In the lower level was a dance floor, bar, sitting area, locker room, and gigantic hot tub. I was introduced around by Betty and Glen as the 'New Guy'...and was quickly accepted into the crowd. Folks of all ages, sizes, and socio-economic backgrounds seemed to be here. Many had arrived early and had already begun to 'dress down.' We found a table where the four of us could sit. About 5 minutes later Betty and Dee (my date) suggested we go to the locker room and get comfy. I'd found out just prior. "Your Honor in the past few weeks Virginia's roommate has been threatened, my house was broken into and vandalized, and Sunday my Pop was held at gun point as part of a trap to either kidnap or kill us. We were trying to arrive here exactly on time but due to traffic we were delayed a bit."The lawyers for the Lab objected to my statement saying it would influence the outcome of the hearing. The Judge said he would not be swayed by my statement, but since it did show I had not missed the start. An acronym, but slightly altered when speaking about it, for Robot for Every Sexual Pleasure Imaginable. The term had been Alice's idea. Said it came to her in a flash, right after those two longs years of getting its respiring chest to look and heave naturally, as if breathing or, if called for by the remote, gasping and panting. No easy feat, that.The skin, a project sub-contracted to a large firm, one Dermacom, Inc., that specialized in mannequins for big-time movie usage, came on board less. James followed in with coffees for us all. They then explained what they expected to happen, which would be to enter a plea, any mitigation before the Magistrate made his decision. Probably granting bail, maybe remanding them in custody, before passing the case to the Crown Court. After the second case, we slipped into the back of the courtroom awaiting the start.First to be bought in was Clive, when he got into the dock and was sworn in the Magistrate and asked how he pleaded, he started.