make any difference now."
Tyli lowered her hands and looked up at O'Hara. "What was Duckfoot going to do?"
"Adopt you. That would have taken care of both the desertion and abduction charges. But, if they did manage to get someone in authority to sign the proper papers, they didn't get it done in time."
"Adopt me?" The Governor nodded and went back to the window. "Tyli Tarzak." After trying the name to see how it fit her tongue, she decided she liked it.
FOURTEEN
Later that night, Tyli and the Governor were again in the defendants' dock. The police captain sat at a table, arms folded, face grim. The Governor frowned as Duckfoot and the Patch emerged from the door behind the judge's bench. Duckfoot marched straight for the spectators' chairs and sat down next to Diane, his face an impenetrable mask. The Patch faced the Governor, shrugged, then went to the chairs and seated himself next to Duckfoot. The room was silent for a moment, then Judge Sciavelli emerged from the door and took his seat behind the bench. As was the custom on Doldra, no one rose.
The judge placed a paper on the bench, then turned toward the defendants' dock. "Mr. Tarzak and Mr. Wellington explained to me Mr. Tarzak's intention of adopting you, Tyli Strang." He looked back at the paper. "However, since the adoption was not made final prior to the time charges were brought—and still is to be made final—it has no bearing on the charges before the bench." He nodded toward the police captain. "Since the police have completed their argument, we shall now hear from the defendants." He looked at the girl. "Tyli Strang, what do you say to the charge of desertion?"
The Governor held out his hands. "Just one minute, Sciavelli! You said we could have representation. Where is it?"
The judge closed his eyes, tapped his fingers on the bench, then looked at O'Hara. "I've heard all that your fixer has to say on the subject. He doesn't appear to be able to refute any of the charges that have been brought against you." He looked at Tyli. "What do you have to say about the charge of desertion?"
Tyli swallowed, then looked back at Duckfoot and Diane. They both nodded their encouragement. Tyli looked back at the judge, then folded her arms. "I left. And I'd like to know who wouldn't. The adoption people that assigned me... that assigned me to Chaine's farm, they sent me to prison. But now I have... I have..." Tyli felt the tears choking her. "But now I have a family... people who respect me, and love me. Yes, I left Chaine's farm. And if the law says that's wrong, then the law's dumb! That's all I have to say!" Tyli covered her face with her hands, then leaned against the Governor as he put his arm around her shoulders.
The judge turned his glance from Tyli to O'Hara. "John J. O'Hara, what do you have to say about the charge of abduction that has been brought against you?"
The Governor looked up from Tyli, then studied the judge's face. "She speaks for both of us."
The judge held O'Hara's stare for a moment, then returned his glance to the paper on the bench. "Captain Mendt, do you have any rebuttal?"
The Captain laughed, then got to his feet. "They admit it. They admit everything. What is there to rebut? The adoption laws were made to care for the many orphans left over from the revolution, and they are good laws. The abduction law was made to prevent just this very thing: strangers from off planet taking our children to put them on the baby black market, or worse. Look at her now! Look at her hair. We found her in a freak show!" He waved his hand in disgust. "The letter of the law is clear. To excuse them would make jokes both of our law and our revolution." The captain sat down and folded his arms.
The judge nodded, studied the paper on the bench, then looked back at the captain. "Captain Mendt, we fought a revolution to build a society of laws that served justice rather than politics or privilege. And, for the past ten years, we have given our laws strict, often brutal, application." The judge shrugged. "Perhaps that is a necessary given or revolutionary zeal. But the revolution is a decade old, Captain. Perhaps now there is room beside the letter of the law for that justice we seek."
The captain jumped to his feet. "You can't do—"
"I am the judge, Captain. Do you wish to check the law on that?"
"Judge, these are valid charges. You can't just find them innocent without committing a crime yourself!"
Judge Sciavelli nodded, then signed the piece of paper on the bench. "Captain, I have just executed the adoption instrument that will make Tyli Strang the legal child of Diane and... Melvin Tarzak."
Several of those in the courtroom turned toward Duckfoot and mouthed the name: "Melvin?" Duckfoot didn't notice.
"Since she has been adopted prior to being found guilty of desertion, the desertion charge is ruled groundless. For the same reason, the charges against Mr. O'Hara are ruled groundless." He turned to the defendants' dock. "You both are free to go."
As Duckfoot and Diane raced the Patch to Tyli's side, the Governor watched Judge Sciavelli stand and go through the door behind the bench. O'Hara stepped down from the dock, walked around the bench, and entered the judge's chamber. Sciavelli had opened his collar and was behind a desk, leaning back in a chair. "Anthony?"
The judge looked up, then smiled. "Hello, Mr. John."
"It's still Mr. John, is it?"
"You're the Governor." The judge.motioned toward a chair. O'Hara nodded and sat down.
"I suppose I should thank you for what you did, in there."
Sciavelli shook his head. "Thank Captain Mendt. He's the one who made it clear that this court's choice was between Tyli growing up chained to a farm or on the lot of a circus." The judge studied the top of his desk. "That's where I grew up. I can't think of a better place for Tyli than the lot of O'Hara's Greater Shows." He looked at the Governor. "The law was meant to protect Tyli's interests, and it has done so."