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that we recognize the decrypted content. If it’s unrecognizable or has another layer of coding, we could easily miss it. But there is one other approach that might work.”
    “Do tell.” Lobeck gave Skylar his full attention.
    “It’s possible that the message was encrypted to a private key that we can access. All commercial encryption software packages automatically save the user’s private key for law enforcement purposes. It is heavily sequestered and only used at times of critical need such as a terrorism investigation. The government of Kelter will have an archive of every private key that has been generated in this system by commercial software.”
    “We don’t know that this particular private key was generated by commercial software on Kelter,” Lobeck countered.
    “True, we don’t know that,” answered Skylar. “But it would cover over ninety eight percent of people living in the Kelter system.”
    “I agree, it’s worth checking. So how do we get these keys?”
    “Under normal circumstances, we don’t,” she said. “The keys can only be released as part of a terrorism investigation, and only for identified people. And we don’t know whose key we are looking for.”
    “We’ll just have to get them all, then,” Lobeck decided. “Identify somebody who can release the information, preferably on Top Station, and we’ll have a chat with them.”
    The Ruling
    Finally, Kate had satisfied the CoreValue squad and fled back to her office. She closed her door, sat down in her captain’s chair, lay back, and closed her eyes.
    It had been less than twenty-four hours since the ruling.
    She would never forget the worst day of her life. Yesterday. It had been up in a small station near Top Station. Remote and isolated, specifically for the purpose of adjudicating sensitive matters of law, lacking even niceties like generated gravity.
    Kate and her lawyer Colditz had taken their places in the appointed box. Some distance away, she saw the flock of plaintiff lawyers, at least a dozen as usual. People filtered in for the next few minutes until only three people were needed. The panel. And then the judges arrived.
    Everyone stood up at the arrival of the judges. It was an awkward thing to do in the absence of gravity, but it was still expected. Plant your feet on the surface that has been defined as “down” by convention in the room. Hold on to the bar in front of you. Straighten. When everyone did this at the same time, it created a momentary illusion of up and down.
    “Please be seated,” the bailiff told everyone.
    Being seated was easier than standing. There were even seat belts if you wanted them. It was important to stay the right way up, because floating upside down or even sideways was disrespectful and would likely get you ejected from the proceedings.
    “In the matter of CoreValue Family vs. DelMonaco Trading, we have reached a final verdict.”
    Good. No more maneuvers. No more continuances. No more discovery. Whatever the answer, it was time to have it. Kate listened as the lead judge began.
    “First, the case summary. CoreValue Family seeks damages for trespass and refusal on the part of DelMonaco Trading to pay reasonable and accustomed royalties for transit of the hyperspace glome from Green to Cloudcroft.”
    The judge continued his narration. “DelMonaco Trading maintains that the royalty term expired over seventy years ago in 2227, since the glome was first explored in 2178, and the royalty perio d extends for forty-nine years.
    “CoreValue presented evidence that it has secured pervasive and ongoing agreements to extend the royalty period, by incorporating these extensions into many other contracts and purchase agreements.”
    All of the Sisters had done this for decades, going on centuries. In every contract, covering every transaction with any of the Sisters, there were hidden gems that reiterated and extended their rights. In that way, glome royalty rights had been perpetuated for