[Illustration: _Illustrated by Kelly Freas_]

 _If Saranta wished to qualify as one who loved his fellow man, he should have known that often the most secretive things are the most obvious. _

DISQUALIFIED

BY CHARLES L. FONTENAY

After the morning inspection tour, Tardo, the Solar Council's PlanetaryAid agent, and his companion, Peo, were taken to the castle which stoodon a hill overlooking the area. 

Tardo and Peo were entertained royally at luncheon by Saranta, theirhost, who appeared to be the wealthy overlord of this portion of theplanet. The meal was delicious--tender, inch-thick steaks served withdelicate wine sauce and half a dozen of the planet's exotic vegetables, topped off by a cool fruit dessert. 

"My recommendation will be of considerable importance to you, " saidTardo as they ate. "If it is favorable, there is certain technical aidaboard ship which will be made available to you at once. Of course, youwill not receive advanced equipment from the Solar Council until thereis a more thorough investigation. "

"I'm afraid our culture is too simple and agrarian to win yourapproval, " said Saranta modestly. 

"That isn't a major consideration. The Council understands thedifficulties that have faced colonies in other star systems. There arecertain fundamental requirements, of course: no abnormal religiouspractices, no slavery ... Well, you understand what I mean. "

"We really feel that we have done well since we ... Our ancestors, thatis ... Colonized our world a thousand years ago, " said Saranta, toyingwith a wineglass. A smiling servant filled the glasses of Tardo and Peo. "You see, there was no fuel for the ship to explore other planets in thesystem, and the ship just rusted away. Since we are some distance fromthe solar system, yours is the first ship that has landed here sincecolonization. "

"You seem to have been lucky, though, " said Peo. He was navigator of theCouncil ship, and had asked to accompany Tardo on the brief inspectiontrip. "You could have landed on a barren planet. "

"Well, no, the colonizers knew it was liveable, from the firstexploration expedition, " said Saranta. "There were difficulties, ofcourse. Luxuriant vegetation, but no animal life, so we had no animalsto domesticate. Pulling a plow is hard work for a man. "

"But you were able to solve this situation in a humanitarian way?" askedTardo, peering at him keenly. "That is to say, you didn't resort toslavery?"

Saranta smiled and spread his hands slightly. 

"Does this look like a slave society to you?" he countered. "Thecolonists were anxious to co-operate to make the planet liveable. No oneobjected to work. "

"It's true we've seen no slaves, that we know about, " said Tardo. "Buttwo days is a short time for inspection. I must draw most of myconclusions from the attitudes of you and the others who are our hosts. How about the servants here?"

"They are paid, " answered Saranta, and added ruefully: "There are thoseof us who think they are paid too well. They have a union, you know. "

Tardo laughed. 

"A carry-over from Earth, no doubt, " he commented. "An unusual one, too, for a culture without technology. "

When the meal was over, the two men from the ship were conducted on atour of the area. It was a neat agricultural community, with broadfields, well-constructed buildings and, a short distance from Saranta'scastle-like home, a village in which artisans and craftsmen plied theirpeaceful trades. 

Peo tried to notice what he thought Tardo would look for on such a shortinspection. The Council agent, he knew, had had intensive training andmany years of experience. It was hard for Peo to judge what factorsTardo would consider significant--probably very minor ones that theaverage man would not notice, he thought. 

Tardo had seemed most intent on the question of slavery, and Peo lookedfor signs of it. He could see none. The people of the planet had hadtime to conceal some things, of course. But the people they saw in thevillage wore a proud air of independence no slave could assume. 

Saranta apologized for their having to walk, explaining that there wasno other means of transportation on the planet. 

"And, without transportation, you can understand why we have not beenable to develop a technology, " he added. "We hope transport will beincluded in the first assistance you will give us. "

Tardo asked about the fields. 

"I see there is no one working them, " he said. "Is that done by thevillagers?"

"Our labor supply is transient, " answered Saranta after a moment'shesitation. "The laborers who will work our fields--for a wage, ofcourse--are probably in the next town or the one beyond it now. "

Alpha Persei was sinking in the western sky when Tardo and Peo tooktheir leave of Saranta and made their way down the road toward theirplanetary landing craft. 

"It looks like a good world to me, " said Peo. "If tomorrow's inspectionis as satisfactory, I suppose you will recommend the beginning oftechnical aid?"

"There will be no inspection tour tomorrow, and I shall recommendagainst aid at this time, " replied Tardo. "I've seen enough. "

"Why?" asked Peo, surprised. 

"There are two classes of people on this planet, and we've seen onlyone, " said Tardo. "Those we have seen are freemen. The others are nobetter than animals. We give no aid that helps men tighten their holdover their fellows. "

"If you haven't seen them, how do you know there is another class?"demanded Peo. "There is no evidence of any such situation. "

"The evidence is well hidden. But if you think your stomach can take itnow, I'll tell you. If you remember your history, colonizing ships 1000years ago had no space to carry animals along. They had to depend onnative animal life of the planet, and this planet had none. "

"Saranta said that. But I don't see ... "

"Those were delicious steaks, weren't they?" remarked Tardo quietly. 

Transcriber's Note:

 This etext was produced from _If Worlds of Science Fiction_ September 1954. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U. S. Copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note.