The Space Clause

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DR. MATEO Marco Lope Aguirre Malaria, the eminent jurist, sat at a table in the bar of the Convention Quarters and wept into his rum.

These Quarters were those of the World Government Constitutional Convention, in a set of concrete chambers deep underground in the Rhone Valley. The accommodations had been hastily converted from the former Supreme Headquarters' United Civilized States, usually known as SHUCKS. The Convention was taking place in this armored warren, first, because most of the earth's larger cities had taken hits in the war and were therefore short of housing—when they had any houses left at all; second, because the war was not quite over. A Communist force still held out in the Altai Mountains, and for all anyone knew they might have a missle or two left with which to scotch the Convention if it met on the surface.

A journalist named Dagobert Heck sat down at the same table and asked: "Why do you weep, Dr. Aguirre?"

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