She folded her hands on the witness table and scanned the row of senators arrayed about her.
"Young woman, I do not take kindly to witnesses refusing to answer questions. Are you availing yourself of your fifth amendment right to not incriminate yourself?
"No, sir.
She glanced at the gold-fringed flag hanging by the door. Gwen had told her that it was an Admiralty flag, which meant the proceedings were being carried out under military law, where you were assumed to be guilty until proven innocent. "I did so because I have not yet been sworn in. Was it your intention that I answer your questions truthfully?
"Of course it is. Why would you even ask a question like that?
"Because there's nothing about this proceeding which compels me to do so. If that flag is here intentionally, then this isn't a civil body, and any statement made must be assumed to be a lie unless it's proven to be otherwise. That's the sense I get from watching far more important hearings than this one on C-SPAN. And since you haven't seen fit to swear me in, I conclude that you've asked me here to lie to the committee.
A shocked silence filled the room, and then was overwhelmed by a sudden flurry of whispers and throat clearings. The chairman covered his mike and conferred briefly with the member to his right. It took him a while to remove his hand. "It sounds to me like you feel you have something important to say to us. You can be confident that we, that all of us here would like you to answer truthfully. So, would you please answer my original question? What is the FDA's position on whether this cloisterwort should be classed as a drug, and therefore not be available through naturopaths?
"Unless you swear me in, sir, I cannot answer your question.
"Oh, for heaven's sake. All right, if you insist.
Just then, a page entered the room and hurried over to speak with the chairman. After sending him on his way, the chair leaned over the mike and smiled broadly. "Please excuse the interruption. I have just been informed that the Sergeant at Arms has been dispatched to the White House. The chamber's time limit for a response to its contempt citation has expired, so now both the President and Vice President will be arrested and brought to the Senate for questioning. This is unprecedented. In light of these developments, I would like to suspend this hearing and reschedule it at a later date.
Cil tapped her own mike several times. "Mr. Chairman?
"Yes, Ms. Naklin?
"Swear me in. I'll be brief.
He grudgingly agreed, and then asked once again for her answer.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
