Don said bitterly.

"Well, it goes both ways. Government today is also bound, very strongly,
and even in great emergency, not to interfere in business. These
complicated laws balance each other, you might say. Our whole legal
system is based upon them. Right now, we've got government right where
we want it. This is free enterprise, Mathers, at its pinnacle. Did you
ever hear of Jim Fisk and his attempt to corner gold in 1869, the
so-called Black Friday affair? Well, Jim Fisk was a peanut peddler
compared to us."

"What's this got to do with the Fleet having insufficient fuel to ..."
Don Mathers stopped as comprehension hit him. "You're holding our
radioactives off the market, pressuring the government for a price rise
which it can't afford."

Demming opened his eyes and said fatly, "For triple the price, Mathers.
Before we're through, we'll corner half the wealth of the system."

Don said, "But ... but the species is ... at ... _war_."

Rostoff sneered, "You seem to be getting noble rather late in the game,
Mathers. Business is business."

Don Mathers was shaking his head. "We immediately begin selling our
radioactives at cost of production. I might remind you gentlemen that
although we're supposedly a three-way partnership, actually,
everything's in my name. You thought you had me under your thumb so
securely that it was safe--and you probably didn't trust each other.
Well, I'm blowing the whistle."

* * * * *

Surprisingly fast for such a fat man, Lawrence Demming's hand flitted
into a desk drawer to emerge with a twin of the scrambler tucked in
Don's belt.

Don Mathers grinned at him, even as he pushed his jacket back to reveal
the butt of his own weapon. He made no attempt to draw it, however.

He said softly, "Shoot me, Demming, and you've killed the most popular
man in the Solar System. You'd never escape the gas chamber, no matter
how much money you have. On the other hand, if I shoot you ..."

He put a hand into his pocket and it emerged with a small, inordinately
ordinary bit of ribbon and metal. He displayed it on his palm.

The fat man's face whitened at the ramifications and his hand relaxed to
let the gun drop to the desk. "Listen, Don," he broke out. "We've been
unrealistic with you. We'll reverse ourselves and split, honestly--split
three ways."

Don Mathers laughed at him. "Trying to bribe me with money, Demming? Why
don't you realize, that I'm the only man