Walton took a deep breath. "Are you aware, Dr. Lamarre, that for the benefit of humanity I really should have you shot at once?" "_What?_" Walton nearly burst out laughing; the man looked outrageously funny with that look of shocked incomprehension on his face. "Do you understand what immortality would do to Earth?" he asked. "With no other planet of the solar system habitable by man, and none of the stars within reach? Within a generation we'd be living ten to the square inch. We'd--" "Director FitzMaugham was aware of these things," Lamarre interrupted sharply. "He had no intention of administering my discovery wholesale to the populace. What's more, he was fully confident that a faster-than-light space drive would soon let us reach the planets, and that the terraforming engineers would succeed with their work on Venus." "Those two factors are still unknowns in the equation," Walton said. "Neither has succeeded, as of now. And we can't possibly let word of your discovery get out until there are avenues to handle the overflow of population already on hand." "So you propose--" "To confiscate the notes you have with you, and to insist that you remain silent about this serum of yours until I give you permission to announce it." "And if I refuse?" Walton spread his hands. "Dr. Lamarre, I'm a reasonable man trying to do a very hard job. You're a scientist--and a sane one, I hope. I'd appreciate your cooperation. Bear with me a few weeks, and then perhaps the situation will change." Awkward silence followed. Finally Lamarre said, "Very well. If you'll return my notes, I promise to keep silent until you give me permission to speak." "That won't be enough. I'll need to keep the notes." Lamarre sighed. "If you insist," he said. * * * * * When he was again alone, Walton stored the thick portfolio in a file drawer and stared at it quizzically. _FitzMaugham_, he thought, _you were incredible!_ Lamarre's immortality serum, or whatever it was, was deadly. Whether it actually worked or not was irrelevant. If word ever escaped that an immortality drug existed, there would be rioting and death on a vast scale. FitzMaugham had certainly seen that, and yet he had sublimely underwritten development of the serum, knowing that if terraforming and the ultradrive project should fail, Lamarre's project represented a major threat to civilization. Well, Lamarre had knuckled under to Walton willingly enough. The problem now was to contact Lang on Venus and find out what was happening up there.... "Mr. Walton," said the annunciator. "There's a coded message arriving for Director FitzMaugham." "Where from?" "From space, sir. They say they have news, but they won't give it to anyone but Mr. FitzMaugham." Walton cursed. "Where is this message being received?" "Floor twenty-three, sir. Communications." "Tell them I'll be right down," Walton snapped.