Adventures in the Far Future & Tales of Outer Space — page 111: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

IN BRENT’S own cabin Prof. Harlow said quietly, “What are you?” Brent had an open traveling bag on the bunk. It did not contain clothing. It was a tool chest. But it contained a very Curious assortment of tools and instruments. He chose with some care but more haste. He was stuffing his pockets. “I’m aman ina hurry,” he observed. “Why do you ask?” “| want to know,” said Kit’s father mildly. “Because either you are an extraordinary fool, or you are extraordinary in some other way.” He drew out a small medal, hanging on a chain about his neck. He twisted it oddly and showed it to Brent. “Does this mean anything to you?” Brent hesitated. Then he said: “Y-yes. But it doesn’t put me under your orders. I’m afraid | rank you.” Den Harlow, who was a Very Important Person indeed, turned to his daughter and said drily: “The Profession.” Then he looked at what Brent showed him, and added, to Kit, “Il am ranked. | do take orders from him.” “I'd like it,” said Brent, “if you would get this suicide complex out of your daughter’s mind.” Brent, as a member of the Profession, had absolutely no legal status or authority save to ask for help from other members of the Profession. He had only the obligation— given him by his training—to move about the Galaxy and try to make sure that no one world anywhere acquired new weapons it did not share immediately with its sister worlds. Perhaps it was absurdly idealistic, but—as history has shown since, and all too clearly—it was the way by _ which civilization endured. As now ... He closed his tool kit carefully and said: “IT was working in the Cephis star-cluster. They were building a big fleet of new-type spaceships there. | got into CORniclooo SS CO