er studies. We bring them into State schools where
they get as much education as they can assimilate--more than is
available in commune schools. These are the Texcocans we are training in
the sciences."

"The march to the anthill," Amschel Mayer muttered.

Chessman eyed him scornfully. "You amuse me, old man. You with your talk
of building an economy with a system of free competition. Our Texcocans
are sacrificing today but their children will live in abundance. Even
today, no one starves, no one goes without shelter nor medical care."
Chessman twisted his mouth wryly. "We have found that hungry, cold or
sick people cannot work efficiently."

He stared challengingly at the Genoese leader. "Can you honestly say
that there are no starving people in Genoa? No inadequately housed, no
sick without hope of adequate medicine? Do you have economic setbacks in
which poorly planned production goes amuck and depressions follow with
mass unemployment?"

"Nevertheless," Mayer said with unwonted calm, "our society is still far
ahead of yours. A mere handful of your bureaucracy and military chiefs
enjoy the good things of life. There are tens of thousands on Genoa who
have them. Free competition has its weaknesses, perhaps, but it provides
a greater good for a greater number of persons."

Joe Chessman came to his feet. "We'll see," he said stolidly. "In ten
years, Mayer, we'll consider the position of both planets once again."

"Ten years it is," Mayer snapped back at him.

Jerry Kennedy saluted with his glass. "Cheers," he said.

* * * * *

On the return to Genoa Amschel Mayer said to Kennedy, "Are you sober
enough to assimilate something serious?"

"Sure, chief, of course."

"Hm-m-m. Well then, begin taking the steps necessary for us to place a
few men on Texcoco in the way of, ah, intelligence agents."

"You mean some of our team?" Kennedy said, startled.

"No, of course not. We can't spare them, and, besides, there'd be too
big a chance of recognition and exposure. Some of our more trusted
Genoese. Make the monetary reward enough to attract their services." He
looked at his lieutenants significantly. "I think you'll agree that it
might not be a bad idea to keep our eyes on the developments on
Texcoco."

* * * * *

On the way back to Texcoco, Barry Watson said to his chief, "What do you
think of putting some security men on Genoa, just to keep tabs?"