And Then the Town Took Off
VIII
Hector Civek hadn't been found by the time Judge Helms' court convenedat 10:00 A.M.
Joe Negus was there, wearing a new suit and looking confident. Hisconfederate, Hank Stacy, was obviously trying to achieve the same poisebut not succeeding. Jerry Lynch, their lawyer, was talking to Ed Clark.
Don Cort took a seat the editor had saved for him in the front row. AlisGaret came in and sat next to him. "I cut my sociology class," she toldhim. "Anybody find His Majesty yet?"
"No," Don said. "Who gave him that crackpot idea?"
"He's had big ideas ever since he ran for the State Assembly. He gotlicked then, but this is the first time he's been kidnaped. Or should itbe kanganaped? Poor Hector. I shouldn't joke about it."
Judge Helms, who was really a justice of the peace, came in through aside door and the clerk banged his gavel. But the business of the courtdid not get under way immediately. Someone burst in from the street andshouted:
"He's back! Civek's back!"
The people at the rear of the room rushed out to see. In a moment theywere crowding back in behind Hector Civek's grand entrance.
"Oh, no," Alis said. "Don't tell me he made it this time!"
Civek was wearing the trappings of royalty. He walked with dignity downthe aisle, an ermine robe on his shoulders, a crown on his head and ascepter in his right hand.
He nodded benignly about him. "Good morning, Judge," he said. To theclerk he said, "Frank, see to our horses, will you?"
"Horses?" the clerk said, blinking.
"Our royal coach is without, and the horses need attending to," Civeksaid patiently. "You don't think a king walks, do you?"
The clerk went out, puzzled. Judge Helms took off his pince-nez andregarded the spectacle of Hector Civek in ermine.
"What is all this, Hector?" he asked. "You weren't serious about thatking business, were you? Nice to see you back safe, by the way."
"We would prefer to be addressed the first time as Your Majesty, Judge,"Civek said. "After that you can call us sir."
"Us?" the judge asked. "Somebody with you?"
"The royal 'we,'" Civek said. "I see I'll have to issue a proclamationon the proper forms of address. I mean, _we'll_ have to. Takes a bit ofgetting used to, doesn't it?"
"Quite a bit," the judge agreed. "But right now, if you don't mind, thiscourt is in session and has a case before it. Suppose you make yourroyal self comfortable and we'll get on with it--as soon as my clerk isback from attending to the royal horses."
The clerk returned and whispered in the judge's ear. Helms looked atCivek and shook his head. "Six of them, eh? I'll have a look later.Right now we've got a bank robbery case on the calendar."
Vincent Grande talked and Jerry Lynch talked and Judge Helms listenedand looked up statutes and pursed his lips thoughtfully. Joe Neguscleaned his nails. Hank Stacy bit his.
Finally the judge said, "I hate to admit this, but I'm afraid I mustagree with you, counselor. The alleged crime contravened no localstatute, and in the absence of a representative of the FederalGovernment I must regretfully dismiss the charges."
Joe Negus promptly got up and began to walk out.
"Just a minute there, varlet!"
It was Hector Civek doing his king bit.
Negus, who probably had been called everything else in his life, pausedand looked over his shoulder.
"Approach!" Civek thundered.
"Nuts, Your Kingship," Negus said. "Nobody stops me now." But before hegot to the door something stopped him in mid-stride.
Civek had pointed his scepter at Negus in that instant. Negus, stiff asa stop-action photograph, toppled to the floor.
"Now," Civek said, motioning to Judge Helms to vacate the bench, "we'lldispense some royal justice."
He sat down, arranging his robes and shifting his heavy crown. "Mr.Counselor Lynch, we take it you represent the defendants?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," said the lawyer, an adaptable man. "What happenedto Negus, sir? Is he dead?"
"He could have been, if we'd given him another notch. No, he's justsuspended. Let him be an example to anyone else who might incur ourroyal wrath. Now, counselor, we are familiar enough with the case torender an impartial verdict. We find the defendants guilty of bankrobbery."
"But Your Majesty," Lynch said, "bank robbery is not a crime under thelaws of Superior. I submit that there has been no crime--inasmuch as theincident occurred after Superior became detached from Earth, andtherefore from its laws."
"There is the King's Law," Civek said. "We decree bank robbery a crime,together with all other offenses against the county, state and countrywhich are not specifically covered in Superior's statutes."
"Retroactively?" Lynch asked.
"Of course. We will now pronounce sentence. First, restitution of themoney, except for ten per cent to the King's Bench. Second, indefiniteparalysis for Negus. We'll straighten out his arms and legs so he'lltake up less room. Third, probation for Hank Stacy here, with a warningto him to stay out of bad company. Court's adjourned."
Civek wouldn't say where he'd got the costume or the coach-and-six orthe paralyzing scepter. He refused to say where the two kangaroo-likecreatures had taken him. He allowed his ermine to be fingered, holdingthe scepter out of reach, talked vaguely about better times to come nowthat Superior was a monarchy, then ordered his coach.
By royal decree Hank Stacy, who had been inching toward the door, becameroyal coachman, commanded to serve out his probation in the king'scustody. Stacy drove Civek home. No one seemed to remember who had beenat the reins when the coach first appeared.