t of the undercurrent in Kirk's
thoughts. Kirk had been carrying a regulation book, he remembered. He
contacted the Fixed Communications chief.

"_Don't_," he was told. "_I tried it. Know what happened?_"

"_Go ahead._"

"_He got the regional director on the communicator. I've been
transferred to Outpost. They seem to need a cable maintenance chief up
there. And I was lucky at that. I started to protest, and they nearly
had me for insubordination._" Abruptly, Kirk cut away.

* * * * *

DeVore stared unseeingly across the desk. He'd been at Outpost for a
short time once, on an inspection trip, and he still remembered the
place. At one time, it had been a well supplied, well organized post. At
that time, observational duty had been regarded more highly than now,
and the place had been desirable for any single officer, though the
married men had objected to being separated from their families by the
many miles of frozen waste. But that had changed.

Now, Outpost was the end of the line. The dilapidated surface quarters
offered poor protection from the fierce cold. Supply ships were rarely
scheduled to the place, and were often held up by storms when they were
scheduled. Half rations--even quarter rations--were commonplace. He
shook his head. Kirk was in real trouble, and there would be no point in
joining him. That would help neither of them.

This, he thought, was a situation. Then, he realized something else.
From Morely's point of view, it was a perfectly safe situation, with
nothing to lose. The district leader could easily disclaim any
responsibility for his Fiscal chief's actions in this matter. After all,
he hadn't given any detailed instructions. He had made no direct
suggestion of any illegal course. He'd merely consulted his Fiscal
expert on a technical matter, and if DeVore had seen fit to use an
illegal method of solving a problem, it was DeVore's responsibility
alone.

To be sure, Morely had been a little emphatic in his order, but that was
simply because he was well aware of his Fiscal chief's disinclination to
make exhaustive technical research.

DeVore pursed his lips and looked thoughtfully at the regulation book.
He might be able to use the same tactic Morely was following--if he were
so inclined. He could issue verbal instructions to the sector leader
concerned, and Bond might fail to see the trap. Then, he could report to
the leader that the matter was taken car