"Morning. Trouble?"

"Nothing that cannot be handled once this staff understands that Extra Sensory Perception is not a miracle but a skill subject to wage-hour limitations. And what is your decision on Blonn, Mr. Reich?"

Secretary: "He hasn't read your memo yet."

"May I point out, young woman, that unless I am used with maximum efficiency I am wasted. The Blonn memo has been on Mr. Reich's desk for three days."

"Who the hell is Blonn?" Reich asked.

"First, the background, Mr. Reich: There are approximately one hundred thousand (100,000) 3rd Class Espers in the Esper Guild. An Esper 3 can peep the conscious level of a mind---can discover what a subject is thinking at the moment of thought. A 3rd is the lowest class of telepath. Most of Monarch's security positions are held by 3rds. We employ over five

hundred..." "He knows all this. Everybody does. Get to the point, long-wind!" "Permit me, if I may, to arrive at the point in my own way. Next,

there are approximately ten thousand 2nd Class Espers in the Guild," the Personnel Chief continued frostily. "They are experts like myself who can penetrate beneath the conscious level of the mind to the preconscious. Most 2nds are in the professional class... physicians, lawyers, engineers, educators, economists, architects and so on."

"And you all cost a fortune," Reich growled. "Why not? We have unique service to sell. Monarch appreciates the

fact. Monarch employs over one hundred 2nds at present." "Will you get to the point?" "Finally there are less than a thousand 1st Class Espers in the Guild.

The 1sts are capable of deep peeping, through the conscious and preconscious layers down to the unconscious... the lowest levels of the mind. Primordial basic desires and so forth. These, of course, hold premium positions. Education, specialized medical service... analysts like Tate, Gart, @kins, Moselle... criminologists like Lincoln Powell of the Psychotic Division...