id Cameron. "I
can't give you any reason for thinking so--except the phoniness goes
deeper than merely deceiving an investigator. Somehow I have the feeling
that the Markovians are even deceiving themselves!"

* * * * *

They left the building and took the car back to the house of Marthasa
without seeing Zlenon again. Their Markovian host was waiting. Cameron
thought he sensed a trace of tension in Marthasa that wasn't there
before as he led them to seats in the garden.

"We don't like to boast about the Nucleus," he said with his customary
volubility, "but we have to admit we are proud of our science and
technology. Few civilizations in the Universe can match it. That's not
to disparage the fine accomplishments of the Terrans, you understand,
but it's only _natural_ that out here on these older worlds--"

They listened half attentively, trying in their imaginations to pierce
the armor he used to defend so frantically the thing the Markovians did
not want the outer worlds to know anything about.

The talk went on during mealtime. Marthasa's wife caught the spirit of
it and they both regaled the Terrans with accounts of the grandeur of
Markovian exploits. Cameron grew more and more depressed by it, and as
they retired to their rooms early he began to realize how absolutely
complete was the impasse into which they had been driven.

"They've let us in," he said to Joyce. "They've shown us the history
they've written of themselves. There's no way in the Universe we can
stand up and boldly challenge that history and call them the liars we
know they are."

"But they must know of the histories written on other Council worlds
about their doings," said Joyce. "Maybe we could reach a point where we
could at least ask about them. Ask how it is that other histories show
that a hundred and twenty years ago a fleet of Markovian ships swept
unexpectedly out of space and looted and decimated the planet Lakcaine
VI. Ask why the Markovian history says only that the Nucleus concluded
six new commercial treaties to the benefit of all worlds concerned in
that period, without any mention of Lakcaine VI."

"When you start asking questions like that you've got to be ready to
run. And if it fizzles out you've lost all chance of coming back for a
second try. That could fizzle out because they simply deny the validity
of all history outside their own."

"Then we might as well pack and go home if you're not