extend the charge to preparation for high treason.
Major von Peters
: Granted.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Velder had, as I said, for more than two years belonged to the General’s bodyguard at the time of the offence. In this capacity, he had automatic access to secret material and was often in a position to listen to conversations and conferences dealing with matters of weight to the security of the armed forces and thus also to the State. The case I am now to lay before you is far more serious than the original charge implies. It is also hitherto the grossest of all the offences. I request to be allowed to call and interrogate two witnesses, Corporal Velder and Justice Tadeusz Haller.
Colonel Orbal
: Are you appearing this time, Haller?
Tadeusz Haller
: Yes. In this case, I can see no objections.
Colonel Orbal
: Then that’s all right. Granted.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: The background to the case is as follows. The militia, shortly before this actual moment in time, had been equipped with a number of helicopters. They were of foreign manufacture and were intended first and foremost for guarding the borders. On the twelfth of July in the afternoon, one of these machines crashed. Velder, remember that you’re on oath. I want clear but exhaustive answers. Were you a witness to this event?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Where were you?
Velder
: I was standing on the edge of the shore plateau, above the high grass slopes about three quarters of a mile west of Marbellaharbour. As you know the land on this stretch of the island rises steeply out of the sea.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Why were you standing on this veritable look-out place?
Velder
: I was on my way to the lighthouse.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: In the course of duty?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Remember that you’re on oath. Are you telling the truth?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Stand to attention. How many times do I have to tell you? What kind of duty?
Velder
: I was to leave a message with the lighthouse staff, about a boat that was to board a passing ship.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Is that the truth?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Remember your oath! Are you speaking the truth?
Colonel Orbal
: What’s going on? Why is he shouting like that?
Major von Peters
: Ssh, Mateo, wait a moment.
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: What would you say if I maintain that I don’t believe you?
Velder
: That you’re wrong, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Don’t be insolent. Keep your head still. So you still maintain that you were going there on an official errand?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Commander Kampenmann
: May I ask why the Prosecuting Officer is pressing this point so hard?
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Because I doubt the accused’s word.
Colonel Orbal
: Yes, for Christ’s sake, what are you waving that about for, Endicott?
Captain Endicott
: I would like to point out that this point is thoroughly accounted for in the preliminary investigation. There is no material evidence to show that Velder is telling the truth, as the errand referred to is not recorded, but the interrogation-psychologists can find no reason to question the truth of his story.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Interrogation-psychologists are not infallible.Velder, I’ll ask you once more only. Are you speaking the truth?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Commander Kampenmann
: I can’t imagine that we’ll get much further along these lines.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: I will leave the matter for the moment. So, what did you see from up there?
Velder
: I saw the helicopter flying along the shore from west to east. In the middle of the harbour in Marbella, it turned out to sea. When it got about a thousand yards from the outer breakwater, it sort of heeled over and crashed into the sea. The engines seemed to be still running. Everything happened very quickly. It was three or four minutes past two in the afternoon.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: How was it that you were standing watching
Major von Peters
: Granted.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Velder had, as I said, for more than two years belonged to the General’s bodyguard at the time of the offence. In this capacity, he had automatic access to secret material and was often in a position to listen to conversations and conferences dealing with matters of weight to the security of the armed forces and thus also to the State. The case I am now to lay before you is far more serious than the original charge implies. It is also hitherto the grossest of all the offences. I request to be allowed to call and interrogate two witnesses, Corporal Velder and Justice Tadeusz Haller.
Colonel Orbal
: Are you appearing this time, Haller?
Tadeusz Haller
: Yes. In this case, I can see no objections.
Colonel Orbal
: Then that’s all right. Granted.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: The background to the case is as follows. The militia, shortly before this actual moment in time, had been equipped with a number of helicopters. They were of foreign manufacture and were intended first and foremost for guarding the borders. On the twelfth of July in the afternoon, one of these machines crashed. Velder, remember that you’re on oath. I want clear but exhaustive answers. Were you a witness to this event?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Where were you?
Velder
: I was standing on the edge of the shore plateau, above the high grass slopes about three quarters of a mile west of Marbellaharbour. As you know the land on this stretch of the island rises steeply out of the sea.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Why were you standing on this veritable look-out place?
Velder
: I was on my way to the lighthouse.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: In the course of duty?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Remember that you’re on oath. Are you telling the truth?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Stand to attention. How many times do I have to tell you? What kind of duty?
Velder
: I was to leave a message with the lighthouse staff, about a boat that was to board a passing ship.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Is that the truth?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Remember your oath! Are you speaking the truth?
Colonel Orbal
: What’s going on? Why is he shouting like that?
Major von Peters
: Ssh, Mateo, wait a moment.
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: What would you say if I maintain that I don’t believe you?
Velder
: That you’re wrong, sir.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Don’t be insolent. Keep your head still. So you still maintain that you were going there on an official errand?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Commander Kampenmann
: May I ask why the Prosecuting Officer is pressing this point so hard?
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Because I doubt the accused’s word.
Colonel Orbal
: Yes, for Christ’s sake, what are you waving that about for, Endicott?
Captain Endicott
: I would like to point out that this point is thoroughly accounted for in the preliminary investigation. There is no material evidence to show that Velder is telling the truth, as the errand referred to is not recorded, but the interrogation-psychologists can find no reason to question the truth of his story.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: Interrogation-psychologists are not infallible.Velder, I’ll ask you once more only. Are you speaking the truth?
Velder
: Yes, sir.
Commander Kampenmann
: I can’t imagine that we’ll get much further along these lines.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: I will leave the matter for the moment. So, what did you see from up there?
Velder
: I saw the helicopter flying along the shore from west to east. In the middle of the harbour in Marbella, it turned out to sea. When it got about a thousand yards from the outer breakwater, it sort of heeled over and crashed into the sea. The engines seemed to be still running. Everything happened very quickly. It was three or four minutes past two in the afternoon.
Lieutenant Bratianu
: How was it that you were standing watching
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