no accounting for tastes." Brainard chuckled.

"I thought that was the case, but I couldn't remember. My ancient
history is pretty weak."

"You should read more," Brainard said. "But as I see it--this girl is of
Betan ancestry providing your theory and the facts coincide."

"Which could also explain why an outworld species of agerone would be
toxic. They tried to prolong Lani life and met with failure. Our plants
are mutant forms."

"Just as we are a mutant race," Brainard said, "or partly mutant." He
sighed. "You have brought us a great deal of trouble, Kennon. You are
bringing matters to a head. If our investigations prove your statements,
we are morally bound to open the Lani question. And if those people are
of Betan origin--that fellow Alexander will have plenty to answer for."

"I don't believe it is really his fault," Kennon said slowly. "I don't
think he has ever known the truth."

"Why didn't you tell him?"

"The answer to that should be obvious. Even though I trusted him
completely, I could never be sure. He has a Free Trader background
and those people can't he trusted where money's concerned. The whole
Kardonian culture is an outgrowth of Free Traderism: small business,
independent corporation, linear trusts, and all the cutthroat
competition such a culture would naturally have. It's a regular jungle
of Free Enterprise. I couldn't predict how he would react. He could
either act in a moral manner and make restitution, or he could quietly
cut our throats and go on with his business."

"I see. The temptation to cut a throat might be overwhelming."

"They fight commercial wars," Kennon said.

"Disgusting--utterly uncivilized! Under the circumstances you had no
other course. Still, they have no moral right to enslave human beings."

"There is always the element of doubt. Maybe they didn't know. After
all, an impartial court declared the Lani alien--and the Betan mutation
isn't known throughout the Brotherhood."

"One doesn't go around broadcasting data on the variations of one's germ
plasm," Brainard said. "That's a private affair--a matter of personal
privacy."

"And public safety?"

Brainard nodded. "We're no more courageous than any other civilization.
We have no desire to borrow trouble. We are content to leave things
alone."

"That's the trouble," Kennon said. "We're all content to leave things
alone. If I hadn't found the spaceship I'd not have been able to lay
aside my moral conditionin