The Unincorporated Man (60 page)

Chief Justice Lee consulted his colleagues. A majority nodded. He sighed. “Overruled on your first basis, Ms. Delgado. And the second basis for your objection, prosecutor?”

“Article four of the Constitution,” she answered, undaunted and plowing ahead, “clearly states that taxation is not allowed, and all persons must be incorporated. Mr. Black cannot simply rewrite the Constitution for his client’s convenience.” She then gazed defiantly at the bench, practically daring them to disagree.

Justice Lee turned to Manny. “Mr. Black?”

“Nor do I intend to. It’s a little earlier than I would have introduced this, but in the interest of saving the court valuable time I will address the prosecutor’s objection and get to the heart of my client’s defense now.” Manny went to the table he shared with Justin and picked up a hard copy of the Terran Confederation Constitution. “If I may quote, ‘According to Article four of the Terran Constitution all persons born or naturalized into the Terran Confederation shall not be required to pay taxes.’ Interesting how we read it,” he said, looking up from the book. Manny put down the copy of the Constitution. “The Constitution says that no citizen shall be
required
. However, it says nothing about a citizen being
allowed to volunteer
.” The courtroom erupted in a chorus of excitement as comprehension of the loophole became obvious. Some reporters had even commented on how Hektor Sambianco’s grimaced expression had been preceded by a strange look of relief. That, however, had been quickly explained away by the freneticism surrounding the courtroom drama.

After two days of presentation of arguments, closing finally begins. The legal world is abuzz with Manny Black’s amazing defense strategy. Win or lose, the Unincorporated Man cannot say that he was not well represented at trial. Manny Black has become the most recognized attorney in the system, and his client waiting list is now literally decades long. It’s a good thing that Mr. Black owns a majority of himself. The only way he could afford his stock now would be to sell his own stock to get it! It’s also official that
Top Professions
magazine has confirmed that Manny Black is now the most valuable lawyer in the Terran Confederation. Can you imagine how much more valuable his stock will be if he wins?

—
NEURO COURT NEWS

“Justices of the Supreme Court,” Manny began, “we hold our government to be a limited government. One that strives to maintain social order and yet give as much freedom and choice to the individual as it can. The rewards of this system of government are clear. We have a society of unparalleled growth, prosperity, and creativity. What limitation this society does impose on itself is done of its own volition and not by the government on behalf of society.

“Now the government states that it wants to get paid for the services it must render on behalf of Justin Cord. I must respectfully
state
that the government is lying.” He held up a piece of paper directly in front of Janet Delgado, momentarily stopping the objection forming on her lips. “I have here the sworn statement, valid as a contract and legal document, that my client, Justin Cord, is willing to pay up to 5 percent of his yearly income, generously including his current holdings, which under incorporation would be untouchable. I have attempted on repeated occasions to present this to the government. It has been presented to the prosecution team, the secretary of the Treasury, the president, vice president, the attorney general, both current and former, and the speaker of the Assembly and senate majority leader. Not one of the above mentioned ever bothered to return my calls, let alone meet with me. So please do not state that this is about the government being compensated.” Manny paused to let his words sink in. Janet held her tongue. “This case is about forcing Justin Cord to incorporate. Forcing him, using the power of the government to impose a social belief on an individual who does not wish to follow that belief. The founders of the Alaskan Federation and the Terran Confederation both knew the dangers involved in making a government—especially a world government. They built in as many safety valves as they could. And I will admit that my client is using most of them to maintain what he feels is his freedom.

“Fact: The Alaskan Federation stated that a person could choose taxation or incorporation. Fact: The Terran Confederation stated that all rights and laws from the Alaskan Federation not contravened in the Confederation Constitution are still valid. Fact: The Confederation Constitution does not forbid taxation, only the government’s right to impose it. Fact: The Supreme Court can rule a law is still enforceable even after many years or centuries of disuse, if it can find a compelling reason to do so. I believe that the right of one man to freely choose his own destiny out of two paths is not only compelling, but paramount.”

Manny paused, taking a moment to gear up for what he knew would be another incendiary statement. “Justices of the court, I’ll be honest with you. I don’t agree with my client.” There was a loud murmur in the courtroom. “As a matter of fact I think Mr. Cord
should
incorporate.” Gasps of surprise and exclamation filled the room. “You may all in your heart of hearts think Mr. Cord should incorporate as well. But guess what:
Who cares?
” The court quieted down. “Who cares what I think or you think?” Manny waved to the assembled spectators behind him. “Or what they think? This government was not formed to impose what I think or you think or they think on
anyone
. And certainly not Justin Cord. It was formed to allow Justin Cord to think for himself, even if all of society and the government disagree.

“If the government
really
wants to be compensated for Mr. Cord’s participation in the society, as was so eloquently stated by the prosecution, then it has already won. However, if the government wants to force Justin Cord into an action anathema to his very being solely because society wishes it, then it must not win.” And with that last statement Manny Black took his seat. Justin looked over at him in awe. Manny was, of course, oblivious, as he became fascinated with arranging the papers strewn about the table.

Chief Justice Lee cleared his throat. “The prosecution will present its closing after lunch. Court is in recess until two o’clock.”

Can Justin Cord actually win this thing?

—
NEURO COURT NEWS

Peaceful demonstrations are developing all over the system both for and against the Unincorporated Man. Unlike the earlier riots, the “pro” demonstrators gather and chant “one free man” together, and listen to speaker after speaker talk about the evils of incorporation. Another popular activity is called public divestiture. An example of this would be a person getting up in front of a crowd and publicly divesting themselves of all stocks they own in another, either by selling the stocks outright or in acts that are called “pure divestiture”—giving the stocks back to the people they’re formed out of. Although not widespread in terms of the total population, “divestiture” has spread to tens of millions of people systemwide. The penny stocks are taking a hard hit, and economic growth and forecasting are being affected. Divestiture makes economic forecasting difficult, because for the first time in a long time millions of people are making economic decisions for reasons that are more political than economic.

—MICHAEL VERITAS,

THE TERRAN DAILY NEWS

Janet Delgado got up, composed herself, and stood. “Mr. Black would have you believe that you must validate a law that is centuries out of use. He insists that you interpret the Constitution, no…
two
Constitutions, in an unprecedented way. He also insists that you must accept a form of payment that is not only repugnant but may be impossible to collect. And,” she asked, with a look of outright disgust, “you must do all of this so that
one man
will be able to choose? Well, does Mr. Cord have the right to yell fire in a crowded room? The law is clear. He may not. Not because he cannot yell fire at the top of his lungs if he so chooses. But because his freedom cannot impinge on the freedom of others to be safe in a crowded room. Well, justices of the Supreme Court, there are over forty billion of us. That’s a mighty crowded room. Mr. Cord’s actions constitute a danger to me, to you,” Janet indicated the spectators, “and to them. He is not allowed to choose a course of action that is harmful to others when he, I, and you know that such course of action is indeed harmful. We need only look at the Grand Collapse to realize how insidious a request Mr. Cord is demanding of us. For the past two centuries the government and society have existed through the seamless blending of incorporation. We have a method that is not harmful to anyone. Not even Justin Cord. The government would be remiss if we allowed Mr. Cord to choose a method of payment that was harmful to everyone, even Justin Cord.

“The Supreme Court must act, not for the good of Justin Cord, as Manny Black would have you believe, but for the good of us all. Thank you.”

Janet went back to her table and took her seat.

“The court will recess to consider the arguments placed before it,” said Chief Justice Lee. “We will reconvene in one week’s time. Court dismissed.” He banged his gavel and the justices, as one, got up and left the room.

The trial was recessed while the Terran Supreme Court went to deliberate somewhere in the Alps. This left Janet with a lot to consider. She called a meeting with the prosecutorial staff for later that evening. They were an unhappy lot, to say the least, as each of them was hoping to get in some family time and relax now that the trial was finally in hiatus. They were, after all, government employees, and had they wanted to work
that
hard they could have stayed in the private sector. But Janet was the lead prosecutor, and they had to follow where she led. It was while she was waiting in the hallway for her sullen staff to leave that she saw… him.

He was a ridiculous little man. Didn’t he know that there were nanos that could make him look presentable? True, they didn’t have much to work with, but at least it would be an improvement. At least his clothes were clean and matched, which, her research showed, was
never
the case outside of court. Even that suit he’d procured was obviously just a standard five-piece outfit that could have easily been assembled at any vending machine for spare change. What made his whole ensemble even more infuriating was his hair. As Janet watched, almost in horror, the ridiculous little man was taking his hair out of its ponytail (an antiquated fashion) and shaking it vigorously until it was once more lying in an unruly and tangled mess atop his head and shoulders.

And what made the whole scene even more repugnant was the fact that this tiny, odd-looking, insignificant specimen of a man might beat her in court… again. Without realizing it, she started heading in his direction. Such was the natural way Janet Delgado moved through the world, more an implacable force going unerringly toward a goal than a person walking somewhere. The crowd instinctively got out of her way. Janet never once thought about the fact that people parted for her. She would most likely have assumed it was her right. After all, she had important places to be. When she got to Manny Black she looked down at him—actually being a bit taller than he was. He didn’t seem to notice she was there.

So engrossed was Manny in reviewing the information on his DijAssist that he was oblivious to the milling crowd, the reporters shouting questions from the ten-foot line, and the curious stares from people wanting a look at the man who was now one of the most famous in the system. A man whose very visage was becoming a cult icon, much like Albert Einstein’s had centuries earlier. More interesting, at least for the crowd of onlookers, was that Manny Black was ignoring Janet Delgado. For the V.P. of Legal this was a unique if exasperating experience. To be beaten was one thing, but to be ignored!

“Where did you come from?” she snapped.

Janet was so annoyed by his lack of acknowledgment that she ignored the reporters who were gleefully writing down and capturing what for them was clearly an unexpected encounter. They were cursing the no-drones rule enforced in the court building and had to make do with camereyes, which were notorious for poor quality and missed pictures. A camereye was in essence a nanite camera, located directly on the iris. It recorded what a person saw with one small drawback. People blinked. And blinking was a reflexive response that even the most ardent nanotechnologists had yet to be able to solve. Not that there was a great demand for it. In any event, Manny and Janet’s first one-on-one meeting was being witnessed by dozens of reporters, smiling, recording, and not blinking at all.

“Where I come from?” Manny answered without looking up. “My mother, or so she tells me.” At Janet’s growl, Manny finally raised his head high enough out of his research to see who’d had the temerity to interrupt his train of thought. His look, upon realization of the answer, was one of genuine surprise. “Why, Miss Delgado, what a pleasure to meet you!”

Janet was confused because, well, he did seem delighted to meet her. She’d made a career out of judging people and their reactions, and all her instincts told her that this man, who should have been apprehensive, annoyed, triumphant, aroused, or at least trying to conceal some combination of all the above, had nothing to hide. To mask her confusion she covered with an insult. “Miss? Miss? Did you just use ‘Miss’? What century were you born in? It’s
Ms.
,” she hissed, letting the
zzzz
trail for a good second.

“Forgive me, of course it is,” he answered with earnest respect. “One of my little quirks, I’m afraid. You see, I am a sexist.”

Janet was again taken aback. “You’re a what?!” Though she’d lost control of the conversation before it even began, and would normally have bailed, she had to find out what the little imp meant. “You feel women are inferior?” she sneered. “You really are a throwback.”

“Oh no, not inferior,” Manny answered, oblivious to the insult. “If anything, I would have to say the evidence points to superiority in many areas. But I do feel the sexes are different, and the differences tend to be glazed over in our society. I just like to point out the differences in little ways. No reason why you should be burdened with my foibles. I will, of course, call you ‘Ms.’ ”