"Consolidated Outtime Foodstuffs--one of the Thalvan Interests
companies--just claimed forty thousand P.E.U. for a hundred slaves
bought by one of their plantation managers on Third Level Esaron from
a local slave dealer. The Paratime Police impounded the slaves for
narco-hypnotic interrogation, and then transposed the lot of them to
Police Terminal."

Yandar Yadd still held his affectation of sleepy indolence.

"Now why would the Paracops do that, I wonder? Slavery's an
established local practice on Esaron Sector; our people have to buy
slaves if they want to run a plantation."

"I know that." Sphabron Larv replied. "That's what I want to find out.
There must be something wrong, either with the slaves, or the
treatment our people were giving them, or the Paratime Police, and I
want to find out which."

"To tell the truth, Larv, so do I." Yandar Yadd said. He turned to the
man behind the counter. "Varkar, do we see that claim, or do I make a
story out of your refusal to show it?" he asked.

"The Paratime Police asked me to keep this confidential," Varkar Klav
said. "Publicity would seriously hamper an important police
investigation."

Yandar Yadd made an impolite noise. "How do I know that all it would
do would be to reveal police incompetence?" he retorted. "Look,
Varkar; you and the Paratime Police and the Paratime Commission and
the Home Time Line Management are all hired employees of the Home Time