duced one
thing. Roughly halfway between here and Dara there's a two-planet
solar system, Orede. There's a usable planet there. It was proposed to
build an outpost of Weald there, against blueskins. Cattle were landed
to run wild and multiply and make a reason for colonists to settle
there.

"They did, but nobody wants to move near to blueskins! So Orede stayed
uninhabited until a hunting party, shooting wild cattle, found an
outcropping of heavy-metal ore. So now there's a mine there. And
that's all. A few hundred men work the mine at fabulous wages. You may
be asked to check on their health. But not Dara's!"

"I see," said Calhoun, frowning.

The doctor moved toward the Med Ship's exit port.

"I answered your questions," he said grimly. "But if I talked to
anyone else as I've done to you, I'd be lucky only to be driven into
exile!"

"I shan't give you away," said Calhoun. He did not smile.

* * * * *

When the doctor had gone, Calhoun said deliberately, "Murgatroyd, you
should be grateful that you're a _tormal_ and not a man. There's
nothing about being a _tormal_ to make you ashamed!"

Then he grimly changed his garments for the full-dress uniform of the
Med Service. There was to be a banquet at which he would sit next to
the planet's chief executive and hear innumerable speeches about the
splendor of Weald. Calhoun had his own, strictly Med Service opinion
of the planet's latest and most boasted-of achievement. It was a domed
city in the polar regions, where nobody ever had to go outdoors.

He was less than professionally enthusiastic about the moving streets,
and much less than approving of the dream broadcasts which supplied
hypnotic, sleep-inducing rhythms to anybody who chose to listen to
them. The price was that while asleep one would hear high praise of
commercial products, and might believe them when awake.

But it was not Calhoun's function to criticize when it could be
avoided. Med Service had been badly managed in Sector Twelve. So at
the banquet Calhoun made a brief and diplomatic address in which he
temperately praised what could be praised, and did not mention
anything else.

The chief executive followed him. As head of the government he paid
some tribute to the Med Service. But then he reminded his hearers
proudly of the high culture, splendid health, and remarkable
prosperity of the planet since his political party took office. This,
he said, despite the n