"We also settled that something can be done to change the k-factor. The gun is for my own protection. While you're radioing results back to Earth and they're feeling bad about it, I'm going to be doing something. Now you tell me what that something is."
This was a different man from the relaxed and quietly efficient Adao Costa of the past week. All of his muscles were hard with the restrained energy of an animal crouching to leap. The gun, ready in his pocket, had a suddenly new significance. Neel looked away, reaching around for words. This was all very alien to him and suddenly a little frightening. It was one thing to work out a k-problem in class, and discuss the theory of correction.
It was something entirely different to direct the operation.
"Well?" Costa's voice knifed through his thoughts.
"You can ... well ... it's possible to change one of the peak population curves. Isolate individuals and groups, then effect status and location changes—"
"You mean get a lot of guys to take jobs in other towns through the commercial agents?"
Neel nodded.
"Too slow." Costa withered the idea with his voice. "Fine in the long run, but of absolutely no value in an emergency." He began to pace back and forth. Too quickly. It was more of a bubbling-over than a relaxation. "Can't you isolate some recent key events that can be reversed?"
"It's possible." Neel thought about it, quickly. "It wouldn't be a final answer, just a delaying action."
"That's good enough. Tell me what to do."