"Call the witness," Commander Harkness ordered.
"Base Commandant Lee Dubrow will please take the witness stand."
While Dubrow was being sworn in, Mannion studied him. His former commander on the Iapetus base was a tall, icy-faced man with close-cropped gray hair and a stiff military mustache. Mannion had never been particularly friendly with his commanding officer.
"Commander Dubrow, will you relate the events leading up to Lieutenant Mannion's actions in the Android Rebellion?"
Dubrow cleared his throat. "Very well. As you know, the Space Patrol established its base on Iapetus last year—no, two years ago, at the end of 2365—as part of its program of preparing Saturn's moons for colonization."
"How many members of the patrol were with you?"
"Fifteen, altogether. I was in command, naturally, and for most of the period we were there Lieutenant Mannion was my second-in-command."
"Isn't it fairly unusual for a Lieutenant to hold such a high position?" the prosecutor asked.
"Major Dunphy was killed by a rebellious android seven weeks after we arrived," Dubrow said. "Lieutenant Mannion was the next highest ranking officer in my squadron and he took over."
"How many androids did you have with you?"