Eskel  Gorov stirred  on his  couch and  opened one  eye as  Limmar Ponyetsentered  the heavily  reinforced  door. It  boomed shut  behind  him. Gorovsputtered and came to his feet.
"Ponyets! They sent you?""Pure  chance," said  Ponyets, bitterly,  "or the  work of my  own personalmalevolent demon.  Item one,  you get into  a mess on Askone.  Item two, mysales  route, as  known  to the  Board of  Trade,  carries me  within fiftyparsecs  of the  system at  just the  time of  item one. Item  three, we'veworked  together  before  and  the Board  knows  it.  Isn't  that a  sweet,inevitable set-up? The answer just pops out of a slot.""Be careful,"  said Gorov, tautly. "There'll  be someone listening. Are youwearing a Field Distorter?"Ponyets indicated  the ornamented bracelet that  hugged his wrist and Gorovrelaxed.
Ponyets looked about him. The cell was bare, but large. It was well-lit andit lacked offensive odors. He said, "Not bad. They're treating you with kidgloves."Gorov brushed  the remark aside, "Listen,  how did you get  down here? I'vebeen in strict solitary for almost two weeks.""Ever since  I came, huh? Well,  it seems the old  bird who's boss here hashis weak  points. He leans toward  pious speeches, so I  took a chance thatworked.  I'm  here  in  the capacity  of  your  spiritual adviser.  There'ssomething about a pious  man such as he. He will cheerfully cut your throatif  it suits  him, but  he will  hesitate to  endanger the welfare  of yourimmaterial  and  problematical  soul.   It's  just  a  piece  of  empiricalpsychology.   A   trader   has   to   know   a   little   of   everything."Gorov's smile was sardonic, "And you've been to theological school as well.
You're all  right, Ponyets.  I'm glad they  sent you. But  the Grand Masterdoesn't   love  my   soul   exclusively.  Has   he  mentioned   a  ransom?"The trader's  eyes narrowed,  "He hinted ? barely. And he  also threateneddeath by gas. I  played safe, and dodged; it might easily have been a trap.
So it's extortion, is it? What is it he wants?""Gold.""Gold!" Ponyets frowned. "The metal itself? What for?""It's their medium of exchange.""Is it? And where do I get gold from?""Wherever you can. Listen  to me; this is important. Nothing will happen tome as long  as the Grand Master has the scent of  gold in his nose. Promiseit  to him;  as much as  he asks for.  Then go  back to the  Foundation, ifnecessary, to  get it. When I'm free, we'll be  escorted out of the system,and then we part company."Ponyets stared  disapprovingly, "And then you'll  come back and try again.""It's my assignment to sell nucleics to Askone.""They'll get  you before  you've gone a  parsec in space. You  know that, Isuppose.""I  don't,"  said  Gorov.  "And  if  I  did, it  wouldn't  affect  things.""They'll kill you the second time."Gorov shrugged.
Ponyets  said quietly,  "If I'm  going to  negotiate with the  Grand Masteragain, I  want to  know the whole story.  So far, I've been  working it tooblind.  As  it was,  the  few  mild remarks  I  did make  almost threw  hisVeneration into fits.""It's  simple  enough," said  Gorov.  "The  only way  we  can increase  thesecur............