The Kallerian, Heraal, is one of our top attractions now. Every day at two in the afternoon, he commits ritual suicide, and soon afterward rises from death to the accompaniment of a trumpet fanfare. The four other Kallerians we had before are wildly jealous of the crowds he draws, but they're just not trained to do his act. But the unquestioned number one attraction here is confidence man Mike Higgins. He's billed as the only absolutely human life-form from an extraterrestrial planet, and though we've had our share of debunking, it has only increased business. Funny that the biggest draw at a zoo like ours should be a home-grown Earthman, but that's show business. * * * * * A couple of weeks after we got back, Mike added a new wrinkle to the act. He turned up with a blonde showgirl named Marie, and now we have a Woman from Wazzenazz too. It's more fun for Mike that way. And downright clever. He's too clever, in fact. Like I said, I appreciate a good confidence man, the way some people appreciate fine wine. But I wish I had left Ildwar Gorb back on Ghryne, instead of signing him up with us. Yesterday he stopped by at my office after we had closed down for the day. He was wearing that pleasant smile he always wears when he's up to something. He accepted a drink, as usual, and then he said, "Jim, I was talking to Lawrence R. Fitzgerald yesterday." "The little Regulan? The green basketball?" "That's the one. He tells me he's only getting $50 a week. And a lot of the other boys here are drawing pretty low pay too." My stomach gave a warning twinge. "Mike, if you're looking for a raise, I've told you time and again you're worth it to me. How about twenty a week?" He held up one hand. "I'm not angling for a raise for _me_, Jim." "What then?" He smiled beatifically. "The boys and I held a little meeting yesterday evening, and we--ah--formed a union, with me as leader. I'd like to discuss the idea of a general wage increase for every one of the exhibits here." "Higgins, you blackmailer, how can I afford--" "Easy," he said. "You'd hate to lose a few weeks' gross, wouldn't you?" "You mean you'd call a strike?" He shrugged. "If you leave me no choice, how else can I protect my members' interests?" After about half an hour of haggling, he sweated me into an across-the-board increase for the entire mob, with a distinct hint of further raises to come. But he also casually let me know the price he's asking to call off the hounds. He wants a partnership in the Institute; a share in the receipts. If he gets that, it makes him a member of management, and he'll have to quit as union leader. That way I won't have him to contend with as a negotiator. But I _will_ have him firmly embedded in the organization, and once he gets his foot in the door, he won't be satisfied until he's on top--which means when I'm out. * * * * *