tuff like that. With technology
roughly equivalent to seventeenth century. But now--see there, see
that building over there?"

Travis followed his pointing finger through the trees. A large white
building of blinding marble was coming slowly into view. Travis' eyes
widened.

"You see? Just like the blinkin' Parthenon, or Acropolis, whichever it
is. All columns and frescoes. In the middle of a town looks just like
London. Makes no sense, but there it is. And that's not all. Their
government is Grecian too, complete with Senate and Citizens. No
slaves though. Well not exactly. You couldn't call them slaves. Or
could you? Heck of a question, that--" He paused to brood. Travis
nudged him.

"Yes. Well, all that is minor, next to the big thing. This is one of
two major countries on the planet. There's a few hill tribes but these
make up about 90 percent of the population, so you have to deal with
these. They never go to war, well maybe once in a while, but not very
often. So no trouble there. The big trouble is one you'd never guess,
not in a million years."

He stared at Travis unhappily.

"The whole planet's run on astrology."

He waited for a reaction. Travis said nothing.

"It ain't funny," Horton said. "When I say run on astrology I mean
really run. Wait'll you hear."

"I'm not laughing," Travis said. "But is that all? In this business
you learn to respect the native customs, so if all we have to do--"

"I ain't finished yet," Horton said ominously, "you don't get the
point. _Everything_ these people do is based on astrology. And that
means business too, lad, business too. Every event that happens on
this cockeyed world, from a picnic to a wedding to a company merger or
a war, it's all based on astrology. They have it down so exact they
even tell you when to sneeze. You ought to see the daily paper. Half
of it's solid astrological guidance. All the Senators not only have
astrologers, they _are_ astrologers. And get this: every man and woman
and child alive on this planet was catalogued the day he was born. His
horoscope was drawn up by the public astrologer--a highly honored
office--and his future laid out according to what the horoscope said.
If his horoscope indicates a man of stature and responsibility, he
_becomes_, by God, a man of stature and responsibility. You have to
see it to believe it. Kids with good horoscopes are sent to the best
schools, people fight to give them jobs. Well, take the courts, fo