potential.
9 You have also learned that a good man can sometimes act very wrongly
but later prove his worth. I think that is a lesson you have needed, my
friend, a lesson that will weigh heavily on your mind."
10 "Damn!" snapped North, "Sometimes, Morn, you scare me! I swear you
know me better than I know myself, or, you read my thoughts!"
11 "Maybe," said Morn, "a little bit of both. You'll have to excuse me
now. I have some unpleasant duties I must attend to. I've been busy
while you were away. I'm afraid I must now sign the death warrants of
three of our local Governors."
12 "I heard," gasped North. "I still can't believe it. They were
actually having banquets and serving Hashons?"
13 "Sometimes when men get positions of power," explained Morn, "they
seem to loose all sense of decency. These are all men from good
families, some of whom still refuse to believe the charges against
them. They're saying I merely want to get them out of the way so I can
put Hashons in their positions. And in any case, I am going too far
executing them, because they destroyed valuable Imperial property.
14 Intelligent life, to some people, has little value, if it doesn't
happen to be their particular form. Unfortunately for these I hold all
life precious. The one thing I hate to do most is sign death warrants.
But even my mother's people realized with their tremendous gentleness,
that the unwarranted taking of a life must be paid for with a life."
15 Morn rose. "Well, enough of my troubles," he laughed. "Get well, my
friend. I always worry when your sure hand is not in control of my
military forces."
16 "Your problems, my friend," answered North, "are my problems. As
soon as I'm back on my feet I'll