As steadily as he could, Martin said, “I accept the duties and responsibilities of a Master.”
The swords were still pointing at him while he replaced his on the flag and slapped an adhesive dressing on his hand. Then one of the swords swept upward to point at the ceiling. Another followed suit, then another and another until all were raised, then all seventeen swords were towered and replaced on their Masters’ flags.
Skorta bowed gravely and said, “The election was unanimous, off-world Master. You may speak to us now, and everything you say will be accepted as factual if you say that it is, and any demonstrations by mechanisms operated by you will be given similar credence. If your words or actions prove false or inaccurate you will, of course, be answerable to your fellow Masters.”
“I understand,” Martin said, as he removed the tri-di projector from his pack. “What if the vote had not been unanimous? Would I have had to fight?”
“Only as a last resort,” the Teldin replied, “and after many days debating other and nonviolent solutions. There are never enough Masters on Teldi, Martin. The senior slaves who become eligible for Mastership and are encouraged to apply are far too intelligent to want the heavy responsibility involved. But there are an occasional few who, like ourselves, are overtaken by a strange irrationality which makes us find rewards hi performing thankless tasks and… You are ready to begin?”
“I’m ready,” Martin said.
He waited until Skorta had returned to its place at the big table, then announced that he would describe and depict the events which had occurred on his home planet when Earth had been contacted by the Federation of Galactic Sentinents and its people offered citizenship. Indicating the entrance and wall facing their table, he started the projector. Several of the Masters made untranslatable noises as, in spite of the Hall lighting, there appeared a volume of blackness of apparently endless depth.
The show began.
He showed them the arrival of the gigantic matter transmitters in Earth orbit, and some of the feats of transportation of which they were capable. He showed them a few of the great, white cubical buildings which were the Federation’s examination and induction centers, and described how the people of Earth went into them to be rejected as Undesirable, accepted as Citizens, or classified as non-Citizens requiring further examination and training.
“But you’re telling them everything?’ Beth’s voice said anxiously in his earpiece. “Our tutor might not want that. Or don’t you care anymore?”
“I care,” Martin said. “But I’m not sure what our tutor expects of us. If it had wanted us to do or not do something, it should have been more specific, instead of simply telling us that the Teldi situation was entirely our responsibility. And I do care about these people, too much to be dishonest with them.”
“This Master business,” Beth said quietly, “you’re taking it very seriously.”
“Yes,” he said, then added quickly, “No more talking, die next bit could be tricky…”
Like every other planetary population offered citizenship, he explained, Earth’s people had been screened and divided into three categories-the Citizens, the non-Citizens and the Undesirables. The majority of applicants were successful and became Citizens, to move to the Federation World to begin lives hi which their potentialities could be fully realized free of all personal, political, and economic pressures. In the Federation, Citizens were not forced to do anything, because the type of people who would use such force were excluded as Undesirables.
But Martin could see that the Masters were becoming restless at the idea that they might be considered undesirable, and he went on quickly, “Unlike the Citizens, the non-Citizens obey orders and have to submit to training, but their work is vital to the functioning of the Federation. They have the option of becoming Citizens at any time, and they are…”
“Slaves,” one of the Masters said.
“Why must these beings leave their home planets to become Citizens?” another asked. “And are the new worlds suited to then- needs?”
What is a slave, Martin wondered. Aloud, he said, “There is only one world. Observe!”
The dark, tri-di projection blazed suddenly with the glorious, indescribable light that could be seen only amid the densely populated starfields of the galactic center. And hanging against that incredible, silvery field was a gigantic, black, and featureless shape, the shape reproduced on his Federation emblem.
“This,” Martin said, trying to hold his voice steady, “is the Federation World.”
It was a hollow body, he explained as simply as he could, fabricated from the material which had comprised this and many other star systems, and it contained the intelligent beings of over two hundred different species who were presently members of the Federation. The superworld enclosed its own sun, and its interior surface area was vast beyond imagining. The projected future populations of all the races in the galaxy would never overcrowd this world.
As the diagrams and detail pictures flashed into view, Martin tried to describe the awful immensity of the Federation World, its topology and environmental variations, its incredibly advanced supporting technology. But one of the Masters was waving for attention.
“Since the Scourge returned us to the dark ages, Teldi has nothing to often” it said. “Yet you are considering us for citizenship of this-this- Why, stranger?”
Martin was silent, remembering his own reaction on first seeing the Federation World. The Masters had had enough supersedence and frontal assaults on their feelings or superiority for one day. He softened his tone.
“The Federation accepts all levels of technical and cultural development,” he said. “Its purpose is to seek out the intelligent races of the galaxy and bring them to a place of safety before some natural or unnatural catastrophe befalls them. On this world they will grow hi knowledge and intermingle with other species, and, in the fullness of time, the combined intelligence of this future Federation will be capable of achievements unimaginable even to the most advanced minds among its present-day Citizens. And while all of its Citizens are climbing slowly to the scientific, philosophical, and cultural heights, they must be protected.”
He canceled the projection, and for a long time nothing was said. They were all staring at his flag, at the black diamond on a silver field which was the Federation emblem, but still seeing the tremendous reality which it represented. Perhaps he had shown them too much too soon, and had succeeded only in giving them an inferiority complex from which they would never recover. But these were the top people on Teldi and they had earned their positions by rising through the ranks. They were tough, honest, and adaptable, and Martin thought they could take it.
It was the interrogator who found its voice first. “You came here to judge us on our suitability or otherwise for this…this Federation. We may not wish to join, stranger, but we would be interested in hearing your verdict.”
To tough, honest, and adaptable, add proud and independent. Now Martin knew what he had to do.
But before he could speak, the Master-Elect of Education walked slowly to his side. Skorta was staring down at the Federation flag and not at Martin as it said, “Martin, this is important. If your pronouncement is open to discussion and subsequent modification, touch the hilt of your sword as you speak. If it is your own unalterable decision which you will defend, if necessary, with your life, then grasp the hilt firmly and hold the weapon in a defensive position.”
“They’re still in a state of shock,” Beth said in the angry, despairing tone of one who knows that good advice will be ignored. “And there are no guards on the door. Run?’