re's always
a chance of contamination. And that old cliche about an ounce of
prevention is truer of livestock raising than anything else I can think
of."

"I have some more good news for you," Blalok said. "That's why I came
over. We're going to have another species to treat and vaccinate."

Kennon groaned. "Now what?"

"Poultry." Blalok's voice was disgusted. "Personally I think it's a
mess, but Alexander thinks it's profitable. Someone's told him that
pound for pound chickens are the most efficient feed converters of all
the domestic animals. So we're getting a pilot plant: eggs, incubator,
and a knocked-down broiler battery so we can try the idea out.
The Boss-man is always hot on new ideas to increase efficiency and
production. The only trouble is that he fails to consider the work
involved in setting up another operation."

"You're so right. I'll have to brush up on pullorum, ornithosis,
coccidosis, leukosis, perosis, and Ochsner knows how many other-osises
and--itises. I was never too strong on fowl practice in school, and I'd
be happier if I never had anything to do with them."

"So would I," Blalok agreed. "I can't see anything in this but trouble."

Kennon nodded.

"And he's forgotten something else," Blalok added. "Poultry need
concentrated feed. We're going to have to install a feed mill."

Kennon chuckled. "I hope he'll appreciate the bill he gets."

"He thinks we can use local labor," Blalok said gloomily. "I wish he'd
realize that Lani are technological morons."

"They could learn."

"I suppose so--but it isn't easy. And besides, Allworth is the only man
with feed-mill experience, and he's up to his ears with Hillside Station
since that expansion order came in."

"I never did get the reason for that. After we complained about the
slavery implications and got the Boss-man's okay to hold the line, why
do we need more Lani?"

"Didn't you know? His sister's finally decided to try marriage. Found
herself some overmuscled Halsite who looked good to her--but she
couldn't crack his moral barrier." Blalok grinned. "I thought you'd be
the first to know. Wasn't she interested in you?"

Kennon chuckled. "You could call it that. Interested--like the way a
dog's interested in a beefsteak. It's a good thing we had that fluke
problem or I'd have been chewed up and digested long ago. That woman
frightens me."

"I could be scared by uglier things," Blalok said. "With the Boss-man's
sister on my side I wo