Part 16 (1/2)

As they left, Natt Roberts turned for a moment and said to Gunther, ”One thing, Martin. During this next ten years you might consider whether or not half a century has been enough to accomplish our task. Should we consider staying on? I would think the Co-ordinator would accept any recommendation along this line that we might make.”

The Genoese contingent looked after him, long after he was gone.

Finally Martin Gunther said, ”Baron Leonar, I think it might be a good idea if you began putting some of your men to work on making steel alloys suitable for s.p.a.cecraft. The way things are developing, perhaps we'll be needing them.”

Buchwald and MacDonald looked at him unblinkingly.

XII.

It was fifty years to a day since the _Pedagogue_ had first gone into orbit about Rigel. Five decades have pa.s.sed. Half a century.

Of the original crew of the _Pedagogue_, six now gathered in the lounge of the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p. All of them had changed physically. Some of them softer to the point of flabbiness; some harder both of body and soul.

Barry Watson, Natt Roberts, d.i.c.k Hawkins, of the Texcocan team.

Martin Gunther, Peter MacDonald, Fredric Buchwald, of the Genoese.

The gathering wasn't so large as the one before. Only Taller and the scientist Wiss attended from Texcoco; only Baron Leonar and the son of Honorable Russ from Genoa.

From the beginning they stared with hostility across the conference table. Even the pretense of amiability was gone.

Watson rapped finally, ”I am not going to dwell upon the measures you have been taking that can only be construed as military ones aimed eventually at the Texcocan State.”

Martin Gunther laughed nastily. ”Is your implication that your own people have not taken the same measures, in fact, inaugurated them?”

Watson said, ”As I say, I have no intention of even discussing this.

Surely we can arrive at no agreement. There is one point, however that we should consider on this occasion.”

The corpulent Peter MacDonald wheezed, ”Well, out with it!”

Natt Roberts said, ”I mentioned the matter to you at the last meeting.”

”Ah, yes,” Gunther nodded. ”Just as you left. We have considered it.”

The Texcocans waited for him to go on.

”If I understand you,” Gunther said, ”you think we should reconsider returning to Terra City at this time.”

”It should be discussed,” Watson nodded. ”Whatever the ... ah ...

temporary difficulties between us, the original project of the _Pedagogue_ is still our duty.”

The three of the Genoese team nodded their agreement.

”And the problem becomes, have we accomplished completely what we set out to do? And, further, is it necessary, or at least preferable, for us to stay on and continue administration of the progress of the Rigel planets?”

They thought about it.

Buchwald said hesitantly, ”It has been my own belief that Genoa is not quite ready for us to let loose the ... ah, reins. If we left now, I am not sure--”