Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
there isn't a trap, the Karna can't satisfy Braynek, because he's convinced that there has As a result, all his advice to Nordon, and all his questioning on the wildest possibilities, just serves In his office apartment, on the top floor of the The Karna can see that we're not Malloy leafed trying to stall in Occeq City, Bertrand to him. They were typical of the kind of men who were sent to him, he because, in this situation, they're psychologically incapable of losing." thought. Which meant, as usual, that those men, as a team, are unbeatable Saarkkad IV to work under Bertrand Malloy ran his finger down the columns it's better this way." he could be as lucid as the next man most of the time. But he was morbidly suspicious that every man's hand was turned against him. He Malloy looked at him. "Didn't you on his guard against imaginary plots and persecutions. Number two suffered from some sort of emotional block that left him trusted no one, and was perpetually continually on the horns of one dilemma or another. He was psychologically incapable of making a decision if he were faced with two or more importance. Number three ... Malloy sighed and pushed the dossiers possible alternatives of any major it that way. I suffer from agoraphobia and xenophobia. "I have to be drugged to be put on look of revulsion came over his face. THE END Transcriber's Note: "And I can't stand calendar just above it. Fifty-nine next week. Fifty-nine years old. And what did he have to show for it besides flabby muscles, sagging skin, a wrinkled face, and gray hair? Well, he had an excellent record in the Corps, if nothing else. One of the Malloy closed his eyes. Somewhere And, Malloy knew, his own position was not unimportant in that war. He was not in the battle line, nor even in the major production line, but it was necessary to keep the drug supply For nine years, Bertrand Malloy ever seen him. To have shown himself to one of them would have meant instant loss of prestige. To their way of thinking, an important official was aloof. The greater his importance, the greater must be his isolation. The Occeq of Saarkkad himself was never seen except by a handful of picked nobles, who, themselves, were never seen except by their underlings. It was a long, roundabout way of doing business, but it was the only way Saarkkad would do any social setup of Saarkkad would mean the instant closing off of the supply of biochemical products that the It was Bertrand Malloy's job to keep the production output high and The job would have been a snap cinch in the right circumstances the half trying. But Malloy didn't have top-grade men. They couldn't be spared from work that required their total capacity. It's inefficient to waste a man on a job that he can do without half trying where there are more important jobs that will tax his full output. So Malloy was stuck with the culls. Not the worst ones, of course there less important than Saarkkad to the war effort. Malloy knew that, no matter what was wrong with a man, as long as he had the mental ability to dress himself and get himself to work, useful work could be found for him. Physical handicaps weren't at all or total losses of limbs can be compensated for in one way or another. The mental disabilities were harder regulations. But Malloy didn't like to stop at merely thwarting mental quirks he liked to find places where they were The phone chimed. Malloy flipped "Malloy here." "Mr. Malloy?" said a careful voice. Malloy had made her his private secretary. Nothing—but nothing —got out of Malloy's office without his direct order. It had taken Malloy a head that it was perfectly all right—even desirable—for her to keep secrets from everyone except Malloy. know? I wondered why you appointed over to Malloy. desk. "If anything else comes in, I'll let you know immediately, sir," she me, in the first place. No, I Malloy let her stand there while he said. "Will there be anything else?" to know what his reaction was going to be it didn't matter because no one would ever find out from her what he had done unless she was ordered to tell someone. He read the first paragraph, and his eyes widened involuntarily. "Armistice," he said in a low whisper. "There's a chance that the war may be over." hushed voice. Malloy read the whole thing through, fighting to keep his emotions bigshot should, is because I Finally, Malloy looked up. "I'll let need say that no news of this is to leave this office." "Of course not, sir." Malloy watched her go out the door like is too costly to allow it to continue any longer than necessary, and this one had been going on for more than a reputation for losing wars and winning at the peace table. They were like weaknesses. If they won the armistice, they'd be able to retrench and rearm, and the war would break out again within a few years. Now—at this point in time—they could be beaten. They could be forced to allow supervision of the production potential, forced to disarm, rendered that empty space, even if I'm protected from it by a steel shell." A only by low-intelligence animals. The Karna considered this to be fully neutral territory, and Earth And that was where Bertrand Malloy On the second day after the arrival of the communique, Malloy made his decision. He flipped on his Malloy knew the woman would Malloy waved him to a seat. probably one of the most important jobs you'll ever have in your life. It can mean big things for you—promotion and prestige if you do it well." Nordon nodded slowly. "Yes, sir." Malloy explained the problem of "We need a man who can outthink them," Malloy finished, "and judging from your record, I think you're that man. It involves risk, of course. If you make the wrong decisions, your name will be mud back on Earth. But I don't think there's much chance of that, really. Do you want to handle "No," said Malloy, "I'm sending an assistant with you—a man named I recall, Mr. Malloy. Should I have?" shrewd operator, though. He knows a lot about interstellar law, and he's capable of spotting a trap a mile away. You'll be in charge, of course, but I want you to pay special attention to As soon as Nordon had left, Malloy heavy, protruding brows. Malloy asked Again Malloy went through the explanation trick you every step of the way," Malloy underhanded we'll simply have to be more shrewd and more underhanded. Nordon's job is to sit "They won't get anything by me, Mr. Malloy." Malloy had full reports on the whole didn't quite make it to his calculating eyes. He took Malloy's hand and shook what is going to happen on Five. So am I, for that matter." His eyes were curious. "You decided not to go Malloy handed them to the secretary, and as he read, Malloy watched good man, Malloy had to ins and outs of the Diplomatic Corps. "I thought they would," said Malloy, Malloy nodded. "I think so. The for him, one way or the other. He's that kind of guy. Until he's presented with one, single, clear decision which admits of no alternatives, he can't move at all. Nordon couldn't possibly make up his mind. I drummed into him how important this was, and the more importance there is attached to his decisions, the more incapable he becomes of making them." "Paranoid," said Malloy. "He thinks everyone is plotting against him. In this case, that's all to the good Braynek is convinced that there's a trap in it somewhere, and he digs to find out what the trap is. Even if

<question>:
Why does Bertrand Malloy end up with odd officers under his command?

<options>:
A He has a reputation of being able to handle them well.
B Higher quality candidates were sent to higher priority jobs.
C He requests them specifically.
D It is part of his punishment for this low-ranking position.

<answer>:

B