Чужак в чужой стране

           "ButIactedthroughnecessity,notchoice,and,whileMike’spositionwasimproved,itwasstillnotaneasyone.Mikewas,forthenonce,theacknowledgedsovereignofMarsunderthelegalisticmalarkyoftheLarkinprecedent?and,assuch,wasempoweredtohandoutconcessions,tradingrights,enclaves,adnauseam.Hemusteitherdothesethingshimself?andthusbesubjectedtopressuresevenworsethanthoseattendantongreatwealthandforwhichheisevenlessfitted–orhemustabdicatehistitularpositionandallowhisLarkinrightstodevolveonthosetwenty-threemennowonMars,i.e.,toDouglas."

           Juballookedpained."Idislikedthesealternativesalmostequally,sinceeachwasbasedonthedetestabledoctrinethattheLarkinDecisioncouldapplytoinhabitedplanets.Gentlemen,IhavenevermetanyMartians,Ihavenovocationtobetheirchampion–butIcouldnotpermitaclientofminetobetrappedintosuchafarce.TheLarkinDecisionitselfhadtoberenderedvoid,andall‘rights’underit,withrespecttotheplanetMars–whilethematterwasstillinourhandsandwithoutgivingtheHighCourtachancetorule."

           Jubalgrinnedboyishly."SoIappealedtoahighercourtforadecisionthatwouldnullifytheLarkinprecedent–Icitedamythical‘BritishColonialShippingBoard.’Iliedmyselfblueinthefacetocreateanewlegaltheory.SovereignhonorshadbeenrenderedMike;thatwasfact,theworldhadseenit.