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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Adaptation, by Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Adaptation
+
+Author: Dallas McCord Reynolds
+
+Illustrator: John Schoenherr
+
+Release Date: March 4, 2008 [EBook #24749]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADAPTATION ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, Stephen Blundell
+and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
+https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+ADAPTATION
+
+By MACK REYNOLDS
+
+Illustrated by Schoenherr
+
+
+    _When a man has a great deal of knowledge, it becomes extremely easy
+    for him to confuse "knowledge" with "wisdom" ... and forget that the
+    antonym of "wisdom" is not "ignorance" but "folly."_
+
+
+
+
+FORWARD
+
+
+_Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin
+than he began to fumble into space. Barely a century had elapsed in the
+exploration of the Solar System than he began to grope for the stars._
+
+_And suddenly, with an all but religious zeal, mankind conceived its
+fantasy dream of populating the galaxy. Never in the history of the race
+had fervor reached such a peak and held so long. The question of why was
+seemingly ignored. Millions of Earth-type planets beckoned and with a
+lemming-like desperation humanity erupted into them._
+
+_But the obstacles were frightening in their magnitude. The planets and
+satellites of Sol had proven comparatively tractable and those that were
+suited to man-life were quickly brought under his dominion. But there,
+of course, he had the advantage of proximity. The time involved in
+running back and forth to the home planet was meaningless and all
+Earth's resources could be thrown into each problem's solving._
+
+_But a planet a year removed in transportation or even communication?
+Ay! this was another thing and more than once a million colonists were
+lost before the Earthlings could adapt to new climates, new flora and
+fauna, new bacteria--or to factors which the most far out visionary had
+never fancied, perhaps the lack of something never before missed._
+
+_So, mad with the lust to seed the universe with his kind, men sought
+new methods. To a hundred thousand worlds they sent smaller colonies, as
+few as a hundred pioneers apiece, and there marooned them, to adapt, if
+adapt they could._
+
+_For a millennium each colony was left to its own resources, to conquer
+the environment or to perish in the effort._
+
+_A thousand years was sufficient. Invariably it was found, on those
+planets where human life survived at all, man slipped back during his
+first two or three centuries into a state of barbarism. Then slowly
+began to inch forward again. There were exceptions and the progress on
+one planet never exactly duplicated that on another, however the average
+was surprisingly close to both nadir and zenith, in terms of evolution
+of society._
+
+_In a thousand years it was deemed by the Office of Galactic
+Colonization such pioneers had largely adjusted to the new environment
+and were ready for civilization, industrialization and eventual
+assimilation into the rapidly evolving Galactic Commonwealth._
+
+_Of course, even from the beginning, new and unforeseen problems
+manifested themselves ..._
+
+                                       _from_ "Man In Antiquity"
+                                         _published in Terra City, Sol
+                                         Galactic Year 3,502._
+
+
+
+
+I.
+
+
+The Co-ordinator said, "I suppose I'm an incurable romantic. You see, I
+hate to see you go." Academician Amschel Mayer was a man in early middle
+years; Dr. Leonid Plekhanov, his contemporary. They offset one another;
+Mayer thin and high-pitched, his colleague heavy, slow and dour. Now
+they both showed their puzzlement.
+
+The Co-ordinator added, "Without me."
+
+Plekhanov kept his massive face blank. It wasn't for him to be impatient
+with his superior. Nevertheless, the ship was waiting, stocked and
+crewed.
+
+Amschel Mayer said, "Certainly a last minute chat can't harm." Inwardly
+he realized the other man's position. Here was a dream coming true, and
+Mayer and his fellows were the last thread that held the Co-ordinator's
+control over the dream. When they left, half a century would pass before
+he could again check developments.
+
+The Co-ordinator became more businesslike. "Yes," he said, "but I have
+more in mind than a chat. Very briefly, I wish to go over your
+assignment. Undoubtedly redundant, but if there are questions, no matter
+how seemingly trivial, this is the last opportunity to air them."
+
+_What possible questions could there be at this late date?_ Plekhanov
+thought.
+
+The department head swiveled slowly in his chair and then back again as
+he talked. "You are the first--the first of many, many such teams. The
+manner in which you handle your task will effect man's eternity.
+Obviously, since upon your experience we will base our future policies
+on interstellar colonization." His voice lost volume. "The position in
+which you find yourselves should be humbling."
+
+"It is," Amschel Mayer agreed. Plekhanov nodded his head.
+
+The Co-ordinator nodded, too. "However, the situation is as near ideal
+as we could hope. Rigel's planets are all but unbelievably Earthlike.
+Almost all our flora and fauna have been adaptable. Certainly our race
+has been.
+
+"These two are the first of the seeded planets. Almost a thousand years
+ago we deposited small bodies of colonists upon each of them. Since then
+we have periodically checked, from a distance, but never intruded." His
+eyes went from one of his listeners to the other. "No comments or
+questions, thus far?"
+
+Mayer said, "This is one thing that surprises me. The colonies are so
+small to begin with. How could they possibly populate a whole world in
+one millennium?"
+
+The Co-ordinator said, "Man adapts, Amschel. Have you studied the
+development of the United States? During her first century and a half
+the need was for population to fill the vast lands wrested from the
+Amer-Inds. Families of eight, ten, and twelve children were the common
+thing, much larger ones were not unknown. And the generations crowded
+one against another; a girl worried about spinsterhood if she reached
+seventeen unwed. But in the next century? The frontier vanished, the
+driving need for population was gone. Not only were drastic immigration
+laws passed, but the family shrunk rapidly until by mid-Twentieth
+Century the usual consisted of two or three children, and even the
+childless family became increasingly common."
+
+Mayer frowned impatiently, "But still, a thousand years. There is always
+famine, war, disease ..."
+
+Plekhanov snorted patronizingly. "Forty to fifty generations, Amschel?
+Starting with a hundred colonists? Where are your mathematics?"
+
+The Co-ordinator said, "The proof is there. We estimate that each of
+Rigel's planets now supports a population of nearly one billion."
+
+"To be more exact," Plekhanov rumbled, "some nine hundred million on
+Genoa, seven and a half on Texcoco."
+
+Mayer smiled wryly. "I wonder what the residents of each of these
+planets call their worlds. Hardly the same names we have arbitrarily
+bestowed."
+
+"Probably each call theirs _The World_," the Co-ordinator smiled. "After
+all, the basic language, in spite of a thousand years, is still
+Amer-English. However, I assume you are familiar with our method of
+naming. The most advanced culture on Rigel's first planet is to be
+compared to the Italian cities during Europe's feudalistic era. We have
+named that planet Genoa. The most advanced nation of the second planet
+is comparable to the Aztecs at the time of the conquest. We considered
+Tenochtitlan but it seemed a tongue twister, so Texcoco is the
+alternative."
+
+"Modernizing Genoa," Mayer mused, "should be considerably easier than
+the task on semiprimitive Texcoco."
+
+Plekhanov shrugged, "Not necessarily."
+
+The Co-ordinator held up a hand and smiled at them. "Please, no debates
+on methods at present. An hour from now you will be in space with a year
+of travel before you. During that time you'll have opportunity for
+discussion, debate and hair pulling on every phase of your problem."
+
+His expression became more serious. "You are acquainted with the unique
+position you assume. These colonists are in your control to an extent no
+small group has ever dominated millions of others before. No Caesar ever
+exerted the power that will be in your educated hands. For a half
+century you will be as gods. Your science, your productive know-how,
+your medicine--if it comes to that, your weapons--are many centuries in
+advance of theirs. As I said before, your position should be humbling."
+
+Mayer squirmed in his chair. "Why not check upon us, say, once every
+decade? In all, our ship's company numbers but sixteen persons. Almost
+anything could happen. If you were to send a department craft each ten
+years ..."
+
+The Co-ordinator was shaking his head. "Your qualifications are as high
+as anyone available. Once on the scene you will begin accumulating
+information which we, here in Terra City, do not have. Were we to send
+another group in ten years to check upon you, all they could do would be
+interfere in a situation all the factors with which they would not be
+cognizant."
+
+Amschel Mayer shifted nervously. "But no matter how highly trained, nor
+how earnest our efforts, we still may fail." His voice worried. "The
+department cannot expect guaranteed success. After all, we are the
+first."
+
+"Admittedly. Your group is first to approach the hundreds of thousands
+of planets we have seeded. If you fail, we will use your failure to
+perfect the eventual system we must devise for future teams. Even your
+failure would be of infinite use to us." He lifted and dropped a
+shoulder. "I have no desire to undermine your belief in yourselves
+but--how are we to know?--perhaps there will be a score of failures
+before we find the ideal method of quickly bringing these primitive
+colonies into our Galactic Commonwealth."
+
+The Co-ordinator came to his feet and sighed. He still hated to see them
+go. "If there is no other discussion ..."
+
+
+
+
+II.
+
+
+Specialist Joseph Chessman stood stolidly before a viewing screen.
+Theoretically he was on watch. Actually his eyes were unseeing, there
+was nothing to see. The star pattern changed so slowly as to be all but
+permanent.
+
+Not that every other task on board was not similar. One man could have
+taken the _Pedagogue_ from the Solar System to Rigel, just as easily as
+its sixteen-hand crew was doing. Automation at its ultimate, not even
+the steward department had tasks adequately to fill the hours.
+
+He had got beyond the point of yawning, his mind was a blank during
+these hours of duty. He was a stolid, bear of a man, short and massive
+of build.
+
+A voice behind him said, "Second watch reporting. Request permission to
+take over the bridge."
+
+Chessman turned and it took a brief moment for the blankness in his eyes
+to fade into life. "Hello Kennedy, you on already? Seems like I just got
+here." He muttered in self-contradiction, "Or that I've been here a
+month."
+
+Technician Jerome Kennedy grinned. "Of course, if you want to stay ..."
+
+Chessman said glumly, "What difference does it make where you are? What
+are they doing in the lounge?"
+
+Kennedy looked at the screen, not expecting to see anything and
+accomplishing just that. "Still on their marathon argument."
+
+Joe Chessman grunted.
+
+Just to be saying something, Kennedy said, "How do you stand in the big
+debate?"
+
+"I don't know. I suppose I favor Plekhanov. How we're going to take a
+bunch of savages and teach them modern agriculture and industrial
+methods in fifty years under democratic institutions, I don't know. I
+can see them putting it to a vote when we suggest fertilizer might be a
+good idea." He didn't feel like continuing the conversation. "See you
+later, Kennedy," and then, as an afterthought, formally, "Relinquishing
+the watch to Third Officer."
+
+As he left the compartment, Jerry Kennedy called after him, "Hey, what's
+the course!"
+
+Chessman growled over his shoulder, "The same it was last month, and the
+same it'll be next month." It wasn't much of a joke but it was the only
+one they had between themselves.
+
+In the ship's combination lounge and mess he drew a cup of coffee. Joe
+Chessman, among whose specialties were propaganda and primitive
+politics, was third in line in the expedition's hierarchy. As such he
+participated in the endless controversy dealing with overall strategy
+but only as a junior member of the firm. Amschel Mayer and Leonid
+Plekhanov were the center of the fracas and right now were at it hot and
+heavy.
+
+Joe Chessman listened with only half interest. He settled into a chair
+on the opposite side of the lounge and sipped at his coffee. They were
+going over their old battlefields, assaulting ramparts they'd stormed a
+thousand times over.
+
+Plekhanov was saying doggedly, "Any planned economy is more efficient
+than any unplanned one. What could be more elementary than that? How
+could anyone in his right mind deny that?"
+
+And Mayer snapped, "_I_ deny it. That term _planned economy_ covers a
+multitude of sins. My dear Leonid, don't be an idiot ..."
+
+"I beg your pardon, sir!"
+
+"Oh, don't get into one of your huffs, Plekhanov."
+
+They were at that stage again.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Technician Natt Roberts entered, a book in hand, and sent the trend of
+conversation in a new direction. He said, worriedly, "I've been studying
+up on this and what we're confronted with is two different ethnic
+periods, barbarism and feudalism. Handling them both at once doubles our
+problems."
+
+One of the junior specialists who'd been sitting to one side said, "I've
+been thinking about that and I believe I've got an answer. Why not all
+of us concentrate on Texcoco? When we've brought them to the Genoa
+level, which shouldn't take more than a decade or two, then we can start
+working on the Genoese, too."
+
+Mayer snapped, "And by that time we'll have hardly more than half our
+fifty years left to raise the two of them to an industrial technology.
+Don't be an idiot, Stevens."
+
+Stevens flushed his resentment.
+
+Plekhanov said slowly, "Besides, I'm not sure that, given the correct
+method, we cannot raise Texcoco to an industrialized society in
+approximately the same time it will take to bring Genoa there."
+
+Mayer bleated a sarcastic laugh at that opinion.
+
+Natt Roberts tossed his book to the table and sank into a chair. "If
+only one of them had maintained itself at a reasonable level of
+development, we'd have had help in working with the other. As it is,
+there are only sixteen of us." He shook his head. "Why did the knowledge
+held by the original colonists melt away? How can an intelligent people
+lose such basics as the smelting of iron, gunpowder, the use of coal as
+a fuel?"
+
+Plekhanov was heavy with condescension. "Roberts, you seem to have
+entered upon this expedition with a lack of background. Consider. You
+put down a hundred colonists, products of the most advanced culture.
+Among these you have one or two who can possibly repair an I.B.M.
+machine, but is there one who can smelt iron, or even locate the ore? We
+have others who could design an automated textile factory, but do any
+know how to weave a blanket on a hand loom?
+
+"The first generation gets along well with the weapons and equipment
+brought with them from Earth. They maintain the old ways. The second
+generation follows along but already ammunition for the weapons runs
+short, the machinery imported from Earth needs parts. There is no local
+economy that can provide such things. The third generation begins to
+think of Earth as a legend and the methods necessary to survive on the
+new planet conflict with those the first settlers imported. By the
+fourth generation, Earth is no longer a legend but a fable ..."
+
+"But the books, the tapes, the films ..." Roberts injected.
+
+"Go with the guns, the vehicles and the other things brought from Earth.
+On a new planet there is no leisure class among the colonists. Each
+works hard if the group is to survive. There is no time to write new
+books, nor to copy the old, and the second and especially the third
+generation are impatient of the time needed to learn to read, time that
+should be spent in the fields or at the chase. The youth of an
+industrial culture can spend twenty years and more achieving a basic
+education before assuming adult responsibilities but no pioneer society
+can afford to allow its offspring to so waste its time."
+
+Natt Roberts was being stubborn. "But still, a few would carry the torch
+of knowledge."
+
+Plekhanov nodded ponderously. "For a while. But then comes the reaction
+against these nonconformists, these crackpots who, by spending time at
+books, fail to carry their share of the load. One day they wake up to
+find themselves expelled from the group--if not knocked over the head."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Joe Chessman had been following Plekhanov's argument. He said dourly,
+"But finally the group conquers its environment to the point where a
+minimum of leisure is available again. Not for everybody, of course."
+
+Amschel Mayer bounced back into the discussion. "Enter the priest, enter
+the war lord. Enter the smart operator who talks or fights himself into
+a position where he's free from drudgery."
+
+Joe Chessman said reasonably, "If you don't have the man with leisure,
+society stagnates. Somebody has to have time off for thinking, if the
+whole group is to advance."
+
+"Admittedly!" Mayer agreed. "I'd be the last to contend that an upper
+class is necessarily parasitic."
+
+Plekhanov grumbled, "We're getting away from the subject. In spite of
+Mayer's poorly founded opinions, it is quite obvious that only a
+collectivized economy is going to enable these Rigel planets to achieve
+an industrial culture in as short a period as half a century."
+
+Amschel Mayer reacted as might have been predicted. "Look here,
+Plekhanov, we have our own history to go by. Man made his greatest
+strides under a freely competitive system."
+
+"Well now ..." Chessman began.
+
+"Prove that!" Plekhanov insisted loudly. "Your so-called free economy
+countries such as England, France and the United States began their
+industrial revolution in the early part of the nineteenth century. It
+took them a hundred years to accomplish what the Soviets did in fifty,
+in the next century."
+
+"Just a _moment_, now," Mayer simmered. "That's fine, but the Soviets
+were able to profit by the pioneering the free countries did. The
+scientific developments, the industrial techniques, were handed to her
+on a platter."
+
+Specialist Martin Gunther, thus far silent, put in his calm opinion.
+"Actually, it seems to me the fastest industrialization comes under a
+paternal guidance from a more advanced culture. Take Japan. In 1854 she
+was opened to trade by Commodore Perry. In 1871 she abolished feudalism
+and encouraged by her own government and utilizing the most advanced
+techniques of a sympathetic West, she began to industrialize." Gunther
+smiled wryly, "Soon to the dismay of the very countries that originally
+sponsored bringing her into the modern world. By 1894 she was able to
+wage a successful war against China and by 1904 she took on and trounced
+Czarist Russia. In a period of thirty-five years she had advanced from
+feudalism to a world power."
+
+Joe Chessman took his turn. He said obdurately, "Your paternalistic
+guidance, given an uncontrolled competitive system, doesn't always work
+out. Take India after she gained independence from England. She tried to
+industrialize and had the support of the free nations. But what
+happened?"
+
+Plekhanov leaned forward to take the ball. "Yes! There's your classic
+example. Compare India and China. China had a planned industrial
+development. None of this free competition nonsense. In ten years time
+they had startled the world with their advances. In twenty years--"
+
+"Yes," Stevens said softly, "but at what price?"
+
+Plekhanov turned on him. "At any price!" he roared. "In one generation
+they left behind the China of famine, flood, illiteracy, war lords and
+all the misery that had been China's throughout history."
+
+Stevens said mildly, "Whether in their admitted advances they left
+behind all the misery that had been China's is debatable, sir."
+
+Plekhanov began to bellow an angry retort but Amschel Mayer popped
+suddenly to his feet and lifted a hand to quiet the others. "Our
+solution has just come to me!"
+
+Plekhanov glowered at him.
+
+Mayer said excitedly, "Remember what the Co-ordinator told us? This
+expedition of ours is the first of its type. Even though we fail, the
+very mistakes we make will be invaluable. Our task is to learn how to
+bring backward peoples into an industrialized culture in roughly half a
+century."
+
+The messroom's occupants scowled at him. Thus far he'd said nothing new.
+
+Mayer went on enthusiastically. "Thus far in our debates we've had two
+basic suggestions on procedure. I have advocated a system of free
+competition; my learned colleague has been of the opinion that a strong
+state and a planned, not to say totalitarian, economy would be the
+quicker." He paused dramatically. "Very well, I am in favor of trying
+them both."
+
+They regarded him blankly.
+
+He said with impatience, "There are two planets, at different ethnic
+periods it is true, but not so far apart as all that. Fine, eight of us
+will take Genoa and eight Texcoco."
+
+Plekhanov rumbled, "Fine, indeed. But which group will have the use of
+the _Pedagogue_ with its library, its laboratories, its shops, its
+weapons?"
+
+For a moment, Mayer was stopped but Joe Chessman growled, "That's no
+problem. Leave her in orbit around Rigel. We've got two small boats with
+which to ferry back and forth. Each group could have the use of her
+facilities any time they wished."
+
+"I suppose we could have periodic conferences," Plekhanov said. "Say
+once every decade to compare notes and make further plans, if
+necessary."
+
+Natt Roberts was worried. "We had no such instructions from the
+Co-ordinator. Dividing our forces like that."
+
+Mayer cut him short. "My dear Roberts, we were given _carte blanche_. It
+is up to us to decide procedure. Actually, this system realizes twice
+the information such expeditions as ours might ordinarily offer."
+
+"Texcoco for me," Plekhanov grumbled, accepting the plan in its whole.
+"The more backward of the two, but under my guidance in half a century
+it will be the more advanced, mark me."
+
+"Look here," Martin Gunther said. "Do we have two of each of the basic
+specialists, so that we can divide the party in such a way that neither
+planet will miss out in any one field?"
+
+Amschel Mayer was beaming at the reception of his scheme. "The point is
+well taken, my dear Martin, however you'll recall that our training was
+deliberately made such that each man spreads over several fields. This
+in case, during our half century without contact, one or more of us
+meets with accident. Besides, the _Pedagogue's_ library is such that any
+literate can soon become effective in any field to the extent needed on
+the Rigel planets."
+
+
+
+
+III.
+
+
+Joe Chessman was at the controls of the space lighter. At his side sat
+Leonid Plekhanov and behind them the other six members of their team.
+They had circled Texcoco twice at great altitude, four times at a lesser
+one. Now they were low enough to spot man-made works.
+
+"Nomadic," Plekhanov muttered. "Nomadic and village cultures."
+
+"A few dozen urbanized cultures," Chessman said. "Whoever compared the
+most advanced nation to the Aztecs was accurate, except for the fact
+that they base themselves along a river rather than on a mountain
+plateau."
+
+Plekhanov said, "Similarities to the Egyptians and Sumerians." He looked
+over his beefy shoulder at the technician who was photographing the
+areas over which they passed. "How does our geographer progress,
+Roberts?"
+
+Natt Roberts brought his eyes up from his camera viewer. "I've got most
+of what we'll need for a while, sir."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Plekhanov turned back to Chessman. "We might as well head for their
+principal city, the one with the pyramids. We'll make initial contact
+there. I like the suggestion of surplus labor available."
+
+"Surplus labor?" Chessman said, setting the controls. "How do you know?"
+
+"Pyramids," Plekhanov rumbled. "I've always been of the opinion that
+such projects as pyramids, whether they be in Yucatan or Egypt, are
+make-work affairs. A priesthood, or other ruling clique, keeping its
+people busy and hence out of mischief."
+
+Chessman adjusted a speed lever and settled back. "I can see their
+point."
+
+"But I don't agree with it," Plekhanov said ponderously. "A society that
+builds pyramids is a static one. For that matter any society that
+resorts to make-work projects to busy its citizenry has something
+basically wrong."
+
+Joe Chessman said sourly, "I wasn't supporting the idea, just
+understanding the view of the priesthoods. They'd made a nice thing for
+themselves and didn't want to see anything happen to it. It's not the
+only time a group in the saddle has held up progress for the sake of
+remaining there. Priests, slave-owners, feudalistic barons, or
+bureaucrats of a twentieth-century police state, a ruling clique will
+never give up power without pressure."
+
+Barry Watson leaned forward and pointed down and to the right. "There's
+the river," he said. "And there's their capital city."
+
+The small spacecraft settled at decreasing speed.
+
+Chessman said, "The central square? It seems to be their market, by the
+number of people."
+
+"I suppose so," Plekhanov grunted. "Right there before the largest
+pyramid. We'll remain inside the craft for the rest of today and
+tonight."
+
+Natt Roberts, who had put away his camera, said, "But why? It's crowded
+in here."
+
+"Because I said so," Plekhanov rumbled. "This first impression is
+important. Our flying machine is undoubtedly the first they've seen.
+We've got to give them time to assimilate the idea and then get together
+a welcoming committee. We'll want the top men, right from the
+beginning."
+
+"The equivalent of the Emperor Montezuma meeting Cortez, eh?" Barry
+Watson said. "A real red carpet welcome."
+
+The _Pedagogue's_ space lighter settled to the plaza gently, some fifty
+yards from the ornately decorated pyramid which stretched up several
+hundred feet and was topped by a small templelike building.
+
+Chessman stretched and stood up from the controls. "Your anthropology
+ought to be better than that, Barry," he said. "There was no Emperor
+Montezuma and no Aztec Empire, except in the minds of the Spanish." He
+peered out one of the heavy ports. "And by the looks of this town we'll
+find an almost duplicate of Aztec society. I don't believe they've even
+got the wheel."
+
+The eight of them clustered about the craft's portholes, taking in the
+primitive city that surrounded them. The square had emptied at their
+approach, and now the several thousand citizens that had filled it were
+peering fearfully from street entrances and alleyways.
+
+Cogswell, a fiery little technician, said, "Look at them! It'll take
+hours before they drum up enough courage to come any closer. You were
+right, doctor. If we left the boat now, we'd make fools of ourselves
+trying to coax them near enough to talk."
+
+Watson said to Joe Chessman "What do you mean, no Emperor Montezuma?"
+
+Chessman said absently, as he watched, "When the Spanish got to Mexico
+they didn't understand what they saw, being musclemen rather than
+scholars. And before competent witnesses came on the scene, Aztec
+society was destroyed. The conquistadors, who did attempt to describe
+Tenochtitlan, misinterpreted it. They were from a feudalistic world and
+tried to portray the Aztecs in such terms. For instance, the large
+Indian community houses they thought were palaces. Actually, Montezuma
+was a democratically elected war chief of a confederation of three
+tribes which militarily dominated most of the Mexican valley. There was
+no empire because Indian society, being based on the clan, had no method
+of assimilating newcomers. The Aztec armies could loot and they could
+capture prisoners for their sacrifices, but they had no system of
+bringing their conquered enemies into the nation. They hadn't reached
+that far in the evolution of society. The Incas could have taught them a
+few lessons."
+
+Plekhanov nodded. "Besides, the Spanish were fabulous liars. In Cortez's
+attempt to impress Spain's king, he built himself up far beyond reality.
+To read his reports you'd think the pueblo of Mexico had a population
+pushing a million. Actually, if it had thirty thousand it was doing
+well. Without a field agriculture and with their primitive transport,
+they must have been hard put to feed even that large a town."
+
+A tall, militarily erect native strode from one of the streets that
+debouched into the plaza and approached to within twenty feet of the
+space boat. He stared at it for at least ten full minutes then spun on
+his heel and strode off again in the direction of one of the stolidly
+built stone buildings that lined the square on each side except that
+which the pyramid dominated.
+
+Cogswell chirped, "Now that he's broken the ice, in a couple of hours
+kids will be scratching their names on our hull."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+In the morning, two or three hours after dawn, they made their
+preparations to disembark. Of them all, only Leonid Plekhanov was
+unarmed. Joe Chessman had a heavy handgun holstered at his waist. The
+rest of the men carried submachine guns. More destructive weapons were
+hardly called for, nor available for that matter; once world government
+had been established on Earth the age-old race for improved arms had
+fallen away.
+
+Chessman assumed command of the men, growled brief instructions. "If
+there's any difficulty, remember we're civilizing a planet of nearly a
+billion population. The life or death of a few individuals is
+meaningless. Look at our position scientifically, dispassionately. If it
+becomes necessary to use force--we have the right and the might to back
+it up. MacBride, you stay with the ship. Keep the hatch closed and
+station yourself at the fifty-caliber gun."
+
+The natives seemed to know intuitively that the occupants of the craft
+from the sky would present themselves at this time. Several thousands of
+them crowded the plaza. Warriors, armed with spears and bronze headed
+war clubs, kept the more adventurous from crowding too near.
+
+The hatch opened, the steel landing stair snaked out, and the hefty
+Plekhanov stepped down, closely followed by Chessman. The others brought
+up the rear, Watson, Roberts, Stevens, Hawkins and Cogswell. They had
+hardly formed a compact group at the foot of the spacecraft than the
+ranks of the natives parted and what was obviously a delegation of
+officials approached them. In the fore was a giant of a man in his late
+middle years, and at his side a cold-visaged duplicate of him, obviously
+a son.
+
+Behind these were variously dressed others, military, priesthood, local
+officials, by their appearance.
+
+Ten feet from the newcomers they stopped. The leader said in quite
+understandable Amer-English, "I am Taller, Khan of all the People. Our
+legends tell of you. You must be from First Earth." He added with a
+simple dignity, a quiet gesture, "Welcome to the World. How may we serve
+you?"
+
+Plekhanov said flatly, "The name of this planet is Texcoco and the
+inhabitants shall henceforth be called Texcocans. You are correct, we
+have come from Earth. Our instructions are to civilize you, to bring you
+the benefits of the latest technology, to prepare you to enter the
+community of planets." Phlegmatically he let his eyes go to the
+pyramids, to the temples, the large community dwelling quarters. "We'll
+call this city Tula and its citizens Tulans."
+
+Taller looked thoughtfully at him, not having missed the tone of
+arrogant command. One of the group behind the Khan, clad in gray flowing
+robes, said to Plekhanov, mild reproof in his voice, "My son, we are the
+most advanced people on ... Texcoco. We have thought of ourselves as
+civilized. However, we--"
+
+Plekhanov rumbled, "I am not your son, old man, and you are far short of
+civilization. We can't stand here forever. Take us to a building where
+we can talk without these crowds staring at us. There is much to be
+done."
+
+Taller said, "This is Mynor, Chief Priest of the People."
+
+The priest bowed his head, then said, "The People are used to ceremony
+on outstanding occasions. We have arranged for suitable sacrifices to
+the gods. At their completion, we will proclaim a festival. And then--"
+
+The warriors had cleared a way through the multitude to the pyramid and
+now the Earthlings could see a score of chained men and women, nude save
+for loin cloths and obviously captives.
+
+Plekhanov made his way toward them, Joe Chessman at his right and a pace
+to the rear. The prisoners stood straight and, considering their
+position, with calm.
+
+Plekhanov glared at Taller. "You were going to kill these?"
+
+The Khan said reasonably, "They are not of the People. They are
+prisoners taken in battle."
+
+Mynor said, "Their lives please the gods."
+
+"There are no gods, as you probably know," Plekhanov said flatly. "You
+will no longer sacrifice prisoners."
+
+A hush fell on the Texcocans. Joe Chessman let his hand drop to his
+weapon. The movement was not lost on Taller's son, whose eyes narrowed.
+
+The Khan looked at the burly Plekhanov for a long moment. He said
+slowly, "Our institutions fit our needs. What would you have us do with
+these people? They are our enemies. If we turn them loose, they will
+fight us again. If we keep them imprisoned, they will eat our food. We
+... Tulans are not poor, we have food aplenty, for we Tulans, but we
+cannot feed all the thousands of prisoners we take in our wars."
+
+Joe Chessman said dryly, "As of today there is a new policy. We put them
+to work."
+
+Plekhanov rumbled at him, "I'll explain our position, Chessman, if you
+please." Then to the Tulans. "To develop this planet we're going to need
+the labor of every man, woman and child capable of work."
+
+Taller said, "Perhaps your suggestion that we retire to a less public
+place is desirable. Will you follow?" He spoke a few words to an officer
+of the warriors, who shouted orders.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Khan led the way, Plekhanov and Chessman followed side by side and
+the other Earthlings, their weapons unostentatiously ready, were
+immediately behind. Mynor the priest, Taller's son and the other Tulan
+officials brought up the rear.
+
+In what was evidently the reception hall of Taller's official residence,
+the newcomers were made as comfortable as fur padded low stools
+provided. Half a dozen teenaged Tulans brought a cool drink similar to
+cocoa; it seemed to give a slight lift.
+
+Taller had not become Khan of the most progressive nation on Texcoco by
+other than his own abilities. He felt his way carefully now. He had no
+manner of assessing the powers wielded by these strangers from space. He
+had no intention of precipitating a situation in which he would discover
+such powers to his sorrow.
+
+He said carefully, "You have indicated that you intend major changes in
+the lives of the People."
+
+"Of all Texcocans," Plekhanov said, "you Tulans are merely the
+beginning."
+
+Mynor, the aged priest, leaned forward. "But why? We do not want these
+changes--whatever they may be. Already the Khan has allowed you to
+interfere with our worship of our gods. This will mean--"
+
+Plekhanov growled, "Be silent, old man, and don't bother to mention,
+ever again, your so-called gods. And now, all of you listen. Perhaps
+some of this will not be new, how much history has come down to you I
+don't know.
+
+"A thousand years ago a colony of one hundred persons was left here on
+Texcoco. It will one day be of scholarly interest to trace them down
+through the centuries but at present the task does not interest us. This
+expedition has been sent to recontact you, now that you have populated
+Texcoco and made such adaptations as were necessary to survive here. Our
+basic task is to modernize your society, to bring it to an
+industrialized culture."
+
+Plekhanov's eyes went to Taller's son. "I assume you are a soldier?"
+
+Taller said, "This is Reif, my eldest, and by our custom, second in
+command of the People's armies. As Khan, I am first."
+
+Reif nodded coldly to Plekhanov. "I am a soldier." He hesitated for a
+moment, then added, "And willing to die to protect the People."
+
+"Indeed," Plekhanov rumbled, "as a soldier you will be interested to
+know that our first step will involve the amalgamation of all the
+nations and tribes of this planet. Not a small task. There should be
+opportunity for you."
+
+Taller said, "Surely you speak in jest. The People have been at war for
+as long as scribes have records and never have we been stronger than
+today, never larger. To conquer the world! Surely you jest."
+
+Plekhanov grunted ungraciously. He looked to Barry Watson, a lanky
+youth, now leaning negligently against the wall, his submachine gun,
+however, at the easy ready. "Watson, you're our military expert. Have
+you any opinions as yet?"
+
+"Yes, sir," Watson said easily. "Until we can get iron weapons and
+firearms into full production, I suggest the Macedonian phalanx for
+their infantry. They have the horse, but evidently the wheel has gone
+out of use. We'll introduce the chariot and also heavy carts to speed up
+logistics. We'll bring in the stirruped saddle, too. I have available
+for study, works on every cavalry leader from Tamerlane to Jeb Stuart.
+Yes, sir, I have some ideas."
+
+Plekhanov pursed his heavy lips. "From the beginning we're going to need
+manpower on a scale never dreamed of locally. We'll adopt a policy of
+expansion. Those who join us freely will become members of the State
+with full privileges. Those who resist will be made prisoners of war and
+used for shock labor on the roads and in the mines. However, a man works
+better if he has a goal, a dream. Each prisoner will be freed and become
+a member of the State after ten years of such work."
+
+He turned to his subordinates. "Roberts and Hawkins, you will begin
+tomorrow to seek the nearest practical sources of iron ore and coal.
+Wherever you discover them we'll direct our first military expeditions.
+Chessman and Cogswell, you'll assemble their best artisans and begin
+their training in such basic advancements as the wheel."
+
+Taller said softly, "You speak of advancement but thus far you have
+mentioned largely war and on such a scale that I wonder how many of the
+People will survive. What advancement? We have all we wish."
+
+Plekhanov cut him off with a curt motion of his hand. He indicated the
+hieroglyphics on the chamber's walls. "How long does it take to learn
+such writing?"
+
+Mynor, the priest, said, "This is a mystery known only to the
+priesthood. One spends ten years in preparation to be a scribe."
+
+"We'll teach you a new method which will have every citizen of the State
+reading and writing within a year."
+
+The Tulans gaped at him.
+
+He moved ponderously over to Roberts, drew from its scabbard the sword
+bayonet the other had at his hip. He took it and slashed savagely at a
+stone pillar, gouging a heavy chunk from it. He tossed the weapon to
+Reif, whose eyes lit up.
+
+"What metals have you been using? Copper, bronze? Probably. Well, that's
+steel. You're going to move into the iron age overnight."
+
+He turned to Taller. "Are your priests also in charge of the health of
+your people?" he growled. "Are their cures obtained from mumbo-jumbo and
+a few herbs found in the desert? Within a decade, I'll guarantee you
+that not one of your major diseases will remain."
+
+He turned to the priest and said, "Or perhaps this will be the clincher
+for some of you. How many years do you have, _old man_?"
+
+Mynor said with dignity, "I am sixty-four."
+
+Plekhanov said churlishly, "And I am two hundred and thirty-three." He
+called to Stevens, "I think you're our youngest. How old are you?"
+
+Stevens grinned, "Hundred and thirteen, next month."
+
+Mynor opened his mouth, closed it again. No man but would prolong his
+youth. Of a sudden he felt old, old.
+
+Plekhanov turned back to Taller. "Most of the progress we have to offer
+is beyond your capacity to understand. We'll give you freedom from want.
+Health. We'll give you advances in every art. We'll eventually free
+every citizen from drudgery, educate him, give him the opportunity to
+enjoy intellectual curiosity. We'll open the stars to him. All these
+things the coming of the State will eventually mean to you."
+
+Tula's Khan was not impressed. "This you tell us, man from First Earth.
+But to achieve these you plan to change every phase of our lives and we
+are happy with ... Tula ... the way it is. I say this to you. There are
+but eight of you and many, many of us. We do not want your ... State.
+Return from whence you came."
+
+Plekhanov shook his massive head at the other. "Whether or not _you_
+want these changes they will be made. If you fail to co-operate, we will
+find someone who will. I suggest you make the most of it."
+
+Taller arose from the squat stool upon which he'd been seated. "I have
+listened and I do not like what you have said. I am Khan of all the
+People. Now leave in peace, or I shall order my warriors ..."
+
+"Joe," Plekhanov said flatly. "Watson!"
+
+Joe Chessman took his heavy gun from its holster and triggered it twice.
+The roar of the explosions reverberated thunderously in the confined
+space, deafening all, and terrifying the Tulans. Bright red colored the
+robes the Khan wore, colored them without beauty. Bright red splattered
+the floor.
+
+Leonid Plekhanov stared at his second in command, wet his thick lips.
+"Joe," he sputtered. "I hadn't ... I didn't expect you to be so ...
+hasty."
+
+Joe Chessman growled, "We've got to let them know where we stand, right
+now, or they'll never hold still for us. Cover the doors, Watson,
+Roberts." He motioned to the others with his head. "Cogswell, Hawkins,
+Stevens, get to those windows and watch."
+
+Taller was a crumbled heap on the floor. The other Texcocans stared at
+his body in shocked horror.
+
+All except Reif.
+
+Reif bent down over his father's body for a moment, and then looked up,
+his lips white, at Plekhanov. "He is dead."
+
+Leonid Plekhanov collected himself. "Yes."
+
+Reif's cold face was expressionless. He looked at Joe Chessman who stood
+stolidly to one side, gun still in hand.
+
+Reif said, "You can supply such weapons to my armies?"
+
+Plekhanov said, "That is our intention, in time."
+
+Reif came erect. "Subject to the approval of the clan leaders, I am now
+Khan. Tell me more of this State of which you have spoken."
+
+
+
+
+IV.
+
+
+The sergeant stopped the small company about a quarter of a mile from
+the city of Bari. His detachment numbered only ten but they were well
+armed with short swords and blunderbusses and wore mail and steel
+helmets. On the face of it, they would have been a match for ten times
+this number of merchants.
+
+It was hardly noon but the sergeant had obviously already been at his
+wine flask. He leered at them. "And where do you think you go?"
+
+The merchant who led the rest was a thin little man but he was richly
+robed and astride a heavy black mare. He said, "To Bari, soldier." He
+drew a paper from a pouch. "I hold this permission from Baron Mannerheim
+to pass through his lands with my people and chattels."
+
+The leer turned mercenary. "Unfortunately, city man, I can't read. What
+do you carry on the mules?"
+
+"Personal property, which, I repeat, I have permission to transport
+over Baron Mannerheim's lands free from harassment from his followers."
+He added, in irritation, "The baron is a friend of mine, fond of the
+gifts I give him."
+
+One of the soldiers grunted his skepticism, checked the flint on the
+lock of his piece, then looked at the sergeant suggestively.
+
+The sergeant said, "As you say, merchant, my lord the baron is fond of
+gifts. Aren't we all? Unfortunately, I have received no word of your
+group. My instructions are to stop all intruders upon the baron's lands
+and, if there is resistance, to slay them and confiscate such properties
+as they may be carrying."
+
+The merchant sighed and reached into a small pouch. The eyes of the
+sergeant drooped in greed. The hand emerged with two small coins. "As
+you say," the merchant muttered bitterly, "we are all fond of gifts.
+Will you do me the honor to drink my health at the tavern tonight?"
+
+The sergeant said nothing, but his mouth slackened and he fondled the
+hilt of his sword.
+
+The merchant sighed again and dipped once more into the pouch. This time
+his hand emerged with half a dozen bits of silver. He handed them down
+to the other, complaining, "How can a man profit in his affairs if every
+few miles he must pass another outstretched hand?"
+
+The sergeant growled, "You do not seem to starve, city man. Now, on your
+way. You are fortunate I am too lazy today to bother going through your
+things. Besides," and he grinned widely, "the baron gave me personal
+instructions not to bother you."
+
+The merchant snorted, kicked his heels into his beast's sides and led
+his half dozen followers toward the city. The soldiers looked after them
+and howled their amusement. The money was enough to keep them soused for
+days.
+
+When they were out of earshot, Amschel Mayer grinned his amusement back
+over his shoulder at Jerome Kennedy. "How'd that come off, Jerry?"
+
+The other sniffed, in mock deprecation. "You're beginning to fit into
+the local merchant pattern better than the real thing. However, just for
+the record, I had this, ah, grease gun, trained on them all the time."
+
+Mayer frowned. "Only in extreme emergency, my dear Jerry. The baron
+would be up in arms if he found a dozen of his men massacred on the
+outskirts of Bari, and we don't want a showdown at this stage. It's
+taken nearly a year to build this part we act."
+
+At this time of day the gates of the port city were open and the guards
+lounged idly. Their captain recognized Amschel Mayer and did no more
+than nod respectfully.
+
+They wended their way through narrow, cobblestoned streets, avoiding the
+crowds in the central market area. They pulled up eventually before a
+house both larger and more ornate than its neighbors. Mayer and Kennedy
+dismounted from the horses and left their care to the others.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Mayer beat with the heavy knocker on the door and a slot opened for a
+quick check of his identity. The door opened wide and Technician Martin
+Gunther let them in.
+
+"The others are here already?" Mayer asked him.
+
+Gunther nodded. "Since breakfast. Baron Leonar, in particular, is
+impatient."
+
+Mayer said over his shoulder, "All right, Jerry, this is where we put it
+to them."
+
+They entered the long conference room. A full score of men sat about the
+heavy wooden table. Most of them were as richly garbed as their host.
+Most of them in their middle years. All of them alert of eye. All of
+them confidently at ease.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Amschel Mayer took his place at the table's end and Jerome Kennedy sank
+into the chair next to him. Mayer took the time to speak to each of his
+guests individually, then he leaned back and took in the gathering as a
+whole. He said, "You probably realize that this group consists of the
+twenty most powerful merchants on the continent."
+
+Olderman nodded. "We have been discussing your purpose in bringing us
+together, Honorable Mayer. All of us are not friends." He twisted his
+face in amusement. "In fact, very few of us are friends."
+
+"There is no need for you to be," Mayer said snappishly, "but all are
+going to realize the need for co-operation. Honorables, I've just come
+from the city of Ronda. Although I'd paid heavily in advance to the
+three barons whose lands I crossed. I had to bribe myself through a
+dozen road-blocks, had to pay exorbitant rates to cross three ferries,
+and once had to fight off supposed bandits."
+
+One of his guests grumbled, "Who were actually probably soldiers of the
+local baron who had decided that although you had paid him transit fee,
+it still might be profitable to go through your goods."
+
+Mayer nodded. "Exactly, my dear Honorable, and that is why we've
+gathered."
+
+Olderman had evidently assumed spokesmanship for the others. Now he said
+warily, "I don't understand."
+
+"Genoa, if you'll pardon the use of this name to signify the planet upon
+which we reside, will never advance until trade has been freed from
+these bandits who call themselves lords and barons."
+
+Eyebrows reached for hairlines.
+
+Olderman's eyes darted about the room, went to the doors. "Please," he
+said, "the servants."
+
+"My servants are safe," Mayer said.
+
+One of his guests was smiling without humor. "You seem to forget,
+Honorable Mayer, that I carry the title of baron."
+
+Mayer shook his head. "No, Baron Leonar. But neither do you disagree
+with what I say. The businessman, the merchant, the manufacturer on
+Genoa today, is only tolerated. Were it not for the fact that the barons
+have no desire to eliminate such a profitable source of income, they
+would milk us dry overnight."
+
+Someone shrugged. "That is the way of things. We are lucky to have
+wrested, bribed and begged as many favors from the lords as we have. Our
+twenty cities all have charters that protect us from complete
+despoilation."
+
+Mayer twisted excitedly in his chair. "As of today, things begin to
+change. Jerry, that platen press."
+
+Jerry Kennedy left the room momentarily and returned with Martin Gunther
+and two of the servants. While the assembled merchants looked on, in
+puzzled silence, Mayer's assistants set up the press and a stand holding
+two fonts of fourteen-point type. Jerry took up a printer's stick and
+gave running instructions as he demonstrated. Gunther handed around
+pieces of the type until all had examined it, while his colleague set up
+several lines. Kennedy transposed the lines to a chase, locked it up and
+placed the form to one side while he demonstrated inking the small
+press, which was operated by a foot pedal. He mounted the form in the
+press, took a score of sheets of paper and rapidly fed them, one by one.
+When they were all printed, he stopped pumping and Gunther handed the
+still wet finished product around to the audience.
+
+Olderman stared down at the printed lines, scowled in concentration, wet
+his lips in sudden comprehension.
+
+But it was merchant Russ who blurted, "This will revolutionize the
+inscribing of books. Why, it can well take it out of the hands of the
+Temple! With such a machine I could make a hundred books--"
+
+Mayer was beaming. "Not a hundred, Honorable, but a hundred thousand!"
+
+The others stared at him as though he was demented. "A hundred
+thousand," one said. "There are not that many literate persons on the
+continent."
+
+"There will be," Mayer crowed. "This is but one of our levers to pry
+power from the barons. And here is another." He turned to Russ.
+"Honorable Russ, your city is noted for the fine quality of its steel,
+of the swords and armor you produce."
+
+Russ nodded. He was a small man fantastically rich in his attire. "This
+is true, Honorable Mayer."
+
+Mayer said, tossing a small booklet to the other, "I have here the plans
+for a new method of making steel from pig iron. The Bessemer method,
+we'll call it. The principle involved is the oxidation of the impurities
+in the iron by blowing air through the molten metal."
+
+Amschel Mayer turned to still another. "And your town is particularly
+noted for its fine textiles." He looked to his assistants. "Jerry, you
+and Gunther bring in those models of the power loom and the spinning
+jenny."
+
+While they were gone, he said, "My intention is to assist you to speed
+up production. With this in mind, you'll appreciate the automatic flying
+shuttle that we'll now demonstrate."
+
+Kennedy and Gunther re-entered accompanied by four servants and a mass
+of equipment. Kennedy muttered to Amschel Mayer, "I feel like the
+instructor of a handicrafts class."
+
+Half an hour later, Kennedy and Gunther wound up passing out pamphlets
+to the awed merchant guests. Kennedy said, "This booklet will give
+details on construction of the equipment and its operation."
+
+Mayer pursed his lips. "Your people will be able to assimilate only so
+fast, so we won't push them. Later, you'll be interested in introducing
+the mule spinning frame, among other items."
+
+He motioned for the servants to remove the printing press and textile
+machinery. "We now come to probably the most important of the devices I
+have to introduce to you today. Because of size and weight, I've had
+constructed only a model. Jerry!"
+
+Jerry Kennedy brought to the heavy table a small steam engine, clever in
+its simplicity. He had half a dozen attachments for it. Within moments
+he had the others around him, as enthusiastic as a group of youngsters
+with a new toy.
+
+"By the Supreme," Baron Leonar blurted, "do you realize this device
+could be used instead of waterpower to operate a mill to power the loom
+demonstrated an hour ago?"
+
+Honorable Russ was rubbing the side of his face thoughtfully. "It might
+even be adapted to propel a coach. A coach without horses.
+Unbelievable!"
+
+Mayer chuckled in excitement and clapped his hands. A servant entered
+with a toy wagon which had been slightly altered. Martin Gunther lifted
+the small engine, placed it in position atop the wagon, connected it
+quickly and threw a lever. The wagon moved smoothly forward, the first
+engine-propelled vehicle of Genoa's industrial revolution.
+
+Martin Gunther smiled widely at Russ. "You mean like this, Honorable?"
+
+Half an hour later they were re-seated, before each of them a small pile
+of pamphlets, instructions, plans, blueprints.
+
+Mayer said, "I have just one more device to bring to your attention at
+this time. I wish it were unnecessary but I am afraid otherwise."
+
+He held up for their inspection, a forty-five-caliber bullet. Jerry
+Kennedy handed around samples to the merchants. They fingered them in
+puzzlement.
+
+"Honorables," Mayer said, "the barons have the use of gunpowder. Muskets
+and muzzleloading cannon are available to them both for their wars
+against each other and their occasional attacks upon our supposedly
+independent cities. However, this is an advancement on their weapons.
+This unit includes not only the bullet's lead, but the powder and the
+cap which will explode it."
+
+They lacked understanding, and showed it.
+
+Mayer said, "Jerry, if you'll demonstrate."
+
+Jerry Kennedy said, "The bullet can be adapted to various weapons,
+however, this is one of the simplest." He pressed, one after another, a
+full twenty rounds into the gun's clip.
+
+"Now, if you'll note the silhouette of a man I've drawn on the wooden
+frame at the end of the room." He pressed the trigger, sent a single
+shot into the figure.
+
+Olderman nodded. "An improvement in firearms. But--"
+
+Kennedy said, "However, if you are confronted with more than one of the
+bad guys." He grinned and flicked the gun to full automatic and in a
+Gotterdammerung of sound in the confines of the room, emptied the clip
+into his target sending splinters and chips flying and all but
+demolishing the wooden backdrop.
+
+His audience sat back in stunned horror at the demonstration.
+
+Mayer said now, "The weapon is simple to construct, any competent
+gunsmith can do it. It is manifest, Honorables, that with your people so
+equipped your cities will be safe from attack and so will trading
+caravans and ships."
+
+Russ said shakily, "Your intention is good, Honorable Mayer, however it
+will be but a matter of time before the barons have solved the secrets
+of your weapon. Such cannot be held indefinitely. Then we would again be
+at their mercy."
+
+"Believe me, Honorable," Mayer said dryly, "by that time I will have new
+weapons to introduce, if necessary. Weapons that make this one a very
+toy in comparison."
+
+Olderman resumed his office as spokesman. "This demonstration has
+astounded us, Honorable Mayer, but although we admire your abilities it
+need hardly be pointed out that it seems unlikely all this could be the
+product of one brain."
+
+"They are not mine," Mayer admitted. "They are the products of many
+minds."
+
+"But where--?"
+
+The Earthman shook his head. "I don't believe I will tell you now."
+
+"I see." The Genoese eyed him emotionlessly. "Then the question
+becomes, _why_?"
+
+Mayer said, "It may be difficult for you to see, but the introduction of
+each of these will be a nail in feudalism's coffin. Each will increase
+either production or trade and such increase will lead to the overthrow
+of feudal society."
+
+Baron Leonar, who had remained largely silent throughout the afternoon,
+now spoke up. "As you said earlier, although I am a lord myself, my
+interests are your own. I am a merchant first. However, I am not sure I
+want the changes these devices will bring. Frankly, Honorable Mayer, I
+am satisfied with my world as I find it today."
+
+Amschel Mayer smiled wryly at him. "I am afraid you _must_ adapt to
+these new developments."
+
+The baron said coldly, "Why? I do not like to be told I must do
+something."
+
+"Because, my dear baron, there are three continents on the planet of
+Genoa. At present there is little trade due to inadequate shipping. But
+the steam engine I introduce today will soon propel larger craft than
+you have ever built before."
+
+Russ said, "What has this to do with our being forced to use these
+devices?"
+
+"Because I have colleagues on the other continents busily introducing
+them. If you don't adapt, in time competitors will invade your markets,
+capture your trade, drive you out of business."
+
+Mayer wrapped it up. "Honorables, modernize or go under. It's each man
+for himself and the devil take the hindmost, if you'll allow a saying
+from another era."
+
+They remained silent for a long period. Finally Olderman stated bluntly,
+"The barons are not going to like this."
+
+Jerry Kennedy grinned. "Obviously, that's why we've introduced you to
+the tommy gun. It's not going to make any difference if they like it or
+not."
+
+Russ said musingly, "Pressure will be put to prevent the introduction of
+this equipment."
+
+"We'll meet it," Mayer said, shifting happily in his seat.
+
+Russ added, "The Temple is ever on the side of the barons. The monks
+will fight against innovations that threaten to disturb the present
+way."
+
+Mayer said, "Monks usually do. How much property is in the hands of the
+Temple?"
+
+Russ admitted sourly, "The monks are the greatest landlords of all. I
+would say at least one third of the land and the serfs belong to the
+Temple."
+
+"Ah," Mayer said. "We must investigate the possibilities of a
+Reformation. But that can come later. Now I wish to expand on my reason
+for gathering you.
+
+"Honorables, Genoa is to change rapidly. To survive, you will have to
+move fast. I have not introduced these revolutionary changes without
+self-interest. Each of you are free to use them to his profit, however,
+I expect a thirty per cent interest."
+
+There was a universal gasp.
+
+Olderman said, "Honorable Mayer, you have already demonstrated your
+devices. What is there to prevent us from playing you false?"
+
+Mayer laughed. "My dear Olderman, I have other inventions to reveal as
+rapidly as you develop the technicians, the workers, capable of building
+and operating them. If you cheat me now, you will be passed by next
+time."
+
+Russ muttered, "Thirty per cent! Your wealth will be unbelievable."
+
+"As fast as it accumulates, Honorables, it shall be invested. For
+instance, I have great interest in expanding our inadequate
+universities. The advances I expect will only be possible if we educate
+the people. Field serfs are not capable of running even that simple
+steam engine Jerry demonstrated."
+
+Baron Leonar said, "What you contemplate is mind-shaking. Do I
+understand that you wish a confederation of all our cities? A joining
+together to combat the strength of the present lords?"
+
+Mayer was shaking his head. "No, no. As the barons lose power, each of
+your cities will strengthen and possibly expand to become nations.
+Perhaps some will unite. But largely you will compete against each other
+and against the nations of the other continents. In such competition
+you'll have to show your mettle, or go under. Man develops at his
+fastest when pushed by such circumstance."
+
+The Earthling looked off, unseeing, into a far corner of the room. "At
+least, so is my contention. Far away from here a colleague is trying to
+prove me wrong. We shall see."
+
+
+
+
+V.
+
+
+Leonid Plekhanov returned to the _Pedagogue_ with a certain ceremony. He
+was accompanied by Joe Chessman, Natt Roberts and Barry Watson of his
+original group, but four young, hard-eyed, hard-faced and armed Tulans
+were also in the party. Their space lighter swooped in, nestled to the
+_Pedagogue's_ hull in the original bed it had occupied on the trip from
+Terra City, and her port opened to the corridors of the mother ship.
+
+Plekhanov, flanked by Chessman and Watson, strode heavily toward the
+ship's lounge. Natt Roberts and two of the Tulans remained with the
+small boat. Two of the other natives followed, their eyes darting here,
+there, in amazement, in spite of their efforts to appear grim and
+untouched by it all.
+
+Amschel Mayer was already seated at the officer's dining table. His face
+displayed his irritation at the other's method of presenting himself.
+"Good Heavens, Plekhanov, what is this, an invasion?"
+
+The other registered surprise.
+
+Mayer indicated the Texcocans. "Do you think it necessary to bring armed
+men aboard the _Pedagogue_? Frankly, I have not even revealed to a
+single Genoese the existence of the ship."
+
+Jerry Kennedy was seated to one side, the only member of Mayer's team
+who had accompanied him for this meeting. Kennedy winked at Watson and
+Chessman. Watson grinned back but held his peace.
+
+Plekhanov sank into a chair, rumbling, "We hold no secrets from the
+Texcocans. The sooner they advance to where they can use our libraries
+and laboratories, the better. And the fact these boys are armed has no
+significance. My Tulans are currently embarked on a campaign to unite
+the planet. Arms are sometimes necessary, and Tula, my capital, is
+somewhat of an armed camp. All able-bodied men--"
+
+Mayer broke in heatedly, "And is this the method you use to bring
+civilization to Texcoco? Is this what you consider the purpose of the
+Office of Galactic Colonization? An armed camp! How many persons have
+you slaughtered thus far?"
+
+"Easy," Joe Chessman growled.
+
+Amschel Mayer spun on him. "I need no instruction from you, Chessman.
+Please remember I'm senior in charge of this expedition and as such rank
+you."
+
+Plekhanov thudded a heavy hand on the table. "I'll call my assistants to
+order, Mayer, if I feel it necessary. Admittedly, when this expedition
+left Terra City you were the ranking officer. Now, however, we've
+divided--at your suggestion, please remember. Now there are two
+independent groups and you no longer have jurisdiction over mine."
+
+"Indeed!" Mayer barked. "And suppose I decide to withhold the use of the
+_Pedagogue's_ libraries and laboratories to you? I tell you,
+Plekhanov--"
+
+Leonid Plekhanov interrupted him coldly. "I would not suggest you
+attempt any such step, Mayer."
+
+Mayer glared but suddenly reversed himself. "Let's settle down and
+become more sensible. This is the first conference of the five we have
+scheduled. Ten years have elapsed. Actually, of course, we've had some
+idea of each other's progress since team members occasionally meet on
+trips back here to the _Pedagogue_ to consult the library. I am afraid,
+my dear Leonid, that your theories on industrialization are rapidly
+being proven inaccurate."
+
+"Nonsense!"
+
+Mayer said smoothly, "In the decade past, my team's efforts have more
+than tripled the Genoese industrial potential. Last week one of our
+steamships crossed the second ocean. We've located petroleum and the
+first wells are going down. We've introduced a dozen crops that had
+disappeared through misadventure to the original colonists. And, oh yes,
+our first railroad is scheduled to begin running between Bari and Ronda
+next spring. There are six new universities and in the next decade I
+expect fifty more."
+
+"Very good, indeed," Plekhanov grumbled.
+
+"Only a beginning. The breath of competition, of unharnessed enterprise
+is sweeping Genoa. Feudalism crumbles. Customs, mores and traditions
+that have held up progress for a century or more are now on their way
+out."
+
+Joe Chessman growled, "Some of the boys tell me you've had a few
+difficulties with this crumbling feudalism thing. In fact, didn't
+Buchwald barely escape with his life when the barons on your western
+continent united to suppress all chartered cities?"
+
+Mayer's thin face darkened. "Never fear, my dear Joseph, those barons
+responsible for shedding the blood of western hemisphere elements of
+progress will shortly pay for their crimes."
+
+"You've got military problems too, then?" Barry Watson asked.
+
+Mayer's eyes went to him in irritation. "Some of the free cities of
+Genoa are planning measures to regain their property and rights on the
+western hemisphere. This has nothing to do with my team, except, of
+course, in so far as they might sell them supplies or equipment."
+
+The lanky Watson laughed lowly, "You mean like selling them a few
+quick-firing breech-loaders and trench mortars?"
+
+Plekhanov muttered, "That'll be enough, Barry."
+
+But Mayer's eyes had widened. "How did you know?" He whirled on
+Plekhanov. "You're spying on my efforts, trying to negate my work!"
+
+Plekhanov rumbled, "Don't be a fool, Mayer. My team has neither the time
+nor interest to spy on you."
+
+"Then how did you know--"
+
+Barry Watson said mildly, "I was doing some investigation in the ship's
+library. I ran into evidence that you people had already used the
+blueprints for breech-loaders and mortars."
+
+Jerry Kennedy came to his feet and rambled over to the messroom's bar.
+"This seems to be all out spat, rather than a conference to compare
+progress," he said. "Anybody for a drink? Frankly, that's the next thing
+I'm going to introduce to Genoa, some halfway decent likker. Do you know
+what those benighted heathens drink now?"
+
+Watson grinned. "Make mine whisky, Jerry. You've no complaints. Our
+benighted heathens have a national beverage fermented from a plant
+similar to cactus. Ought to be drummed out of the human race."
+
+He spoke idly, forgetful of the Tulan guards stationed at the doorway.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Kennedy passed drinks around for everyone save Mayer, who shook his head
+in distaste. If only for a brief spell, some of the tenseness left the
+air while the men from Earth sipped their beverages.
+
+Jerry Kennedy said, "Well, you've heard our report. How go things on
+Texcoco?"
+
+"According to plan," Plekhanov rumbled.
+
+Mayer snorted.
+
+Plekhanov said ungraciously, "Our prime effort is now the uniting of the
+total population into one strong whole, a super-state capable of
+accomplishing the goals set us by the Co-ordinator."
+
+Mayer sneered, "Undoubtedly, this goal of yours, this super-state, is
+being established by force."
+
+"Not always," Joe Chessman said. "Quite a few of the tribes join up on
+their own. Why not? The State has a lot to offer."
+
+"Such as what?" Kennedy said mildly.
+
+Chessman looked at him in irritation. "Such as advanced medicine,
+security from famine, military protection from more powerful nations.
+The opportunity for youth to get an education and find advancement in
+the State's government--if they've got it on the ball."
+
+"And what happens if they don't _have it on the ball_?"
+
+Chessman growled, "What happens to such under any society? They get the
+dirty-end-of-the-stick jobs." His eyes went from Kennedy to Mayer. "Are
+you suggesting you offer anything better?"
+
+Mayer said, "Already on most of Genoa it is a matter of free
+competition. The person with ability is able to profit from it."
+
+Joe Chessman grunted sour amusement. "Of course, it doesn't help to be
+the son of a wealthy merchant or a big politician."
+
+Plekhanov took over. "In _any_ society the natural leaders come to the
+top in much the same manner as the big ones come to the top in a bin of
+potatoes, they just work their way up."
+
+Jerry Kennedy finished his drink and said easily, "At least, those at
+the top can claim they're the biggest potatoes. Remember back in the
+twentieth century when Hitler and his gang announced they were the big
+potatoes in Germany and men of Einstein's stature fled the
+country--being small potatoes, I suppose."
+
+Amschel Mayer said, "We're getting away from the point. Pray go on, my
+dear Leonid. You say you are forcibly uniting all Texcoco."
+
+"We are uniting all Texcoco," Plekhanov corrected with a scowl. "Not
+always by force. And that is by no means our only effort. We are
+ferreting out the most intelligent of the assimilated peoples and
+educating them as rapidly as possible. We've introduced iron ..."
+
+"And use it chiefly for weapons," Kennedy murmured.
+
+"... Antibiotics and other medicines, a field agriculture, are rapidly
+building roads ..."
+
+"Military roads," Kennedy mused.
+
+"... To all sections of the State, have made a beginning in naval
+science, and, of course, haven't ignored the arts."
+
+"On the face of it," Mayer nodded, "hardly approaching Genoa."
+
+Plekhanov rumbled indignantly, "We started two ethnic periods behind
+you. Even the Tulans were still using bronze, but the Genoese had iron
+and even gunpowder. Our advance is a bit slow to get moving, Mayer, but
+when it begins to roll--"
+
+Mayer gave his characteristic snort. "A free people need never worry
+about being passed by a subjected one."
+
+Barry Watson made himself another drink and while doing so looked over
+his shoulder at Amschel Mayer. "It's interesting the way you throw about
+that term _free_. Just what type of government do you sponsor?"
+
+Mayer snapped, "Our team does not interfere in governmental forms,
+Watson. The various nations are free to adapt to whatever local
+conditions obtain. They range from some under feudalistic domination to
+countries with varying degrees of republican democracy. Our base of
+operations in the southern hemisphere is probably the most advanced of
+all the chartered cities, Barry. It amounts to a city-state somewhat
+similar to Florence during the Renaissance."
+
+"And your team finds itself in the position of the Medici, I imagine."
+
+"You might use that analogy. The Medici might have been, well, tyrants
+of Florence, dominating her finances and trade as well as her political
+government, but they were benevolent tyrants."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Yeah," Watson grinned. "The thing about a benevolent tyranny, though,
+is that it's up to the tyrants to decide what's benevolent. I'm not so
+sure there's a great basic difference between your governing of Genoa
+and ours of Texcoco."
+
+"Don't be an ass," Mayer snapped. "We are granting the Genoese political
+freedoms as fast as they can assimilate them."
+
+Joe Chessman growled, "But I imagine it's surprising to find just how
+slowly they can assimilate. A moment ago you said they were free to form
+any government they wished. Now you say you feed them what you call
+freedom, only so fast as they can assimilate it."
+
+"Obviously we encourage them along whatever path we think will most
+quickly develop their economies," Mayer argued. "That's what we've been
+sent here to do. We stimulate competition, encourage all progress,
+political as well as economic."
+
+Plekhanov lumbered to his feet. "Amschel, obviously nothing new has been
+added to our respective positions by this conference. I propose we
+adjourn to meet again at the end of the second decade."
+
+Mayer said, "I suppose it would be futile to suggest you give up this
+impossible totalitarian scheme of yours and reunite the expedition."
+
+Plekhanov merely grunted his disgust.
+
+Jerry Kennedy said, "One thing. What stand have you taken on giving your
+planet immortality?"
+
+"Immortality?" Watson said. "We haven't it to give."
+
+"You know what I mean. It wouldn't take long to extend the life span
+double or triple the present."
+
+Amschel Mayer said, "At this stage progress is faster with the
+generations closer together. A man is pressed when he knows he has only
+twenty or thirty years of peak efficiency. We on Earth are inclined to
+settle back and take life as it comes; you younger men are all past the
+century mark, but none have bothered to get married as yet."
+
+"Plenty of time for that," Watson grinned.
+
+"That's what I mean. But a Texcocan or Genoese feels pressed to wed in
+his twenties, or earlier, to get his family under way."
+
+"There's another element," Plekhanov muttered. "The more the natives
+progress the more nearly they'll equal our abilities. I wouldn't want
+anything to happen to our overall plans. As it is now, their abilities
+taper off at sixty and they reach senility at seventy or eighty. I think
+until the end we should keep it this way."
+
+"A cold-blooded view," Kennedy said. "If we extended their life
+expectancy, their best men would live to be of additional use to planet
+development."
+
+"But they would not have our dream," Plekhanov rumbled. "Such men might
+try to subvert us, and, just possibly, might succeed."
+
+"I think Leonid is right," Mayer admitted with reluctance.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Later, in the space lighter heading back for Genoa, Mayer said
+speculatively, "Did you notice anything about Leonid Plekhanov?"
+
+Kennedy was piloting. "He seems the same irascible old curmudgeon he's
+always been."
+
+"It seems to me he's become a touch power mad. Could the pressures he's
+under cause his mind to slip? Obviously, all isn't peaches and cream in
+that attempt of his to achieve world government on Texcoco."
+
+"Well," Kennedy muttered, "all isn't peaches and cream with us, either.
+The barons are far from licked, especially in the west." He changed the
+subject. "By the way, that banking deal went through in Pola. I was able
+to get control."
+
+"Fine," Mayer chuckled. "You must be quite the richest man in the city.
+There is a certain stimulation in this financial game, Jerry, isn't
+there?"
+
+"Uh huh," Jerry told him. "Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a marked
+deck."
+
+"Marked deck?" the other frowned.
+
+"It's handy that gold is the medium of exchange on Genoa," Jerry Kennedy
+said. "Especially in view of the fact that we have a machine on the ship
+capable of transmuting metals."
+
+
+
+
+VI.
+
+
+Leonid Plekhanov, Joseph Chessman, Barry Watson, Khan Reif and several
+of the Tulan army staff stood on a small knoll overlooking a valley of
+several square miles. A valley dominated on all sides but the sea by
+mountain ranges.
+
+Reif and the three Earthlings were bent over a military map depicting
+the area. Barry Watson traced with his finger.
+
+"There are only two major passes into this valley. We have this one,
+they dominate that."
+
+Plekhanov was scowling, out of his element and knowing it. "How many men
+has Mynor been able to get together?"
+
+Watson avoided looking into the older man's face. "Approximately half a
+million according to Hawkins' estimate. He flew over them this morning."
+
+"Half a million!"
+
+"Including the nomads, of course," Joe Chessman said. "The nomads fight
+more like a mob than an army."
+
+Plekhanov was shaking his massive head. "Most of them will melt away if
+we continue to avoid battle. They can't feed that many men on the
+countryside. The nomads in particular will return home if they don't get
+a fight soon."
+
+Watson hid his impatience. "That's the point, sir. If we don't break
+their power now, in a decisive defeat, we'll have them to fight again,
+later. And already they've got iron swords, the crossbow and even a few
+muskets. Given time and they'll all be so armed. Then the fat'll be in
+the fire."
+
+"He's right," Joe Chessman said sourly.
+
+Reif nodded his head. "We must finish them now, if we can. The task will
+be twice as great next year."
+
+Plekhanov grumbled in irritation. "Half a million of them and something
+like forty thousand of our Tulans."
+
+Reif corrected him. "Some thirty thousand Tulans, all infantrymen." He
+added, "And eight thousand allied cavalry only some of whom can be
+trusted." Reif's ten-year-old son came up next to him and peered down at
+the map.
+
+"What's that child doing here?" Plekhanov snapped.
+
+Reif looked into the other's face. "This is Taller Second, my son. You
+from First Earth have never bothered to study our customs. One of them
+is that a Khan's son participates in all battles his father does. It is
+his training."
+
+Watson was pointing out features on the map again. "It will take three
+days for their full army to get in here." He added with emphasis, "In
+retreat, it would take them the same time to get out."
+
+Plekhanov scowled heavily. "We can't risk it. If we were defeated, we
+have no reserve army. We'd have lost everything." He looked at Joe
+Chessman and Watson significantly. "We'd have to flee back to the
+_Pedagogue_."
+
+Reif's face was expressionless.
+
+Barry Watson looked at him. "We won't desert you, Reif, forget about
+that aspect of it."
+
+Reif said, "I believe you, Barry Watson. You are a ... soldier."
+
+Dick Hawkins' small biplane zoomed in, landed expertly at the knoll's
+foot. The occupant vaulted out and approached them at a half run.
+
+Hawkins called as soon as he was within shouting distance. "They're
+moving in. Their advance cavalry units are already in the pass."
+
+When he was with them, Plekhanov rubbed his hand nervously over heavy
+lips. He rumbled, "The cavalry, eh? Listen, Hawkins, get back there and
+dust them. Use the gas."
+
+The pilot said slowly, "I have four bullet holes in my wings."
+
+"Bullet holes!" Joe Chessman snapped.
+
+Hawkins turned to him. "By the looks of things, MacBride's whole unit
+has gone over to the rebels. Complete with their double-barreled
+muskets. A full thousand of them."
+
+Watson looked frigidly at Leonid Plekhanov. "You insisted on issuing
+guns to men we weren't sure of."
+
+Plekhanov grumbled, "Confound it, don't use that tone of voice with me.
+We have to arm our men, don't we?"
+
+Watson said, "Yes, but our still comparatively few advanced weapons
+shouldn't go into the hands of anybody but trusted citizens of the
+State, certainly not to a bunch of mercenaries. The only ones we can
+_really_ trust even among the Tulans, are those that were kids when we
+first took over. The one's we've had time to indoctrinate."
+
+"The mistake's made. It's too late now," Plekhanov said. "Hawkins go
+back and dust those cavalrymen as they come through the pass."
+
+Reif said, "It was a mistake, too, to allow them the secret of the
+crossbow."
+
+Plekhanov roared, "I didn't _allow_ them anything. Once the crossbow was
+introduced it was just a matter of time before its method of
+construction got to the enemy."
+
+"Then it shouldn't have been introduced," Reif said, his eyes
+unflinching from the Earthman's.
+
+Plekhanov ignored him. He said, "Hawkins, get going on that dusting.
+Watson, pull what units we already have in this valley back through the
+pass we control. We'll avoid battle until more of their army has fallen
+away."
+
+Hawkins said with deceptive mildness, "I just told you those cavalrymen
+have muskets. To fly low enough to use gas on them, I'd get within easy
+range. Point one, this is the only aircraft we've built. Point two,
+MacBride is probably dead, killed when those cavalrymen mutinied. Point
+three, I came on this expedition to help modernize the Texcocans, not to
+die in battle."
+
+Plekhanov snarled at him. "Coward, eh?" He turned churlishly to Watson
+and Reif. "Start pulling back our units."
+
+Barry Watson looked at Chessman. "Joe?"
+
+Joe Chessman shook his head slowly. He said to Reif, "Khan, start
+bringing your infantry through the pass. Barry, we'll follow your plan
+of battle. We'll anchor one flank on the sea and concentrate what
+cavalry we can trust on the hills on the right. That's the bad spot,
+that right flank has to hold."
+
+Plekhanov's thick lips trembled. He said in fury, "Is this
+insubordination?"
+
+Reif turned on his heel and followed by young Taller and his staff
+hurried down the knoll to where their horses were tethered.
+
+Chessman said to Hawkins, "If you've got the fuel, Dick, maybe it'd be a
+good idea to keep them under observation. Fly high enough, of course, to
+avoid gunfire."
+
+Hawkins darted a look at Plekhanov, turned and hurried back to his
+plane.
+
+Joe Chessman, his voice sullen, said to Plekhanov, "We can't afford any
+more mistakes, Leonid. We've had too many already." He said to Watson,
+"Be sure and let their cavalry units scout us out. Allow them to see
+that we're entering the valley too. They'll think they've got us
+trapped."
+
+"They will have!" Plekhanov roared. "I countermand that order, Watson!
+We're withdrawing."
+
+Barry Watson raised his eyebrows at Joe Chessman.
+
+"Put him under arrest," Joe growled sourly. "We'll decide what to do
+about it later."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+By the third day, Mynor's rebel and nomad army had filed through the
+pass and was forming itself into battle array. Rank upon rank upon rank.
+
+The Tulan infantry had taken less than half a day to enter. They had
+camped and rested during the interval, the only action being on the part
+of the rival cavalry forces.
+
+Now the thirty thousand Tulans went into their phalanx and began their
+march across the valley.
+
+Joe Chessman, Hawkins, Roberts, Stevens and Khan Reif and several of his
+men again occupied the knoll which commanded a full view of the terrain.
+With binoculars and wrist radios from the _Pedagogue_ they kept in
+contact with the battle.
+
+Below, Barry Watson walked behind the advancing infantry. There were six
+divisions of five thousand men each, twenty-four foot _sarissas_
+stretched before their sixteen man deep line. Only the first few lines
+were able to extend their weapons; the rest gave weight and supplied
+replacements for the advanced lines' casualties. Behind them all the
+Tulan drums beat out the slow, inexorable march.
+
+Cogswell, beside Watson with the wrist radio, said excitedly, "Here
+comes a cavalry charge, Barry. Reif says right behind it the nomad
+infantry is coming in." Cogswell cleared his throat. "All of them."
+
+Watson held up a hand in signal to his officers. The phalanx ground to a
+halt, received the charge on the hedge of _sarissas_. The enemy cavalry
+wheeled and attempted to retreat to the flanks but were caught in a
+bloody confusion by the pressure of their own advancing infantry.
+
+Cogswell, his ear to the radio, said, "Their main body of horse is
+hitting our right flank." He wet his lips. "We're outnumbered there
+something like ten to one. At least ten to one."
+
+"They've got to hold," Watson said. "Tell Reif and Chessman that flank
+has to hold."
+
+The enemy infantrymen in their hundreds of thousands hit the Tulan line
+in a clash of deafening military thunder. Barry Watson resumed his
+pacing. He signaled to the drummers who beat out another march. The
+phalanx moved forward slowly, and slowly went into an echelon formation,
+each division slightly ahead of the one following. Of necessity, the
+straight lines of the nomad and rebel front had to break.
+
+The drums went _boom_, ah, _boom_, ah, _boom_, ah, _boom_.
+
+The Tulan phalanx moved slowly, obliquely across the valley. The hedge
+of spears ruthlessly pressed the mass of enemy infantry before them.
+
+The sergeants paced behind, shouting over the din. "Dress it up. You
+there, you've been hit, fall out to the rear."
+
+"I'm all right," the wounded spearman snarled, battle lust in his voice.
+
+"Fall out, I said," the sergeant roared. "You there, take his place."
+
+The Tulan phalanx ground ahead.
+
+One of the sergeants grinned wanly at Barry Watson as his men moved
+forward with the preciseness of the famed Rockettes of another era.
+"It's working," he said proudly.
+
+Barry Watson snorted, "Don't give me credit. It belongs to a man named
+Philip of Macedon, a long ways away in both space and time."
+
+Cogswell called, "Our right flank cavalry is falling back. Joe wants to
+know if you can send any support."
+
+Watson's face went expressionless. "No," he said flatly. "It's got to
+hold. Tell Joe and the Khan it's got to hold. Suggest they throw in
+those cavalry units they're not sure of. The ones that threatened mutiny
+last week."
+
+Joe Chessman stood on the knoll flanked by the Khan's ranking officers
+and the balance of the Earthmen. Natt Roberts was on the radio. He
+turned to the others and worriedly repeated the message.
+
+Joe Chessman looked out over the valley. The thirty-thousand-man phalanx
+was pressing back the enemy infantry with the precision of a machine.
+He looked up the hillside at the point where the enemy cavalry was
+turning the right flank. Given cavalry behind the Tulan line and the
+battle was lost.
+
+"O.K., boys," Chessman growled sourly, "we're in the clutch now.
+Hawkins!"
+
+"Yeah," the pilot said.
+
+"See what you can do. Use what bombs you have including the napalm. Fly
+as low as you can in the way of scaring their horses." He added sourly,
+"Avoiding scaring ours, if you can."
+
+"You're the boss," Hawkins said, and scurried off toward his scout
+plane.
+
+Joe Chessman growled to the others, "When I was taking my degree in
+primitive society and primitive military tactics, I didn't exactly have
+this in mind. Come on!"
+
+It was the right thing to say. The other Earthmen laughed and took up
+their equipment, submachine guns, riot guns, a flame thrower, grenades,
+and followed him up the hill toward the fray.
+
+Chessman said over his shoulder to Reif, "Khan, you're in the saddle.
+You can keep in touch with both Watson and us on the radio."
+
+Reif hesitated only a moment. "There is no need for further direction of
+the battle from this point. A warrior is of more value now than a Khan.
+Come my son." He caught up a double-barreled musket and followed the
+Earthmen. The ten years old Taller scurried after with a revolver.
+
+Natt Roberts said, "If we can hold their cavalry for only another half
+hour, Watson's phalanx will have their infantry pressed up against the
+pass they entered by. It took them three days to get through it, they're
+not going to be able to get out in hours."
+
+"That's the idea," Joe Chessman said dourly, "Let's go."
+
+
+
+
+VII.
+
+
+Amschel Mayer was incensed.
+
+"What's got into Buchwald and MacDonald?" he spat.
+
+Jerry Kennedy, attired as was his superior in fur trimmed Genoese robes,
+signaled one of the servants for a refilling of his glass and shrugged.
+
+"I suppose it's partly our own fault," he said lightly. He sipped the
+wine, made a mental note to buy up the rest of this vintage for his
+cellars before young Mannerheim or someone else did so.
+
+"Our fault!" Mayer glared.
+
+The old boy was getting decreasingly tolerant as the years went by,
+Kennedy decided. He said soothingly, "You sent Peter and Fred over there
+to speed up local development. Well, that's what they're doing."
+
+"Are you insane!" Mayer squirmed in his chair. "Did you read this
+radiogram? They've squeezed out all my holdings in rubber, the fastest
+growing industry on the western continent. Why, millions are involved.
+Who do they think they are?"
+
+Kennedy put down his glass and chuckled. "See here, Amschel, we're
+developing this planet by encouraging free competition. Our contention
+is that under such a socio-economic system the best men are brought to
+the lead and benefit all society by the advances they make."
+
+"So! What has this got to do with MacDonald and Buchwald betraying my
+interests?"
+
+"Don't you see? Using your own theory, you have been set back by someone
+more efficiently competitive. Fred and Peter saw an opening and, in
+keeping with your instructions, moved in. It's just coincidence that the
+rubber they took over was your property rather than some Genoese
+operator's. If you were open to a loss there, then if they hadn't taken
+over someone else could have. Possibly Baron Leonar or even Russ."
+
+"That reminds me," Mayer snapped, "our Honorable Russ is getting too big
+for his britches in petroleum. Did you know he's established a
+laboratory in Amerus? Has a hundred or more chemists working on new
+products."
+
+"Fine," Kennedy said.
+
+"Fine! What do you mean? Dean is our man in petroleum."
+
+"Look here, if Russ can develop the industry even faster than Mike Dean,
+let him go ahead. That's all to our advantage."
+
+Mayer leaned forward and tapped his assistant emphatically on the knee.
+"Look here, yourself, Jerry Kennedy. At this stage we don't want things
+getting out of our hands. A culture is in the hands of those who control
+the wealth; the means of production, distribution, communication. Theirs
+is the real power. I've made a point of spacing our men about the whole
+planet. Each specializes, though not exclusively. Gunther is our mining
+man, Dean heads petroleum, MacDonald shipping, Buchwald textiles, Rykov
+steel, and so forth. As fast as this planet can assimilate we push new
+inventions, new techniques, often whole new sciences, into use.
+Meanwhile, you and I sit back and dominate it all through that strongest
+of power mediums, finance."
+
+Jerry Kennedy nodded. "I wouldn't worry about old man Russ taking over
+Dean's domination of oil, though. Mike's got the support of all the
+_Pedagogue's_ resources behind him. Besides, we've got to let these
+Genoese get into the act. The more the economy expands, the more capable
+men we need. As it is, I think we're already spread a little too thin."
+
+Amschel Mayer had dropped the subject. He was reading the radiogram
+again and scowling his anger. "Well, this cooks MacDonald and Buchwald.
+I'll break them."
+
+His assistant raised his eyebrows. "How do you mean?"
+
+"I'm not going to put up with my subordinates going against my
+interests."
+
+"In this case, what can you do about it? Business is business."
+
+"You hold quite a bit of their paper, don't you?"
+
+"You know that. Most of our team's finances funnel through my hands."
+
+"We'll close them out. They've become too obsessed with their wealth.
+They've forgotten why the _Pedagogue_ was sent here. I'll break them,
+Jerry. They'll come crawling. Perhaps I'll send them back to the
+_Pedagogue_. Make them stay aboard as crew."
+
+Kennedy shrugged. "Well, Peter MacDonald's going to hate that. He's
+developed into quite a high liver--gourmet food, women, one of the
+swankiest estates on the eastern continent."
+
+"Ha!" Mayer snorted. "Let him go back to ship's rations and crew's
+quarters."
+
+A servant entered the lushly furnished room and announced, "Honorable
+Gunther calling on the Honorables Mayer and Kennedy."
+
+Martin Gunther hurried into the room, for once his calm ruffled. "On the
+western continent," he blurted. "Dean and Rosetti. The Temple got them,
+they've been burned as witches."
+
+Amschel Mayer shot to his feet. "That's the end," he swore shrilly.
+"Only in the west have the barons held out. I thought we'd slowly wear
+them down, take over their powers bit by bit. But this does it. This
+means we fight."
+
+He spun to Kennedy. "Jerry, make a trip out to the _Pedagogue_. You know
+the extent of Genoa's industrial progress. Seek out the most advanced
+weapons this technology could produce."
+
+Kennedy came to his own feet, shocked by Gunther's news. "But, Amschel,
+do you think it's wise to precipitate an intercontinental war? Remember,
+we've been helping to industrialize the west, too. It's almost as
+advanced as our continent. Their war potential isn't negligible."
+
+"Nevertheless," Mayer snapped, "we've got to break the backs of the
+barons and the Temple monks. Get messages off to Baron Leonar and young
+Mannerheim, to Russ and Olderman. We'll want them to put pressure on
+their local politicians. What we need is a continental alliance for this
+war."
+
+Gunther said, "Should I get in touch with Rykov? He's still over there."
+
+Mayer hesitated. "No," he said. "We'll keep Nick informed but he ought
+to remain where he is. We'll still want our men in the basic positions
+of power after we've won."
+
+"He might get hurt," Gunther scowled. "They might get him too, and we've
+only got six team members left now."
+
+"Nonsense, Nick Rykov can take care of himself."
+
+Jerry Kennedy was upset. "Are you sure about this war, chief? Isn't a
+conflict of this size apt to hold up our overall plans?"
+
+"Of course not," Mayer scoffed. "Man makes his greatest progress under
+pressure. A major war will unite the nations of both the western
+continent and this one as nothing else could. Both will push their
+development to the utmost."
+
+He added thoughtfully, "Which reminds me. It might be a good idea for
+us to begin accumulating interests in such industries as will be
+effected by a war economy."
+
+Jerry Kennedy chuckled at him, "Merchant of death."
+
+"What?"
+
+"Nothing," Kennedy said. "Something I read about in a history book."
+
+
+
+
+VIII.
+
+
+At the decade's end, once again the representatives of the Genoese team
+were first in the _Pedagogue's_ lounge. Mayer sat at the officer's
+table, Martin Gunther at his right. Jerry Kennedy leaned against the
+ship's bar, sipping appreciatively at a highball.
+
+They could hear the impact of the space boat from Texcoco when it slid
+into its bed.
+
+"Poor piloting," Gunther mused. "Whoever's doing that flying doesn't get
+enough practice."
+
+They could hear ports opening and then the sound of approaching feet.
+The footsteps had a strangely military ring.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Joe Chessman entered, followed immediately by Barry Watson, Dick Hawkins
+and Natt Roberts. They were all dressed in heavy uniform, complete with
+decorations. Behind them were four Texcocans, including Reif and his
+teen-age son Taller.
+
+Mayer scowled at them in way of greeting. "Where's Plekhanov?"
+
+"Leonid Plekhanov is no longer with us," Chessman said dourly. "Under
+pressure his mind evidently snapped and he made decisions that would
+have meant the collapse of the expedition. He resisted when we reasoned
+with him."
+
+The four members of the Genoese team stared without speaking. Jerry
+Kennedy put down his glass at last. "You mean you had to restrict him?
+Why didn't you bring him back to the ship!"
+
+Chessman took a chair at the table. The others assumed standing
+positions behind him. "I'm afraid we'll have to reject your views on
+the subject. Twenty years ago this expedition split into two groups. My
+team will accomplish its tasks, your opinions are not needed."
+
+Amschel Mayer glared at the others in hostility. "You have certainly
+come in force this time."
+
+Chessman said flatly, "This is all of us, Mayer."
+
+"All of you! Where are Stevens, Cogswell, MacBride?"
+
+Barry Watson said, "Plekhanov's fault. Lost in the battle that broke the
+back of the rebels. At least Cogswell and MacBride were. Stevens made
+the mistake of backing Plekhanov when the showdown came."
+
+Joe Chessman looked sourly at his military chief. "I'll act as team
+spokesman, Barry."
+
+"Yes, sir," Watson said.
+
+"Broke the back of the rebels," Jerry Kennedy mused. "That opens all
+sorts of avenues, doesn't it?"
+
+Chessman growled. "I suppose that in the past twenty years your team had
+no obstacles. Not a drop of blood shed. Come on, the truth. How many of
+your team has been lost?"
+
+Mayer shifted in his chair. "Possibly your point is well taken. Dean and
+Rosetti were burned by the formerly dominant religious group. Rykov was
+killed in a fracas with bandits while he was transporting some gold." He
+added, musingly, "We lost more than half a million Genoese pounds in
+that robbery."
+
+"Only three men lost, eh?"
+
+Mayer stirred uncomfortably, then flushed in irritation at the other's
+tone. "Something has happened to Buchwald and MacDonald. They must be
+insane. They've broken off contact with me, are amassing personal
+fortunes in the eastern hemisphere."
+
+Hawkins laughed abruptly. "Free competition," he said.
+
+Chessman growled, "Let's halt this bickering and get to business. First
+let me introduce Reif, Texcocan State Army Chief of Staff and his son
+Taller. And these other Texcocans are Wiss and Fokin, both of whom have
+gone far in the sciences."
+
+The Tulans shook hands, Earth style, but then stepped to the rear again
+where they followed the conversation without comment.
+
+Mayer said, "You think it wise to introduce natives to the _Pedagogue_?"
+
+"Of course," Chessman said. "Following this conference, I'm going to
+take Fokin and Wiss into the library. What're we here for if not to
+bring these people up to our level as rapidly as possible?"
+
+"Very well," Mayer conceded grudgingly. "And now I have a complaint.
+When the _Pedagogue_ first arrived we had only so many weapons aboard.
+You have appropriated more than half in the past two decades."
+
+Chessman shrugged it off. "We'll return the greater part to the ship's
+arsenal. At this stage we are producing our own."
+
+"I'll bet," Kennedy said. "Look, any of you fellows want a real
+Earthside whisky? When we were crewing this expedition, why didn't we
+bring someone with a knowledge of distilling, brewing and such?"
+
+Mayer snapped at him, "Jerry, you drink too much."
+
+"The hell I do," the other said cheerfully. "Not near enough."
+
+Barry Watson said easily, "A drink wouldn't hurt. Why're we so stiff?
+This is the first get-together for ten years. Jerry, you're putting on
+weight."
+
+Kennedy looked down at his admittedly rounded stomach. "Don't get enough
+exercise," he said, then reversed the attack. "You look older. Are your
+taking your rejuvenation treatments?"
+
+Barry Watson grimaced. "Sure, but I'm working under pressure. It's been
+one long campaign."
+
+Kennedy passed around the drinks.
+
+Dick Hawkins laughed. "It's been one long campaign, all right. Barry has
+a house as big as a castle and six or eight women in his harem."
+
+Watson flushed, but obviously without displeasure.
+
+Martin Gunther, of the Genoese team, cocked his head. "Harem?"
+
+Joe Chessman said impatiently, "Man adapts to circumstances, Gunther.
+The wars have lost us a lot of men. Women are consequently in a surplus.
+If the population curve is to continue upward, it's necessary that a man
+serve more than one woman. Polygamy is the obvious answer."
+
+Gunther cleared his throat smoothly, "So a man in Barry's position will
+have as many as eight wives, eh? You must have lost a _good many_ men."
+
+Watson grinned modestly. "Everybody doesn't have that many. It's
+according to your ability to support them, and, also, rank has its
+privileges. Besides, we figure it's a good idea to spread the best seed
+around. By mixing our blood with the Texcocan we improve the breed."
+
+Behind him, Taller, the Tulan boy, stirred, without notice.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Kennedy finished off his highball and began to build another
+immediately. "Here we go again. The big potatoes coming to the top."
+
+Watson flushed. "What do you mean by that, Kennedy?"
+
+"Oh, come off it, Barry," Kennedy laughed. "Just because you're in a
+position to push these people around doesn't make you the prize stud on
+Texcoco."
+
+Watson elbowed Dick Hawkins to one side in his attempt to get around the
+table at the other.
+
+Chessman rapped, "Watson! That's enough. Knock it off or I'll have you
+under arrest." The Texcocan team head turned abruptly to Mayer and
+Kennedy. "Let's stop this nonsense. We've come to compare progress.
+Let's begin."
+
+The three members of the Genoese team glared back in antagonism, but
+then Gunther said grudgingly, "He's right. There is no longer amiability
+between us, so let's forget about it. Perhaps when the fifty years is
+up, things will be different. Now let's merely be businesslike."
+
+"Well," Mayer said, "our report is that progress accelerates. Our
+industrial potential expands at a rate that surprises even us. In the
+near future we'll introduce the internal combustion engine. Our
+universities still multiply and are turning out technicians, engineers,
+scientists at an ever-quickening speed. In several nations illiteracy is
+practically unknown and per capita production increases almost
+everywhere." Mayer paused in satisfaction, as though awaiting the others
+to attempt to top his report.
+
+Joe Chessman said sourly, "Ah, almost everywhere per capita production
+increases. Why _almost_?"
+
+Mayer snapped, "Obviously, in a system of free competition, all cannot
+progress at once. Some go under."
+
+"Whole nations?"
+
+"Temporarily whole nations can receive setbacks as a result of defeat in
+war, or perhaps due to lack of natural resources. Some nations progress
+faster than others."
+
+Chessman said, "The whole Texcocan State is one great unit. Everywhere
+the gross product increases. Within the foreseeable future the standard
+of living will be excellent."
+
+Jerry Kennedy, an alcoholic lisp in his voice now, said, "You mean
+you've accomplished a planet-wide government?"
+
+"Well, no. Not as yet," Chessman's sullen voice had an element of
+chagrin in it. "However, there are no strong elements left that oppose
+us. We are now pacifying the more remote areas."
+
+"Sounds like a rather bloody program--especially if Barry Watson, here,
+winds up with eight women," Martin Gunther said.
+
+Watson started to say something but Chessman held up a restraining hand.
+"The Texcocan State is too strong to be resisted, Gunther. It is mostly
+a matter of getting around to the more remote peoples. As soon as we
+bring in a new tribe, we convert it into a commune."
+
+"Commune!" Kennedy blurted.
+
+Joe Chessman raised his thick eyebrows at the other. "The most
+efficient socio-economic unit at this stage of development. Tribal
+society is perfectly adapted to fit into such a plan. The principal
+difference between a tribe and a commune is that under the commune you
+have the advantage of a State above in a position to give you the
+benefit of mass industries, schools, medical assistance. In return, of
+course, for a certain amount of taxes, military levies and so forth."
+
+Martin Gunther said softly, "I recall reading of the commune system as a
+student, but I fail to remember the supposed advantages."
+
+Chessman growled, "They're obvious. You have a unit of tens of thousands
+of persons. Instead of living in individual houses, each with a man
+working while the woman cooks and takes care of the home, all live in
+community houses and take their meals in messhalls. The children are
+cared for by trained nurses. During the season all physically capable
+adults go out en masse to work the fields. When the harvest has been
+taken in, the farmer does not hole up for the winter but is occupied in
+local industrial projects, or in road or dam building. The commune's
+labor is never idle."
+
+Kennedy shuddered involuntarily.
+
+Chessman looked at him coldly. "It means quick progress. Meanwhile, we
+go through each commune and from earliest youth, locate those members
+who are suited to higher studies. We bring them into State schools where
+they get as much education as they can assimilate--more than is
+available in commune schools. These are the Texcocans we are training in
+the sciences."
+
+"The march to the anthill," Amschel Mayer muttered.
+
+Chessman eyed him scornfully. "You amuse me, old man. You with your talk
+of building an economy with a system of free competition. Our Texcocans
+are sacrificing today but their children will live in abundance. Even
+today, no one starves, no one goes without shelter nor medical care."
+Chessman twisted his mouth wryly. "We have found that hungry, cold or
+sick people cannot work efficiently."
+
+He stared challengingly at the Genoese leader. "Can you honestly say
+that there are no starving people in Genoa? No inadequately housed, no
+sick without hope of adequate medicine? Do you have economic setbacks in
+which poorly planned production goes amuck and depressions follow with
+mass unemployment?"
+
+"Nevertheless," Mayer said with unwonted calm, "our society is still far
+ahead of yours. A mere handful of your bureaucracy and military chiefs
+enjoy the good things of life. There are tens of thousands on Genoa who
+have them. Free competition has its weaknesses, perhaps, but it provides
+a greater good for a greater number of persons."
+
+Joe Chessman came to his feet. "We'll see," he said stolidly. "In ten
+years, Mayer, we'll consider the position of both planets once again."
+
+"Ten years it is," Mayer snapped back at him.
+
+Jerry Kennedy saluted with his glass. "Cheers," he said.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+On the return to Genoa Amschel Mayer said to Kennedy, "Are you sober
+enough to assimilate something serious?"
+
+"Sure, chief, of course."
+
+"Hm-m-m. Well then, begin taking the steps necessary for us to place a
+few men on Texcoco in the way of, ah, intelligence agents."
+
+"You mean some of our team?" Kennedy said, startled.
+
+"No, of course not. We can't spare them, and, besides, there'd be too
+big a chance of recognition and exposure. Some of our more trusted
+Genoese. Make the monetary reward enough to attract their services." He
+looked at his lieutenants significantly. "I think you'll agree that it
+might not be a bad idea to keep our eyes on the developments on
+Texcoco."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+On the way back to Texcoco, Barry Watson said to his chief, "What do you
+think of putting some security men on Genoa, just to keep tabs?"
+
+"Why?"
+
+Watson looked at his fingers, nibbled at a hangnail. "It just seems to
+me it wouldn't hurt any."
+
+Chessman snorted.
+
+Dick Hawkins said, "I think Barry's right. They can bear watching.
+Besides in another decade or so they'll realize we're going to beat
+them. Mayer's ego isn't going to take that. He'd go to just about any
+extreme to keep from losing face back on Earth."
+
+Natt Roberts said worriedly, "I think they're right, Joe. Certainly it
+wouldn't hurt to have a few Security men over there. My department could
+train them and we'd ferry them over in this space boat."
+
+"I'll make the decisions," Chessman growled at them. "I'll think about
+this. It's just possible that you're right though."
+
+Behind them, Reif looked thoughtfully at his teen-age son.
+
+
+
+
+IX.
+
+
+Down the long palace corridor strode Barry Watson, Dick Hawkins, Natt
+Roberts, the aging Reif and his son Taller, now in the prime of manhood.
+Their faces were equally wan from long hours without sleep. Half a dozen
+Tulan infantrymen brought up their rear.
+
+As they passed Security Police guards, to left and right, eyes took in
+their weapons, openly carried. But such eyes shifted and the guards
+remained at their posts. Only one sergeant opened his mouth in protest.
+"Sir," he said to Watson, hesitantly, "you are entering Number One's
+presence armed."
+
+"Shut up," Natt Roberts rapped at him.
+
+Reif said, "That will be all, sergeant."
+
+The Security Police sergeant looked emptily after them as they
+progressed down the corridor.
+
+Together, Watson and Reif motioned aside the two Tulan soldiers who
+stood before the door of their destination, and pushed inward without
+knocking.
+
+Joe Chessman looked up wearily from his map and dispatch laden desk. For
+a moment his hand went to the heavy military revolver at his right but
+when he realized the identity of his callers, it fell away.
+
+"What's up now?" he said, his voice on the verge of cracking.
+
+Watson acted as spokesman. "It's everywhere the same. The communes are
+on the fine edge of revolt. They've been pushed too far; they've got to
+the point where they just don't give a damn. A spark and all Texcoco
+goes up in flames."
+
+Reif said coldly, "We need immediate reforms. They've got to be
+pacified. An immediate announcement of more consumer goods, fewer State
+taxes, above all a relaxation of Security Police pressures. Given
+immediate promise of these, we might maintain ourselves."
+
+Joe Chessman's sullen face was twitching at the right corner of his
+mouth. Young Taller made no attempt to disguise his contempt at the
+other's weakness in time of stress.
+
+Chessman's eyes went around the half circle of them. "This is the only
+alternative? It'll slow up our heavy industry program. We might not
+catch up with Genoa as quickly as planned."
+
+Watson gestured with a hand in quick irritation. "Look here, Chessman,
+don't we get through to you? Whether or not we build up a steel capacity
+as large as Amschel Mayer's isn't important now. Everything's at stake."
+
+"Don't talk to me that way, Barry," Chessman growled truculently. "I'll
+make the decisions. I'll do the thinking." He said to Reif, "How much of
+the Tulan army is loyal?"
+
+The aging Tulan looked at Watson before turning back to Joe Chessman.
+"All of the Tulan army is loyal--to me."
+
+"Good!" Chessman pushed some of the dispatches on his desk aside, letting
+them flutter to the floor. He bared a field map. "If we crush half a
+dozen of the local communes ... crush them hard! Then the others ..."
+
+Watson said very slowly and so low as hardly to be heard, "You didn't
+bother to listen, Chessman. We told you, all that's needed is a spark."
+
+Joe Chessman sat back in his chair, looked at them all again, one by
+one. Re-evaluating. For a moment the facial tic stopped and his eyes
+held the old alertness.
+
+"I see," he said. "And you all recommend capitulation to their demands?"
+
+"It's our only chance," Hawkins said. "We don't even know it'll work.
+There's always the chance if we throw them a few crumbs they'll want the
+whole loaf. You've got to remember that some of them have been living
+for twenty-five years or more under this pressure. The valve is about to
+blow."
+
+"I see," Chessman grunted. "And what else? I can see in your faces
+there's something else."
+
+The three Earthmen didn't answer. Their eyes shifted.
+
+He looked to young Taller and then to Reif. "What else?"
+
+"We need a scapegoat," Reif said without expression.
+
+Joe Chessman thought about that. He looked to Barry Watson again.
+
+Watson said, "The whole Texcocan State is about to topple. Not only do
+we have to give them immediate reform, but we're going to have to blame
+the past hardships and mistakes on somebody. Somebody has to take the
+rap, be thrown to the wolves. If not, maybe we'll all wind up taking the
+blame."
+
+"Ah," Chessman said. His red-rimmed eyes went around them again,
+thoughtfully. "We should be able to dig up a few local chieftains and
+some of the Security Police heads."
+
+They shook their heads. "It has to be somebody big," Natt Roberts said
+thickly, "a few of my Security Police won't do it."
+
+Joe Chessman's eyes went to Reif. "The Khan is the highest ranking
+Texcocan of all," he said, finally. "The Khan and some Security Police
+heads would satisfy them."
+
+Reif's face was as frigid as the Earthman's. He said, "I am afraid not,
+Joseph Chessman. You are Number One. It is your statue that is in every
+commune square. It is your portrait that hangs in every distribution
+center, every messhall, every schoolroom. You are the Number One--as you
+have so often pointed out to us. My title has become meaningless."
+
+Joe Chessman spat out a curse, fumbled the gun into his hand and fired
+before the Tulan soldiers could get to him. In a moment they had wrested
+the weapon from his hand and had his arms pinioned. It was too late.
+
+Reif had been thrown backward two paces by the blast of the
+heavy-calibered gun. Now he held a palm over his belly and staggered to
+a chair. He collapsed into it, looked at his son, let a wash of
+amusement pass over his face, said, "Khan," meaninglessly, and died.
+
+Natt Roberts shrilled at Chessman, "You fool, we were going to give you
+a big, theatrical trial. Sentence you to prison and then, later, claim
+you'd died in your cell and smuggle you out to the _Pedagogue_."
+
+Watson snapped to the guards, "Take him outside and shoot him."
+
+The Tulans began dragging the snarling, cursing Chessman to the door.
+
+Taller said, "A moment, please."
+
+Watson, Roberts and Hawkins looked to him.
+
+Taller said, "This perhaps can be done more effectively."
+
+His voice was completely emotionless. "This man has killed both my
+father and grandfather, both of them Khans of Tula, heads of the most
+powerful city on all Texcoco, before the coming of you Earthlings."
+
+The guards hesitated. Watson detained them with a motion of his hand.
+
+Taller said, "I suggest you turn him over to me, to be dealt with in the
+traditional way of the People."
+
+"No," Chessman said hoarsely. "Barry, Dick, Natt, send me back to the
+_Pedagogue_. I'll be out of things there. Or maybe Mayer can use me on
+Genoa."
+
+They didn't bother to look in his direction. Roberts muttered savagely,
+"We told you all that was needed was a spark. Now you've killed the
+Khan, the most popular man on Texcoco. There's no way of saving you."
+
+Taller said, "None of you have studied our traditions, our customs. But
+now, perhaps, you will understand the added effect of my taking charge.
+It will be a more ... profitable manner of using the downfall of this
+... this power mad murderer."
+
+Chessman said desperately, "Look, Barry, Natt, if you have to, shoot me.
+At least give me a man's death. Remember those human sacrifices the
+Tulans had when we first arrived? Can you imagine what went on in those
+temples? Barry, Dick--for old time's sake, boys ..."
+
+Barry Watson said to Taller, "He's yours. If this doesn't take the
+pressure off us, nothing will."
+
+
+
+
+X.
+
+
+At the end of the third decade, the Texcocan delegation was already
+seated in the _Pedagogue's_ lounge when Jerome Kennedy, Martin Gunther,
+Peter MacDonald, Fredric Buchwald and three Genoese, Baron Leonar and
+the Honorables Russ and Modrin appeared.
+
+The Texcocan group consisted of Barry Watson, Dick Hawkins and Natt
+Roberts to one side of him, Generalissimo Taller and six highly
+bemedaled Texcocans on the other.
+
+Before taking a seat Barry Watson barked, "Where's Amschel Mayer? I've
+got some important points to cover with him."
+
+"Take it easy," Kennedy slurred. "For that matter, where's Joe
+Chessman?"
+
+Watson glared at the other. "You know where he is."
+
+"That I do," Kennedy said. "He's purged, to use a term of yesteryear. At
+the rate you laddy-bucks are going, there won't be anything left of you
+by the time our half century is up." He snapped his fingers and a
+Genoese servant who'd been inconspicuously in the background, hurried to
+his side. "Let's have some refreshments here. What'll everybody have?"
+
+"You act as though you've had enough already," Watson bit out.
+
+Kennedy ignored him, insisted on everyone being served before he allowed
+the conversation to turn serious. Then he said, slyly, "I see we've been
+successful in apprehending all of your agents, or you'd know more of our
+affairs."
+
+"Not all our agents," Watson barked. "Only those on your southern
+continent. What happened to Amschel Mayer?"
+
+Peter MacDonald, who, with Buchwald, was for the first time attending
+one of the decade-end conferences, had been hardly recognized in his new
+girth by the Texcocan team. But his added weight had evidently done
+nothing to his keenness of mind. He said smoothly, "Our good Amschel is
+under arrest. Imprisoned, in fact." He shook his head, his double chin
+wobbling. "A tragedy."
+
+"Imprisoned! By whom?" Taller scowled. "I don't like this. After all, he
+was your expedition's head man."
+
+Barry Watson rapped, "Don't leave us there, MacDonald. What happened to
+him?"
+
+MacDonald explained. "The financial and industrial empire he had built
+was overextended. A small crisis and it collapsed. Thousands of
+investors suffered. In brief, he was arrested and found guilty."
+
+Watson was unbelieving. "There is nothing you could do? The whole team!
+Couldn't you bribe him out? Rescue him by force and get him back to the
+ship? With all the wealth you characters control--"
+
+Jerry Kennedy laughed shortly. "We were busy bailing ourselves out of
+our own situations, Watson. You don't know what international finance
+can be. Besides, he dug his grave ... uh ... that is, he made his bed."
+
+Kennedy signaled the servant for another drink, said, "Let's cut out
+this dismal talk. How about our progress reports?"
+
+"Progress reports," Barry Watson said. "That's a laugh. You have agents
+on Texcoco, we have them on Genoa. What's the use of having these
+conferences at all?"
+
+For the first time, one of the Genoese put in a word. Baron Leonar, son
+of the original Baron who had met with Amschel Mayer thirty years
+before, was a man in his mid-forties. He said quietly, "It seems to me
+the time has arrived when the two planets might profit by intercourse.
+Surely in this time one has progressed beyond the other in this field,
+but lagged in that. If I understand the mission of the _Pedagogue_ it is
+to bring us to as high a technological level as possible in half a
+century. Already three decades have passed."
+
+The Texcocans studied him thoughtfully, but Jerry Kennedy waved in
+negation with the hand that held his glass. "You don't get it, Baron.
+You see, the thing is we wanta find out what system is going to do the
+most the quickest. If we co-operate with Barry's gang, everything'll get
+all mixed up."
+
+The Honorable Russ, now a wizened man of at least seventy, but still
+sharply alert, said, "However, Texcoco and Genoa might both profit."
+
+Kennedy said happily, "What do we care? You gotta take the long view.
+What we're working out here is going to be used on half a million
+planets eventually." He tried to snap his fingers. "These two lousy
+planets don't count that much." He succeeded in snapping them this time.
+"Not that much."
+
+Barry Watson said, "You're stoned, Kennedy."
+
+"Why not?" Kennedy grinned. "Finally perfected a decent brandy. I'll
+have to send you a few cases, Barry."
+
+"How would you go about that, Jerry?" Watson said softly.
+
+"Shucks, man, our space lighter makes a trip to Texcoco every month or
+so. Gotta keep up with you boys. Maybe throw a wrench or so in the works
+once inna while."
+
+Peter MacDonald said, "Shut up, Jerry. You talk too much."
+
+"Don't talk to me that way. You'll find yourself having one helluva time
+floating that loan you need next month. How about another drink,
+everybody? This party's dead."
+
+Watson said, "How about the progress reports? Briefly, we've all but
+completely united Texcoco. Minor setbacks have sometimes deterred us but
+the march of progress goes on. We--"
+
+"Minor setbacks," Kennedy chortled. "Must of had to bump off five
+million of the poor slobs before that commune revolt was finished with."
+
+Watson said coldly, "We always have a few reactionaries, religious
+fanatics, misfits, crackpots, malcontents to deal with. However, these
+are not important. Our industrial potential has finally begun to roll.
+We doubled steel production this year, will do the same next. Our
+hydro-electric installations tripled in the past two years. Coal
+production is four times higher, lumber production six times. We expect
+to increase grain harvest forty per cent next season. And--"
+
+The Honorable Modrin put in gently, "Please, Honorable Watson, your
+percentage figures are impressive only if we know from what basis you
+start. If you produced but five million tons of steel last year, then
+your growth to ten million is very good but it is still not a
+considerable amount for an entire planet."
+
+Buchwald said dryly, "If our agents are correct, Texcocan steel
+production is something like a quarter of our own. I assume your other
+basic products are at about the same stage of development."
+
+Watson flushed. "The thing to remember is that our economy continues to
+grow each year. Yours spurts and stops, jerks ahead a few steps, then
+grinds to a halt or even retreats. Everything comes to a pause if you
+few on the top stop making a profit; all that counts in your economy is
+making money. Which reminds me, how in the world did you ever get out of
+that planet-wide depression you were in three years ago?"
+
+Peter MacDonald grunted his disgust. "Planet-wide depression, indeed. A
+small recession. A temporary readjustment due to overextension in
+certain economic and financial fields."
+
+From the other side of the table, Dick Hawkins laughed at him. "Where'd
+you pick up that line of gobbledygook, Peter?" he asked.
+
+Peter MacDonald came to his feet. "I don't have to put up with this sort
+of impudence," he snapped.
+
+Watson lurched to his own feet. "Nor do we have to listen to your snide
+cracks about the real progress Texcoco is making. We don't seem to be
+getting anywhere." He snapped to his associates, "Hawkins, Taller,
+Roberts! Let's go. Ten years from now, there'll be another story to
+tell. Even a blind man will see the difference."
+
+They marched down the _Pedagogue's_ corridor toward their space boat.
+
+Kennedy called after them, "Ten years from now every family on Genoa'll
+have a car. Wait'll you see. Television, too. We're introducing TV next
+year. An' civil aviation. Be all over the place in two, three years--"
+
+The Texcocans slammed the spaceport after them.
+
+Kennedy sloshed some more drink into his glass. "Slobs can't stand the
+truth," he explained to the others.
+
+
+
+
+XI.
+
+
+With the exception of a few additional delegates composed of
+high-ranking Texcocan and Genoese political and scientific heads, the
+line-up at the end of forty years was the same as ten years
+earlier--except for the absence of Jerry Kennedy.
+
+Extra tables had been set up, and chairs to accommodate the added
+numbers. To one side were the Genoese: Martin Gunther, Fredric Buchwald,
+Peter MacDonald, with such repeat delegates as Baron Leonar and the
+Honorables Modrin and Russ and half a dozen newcomers. On the other were
+Barry Watson, Dick Hawkins and Natt Roberts, Taller and such Texcocans
+as the scientists Wiss and Fokin, army heads, Security Police officials
+and other notables.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Note pads had been placed before each of them and both Watson and
+Gunther were equipped with gavels.
+
+While chairs were still being shuffled, Barry Watson said over the table
+to Gunther, "Jerry?"
+
+Martin Gunther shrugged "Jerry's indisposed. As a matter of fact, he's
+at one of the mountain sanitariums, taking a cure. He'll be all right."
+
+"Good," Dick Hawkins said. "We've lost too many."
+
+Watson pounded with his gavel. "Let's come to order. Gunther do you have
+anything to say in the way of preliminaries?"
+
+"Not especially. I believe we all know where we stand, including the
+newcomers from Genoa and Texcoco. In brief, this is the fourth meeting
+of the Earth teams that were sent to these two planets to bring backward
+colonists to an industrialized culture. It would seem that we are both
+succeeding--possibly at different rates. Forty years have passed, ten
+remain to us."
+
+For a moment there was silence.
+
+Finally Roberts said, "Possibly you have already discovered this through
+your agents, but we have released the information on prolonging of
+life."
+
+Peter MacDonald said wryly, "We, too, were pressured into such a step."
+
+Baron Leonar said, "And why not?"
+
+Taller, across the table from him, nodded.
+
+Martin Gunther tapped twice on the table with his gavel. "The basic
+reason for our meeting is to report progress and to reconsider the
+possibilities of new elements having entered into the situation which
+might cause us to re-examine our policies. I think we already have a
+fairly good idea of each other's development." His voice went wry. "At
+least our agents do a fairly good job of reporting yours."
+
+"And ours, yours," Watson rapped.
+
+"However," MacDonald said, "now that we are drawing near the end of our
+half century, I think it becomes obvious that Amschel Mayer's original
+contention--that a freely competitive economy grows faster than one
+restricted by totalitarian bounds--has been proven."
+
+Barry Watson snorted amusement. "Do you?" he said. "To the contrary,
+MacDonald. The proof is otherwise. On Genoa you still have comparative
+confusion. True enough, several of your nations, particularly those on
+your southern continent, are greatly advanced and with a high living and
+cultural standard--when times are good. But at the same time you have
+other whole peoples who are little, if any, better off, than when you
+arrived. On the western continent you even have a few feudalistic
+regimes that are probably worse off--mostly as a result of the wars
+you've crippled them with."
+
+Natt Roberts said, his voice musing, "But even that isn't the important
+thing. The Co-ordinator sent us here to find a _method_ of bringing
+backward cultures to industrialization. Have you got a blueprint to show
+him, when you return? Can you trace out the history of Genoa for this
+past half century and say, this war was necessary for progress--but
+that should have been avoided? Or is this whole _free competition_
+program of yours actually nothing but chaos which _sometimes_ works out
+wonderfully for _some_ nations, but actually destroys others? You have
+scorned our methods, our collectivized society--but when we return,
+we'll have a blueprint of how we arrived where we are."
+
+Gunther banged the table with his gavel. "Just a moment. Is there any
+reason why we have to listen to these accusations when--"
+
+Watson held up a hand, curtly, "Let us finish. If you have something to
+say, we'll gladly listen when we're through."
+
+Gunther was flushed but he snapped, "Go ahead then, but don't think any
+of we Genoese are being taken in."
+
+Watson said, "True enough, it took us a time to unite our people ..."
+
+"Time and blood," Peter MacDonald muttered.
+
+"... But once underway the Texcocan State has moved on in a progression
+unknown in any of the Genoese nations. To industrialize a society you
+must reach a certain taking off point, a point where you have sufficient
+industry, particularly steel, sufficient power, sufficient scientists,
+technicians and skilled workers. Once that point has been reached you
+can move in almost a geometric progression. You build a steel mill and
+with the steel produced you build two more mills the following year,
+which in turn gives you the material for four the next year."
+
+Buchwald grunted his disbelief.
+
+Watson looked up and down the line of Genoese, the Earthmen as well as
+the natives. "On Texcoco we have now reached that point. We have a
+trained, eager population of over one billion persons. Our universities
+are turning out highly trained effectives at the rate of more than
+twenty million a year. We have located all the raw materials we will
+need. We are now under way." He looked at them in heavy amusement. "By
+the end of the next decade we will bury you."
+
+Martin Gunther said calmly, "Are you through?"
+
+"Yes. For the time," Watson nodded.
+
+"Very well. Then this is _our_ progress report. In the past forty years
+we have eliminated feudalism in all the more advanced countries. Even in
+the remote areas the pressures of our changing world are bringing them
+around. The populace of these countries will no longer stand to one side
+while the standard of living on the rest of Genoa grows so rapidly. On
+most of our planet, already the average family not only enjoys freedom
+but a way of life far in advance of that of Texcoco. Already modern
+housing and household appliances are everywhere. Already both land cars
+and aircraft are available to the majority. The nations have formed an
+Inter-Continental League of governments so that it is unlikely that war
+will ever touch us again. And this is merely a beginning. In ten years,
+continuing our freely competitive way of developing, all will be living
+on a scale that only the wealthy can afford today."
+
+He came to an end and stared antagonistically at the Texcocans.
+
+Taller said, "There seems to be no agreement."
+
+Across the table from him the ancient Honorable Russ said, "It is
+difficult to measure. We seem to count refrigerators and privately owned
+automobiles. You seem to ignore personal standards and concentrate on
+steel tonnage."
+
+The Texcocan scientist, Wiss, said easily, "Given the steel mills, and
+eventually automobiles and refrigerators will run off our assembly lines
+like water, and will be available for everyone, not just those who can
+afford to buy them."
+
+"Hm-m-m, eventually," Peter MacDonald laughed nastily.
+
+The atmosphere was suddenly hostile. Hostile beyond anything that had
+gone before in earlier conferences.
+
+And then Martin Gunther said without inflection, "I note that you have
+removed from the _Pedagogue's_ library the information dealing with
+nuclear fission."
+
+"For the purpose of study," Dick Hawkins said smoothly.
+
+"Of course," Gunther said. "Did you plan to return it in the immediate
+future?"
+
+"I'm afraid our studies will take some time," Watson said flatly.
+
+"I was afraid so," Gunther said. "Happily, I took the precaution of
+making microfilms of the material involved more than a year ago."
+
+Barry Watson pushed his chair back. "We seem to have accomplished what
+was possible by this conference," he said. "If anything." He looked to
+right and left at his cohorts. "Let's go."
+
+They came stiffly erect. Watson turned on his heel and started for the
+door.
+
+As they left, Natt Roberts turned for a moment and said to Gunther, "One
+thing, Martin. During this next ten years you might consider whether or
+not half a century has been enough to accomplish our task. Should we
+consider staying on? I would think the Co-ordinator would accept any
+recommendation along this line that we might make."
+
+The Genoese contingent looked after him, long after he was gone.
+
+Finally Martin Gunther said, "Baron Leonar, I think it might be a good
+idea if you began putting some of your men to work on making steel
+alloys suitable for spacecraft. The way things are developing, perhaps
+we'll be needing them."
+
+Buchwald and MacDonald looked at him unblinkingly.
+
+
+
+
+XII.
+
+
+It was fifty years to a day since the _Pedagogue_ had first gone into
+orbit about Rigel. Five decades have passed. Half a century.
+
+Of the original crew of the _Pedagogue_, six now gathered in the lounge
+of the spaceship. All of them had changed physically. Some of them
+softer to the point of flabbiness; some harder both of body and soul.
+
+Barry Watson, Natt Roberts, Dick Hawkins, of the Texcocan team.
+
+Martin Gunther, Peter MacDonald, Fredric Buchwald, of the Genoese.
+
+The gathering wasn't so large as the one before. Only Taller and the
+scientist Wiss attended from Texcoco; only Baron Leonar and the son of
+Honorable Russ from Genoa.
+
+From the beginning they stared with hostility across the conference
+table. Even the pretense of amiability was gone.
+
+Watson rapped finally, "I am not going to dwell upon the measures you
+have been taking that can only be construed as military ones aimed
+eventually at the Texcocan State."
+
+Martin Gunther laughed nastily. "Is your implication that your own
+people have not taken the same measures, in fact, inaugurated them?"
+
+Watson said, "As I say, I have no intention of even discussing this.
+Surely we can arrive at no agreement. There is one point, however that
+we should consider on this occasion."
+
+The corpulent Peter MacDonald wheezed, "Well, out with it!"
+
+Natt Roberts said, "I mentioned the matter to you at the last meeting."
+
+"Ah, yes," Gunther nodded. "Just as you left. We have considered it."
+
+The Texcocans waited for him to go on.
+
+"If I understand you," Gunther said, "you think we should reconsider
+returning to Terra City at this time."
+
+"It should be discussed," Watson nodded. "Whatever the ... ah ...
+temporary difficulties between us, the original project of the
+_Pedagogue_ is still our duty."
+
+The three of the Genoese team nodded their agreement.
+
+"And the problem becomes, have we accomplished completely what we set
+out to do? And, further, is it necessary, or at least preferable, for us
+to stay on and continue administration of the progress of the Rigel
+planets?"
+
+They thought about it.
+
+Buchwald said hesitantly, "It has been my own belief that Genoa is not
+quite ready for us to let loose the ... ah, reins. If we left now, I am
+not sure--"
+
+Roberts said, "Same applies to Texcoco. The State has made fabulous
+strides, but I am not sure what would happen if we leaders were to
+leave. There might be a complete collapse."
+
+Watson said, "We seem to be in basic agreement. Is a suggestion in order
+that we extend, for another twenty-five years, at least, this
+expedition's work?"
+
+Dick Hawkins said, "The Office of Galactic Colonization--"
+
+MacDonald said smoothly, "Will undoubtedly send out a ship to
+investigate. We shall simply inform them that things are not as yet
+propitious to our leaving, that another twenty-five years is in order.
+Since we are on the scene, undoubtedly our recommendation will be
+heeded."
+
+Watson looked from one Earthman to the next. "We are in agreement?"
+
+Each in turn nodded.
+
+Peter MacDonald said, "And do you all realize that here we have a unique
+situation that might be exploited for the benefit of the whole race?"
+
+They looked to him, questioningly.
+
+"The dynamic we find in Genoa--and Texcoco, too, for that matter, though
+we disagree on so many fundamentals--is beyond that in the Solar System.
+These are new planets, new ambitions are alive. We have at our
+fingertips man's highest developments, evolved on Earth. But with this
+new dynamic, this freshness, might we not in time push even beyond old
+Earth?"
+
+"You mean--" Natt Roberts said.
+
+MacDonald nodded. "What particular of value is gained by our uniting
+Genoa and Texcoco with the so-called Galactic Commonwealth? Why not
+press ahead on our own? With the vigor of these new races we might well
+leave Earth far behind."
+
+Watson mused, "Carrying your suggestion to the ultimate, who is to say
+that one day Rigel might not become the new center of the human race,
+rather than Sol?"
+
+"A point well taken," Gunther agreed.
+
+"No," Taller said softly.
+
+The six Earthmen turned hostile eyes to him.
+
+"This particular matter does not concern you, Generalissimo," Watson
+rapped at him.
+
+Taller smiled his amusement at that and came to his feet.
+
+"No," he said. "I am afraid that hard though it might be for you to give
+up the powers you have held so long, you Earthlings are going to have to
+return to Terra City, from whence you came."
+
+Baron Leonar said in gentle agreement, "Obviously."
+
+"What is this?" Watson rapped. "I'm not at all amused."
+
+The Honorable Russ stood also. "There is no use prolonging this. I have
+heard you Earthlings say, more than once, that man adapts to preserve
+himself. Very well, we of Genoa and Texcoco are adapting to the present
+situation. We are of the belief that if you are allowed to remain in
+power we of the Rigel planets will be destroyed, probably in an atomic
+holocaust. In self-protection we have found it necessary to unite, we
+Genoese and Texcocans. We bear you no ill will, far to the contrary.
+However, it is necessary that you all return to Earth. You have
+impressed upon us the aforementioned truism that _man adapts_ but in the
+_Pedagogue's_ library I have found another that also applies. Power
+corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
+
+There were heavy automatics in the hands of Natt Roberts and Dick
+Hawkins. Barry Watson leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrow. "How'd
+you ever expect to get away with this sort of treason, Taller?"
+
+Martin Gunther blurted, "Or you, Russ?"
+
+Wiss, the Texcocan scientist, held his wrist radio to his mouth and
+said, "Come in now."
+
+Dick Hawkins thumbed back the hammer of his hand gun.
+
+"Hold it a minute, Dick," Barry Watson said. "I don't like this." To
+Taller he rapped, "What goes on here? Talk up, you're just about a dead
+man."
+
+And it was then that they heard the scraping on the outer hull.
+
+The six Earthmen looked at the overhead, dumfounded.
+
+"I suggest you put up your weapons," Taller said quietly. "At this late
+stage I would hate to see further bloodshed."
+
+In moments they heard the opening and closing of locks and footsteps
+along the corridor. The door opened and in stepped,
+
+Joe Chessman, Amschel Mayer, Mike Dean, Louis Rosetti, and an emaciated
+Jerry Kennedy. Their expressions ran the gamut from sheepishness to
+blank haughtiness.
+
+MacDonald bug-eyed. "Dean ... Rosetti ... the Temple priests burned you
+at the stake!"
+
+They grinned at him, shamefaced. "Guess not," Dean said. "We were
+kidnaped. We've been teaching basic science, in some phony monastery."
+
+Watson's face was white. "Joe," he said.
+
+"Yeah," Joe Chessman growled. "You sold me out. But Taller and the
+Texcocans thought I was still of some use."
+
+Amschel Mayer snapped, bitterly, "And now if you fools will put down
+your stupid guns, we'll make the final arrangements for returning this
+expedition to Terra City. Personally, I'll be glad to get away!"
+
+Behind the five resurrected Earthmen were a sea of faces representing
+the foremost figures of both Texcoco and Genoa in every field of
+endeavor. At least fifty of them in all.
+
+As though protectively, the eleven Earthmen ganged together at the far
+side of the messtable they'd met over so often.
+
+Martin Gunther, his expression dazed, said, "I ... I don't--"
+
+Taller resumed his spokesmanship. "From the first the most progressive
+elements on both Texcoco and Genoa realized the value of your expedition
+and have been in fundamental sympathy with the aims the _Pedagogue_
+originally had. Primitive life is not idyllic. Until man is free from
+nature's tyranny and has solved the basic problems of sufficient food,
+clothing, shelter, medical care and education for all, he is unable to
+realize himself. So we co-operated with you to the extent we found
+possible."
+
+His smile was grim. "I am afraid that almost from the beginning, and on
+both planets, your very actions developed an ... underground, I believe
+you call it. Not an overt one, since we needed your assistance to build
+the new industrialized culture you showed us was possible. We even
+protected you against yourselves, since it soon became obvious that if
+left alone you'd destroy each other in your addiction to power."
+
+Baron Leonar broke in, "Don't misunderstand. It wasn't until the past
+couple of decades that this _underground_ which had sprung up
+independently on both planets, amalgamated."
+
+Barry Watson blurted, "But Joe ... Chessman--" he refused to meet the
+eye of the man he'd condemned.
+
+Taller said, "From the first you made no effort to study our customs. If
+you had, you'd have realized why my father allied himself to you after
+you'd killed Taller First. And why I did not take my revenge on Chessman
+after he'd killed Reif. A Khan's first training is that no personal
+emotion must interfere with the needs of the People. When you turned Joe
+Chessman over to me, I realized his education, his abilities were too
+great to destroy. We sent him to a mountain university and have used him
+profitably all these years. In fact, it was Chessman who finally brought
+us to space travel."
+
+"That's right," Buchwald blurted. "You've got a spaceship out there. How
+could you possibly--?"
+
+Taller said mildly, "There are but a handful of you, you could hardly
+keep track of two whole planets and all that went on upon them."
+
+Amschel Mayer said bitingly, "All this can be gone over on our return to
+Terra City. We'll have a full year to explain to ourselves and each
+other why we became such complete idiots. I was originally head of this
+expedition--before my supposed friends railroaded me to prison--does
+anyone object if I take over again?"
+
+"No," Joe Chessman growled.
+
+The others shook their heads.
+
+Taller said, "There is but one other thing. In spite of how you may feel
+at this moment of embarrassment, basically you have succeeded in your
+task. That is, you have brought Texcoco and Genoa to an industrialized
+culture. We hold various reservations about how you accomplished this.
+However, when you return to your Co-ordinator of Galactic Colonization,
+please inform him that we are anxious to receive his ambassadors. The
+term is _ambassadors_ and we will expect to meet on a basis of equality.
+Surely in all Earth's millennia of social evolution man has worked out
+something better than either of your teams have built here. We should
+like to be instructed."
+
+Dick Hawkins said stiffly, "We can instruct you on Earth's present
+socio-economic system."
+
+"I am afraid we no longer trust you, Richard Hawkins. Send
+others--uncorrupted by power, privilege or great wealth."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+When they had gone and the sound of their departing spacecraft had
+faded, Amschel Mayer snapped, "We might as well get underway. And cheer
+up, confound it, we have lots of time to contrive a reasonable report
+for the Co-ordinator."
+
+Jerry Kennedy managed a thin grin, almost reminiscent of the younger
+Kennedy of the first years on Genoa. "Say," he said, "I wonder if we'll
+be granted a good long vacation before being sent on another
+assignment."
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's Note:
+
+    This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ August
+    1960. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
+    copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and
+    typographical errors have been corrected without note.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Adaptation, by Dallas McCord Reynolds
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