"What--!" "The Federation's keeping the statistics under cover; otherwise there'd be a panic." Terral paced the floor like a caged lion. "The catch is, Boone, we're all like you: No one knows too much about the whys and wherefores of it, except that the original cases came among IC men who worked in the Helgae cities on Titan back when mekronal was first developed." * * * * * Boone ran his thumb along his chin. "I'd heard that part. But I thought we had it licked with chandak extract." "Chandak extract!" The independents' agent spun around, grey eyes blazing. "That's just the trouble! Chandak's a byproduct of mekronal--and all mekronal comes from Titan! So with IC assigned monopoly rights there, the rest of us are stuck." "But the Federation--" "The Federation's run by blithering idiots and IC stooges! Sure, with this epidemic they've set up a quota system. But how much does that mean, when Cartel inspectors make out the production reports?" "So--?" "So IC's using chandak the same way they've used mekronal--as a weapon against the Independents!" Terral hammered his palm with a bony fist. "Just look at the pattern! With mekronal, their crews can work in all atmospheres, set up bases at a hundredth the cost of anyone else, and claim satellite monopoly rights from the Federation on grounds of prior colonization." Boone nodded slowly. "Yes. I know how that works." "All right. That's straight commercial rivalry, so even though it cuts our throats we've got no come-back. But now comes Titan fever--a disease that kills men like flies when you treat it with any of the mill run of specifics. If you don't treat them--" Terral broke off; looked square at Boone. "Boone, do you know the story on that?" "No, I'm afraid not." "Then read this--a report from the top labs of your own damned organization! Don't ask me how I got it." The Independents' rep was fumbling in a briefcase as he spoke. He drew out a thick blue-covered folder and handed it to Boone. Boone stared down at it. "_Titan Fever: An investigation of Untreated Cases_," the title read. The binder was stamped "MOST SECRET" in big block letters, and it bore the official seal of Interplanetary Cartels' central research unit. But the thing that held his eye was the signature on the submission. The signature of Martin Krobis. Frowning, he riffled through the document to the final page: "... In summary, then, the following tentative conclusions may be reported: "1. Although occasional deaths due to complications sometimes result from Titan fever, most untreated cases may be expected to recover. "2. However, there is definite evidence that such cases undergo an extreme mutation of the gametes. "3. While no adverse physiological effects of this mutation are apparent in infants born to parents one or both of whom have been infected, significant mental changes and/or deterioration stand out clearly.