DeVore looked at his superior expressionless for a heartbeat. He had been given peculiar orders before, and he'd always managed to work out the problems involved. But this was the ultimate. This one seemed to be just plain illegal. And there was no point in arguing further. There was just the barest chance that there might be some legitimate way out. If he challenged the Old Man on an illegal order, he just might get his ears pinned back. He'd simply have to go back to his office and try to hunt out a technicality. He nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll get on it immediately." He saluted and started to leave the office. But he didn't make it. "And, DeVore!" The Fiscal chief halted abruptly, and turned. "Sir?" "I'm getting tired of the negative thinking you people seem to have fallen into lately. I'm sick of going into every routine detail with you. When you got that letter, you should have immediately worked out a method of retaining the royalties. Then, you could have come in and presented it for my approval. That is the kind of work I want. And that's the kind of work I mean to get in the future. Do you understand?" Sternly, DeVore suppressed a sarcastic thought. He held his mind and face blank and nodded with a semblance of respect. "Yes, sir." "Very well." Morely waved a hand. "Now get something done." * * * * * As DeVore walked through the corridor, he thought over the situation. Of course, the easy way out would be to force Consolidated to continue the payments in addition to their license fees from Central. That could be done. There were all kinds of methods by which pressure could be brought to bear on any company by the district leader's office. And from Consolidated's point of view, double payments could offer a cheap means of keeping out of difficulties. They would be able to pass most of the cost to the consumer by a slight price increase, justified by a minor modification of the devices. But they wouldn't be happy about it, and there would come a day when an auditing team from Central would be checking in the district. And that would be the day of days! DeVore turned in at the door to his own office, crossed the room, and sat down at his desk. To be sure, he could request a share of the fees from Central, and they'd make an award. But they'd never award more than fifty per cent, and it'd be hard to get that much. That was no good. The Old Man would want the same payments he'd been getting.