Bucky O' Hare in The Trial of Fritz Warner Part Two: Prosecution By Andrew Norris SCENE ONE The Courtroom, Genus The audience of various MAMMALS is returning from recess. DASH DARING runs in and catches BUCKY by the shoulder as he walks in. DASH: So what did I miss? BUCKY: Not much, but it'll hard to beat the prosecution, I'm guessing. JENNY: Where did you rush off to anyway? DASH: It's a long story, but it involves a defector and the Commies. I'll let you figure it out until afterward. They all sit down, but rise as JUDGE HIRAM SILVER enters. Once seated, he gestures to the PROSECUTION COUNSEL to bring forward her case. PROSECUTION: Your honour, though I respect the case of the Defence Counsel, I think that I have more than enough evidence to argue that Fritz Warner is a guilty man. FRITZ, who is still sat in the dock, just looks away from her nervously. PROSECUTION: As he is our main witness, I would like to call Lt. Andrew Norris. BALIFF: (Yells) Call Lt. Norris! Enter ANDREW, still in the new .S.P.A.C.E. uniform he was given under RYGARS' military rule. After swearing the oath, he sits down. PROSECUTION: You are Lt. Norris of Earth? ANDREW: I am. THE PROSECUTION COUNSEL is about to continue, but JUDGE SILVER interrupts. SILVER: Actually, before this case continues, I'm curious to know exactly how the legend of Chuck Bodgers came to the Aniverse long before the humans entered our worlds. PROSECUTION: Well, your honour, one of his science-fiction comics as Chuck Bodgers was placed in a space probe that was sent out some time ago. Some of it couldn't be translated, but the sections that were written in braille gave some clue to his identity. SILVER: And the probe turned up on our doorstep, right? PROSECUTION: On the doorstep of the Hares, yes. That's why we always thought of him as a mutilated hare until we saw him in person. SILVER: (Nods) I see. Proceed. PROSECUTION: Thank you. (To Andrew) Lieutenant, you are from the same Earth and the same species as the legendary Willy DuWitt, yes? ANDREW: Well, yes and no. PROSECUTION: (Confused) Yes and no? What do you mean? ANDREW: I'm a human, yes, but there are various alternate earths that exist in parallel universes. My universe is designated Earth 692, and according to legend was formed to prevent Earth 616 destroying the Earth that Willy is from. PROSECUTION: An infusion of the two universes? ANDREW: And their inhabitants, yes. The British Teen Titans, for example, were an amalgamation of the Captain Britain Corps of Earth 616 and the Teen Titans of Willys' Earth. I didn't find out until I got a visit from somebody called Dr. Strangefate, but who I'm an infusion of is beyond me. BUCKY: (Mumbles) I can think of a few things. SILVER: (Sighs) Lieutenant, I appreciate the education on the subject, but could we get back to the business at hand, please? ANDREW: Sorry, your honour. PROSECUTION: Lieutenant, we know that you were given shelter from the World Space Patrol as a result of your exile, but what was the Chairmans' reactions to you? ANDREW: It was sorta mixed. He wanted a ship for the fleet, and I needed a crew. That was done no problem, but when it came to my application, it specifically asked for our religion under Code 14- something, (Shakes his head) It was too long ago, I can't remember the exact number. PROSECUTION: (To the court) Lt. Norris is, of course, referring to Code 14-A7, in which the faiths of officers and soldiers are given under the Religious Recognition Act of 3026. Need I remind the court that this Act was brought in for commanders of the Armed Forces to be aware of what temples or shrines would be reqiured for worship in the barracks or the battlefield. SILVER: So noted; proceed. PROSECUTION: And what was so significant about your religion, Lieutenant? ANDREW: Well, I had to learn to write in Aniversian as Willy DuWitt had done, and the faith I was brought up under was the Church of England. SILVER: (Confused) What exactly is that? Is that relevant to Earth 692 as well? ANDREW: No, your honour. It is a branch of Christianity that is the state religion of my home, Great Britain. SILVER just nods, and gestures to proceed. PROSECUTION: And did the accused behave suspiciously to you upon the time you gave in your application? ANDREW: Well...yes. My previous application for promotion to Lieutenant was rejected, the incident with Captain Crisis and now the Martian invasion! DEFENCE: (Stands up) Objection, your honour! SILVER: On what ground? DEFENCE: She's leading the witness. SILVER: (Sternly) There has been no evidence I have seen for that, Counsel. Now if you're trying to obstruct the court to prevent evidence from getting through, I shall dismiss your case, understand?! THE DEFENCE COUNSEL reluctantly nods, and sits back down. ANDREW is allowed to leave the stand while THE PROSECUTION COUNSEL picks up a file from her desk. PROSECUTION: And here, your honour, is a transcript of a conversation between Dr. Kenner and the accused regarding the psychological impact the accused had made on Lt. Norris after the outbreak of Captain Crisis... SCENE TWO The Toad Mothership TOADBORG is on the bridge, overlooking everything down below him. Eventually, a STORMTOAD approaches and salutes. STORMTOAD: Everything is in order, sir. We've set the course and are ready to proceed on your command. TOADBORG: (Not looking over) All engines at full speed, Private. We have to strike now while they're weak! STORMTOAD: (Salutes again) Yes, sir. The Mothership slowly begins to move through space as its' engines whine to gain full power. TOADBORG: (Looks over to Stormtoad) How far away is the rest of the fleet? STORMTOAD: Captain Pritchard is to rendezvous with us in Sector 21; Toad Air Marshal is on his way, and Pilot Officer Adder is to meet up with us in a Cruiser with the armaments. TOADBORG: Good, proceed on our present course. THE STORMTOAD salutes and marches off. TOADBORG: (To himself) They'll pay for their crimes against the Empire, and this time, they shall remain defeated! SCENE THREE The Courtroom ANDREW has sat down, and THE PROSECUTION COUNSEL is now interviewing DR. KENNER PROSECUTION: Doctor, how long have you known Chairman Warner? KENNER: Ever since I started my career; three years. PROSECUTION: And how long had you been, to coin a phrase, "examining" Lt. Norris? KENNER: As part of UAC regulations, I keep tabs on all officers; not just one. Lt. Norris has served the UAC for under a year, and I have examined him carefully from what knowledge we have of baboon anatomy. DEFENCE: Objection, your honour? SILVER: (Hides his annoyance) On what ground is it now? DEFENCE: Lt. Norris is a human, not a baboon. SILVER: (Calmly, to Dr. Kenner) That is true, Doctor. Why did you go by primeape anatomy? KENNER: Because the human race is still new to us, your honour. Apart from its' planet and the humans who live here, nothing is known about the make-up of humans. SILVER: Very well; proceed. PROSECUTION: (To Dr. Kenner) And why was the matter not examined further? KENNER: Because I was not his psychiatrist. I know fragments of the topic, but I am in no way an expert. PROSECUTION: (Smugly) No more questions, your honour. SILVER: Does the Defence have any questions for this witness that may have any bearing on this case? DEFENCE: (Quietly) No, your honour. SILVER: Then I hereby call an adjournment while the Jury decides upon the verdict. The Court will return in one hours' time as the Jury reaches a verdict. SCENE FOUR The Toad Mothership TOADBORG is on the bridge, as they enter a system of planets. After fighting through a small asteroid belt, the Mothership slowly hovers in space. TOADBORG: (To The Stormtoad) Release the landing craft. Several small Toad landing craft leave the Mothership via a small opening at the bottom of the Mothership. More leak out until there are thousands of landing craft drifting about in space...