"Nevertheless I presume you _do_ have such a subsidiary personality, although he would normally never manifest. This subsidiary--let's call him Jay_{2}--would embody all the characteristics which you repress. He would be gregarious, where you are retiring and studious; adventurous where you are cautious; talkative while you are taciturn; he would perhaps enjoy action for its own sake, while you exercise faithfully in the gymnasium only for your health's sake; and he might even remember the trailmen with pleasure rather than dislike." "In short--a blend of all the undesirable characteristics?" "One could put it that way. Certainly he would be a blend of all the characteristics which you, Jay_{1}, _consider_ undesirable. But--if released by hypnotism and suggestion, he might be suitable for the job in hand." "But how do you know I actually have such an--alternate?" "I don't. But it's a good guess. Most repressed--" Forth coughed and amended, "most _disciplined_ personalities possess such a suppressed secondary personality. Don't you occasionally--rather rarely--find yourself doing things which are entirely out of character for you?" I could almost feel Allison taking it in, as he confessed, "Well--yes. For instance--the other day--although I dress conservatively at all times--" he glanced at his uniform coat, "I found myself buying--" he stopped again and his face went an unlovely terra-cotta color as he finally mumbled, "a flowered red sports shirt." Sitting in the dark I felt vaguely sorry for the poor gawk, disturbed by, ashamed of the only human impulses he ever had. On the screen Allison frowned fiercely, "A crazy impulse." "You could say that, or say it was an action of the suppressed Jay_{2}. How about it, Allison? You may be the only Terran on Darkover, maybe the only human, who could get into a trailman's Nest without being murdered." "Sir--as a citizen of the Empire, I don't have any choice, do I?" "Jay, look," Forth said, and I felt him trying to reach through the barricade and touch, really touch that cold contained young man, "we couldn't _order_ any man to do anything like this. Aside from the ordinary dangers, it could destroy your personal balance, maybe permanently. I'm asking you to volunteer something above and beyond the call of duty. Man to man--what do you say?" I would have been moved by his words. Even at secondhand I was moved by them. Jay Allison looked at the floor, and I saw him twist his long well-kept surgeon's hands and crack the knuckles with an odd gesture. Finally he said, "I haven't any choice either way, Doctor. I'll take the chance. I'll go to the trailmen." * * * * * The screen went dark again and Forth flicked the light on. He said, "Well?" I gave it back, in his own intonation, "Well?" and was exasperated to find that I was twisting my own knuckles in the nervous gesture of Allison's painful decision. I jerked them apart and got up.