How do they break down? Are they mostly farmers or technicians?"

"There were only nine technicians left, and all of them quit with this
bunch. The rest were farmers." Dave Newson must be smoking his pipe, Rod
decided--grinding sounds were coming over the phone. "That doesn't leave
very much on Venus to start a colony with--a few farmers, some trappers.
And the scientific personnel--damn it, they seem to stick it out all
right--"

"Their contracts are different," Rod reminded him. "They go on a two
year hitch and then come back to Earth if they want to. The ones who are
there are the ones who can take it and are signed up again."

* * * * *

There was a speculative pause on the other end of the line. "Say, Rod,"
Newson said slowly. "Why not leave this last batch of quitters right
where they are? Every one of them. They signed up for the project with
their eyes open. Why don't you just refuse to bring them home? ...
they'd have to make a go of the colony to save their filthy necks!"

Rod grinned nastily. "I'd like to do it--but even General Carlson
wouldn't dare. We'd never get another colonist off Earth, once it got
out. They wouldn't trust us. Our first problem is to get a
self-supporting society on Venus--and that might do it, all right. But
our main job is to relieve the crowding on Earth, and that means large
numbers of people will have to go willingly later on. If we get tough
with these babies, who will take a chance later on that we won't repeat
the trick?"

"But we lose a hundred potential colonists every time one of these
quitters starts talking about why he left! More harm is done by letting
them come back than would result from leaving them where they are."
Again the speculative pause. "Maybe you could shoot them on arrival?"

"I'll suggest it to the general when I see him," Rod said, "if he
doesn't shoot me first. Now, can you get me the files on this latest
group? And I'd like to see the staff psychologist here, along with all
the interviewers who handled and passed the group. We'll see what we can
salvage out of this. And if you see Jaimie, send him along too, will
you? Maybe our gambling historian can find us something useful in the
Project Record."

"The files are already on the way. And I told Biddington you'd probably
want to see him--he said he'd be along in about ten minutes. I haven't
located all the interviewers yet. Jaimie's been right here, trying to
talk