The Peyti Crisis: A Retrieval Artist Novel: Book Five of the Anniversary Day Saga (Retrieval Artist series 12) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch Page A

that,” Salehi said. “I’m sure there are a million corporate lawyers working for some Peyti-owned corporation that would love to go after that kind of discrimination.”
    “And,” Schnable said, “you have to remember how Peyti culture works. They believe in the letter of the law. They’re the best lawyers in the Earth Alliance, and they’re not allowed in the middle of this case. They’re feeling discriminated against.”
    “Who cares?” Salehi said. “Let them deal with it.”
    “I think they will,” Schnable said. “The problem is that if someone doesn’t get to the Moon and quickly, then those clones could be destroyed, and along with them, the best opportunity to find out what the hell is going on here.”
    Salehi narrowed his eyes. “You’re trying to make this a civic duty for me to handle this damn case?”
    “These cases,” Schnable said. He didn’t seem upset at all. It was as if they were discussing a divorce settlement.
    “Right now,” Shishani said, “they need a human face on these cases, one who can make an actual difference. If you approach this from the clone law angle—”
    “It’ll take years,” Salehi said.
    “Yes, but if you want, when the raw emotions are calmed, you’ll be able to hand this case to the Peyti if you like.”
    “You’re just looking at the money,” Salehi said to Schnable.
    “Of course I am,” Schnable said. “You’d be billing Peyla by the hour. Their government has a lot of money, and our firm would get a goodly portion of it, even if you leave after a few months. Maybe you can train someone to take over, if this whole idea of changing clone law doesn’t appeal to you.”
    It did appeal to him, and that made him angry.
    And of course, Schnable then tried to press his advantage. He smiled. Schnable should never smile. “You can get an odious law tossed off the Earth Alliance books.”
    “In exchange for freeing hundreds of killers,” Salehi said.
    “This is going to take years, Rafael,” Shishani said. “You won’t ever have to take them to court. By the time the court cases come up, you can retire and go off to your damn desert. You won’t get them off.”
    “But my arguments would be responsible for someone else getting them off,” Salehi said.
    Shishani stood. She was taller than he was, and she always used that fact to great advantage, especially when she wanted to intimidate him into something.
    “You would also change the lives of millions of clones,” she said. “You would improve their lives. They’d be subject to benefits that they couldn’t get before. They’d be able to marry and have children. They wouldn’t be subject to archaic laws.”
    It was a good argument. He could feel it starting to sway him.
    “You know how the law works,” Schnabbie said. “You have to stick your hands in warm smelly crap to remove a hunk of gold.”
    Shishani, her back to Schnabbie, closed her eyes. Salehi bowed his head. He’d almost been convinced, and then Schnabbie had opened his big mouth.
    The ah-fuck-it moment was lasting longer than usual.
    “Think about it,” Schnable said. “This case will put us on the map. It’ll make you one of the most sought-after attorneys in the sector. Almost immediately, you’ll have to be certified to argue in front of the Multi-Cultural Tribunal, and if anyone can do that, you can. Your certification will make us a prestige firm again.”
    Now, Shishani bowed her head. She knew that these arguments wouldn’t work with Salehi.
    “Debra’s certified,” Salehi said.
    “But Debra’s not an expert in this point of the law,” Schnable said. “That’s why she went against your wishes and is representing the Fujita family only in that wrongful death suit.”
    Shishani said, “That’s not why—”
    “Debra,” Schnable said, warningly.
    “Don’t warn her off, Domek,” Salehi said. “She’s right. She isn’t representing the clone, Trey, because she didn’t want to. She didn’t really