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.

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