to
confuse you."

"Then I ask for an answer," the Ruler said.

"I request that I be allowed to ask a question," Korvin said.

The Ruler hesitated, then nodded. "Ask it," he said. "We shall answer
it if we see fit to do so."

Korvin tried to look grateful. "Well, then," he said, "what is your
government?"

The Ruler beckoned to a heavy-set green being, who stepped forward
from a knot of Tr'en, inclined his head in Korvin's direction, and
began. "Our government is the only logical form of government," he
said in a high, sweet tenor. "The Ruler orders all, and his subjects
obey. In this way uniformity is gained, and this uniformity aids in
the speed of possible action and in the weight of action. All Tr'en
act instantly in the same manner. The Ruler is adopted by the previous
Ruler; in this way we are assured of a common wisdom and a steady
judgment."

"You have heard our government defined," the Ruler said. "Now, you
will define yours for us."

Korvin shook his head. "If you insist," he said, "I'll try it. But you
won't understand it."

The Ruler frowned. "We shall understand," he said. "Begin. Who governs
you?"

"None," Korvin said.

"But you are governed?"

Korvin nodded. "Yes."

"Then there is a governor," the Ruler insisted.

"True," Korvin said. "But everyone is the governor."

"Then there is no government," the Ruler said. "There is no single
decision."

"No," Korvin said equably, "there are many decisions binding on all."

"Who makes them binding?" the Ruler asked. "Who forces you to accept
these decisions? Some of them must be unfavorable to some beings?"

"Many of them are unfavorable," Korvin said. "But we are not forced to
accept them."

"Do you act against your own interests?"

Korvin shrugged. "Not knowingly," he said. The Ruler flashed a look at
the technicians handling the lie-detector. Korvin turned to see their
expression. They needed no words; the lie-detector was telling them,
perfectly obviously, that he was speaking the truth. But the truth
wasn't making any sense. "I told you you wouldn't understand it," he
said.

"It is a defect in your explanation," the Ruler almost snarled.

"My explanation is as exact as it can be," he said.

The Ruler breathed gustily. "Let us try something else," he said.
"Everyone is the governor. Do you share a single mind? A racial mind
has been theorized, though we have met with no examples--"

"Neither have we," Korvin said. "We are all in