“I think I’m pretty well up to speed on the Junction operations, Ma’am, and I realize those aren’t really your province, anyway. I’m much more concerned about my support and security duties here on Medusa. My data seem to be a bit out of date, judging from the number of freighters in orbit. I hadn’t understood that there was so much trade with the planetary surface?”

“No, that’s a fairly recent development.” Dame Estelle frowned thoughtfully. “You know about the enclaves?”

“In a general sense. They’re basically trading stations, aren’t they?”

“Yes and no. Under the terms of the Act of Annexation, the Kingdom claimed the star system as a whole and established a protectorate over the Medusans but specifically renounced sovereignty over their planet. In effect, this entire planet is one huge reservation for the natives, with the exception of specific sites designated for off-worlder enclaves. That’s not the normal procedure for establishing territoriality, but we were more concerned with the Junction terminus than planetary real estate, and the act attempted to make that distinction completely explicit. In fact, it obligates the Kingdom to grant the Medusans complete autonomy ‘at the earliest practicable moment’ just to make our lack of imperial ambitions crystal clear.”

Dame Estelle’s expression made her opinion of the Act of Annexation plain.

“As a direct result of the nobility of our motives,” she continued, “the legal position might be considered something of a gray area. One or two nations—like Haven—argue that a protectorate without sovereignty is legally meaningless. Under that interpretation of interstellar law—which, I’m sorry to say, can be argued on the basis of some fairly strong precedents—Medusa is unclaimed territory, and I have no authority at all to issue instructions to off-worlders on its surface. That’s the official position of the Havenite consul, by the way. Her Majesty’s Government takes a different view, and as they say, possession is nine-tenths of the law, but the provisions of the Act of Annexation specifically delimit my powers.

“Under the terms of my commission, I have the authority to take any action necessary ‘to prevent the exploitation of the indigenous race,’ but I do not have the authority to tell other nations that they may or may not establish enclaves here. I’ve asked for it, and I think the Government would like to give it to me, but they haven’t been able to get the necessary amendments through Parliament. So I can restrict other people’s enclave locations, regulate their trade with the Medusans, and generally play policeman after they get here, but I can’t deny them access.”

Honor nodded. The Liberals had been so busy making certain Manticore couldn’t exploit the “hapless natives” that they’d left the door wide open for less principled people to walk right through.

“All right.” Dame Estelle swung her chair gently from side to side and frowned at the ceiling. “Initially, there were very few enclaves here on Medusa. As you no doubt know, the Medusans are somewhere in the equivalent of the late Bronze Age, and aside from some genuinely beautiful artifacts, they have very little of value in terms of interstellar trade. As a result, there was little pressure to open planetary markets, and the Native Protection Agency had the situation pretty well in hand.