s, and I mean to find out which ones and how
much. And it's certainly an unusual situation. The man's a leadman, you
know, and could spend his time more profitably in checking on the people
he's responsible for." He slid into the seat.

"I'll concede," he continued, "that employees are to be allowed a
certain amount of recreation of their own choosing. They may have light
reading in their quarters, and they may even work on small
projects--with permission, of course. But this man seems to have gone
much farther than that. He has a small electronics factory of his own,
as well as a rather extensive library. He's obviously spending a lot of
time at his activities, and that time must come out of his community
performance. This certainly is not routine, and I can't condone your
failure to make a report on it."

"But, I--"

Morely held up a hand sternly. "Let's not have a string of excuses," he
said. "Give me a full report on the man's possessions, his history, and
the progress of whatever work he's doing in that private factory of his.
Get the details on his previous designs, too. And bring your report in
to me in the morning, personally. I shall want to determine whether to
make this new device a community project, or whether to allow it to be
offered to his employer on a community royalty agreement. And I shall
require details on his older designs for Fiscal to examine into.
Research, you should know, is a community function, not something to be
done in any set of quarters. I shall want to talk to you further when
I've gone over this matter.

"Now, get me back to the district offices. I want to get home, and
you've work to do tonight."

* * * * *

The report was a long one. Morely smiled to himself as he thought of the
time it must have taken Bond to assemble the data and to make up his
final draft. Possibly in the future, that young man would be a little
less inclined to assume too much authority, or to be too soft in his
dealings with the employee classes. The spring in his swivel chair
twanged musically as the district leader leaned back to read.

First, there was an inventory of Graham's effects. It was a lengthy
list, followed by a certification by a security inspector that all of
the equipment inventoried was covered by authorizations and receipts
held by Graham, and that none of the books and equipment were of
improper nature for possession by a member of the employee classes.