Terl shuddered and leaned forward. This affected him in more ways than one.

Numph tossed the folder at him. “Personnel costs. We have three thousand seven hundred nineteen employees on this planet scattered over five active minesites and three exploratory sites. That includes landing field personnel, freighter crews, and the transshipment force. At an average pay of thirty thousand Galactic credits a year, that's C111,570,000. Food, quarters, and

breathe-gas is averaged at fifteen thousand credits each; comes to

C55,785,000. The total is C167,355,000. Add to that the bonuses and transport and we have nearly exceeded the value of our output. That doesn't count wear and tear, and it doesn't count expansion.”

Terl had been dimly aware of this and in fact had used it as an argument– a false one– in furthering his own personal plan.

He did not think the time was ripe to spring his project. But he had not anticipated that the powerful and rich Intergalactic Company would go so far as to cut pay and wipe out bonuses.

While this affected him directly, he was far more interested in his own plan of personal wealth and power.

Was it time to open up a new phase in his own scheme? The animal was actually doing pretty well. It probably could be trained for the elementary digging venture. It could be used to recruit other animals. He was pretty well convinced it could do the necessary mining, dangerous though it was.

Stripping that vein out of the blizzard-torn, sheer cliff would be quite a trick and might be fatal to some of the animals involved. But who cared about that? Besides, the moment the stuff was gotten out, the animals would have to be vaporized so the secret could never leak.

“We could increase our output,” said Terl, fencing in toward his target.

“No, no, no,” said Numph. “That's pretty impossible.” He sighed. “We're limited on personnel.”

That was cream to Terl's earbones.

“You're right,” said Terl, heading Numph further into the trap. “Unless we solve it, it will lead straight into mutiny.”

Numph nodded glumly.

“In a mutiny,” said Terl, “the first ones the workers vaporize are the executives.”

Again Numph nodded, but this time there was a flicker of fear in the depths of his amber eyes.

"I’m working on it,” said Terl. It was premature and he hadn't intended to spring it, but the time was now. "If we could give them hope that the cuts weren't permanent and if we imported no new personnel, the threat of mutiny would be reduced.”

“True, true,” said Numph. “We are already not bringing in any additional or new personnel. But at the same time our installations are working very hard, and there's already some grumbling.”

“Agreed,” said Terl. He plunged. “But what would you say if I told you that right this minute I was working on a project to halve our work force within two years?”

"I’d say it would be a miracle.”

That was what Terl liked to hear. Plaudits from one and all in the home office would be his yet.

Numph was looking almost eager.

“No Psychlo," said Terl, “likes this planet. We can't go outside without wearing masks-'

“Which increases costs in breathe-gas,” said Numph.

“-and what we need is a work force of air-breathers that can do elementary machine operation.”

Numph sank back, doubt hitting him. "If you're thinking of...what was their name...Chinkos, they were all wiped out ages back.”

“Not Chinkos. And I congratulate Your Planetship on his knowledge of company history. Not Chinkos. There is a potential local supply.”

“Where?”

“I am not going to say any more about it right now, but I want to report that I am making progress and that it is very hopeful.”

“Who are these people?”

“Well, actually, they are not 'people,' as you would say. But there are sentient beings on this planet.”

“They think? They talk?”

“They are very manually adept.”

Numph pondered this. “They talk? You can communicate with them?”

“Yes,” said Terl, biting off a bit more than he really knew. “They talk.”

“There's a bird down on the lower continent can talk. A mine director there sent one. It could swear in Psychlo. Somebody didn't replace the air cartridge in its dome and it died.” He frowned. “But a bird isn't manually-”

“No, no, no,” said Terl, cutting off the bumbling. “These are little short things, two arms, two legs-'

“Monkeys! Terl, you can't be serious-”

“No, not monkeys. Monkeys could never operate a machine. I am talking about man.”

Numph looked at him for several seconds. Then he said, “But there are only a very few of them left, even if they could do what you say.”

“True, true,” said Terl. “They have been listed as an endangered species.”

“A What?”

“A species that is about to become extinct.”

“But a few like that would not resolve our-”

“Your Planetship, I will be frank. I have not counted how many there are

left-”

“But nobody has even seen one for ages. Terl..."

“The recon drones have noted them. There were thirty-four right up in those mountains you see there. And they exist on other continents in greater numbers. I have reason to believe that if I were given facilities I could round up several thousand.”

“Ah, well. Facilities...expense...." “No, no. No real expense. I have been engaged on an economy program. I have even reduced the number of recon drones. They breed fast if given a chance-”

“But if nobody has even seen one...what functions could they replace?”

“Exterior machine operators. Over seventy-five percent of our personnel is tied up in just that. Tractors, loading rigs. It 's not skilled operation.

“Oh, I don't know, Terl. If nobody has even seen one-'

“I have one.”

“What?”

“Right here. In the zoo cages near the compound. I went out and captured one– took a bit of doing, but I made it. I was rated high in marksmanship at the school, you know.”

Numph puzzled over it. "Yes...l did hear some rumor there was a strange animal out in the zoo, as you call it. Somebody, one of the mine directors, I think...yes, Char it was, laughing about it.”

“It’s no laughing matter if it affects pay and profits,” glowered Terl.

“True. Very true. Char always was a fool. So you have an animal under testing that could replace personnel. Well, well. Remarkable.”

“Now,” said Terl, “if you will give me a blanket requisition on transport-”

“Oh, well. Is there any chance of seeing this animal? You know, to see what it could do. The death benefits we have to pay on equipment accidents would themselves tip the profit-loss scale if they didn't exist.

Or were minimized. There's also machine damage potential. Yes, the home office doesn't like machine damage.”

"I’ve only had it a few weeks and it will take a little time to train it on a machine. But yes, I think I could arrange for you to see what it could do.”

“Fine. Just get it ready and let me know. You say you're training it? You know it is illegal to teach an inferior race metallurgy or battle tactics. You aren't doing that, are you?”

“No, no, no. Just machine operation. The push-pull of buttons and levers is all. Have to teach it to talk to be able to give it orders. I’ll arrange for a demonstration when it's ready. Now if you could just give me a blanket requisition-”

“When I’ve seen the test there will be time enough,” said Numph.

Terl had risen out of his chair, the prepared sheets of requisitions half out of his pocket. He put them back. He'd have to think of some other way– but he was good at that. The meeting had come off pretty well. He was not feeling too bad. And then Numph dropped the mine bucket on him.

“Terl,” said Numph. “I certainly appreciate this backup. Just the other day there was a dispatch from home office about your continued tour of duty here. They plan in advance, you know. But in this case they needed a security chief with field experience on home planet. I’m thankful I turned it down. I recommended you for another ten-year tour of duty.”