To Choke an Ocean

"Nice that you dropped in," the man in the detention room said. "I never expected a visit from the Consul General. It makes me feel important." "The Confederation takes an interest in all of its citizens' welfare," Lanceford said. "You are important Incidentally, how is it going?" "Not too bad. They treat me all right. But these natives sure are tough on visitors. I've never been checked so thoroughly in all my life-and now this thirty day quarantine Why, you'd think I was carrying the plague instead of a sample case " The chubby little commercial traveller probably had a right to complain, Lanceford thought. After all, a Niobian quarantine station isn't the pleasantest sort of environment. It's not meant to be comfortable, physical discomfort being as good a way as any to discourage casual visitors. The ones who have fortitude enough to stand the entry regulations can get in, but tourists seldom visit Niobe.