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t they can train

any child to memorise nine hundred plus years of oral history?" asked

Assessor 6.

'No, sir, not any child,' replied Steve. 'These wordsmiths are a breed

apart. They are born with that capability. I don't know how, or what

the selection process is, but I do know the M'Call's don't yet have a

third generation whizz kid to replace Cadillac. Don't get me wrong.

Outwardly these, uh - guys - look just like any other Mute. But

beneath the skin and bone deformations they are remarkably gifted

individuals."

Assessor 6 grunted. 'Well, they obviously impressed you."

'Sir, these people are the enemy. If I were to ignore their undoubted

potential to harm us I would be failing in my sworn duty to do all I

can to protect the First Family and the Federation."

The young President of the Board smiled. 'Well said, Steven."

Right, thought Steve. It was the kind of line that went down well with

Assessors. But it also had an edge of truth. The irony was that

Steve's apparent eagerness to tell all concealed the real truth: Mr

Snow's potential to harm the Federation was greater than they could

ever imagine.

Steve fixed his gaze on the grey-brown eyes and beamed out his best

honest-John look. 'Ma'am, at the risk of incurring disfavour, I have

to say that while - in terms of brain-power - the two wordsmiths stood

head and shoulders above the rest, the average Mute was not as stupid

as I had been led to expect."

'Let me get this quite clear,' said the President. 'Are you trying to

tell us that the Plainfolk Mutes possess human intelligence?"

'Yes,' added Assessor 3, a blunt-featured man whose neck was too wide

for his face. 'Are you saying these animals are our equals?"

They were both loaded questions. Any discussion on these lines was

pure dynamite. Steve weighed his reply carefully, conscious that an

overlong hesitation would be interpreted unfavourably. 'The Manual

states that Mutes are sub-human, ma'am. Compared with our own

life-style, theirs is certainly primitive, many of their customs savage

and barbarous. But while they have no written form of communication,

they speak a language that closely resembles Basic and, through their

wordsmiths, they possess a history covering a similar time span to our

own. They make music and they sing ' 'So do birds,' said Assessor 3.

Steve accepted this interruption with a polite nod. He knew that one

of the techniques employed by Assessors was to make seemingly stupid

remarks in the hope of triggering a contemptuous and ill-considered

reply. It worked well with examinees who thought they were brighter

than their interrogator. 'Sir, I know they are commonly referred to as

animals - they are also called lumpheads, four-eyes, shit-balls and

dick-eaters. Not without reason, I am sure. But I submit that the

word "animal" applies more correctly to an overground beast incapable

of communicating its thoughts, ideas and intentions to a human being

through the medium of syntactic speech."

'Do you think you can buffalo us by using long words, boy?" snapped

Assessor 3.

'No, sir,' replied Steve. 'I know that particular definition is not in

the Manual but ' 'Maybe it should be..." The President came to his

rescue. 'Go on, Steven."

'Ma'am - I can only speak with reference to this particular clan but

what I'm trying to say is that, although the Plainfolk are

technological illiterates, the various craft skills they possess shows

they can learn.

Their apparent inability to remember does not prevent them from

absorbing information. The problem they have is one of information

retrieval. They can retain knowledge but they can't express that

knowledge verbally. As a result, most of them appear incredibly

stupid."

From the looks that passed between them it was clear that some of the

Assessors did not like what they heard.

Steve knew it was the wrong thing to do but some perverse impulse made

him pursue this theme. He addressed the President. 'Ma'am - I was

asked if I regarded Mutes as our equals. In terms of their bodies and