e the water to handle five more major
industrial units. Their population census is also up again. This means
the units will have to be located somewhere else, possibly only until
the production schedule is completed; possibly on a permanent basis if
Venus Colony pans out. The trained manpower pool is in Southern Cal
Complex and it will have to be displaced to wherever the units are
located."

* * * * *

Wilson paused for a moment and looked around the room.

"I can see that you're way ahead of me. And you're right. We've been
asked to make a projection to determine if we can handle them in
Region Six, preferably in the Portland-Seattle Industrial Complex or
near thereto."

He indicated a stack of bound manuscripts on his desk. "These are
copies of the full prospectus of the proposed units; power output,
equipment, manpower, water absorption, water return, domestic and
municipal demands, et cetera, for the project.

"I want each of you to take a copy, study it in the light of your
specialty, and then submit your recommendations to your department and
section chiefs within the next ten days. The departmental and
sectional reports will be consolidated for my study and then we'll
make our report to Washington.

"But let me give you this parting thought to keep foremost in your
consideration. In all probability, whether we agree to it or not,
we're going to get stuck with the units. We have the most dependable
water recharge in the nation and we have the physical space for the
units. Dislocating and trying to relocate just the people involved in
this project is a monumental thing in itself and would be a virtual
impossibility east of the Mississippi. You can bet your last cent that
this was all taken into account before Washington ever politely
suggested that we review the situation and give our opinion.

"I don't think they give a damn about our opinions. They just want to
see how lavishly they can operate with what we offer. So bear that in
mind for my information. I need to know as close to the absolute last
drop of moisture where this is going to put us and where we have to
shut down and cut corners throughout the Region to accommodate the new
industry.

"Now we're not going to get this solved or anything else done by my
talking about it. Get out of here and back to work. You've got ten
days to come up with the answer and you can expect to be saddled with
the additional productio