The Dosadi Experiment

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raise the issue of a God Wall intrusion … Or would he? Broey nodded to himself. This must be handled with great delicacy.

We will now explore the particular imprint which various governments make upon the individual. First, be sure you recognize the primary governing force. For example, take a careful look at Human history. Humans have been known to submit to many constraints: to rule by Autarchs, by Plutarchs, by the power seekers of the many Republics, by Oligarchs, by tyrant Majorities and Minorities, by the hidden suasions of Polls, by profound instincts and shallow juvenilities. And always, the governing force as we wish you now to understand this concept was whatever the individual believed had control over his immediate survival. Survival sets the pattern of imprint. During much of Human history (and the pattern is similar with most sentient species), Corporation presidents held more survival in their casual remarks than did the figurehead officials. We of the ConSentiency cannot forget this as we keep watch on the Multiworld Corporations. We dare not even forget it of ourselves. Where you work for your own survival, this dominates your imprint, this dominates what you believe.
    Â 
    â€”Instruction Manual
Bureau of Sabotage
    N ever do what your enemy wants you to do, McKie reminded himself.
    In this moment, Aritch was the enemy, having placed the binding oath of Legum upon an agent of BuSab, having demanded information to which he had no right. The old Gowachin’s behavior was consistent with the demands of his own
legal system, but it immediately magnified the area of conflict by an enormous factor. McKie chose a minimal response.
    â€œI’m here because Tandaloor is the heart of the Gowachin Federation.”
    Aritch, who’d been sitting with his eyes closed to emphasize the formal client-Legum relationship, opened his eyes to glare at McKie.
    â€œI remind you once that I am your client”
    Signs indicating a dangerous new tension in the Wreave servant were increasing, but McKie was forced to concentrate his attention on Aritch.
    â€œYou name your self client. Very well. The client must answer truthfully such questions as the Legum asks when the legal issues demand it.”
    Aritch continued to glare at McKie, latent fire in the yellow eyes. Now, the battle was truly joined.
    McKie sensed how fragile was the relationship upon which his survival depended. The Gowachin, signatories to the great ConSentiency Pact binding the species of the known universe, were legally subject to certain BuSab intrusions. But Aritch had placed them on another footing. If the Gowachin Federation disagreed with McKie/Agent, they could take him into the Courtarena as a Legum who had wronged a client. With the entire Gowachin Bar arrayed against him, McKie did not doubt which Legum would taste the knife . His one hope lay in avoiding immediate litigation. That was, after all, the real basis of Gowachin Law.
    Moving a step closer to specifics, McKie said:
    â€œMy Bureau has uncovered a matter of embarrassment to the Gowachin Federation.”
    Aritch blinked twice.
    â€œAs we suspected.”
    McKie shook his head. They didn’t suspect , they knew. He counted on this: that the Gowachin understood why he’d answered their summons. If any Sentiency under the Pact could understand his position, it had to be the Gowachin. BuSab reflected Gowachin philosophy. Centuries had passed since the
great convulsion out of which BuSab had originated, but the ConSentiency had never been allowed to forget that birth. It was taught to the young of every species.
    â€œOnce, long ago, a tyrannical majority captured the government. They said they would make all individuals equal. They meant they would not let any individual be better than another at doing anything. Excellence was to be suppressed or concealed. The tyrants made their government act with great speed ‘in the name of the people.’ They removed

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