But this Tribunal was composed of just three judges, only one of them visibly Gowachin.  They were separate entities, their actions heavy with mannerisms foreign to the Gowachin.  Even Broey, tainted by Dosadi, would be unfamiliar to the Gowachin observers.  No "single organism" here holding to the immutable form beneath Gowachin Law.  That had to be deeply disturbing to the Legums who advised Ceylang.

Broey leaned forward, addressed the arena.

"We'll dispense with the usual arguments while this new development is explored."

Again, Parando tried to interrupt.  Broey silenced him with a glance.

"I call Aritch of the Running Phylum," McKie said.

He turned.

Ceylang stood in mute indecision.  Her advisors remained at the back of the arena conferring among themselves.  There seemed to be a difference of opinion among them.

Aritch shuffled to the death-focus of the arena, the place where every witness was required to stand.  He glanced at the instruments of pain arrayed beneath the judicial bench, cast a wary look at McKie.  The old High Magister appeared harried, and undignified.  That hurried conference to explore this development must've been a sore trial to the old Gowachin.

McKie crossed to the formal position beside Aritch, addressed the judges.

"Here we have Aritch, High Magister of the Running Phylum.  We were told that if guilt were to be found in this arena, Aritch bore that guilt.  He, so we were led to believe, was the one who made the decision to imprison Dosadi.  But how can that be so?  Aritch is old, but he isn't as old as Dosadi.  Then perhaps his alleged guilt is to be found in concealing the imprisonment of Dosadi.  But Aritch summoned an agent of BuSab and sent that agent openly to Dosadi."

A disturbance among the eight shackled prisoners interrupted McKie.  Several of the prisoners were trying to get to their feet, but the links of the shackles were too short.

On the judicial bench, Parando started to lean forward, but Broey hauled him back.

Yes, Parando and others were recalling the verities of a Gowachin Courtarena, the constant reversals of concepts common throughout the rest of the ConSentiency.

To be guilty is to be innocent.  Thus, to be innocent is to be guilty.

At a sharp command from Broey, the prisoners grew quiet.

McKie continued.

"Aritch, conscious of the sacred responsibilities which he carried upon his back as a mother carries her tads, was deliberately named to receive the punishment blow lest that punishment be directed at all Gowachin everywhere.  Who chose this innocent High Magister to suffer for all Gowachin?"

McKie pointed to the eight shackled prisoners.

"Who are these people?" Parando demanded.

McKie allowed the question to hang there for a long count.  Parando knew who these eight were.  Did he think he could divert the present course of events by such a blatant ploy?

Presently, McKie spoke.

"I will enlighten the court in due course.  My duty, however, comes first.  My client's innocence comes first."

"One moment."

Broey held up a webbed hand.

One of Ceylang's advisors hurried past McKie, asked and received permission to confer with Ceylang.  A thwarted Parando sat like a condemned man watching this conversation as though he hoped to find reprieve there.  Bildoon had hunched forward, head buried in his arms.  Broey obviously controlled the Tribunal.

The advisor Legum was known to McKie, one Lagag of a middling reputation, an officer out of breeding.  His words to Ceylang were low and intense, demanding.

The conference ended, Lagag hurried back to his companions.  They now understood the tenor of McKie's defense.  Aritch must have known all along that he could be sacrificed here.  The ConSentient Covenant no longer permitted the ancient custom where the Gowachin audience had poured into the arena to kill with bare hands and claws the innocent defendant.  But let Aritch walk from here with the brand of innocence upon him; he would not take ten paces outside the arena's precincts before being torn to pieces.

There'd been worried admiration in the glance Lagag had given McKie in passing.  Yes . . . now they understood why McKie had maneuvered for a small and vulnerable judicial panel.

The eight prisoners began a new disturbance which Broey silenced with a shout.  He signaled for McKie to continue.

"Aritch's design was that I expose Dosadi, return and defend him against the charge that he had permitted illegal psychological experiments upon an unsuspecting populace.  He was prepared to sacrifice himself for others."

McKie sent a wry glance at Aritch.  Let the High Magister try to fight in half-truths in that defense!

"Unfortunately, the Dosadi populace was not unsuspecting.  In fact, forces under the command of Keila Jedrik had moved to take control of Dosadi.  Judge Broey will affirm that she had succeeded in this."

Again, McKie pointed to the shackled prisoners.

"But these conspirators, these people who designed and profited from the Dosadi Experiment, ordered the death of Keila Jedrik!  She was murdered this morning on Tutalsee to prevent my using her at the proper moment to prove Aritch's innocence.  Judge Broey is witness to the truth of what I say.  Keila Jedrik was brought into this arena yesterday only that she might be traced and killed!"

McKie raised both arms in an eloquent gesture of completion, lowered his arms.

Aritch looked stricken.  He saw it.  If the eight prisoners denied the charges, they faced Aritch's fate.  And they must know by now that Broey wanted them Gowachin-guilty.  They could bring in the Caleban contract and expose the body-exchange plot, but that risked having McKie defend or prosecute them because he'd already locked them to his actual client, Aritch.  Broey would affirm this, too.  They were at Broey's mercy.  If they were Gowachin-guilty, they walked free only here on Tandaloor.  Innocent, they died here.

As though they were one organism, the eight turned their heads and looked at Aritch.  Indeed!  What would Aritch do?  If he agreed to sacrifice himself, the eight might live.  Ceylang, too, focused on Aritch.

Around the entire arena there was a sense of collective held breath.

McKie watched Ceylang.  How candid had Aritch's people been with their Wreave?  Did she know the full Dosadi story?

She broke the silence, exposing her knowledge.  She chose to aim her attack at McKie on the well-known dictum that, when all else failed, you tried to discredit the opposing Legum.

"McKie, is this how you defend these eight people whom only you name as client?" Ceylang demanded.

Now, it was delicate.  Would Broey go along?

McKie countered her probe with a question of his own.

"Are you suggesting that you'd prosecute these people?"

"I didn't charge them!  You did."

"To prove Aritch's innocence."

"But you call them client.  Will you defend them?"

A collective gasp arose from the cluster of advisors behind her near the arena doorway.  They'd seen the trap.  If McKie accepted the challenge, the judges had no choice but to bring the eight into the arena under Gowachin forms.  Ceylang had trapped herself into the posture of prosecutor against the eight.  She'd said, in effect, that she affirmed their guilt.  Doing so, she lost her case against Aritch and her life was immediately forfeit.  She was caught.

Her eyes glittered with the unspoken question.

What would McKie do?

Not yet, McKie thought.  Not yet, my precious Wreave dupe.

He turned his attention to Parando.  Would they dare introduce the Caleban contract?  The eight prisoners were only the exposed tip of the shadowy forces, a vulnerable tip.  They could be sacrificed.  It was clear that they saw this and didn't like it.  No Gowachin Mrregs here with that iron submission to responsibility!  They loved life and its power, especially the ones who wore Human flesh.  How precious life must be for those who'd lived many lives!  Very desperate, indeed.