"Shane Tourtellotte - String of Pearls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tourtellotte Shane)

That devoured the rest of Marcus's day, and the evening, and much of the next day. He returned to
Bunwadde's office with the plan in hand. Bunwadde looked it over, and thanked him without comment.

"That's all?" Marcus said. "I thought you'd want to review it with me."

"I may, in a few days. First I have to see what my other specialists, my Kevhtre Union specialists, have
recommended. Don't worry, you'll have work to fill the time."

Bunwadde handed him a manifest. "We'll be getting this shipment from Earth five days from now. We
have descriptive information on all the items, naturally, but I would like your own professional
observations as well. Flesh out the descriptions wherever you have personal knowledge or interest. Tell
me why particular items are worthwhile to own."

Marcus glanced up. "For Kevhtre Union or for humans?"

"For humans. Platp and I can handle the sales appeal to Kevhtre Union customers, but we want the
added dimension of a human perspective."

They could have gotten that just as easily, or more, on Earth, but Marcus didn't say so. He scrolled
through the manifest, with a growing unrest. "I see you're bringing in a lot of ... intellectual property."

"The best kind. Added transport costs are almost nothing, and acquisition is often very inexpensive."

If a Kevhtre could look smug, Marcus had just seen it. "Inexpensive how? It's giving you and others a
poisonous reputation on Earth." He saw Bunwadde's look change. "I'm sorry. I think I overstepped
there."

Bunwadde waved a big hand. "No, it's plain you need to clear your nose on this. Speak freely."

Marcus needed a second to recover from Bunwadde's metaphor. "It's the opinion of a great many
humans. They think Kevhtre Union traders are exploiting them, carrying off our culture for nothing. Video
programs, music, literature--"

"But how can that be," Bunwadde said, "when Earth's own courts declared that the copyright protections
you claim did not exist?"

Marcus couldn't deny that. There had been language in copyright law and contracts extending protection
throughout the universe, or similar concepts. Courts had struck down such language as arbitrarily broad,
not long before the Kevh made first contact. Attempts had been made to reinstate that language, now
that the concept wasn't so theoretical. The courts were blocking those on the grounds that the language
now amounted to deliberate discrimination against the Kevhtre Union.

"Obviously, the judges were wrong," Marcus said. "They lacked imagination. I don't see why Earth needs
to suffer for their short-sightedness."

"If they were so short-sighted, how did they contrive to become such powerful arbiters?" Bunwadde
stood. "I can appreciate your frustration, but humans have to live within the system they chose for
themselves."

Marcus sighed. "Perhaps so, but that doesn't mean you must exploit that system to the limit." That