The Lani People | Page 7

deal of personal liberty," Alexander said.
"How can I protect myself?"
"I'll sign a contingency rider," Kennon said, "if you will specify precisely what security
matters I am not to reveal."
"I accept," Alexander said. "Consider yourself hired." He touched a button on his desk.

"Prepare a standard 2-A contract for Dr. Jac Kennon's signature. And attach two riders, a
full P-P-yes, no exceptions - and a security-leak contingency, Form 287-C. Yes - that's
right - that one. And strike out all provisions of Article Twelve which conflict with the
Peeper Laws. Yes. Now - and finish it as soon as you can." He touched another button.
"Well, that's that," he said. "I hope you'll enjoy being a member of our group."
"I think I shall," Kennon said. "You know, sir, I would have waived part of that last
demand if you had cared to argue."
"I know it," Alexander said. "But what concessions I could have wrung from you would
be relatively unimportant beside the fact that you would be unhappy about them later.
What little I could have won here, I'd lose elsewhere. And since I want you, I'd prefer to
have you satisfied."
"I see," Kennon said. Actually he didn't see at all. He looked curiously at the entrepreneur.
Alexander couldn't be as easy as he seemed. Objectivity and dispassionate weighing and
balancing were nice traits and very helpful ones, but in the bear pit of galactic business
they wouldn't keep their owner alive for five minutes. The interworld trade sharks would
have skinned him long ago and divided the stripped carcass of his company between
them.
But Outworld was a "respected" company. The exchange reports said so - which made
Alexander a different breed of cat entirely. Still, his surface was perfect - polished and
impenetrable as a duralloy turret on one of the latest Brotherhood battleships. Kennon
regretted he wasn't a sensitive. It would be nice to know what Alexander really was.
"Tell me, sir," Kennon asked. "What are the real reasons that make you think I'm the man
you want?"
"And you're the young man who's so insistent on a personal privacy rider," Alexander
chuckled. "However, there's no harm telling you. There are several reasons.
"You're from a culture whose name is a byword for moral integrity. That makes you a
good risk so far as your ethics are concerned. In addition you're the product of one of the
finest educational systems in the galaxy-and you have proven your intelligence to my
satisfaction. You also showed me that you weren't a spineless 'yes man.' And finally, you
have a spirit of adventure. Not one in a million of your people would do what you have
done. What more could an entrepreneur ask of a prospective employee?"
Kennon sighed and gave up. Alexander wasn't going to reveal a thing.
"All I hope," Alexander continued affably, "is that you'll find Outworld Enterprises as
attractive as did your predecessor Dr. Williamson. He was with us until he died last
month - better than a hundred years."
"Died rather young, didn't he?"
"Not exactly, he was nearly four hundred when he joined us. My grandfather was

essentially conservative. He liked older men, and Old Doc was one of his choices - a
good one, too. He was worth every credit we paid him."
"I'll try to do as well," Kennon said, "but I'd like to warn you that I have no intention of
staying as long as he did. I want to build a clinic and I figure sixty thousand is about
enough to get started."
"When will you veterinarians ever learn to be organization men?" Alexander asked.
"You're as independent as tomcats."
Kennon grinned. "It's a breed characteristic, I guess."
Alexander shrugged. "Perhaps you'll change your mind after you've worked for us."
"Possibly, but I doubt it."
"Tell me that five years from now," Alexander said - "Ah - here are the contracts." He
smiled at the trim secretary who entered the room carrying a stack of papers.
"The riders are as you asked, sir," the girl said.
"Good. Now, Doctor, if you please."
"You don't mind if I check them?" Kennon asked.
"Not at all. And when you're through, just leave them on the desk - except for your copy,
of course." Alexander scrawled his signature on the bottom of each contract. "Don't
disturb me. I'll be in contact with you. Leave your whereabouts with your hotel." He
turned to the papers in front of him, and then looked up for the last time. "Just one more
thing," he said. "You impress me as a cautious man. It would be just as well if you
carried your caution with you when you leave this room."
Kennon nodded, and Alexander turned back to his work.

CHAPTER III
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