it looked.

Five hours to devise one more completely foolproof method of bringing
about the eventual ruin of the association. That made no more
practical sense than anything else he was doing--and couldn't, until
he knew a great deal more about McAllen's friends than he did now.

But it was considerably more absorbing, say, than even chess.

Brother Chard could beat boredom. He could probably beat another three
years of boredom.

He hadn't forgiven anyone for making him do it.

THE END OF YEAR FIVE

For some hours, the association's Altiplano station had been dark and
almost deserted. Only the IMT transit lock beneath one of the
sprawling ranch houses showed in the vague light spreading out of the
big scanning plate in an upper wall section. The plate framed an
unimpressive section of the galaxy, a blurred scattering of stars
condensing toward the right, and, somewhat left of center, a large
misty red globe.

[Illustration: Gone Fishing]

John Emanuel Fredericks, seated by himself in one of the two Tube
operator chairs, ignored the plate. He was stooped slightly forwards,
peering absorbedly through the eyepieces of the operator scanner
before him.

Melvin Simms, Psychologist, strolled in presently through the transit
lock's door, stopped behind Fredericks, remarked mildly, "Good
evening, doctor."

Fredericks started and looked around. "Never heard you arrive, Mel.
Where's Ollie?"

"He and Spalding dropped in at Spalding's place in Vermont. They
should be along in a few minutes."

"Spalding?" Fredericks repeated inquiringly. "Our revered president
intends to observe the results of Ollie's experiment in person?"

"He'll represent the board here," Simms said. "Whereas I, as you may
have guessed, represent the outraged psychology department." He nodded
at the plate. "That the place?"

"That's it. ET Base Eighteen."

"Not very sharp in the Tube, is it?"

"No. Still plenty of interfering radiation. But it's thinned out
enough for contact. Reading 0.19, as of thirty minutes ago."
Fredericks indicated the chair beside him. "Sit down if you want a
better look."

"Thanks." The psychologist settled himself in the chair, leaned
forward and peered into the scanner. After a few seconds he remarked,
"Not the most hospitable-looking place--"

Fredericks grunted. "Any of the ecologists will tell you Eighteen's an
unspoiled beauty. No problems there--except the ones we bring along
ourselves."

Simms g