Mary nodded, and looked at Ponter, too. If were lucky, she thought, none of us are going to die.
Chapter 26
Keyword(s): Neanderthal
Did Ponter Boddit gain legal entry into Canada? That question continues to bother immigration experts at home and abroad. Our guest tonight is Professor Simon Cohen, who teaches citizenship law at McGill University in Montreal
Top Ten reasons why we know that Ponter Boddit must be a real Neanderthal
Number ten: When he met his first human female, he hit her with a club and dragged her away by her hair.
Number nine: Mistaken in dim light for Leonid Brezhnev.
Number eight: When Arnold Schwarzenegger dropped by for a visit, Boddit said, Whos the scrawny kid?
Number seven: Watches nothing but Fox.
Number six: McDonalds sign now says, Billions and billions of Homo sapiens servedplus one Neanderthal.
Number five: Called Tom Arnold a hunk.
Number four: When shown rare rock specimen at the Smithsonian, chipped it into a perfect spearhead.
Number three: Wears Fossil watch and drinks Really, Really, Really Old Milwaukee.
Number two: Now collecting royalties on fire.
And the number one reason we know that Ponter Boddit must be a Neanderthal? Hairy cheeksall four of them.
John Pearce, director of international acquisitions for Random House Canada, has offered Ponter Boddit the largest advance in Canadian publishing history for world rights to his authorized biography, reports the trade journal Quill & Quire
The Pentagon is rumored to be interested in speaking with Ponter Boddit. The military implications of the way in which he supposedly arrived here have caught the attention of at least one five-star general
Now, thought Adikor Huld, as he took his seat on the stool in the Council chamber, well see if Ive made the biggest mistake of my life.
Who speaks on behalf of the accused? asked Adjudicator Sard.
Nobody moved. Adikors heart jumped. Had Jasmel Ket decided to forsake him? After all, who could blame her? Shed seen yesterday with her own eyes that oncegranted, a long time agoAdikor had apparently tried to kill her father.
The room was quiet, although one of the spectators, presumably making the same assumption Bolbay had earlier, let out a short, derisive laugh: no one was going to speak on behalf of Adikor.
But then, at last, Jasmel did rise to her feet. I do, she said. I speak for Adikor Huld.
There were gasps from many in the audience.
Daklar Bolbay, who was sitting on the sidelines, rose as well, her face agog. Adjudicator, this isnt right. The girl is one of the accusers.
Adjudicator Sard tipped her wrinkled head forward, looking out at Jasmel from under her browridge. Is this true?
No, said Jasmel. Daklar Bolbay was my mothers woman-mate; she was appointed my tabant when my mother died. But I have now seen 250 moons, and I claim the rights of majority.
Youre a 147? asked Sard.
Yes, Adjudicator.
Sard turned to Bolbay, who was still standing. All 147s gained personal responsibility two months ago. Unless you are contending that your ward is mentally incompetent, your guardianship of her ended automatically. Is she, in fact, mentally incompetent?
Bolbay was seething. She opened her mouth, clearly to make a remark, but thought better of it. She looked down and said, No, Adjudicator.
All right, then, said Sard. Take your seat, Daklar Bolbay.
Thank you, Adjudicator, said Jasmel. Now, if I may
Just a moment, 147, said Sard. It would have been polite to tell your tabant that you were going to oppose her case.
Adikor understood why Jasmel had remained silent. Had she forewarned Bolbay, Bolbay would have done everything she could to dissuade her. But Jasmel had her fathers charm. You speak wisely, Adjudicator. I shall keep your advice behind my browridge.
Sard nodded, satisfied, and motioned for Jasmel to proceed.
Jasmel walked into the center of the chamber. Adjudicator Sard, youve heard much innuendo from Daklar Bolbay. Innuendo, and baseless attacks on Adikor Hulds character. But she hardly knows the man. Adikor was my fathers man-mate; granted, I saw Adikor only briefly whenever Two became Onehe has his own son, young Dab there, here in this chamber, and his woman, Lurt, seated next to Dab. But, still, we met frequentlymuch more frequently than Daklar and he did.
She moved next to Adikor and placed a hand on his shoulder. I stand here, the daughter of the man Adikor is accused of killing, and say to you that I do not think he did it. She paused, looked briefly down at Adikor, then met Adjudicator Sards gaze from across the room.
You saw the alibi recording, prodded Bolbay, still straddling her saddle-seat at the side of the room, in the first row of spectators. Sard shushed her.
Yes, said Jasmel. Yes, I did. I knew that my father had a damaged jaw. It pained him occasionally, especially on cold mornings. I hadnt known who had caused the damagehe never said. But he did say that it was long ago, that the person who had done it was extremely contrite, and that hed forgiven the individual. She paused. My father was good at gauging character. He would not have partnered with Adikor had he thought there was the slightest possibility that Adikor would repeat his actions. She looked at Adikor, then back at the Adjudicator. Yes, my father is missing. But I dont think he was murdered. If he is dead, it was because of an accident. And if he is not
Do you think him injured? asked Adjudicator Sard. Jasmel was taken aback; it was unusual for the adjudicator to ask direct questions.
He might be, Adjudicator.
But Sard shook her head. Child, I sympathize with you. I really do. I know all too well what its like to lose a parent. But what youre saying makes no sense. Men searched the mines for your father. Women were called in to search as well, even though it was Last Five. Dogs were brought in to search, too.
But if he were dead, said Jasmel, his Companion would have broadcast a locator signal, at least for a while. They scanned for it with portable equipment, and found nothing.
True, said Sard. But if his Companion had been deliberately disabled or destroyed, there would be no signal.
But theres no evidence
Child, said the adjudicator, men have been known to disappear before. If circumstances are untenable in their personal lives, some have gouged out their own implants and headed into the wilderness. They shed all trappings of advanced civilization and join one of the communities that choose to live by traditional means, or they simply fend for themselves and live a nomadic life. Is there anything that might have made your father wish to disappear?
Nothing, said Jasmel. I saw him when Two last become One, and he was fine.
Briefly, said the adjudicator.
Pardon?
You saw him briefly. Sard evidently noted Jasmels eyebrow going up. No, I havent looked at your alibi archive; youve been accused of no crime, after all. But I did make some inquiries; its prudent for an adjudicator to do so in a case as unusual as this. So I ask again, was there any reason your father would choose to disappear? He could simply have eluded Adikor down in the mine, after all, then waited until none of the mining robots were about and gone up the elevator.