Fuzzy Nation Read Free Page A

Exploit charter for the planet, granted by the Colonial Authority. De facto, ZaraCorp runs the planet. De jure, it’s Colonial Authority territory.”
    “Are you having a problem with the word exclusive ?” Bourne said. “An exclusive E and E charter means only ZaraCorp is allowed to explore and exploit.”
    “No,” Holloway said. “It just means ZaraCorp is the exclusive corporate entity allowed on the planet. Single individuals are allowed E and E rights on any Class Three planet, so long as they conform to CEPA guidelines and allow chartered corporate entities right of first refusal on purchase of their prospected materials. Buchheit versus Zarathustra Corporation .”
    “You’re pulling these so-called cases right out of your ass, Jack,” Bourne said.
    “They’re real, all right,” Holloway said. “Go ahead and look them up. I was a lawyer in my past life, you know.”
    Bourne’s snort came loud and clear through the infopanel. “Yeah, and you were disbarred, ” he said.
    “Not because I didn’t know the law,” Holloway said. Which was true, as far as it went.
    “It’s all immaterial anyway, because when you surveyed the seam, you were working for ZaraCorp,” Bourne said. “I deleted your contract afterwards. Therefore discovery of the seam and the fruits of that discovery belong to us.”
    “They might, if I had used ZaraCorp equipment to do the survey,” Holloway said. “But in fact, I used my own equipment, which I bought and paid for, as specified in that contract you deleted. Since I used my own equipment, legally the right to the find vested back to me when you dropped me. Levensohn versus Hildebrand .”
    “Bullshit,” Bourne said.
    “Look it up,” Holloway said. Actually, he hoped Bourne wouldn’t look it up; unlike the other two cases he quoted, he’d made up Levensohn v. Hildebrand on the spot. He was about to get kicked off planet anyway. It was worth a shot.
    “I am going to look it up,” Bourne said. “Trust me.”
    “Good,” Holloway said. “Do that. And while you’re doing that, I’m going to get busy excavating this seam. And when your security goons show up and try to roust me from my seam, I’ll be absolutely delighted, because then I can sue them, you and ZaraCorp under Greene versus Winston .”
    Holloway couldn’t see it, but he knew Bourne had stiffened in his chair. Greene v. Winston were fighting words at ZaraCorp because, among other things, the decision had sent Wheaton Aubrey V, ZaraCorp’s previous Chairman and CEO, to San Quentin for seven years.
    “ Greene was overturned, you hack,” Bourne said, tightly.
    “No,” Holloway said. “A narrow and limited exception was carved out of Greene in Mieville versus Martin . That exception doesn’t apply here.”
    “The hell it doesn’t,” Bourne said.
    “Well, I guess we’ll find out,” Holloway said. “It’ll probably take years to work through the courts, though, and ZaraCorp will get all sorts of bad publicity while it does. We all remember what happened the last time. Also, just so you know, I’ve been recording this little conversation of ours. Just in case you get it into your head to suggest to DeLise and his security goons that they should toss me off this ledge when they find me.”
    “I resent that implication,” Bourne said.
    “I’m glad to hear that, Chad,” Holloway said. “But I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
    Bourne sighed. “Fine, Jack,” he said. “You win. Your contract is undeleted. Happy?”
    “Not in the least,” Holloway said. “If you deleted the old contract, then I have the right to negotiate a new contract.”
    “You get the standard contract just like everyone else,” Bourne said.
    “You talk as if I’m not standing next to a billion-credit sunstone seam, Chad,” Holloway said. “Which I own .”
    “I hate you,” Bourne said.
    “Don’t blame me,” Holloway said. “You’re the one who deleted my contract. But my demands are simple. First, I