n to
avoid tampering, only because of the fear of bringing harm. If we
created a super being among them, to act as a controlling and
harmonizing force, we'd hasten their development by thousands of years.
We'd be granting them the greatest possible boon!"

"I don't know," Remm said, obviously swayed by Macker's logic. "I'm
still hesitant about introducing a being into their midst whose thought
processes would be so subtle and superior to their own. How do you feel
about it, Toolls?"

"What would they have to lose?" Toolls asked with his penchant for
striking the core of an argument.

"The right or wrong of such moral and philosophical considerations has
always been a delicate thing to decide," Remm acquiesced reluctantly.
"Go ahead if you think it is the right thing to do."

* * * * *

"All finished?" Macker asked.

"That depends on how much you want me to do," Toolls replied. "I've
substituted our 'heavy' substances for his entire body structure,
including the brain--at the same time transferring his former memory and
habit impressions. That was necessary if he is to be able to care for
himself. Also I brought his muscular reaction time up to our norm, and
speeded his reflexes."

"Have you implanted any techniques which he did not possess before, such
as far-seeing, or mental insight?" Macker asked.

"No," Toolls said. "That is what I want your advice about. Just how much
should I reveal about ourselves and our background? Or should he be left
without any knowledge of us?"

"Well ..." Now that the others had deferred to Macker's arguments, he
had lost much of his certainty. "Perhaps we should at least let him know
who we are, and what we have done. That would save him much alarm and
perplexity when it comes time to reorient himself. On the other hand,
perhaps we should go even farther and implant the knowledge of some of
our sciences. Then he could do a better job of advancing his people. But
maybe I'm wrong. What do you think about it, Remm?"

"My personal opinion," Remm said, "is that we can't give him much of our
science, because it would be like giving a baby a high explosive to play
with. His race is much too primitive to handle it wisely. Either he, or
someone to whom he imparts what we teach him, would be certain to bring
catastrophe to his world. And if we let him learn less, but still
remember his contact with us, in time his race would very likely come to
regard us