inhabit that world, agreeing that he would work as an employee of GeneralMining until he achieved his majority, at which time he would be free todepart and seek employment wherever he might choose (though his choiceswould admittedly be limited). In return for this guarantee, General Miningagreed to assure his health, education and continuing welfare for so long ashe remained in their employ.

When Alyonal caught fire and went away, those Coldworld Catformscovered by the option who were scattered about the crowded galaxy were, byvirtue of the agreement, wards of General Mining.

This is why Jarry grew up in a hermetically sealed room containingtemperature and atmosphere controls, and why he received a first-classclosed circuit education, along with his physiotherapy and medicine. This isalso why Jarry bore some resemblance to a large gray ocelot without a tail,had webbing between his fingers and could not go outside to watch thetraffic unless he wore a pressurized refrigeration suit and took extramedication.

All over the swarming galaxy, people took the advice of Public HealthPlanned Parenthood Centers, and many others had chosen as had Jarry'sparents. Twenty-eight thousand, five hundred sixty-six of them, to be exact.In any group of over twenty-eight thousand five hundred sixty, there arebound to be a few talented individuals. Jarry was one of them. He had aknack for making money. Most of his General Mining pension check wasinvested in well-chosen stocks of a speculative nature. (In fact, after atime he came to own considerable stock in General Mining.)

When the man from the Galactic Civil Liberties Union had come around,expressing concern over the pre-birth contracts involved in the option andexplaining that the Alyonal Catforms would make a good test case (especiallysince Jarry's parents lived within jurisdiction of the 877th Circuit, where