down to is simply this--we respect the customs
and desires of others but require in turn that they respect ours."

"You mean that you will use force against the rest of the Confederation?
But you can't do that! You wouldn't stand a chance against the Navy."

"We will first try a method we have used with our own tribes who get out
of line. I don't think anything more will be necessary." Kron's voice
was flat. "It goes against the grain to do this, but we are left no
choice." He turned and left the room without a farewell, which was a
measure of his agitation.

I sat there behind my desk wondering what the Niobians could do. Like my
ex-boss Alvord Sims, I had a healthy respect for them. It just could be
that they could do plenty.

They could.

* * * * *

Organization! Man, you've never seen anything like what the Niobians
tossed at our startled heads! We always thought the Planetary Council
was a loose and ineffective sort of thing, but what happened within the
next twenty hours had to be seen to be believed. I saw it. But it was
days before I believed it.

Within a day the natives had whipped up an organization, agreed on a
plan of action and put it into effect. By noon of the next day Niobe was
a closed planet. A message was sent to the Confederation informing them
that Niobe was withdrawing until the emergency was over. An embargo was
placed on all movement of shipping.

And everything stopped.

No factories operated. The big starfreighters stood idle and empty at
the polar bases. Not one ounce of gerontin or its concentrate precursor
left Niobe. Smiling groups of Niobians, using subsonics to enforce their
demands, paralyzed everything the Confederation had operated on the
planet. No one was hurt. The natives were still polite and friendly. But
Confederation business came to an abrupt halt, and stayed halted.

It was utterly amazing! I had never heard of a planet-wide boycott
before. But Niobe was entirely within her rights. The Confederation had
to accept it.

And, of course, the Confederation capitulated. If the Niobians were
fools enough to want pests as a condition of resuming viscaya
shipments--well, it was their affair. The Confederation needed viscaya.
It was willing to do almost anything to assure its continued supply.

With the full power of the Confederation turned to giving Niobe what she
wanted, it wasn't long before the oysters were under control. We
establish