Demming grunted. "And suppose there were a few, ah, crossed wires in the
manipulation of the corporation's business?" He sighed deeply. "Believe
me, Lieutenant Mathers, there are an incredible number of laws which
have accumulated down through the centuries to hamper the business man.
It is a continual fight to be able to carry on at all. The ability to do
no legal wrong would be priceless in the development of a new frontier."
He sighed again, so deeply as to make his bulk quiver. "Priceless."

Rostoff laid it on the line, his face a leer. "We are offering you a
three-way partnership, Mathers. You, with your Medal of Honor, are our
front man. Mr. Demming supplies the initial capital to get underway. And
I ..." He twisted his mouth with evil self-satisfaction. "I was present
when the Kraden ship was discovered, so I'll have to be cut in. I'll
supply the brains."

Demming grunted his disgust, but added nothing.

Don Mathers said slowly, looking down at the empty glass he was twirling
in his fingers, "Look, we're up to our necks in a war to the death with
the Kradens. In the long run it's either us or them. At a time like
this you're suggesting that we fake an action that will eventually
enable us to milk the new satellites to the tune of billions."

Demming grunted meaninglessly.

Don said, "The theory is that all men, all of us, ought to have our
shoulders to the wheel. This project sounds to me like throwing rocks
under it."

Demming closed his eyes.

Rostoff said, "Lieutenant, it's a dog-eat-dog society. If we eventually
lick the Kradens, one of the very reasons will be because we're a
dog-eat-dog society. Every man for himself and the devil take the
hindmost. Our apologists dream up some beautiful gobbledygook phrases
for it, such as free enterprise, but actually it's dog-eat-dog.
Surprisingly enough, it works, or at least has so far. Right now, the
human race needs the radioactives of the Jupiter satellites. In
acquiring them, somebody is going to make a tremendous amount of money.
Why shouldn't it be us?"

"Why not, if you--or we--can do it honestly?"

Demming's grunt was nearer a snort this time.

Rostoff said sourly, "Don't be naive, Lieutenant. Whoever does it, is
going to need little integrity. You don't win in a sharper's card game
by playing your cards honestly. The biggest sharper wins. We've just
found a joker somebody dropped on the floor; if we don't use it, we're
suckers."

Demming opened