Free Masterminds by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

venue for the one-on-one discrimination. He was better off using a different strategy, one that included media coverage and the involvement of other species from within the Earth Alliance.
    “You really want to do this now?” Salehi asked Uzvuyiten. “Because we have a lot on our plates.”
    “We do,” Uzvuyiten said. “But this is part of what we have on our plates.”
    “You’re not going to be able to get into Armstrong, no matter how hard you try,” Salehi said.
    “Ah, but I will create a record that we can then pursue. Decorated attorney, barred from entry to the heart of the Earth Alliance—which his government is a founding member of. We would have more evidence than we know what to do with, my dear Rafael.”
    Salehi hated the way Uzvuyiten was talking to him right now, but he knew that Uzvuyiten was doing it for effect. And it was working, of course, because that was the kind of lawyer Uzvuyiten was—the kind who knew exactly how to irritate the people around him into action.
    “We can gather evidence,” Salehi said, “but I can tell you now, Uzvuyiten, I won’t have time to pursue this case, with everything else I have to do.”
    Uzvuyiten bowed slightly. “I am aware of that, Rafael. I am also aware that before he was so brutally murdered, Torkild Zhu hired some good lawyers from Earth herself, not to mention a few young lawyers who want to get their hands dirty. I propose to use them to handle this case, not you. Your time is best served handling the clones.”
    “You’ll be diverting resources,” Salehi said.
    “I’ll be setting up a different side to the same case,” Uzvuyiten said. “Since the discrimination and illegal behavior is starting outside the very entrance to Moon space, I think we’ll have more than enough to do.”
    “None of which concerns me.” Wèi spoke for the first time in a while. He’d been watching the interchange. “I want to know how we handle this contact from Armstrong’s Space Traffic Control.”
    Salehi normally would have glanced at Uzvuyiten. They would have consulted and figured out the best approach. But Salehi was too annoyed.
    Besides, Uzvuyiten had forgotten that he was here as a guest, because the Government of Peyla wanted a Peyti near the clone case. But the Peyti government believed that they couldn’t bring a lawyer here and get a good hearing, and circumstances were already proving them right.
    Uzvuyiten could play all the games he wanted with the Port of Armstrong, but that wasn’t going to help the case that interested Salehi the most.
    Salehi said to Wèi, “Tell the port that under Alliance law, the passenger composition of an Earth Alliance vessel is protected information. If they are searching for a fugitive or for some kind of contraband material, they may examine the ship and its passengers once we arrive. Otherwise, we have every legal right to enter the Moon’s space, and petition the port for landing.”
    Wèi frowned at Salehi. “That’ll piss them off.”
    “Fine,” Salehi said. “We’re S 3 . We’re already pissing them off. We might as well remain consistent.”
    “You don’t want to play their games?” Uzvuyiten asked.
    “We play along, we have no legal grounds to appeal their decision.” Salehi kept his voice calm even though he was irritated. Uzvuyiten knew all of this. “We proceed the way that we would have proceeded before this year. If they want to arrest us, fine.”
    “They won’t arrest us ,” Wèi said. “They’ll arrest me .”
    Salehi gave him a withering look. “If you’re so frightened, Captain, then don’t leave the ship.”
    Wèi moved back to his ornate captain’s chair, turning his back to Salehi. “It’s just weird, that’s all.”
    “What’s weird?” Salehi asked.
    “All of this,” Wèi said. “It’s like we’re leaving the Alliance or something.”
    “Indeed,” Uzvuyiten said from the doorway. “Captain, you are onto something.”
    Legally, he was onto something, but