John Wright - The Golden Age

"The beneficiary—"

"Alleged beneficiary!" snapped Gannis.

"—finds he is taken by surprise and is unprepared. However, he would face civil penalties in another suit if he should break his word and avail himself of the memories redacted under the Lakshmi agreement. But were this Honorable Court to order discovery of that evidence, my client would be able to avail himself of those memories, would be prepared to face this tribunal, and yet would not face civil penalties for "breach of contract."

Gannis said, "How would he not face penalty? If he regains his memories, he is in violation!"

The green cone replied: "My learned colleague is mistaken. Phaethon is in violation if and only if he deliberately opens the forbidden memory files himself. If a Court order compels him to open those files, there is no deliberate act on his part—"

The cube on the left interrupted: "This is not a debating society. The counselors will address their remarks to the bench."

Gannis turned toward the black cubes: "Your Lordships, may I present argument for denying the Respondent's motion?"

The central cube radiated: "The Court will entertain your remarks."

"The motion is without grounds at this stage of the proceedings. The only question presently before the Court is the identity of the Respondent, who claims to be Phaethon Prime Rhadamanthus. And, even were this the proper time to raise '> that issue, the proper relief for a complaint of surprise would be to grant the Respondent more time to prepare. Naturally my client would raise no opposition to any additional post-

ponements the Court may deem necessary for a fully equitable result."

The cube on the right spoke in a voice heavy with irony: "Considering the history of this case, the Court is not surprised that the learned counselor raises no opposition to additional postponements. Nonetheless, the argument is well taken. The matter of Phaethon's memory, except insofar as it touches and concerns the question of his identity, is not a question presently before the Court. The Respondent's motion is denied."

Phaethon whispered: "What the hell is going on here, Rhadamanthus? Who is this 'Respondent'? Me? What are they here to decide ... ?"

The cube on the left exclaimed: "We must have order in the Court! What is all this whispering and commotion? The traditional forms and practices of law must be observed!"

The green cone brightened slightly: "But, Your Lordships, tradition is just what is not being observed here. Tradition requires that equity, as well as law, determine the outcome of Your Lordships' actions. Surely my client cannot be without remedy, as his memory loss hinders his and my ability to protect his interests with full and zealous effort! I am ready to download a precis of the 66,505 cases on the point of defendants suffering from memory redaction, and their rights and obligations under the law."

A certain section of the floor mosaic flowed with light, as strands of interlocking case law were reviewed. Rhadamanthus continued: "In all such cases the Court took steps to ensure that an equitable result was reached."

"The point is well taken. This Court will inform the Respondent of any pertinent details which bear on this case. In so doing, the Court does not indemnify the Respondent from further and future civil actions for breach of contract; the determinations of whatever Court shall sit on that issue are beyond our authority."

Gannis was scowling. The green cone seemed to wiggle smugly. Phaethon was convinced that, deep down, those motions were still somehow penguinlike.

Phaethon said, "Your Lordships, how is this going to work? Am I suppose to ask you questions which Your Lordships will answer, or will the memories be made available to me in an edited form, or how?"

The central cube said: "Submit your motion in the proper form, and we shall answer."

Phaethon nudged the side of the green cone with his foot, and hissed: "Quick, what is the proper form ... ?"

Gannis stepped forward and spoke up: "Your Lordships! I have another motion which I ask to make at this time. I submit that the Respondent's attorney has no standing to appear before this Court. The Rhadamanthus Law-mind is a property of my client, Helion, who must use that same database for his legal matters. This creates a clear conflict of interest. Rhadamanthus cannot serve on both sides of the same case." The green cone said: "Your Lordships, I have built a 'Chinese Wall' to block off those sections of my mind and memory to prevent any such impropriety ..."

Gannis was not finished: ".. . and I further object that Rhadamanthus is himself the res of the case, as the contract controlling his ownership is a real and valuable property of the estate. Even assuming, arguendo, that Phaethon shall be the heir, since we all know what he plans to do with the money (should he prevail), and since we all know he is not going to be around for long, I submit that my client nonetheless has a contingent remainder interest in the estate, and the Respondent must be estopped from employing Rhadamanthus under the doctrine of waste!"

Phaethon said impatiently: "Your Lordships! Can't we have this ceremony take place in some language I understand?!"

"Order. The penalties for contempt of Court may include any punishment the Court deems fit, provided they are not cruel and unusual."

"But I do not understand what is going on!" "It is not the business of this Court to educate you. Rhadamanthus, have you any argument to make as to why we should not grant the claimant's motion ... ? If not, we sustain

the objection. The bailiff will take Rhadamanthus off-line." And, just like that, Rhadamanthus was gone. Phaethon

stood by himself on the dark floor. Gannis smiled with wide self-satisfaction.

Phaethon was as alone as he had been in the grim little room where he had found his armor. No sense-filter was operating; there were no aids nor augments running in his memory. And while, theoretically, Silver-Gray protocol forbade the use of emotion-control programs, Phaethon tended to use some small glandular and parasympathetic regulators. But now, with that support gone, it was almost like being drunk. Despair and frustration raged within his brain, and he had no automatic way to turn those emotions off.

Phaethon took a deep breath, fighting for calmness. Everyone in the ancient world used to control themselves naturally, organically, without any cybernetic assistance. If they could do it, he could do it!

The middle cube radiated: "The Court will now proceed to the examination. Does the Respondent wish to modify or amend any prior pleadings to this Court?"

"Are you speaking to me?" asked Phaethon, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice. "If you want to ask me something, you're going to have to explain what's going on!"

The cube on the left said: "You will maintain order and decorum, or suffer penalty."

Gannis smiled like a shark, and said: "Perhaps the Respondent wishes to request more time to earn another fortune and hire another lawyer. We would not oppose a motion for a postponement."

A moment of blinding anger stabbed through Phaethon, surprising him.

(And on the other hand, Phaethon reminded himself, the ancient world had been turbulent with war and crime and insanity, not once or twice but at all times. Maybe this self-

control stuff was more difficult than it seemed.)

Phaethon said to Gannis: "There will be no postponements."

He turned toward the Curia. "I meant no disrespect to Your Lordships. But you have deprived me of the attorney I was using to instruct me in your proper forms and rituals. You have agreed to tell me those things missing from my memory which I need to know to proceed in this case; yet you have not done so. Is this the fairness and justice for which the Curia is famous? I remind Your Lordships that what we do here today will be remembered not just for a century or a millennium but for all the rest of our lives. We, none of us, had better do anything for which the future will upbraid us."