,transcriber's ,note3 ,this etext was produced from ,galaxy ,science ,fiction ,march #aieh4 ,extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the ,u4,s4 copyright on this publication was renewed4 ,the ,ethical ,way ,by ,,joseph ,,farrell ,there is a way around every tabu1 knock on wood--but just watch out that the wood doesn't knock back6 ,illustrated by ,,johnson 99 99 99 99 99 ,is it time8 ,jarth ,rolan asked anxiously4 ,pilot ,lan ,barda pushed him gently back into a seat4 ,no1 but very soon4 ,and be calm--you're jumpier than a human4 ,but we've waited so long--yes1 a long time4 ,and ,i am anxious to get home4 ,lan peered calmly out of his vehicle4 ,they were hovering in ,earth's upper atmosphere1 at the permitted limit4 ,be patient4 ,these people have almost reached the critical point4 ,we'll get the signal before long4 ,jarth ,rolan popped out of his chair and danced about in nervous excitement4 ,won't it be dangerous8 ,for us1 ,i mean4 ,going down into that radioactive atmosphere4 ,and how about them--will any of them live8 ,suppose we wait too long8 ,lan ,barda laughed4 ,he was a husky humanoid1 pinkish of skin and completely hairless1 like all galactics4 ,he slapped ,jarth ,rolan's back4 ,we have experts watching4 ,these humans have used four cobalt bombs1 and plenty of smaller stuff4 ,the fallout is close to the danger point4 ,our observers will know just when we can move in because-- he winked and his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper--they're using automatically controlled instruments4 ,oh1 my6 ,jarth ,rolan clapped his hands to his cheeks4 ,but those are robots--and the use of robots is against religion4 ,i know1 ,jarth4 ,but we won't be using them much longer1 will we8 ,he poked a playful finger into ,jarth's ribs4 ,we'll have slaves--and it'll be completely ethical4 ,jarth ,rolan winced4 ,must you use that word 'slaves1' ,lan8 ,it sounds so-- ,he waved his hands4 ,lan laughed again4 ,be honest with yourself1 ,jarth4 ,you're out to make a few dopolins for yourself as a slave raider4 ,an entrepreneur1 said ,jarth4 ,in personal services4 ,lan ,barda became serious4 ,there's the signal--it's time to go down4 ,let's go1 ,jarth1 before somebody else gets them all4 99 99 99 99 99 ,an hour later1 it was ,lan ,barda's turn to be nervous4 ,he watched a needle creep into the red zone4 ,hurry1 ,jarth4 ,we've been on this planet long enough4 ,that fifth cobalt bomb is sending the index up fast4 ,can't you skip these last few8 ,oh1 no4 ,very unethical to leave these three here to die4 ,must take a small chance1 you know4 ,besides1 see the sign on that taxi--just married4 ,a fine young couple4 ,and a fine young taxi driver4 ,couldn't sleep if ,i didn't help these three4 ,couldn't sleep thinking of the profit you'd passed up4 ,here1 let me take that one4 ,we have to get out of here fast4 ,jarth ,rolan fluttered anxiously about the pilot until they were safely above the poisoned atmosphere4 ,how many8 he asked4 ,did we fill the ship8 ,lan ,barda checked off items on his clipboard4 ,a thousand and three1 with these last ones4 ,you'll make a good profit4 ,not so much the profit4 ,oh1 no4 ,more than that involved4 ,ethics and religion1 ,lan4 ,yes4 ,with all these sla--servants1 our people will never have to use robots4 ,they'll be relieved of routine labor and can devote their lives to art and science4 ,and it's all ethical--oh1 yes1 for these people were doomed4 ,want to know something1 ,jarth8 ,lan ,barda bent closer and whispered wickedly4 ,this ship has automatic controls4 ,has to4 ,no living being has fast enough reactions to handle an interstellar ship4 ,all robot driven1 at least in part4 ,robots6 ,may we be forgiven6 ,jarth stared suspiciously at ,lan ,barda4 ,sometimes1 ,lan1 ,i think you are an agnostic4 ,the pilot became more serious4 ,maybe1 ,jarth4 ,in our work1 we must use robots4 ,we joke about it1 but it goes against all galactic belief to let a machine think for us4 ,maybe that's why we pilots are so cynical4 ,a galactic is always ethical1 said ,jarth ,rolan solemnly4 ,this affair1 for example4 ,we let these poor creatures of ,earth handle their own affairs with no interference until they doomed themselves4 ,it was unethical to intervene a minute sooner4 ,yes--the ethical way and ,i feel better for it and proud to be a galactic4 ,that's true1 said ,lan ,barda4 ,a galactic wouldn't feel right1 being a member of the dominant race of the ,galaxy1 if he didn't help the less fortunate4 99 99 99 99 99 ,jarth ,rolan had prepared a center on his estate for the slaves4 ,the demand was greater than the supply4 ,he chatted happily with his wife4 ,an excellent investment1 ,shalla--yes4 ,and the highest group council wants us to lease them out by the day for the present instead of selling outright4 ,she nodded4 ,that's the fair way4 ,everybody can have a turn having a slave4 ,and1 said ,jarth1 rubbing his pink hands1 we'll collect every day and still hold title4 ,will they multiply fast1 asked ,shalla1 so there will be enough for all8 ,they always did on ,earth4 ,yes4 ,by the time we pass our estate on to our son1 this investment will have multiplied in value4 ,at the center1 the slaves clustered about the bulletin boards to read the slave code4 ,the three who had been brought aboard last stood together4 ,laurent ,crotier and his wife ,jean were still in their wedding clothes1 and ,sam the taxi driver was in uniform4 ,they read the seven articles of the slave code4 ,we have to work twelve hours a day1 ,laurent observed4 ,and have off every seventh day4 ,this could be worse4 ,we'll keep our eyes open and wait for our chance1 ,sam piped up4 ,some day we'll make a break out of here4 ,yeah1 said ,jean4 ,and remember1 ,frenchy1 no kids4 ,nine months later1 ,laurent1 ,jr41 was born4 ,before the blessed event1 ,laurent went to ,jarth ,rolan with a complaint4 ,she can't do it1 work twelve hours a day now4 ,you have to change the rules4 ,by gar1 if my wife die 'count of this1 ,i goin' kill you1 ,jarth ,rolan4 ,jarth ,rolan waltzed about nervously1 biting his fingernails4 ,no1 we do not want her to have trouble4 ,no4 ,she will need proper rest4 ,there is a meeting of the highest group council right now1 concerning this4 ,others have the same problem4 ,but yes1 ,i will relieve her of work without waiting for the council's decision4 ,tell your wife to stay home1 ,laurent1 until the baby is born4 ,laurent pushed his luck4 ,and after that1 too4 ,a kid got to have a mother4 ,i do the work for three1 you let my wife take care of the family4 ,oh1 this is a problem6 ,jarth ,rolan rubbed his fingers unhappily over his bald scalp4 ,some of the other females are in the same condition4 ,but it is like planting a crop--one labors hard at the beginning to reap a great harvest later4 ,we will work this out4 ,the next day1 fifteen articles amending the code arrived and were posted4 ,laurent read happily4 ,now1 he said to ,jean1 it is the law4 ,you will stay home and have the baby4 ',and for such further period'1 she read1 'as is considered necessary4' ,you sure told him off1 ,frenchy4 ,she squeezed his arm affectionately and his chest went out a little4 ,and remember1 she said1 this is the last one4 ,look at this rule1 said ,sam4 ,all kids must be educated4 ,i'm only-- he winked at them--thirteen4 ,it's off the job and back to school for me4 ,laurent blinked4 ,by gar1 ,sam1 ,i think you been shaving pretty near as long as ,i am4 ,but if ,jarth ,rolan ask me1 ,i say ,i know ,sam is thirteen4 ,jarth ,rolan came along to explain the amendments4 ,we don't want the slaves to be ignorant4 ,oh1 no4 ,it will be worth extra effort and expense to reap the harvest4 ,the slaves will work at many specialized tasks4 ,even personal servants will read and write letters and help at business and keep accounts--yes1 indeed4 ,we must assign some slaves to teaching4 99 99 99 99 99 ,about the time ,laurent1 ,jr41 started school1 ,laurent led a delegation to ,jarth ,rolan4 ,we got some complaint to make4 ,these food servings pretty small lately4 ,we work hard1 we have to eat more4 ,jarth ,rolan's facial skin had developed wrinkles1 though the galactics' life span was comparable to a human's and he was only about forty4 ,he fidgeted4 ,i am sorry--oh1 yes4 ,sorry4 ,there have been delays in food shipments--the same trouble all over4 ,too many excused from the work force1 you know4 ,most of the women are pregnant or have children1 and teachers and special assignments--but things will improve1 believe me4 ,yes4 ,you will soon find an improvement4 ,yes--very soon4 ,the delegation talked it over outside ,jarth ,rolan's house4 ,he's been letting himself go1 said a woman4 ,did you notice how thin he's become8 ,and the same with his family4 ,laurent reflected4 ,to raise a lot of kids is hard4 ,my father1 he work like hell all the time4 ,raise his own food1 don't depend on nobody4 ,i think that land back of the center1 we should plough it up and put in some potatoes4 ,on our own time8 ,sam exclaimed4 ,laurent chuckled4 ,well1 ,sam1 you got no kids--you just a young boy eighteen years old4 ,by gar1 ,i think you have gray hair when you twenty-one4 ,the others joined the laughter4 ,sam's lie about his age had boomeranged--he had been kept in school and denied permission to marry until he was officially eighteen1 a few months ago4 ,laurent fingered his chin thoughtfully4 ,i think we look over that land4 ,maybe we get some time out from our regular work1 we do some farming4 ,before the blowup on ,earth1 the galactics had made occasional landings to gather animals and seeds of food plants4 ,certain centers were put under government control to grow food for the slaves4 ,the people at ,jarth ,rolan's center saw that this arrangement was breaking down because of the increasing slave population and the diversion of labor to child raising4 ,they looked over the piece of land and ,laurent okayed it4 ,they went back to ,jarth ,rolan4 ,he approved at once4 ,oh1 indeed4 ,i can obtain all the equipment you'll need4 ,get started right away4 ,we can grow a good part of our own food4 ,yes4 ,i am sure it will work out4 ,we goin' need some time for work the farm1 ,laurent pointed out4 ,oh8 ,i thought maybe in your spare time-- ,you want to kill us8 ,sam demanded4 ,put us on an extra job after working us hard twelve hours a day8 ,but--there's so little coming in4 ,still1 maybe you're right4 ,worth the extra trouble and expense now4 ,building for the future--that's the idea4 99 99 99 99 99 ,jarth ,rolan notified his group leader of the arrangement and it percolated swiftly up through the hierarchy to the council of the highest group heads1 who directed policy for the entire ,galaxy4 ,there were nine of them and they talked over this development4 ,i approve4 ,we should have done it this way from the beginning4 ,of course4 ,but certain advocates of government control insisted on public ownership of the food farms-- ,what do you mean1 certain advocates8 ,if you mean me1 be galactic enough to say so4 ,i intend no personal offense to anybody4 ,but there is bound to be inefficiency in any government project-- ,the chairman pounded the table4 ,stay with the subject4 ,it has been suggested that each center grow part of its food4 ,i am in favor4 ,but it cuts down the available labor force4 ,we're having complaints now about the shortage of slaves-- ,think of the future4 ,i admit the present situation is difficult4 ,it's like raising a herd of prize cattle--all expense and no profit at first4 ,then the herd is built up and suddenly you're rich4 ,but we're putting so much into it-- ,the more we put in1 the more we take out4 ,and they're multiplying rapidly4 ,remember our new goal of two slaves for each galactic--one for the day shift and one for the night4 ,it's the only way our people can live a decent life1 freed from routine labor1 devoting themselves to art and science4 ,that's right4 ,we work so our children can lead the better life4 ,it's worth some sacrifice4 ,the chairman stood up4 ,most of us seem willing to endure a little hardship now for the benefit of our children4 ,i suggest we endorse this new procedure4 99 99 99 99 99 ,laurent1 ,jr41 married the girl next door4 ,laurent celebrated the wedding with a barrel of beer he had brewed on the farm4 ,sam became glassy-eyed and lectured the young couple4 ,just wait for the right time4 ,rise up and capture their spaceships4 ,that's what we'll do4 ,we'll go back to ,earth and then let them try to get us off it again4 ,but ,earth is dead1 ,laurent1 ,jr41 objected4 ,we can't live there4 ,poisonous radiation4 ,by gar6 ,laurent drained another brew4 ,you believe everything they tell you1 hah8 ,we goin' show them sometime4 ,like ,sam says1 not now1 but sometime4 ,maybe me and ,sam don't do it1 but don't you kids forget--you not goin' be slaves always4 ,you watch for the right time1 like ,sam says4 ,his son looked dubious4 ,but what you told me about ,earth doesn't sound so good4 ,like the way you were so cold and hungry in that shack in ,canada4 ,and ,mama walking up five flights in ,new ,york after working all day in the garment factory4 ,and all those wars6 ,why did you people spend half your time shooting each other1 ,dad8 ,illustration ,laurent belched indignantly4 ,by gar1 boy6 ,we was free6 ,we don't have no galactic stand over us1 do this1 do that4 ,we was free6 ,we don't work so hard1 said his son4 ,and look at old ,jarth ,rolan and the others out there--they've given us the day off1 but the galactics are all busy in the fields4 ,everybody has to work1 ,dad4 ,laurent looked through a slight haze at the masters laboring in the potato fields4 ,farm work and teaching and other special assignments had created a shortage of personal slaves4 ,jarth ,rolan gave preference in leasing slaves to those who came and helped him at the center4 ,since having a personal slave was a mark of prestige among the galactics1 many of those laboring on the farm were from the highest levels of society4 ,they don't know nothing about raise potatoes1 ,laurent grumbled4 ,we put in complaint1 by damn4 ,we want each one have his own land4 ,i work like jackass1 ,i want to get paid for it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the highest group council was in session4 ,one member was explaining3 ,it's the custom of tipping slaves4 ,at first1 those who could get a slave were so happy that they often gave him a few coins4 ,now the custom is firmly established--anybody who doesn't tip a slave is considered cheap4 ,i do it and so do you4 ,of course4 ,what's wrong with giving them a few polins now and then8 ,or a dopolin or two when they have a baby or a wedding8 ,nothing wrong with it1 in itself4 ,but they don't spend anything4 ,we supply their food and clothing2 nothing else we have seems to appeal to them4 ,the money goes out of circulation4 ,it's estimated that half the money in the ,galaxy is being hoarded by slaves4 ,what8 ,that's impossible4 ,just from those small tips8 ,small tips1 but day after day2 year after year4 ,add up some time what you've given and multiply by the number who've been doing it4 ,then that's behind our economic troubles4 ,a currency shortage4 ,can we take it away from them8 ,of course not4 ,besides being unethical1 it would turn them against us4 ,they wouldn't understand4 ,then we'll abolish tipping4 ,too late4 ,what we need is an ethical way of getting back that currency4 ,a new member spoke3 ,i understand that on ,earth these slaves were often addicted to alcohol1 gambling and various alkaloids4 ,perhaps we could introduce these items1 under government control1 of course-- ,he stopped4 ,eight pair of eyes were blazing at him4 ,you're new here1 the chairman said4 ,if you ever make another suggestion like that-- ,they pondered4 ,the chairman fingered some papers4 ,here's a suggestion4 ,the slaves have been petitioning for the right to own land4 ,it seems to be the only thing they'll spend their money for4 ,impossible6 ,but maybe-- ,we could limit the holdings4 ,and have the land subject to condemnation by the government at a fair price4 ,the chairman called for order4 ,let's argue this out4 ,remember the slaves will need time to work their land4 ,since their work day is down to nine hours1 we'll have to arrange something4 99 99 99 99 99 ,jean had been complaining about the lumps in the mattress4 ,when ,laurent took them out1 there was enough in galactic currency to buy a piece of land in his name and hers1 plus a plot for each of the children1 and a new mattress as well4 ,sam was suspicious4 ,they're out to get what little we've been able to save1 ,laurent4 ,they can take the land anytime--for what they call a fair price4 ,fair6 ,fine chance they'll be fair about it4 ,but ,laurent kept the land and was even able to buy a piece for each grandchild1 although they arrived faster and faster as his own large family grew up and married4 ,one day ,jean called him to a new house at the edge of the widely expanded center to see the latest arrival4 ,laurent poked a finger at the squalling creature4 ,so ,i'm another grandpa4 ,which one this8 ,this time you're a great-grandpa1 ,frenchy4 ,this is ,laurent #dth4 ,you mean we gettin' that old8 ,by damn6 ,well1 ,i'm buy him a piece of land1 too4 ,so much new building1 this land be worth plenty when he grows up4 ,the #eabth amendment permitted slaves to retire at #fe4 ,laurent was a leading real estate dealer by that time4 ,he had twenty-three children and more grandchildren than he could count4 ,the center was grown to a city1 its main street running through what had been his first farm4 ,sometimes ,laurent relaxed in his rocking chair and needled ,sam4 ,by gar1 ,sam1 if you not the oldest-looking man of fifty-five ,i ever see4 ,i think you a hundred years old when you retire4 ,when you havin' that revolution8 ,the day will come if we keep after the young ones4 ,but damn it1 ,laurent1 it's hard to talk any sense into them4 ,some of them can't even understand me4 ,well1 they all talk galactic1 ,sam4 ,my grandson1 he call himself ,loran ,kotay4 ,but these young people1 they have to live their own lives4 ,hey1 look at old ,jarth ,rolan up there1 washing his windows4 ,old guy should retire1 ,sam4 ,i'm goin' see a couple of my boys give him a hand4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but ,jarth ,rolan died before he could afford to retire and was replaced by his only grandson1 ,jarro ,kogar4 ,laurent and ,jean passed on shortly after1 leaving nearly four hundred descendants4 ,jarro ,kogar was a newly married galactic in his early thirties4 ,he moved into the mansion and talked things over with his wife4 ,don't see how we can afford a child right now4 ,wouldn't be fair to the child4 ,things will improve in a few years4 ,of course1 she said4 ,we're young--we'll have time to start our family4 ,if we wait1 we'll be able to give them more4 ,they held similar conversations later and one day realized it was too late4 ,jarro ,kogar died in his sixties4 ,his widow directed the center for several more years4 ,the slaves liked her and took good care of her4 ,she left them the estate when she died4 ,loran ,krotalu protested to the authorities that the slaves didn't want the estate4 ,but the group heads ruled it legal under amendment #a1dhf1 especially since no relatives could be located4 ,loran left the center and moved to another city where he found a galactic couple who wanted a slave4 ,he and his family served the galactic couple for many years4 ,this couple1 like ,jarro ,kogar and his wife1 were childless and when they both died1 ,loran and his wife were very grieved4 ,after the funeral1 ,loran went into the city4 ,he returned hours later1 tired and depressed4 ,it's no use1 he told his wife4 ,there's not an unattached galactic in the area4 ,we might get a few hours work a week with one1 but we can't have one to ourselves4 ,but1 ,loran1 everybody in our set works for a galactic6 ,i know1 he said miserably4 ,but it's no use4 ,there must be fifty slaves for every galactic4 ,i've taken a job at the spaceship factory4 ,it's the best ,i can do4 99 99 99 99 99 ,membership on the highest group council had become a killing job4 ,chief problem was the revision of the slave code1 which had #c1fig articles4 ,after trying for years to simplify the code1 the council members called in ,loran ,krovalo to fill a vacancy and take over the job4 ,loran was known and liked by galactic and slave alike for his brilliant essays on the master-slave relationship4 ,while he was on the council1 the ,cerberan affair broke out4 ,the ,cerberans1 an intelligent saurian race from a globular cluster1 exploded into the ,galaxy in vast numbers4 ,military action became necessary4 ,we can handle them1 ,loran told the council4 ,our factories are mobilized and we have any number of spacemen4 ,we have robot instruments for fighting that are better than anything they have4 ,we can carry the war to their home planets4 ,some of the galactics objected4 ,but the use of robots is forbidden4 ,we can't fight the ,cerberans with robot-controlled weapons4 ,don't worry1 sir1 ,loran said kindly4 ,we slaves will take care of it4 ,our form of religion doesn't prohibit robots unless they are in the shape of a man4 ,we think of real robots as being human in shape4 ,one of the galactics rose4 ,i know you're right1 but my conscience won't let me vote for robots in any form4 ,therefore ,i am resigning from the council4 ,a second rose1 then a third and fourth4 ,they looked at each other1 and one spoke for the group4 ,we are also resigning4 ,i suggest that four slaves be appointed in our places for the duration of the war4 ,then they will have a majority and no galactic need violate his conscience by voting for the use of robots4 ,the ,cerberans were crushed1 but the infested area was huge and the invasion of the globular cluster took time4 ,the war emergency lasted fifty years4 ,when it was over1 the slaves called on the galactics to take back control of the government4 ,but the widespread use of robot mechanisms in the war had caused a reaction among the galactics4 ,their consciences simmered and a wave of orthodoxy swept over their race4 ,there was difficulty in persuading galactics to leave their home planets to sit on the council1 because faster-than-light ships used robot controls4 ,the slaves scoured the planet that housed the council and kept two or three seats filled with galactics for a while4 ,but they were generally old1 and they died1 and most of them were unmarried or childless4 99 99 99 99 99 ,loran ,crotay1 twelfth-generation slave1 sat in his home chatting with a friend from far-off ,pornalu ,,vi4 ,being in the space-shipping business1 he had many friends throughout the ,galaxy4 ,his wife answered the door and a pink humanoid shuffled in1 mumbling greetings1 and went into the other room4 ,he was middle-aged1 studious and bespectacled1 and he wore a wig4 ,loran's friend watched him curiously4 ,haven't seen one of them in years1 ,loran4 ,we have a reservation for the poor devils on my planet4 ,don't reproduce very fast1 you know1 and they may become extinct4 ,too bad--they're so likable4 ,always so ethical and conscientious4 ,i know4 ,loran nodded4 ,we let poor ,vendro make a few dopolins tutoring our son4 ,he's very intelligent and a good teacher4 ,i like to help them all ,i can--the only ethical thing to do4 ,i wouldn't feel like a slave if ,i didn't give poor ,vendro a break4 ,that's true1 said his friend4 ,a slave wouldn't feel right1 being a member of the dominant race of the ,galaxy1 if he didn't help the less fortunate4 --,,joseph ,,farrell 99 99 99 99 99