yet you insist on
looking for unprepared amateurs. It makes no sense whatever, and only
because you have been given complete charge of the personnel program
have you been able to force your views on the Commission. But no one
understands you. In view of your continued failure, the Commission is
going to be forced to make its own choice."

"My resignation may be had at any time," said Ashby.

"No, no, Dr. Ashby." Merton held up his hand. "The General is perhaps
too impulsive in his disappointment that you have failed us so far, but
we do not ask for your resignation. We do ask if there is not some way
in which you might see fit to use the General's men in manning the
base."

"The whole answer lies in the erroneous term you persist in applying to
this project," said Ashby. "It is not a base, and never will be. We
propose to set up a colony. It makes an enormous difference with respect
to the kind of men required. We've been over this before--"

"But not enough," snapped Winthrop. "We'll continue to go over it until
you understand you can't waste those ships on a bunch of half-baked
idealists inspired by some noble nonsense about carrying on the torch of
human civilization beyond the stars. We're putting up a base, to gather
scientific data and establish rights of occupancy."

"I don't think I agree with your description of my proposed party of
colonists," said Ashby mildly.

"That's what they'll be! Were colonists ever anything but psalm singing
rebels or cutthroats trying to escape hanging? You're not going to
establish a cultural and scientific base with such people."

"No, you're quite right. That's not the kind."

"What is it you're looking for?" said Merton irritably. "What kind of
men do you want, if you can't find them among the best and the worst
humanity offers."

"Your terms are hardly accurate," said Ashby. "You fail to recognize the
fact that we have never known what kind of man it takes to colonize. You
ignore the fact that we have never yet successfully colonized the
planets of our own Solar System. Bases, yes--but all our colonies have
failed to date."

"What better evidence could you ask for in support of my argument?"
demanded Winthrop. "We've _proved_ bases are practical, and that
colonies are not."

"No matter how far away or how long the periods of rotation, a man
assigned to a base expects to return home. Night or day, in the
performance of any duty, there is in his mind as a working bac