"You're a dangerous anti-social!" the Moderator snapped. "Your auto-reactions approach the humanoid level because you're still a child with a child's adaptiveness. When you mature you'll appreciate the difference. We wouldn't dare use you even if you could do anything. If worst comes to worst we can destroy our experiment!"
Saxon laughed at him. "And how many generations of humanoids would have passed away before you could wipe out a culture that's spread to all the planets of its solar system? Why, they'll be swarming over Vark from pole to pole before you can prepare to repel them."
The Moderator winced, tried to interrupt, but Saxon was inexorable.
"You might have been able to destroy them while you had them isolated in their own Solar System. But they're free now. Free to expand through the Galaxy!"
Saxon paused. The idea sprouting some time ago had begun to bear fruit. He pushed it resolutely out of his mind lest they intercept it.
The Moderator asked with narrowed eyes, "You have an idea, haven't you?"
Saxon could feel the Aliens probing at his thoughts like a scalpel laying bare his skull.
"Two times two is four. Three times two is six," he thought hastily and realized the seven old men were on the verge of apoplexy.
There was a tense moment of silence as their wills clashed. Then the Moderator asked, "What's your price?"
"Freedom for myself and the crew. Hands-off policy for the humanoids."