Technobabel by Stephen Kenson Read Free Book Online Page B

could convince the old man that Fuchi’s interests were Ares’ interests, Osborne would certainly win Graves over as well.
    The remaining two female members of the court entered the room together, although neither was overly fond of the other. Yoshiko Hino of Yamatetsu was physical perfection as only twenty-first-century biosculpt surgery could make it. Osborne smiled briefly at the pronounced effect zero-gravity had on Hino’s breasts, which were a bit too large for her body, and how fond the vainglorious Hino was of using the effect to her advantage whenever circumstances brought her to the orbital. In fact, Osborne believed that Hino’s holo-image transmitted through the Matrix was "enhanced" in the same way to provide a distraction for her largely male audience. Yamatetsu was a hungry corporation that had forced its way onto the
Corporate Court
only a few years after it was established, and they still worked under the stigma of "the newcomer" even years later. The corp had been a vocal supporter of the action against Aztechnology, and Osborne suspected Hino would be eager to join in with anything that would make her employer part of the majority.
    In contrast to Hino’s "corporate bimbo" image, Mariko Kiyonobo was all business. She was the director of Shiawase’s active Envirotech Division in addition to her duties on the
Corporate Court
and juggled the two jobs with considerable skill. Although only a junior member of the court, appointed in the past term to replace the lackluster Lorraine Wakizaka, Mariko was not intimidated in the slightest by the other justices and pushed the agenda of her company forcefully and skillfully. Osborne liked her and thought the feeling was shared by Kiyonobo. Shiawase was not overly concerned with Renraku’s activities, but Osborne believed that Kiyonobo would do what was best for her corp and the Court.
    The last to enter the courtroom and take his place on the bench was Francesco Napoli, the Renraku representative who so concerned Hague. "Paco" Napoli did have a considerable reputation as a corporate bulldog and "resources adjuster" for Renraku Computer Systems. His career before coining to the
Corporate Court
was littered with the carefully buried bodies of people who had gotten in his or Renraku’s way at some point, but Osborne wasn’t concerned about any danger Napoli posed to Fuchi’s case. Ever since the unfortunate demise of Sam Violet, the only place Renraku hadn’t prospered in the past couple years was on the Court, where Napoli remained their only representative. Some took it to mean Renraku had decided they were above being concerned about the august body, but Lynn Osborne chose to interpret it as a serious error in judgment by Renraku, one she aimed to exploit to her full advantage.
    If Napoli was at all concerned about the hearing in the courtroom, he didn’t show it. Osborne had to give him credit for that. Napoli was a cool one. His blood must be like ice, she thought, quietly watching him out of the corner of her eye while she pretended interest in the display screen built into the surface of the bench. Napoli settled quickly into place and exchanged pleasantries with Hino to his right. Osborne gritted her teeth as Hino laughed at some joke or comment of Napoli’s.
    Jean-Claude Priault took an old-fashioned gavel—made of real wood, no less—from its resting place clipped to the side of the bench facing him and rapped it slowly several times on the bench to get everyone’s attention. The cost of carrying the gavel into orbit for the use of the
Corporate Court
probably could have supported the average family of four for a couple of months. The megacorporations spared no expense where authenticity was concerned.
    "The Court will come to order," he said in his deep voice that revealed only the slightest accent of his native French. "This meeting of the
International Corporate Court
is now in session."
    The room fell silent, and Osborne felt a dozen sets of