“Yes, but that might take weeks, andmore likely, months. Perhaps years. During that time there will beloads of negative publicity calling the religion into question.Hundreds of news stories and television broadcasts when we breakthenews, informing ninety percent of the population that their faithisfaulty. Deacon Terk doesn’t want that. Even if eventually thetablets are proven false, tens of millions of people may beheartbroken and wander away from the faith. This preys on deaconTerk’s conscience. He would worry about only one lost soul. If onlyten percent of believers broke from the faith, that’s twenty-fivemillion souls. We’re offering a dollar a soul. Souls must be worthat least a buck apiece.”
“Sometimes a lot less, depending onthe soul.”
“OK, I don’t need your moralapproval. I just n
