Hawtree was alone in the living room. He glanced at Durham as he came in through the long glass doors. There was a servall standing in the corner, and Hawtree said to it, "A drink for the gentleman, straight and stiff." A small anger stirred in Durham. Hawtree might at least have given him the choice. He said sharply, "No thanks." Hawtree said, "Don't be a fool." He looked tired, but then he always had. Tired and keyed up, full of the drive and the brittle excitement of one who has juggled peoples and nations, expressed as black marks on sheets of varicolored paper, for so long that it has become a habit as necessary and destructive as hashish. To Paulsen he said, "I'll ring when I need you." Paulsen went out. The servall placed the drink in Durham's hand. He did not refuse it. "Sit down," said Hawtree, and Durham sat. Hawtree dismissed the servall. Durham drank part of his drink and felt better. "Well," he said. "I'm listening." "You were a great disappointment to me, Durham." "What am I supposed to say to that?" "Nothing. Go ahead, finish your drink, I want to talk to a man, not a zombie." Durham finished it angrily. "If you brought me all the way here to shake your finger at me, I'm going home again." That was what he said aloud. Inside, he wanted to get down and embrace Hawtree's knees and beg him for another chance. "I brought you here," said Hawtree, "to offer you a job. If you do it, it might mean that certain doors could be opened for you again." Durham sat perfectly still. For a moment he did not trust himself to speak. Then he said, "I'll take it." Certain doors. That's what I've waited for, living like a bum, dodging creditors, hocking my shoes, waiting for those doors to open again. * * * * * He tried not to show how he felt, sitting stiffly at ease in the chair, but a red flush began to burn in his cheeks and his hands moved. About time. About time, damn you, Hawtree, that you remembered me. Damn you, oh damn you for making me sweat so long! Hawtree said, "Did you ever hear of Nanta Dik?" "No. What is it?" "A planet. It belongs to a green star system, chart designation KL421, Sub-sector 9G, Sector 80, Quadrant 7. It's a very isolated system, the only inhabited one in 9G, as a matter of fact. 9G is a Terran quota sector, and since Nanta Dik is humanoid, it's become headquarters for our nationals who are engaged in business in that sub-sector."