Manse Everard suddenly realizes that the Native American potlach tribes are the way they are because they have received some input from a stranded Mongol Noyon and a stranded Confucian scholar. So history works out as it should.
He concludes:
"Don't ask if there ever was any 'original' scheme of things. Keep your mind shut. Regard the rutted road mankind had to travel, and tell yourself that if it could be better in places, in other places it could be worse." (7, p. 171)
Never keep your mind shut. Never. Would that be Everard's advice to anyone whose employing organization is involved in dodgy practices?
He is relieved when he realizes that he only has to kill horses and burn ships to prevent the Mongols from returning home. Earlier, he had affirmed that he would go to the exile planet before killing the men:
"There are decent limits" (5, p. 151)
But would the Patrol employ some agents for whom there were no decent limits? If not, why not?
Our road was rutted in the past but need it be in the future? The Patrol knows its future. We do not.
2 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Too bad we never see that oft mentioned exile planet! Not even once.
Ad astra! Sean
I wonder if the criminals are sterilized before they're sent to the exile planet? It would be an interesting civilization there if they're not.
(I think it's implied that you're simply turned loose on the exile planet to fend for yourself.)
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