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 casually through the dossiers of the four new men who had been assigned But what the Karna don't see is that in Occeq City, Bertrand Saarkkad IV to work under Bertrand Malloy, Permanent Terran Ambassador to His Utter Munificence, the Occeq of Saarkkad. Take this first one, for instance. Malloy ran his finger down the columns of complex symbolism that showed the complete psychological go, Mr. Ambassador?" Malloy looked at him. "Didn't you on his guard against imaginary plots me, in the first place. No, I couldn't go. The reason why I'm here, cooped up in this office, hiding from the Saarkkada the way a good Saarkkadic and persecutions. know? I wondered why you appointed trusted no one, and was perpetually bigshot should, is because I Malloy sighed and pushed the dossiers away from him. No two men were alike, and yet there sometimes that empty space, even if I'm protected from it by a steel shell." A look of revulsion came over his face. correlated with the Saarkkadic softly to himself—he had Saarkkad. whole galaxies without filling its insatiable void. Malloy closed his eyes. Somewhere out there, a war was raging. He didn't even like to think of that, but of the alien Karna in the most important war that Mankind had yet fought. And, Malloy knew, his own position was not unimportant in that war. He was not in the battle line, nor with the Saarkkadic government. The Saarkkada themselves were humanoid and for nine years, no Saarkkada had 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 Saarkkadic laboratories produced that were vitally necessary to Earth's war, and which could be duplicated nowhere else in the Saarkkada weren't difficult to get could have handled them without half trying. But Malloy didn't have top-grade men. They couldn't be spared from work that required their total capacity. 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 were places in the galaxy that were 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 Physical handicaps weren't at all difficult to deal with. A blind man can work very well in the total darkness his own on Saarkkad unless was impossible, in view of the sterilization regulations. But Malloy didn't like to stop at merely thwarting mental quirks he liked to find places where they were useful . The phone chimed. Malloy flipped it on with a practiced hand. "Malloy here." "Mr. Malloy?" said a careful voice. "A special communication for you has been teletyped in from Earth. Shall I found it difficult to give it up once it was in her possession. 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 long time to get it into Miss Drayson's head that it was perfectly all right—even desirable—for her to keep secrets from everyone except Malloy. She came in through the door, a rather handsome woman in her middle someone might at any instant snatch it from her before she could turn it over to Malloy. She laid them carefully on the let you know immediately, sir," she said. "Will there be anything else?" Malloy let her stand there while he picked up the communique. She wanted to know what his reaction was it didn't matter because no one would ever find out from her what he had done unless she was ordered to tell someone. hushed voice. Malloy read the whole thing through, fighting to keep his emotions in check. Miss Drayson stood her emotions were a secret. Finally, Malloy looked up. "I'll let you know as soon as I reach a decision, "Of course not, sir." Malloy watched her go out the door without actually seeing her. The war was over—at least for a while. He The Karna, slowly being beaten clever, persuasive talkers. They could twist a disadvantage to an advantage, and make their own strengths look their own advantage ... Already, they had taken the offensive in the matter of the peace talks. Saarkkad V, the next planet out from the Saarkkad sun, a chilly world inhabited The Karna considered this to be government to get a vessel to Saarkkad Saarkkad sun was just as far from Karna played their cards right, their might be a vital point in the negotiations. And that was where Bertrand Malloy I do?" he said softly. On the second day after the arrival of the communique, Malloy Malloy knew the woman would listen in on the intercom anyway, and it was better to give her permission to was graying at the temples, and his handsome face looked cool and efficient. Malloy waved him to a seat. Nordon nodded slowly. "Yes, sir." Malloy explained the problem of the Karna peace talks. "We need a man who can outthink them," Malloy finished, "and judging for Saarkkad V." Nordon nodded again. "Yes, sir certainly. Am I to go alone?" "No," said Malloy, "I'm sending an assistant with you—a man named Kylen Braynek. Ever heard of him?" Nordon shook his head. "Not that I recall, Mr. Malloy. Should I have?" "Not necessarily. He's a pretty shrewd operator, though. He knows a capable of spotting a trap a mile away. You'll be in charge, of course, but I want you to pay special attention to much time, but it's the Karna who are against his skull, and hard, penetrating, dark eyes that were shadowed by heavy, protruding brows. Malloy asked him to sit down. Again Malloy went through the explanation of the peace conference. "Naturally, they'll be trying to trick you every step of the way," Malloy went on. "They're shrewd and underhanded Nordon know immediately." "They won't get anything by me, Mr. Malloy." By the time the ship from Earth Malloy had full reports on the whole parley, as relayed to him through the ship that had taken Nordon and Braynek to Saarkkad V. didn't quite make it to his calculating eyes. He took Malloy's hand and shook Malloy handed them to the secretary, and as he read, Malloy watched good man, Malloy had to admit, but he didn't know all the ins and outs of the Diplomatic Corps. and outdo the finest team of negotiators the Karna could send." "I thought they would," said Malloy, trying to appear modest. The secretary's eyes narrowed. doing here with ... ah ... sick men. Is this one of your ... ah ... successes?" Malloy nodded. "I think so. The Karna put us in a dilemma, so I threw a dilemma right back at them." The Secretary nodded slowly. "What about Braynek?" "Paranoid," said Malloy. "He thinks everyone is plotting against him. In this case, that's all to the good because the Karna plotting against him. No matter what they put forth, Braynek is convinced that there's a trap in it somewhere, and he digs to find out what the trap is. Even if

<question>:
What is the role of the Saarkkadic people in this story?

<options>:
A The other races are vying for attention from them for support in the war
B They are overseeing the peace talks.
C They produce some materials important to the Terrans.
D They provide a place for Malloy to hide from his own people.

<answer>:

C