▁known ▁that ▁if ▁Sam ms , ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Tri plan et ary ▁Service , ▁vis its ▁the ▁Ar is ian ▁planet ary ▁system ▁he ▁will ▁be ▁given ▁the ▁tool ▁he ▁needs ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁Gal actic ▁Pat rol . ▁That ▁tool ▁is ▁the ▁L ens . ▁The ▁Ar is ians ▁further ▁promise ▁him ▁that ▁no ▁entity ▁un worth y ▁of ▁the ▁L ens ▁will ▁ever ▁be ▁permitted ▁to ▁wear ▁it , ▁but ▁that ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁success ors ▁will ▁have ▁to ▁discover ▁for ▁themselves ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁ab ilities . ▁ ▁The ▁L ens ▁gives ▁its ▁wear er ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁mental ▁capabilities , ▁including ▁those ▁needed ▁to ▁en force ▁the ▁law ▁on ▁al ien ▁plan ets , ▁and ▁to ▁bridge ▁the ▁communication ▁gap ▁between ▁different ▁life - forms . ▁It ▁can ▁provide ▁mind - reading ▁and ▁tele path ic ▁ab ilities . ▁It ▁cannot ▁be ▁worn ▁by ▁anyone ▁other ▁than ▁its ▁owner , ▁will ▁kill ▁any ▁other ▁wear er , ▁and ▁even ▁a ▁brief ▁touch ▁is ▁extremely ▁pain ful . ▁ ▁Using ▁the ▁L ens ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁to ▁test ▁mental ▁qual ities ▁and ▁identify ▁individuals ▁able ▁to ▁help ▁him , ▁Vir g il ▁Sam ms ▁vis its ▁races ▁and ▁species ▁in ▁other ▁star ▁systems , ▁rec ruit ing ▁the ▁best ▁of ▁them ▁and ▁forming ▁the ▁nucle us ▁of ▁a ▁Gal actic ▁Pat rol . ▁Their ▁oppon ents ▁are ▁discovered ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁w ides p read ▁civil ization ▁based ▁on ▁domin ance ▁hier arch ies ▁and ▁using ▁organized ▁crime