"The lab didn't release any new products this past year. Development and even Advertising are pretty much slowed down." "That's right. We've got some good products about ready, but we're making a final check before release. Don't you think we sent out a lot of junk before?" "We sure did, even in my time though I tried to stop it. But the development boys want something, anything." "Well?" asked Whitemarsh. "So they'd probably rather run the risk of getting something bad than nothing at all." "They won't!" "That's right, they never will again. Now, I know that the products you have ready are going to be good and I'm not worried about them. All we have to do is keep the business geniuses out of our hair for another six months." "And?" "So we're kicking you upstairs. It's a good job, don't worry about that, at three times your director's salary." "What if I quit?" "Don't be that silly." "What's the other job?" "Works Manager at Quercus Mountain on Phobus. Sole boss of the biggest Isotope Works in the Solar System. You'll have 50,000 men under you and have a free hand at starting any kind of laboratory you want." "No Laboratorians?" "Right. You can start out from scratch and make the kind of lab you've always dreamed of. Here we're thinking of pushing up Kercheval if it's all right with you, you always rated him highly. It's just like changing Spaceball managers. We all know the Space Sox won the pennant last year on the team developed by Kanter even though Balhiser was manager. These wolves will keep off our tail until the new products start coming through and then we'll say we knew it all along." "You've got me half convinced not to quit," said Whitemarsh quietly. "Now listen Frank," came back Sheridan just as seriously, "you're too good a man to waste. Now take your promotion like a nice boy and keep in line." "I still think I did a good job here." "So do I, but the Board of Directors can't forgive those retractions, even though you and I know they're necessary. They don't know what scientific truth and pride are. Within ten years, on the foundations you laid, we'll have the best research record in the country...." After Sheridan had left, Whitemarsh cast a last look at his former domain. He called Kercheval in to give him the news and then tell him to keep quiet until verified. Then he decided to take a last tour around the laboratories. He finally found himself up at the Snack Bar and his eyes were taking the same look over the Laboratory that they had done two years before. The view looked about the same. He had supervised the installation of a new Matter Probe over in the front center and he was responsible for the Atom Analyzer, but these were only minor changes. The major change, he thought bitterly, is that no one speaks to me unless spoken to--I've become a pariah. Never tamper with the status quo, it disturbs too many people. It's a very lonely job.