![]() |
Science Fiction
Dictionary Latest By
"I have a standard axiom: all governments lie. Don't believe anything they say. And corporations are only kinds of government."
|
![]() |
![]() The courtarena is introduced in this story; it is a somewhat tamer version than that presented in later books dealing with the same "universe."
The courtarena also figures prominently in The Dosadi Experiment, an excellent novel and the last in the series that dealt with the universe of the Consentiency.
Everyone in the courtarena, plaintiffs, defendants, judges, lawyers and the audience, were all at risk when Gowachin law was at stake. According to the Gowachin, everyone was guilty of something; only the innocent were suspect. One rather admirable characteristic of Gowachin law was that the stakes meant that there were very few lawsuits, and fewer lawyers.
In this excerpt from the novel, Jorj X. McKie, Saboteur Extraordinary, was in danger of being found innocent:
Knowing he was watched by countless eyes, McKie swept his gaze around the arena. Above the soft green absorbent oval where he stood were rank on rank of benches, every seat occupied. Muted morning light from the domed translucent ceiling illuminated rows of Humans, Gowachin, Palenki, Sobarips ... every species and faction of the ConSentiency would be represented here. Those who could not come in person would watch these proceedings via the glittering transmitter eyes which looked down from the ceiling's edges.
The traditional ending of a legal contest in the Gowachin courtarena was those who were found Gowachin-guilty (innocent) were torn apart by the audience just outside the doors.
The Gowachin had many useful aphorisms; here's a good one for those who seek "justice" -
Read more about the Gowachin in the entry for graluz, the place where they raised their young. Comment/Join this discussion ( 1 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This | Additional
resources:
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
|
![]() |
Science Fiction
Timeline
Japan's LignoSat Space Wood Satellite And Dan Simmons' Treeship
'The Consul remembered his first glimpse of the kilometer-long treeship...'
Skyline Robotics Instantiates Heinlein's 'Window Willie' Skyscraper Robot
'Do you know what window washing used to cost by the hour?'
Drone Bombings In Moscow Foreseen 100 Years Ago
'Once the target is confirmed, it uses an IR laser to send a coded signal back to the parent, clearing it to attack.'
I Didn't Know You Can Already Buy Flesh Putty
'I filled your bullet hole with flesh putty and the lattice.'
'A Sign in Space' Gives Practice In Decoding ET Messages
'... it will be easy to form an alphabet which shall enable us to converse with the inhabitants of the moon.'
Melting Permafrost Endangers Infrastructure
'From the tower's huge octagonal base radiate wide silvery strips...'
EELS Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor For Enceladus
'It was about five feet long... a black bullet head and red camera eyes.'
Lazy Lawyer's Trust In ChatGPT Misplaced
'The Law Society has strict rules on the use of pseudo-intelligent software...'
|
![]() |
![]() |
Home | Glossary
| Science Fiction Timeline | Category | New | Contact
Us | FAQ | Advertise | ![]() Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™ Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved. |
![]() |