It was sunset when he returned to the Ceres. On the clearing the festivities were still going on, but at a slower pace. Ann Howard was waiting for Lord at the door of his cabin. She registered her official disapproval of the revelry, which Lord had expected, and then she added,
“We can’t make a treaty with them; these people have no government with the authority to deal with us.”
“You’re wrong, Ann; there’s a council of elders—”
“I beg to differ, Mr. Lord.” Her lips made a flat, grim line against her teeth. “This afternoon I made a point of talking to every native in the clearing. Their idea of government is something they call the law of humanity. Whether it is written down or not, I have no way of knowing; but certainly they have no such thing as a central authority. This rather indicates a teacher trusteeship for the planet, I believe.”
“You’ve made a mistake, Ann; I’ll have to check for myself.”
Lord and Ann Howard moved together through the clearing and he began to talk to the natives. In each case he elicited the same information that Ann had given him. The mention of a governing council seemed to amuse the savages. Lord and Ann were still conducting their puzzling inquest when Niaga returned from the village. She said that the council had been called and would meet within a week.
“There seems to be some difference of opinion,” Ann told her coldly, “between you and your people.”
“Yes,” Lord added uncertainly, “I’ve been asking about the council and—”
“But you didn’t phrase your question clearly,” Niaga put in smoothly. “We’re not quite used to using your words yet with your definitions.” To make her point, she called the same natives whom Ann and Lord had questioned, and this time, without exception, they reversed their testimony. Lord was willing to believe the language had caused the difficulty. Niaga’s people were entirely incapable of deception; what reason would they have had?