"Why not, Stephen? We have almost the same constitution." "Your planet, Lindrew. Almost four thousand parsecs beyond the sphere of settlement. Do you know why we _have_ a frontier?" "Oh, Patrol policy ... no, why?" "Other intelligent beings may be settling the galaxy just like we are. We're afraid to meet them too soon." "Why?" "Maybe hostile. Lindrew, just because the Patrol prevents inter-planetary wars, it's the only deep space fighting force humanity has. But with no wars, and support of the Patrol voluntary, it isn't very big. Not big enough for galactic war." "Will it ever be?" "We hope so. We add a new ship for each new planet. We increase as the cube of the radius and our frontier only as the square, as long as we enforce the sphere of settlement concept." "The Patrol enforces it?" "Yes, by denying sponsorship and protection to non-treaty settlements. We can't actually use force against a sovereign planet, except blockade under certain conditions." "Do settlements ever defy you?" "Not for long. They give up and we move them to a settled planet that wants them, wiping out all traces of their stay." "Oh. Stephen, do you approve of that policy?" "No, Lindrew, I never have. It's--it's unimaginative. But they'll tear their beards at Prime Reference about your planet." "But you'll help us, won't you Stephen? How must we change the standard treaty?" "This is an outpost planet and the aliens, if they exist, will surely find it first. We'll need a Class I base. You must in time support extra-planetary defenses." "You make the changes, Stephen. Whatever you say. Then we'll sign." He shuffled his feet. "I'm afraid I can only initial it, Madame Minister. Prime Reference must ratify. I will urge most strongly--" "Oh Stephen," she interrupted, pretty face stricken, "might we lose our treaty after all?" "There's a chance, I can't deny it." "Oh dear! I haven't the heart to tell Wendy." "I need to think," the ambassador said. He excused himself unhappily. * * * * * Days passed and the settlement grew. The ambassador put away his blue and gold and worked with his hands. The native strap-leaf vegetation flowered riotously through long, warm days, and so did Earth plants in the test plots. The shapely Fishdollars became golden-tan and more charming than ever. The Patrolers worked like fiends erecting buildings and plants, striving to outdo the merchant spacers. The girls helped where they could and bubbled admiringly at the prodigies of labor. The minister of public works told Chong privately that one marine equalled two merchant spacers. The latter, as if unaware of their lesser worth, worked like fiends too.