"Order! I will have order!" bellowed Judge Tejan Popjens Lih. The public hearing of Professor Raven Seldon and his young associate, Stettin Palver, had generated a hue and cry among the populace of Trantor. Here was the man who had predicted the Fall of the Empire, the decay of civilization, who exhorted others to harken back to the golden age of civility and order-here was he who, according to an eyewitness, had ordered the brutal beating of three young Trantorians for no apparent provocation. Ah yes, it promised to be a spectacular hearing, one which would lead, no doubt, to an even more spectacular trial.
The judge pressed a contact set into a recessed panel on her bench and a sonorous gong resounded through the packed courtroom. "I will have order," she repeated to the now-hushed throng. "If need be, the courtroom will be cleared. That is a warning. It will not be repeated."
The judge cut an imposing figure in her scarlet robe. Originally from the Outer World of Lystena, Lih's complexion had a slight bluish cast, which turned darker when she became exercised, practically purple when she was really angry. It was rumored that, for all her years on the bench, in spite of her reputation as a top judicial mind, notwithstanding her position as one of the most revered interpreters of Imperial law, Lih was ever so slightly vain about the colorful appearance she gave, the way in which the bright red robes set off her soft turquoise skin.
Nevertheless, Lih had a reputation for coming down hard on those who brooked Imperial law; she was one of the few judges left who upheld the civil code without wavering.
"I have heard of you, Professor Seldon, and your theories about our imminent destruction. And I have spoken with the magistrate who recently heard another case in which you were involved, one in which you struck a man with your lead-filled cane. In that instance, too, you claimed to be the victim of assault. Your reasoning stemmed, I believe, from a previous unreported incident in which you and your son allegedly were assaulted by eight hoodlums. You were able to convince my esteemed colleague, Professor Seldon of your plea of self-defense, even though an eyewitness testified otherwise. This time, Professor, you will have to be much more convincing."
The three hoodlums who were bringing charges against Seldon and Palver snickered in their seats at the plaintiff's table. They presented a much different appearance today than they had the evening of the attack. The young men were sporting clean loose-fitting unisuits; the young lady was wearing a crisply pleated tunic. All in all, if one didn't look (or listen) too closely, the three presented a reassuring picture of Trantorian youth.
Seldon's lawyer, Civ Novker (who was representing Palver as well), approached the bench. "Your Honor, my client is an upstanding member of the Trantorian community. He is a former First Minister of stellar repute. He is a personal acquaintance of our Emperor Agis XIV. What possible benefit could Professor Seldon derive from attacking innocent young people? He is one of the most vocal proponents of stimulating the intellectual creativity of Trantorian youth-his Psychohistory Project employs numerous student volunteers; he is a beloved member of the Streeling University faculty.
"Further-" Here Novker paused, sweeping his gaze around the packed courtroom, as if to say, Wait till you hear this-you'll be ashamed that you ever for a second doubted the veracity of my client's claims, "Professor Seldon is one of the very few private individuals officially allied with the prestigious Galactic Library. He has been granted unlimited use of Library facilities for work on what he calls the Encyclopedia Galactica, a veritable paean to Imperial civilization.
"I ask you, how can this man even be questioned in such a matter?"
With a flourish of his arm, Novker gestured toward Seldon who was sitting at the defendant's table with Stettin Palver, looking decidedly uncomfortable. Hari's cheeks were flushed from the unaccustomed praise (after all, lately his name was the subject of derisive snickers rather than flowery plaudits) and his hand shook slightly on the carved Dandle of his trusty cane.
Judge Lih gazed down at Seldon clearly unimpressed. "What benefit, indeed, Counselor. I have been asking myself that very question. I've lain make these past nights, racking my brains for a plausible reason. Why should a man of Professor Seldon's stature commit unprovoked assault and battery when he himself is one of our most outspoken critics of the so-called `breakdown' of civil order?
"And then it dawned on me. Perhaps, in his frustration at not being believed, Professor Seldon feels he must prove to the worlds that his predictions of doom and gloom really are coming to pass. After all, here is a man who has spent his entire career foretelling the Fall of the Empire and all he can really point to are a few burned-out bulbs in the dome, an occasional glitch in public transport, a budget cut here or there -nothing very dramatic. But an attack-or two or three-now, that would be something."
Lih sat back and folded her hands in front of her, a satisfied expression on her face. Seldon stood, leaning heavily on the table for support. With great effort, he approached the bench, waving off his lawyer, walking headlong into the steely gaze of the judge.
"Your Honor, please permit me to say a few words in my defense."
"Of course, Professor Seldon. After all, this is not a trial, only a hearing to air all allegations, facts, and theories pertinent to ~ a case before deciding whether or not to go ahead with a trial. I have merely expressed a theory; I am most interested to hear what you have to say."
Seldon cleared his throat before beginning. "I have devoted my life to the Empire. I have faithfully served the Emperors. My science of psychohistory, rather than being a harbinger of destruction, is intended to be used as an agent for rejuvenation. With it we can be prepared for whatever course civilization takes. If, as I believe, the Empire continues to break down, psychohistory will help us put into place building blocks for a new and better civilization founded on all that is good from the old. I love our worlds, our peoples, our Empire-what would it behoove me to contribute to the lawlessness that saps its strength daily?
"I can say no more. You must believe me. I, a man of intellect, of equations, of science-I am speaking from my heart." Seldon turned and made his way slowly back to his chair beside Palver. Before sitting, his eyes sought Wanda, sitting in the spectators' gallery. She smiled wanly and winked at him.
"From the heart or not, Professor Seldon, this decision will require much thought on my part. We have heard from your accusers; we have heard from you and Mr. Palver. There is one more party whose testimony I need. I'd like to hear from Rial Nevas, who has come forward as an eyewitness to this incident."
As Nevas approached the bench, Seldon and Palver looked at each other in alarm. It was the boy whom Hari had admonished just before the attack.
Lih was asking the youth a question. "Would you describe, Mr. Nevas, exactly what you witnessed on the night in question?"
"Well," started Nevas, fixing Seldon with his sullen stare, "I was walkin' along, mindin' my own business, when I saw those two,"-he turned and pointed at Seldon and Palver-"on the other side of the walkway, comin' toward me. And then I saw those three kids." (Another point of the finger, this time toward the three sitting at the plaintiff's table.) "The two older guys were walkin' behind the kids. They didn't see me, though, on account of I was on the other side of the walkway and besides, they were concentratin' on their victims. Then wham! Just like that, that old guy swings at 'em with his stick, then the younger guy jumps 'em and kicks 'em and before you know it, they're all down on the ground. Then the old guy and his pal, they just took off, just like that. I couldn't believe it."
"That's a lie!" Seldon exploded. "Young man, you're playing with our lives here!" Nevas only stared back at Seldon impassively.
"Judge," Seldon implored, "can't you see that he is lying? I remember this fellow. I scolded him for littering just minutes before we were attacked. I pointed it out to Stettin as another instance of the breakdown of our society, the apathy of the citizenry, the-"
"Enough, Professor Seldon," commanded the judge. "Another outburst like that and I will have you ejected from this courtroom. Now, Mr. Nevas," she said, turning back to the witness. "What did you do throughout the sequence of events you just described?"
"I, uh, I hid. Behind some trees. I hid. I was afraid they'd come after me if they saw me, so I hid. And when they were gone, well, I ran and called the security officers."
Nevas had started to sweat and he inserted a finger into the constricting collar of his unisuit. He fidgeted, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he stood on the raised speaker's platform. He was uncomfortably aware of the crowd's eyes upon him; he tried to avoid looking into the audience, but each time he did, he found himself drawn to the ,,toady gaze of a pretty blond girl sitting in the first row. It was as if she was asking him a question, pressing him for an answer, willing him to ,,peak.
"Mr. Nevas, what do you have to say about Professor Seldon's allegation that he and Mr. Palver did see you prior to the attack, that the professor actually exchanged words with you?"
"Well, uh, no, you see, it was just like I said . I was walkin' along and-' And now Nevas looked over at Seldon's table. Seldon looked at the young man sadly, as if he realized all was lost. But Seldon's companion, Stettin Palver, turned a fierce gaze on Nevas and Nevas jumped, startled, at the words he heard: Tell the truth! It was as if Palver had spoken, but Palver's lips hadn't moved. And then, confused, Nevas snapped his head in the direction of the blond girl; he thought he heard her speak-Tell the truth!-but her lips were still as well.
"Mr. Nevas, Mr. Nevas," the judge's voice broke in on the youth's jumbled thoughts. "Mr. Nevas, if Professor Seldon and Mr. Palver were walking toward you, behind the three plaintiffs, how is it that you noticed Seldon and Palver first? That is how you put it in your statement, is it not?"
Nevas glanced around the courtroom wildly. He couldn't seem to escape the eyes, all the eyes screaming at him to Tell the truth! Looking over at Hari Seldon, Rial Nevas said simply, "I'm sorry" and, to the amazement of the entire courtroom assemblage, the fourteen-year-old boy started to cry.