Chapter 7

"Danny Takes the Stand"

"Are You a Member of the Communist Party?"

Those were the words that rang out of the courtroom as dozens and dozens of Hollywood actors were brought in to testify about their communist ties. As Danny and Sawyer entered the courtroom, they saw many familiar faces including Yip Harburg, who helped write "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz; Edward G. Robinson and of course, Charlie Chaplin, who sneered at Danny and Sawyer as they walked past her. Of course, being a Chaplin hater himself, Pudge didn't even acknowledge his presence as he walked past him.

To their surprise, even Darla Dimple was called to testify and as Danny awaited his time on the stand outside the courtroom, they saw her being dragged out of the courtroom by two security guards as she continued screaming at the committee.

"You won't get away with this!" she screamed as she was being led away by the guards. "I'm a legend, you hear me? I am a legend!"

"Boy, here feathers must have gotten ruffled," chuckled Sawyer as Darla was led outside. "Now, there is someone who won't be in Hollywood anytime soon."

But, Danny stayed silent as Pudge placed his wing on Danny's leg in an effort to support him. Of course, he did want a family to call his own, but he had to help Danny overcome this hurdle that was presented in front of him.

"Daniel Cat, the committee has called you," shouted a guard as Danny and his friends were called into the courtroom. Sawyer and Pudge then took their places in the gallery as Danny approached the bench and looked up at the committee which was headed by a group of nine men and a small penguin dressed in a brown business suit and had a purple scarf tied around his neck. Danny looked nervous as the committee stared down at him with their eyes focused on him.

The penguin chairman then banged the gavel and the room fell silent as Danny placed the microphone in front of him. A guard came forward with a large bible in his hands and Danny then got up and walked over as he took off his hat and placed his right paw on the bible, while raising his other paw.

"Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" he asked.

"I do," Danny said nervously and returned to his seat in front of the committee. The committee then placed their microphones in front of each other and with that, the proceedings began.

"Daniel Cat," said the penguin chairman. "You have been summoned here on account that there is evidence from the Federal Bureau of Investigation that you are a member of the Communist Party. If the committee finds you guilty of communist ties, you will be blacklisted and forbidden from ever working in motion pictures for as long as you live. Do you understand the charges that are presented to you?"

"I do," replied Danny, looking nervous as Sawyer and Pudge looked on. With the formalities completed, the committee then began their questioning

"Mr. Cat," said a committee member, holding a stack of papers. "The reason you have been summoned here is because recently you stared in a motion picture called The Great Dictator with Charles Chaplin. Were you aware of any connections with Mr. Chaplin prior to taking part in this film?"

"I was not aware of any connections with Mr. Chaplin whatsoever," replied Danny, speaking into the microphone. "As far as I was concerned, Mr. Chaplin was only poking fun at Hitler and not spreading communist ties."

"We've looked into your personal files, Mr. Cat," remarked the penguin chairman, looking a little suspicious. "It says here that you were born in Kokomo, Indiana in 1909 and came here to Hollywood with the intention of breaking out into the motion picture industry. Shortly after your arrival, you signed a multi-million dollar contract with Mammoth Studios and not long after that you were involved in the Disney animators strike, is that correct?"

This made Danny feel slightly aghast that he was accused of any involvement in the Disney Animators strike. In fact, his only purpose in the strike was to help end it.

"My only involvement in the strike was to end it," retorted Danny. "My fiancé and I had met Mr. Walt Disney and his main star, Mickey Mouse at the premiere of his movie, Fantasia, over a year ago. At the time of the movie's release, he explained to me that there was a hint of discord going on within the studio walls. At the same time, the animal actors of Hollywood, many of whom was still unemployed after being fired by L.B. Mammoth himself was planning to extract their revenge by striking against him by forming a union similar to what the Disney artists did."

"And Mr. Cat, were you an influence in this animal actors strike in any way?" asked the penguin chairman, taking another piece of paper in his hands. "It says here that during the production of Darla Dimple's movie Lil Ark Angel, you intentionally caused a flood that resulted in the animal actors to be fired is that true?"

"That is a lie!" shouted Danny, offended by what he had heard. "Darla confessed at the premiere that she was the one who caused that flood, not me!"

"According to another document," said another chairperson. "You wanted to influence the animals of Hollywood to take over the studios and make people actors typecast?"

"That is outrageous!" screamed Danny, rising from his seat. "My best friend was kidnapped by Darla and forced to watch while she and her butler sabotaged the production. Rest assured, that I have that penguin with me today if you wish to hear from him!"

The committee then looked around at each other for a moment and then they motioned to Danny to bring Pudge forward. The small penguin was then brought forward by a security guard and sat upon the table next to Danny. As he sat on the table, the penguin chairman was startled to see Pudge sitting before him, as if to say that he knew him personally. Nevertheless, he broke out of his trance and got back to the matter at hand.

Little did the penguin chairman realize that he would soon be facing the truth behind the relationship that he had with Pudge, as the two penguins from the train arrived in the courtroom and sat down at the back.

A secret about Pudge was about to be revealed…