ertain responsibility. We of the Order are
able to use our Talent to govern better than do those who lack it.
Honor demands that we do so. We cannot avoid our duty."

He could feel her rejection of that argument even before she spoke.
"That may apply to Irschcha, but it is obviously not true of humans.
They did quite well before MacLeod found us, despite their lack of
Talent. You must agree that things have improved for Irschcha since we
joined the Empire."

"Some things, yes," Thark admitted. "We have hyperships now, like my
Prowler; we are benefitting from trade with other systems; we are
starting out-system colonies ourselves; we have people in the Imperial
Services--"

"And in the Emperor's own Palace Guard!" Corina interrupted.

"But that is not enough!"

"Is that not considerable progress since they found us only forty-three
Standard years ago? Can you truly expect more so soon? We are only a
small part of the Empire."

"I cannot accept that," Thark growled. "We are being humiliated! We
must even use human units of measurement. Standard years? Terran
years is what you mean!"

"Still--"

"We have no one in the nobility except for myself," Thark continued,
ignoring her attempted protest. "No Irschchan is a Ranger, none
command major military ships or bases. Does that seem equitable to
you?"

"It does not seem inequitable, simply on the basis of numbers," Corina
pointed out. "Humans occupy thousands of worlds, the Traiti hundreds,
while we occupy only this one completely. And it is possible they have
talents or abilities we lack."

Thark groaned inwardly. This was not going well, but she was too
valuable to lose; he would have to keep trying.

"They do not," he told her. "I have scanned a large number of humans,
tourists and administrative officials alike. They have no indication
of Talent or anything else unusual, except perhaps an occasional trace
of screen. They are exactly what they seem. All they have is a very
sophisticated technology."

"Perhaps that is their talent," Corina said. "It was they who found
us; we did not find them. Or perhaps their special ability is even
rarer with them than Talent is with us."

"If that is the case," Thark replied, "it would seem they either cannot
use it to govern properly, or refuse to do so. In either case, our
duty is clear."

He was silent then, perceiving her need to think.

Corina was deeply disturbed. Thark's arguments were pla