Mack Reynolds - The Rival Rigelians

“No,” Joe Chessman growled.

The others shook their heads.

Taller said, “There is but one other thing. In spite of how you may feel at this moment, basically you have succeeded in your task. That is, you have brought Texcoco and Genoa to an industrialized culture. We hold various reservations about how you accomplished this. However, when you return 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 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 socioeconomfc 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.”

They met in the library, behind the racks of tapes and she looked up into his face, warily.

He said, his voice husky, “Hi, Polack.”

She reached up and traced a finger along a scar that ran from temple to chin.

He said, “An assassin got through my guards one day.” He reached for her, but she moved back, shaking her head.

“I…I don’t know…” she said. “You’re not the same.”

He looked at her bitterly. “Are you?”

“No. No, I suppose not. We’re both different. Well have to start all over. Learn to know each other, all over. Too many things have happened, Barry.”

He let his hands drop to his sides.

“All right,” he said. “As Amschel said, we have a full year.” He grinned suddenly, wryly. “We’ll have to start changing my character right away if I’m going to be acceptable again in that short a time.”