“Your Honor,” Noble began. “While I do understand the requirement for secrecy in state matters, if the witness cannot testify to the behavior of the creature or Lyra, what case could we possibly make? There were no witnesses save themselves present on the beach, and it's only by examining their motives that we may begin to establish the truth of what happened. I don't want to sound alarmist, but if there is a threat, ought we not learn of it now rather than later?”