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