acceptable deviations
with which I must concern myself." He smiled faintly.

"Your handling of this young man just now would indicate a quite
complete lack of understanding of the specialty I have prepared myself
for. And even if there were no other reasons, it would serve to point
up the reason for our difference in relative rank. You must admit you
got something less than desirable results." He cleared his throat and
looked disapprovingly at Masterson.

"Of course, you are familiar with stories of mental influence. And I
have no doubt that you have had some experience with this type of
thing, even though it is not in your direct line of work."

Masterson shook his head. "Sorry," he admitted. "This is the first time
anyone's ever pulled anything like that on me."

Rayson inclined his head slowly. "So," he said softly. "Your lack of
caution and discretion is more understandable, then. You have been
quite fortunate, I should say. Of course, extreme individualism is far
from common now, and persons who combine extreme individualism with
high empathic power are rare, but they do appear. And they are
dangerous in the highest degree." He spread his hands.

"A fully developed person of this type could do almost as he pleased
and there would be no one who would be able to deny him or even check
his course. You can see what I mean, surely?"

* * * * *

Masterson stared contemplatively into space. "Yes," he said. "Yes, I
think I get the idea. A person like that could demand almost anything
from almost anyone--and get it. But how would you go about it to
restrain one of those people?"

"It can lead to difficulties." Rayson smiled reminiscently. "I can
remember cases where----" He frowned.

"But no matter. We seldom allow them to reach high development. Very
often, they betray themselves in little ways and we discover them quite
early. We are then able to take care of them before they can do serious
harm. Some, even, we are able to ... ah ... reorient, so that they
become normal, useful subjects of the realm. But sometimes ... well, we
have to call upon the Guard and get heavy weapons. Complete elimination
becomes necessary." He frowned.

"And sometimes, like our young friend, they gain considerable power
which they manage to conceal, and only betray themselves when under
stress. Then, they become dangerous in the extreme. And there is no
really legal way in which they can be ha