for many years, I have something out of the ordinary. I'm sure
your crewmates would not object to a special gift at my personal
expense."

The commander lifted a scarf from the table and revealed the glittering
set of surgical instruments, neatly displayed in a velvet-lined carrying
case. The commander took it up from the table and thrust it into Dal's
hands. "It is yours, my friend. And for this, there will be no contract
whatever."

Dal stared down at the instruments. They were beautiful. He longed just
to touch them, to hold them in his hands, but he shook his head and set
the case back on the table. He looked up at Tiger and Jack. "You should
be warned that the prices on these goods are four times what they ought
to be, and the deferred-payment contracts he wants you to sign will
permit as much as 24 per cent interest on the unpaid balance, with no
closing-out clause. That means you would be paying many times the stated
price for the goods before the contract is closed. You can go ahead and
sign if you want but understand what you're signing."

The Garvian commander stared at him, and then shook his head, laughing.
"Of course your friend is not serious," he said. "These prices can be
compared on any planet and you will see their fairness. Here, read the
contracts, see what they say and decide for yourselves." He held out a
sheaf of papers.

"The contracts may sound well enough," Dal said, "but I'm telling you
what they actually say."

Jack looked stricken. "But surely just one or two things--"

Tiger shook his head. "Dal knows what he's talking about. I don't think
we'd better buy anything at all."

The Garvian commander turned to Dal angrily. "What are you telling them?
There is nothing false in these contracts!"

"I didn't say there was. I just can't see them taking a beating with
their eyes shut, that's all. Your contracts are legal enough, but the
prices and terms are piracy, and you know it."

The commander glared at him for a moment. Then he turned away
scornfully. "So what I have heard is true, after all," he said. "You
really have thrown in your lot with these pill-peddlers, these idiots
from Earth who can't even wipe their noses without losing in a trade."
He signaled the lifeboat pilot. "Take them back to their ship, we're
wasting our time. There are better things to do than to deal with
traitors."

The trip back to the _Lancet_ was made in silence. Dal could sense the
pilot's scorn as he dum