s committee, as usual, got the information it wanted.

_Senator Humper:_ Now, young man, you claim that your base is on one of
three inhabited planets of Aldebaran. You also claim that in the known
universe there are twelve hundred or more inhabited worlds, all welded
together in a kind of super United Nations. Did you or did you not
state as much?

_Keeter:_ Uh-huh.

_Humper:_ Well, now it appears that we're getting some place. Tell us,
how does each planet manage to qualify for--er--membership in this
organization?

_Keeter:_ Why, they have to pass the test, of course.

_Humper:_ Test? What test?

_Keeter:_ The Brxll-Hawkre-Gaal test. We administer it to anybody who
seems to be qualified.

_Humper:_ Er--tell us, young man, just exactly what sort of test is
this? An intelligence test?

_Keeter:_ Yes, you might call it that, although it has a number of
sections. Actually, Gaal has divided it into three parts.

_Humper:_ I see. Well, what kind of parts?

_Keeter:_ Well, let's see. First there's the fuel test.

_Humper:_ Fuel test?

_Keeter:_ Let me explain, all very simple really. Let's take the case
of a planet that seems to be qualified for Federation membership in
every respect but one. They don't have interstellar flight. Now--since
membership imposes duties requiring commercial, diplomatic and
scientific intercourse between member worlds, the applicant must be
able, within a comparatively short time, to engineer its own
transportation. Follow me?

_Humper:_ Yes. Yes, go on.

_Keeter:_ Well, since the biggest technological stumbling block for
most planets in such a situation is the development of the necessary
fuel, we'll help them along. In other words, we give them the fuel
test; we supply a sample quantity of Z-67As--our standard thermonuclear
power source. If the applicant, working with the sample, is able to
reproduce the fuel in quantity, then that's it. They've passed that
portion of the test, and at the same time have developed the means for
interstellar flight. Follow me?

_Humper:_ Yes, of course. Now how about the second part of the test?

_Keeter:_ Oh, yes, that's the weapons section.

_Humper:_ I'm sorry, I'm afraid I didn't hear you. I thought you said
weapons.

_Keeter:_ I did. You see, it's a matter of self defense. There are a
number of primitive worlds that _have_ developed interstellar flight,
but have not achieved the cultural and social levels that would qualify
them fo