'Will we be allowed to eat at the same table with them?'

'I think so. It'll probably be soon. If we couldn't, we would feel like strangers, outsiders, and so could never really know their society. We still won't be citizens, since we haven't converted. But I think they expect - or hope - we will.'

Orme said, 'If we did that, we'd become Martians. And we'd be traitors to Earth!'

'The Martians have a saying: "The only traitor is he who betrays the truth".'

Bronski proceeded to tell them something about the governmental system.

'Each neighbourhood is self-governing on matters involving its own concerns. These make up a township, and they send their representatives to the township council. Each county has its judge, who heads the council, and the counties send representatives to the cavern council. This is headed by a judge, the final authority for the cavern. The buck stops with him, though he does have limitations on his power.

'The judges are more than just judicial authorities. They are also governors. They're like the judges in the pre-monarchical period of the Hebrews. You've read the Old Testament, you know what they are.

'The central government is headed by a council of representatives from each cavern, and a judge is the head of that council. At the moment a Krsh, Zhmrezhkot ben-Rautha, is the supreme judge. He...'

'Just a minute,' Madeleine Danton said. 'Are all the councillors and judges male?'

'About five-sixths are.'

Danton looked indignant.

Bronski smiled. 'It's not as bad as it seems, Madeleine. Aside from the top government administrators, the proportion of women in the lower levels of government and in the professions is much higher. Almost half of these are women. But these are all older people. A woman is required to spend her child-bearing years at home. This is about from age twenty-seven to forty-seven. Remember that the longevity treatment means a longer period of childhood and youth.

'When the children are grown up, a woman can go into any field she wishes. If she opts for taking care of children because she likes to, she can teach or be a live-in auxiliary mother. These people place great value on their children. There hasn't been a case of child abuse, physical or mental, for three hundred years.'

Danton's face had been getting redder. Now she exploded.

'But what about the women who don't want to be mothers? Those who don't have the proper temperament or the inclination? What about lesbians - including those who'd like to be mothers but prefer adoption or artificial insemination?'

'The Krsh eliminated the biological basis of lesbianism in the second generation here. After the first, there were no more.'

Danton sputtered but managed to get control of herself. 'Why, that's ridiculous! In the first place, it's a violation of civil rights!'

'Is it? Anyway, remember that this society isn't Earth's. But they can offer Earth the solution to the problem of homosexuality.'

'Nonsense! What about those whose homosexuality is determined by family environment? Where the father is weak or absent and the mother domineering? What about that, heh?'

'The psychicist whom I talked to says that the family environment doesn't determine homosexuality. Many men have weak fathers and strong mothers on Earth, you know, but are not homosexual. He said that only those with a genetic tendency to homosexuality are influenced by the weak father-dominant mother syndrome. But if those genes are altered, then there's no tendency, no matter what the familial situation is.'

'You're talking about male homosexuality! What about lesbians?'

'The same applies. Look, Madeleine, I'm not defending the Martians, though I do admire the results of their attitudes. Yehudhah ben-Yonathan, he's a Krsh, by the way, said that sometimes a child does exhibit incipient homosexuality drive. But he or she is a mutation.

'Diabetes was eliminated in the genes, but still a very rare diabetic child occurs. Even with a mile of rock above the cavern, radiation affects the cells. When homosexual behaviour or diabetes is detected, the child is treated. The gene complex is altered.'

'They're creating robots!'

'You mean a person should be given a choice as to whether or not he wants diabetes?'

'The Earth could benefit from their genetic engineering,' Orme said. 'They're way ahead of us.'

'Are you thinking about cornering the market on that, too?' Bronski said.

'There's no harm in making a profit if you're benefiting people. However, the Martians must practise birth control; yet it's strictly forbidden by the Mosaic laws.'

'If they didn't practise it, they couldn't hollow out caverns fast enough to keep up with the population growth. On the other hand, the women never have abortions.'

'What if,' Danton said, 'a woman doesn't want to quit having babies?'

'After she's had three, she's through. But she can be a substitute mother; and she can help take care of other women's children.'

'They're totalitarians!' Danton said.

'In some respects, I suppose. But they're the only genuine theocracy in the solar system - if what they say is true.'

'You mean, governed by priests?'

'No. They don't have priests, though descendants of Aaron abound. They don't have a temple. For them, the only temple is the one in Jerusalem. By the way, Yehudhah was very excited when I told him the Romans had destroyed that temple in 70 AD. The Martians didn't know that, of course.

'Then he said, "It will make no difference. We will rebuild it." He paled a little, and he looked as if he'd said something he shouldn't have.'

'Aha!' Orme said. 'So they do have plans for Earth!'

Shirazi said,' So, if they don't have priests, how can they be theocrats?'

'Well, it seems to me that they're ruled by Him.'

'Him? Who's him?' Orme cried.

'Who's He, you mean.' Bronski pointed a finger at the burning globe.

Orme felt as if his skin was evaporating, as if his nerves were suddenly exposed to the flaming air.

'You can't mean... Jesus?’

'According to what Yehudhah said, Jesus does arbitrate the most difficult judicial cases and occasionally interferes in the executive process. He is, in effect, if not in name, The Big Judge.'

Cold slipped up Orme's spine and over his neck and scalp. The globe looked like an immense fiery eye. Was it gazing at him?

'Perhaps,' Bronski said, 'theocracy is not the exact definition. After all, he is said to be the Son of Man, which means he is just a human being. He is not supposed to be the son of God, except by adoption, nor God. Still, in effect...'

Orme told himself that he was reacting overemotionally. The Martians had to be conning him. Nevertheless, when he said his prayers at bedtime, kneeling on the floor, he realised that he was facing in the direction of the globe. He got up quickly, his face warm, as if he'd been caught in a very embarrassing - indeed, sinful - act.

The next day he was summoned with his colleagues to Hfathon's office in the Tleth'sha, the main university. Waiting for them were the other five interrogators and teachers, Ya'aqob, Zhkeesh, Sha'ul, Yirmeyah, and Hmmindron. The Earth people sat down and were offered water or fruit punch and wafers with strips of dried fish. Orme wondered how they'd go for bagels, cream cheese, and lox, a combination these Jews had never heard of. If he could get a patent on that, he might clean up. But would they give a monopoly on such a thing to anyone, let alone a Gentile? Anyway, what good would Martian money be on Earth? Still, maybe the time would come.

After Hfathon had inquired about everybody's health - as if anybody ever got sick here - he said, 'We've called you here to tell you some of our history. We have audiovisual aids in this office to complement the verbal delivery. Though you've progressed very well in learning our language, I may use some words or constructions you don't know. If so, please feel free to ask about them. Otherwise, I would like silence until the lecture is ended.'