were no such on Megas. So Section G suspects it's a
possible Tommy Paine case. We could be wrong, of course. That's why I say
the man's in the way of being a legend. Perhaps the others are right and
he doesn't even exist. I think he does, and if so, it's our job to get him
and put him out of circulation."

Ronny said slowly, "But why would that come under our jurisdiction? It
seems to me that it would be up to the police of whatever planet he was
on."

Ross Metaxa looked thoughtfully at his brown bottle, shook his head and
returned it to its drawer. He looked at a desk watch. "Don't read into the
United Planets organization more than there is. It's a fragile institution
with practically no independent powers to wield. Every member planet is
jealous of its prerogatives, which is understandable. It's no mistake that
Articles One and Two are the basic foundation of the Charter. No member
planet wants to be interfered with by any other or by United Planets as an
organization. They want to be left alone.

"Within our ranks we have planets with every religion known to man
throughout the ages. Everything ranging from primitive animism to the most
advanced philosophic ethic. We have every political system ever dreamed
of, and every socio-economic system. It can all be blamed on the crack-pot
manner in which we're colonizing. Any minority, no matter how
small--religious, political, racial, or whatever--if it can collect the
funds to buy or rent a spacecraft, can dash off on its own, find a new
Earth-type planet and set up in business.

"Fine. One of the prime jobs of Section G is to carry out, to enforce,
Articles One and Two of the Charter. A planet with Buddhism as its state
religion, doesn't want some die-hard Baptist missionary stirring up
controversy. A planet with a feudalistic socio-economic systems doesn't
want some hot-shot interplanetary businessman coming in with some big deal
that would eventually cause the feudalistic nobility to be tossed onto the
ash heap. A planet with a dictatorship doesn't want subversives from some
democracy trying to undermine their institutions--and vice versa."

"And its our job to enforce all this, eh?" Ronny said.

"That's right," Metaxa told him sourly. "It's not always the nicest job in
the system. However, if you believe in United Planets, an organization
attempting to co-ordinate in such manner as it can, the efforts of its
member planets, for the betterment of all, then you must