"Charles Stross - Singularity Sky" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stross Charles)

тАЬBut you are from Earth?тАЭ asked the Citizen, his pen poised.

тАЬYes.тАЭ

тАЬAh. Then you are a subject of the United Nations.тАЭ He made a brief note. тАЬWhy didnтАЩt you admit this?тАЭ

тАЬBecause it isnтАЩt true,тАЭ said Martin, letting a note of frustration creep into his voice. (But only a note: he
had an idea of the CitizenтАЩs powers, and had no intention of provoking him to exercise them.)

тАЬEarth. The supreme political entity on that planet is the United Nations Organization. So it follows that
you are a subject of it, no?тАЭ

тАЬNot at all.тАЭ Martin leaned forward. тАЬAt last count, there were more than fifteen thousand governmental
organizations on Earth. Of those, only about the top nine hundred have representatives in Geneva, and
only seventy have permanent seats on the Security Council. The UN has no authority over any non-
governmental organization or over individual citizens, itтАЩs purely an arbitration body. I am a sovereign
individual; IтАЩm not owned by any government.тАЭ

тАЬAh,тАЭ said the Citizen. He laid his pen down very carefully beside his blotter and looked directly at
Martin. тАЬI see you fail to understand. I am going to do you a great favor and pretend that I did not hear
the last thing you said. Vassily?тАЭ

His young assistant looked up. тАЬYah?тАЭ

тАЬOut.тАЭ

The assistantтАФlittle more than a boy in uniformтАФstood and marched over to the door. It thudded shut
solidly behind him.

тАЬI will say this once, and once only.тАЭ The Citizen paused, and Martin realized with a shock that his
outward impassivity was a tightly sealed lid holding down a roiling fury: тАЬI do not care what silly ideas
the stay-behinds of Earth maintain about their sovereignty. I do not care about being insulted by a young

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 Singularity Sky


and insolent pup like you. But while you are on this planet you will live by our definitions of what is
right and proper! Do I make myself clear?тАЭ

Martin recoiled. The Citizen waited to see if he would speak, but when he remained silent, continued
icily. тАЬYou are here in the New Republic at the invitation of the Government of His Majesty, and will at
all times comport yourself accordingly. This includes being respectful to Their Imperial Highnesses,
behaving decently, legally, and honestly, paying taxes to the Imperial Treasury, and not spreading
subversion. You are here to do a job, not to spread hostile alien propaganda or to denigrate our way of
life! Am I making myself understood?тАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩtтАФтАЭ Martin paused, hunted for the correct, diplomatic words. тАЬLet me rephrase, please. I am
sorry if I have caused offense, but if thatтАЩs what IтАЩve done, would you mind telling me what I did? So I