Chapter 5: FIVE

More witnesses swore that a Tereskàdian female had attacked Lana, but none came right out and told the court Sendrhea had done it. College students, all of them, each relating the same story as if someone had coached them. They should be in the theater, she thought. Fharezhan agreed that these were winning performances, warned her when Lana Northwood took the stand she would tell her best story. Humans were eager to listen to her testimony, waiting to hear what this sweet girl had to say. They’d drink in her words, feast on her lies.

What bothered Sendrhea was the testimony of the students, especially the one called Tony. Tony Demarest. The young man related a story that seemed to indicate they were all present in the park, watching a Tereskàdian assault their friend Lana Northwood. He was lying, trying to build a case against her by hoping to convince the court that half a dozen students had witnessed the assault.

Farrow sat down confidently when he was finished with his testimony, nodded at Sendrhea. She didn’t want to ask Tony anything because only lies would come out of his mouth. She had dismissed the other witnesses, not bothering to hear their rehearsed stories again.

But there was something about this young man that gave her the incentive to stand and approach the witness stand, stopping halfway between the table and the fidgety college student.

When she looked at his hands, they were shaking. He folded them, unfolded them just long enough to wipe his sweaty brow with his fingers, rubbing his hands on his pants before folding them again. He shifted in the witness stand.

“Having a little problem, Tony?”

“No... uh... you’re an alien... uh...” he stammered.

“I’m not going to bite you,” she said.

“Yeah, right... you’re making me nervous.”

“Let me tell you why I haven’t cross examined your friends,” she said. “In each case the testimony they’ve given is basically the same. After a while it was getting rather boring listening to half a dozen young men reciting that a Tereskàdian assaulted a human.”

“Your Honor,” Farrow said, “we are waiting for Sendrhea to ask Mr. Demarest a question.”

Kingsley said,”Questions, Sendrhea,” and left it at that.

“Tony,” she said. “May I call you Tony? How much do you know about Tereskàdians?”

“I take that course at the university,” he said. “Kind of wish one of you Tereskàdians was the instructor. I know that sounds contradictory to what I’ve just said, but... uh, Mr. Van Buren is all right, but he... uh, blushes when he talks about... you know.”

“Yeah, I know. Did you know that Tereskàdians can tell when someone is lying? Now I know humans are getting pretty good at it, watching people’s body language, the eyes, the... you know, things like that, but we’re experts at that, you might say. Want me to show you?”

Farrow was on his feet. “What is this now, a game?”

“You’re wandering far afield, Sendrhea. Could you please get back to the here and now?”

“Tony,” she said, “why are you lying? Why are your friends lying?”

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“I’m not lying, we’re not lying.”

“So you were in the park, watching a Tereskàdian assault Lana, you and all your friends.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what perjury is?”

“Uh... yeah.”

“Do you know that at no time during Marie Beauchamp’s testimony did she indicate that half a dozen other students had come to the park.”

“They had left by the time Miss Beauchamp arrived,” Farrow said.

She faced her opponent. “What? Are you kidding me, Mr. Farrow? Here is this young lady assaulted... allegedly assaulted by a Tereskàdian, and these students stand around and witness all this, and no one calls the police? Don’t tell me they didn’t have cell phones. One of them must have had a cell phone. No, they just watched... Didn’t they take pictures, videos? No? I find that hard to believe. Watch and leave. Why? Because they didn’t want to get involved? Yet here they are now, helping out their friend. And then Miss Beauchamp shows up, and there is no mention of anyone else being there. I hate to say this, but you and your friends will most likely face perjury charges.”

“I was just trying to help Lana,” he said.

“Shut up, Tony,” one of the other students yelled.

Kingsley banged his gavel. “That’s enough. One more outburst and I’ll have you removed from this courtroom.” He turned to Tony. “What’s your story, young man? From everything I’ve heard I gather that you and your friends cooked up this scheme to get Sendrhea into trouble. Isn’t it a fact that everything you’ve said on the witness stand, everything your friends have told this court, has been a lie?”

Tony hung his head but didn’t say anything.

“I don’t know how you feel about this,” Kingsley continued, “but to lie in court is a very serious offense. I would advise you and your friends to seek counsel because you could be facing possible jail time.”

“They made me do it,” Tony said, still looking at his lap.

“Shut the fuck up, Demarest.” Another voice from the section where the students were sitting.

“Remove that man,” Kingsley bellowed. “Arrest the whole lot of them.” He faced Tony. “A police officer will take you out of this room. If I were you I’d contact your parents, have them contact the school. I don’t think you’ll be attending classes in the near future.”

When the students had been removed from the courtroom, he said, “I don’t know what that was supposed to be, but I know those young men wanted to help Miss Northwood. Unfortunately, by committing perjury they’ve ruined their lives. Mr. Farrow, call your next witness.”

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