mes we have arbitrarily
bestowed."

"Probably each call theirs _The World_," the Co-ordinator smiled. "After
all, the basic language, in spite of a thousand years, is still
Amer-English. However, I assume you are familiar with our method of
naming. The most advanced culture on Rigel's first planet is to be
compared to the Italian cities during Europe's feudalistic era. We have
named that planet Genoa. The most advanced nation of the second planet
is comparable to the Aztecs at the time of the conquest. We considered
Tenochtitlan but it seemed a tongue twister, so Texcoco is the
alternative."

"Modernizing Genoa," Mayer mused, "should be considerably easier than
the task on semiprimitive Texcoco."

Plekhanov shrugged, "Not necessarily."

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