'They are our sworn enemy, sir. Whatever assurances they might have given to you must be interpreted in that light.'
He paused, then demanded: 'Why would you think they would not lie?
Especially to cover up a crime?'
Again MacNamara glared at Tommy. He banged a few times on his homemade gavel, although the kriegies in the courtroom had already quieted. The hammering sound echoed slightly.
'I do remember that fact, lieutenant, and there is no need for you to remind me. No delays!' he burst out.
'Opening statements!'
The SAO turned to Walker Townsend.
'You are ready, captain?'
Townsend nodded.
'Then proceed! Without further interruption. Lieutenant Tommy started to open his mouth, as if to reply, though in reality he had nothing he wanted to say, having already accomplished what he wished, which was to put everyone in the camp on notice that whatever they thought, convicting Scott wasn't going to be a milk run. And so, he sat down, still troubled by what he'd heard so far. He stole a quick glance over at Townsend, who seemed to be slightly flustered by the defense's first salvos. But Townsend was a veteran, Tommy could see, of both the courtroom and combat, and within a few seconds had composed himself. He took several strides to the center of the room, half-turning so that he was addressing the tribunal, the assembled airmen, and, in part, the German observers. He was about to begin when there was a small disturbance from the rear of the theater building. Out of the corner of his eye. Tommy saw Visser slam his chair upright and rise to his feet. So did the stenographer, instantly coming to attention.
MacNamara and the other members of the tribunal all rose, and this prompted Tommy to reach out and grasp Lincoln Scott by the sleeve, and the two of them also stood. As they did, they heard the rat- a-tat sound of well-heeled boots coming down the center aisle, and they half-turned and saw Commandant Von Reiter, as usual accompanied by a pair of adjutants, approaching the makeshift courtroom.
It was MacNamara who spoke first.
'Commandant,' he said.
'I was not aware you planned to attend this session.'
Von Reiter threw a single glance over at Visser's instantly scowling face, then replied with an offhand wave, 'But Colonel MacNamara, the opportunity to witness the famed American style of justice is rare indeed! Alas, my duties will not permit me to attend the entirety of the trial. But I will be pleased to come when I can manage. Surely, this would not be a problem?'
MacNamara allowed a small smile of his own to slide across his face.
'Of course not, commandant. You are welcome at any time. I only wish that I had made arrangements for a seat.'
'I will be pleased to stand,' Von Reiter said.
'And please, keep in mind that Hauptmann Visser is the official observer for the Reich as provided by Luftwaffe High Command.
My presence is merely, well, how shall I say it? Merely to satisfy my own curiosity about these matters. Be so kind as to continue.'
Von Reiter smiled and moved to the side of the theater building.
Several kriegies quickly moved to make a space for him, jamming themselves amid their own countrymen to avoid coming into contact with the austere German commandant, almost as if the sense of ancient aristocracy that he wore was somehow a disease best avoided by the democratic citizen-soldiers of the air corps. Von Reiter seemed aware of the shuffling, and he leaned up against the wall with a bemused look on his face.
The SAO returned to his seat, gesturing for the others to do the same.
Then he nodded at Walker Townsend.
'You were about to begin. Captain…'
'Yes sir. I will be brief. Your Honor. The prosecution expects to demonstrate that Lieutenant Lincoln Scott and Captain Vincent Bedford experienced a sense of racial animosity from the former's arrival at the camp. This animosity manifested itself in a number of incidents, including at least one outright fight, when Captain Bedford accused Lieutenant Scott of stealing from him. Numerous witnesses will testify to this. It is the prosecution's contention that Mr. Scott, in fear for his own life because of threats made by Captain Bedford, manufactured a weapon, stalked Bedford, finally confronted him in the Abort located between Huts 101 and 102 at a time when all prisoners are required to be in their barracks, that they fought and Captain Bedford was killed. Lieutenant Scott, the evidence will show, had the desire and the means to commit this murder. Your Honor. The evidence that the prosecution will bring is overwhelming. Sadly, there is no other logical conclusion to the events that have unfolded.'
Walker Townsend let this last sentence fill the theater. He took a single, quick glance over toward Von Reiter, then back to MacNamara.
Then he sat down.
MacNamara nodded, then looked over at Tommy Hart.
'Mr. Hart? Your opening statement, if you please.'
Tommy rose, words beginning to form in his imagination, outrage and indignation filling his gorge, and then he took a deep breath. The hesitation allowed him a second, no more, to think, and he roped in his emotions, 'Your Honor,' he said with a small smile, 'the defense in this matter will reserve the right to make its opening statement until the completion of the prosecution's case.'
MacNamara stared at Tommy.
'That is unusual,' he said.
'I'm not sure-' 'We have the absolute right, under military law, to postpone our opening,' Tommy said swiftly, not having any idea at all whether he was right or wrong.
'We are under no obligation to display our defense to the prosecution until such time that it becomes our turn to present it.'
Again MacNamara hesitated. Then he shrugged.
'As you wish, lieutenant. Then we will proceed with the first witness.'
To MacNamara's left. Commandant Von Reiter took a step forward. The SAO turned toward him, and the German, still wearing a small smile that lingered on the corners of his upper lip, spoke out: 'Do I understand that Lieutenant Hart is permitted to not offer his defense at this time? That he can wait for perhaps a more advantageous moment?'
MacNamara replied, 'Yes. That is correct, Herr Oberst.'
Von Reiter laughed dryly.
'How clever,' he said, making a small gesture toward Tommy.
'But, alas, that is what I was most interested in hearing. So, colonel, if you will excuse me now, I will return at some later time.
For I am greatly familiar with the prosecution's contentions concerning Lieutenant Scott. But it is the replies that have been constructed by Lieutenant Hart that intrigue me far more.'
The German commandant raised two fingers to the brim of his cap in a languid salute.
'With your leave, colonel…' he said.
'Of course, commandant.'
'Hauptmann Visser, I leave this in your hands.'
Visser, who had once again risen to his feet, clicked his heels together sharply, the sound echoing above the crowd.
Von Reiter, as always trailed by his two doglike adjutants, then stepped from the courtroom, the eyes of the assembled Allied prisoners following him. As his boot steps faded, MacNamara bellowed, 'Call your first witness!'
Tommy watched, as Townsend stepped forward, and thought to himself that what he'd seen had seemed most theatrical.
