"Yes--and no," replied Gerd. "He will not willingly pass on his illegal knowledge. Terra would skin him alive if they knew that he was extracting their resources by foul means. Wanniston, on the other hand, knows that he could drag the temple down over all of Terra by merely announcing the machine." "But isn't sterility enough of a deterrent?" asked Gaya. "I don't know. Look, Gaya. Those who cared nothing for the future would indulge in mental energizing. They would outstrip those who cared for the future; those with the proper attitude would become slaves, practically. Within a century, every worthwhile thing would be in the hands of those who cared nothing for progeny." "There is a saving factor," objected Gaya. "The new ones would come from the ranks of those who cared--" "Of course," laughed Gerd. "But the optimistic philosophy of the Terran would die. One could take his choice. Either he has children or he fits in with those who have forsaken the future." Gerd dropped his glance and worried visibly for a moment. "It is a gloomy philosophy, Gaya. Slavery or sterility. No future either way. Depressive philosophy--which would lead to planetary suicide." "Couldn't one have children first and try the machine afterwards?" asked Gaya brightly. "Uh-huh--but why? Those who wait will be behind those who did not. Of course there will be a place for all, just as there is now. I fear that the race would die out anyway, Gaya. The machine can not be circumvented; its effects may not be counteracted once it is used. Schoolboys and schoolgirls would try it once, throwing away their futures with the youthful willingness to take chances. They would stand above the others in their classes--until their fellows tried it. Forbid it? Like sin, Gaya, you can legislate against it but you can not make it unpopular. Ban it and you will have its effects smuggled in to the youth of Terra--who will try it if only because their folks forbid it. They will see the effects. They will see their parents in slavery.... Slavery, Gaya, entered into willingly--for the children themselves!" He faced Gaya with a powerful gesture. "The children will see it. They will decide that slavery is no compensation for parenthood. Why waste time? Why sit in slavery for years while you indulge in the duty of bearing children, and then go to take up the job of making a financial start? No, once this is released, Terra may die." "Destroy him--and his machine." Gerd shook his head. "That I can no longer do," he said sadly. "He is our equal now. Tomorrow he will be our superiors, by a minute bit. Yet today he is powerful enough of mind to tell by my actions that I intend to destroy him. I can not--for once I try, I will lose, the Galactic Ones will lose, and Terra will lose. I can call for no help from Terra. I can ask the field representative when he arrives. I might even call for help--" "It would be justified," said Gaya, earnestly. "I have done nothing yet. I should try--"