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.Thequestion before the Court is whether the relic has sufficient similarity tothe prime version to form continuity of identity, and therefore to beconsidered the 'same' individual in the eyes of the law.""So the only difference between the two versions is an hour? That'sridiculous! The Helion who is alive now, the Helion Relic, must beindistinguishable from the original, Helion Prime!"Gannis said in a brash voice: "I would like the Curia to note that theopposing party admits and stipulates the continuity of identity between myclient and Helion Prime."The central cube radiated: "Phaethon is not under oath noris he qualified to have such an opinion.We disregard the comment."Phaethon looked back and forth between the Curia and Gannis, puzzled."Butwhat in the world is my claim to He-lion's fortune? Surely it is wellestablished in the law that when a man's body dies, his Noumenal Recordingwakes up and takes over from where he left off."Gannis said, "I would like the Court to note that the opposing party has juststipulated that he agrees with my client's theory of the case!""Phaethon was asking a question relating to his previous pleadings in thiscase which he does not recall.He is not under oath and is not testifying.Wedisregard the comment, and we require that you not waste the Court's time withfrivolous motions, Counselor.Is that clear?" Gannis muttered: "Abundantlyclear, Your Lordships." The central cube said to Phaethon: "In the earliertimes, when the science of Noumenal Recording was not as developed as it nowis, recordings were more expensive and were made less often."The left cube said: "The seminal case of Kaino v.Sheshs-ession announced thestandard.In that case, the defendant fell in love and was married for severalyears since his last Noumenal Recording, when he perished in a space-accident.When his relic woke from recording, the plaintiff requested that he take upthe matrimonial obligations of his prior, and undergo emotional restructure toinstill the missing passions into him.The standard announced was that if areasonable Sophotech could not anticipate, based on deep-structure analysis ofthe prior, what the relic would do, then the relic was considered to have adifferent personality and be a separate individual.The changes must be basicand central to the philosophy, thought style, and core values of thepersonality, and not merely frivolous or surface changes."The right cube said: "This holding was modified in Ao Xelepec Prime v.KesPage 69 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlXelepec Secundus.In that case, a Neptunian Warlock made a Noumenal Recording,but then gave himself the brain structure of an Invariant.He then redacteda major section of his memory, woke the Warlock neuroform, and claimed thatthe Warlock relic was the real version of himself, and that he was no longerresponsible for carrying out certain contracts and obligations he hadpreviously made.His contention was denied, but the Noumenal Recording wasemancipated as a separate and independent individual.The rule is that, if thechange in personality since the last recording is so great that the relic nolonger understands the thoughts or the motivations of the prior, then therelic is a separate individual in the eyes of the law.If, however, the changeis within the range of what the relic might predictably undergo himself,continuity of individuality is presumed."Phaethon said, "So, during that hour, the Helion who stayed behind on thestation did something which the Helion here on Earth now cannot understand orappreciate?""That is the claim you have put before this Court.You claim that, during thathour of emergency, Helion underwent a major epiphany or permanent change inpersonality.You have claimed that he is not the same man.""But how would I, in any case, claim to own Helion's property and estate?""There are even older laws, laws dated from the time when death was acommonplace occurrence.Under these laws, if a man dies without a properlyexecuted last will and testament, his estate passes to his heirs.Helion Primeheld the copyright on your gene sequence, and major sections of yourpersonality and mind were constructed out of templates of his personality.Theancient law would regard you as his son, and therefore as his heir.Those lawshave never been revoked; they still have force and effect."Only at this point did Phaethon begin to realize the amount of wealth andproperty at stake.Helion owned the Solar Array.It was perhaps the singlegreatest engineering effort ever undertaken.Every person who benefited fromthe extension of the useful lifespan of the sun, or whose electronic orelectromagnetic properties were saved from sunspot or solar flare damage,would owe Helion a debt of gratitude.And that included everyone in the entireGolden Oecumene.If everyonesaved a few seconds or minutes of time-currency from their insurance premiumsbecause of Helion's actions, that money saved was owed to him.Spread over thebillions who lived in the solar system, those few seconds per person equalednot just years but decades of computer time.It would be perhaps more wealth than anyone (except Orpheus Myriad Avernus)had ever controlled.Phaethon said, "I will submit to the examination.""It is done.We hold the mental records open on our private channel forinspection by the Court.Do the counselors have any closing arguments to makebefore we rule on the legal sufficiency of Phaethon's identity?""Certainly!" said Gannis with some relish."We notice the wide difference inbehavior between Phaethon before and after the Lakshmi memory redactions.Theway he lives and acts now is nothing like the way he lived and acted before.He goes to frivolous parties; he pursues no dangerous or socially unacceptablehobbies.Your Lordships! Observe how much time the old Phaethon spent on hisone obsession! Years and centuries! He is different now.He is hardly the sameperson.Because (and here is the telling point) Your Lordships, the society ofthe Golden Oecumene would not accept him if they thought him the same as hewas.He does not consider himself to be the same person."Phaethon said: "I am the same person.""Oh?" said Gannis."And how do you know?"Phaethon could think of no answer.The central cube said: "Phaethon is not on cross-examination.You are makingclosing arguments.Address your remarks to the bench."Gannis said, "Your Lordships, we are eager to hear Phaethon answer to animportant question which may be dispositive of this case.Does he considerhimself to be the same person who created such furor and terror throughout thePage 70 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlGolden Oecumene? If he is that person, is he willing to face the penalties forhis actions? Those penalties include that he be expelled and ostracized.YourLordships! I submit that as a matter of public policy the wealth of Helionshould not goto serve Phaethon's mad schemes; that the wealth would be wasted; thatPhaethon if he is the real prime Phaethon will come to a messy and lonelydeath.And if he is not the prime Phaethon, the money is not his.I ask YourLordships to require Phaethon's testimony on this matter! Surely his opinionis crucial; surely he cannot be considered the prime Phaethon if he does notthink he is!" Phaethon turned to Gannis: "This is ridiculous.I am whoI am."Gannis said: "I beg the Court's indulgence.May I have a word aside withPhaethon? We may be able to negotiate a settlement."The Curia signaled its assent
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