Tuesday 25 November 2014

Answers

(i) Suleimites harvest bluejack, a spice and tonic for hydrogen-breathers. The Solar Spice & Liquors Company sells it to Babur.

(ii) The Baburites send armed, self-defending robots to harvest the bluejack.

(iii) The SSL factor, Emil Dalmady, gets the Suleimite Translator to approach the robots crudely disguised as a Baburite. Instructed by radio, the Translator reprograms the robots.

(iv) The robots are reprogrammed not to harvest for SSL but to stand idle so that the Suleimites can continue to harvest. They are also reprogrammed to attack, after a warning, any approaching machine and anyone attempting to enter the computer blockhouse. Thus, the Baburites are excluded even if they attempt some trick or disguise.

(v) Dalmady recommends not raising the price of bluejack to Baburites in case they decide to synthesize it.

(vi) Nicholas van Rijn has to interview Dalmady to confirm that he has found the best answer by intelligence, not by luck. Then he backs him as an independent entrepreneur.

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