The very system of Lords’ Discipline is a corruption of precepts from several different cultures. “Justice” is meted out by Tribunal Boards. Each community has a local court, and society cases can be appealed to High Tribunals in the major cities. The street people seldom get a sentence capable of appeal.

A Tribunal generally consists of six appointed officials and a presiding Lord who is theoretically only to vote in a case requiring a tie-breaking ballot. As stated above, most cases brought before the Board are dealt with swiftly and ruthlessly--unless enough credits exist to liberally grease several palms. Uniglobal maintains their own Tribunal Boards, and so do the Lords themselves, but all common cases are dealt with by the general courts.

Taking a page from Eastern cultures of the far past, thievery is dealt with by the loss of a hand--or two--if it is felt the situation merits. Slander can cause the loss of a tongue. Murder requires execution. Most lower class prisoners never have time to raise credits even if they wanted to appeal--sentence is usually carried out immediately following the trial.

The basic tenets of the Code of Discipline are below--their antecedents should be readily apparent to anyone who has any knowledge of Earth history:

THE CODE OF DISCIPLINE

• ONE: NO MAN SHALL WORSHIP A GOD OTHER THAN THE LORD
  
• TWO: NO MAN SHALL WORSHIP ANY MATERIAL OBJECT OR PRECEPT
  
• THREE: NO MAN SHALL TAKE THE LORD'S NAME LIGHTLY
  
• FOUR: NO MAN SHALL WORK ON THE SEVENTH DAY
  
• FIVE: NO MAN SHALL DISHONOR HIS PARENTS
  
• SIX: NO MAN SHALL MURDER HIS NEIGHBOR
  
• SEVEN: NO MAN SHALL SLEEP WITH THE WIFE OF ANOTHER
  
• EIGHT: NO MAN SHALL STEAL
  
• NINE: NO MAN SHALL TESTIFY FALSELY AGAINST ANOTHER
  
• TEN: NO MAN SHALL DESIRE ANOTHER MAN'S WIFE OR GOODS