society."

"How is it that you happen to be out here on the edge of
civilization?"

"I never said I was like my society," Kennon grinned. "Actually I
suppose I'm one of the proverbial bad apples."

"There's more to it than that," Alexander said. "Your early years
probably influenced you."

Kennon looked sharply at the entrepreneur. How much did the man
really know about him? "I suppose so," he said indifferently."

Alexander looked pleased. "But even with your childhood
experiences there must be an atavistic streak in you - a
throwback to your adventurous Earth forebears who settled your
world?"

Kennon shrugged. "Perhaps you're right. I really don't know.
Actually, I've never thought about it. It merely seemed to me
that an undeveloped world offered more opportunity."

"It does," Alexander said. "But it also offers more work. If
you're figuring that you can get along on the minimum physical
effort required on the Central Worlds, you have a shock coming."

"I'm not that innocent," Kennon said. "But I am not so stupid
that I can't apply modifications of Betan techniques to worlds as
new as this."