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." Rhadamanthuscocked one goggle eye at him."And she could not overlook that this was justthe type of direct emotional self-manipulation which Silver-Gray standardsforbid.I told her you would probably not take such ill-considered actionsagain.But Eveningstar is going to expect some sort of apology or reparationfrom you.I assured her that you were a gentleman, and would live up to whatwas expected of you."The condescension of it all rankled Phaethon.He had his back to the casket,facing Rhadamanthus, and he was glad his wife could not see this scene."YouSophotechs treat us like children.""No.We treat you like adults.Children can be forgiven without penalty,Page 119 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlbecause they know no better.""If I'm penniless, I can pay no reparations.""Money does not enter into it, my dear Phaethon.She is asking for a gestureto show you are contrite, something unpleasant enough that you will feel arelief of your guilt and embarrassment.""And if I refuse?""Why should you refuse? Young master, do you think you acted correctly?""I did not do anything wrong.""Hm." The penguin rolled its goggle eyes, and slapped its webbed feet once ortwice on the green marble floor."Youdid not do anything illegal, that is true.Not by a nice and precise readingof the letter of the law.But not everything which is wrong is illegal."That phrase sobered Phaethon.He felt the last of whatever excess pride he hadwished upon himself slip away."Eveningstar is trying to keep me out oftrouble with the Hortators, isn't she?"The penguin nodded gravely."Despite how large and varied the Oecumenepopulation is, it would be an easy matter for the College of Hortators to postin the Middle Dreaming a memory, available to anyone who glanced at you, theway you let your anger get the better of you, the contempt you showed forcivilized law, the foolishness of trying to use an Eveningstar-built mannequinto damage Eveningstar property.Most of the Oecumene schools are quite zealousin their support for Hortator-called boycotts.""But why would she want to help me?""Eveningstar is aware, as I am, that the Earthmind spoke to you directly, andshowed that She favored your case.Eveningstar has more latitude of freedomthan have I; she does not need to guard Helion's interests, for example.Therefore Eveningstar was free to consult with one of the Ennead, one of theNine overminds, which the Sophotech community has constructed to construct theEarthmind.The overmind she consulted deduced the reasons why NebuchednezzarSophotech was unwilling to advise or assist the College of Hortators when theydrafted the Lakshmi Agreement.Humans have relied on Sophotechs and mass-mindsfor so long to do their legal work that the practice of the lawyer's art issomewhat atrophied.The Lakshmi Agreement contains a crucial error.Because ofthis error, the overmind deduces that you would succeed in your goals, whichare also goals the Earthmind favors, provided you do not open the box ofancient memories.Monomarchos has arranged the outcome of the law case to yoursatisfaction.The faction opposing you, including the Hortators, do notpossess a crucial piece of information concerning Helion's memory anddisposition; this fact will leadto a condition which you will, once you recover your memory, consider asatisfactory victory.""Victory.?" The word was bitter in his mouth.He turned and stared down atthe crystal coffin.Then he said: "Was this part of my plan? Did I know the version of me beforeI forgot so much did I speak to her before she did this.?"The penguin said, "You already have sufficient evidence to deduce that you didnot know what Daphne Prime intended till it was too late.Her fear that youwould be exiled drove her to this suicide.Your grief over the loss was one ofthe factors which prompted you to agree to the Lakshmi bargain.Young master,when I say you will have a victory, I did not mean that you would necessarilywin Daphne Prime back."Phaethon stood with his head bowed, brooding.Some part of his mind notstained with grief noted that this was another clue.Whatever it was he haddone, it must be something which would tempt his wife to such despair that shewould destroy her life beyond repair.What he knew of Daphne Prime told him itcould not have been a small matter.Then he said, "Can you manipulate the stock market in the fashion theEleemosynary described, to force Eveningstar to bankrupt Daphne's account andexpel her from her dreamworld?""I could not presently do such a thing for you.You do not have thePage 120 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlresources.""What if I win the law case and I turn all of Helion' s wealth over to thattask?""There are several possible outcomes.The most likely is that you will triggera general stock market collapse, ruining your own fortune in the process, toruin Eveningstar and release Daphne.At that point, I predict that she willwake briefly, ignore your entreaties, and return into a less expensive dreamdelusion.But naturally, my ability to predict human action is based largelyon speculation."Phaethon tapped his armored fist, very lightly, against the glassy surface ofthe coffin.It made a sharp clicking noise.Daphne's face was only two inches away, and he could not reach it."Would that cause a general economic collapse?""It depends on what you define as collapse, young master.It will be adepression.In less than two hundred years, the economy should return tonearly its old level.""But everything would be entirely legal?""The law would have no cause to complain, young master."Phaethon stared down at the motionless figure of his wife.He opened his fistto touch the unyielding surface with his gloves' metal fingertips.A hardexpression settled onto his face."Then all I need do is be patient.""I should warn you, though, sir, that certain repercussions might result."Phaethon straightened.His tone was brusque."That will be all, thank you,Rhadamanthus.""Does the young master wish to hear what might happen if ""I believe I said that will be all."The penguin bowed and waddled back toward the receiving chamber.Phaethon, after one last lingering glance at his wife, turned to leave.He didnot want to download directly back to the Eleemosynary public casket, nor didhe care to return to the receiving chamber, where, from the clumsy noises offlippers on carpet, Phaethon could tell Rhadamanthus was still pretending ithad a presence." (Pretending, because the clarity of his sense-filter showedhim that Rhadamanthus was still online.)But there was a large door leading outside at the other side of the hall; andan internal register showed that this manne-' quin had an extended range, andcould easily leave the building, if Phaethon so wished.Impatiently, he strode across the hall, metal boots ringing on the floor.Hethrew the doors wide.It was a beautiful scene.The light was dim, like the light of sunset, but theshadows came from overhead.Phaethon had not noticed that the real sun had setlong ago.The light nowcame from the blazing point of Jupiter, rising to the zenith, a time calledJovian Noon.In the shade of many tall cypress trees rose marble obelisks madesoft by dappled shadows.Bees and other servant-insects made by Eveningstarwere droning in the scented air, and gathered honey, aphrodisiacs, andpleasure drags in a series of hives beyond a hedge to the left.To the rightrose a slope.In the pasture several horses were grazing
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