"Hubbard, L. Ron - Mission Earth 10 - Doomed Planet" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hubbard L. Ron)

"The statutes do not call for torture in cases of bigamy," said Turn. "They only call for execution."

"Well, I don't think the mob will buy that," said Madison. "When you add up the number of victims Gris has mangledЧand the mob willЧthere are few deaths painful enough to atone for it. Now, I think you remember that Her Majesty, Queen Teenie-----"

"The one who called my attention to his bigamy."

"Yes. Now, it so happens that Gris has an unfinished sentence with her. The sentence was 'a lifetime of exquisite torture, done by an expert.' As you no longer have to hold him for Heller, I would suggest that you could remand Gris into the custody of Queen Teenie to finish his earlier sentence. The mob would be happy; you would be off the hook. We could even play the mob tapes of his screaming. Good publicity for everybody all around."

Turn looked thoughtfully at Madison. "Well, if Jet-tero is no longer a Royal officer, then Gris is just a common felon. I could give him into the custody of anyone I wished. You really think 'a lifetime of exquisite torture, done by an expert' would mend this thing... what are you calling it? Image?"

"It would restore public confidence in you utterly," said Madison. "They'd praise you to the stars."

"Hmm," said Lord Turn. "If I find him guilty, it will have to be a severe sentence. Bigamy usually carries heavy penalties."

"Oh, you'll find him guilty all right," said Madison, "for he is, you know. He says so himself."

"The trial isn't over yet," said Turn. "We must not twist jurisprudence."

Madison got up, bowed and withdrew. He was grinning as he fought his way through the corridor throngs to get to the airbus.

He called Teenie. She had been waiting on Relax Island. "Your Majesty," said Madison, "you're really in, kid. Sharpen up the pokers and flex up the hot tongs. Gris will be in your hands before you know it."

"This better not be baloney," said Teenie. "After all the favors I've done you, if you don't deliver, the biggest pair of pliers is for your God (bleeped) toenails. So you better be sure."

"I am sure," said Madison with a confident grin. "I always deliver."

"Oh, yeah?" said Teenie and hung up.

It didn't dampen Madison's glee a bit. Getting Gris into her hands was just a byproduct.

Heller's status as a Royal officer could only be cancelled under the Emperor's seal as a final result of court-martial. Madison couldn't obtain that. But just as he had whittled away Heller's reputation in the court by innuendo, he was going to get his Royal officer status disbelieved in the same way.

He was certain now that Lord Turn would add a line in the Gris sentence that said, "In view of the fact that Heller's Royal officer status has been cancelled, I hereby remand..." And Madison would publicize that in such a way that the whole world would accept it as a fact. After all, who had access to the truth?

It was the final expert touch of a PR. The Fleet, the Army and now the Domestic Police would all be on
Heller's trail. The general warrant would be considered valid. He would be an outlaw indeed!

It was preparation for his final action. But that would not come yet.

Oh, what headlines were in the making!

Chapter 3

The vast courtroom was a bedlam of sound and shifting bodies. From the high windows, the morning sun sliced down through the centuries of dust in muddy shafts. The hawkers hawked their wares, the warders settled fights about seats and sought to prod the audience into some kind of order.

Madison made his way to a bench just behind the Gris attorneys. The three had their grizzled heads together and did not notice Madison at all. It piqued him: after all, it was he who had gotten them their jobs.

Madison poked a finger into the shoulder of the ex-Lord's executioner. "Would you three please give me your attention?"