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 ..."