product known as the "Consolidated Mental Communicator" is being
manufactured in District Twelve, Region Nine, and offered for sale
as a luxury item.

2. The characteristics of this device have been investigated by the
Technical Division, Central Coordination Agency, and it has been
found that the device does in fact permit communication between
persons by telepathic or some similar means.

3. This device is presently being offered for sale in retail luxury
stores throughout the nation. The volume of sales and of potential
sales warrants distribution of the manufacturing load to
manufacturers other than the Consolidated Electronics Company, who,
it is understood, presently hold an exclusive manufacturing
agreement with the office of the District Leader, District Twelve,
Region Nine. This arrangement is inconsistent with the sales and use
potential of the device in question.

4. The agreement between District Twelve, Region Nine, and the
Consolidated Electronics Company will be forwarded immediately to
this headquarters for consideration. It is contemplated that this
agreement will be terminated and replaced by a manufacturing license
from the Products Division, Central Coordinating Agency, who will
further license other manufacturers to produce this device.

By Command of Chief Coordinator Gorman

KELLER
Comptroller
MRK/pem

The Fiscal chief shook his head. This one spelled trouble--in capitals.
The royalty payments from Consolidated had become one of the major
sources of income for the district. And Morely had ordered project after
project, using those funds to pay for them. Some of the projects were
still outstanding. The Old Man would blow his top.

He looked again at the small scrap of paper which was clipped to the
letter. On it was scrawled: "DeVore--See me--HRM."

For a moment, DeVore considered using his own mentacom, then he
discarded the idea. To be sure, the leader had insisted that his
subordinates use the devices for their own communications, and he'd cut
Fixed Communications to the bone. But he still insisted on either
communicator calls or personal contact when he wished to talk to any of
his people. And he discouraged any but essential use of the communicator
system, generally demanding that people come in to see him.

DeVo