Birthright

not the lawbreakers had not the slightest notion that they were violating planetary ordinances. In many

cases the laws were simply incomprehensible, totally meaningless to someone raised in a human culture; but even then, Man looked after his own, and, however hopeless the case, one or more barristers were sent in to defend their errant brother. Perhaps no other barrister during the period of the Democracy achieved quite the measure of fame that Ivor Khalinov did. Born at the huge complex on Caliban, he grew to maturity on that incredible world prior to... —Man: Twelve Millennia of Achievement ...Khalinov (2399-2484 G.E.) came to prominence as a result of a number of admittedly brilliant cases in the courts of Lodin XI, Binder VI, and Canphor VII, worlds where no Man had ever won a decision before. Unquestionably possessed of one of the greatest legal minds of his era, Khalinov's courtroom and pretrial tactics were nonetheless... —Origin and History of the Sentient Races, Vol. 8

“Son,” said Khalinov, peering out from beneath his gray, bushy eyebrows, “I'm going to be perfectly honest with you: I'd much rather be prosecuting this case than defending it.” “Thanks a lot,” said the blond youth glumly. “Oh, I didn't say I wouldn't take the case,” said Khalinov. “Your parents are paying me far more than you're worth. More than anyone's worth, really. I just remarked that I don't think the odds are in our favor.”

“You've bucked the odds before,” said the youth, almost pleadingly. “That closing argument of yours in the blasphemy case on Lodin XI is still required reading in every school in the Deluros system.” “Well, not quiteevery school.” Khalinov smiled. “But be that as it may, your case is a little different from blasphemy through ignorance of local custom. You are charged with killing fifty-seven sentient entities on the planet Atria XVI. Admittedly it was an involuntary action, compounded by carelessness, and it could not possibly be construed as malicious. But the fact remains that you did indeed cause their deaths.” “But...”

“Furthermore, Atria XVI has no plea-bargaining. Manslaughter, murder three, involuntary homicide—none of these terms exist in Atrian law. You either killed them or you didn't, regardless of circumstances. And son, you killed them.” “Then why defend me at all?”

“Aside from the money, you mean?” asked Khalinov. “I guess it's because I still believe that every man has the right to a defense—and on Atria XVI, you need a good defense about as much as any man I ever knew. You know, the simple act of resisting arrest and returning here to Deluros VIII merits the equivalent of a life sentence. You knew we'd extradite you, didn't you?” “I wasn't thinking,” said the youth. “I just couldn't believe what was happening. What's the penalty if I'm convicted, Mr. Khalinov?”

“There's only one penalty for murder in the Atrian system,” said Khalinov. “Death by heat.” The youth's body seemed to shrink into itself. “I kind of guessed that.” “Don't give up the ship just yet, son,” said Khalinov. “All the odds mean is that we'll have to fight a little harder.” He pressed a button on his desk, and four armed guards came in. He nodded to them, then