e body. If it did, the result
would be fatal. I'd hate to chance it."

"I have an idea," Macker said. By the inflections of his tones the
others knew that some incongruity of the situation had aroused Macker's
sense of humor. "Why don't we give the creature an entirely new body? We
could replace the flesh and viscera, as well as the cartilaginous
structure, with our own type substance. It would probably be an
indestructible being as far as its own world is concerned. And it would
be as powerful as their mightiest machines. We'd leave behind us a
superman that could change the course of this world's history. You could
do it, couldn't you, Toolls?"

"Quite simply."

"Our policy has always been not to interfere in anyway with the races we
study," Remm protested.

"But our policy has also been never to harm any of them, if at all
possible to avoid it," Macker insisted. "In common justice you have to
complete the job Toolls began on the arm, or you're condemning this poor
thing to death."

"But do we have the right to loose such an unpredictable factor as it
would be among them?" Remm asked. "After all, our purpose is exploration
and observation, not playing the parts of gods to the primitives we
encounter."

"True, that is the rule which we have always followed in the past,"
Macker agreed, "but it is in no way a requirement. We are empowered to
use our judgment in all circumstances. And in this particular instance I
believe I can convince you that the course I suggest is the more just
one." He turned to Toolls. "Just what stage of cultural development
would you say this creature's race has attained?"

"It still retains more of an animal-like adaptation to its surroundings
than an intellectual one," Toolls replied. "Its civilization is divided
into various sized units of cooperation which it calls governments. Each
unit vies with the others for a greater share of its world's goods. That
same rivalry is carried down to the individual within the unit. Each
strives for acquisition against his neighbor.

"Further they retain many of their tribal instincts, such as
gregariousness, emotional rather than intellectual propagation, and
worship of the mightiest fighter. This last, however, is manifested by
reverence for individuals attaining position of authority, or acquiring
large amounts of their medium of exchange, rather than by physical
superiority."

"That's what I mean," Macker said. "Our policy in the past has bee