"What sort of work would you have me do?"
Heitman Oversk said, "Our trade is to bring starstones in from the Rim worlds where they are mined, and sell them to those who can afford our price. The price, incidentally, is fifty thousand stellors. We pay eight thousand for them, and are responsible for shipping them ourselves. We need a supervisor to control the flow of starstones from our source-world to Borlaam. We can handle the rest at this end."
"It pays well," Benjin added. "Your wage would be five thousand stellors per month, plus a full voice in the organization."
Herndon considered. The starstone trade was the most vicious in the galaxy; the hypnotic gems rapidly became compulsive, and within a year after being exposed to one constantly a man lost his mind and became a drooling idiot, able only to contemplate the kaleidoscopic wonders locked within his stone.
The way to addiction was easy. Only a strong man could voluntarily rip his eyes from a starstone, once he had glimpsed it. Herndon had proven himself strong. The sort of man who could slay a newly-purchased slave could look up from a starstone.
He said, "What are the terms?"
"Full bonding," Benjin said. "Including surgical implantation of a safety device."
"I don't like that."
"We all wear them," Oversk said. "Even myself."
"If all of you wear them," Herndon said, "To whom are you responsible?"