They thought it up."

"Ingenious. Almost as ingenious as the way they've used the help you
gave them. We had this tribe listed long ago as a very capable one, far
behind the rest of its System in development, it's true, but only
because it had started late up the evolutionary ladder. It had been
doing very nicely on its own, and we didn't want to interfere unless we
could give it some real help.

"I'll admit that I had a few qualms at first, when we traced you here
and learned that you had landed among them. But we've been observing you
for the past day and a half--our space ship landed beyond that burned
out stretch of ground, not too close to that volcano--and I'll have to
admit that, judging from your past record, I didn't think you had it in
you."

"I suppose that's over with now," said Bradley.

"Yes, you're finished with being a god. We don't believe in kidding the
natives, Bradley!"

Bradley nodded ruefully. "They don't seem to believe in it, either. I
guess they found out I wasn't a god before I did. But it didn't seem to
matter to them." He sighed, and turned toward the new village. "Do you
mind, if I sort of--well, hold a farewell ceremony before we go? They
won't understand, but they'll feel better than if I just go off...."

Malevski shook his head firmly. "No, no time for that. I'll have to get
out a full report, and we're in a hurry to get off. Any word you'd like
to have sent out to your mother, Bradley, before we blast?"

* * * * *

Bradley looked back again, and his shoulders came up more firmly. He'd
taught his people here, and led them; but he'd learned a few things
himself--he'd found he could take what was necessary. He'd found that
the easiest way wasn't always the best, that getting drunk was no way
out, and that real friendship and respect meant more than the words of
big-shots. Maybe he'd learned enough to be able to take regeneration....

He managed to grin, a little lopsidedly, at Malevski. "Yeah. You might
send her a message. Tell her I'm fine, and that I've learned to wipe my
own nose. I think she'll be glad to hear that."

"She will," Malevski told him. "When she hears that you're Provisional
Governor of this planet, she'll even believe it."

"Provisional Governor?" Bradley stood with his mouth open, staring. He
shook his head. "But what about regeneration...?"

Malevski laughed. "You're appointed, on the basis of my first report
about what you'r