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 IN CASE OF FIRE By RANDALL GARRETT There are times when a broken tool is better to keep Nordon from getting unconfused. "These two men are honestly doing their best to win at the peace conference, and they've got the Karna reeling. Malloy leafed our men are actually working at trying to reach a decision. But what the Karna don't see is that those men, as a team, are unbeatable because, in this situation, they're psychologically incapable of losing." Again the Secretary of State nodded his approval, but there was still trying to stall 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 showed the complete psychological analysis of the man. Psychopathic paranoia. The man wasn't technically insane 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 trusted no one, and was perpetually on his guard against imaginary plots and persecutions. Malloy looked at him. "Didn't you know? I wondered why you appointed The Secretary of State raised an continually on the horns of one dilemma incapable of making a decision if he were faced with two or more possible alternatives of any major or another. He was psychologically Malloy sighed and pushed the dossiers were alike, and yet there sometimes seemed to be an eternal sameness about all men. He considered himself an individual, for instance, but wasn't the basic similarity there, after all? 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 Malloy closed his eyes. Somewhere fought. 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 that meant keeping on good terms with the Saarkkadic government. of differences—but their minds just didn't function along the same lines. 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 himself was never seen except by a handful of picked nobles, who, themselves, were never seen except by their duplicated nowhere else in the known universe. It was Bertrand Malloy's job to keep the production output high and to keep the materiel flowing towards along with. A staff of top-grade men could have handled them without half trying. But Malloy didn't have top-grade work that required their total capacity. It's inefficient to waste a man on a job that he can do without half trying So Malloy was stuck with the culls. 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 regulations. But Malloy didn't like to stop at merely thwarting mental quirks he The phone chimed. Malloy flipped "Malloy here." "Mr. Malloy?" said a careful voice. Miss Drayson was a case in point. She was uncommunicative. She liked to gather in information, but she found it difficult to give it up once it Malloy had made her his private out of Malloy's office without his direct order. It had taken Malloy a right—even desirable—for her to keep secrets from everyone except Malloy. over to Malloy. Malloy let her stand there while he Malloy read the whole thing through, fighting to keep his emotions in check. Miss Drayson stood there calmly, her face a mask her Finally, Malloy looked up. "I'll let need say that no news of this is to leave this office." Malloy watched her go out the door peace. They wanted an armistice conference—immediately. a reputation for losing wars and winning at the peace table. They were clever, persuasive talkers. They could twist a disadvantage to an advantage, and make their own strengths look impotent. But if the armistice went to their own advantage ... Already, they had taken the offensive all if Earth and Karn had fostered the as neutral as possible during the Earth-Karn war. They had no intention within the three-day limit or lose what might be a vital point in the negotiations. And that was where Bertrand Malloy came in. the Earth-Karn peace conference. On the second day after the arrival of the communique, Malloy made his decision. He flipped on his intercom and said: "Miss Drayson, Malloy knew the woman would it was better to give her permission to do so. James Nordon was tall, broad-shouldered, and thirty-eight. His hair was graying at the temples, and his handsome face looked cool and efficient. Malloy waved him to a seat. Malloy explained the problem of the Karna peace talks. "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 "No," said Malloy, "I'm sending 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 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 his advice." "I will, sir," Nordon said gratefully. "A man like that can be useful." As soon as Nordon had left, Malloy heavy, protruding brows. Malloy asked 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 we'll simply have to be more shrewd and more underhanded. Nordon's job is to sit quietly and evaluate the data don't baby them, either. If you see anything underhanded going on, let Nordon know immediately." "They won't get anything by me, Mr. Malloy." Malloy had full reports on the whole Secretary of State Blendwell stopped He was a tallish, lean man with a few strands of gray hair on the top of his otherwise bald scalp, and he wore a hearty, professional smile that didn't quite make it to his calculating eyes. He took Malloy's hand and shook am I, for that matter." His eyes were curious. "You decided not to go yourself, eh?" Malloy handed them to the secretary, and as he read, Malloy watched him. Blendwell was a political appointee—a good man, Malloy had to admit, but he didn't know all the ins and outs of the Diplomatic Corps. When Blendwell looked up from every point! They've beaten them back! They've managed to cope with and outdo the finest team of negotiators the Karna could send." "I thought they would," said Malloy, trying to appear modest. Malloy nodded. "I think so. The against making decisions. If he took a girl out on a date, he'd have trouble making up his mind whether to kiss her or not until she made up his mind 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. to give us several choices on each point, and they were all rigged. Until they backed down to a single point and proved that it wasn't 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

<question>:
What is the most likely reason that Secretary of State Blendwell appointed Malloy for the peace talks?

<options>:
A He had the most recent practice maintaining peace.
B He was the closest diplomat available.
C He was the most qualified to deal with the situation.
D He has a reputation for not compromising.

<answer>:

B