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 reverberat