t in
its limited fashion and yet had been devised solely as an instrument, a
tool. It had no freedom of action, no physical independence, but it had
childlike emotions and--this was the damnable thing--a sense of identity
and awareness of its creators as such. Thus the moral issue was raised.
To the Challon, the control or coercion of an independent intelligence
was a cardinal outrage. No greater sanctity existed than the sanctity of
the individual, for anything that prejudiced or restricted the right of
the individual to full mastery of himself was worse even than the
deliberate taking of life. It was murder of the ego. In a telepathic
society, life itself could not be more precious than self-control.

The combined growth and manufacture of the Challonari had been stopped
in horror when it was realized that their capabilities were greater than
anticipated. An organic tool had not been created, but rather a ...
what? When does a tool become an entity? If it is an entity, what right
have its makers to control it and use it as a tool? What right have they
to--the thorniest issue of all--destroy it or otherwise put it aside
when it is no longer required? Until these fundamental issues could be
settled, the handful of Challonari in existence must be cared for,
trained and observed as if they were backward children.

The main function of the Challonari on such a voyage as this was to
safeguard the ship and its immediate vicinity when on strange worlds.
This it accomplished by a swift, simplified appraisal of the offensive
capacities of any life form coming within its limited range. If their
natural weapons--claws, size, poison, fangs--rendered them potentially
dangerous should the Mentor leave the ship, then the Challonari
projected into their minds a simple disinterest in the environs of the
ship, a reluctance to approach closer. If this failed, the reluctance
impulse became tinged with fear, the intensity of the fear increasing
until the desired retreat occurred.

If the approaching unknown was of sufficient intelligence to identify
the disinterest-reluctance-fear impulse as a telepathic warning, then
no further effort was made to turn it back, much less to hurl it back
by force. That would have been unthinkable. An intelligent entity
approaching the vessel would be welcomed and requested to identify
itself, while notice of its approach would be delivered to the Challon
Mentor. Stranger and Challon would then inevitably