I didn't like my magic reaching out and touching people outside my immediate sphere.
However, my definition of "absolutely necessary" wasn't precisely in keeping with that of everyone else in my immediate sphere.
Conversely, the major Hellenistic realms were not in the immediate Roman sphere of influence, and were powerful enough to deter Roman aggression.
Both "backyard" and "near abroad" are increasingly used to refer to the immediate spheres of influence of other major powers, such as China and India.
Then it dawned on me that the Middle East might not be the immediate sphere of contention.
Most of the gray folk in this city were young, with scant concern for anything outside their immediate sphere.
The sensors had not indicated any landing or new orbital craft in the immediate planetary sphere, so this time whoever it was certainly did not want their presence advertised.
Its activities there extended well beyond the immediate sphere of politics.
They will have already learned about a populace blissfully ignorant of anything going on outside their immediate sphere of life.
Lordship without a local dimension was not particularly attractive and the lord himself would not be as interested in service outside his immediate sphere of activity.