ght up," he said, marveling at the calmness in his voice.

Kennon couldn't help comparing this meeting with the one a year ago.
The location was different--the conference room in Alexandria was more
formal than Blalok's parlor but the same people were present: Alexander,
Blalok, Jordan, and himself. Somehow Alexander seemed to have shrunk. He
was no longer as impressive as he had been. But the man still radiated
force, even though it didn't seem quite so overpowering. The year,
Kennon thought, had done much to build his self-confidence. He felt
assured rather than nervous.

"Good to see you, Kennon," Alexander said. "Reports say you're doing a
good job."

"I can't claim the credit," Kennon said. "Eighty-five per cent of our
success is due to co-operation from the operating staff. And that's
Blalok's doing--he knocked the heads of the division managers together
and they took care of their staffs. Otherwise we could have had a bad
time."

"But you didn't," Alexander said. "And you were the motive force."

"I've darn near motivated myself out of a job," Kennon said. "They
co-operate all too well nowadays."

"Which goes to prove that my theories on preventive medicine are right,"
Alexander said, turning to Blalok.

"It looks that way," Blalok admitted, "but that could be because you
picked a good man."

"He's good in more ways than one," Alexander said. "Or did he tell you
he saved Douglas's life out on Otpen One?"

"He's never said a word."

Alexander smiled. "Another point in his favor. He knows how to keep his
mouth shut."

"Not when he's telling someone what to do about disease," Jordon
interjected.

"Or telling someone off when they haven't followed directions,'' Blaiok
added.

"Better and better. I was sure that he was the one we needed when we
first met."

Kennon felt his ears turn flaming red.

"But that's not the reason I brought you here. This isn't a Jac Kennon
admiration society. I called you because I want to expand the Lani
breeding program."

"Why?" Jordan asked.

Blalok stiffened. "You know my feeling about that, sir. I've never liked
the idea of selling them. If that's what's in your mind--"

Alexander shook his head. "Simmer down," he said, as he seated himself
at the head of the table. "There's going to be no selling. The Lani are
too valuable for that. We'll need them more than the money they'd bring
on the market. You see--I've acquired a planet out on the periphery. A
place ca