Birthright

“Are you trying to tell me that the Project is a fraud?” demanded Rojers, a sense of moral outrage

beginning to creep across his mind.

“Well, yes and no,” said Herban. “Yes and no.” “Just what is that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said,” said Herban. “Let's see if we can't get you to use a little of that brain of yours. After all, if you're going to become the next Chief Biochemist of the Oligarchy and points north, nobody should have to spoon-feed conclusions to you. Tell me what you think the Project is all about.” “Every schoolboy knows what it's all about,” said Rojers irritably. “What I'm trying to figure out is what you're driving at.”

“Bear with me for a little while.” The older man grinned, relighting the cigar. “And tell me about the Project.”

“I feel like an idiot,” said Rojers. “Okay. The Project is attempting to hasten the course of evolution by artificially developingHomo superior." “A fair enough description. And, in that, the Project is absolutely legitimate. Well, ‘legitimate’ is a misleading word; let me say, rather, that in that respect the Project is sincere. Its motives are of the purest nature, and its virtue—if not its efficacy—is beyond question.” “Then I still don't understand what you mean.” “Well, let's begin at the beginning, shall we, boy?” said Herban. “Do you know when the Project began?”

“Not exactly. About four hundred years ago,” said Rojers. “Try fourthousand. ” Herban grinned. “You'll be much closer to the truth. It began, secretly to be sure, in the waning days of the Republic. Originally, only four men worked on it, and the number always remained under a dozen until about four centuries ago—388 years, to be exact—when the Oligarchy decided to make it public because of political expediency.” “Four thousand?'’ mused Rojers. “But why was it kept secret?” “For reasons of utmost necessity,” said Herban. “You see, originally the idea was to create a true race ofHomo superior, a race that would supersede Man. Well, not really supersede him, since no one was all that anxious to bring about our own extinction; but to, shall we say, represent Man among the myriad worlds, to take and conquer huge new domains for us, and then to move on while we took over the fruits of their labor. Nifty idea, that. They must have dreamed of making a race of men with the intellect of a Robelian, the physique of a Torqual, the ESPer abilities of a Domarian, and, with all that, total loyalty to humanity.” He shrugged. “Well, the science was young then, so I suppose they can be excused for their dreams. And the need for secrecy was twofold: to avoid alarming good oldHomo sap, and to avoid giving advance warning to the various other races that we were planning to spring our little surprise on. And it stood to reason, naturally, that with limited funds and a minuscule number of trained biochemists, they made so little progress for thirty-six hundred years as to make no difference at all. “Then came the Setts. Everybody knows about them now, but originally it was all hush-hush. After all,