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udden need for their good-humoured company, a

longing to look again into the eyes of Clearwater, an urgent desire to

be close to her.

But there was something else. The first verse of the Prophecy as

recited by Jefferson contained a variation that altered its meaning

completely. After the line 'and the earth drowns in its own tears' the

Federation version ran 'then shall a new-born child of the Plainfolk

become the Thrice-Gifted One . . ."

In the version of the Prophecy recited by Mr Snow the line ran 'then

shall a child born of the Plainfolk become the Thrice-Gifted One . .

."

From what had been said, Steve had little doubt that the First Family

were already working on ways to deal with the Talisman but any plans

they had appeared to hinge on the idea that, when the earth gave the

sign, they would be looking for a new-born child who would grow up to

be the promised saviour of the Plainfolk. But if Mr Snow's version of

the Prophecy was the correct one, then it was also possible that the

Talisman could be someone born years before the predicted event.

Already grown. man orwoman- like Cadillac or Clearwater, in whom the

powers that would make them the Thrice Gifted One were lying dormant.

Ready to burst forth at any moment...

The scenario based on the Federation version of the Prophecy appeared

to include a fifteen year breathing space between the birth and the

emergence of Talisman as the magical warrior chief of the Plainfolk: Mr

Snow's version allowed practically no reaction time at all. If the

Federation hoped to confound the Prophecy and triumph over the

Plainfolk it was extremely important to know which, of the two

versions, was the correct one. Or was there a third - or a fourth

version? And if so, would any of them come true? Or was the Talisman

Prophecy the inevitable product of the endangered Mute psyche?

The last, great, smoke-filled illusion; the dying dream of a race on

the verge of total extinction.

And there were practical problems too. If prophecy was truly possible,

at what point in time would this 'sign' be given? Where, for example,

was the 'great mountain in the West'?

Steve dragged his thoughts back to the Oval office and to what the

President-General was saying to Karlstrom.

'... the amazing accuracy with which this stuff is transmitted

orally.

More than a hundred years separate the version I quoted and the one

Steven here has just given us and yet they match word for word."

Karlstrom nodded thoughtfully. As he listened to Steve he had

wondered if the young Tracker realised that, apart from being the only

person on record to have survived capture by the Mutes, he was also the

only person this century - that the First Family knew of - to have

learnt of the Talisman Prophecy from an overground source. How

interesting that he, of all people, should have been chosen by the

Plainfolk as a messenger. As Karlstrom considered all the possible

implications, it occurred to him that Q-6, knowing Steve had already

revealed that he knew of the Prophecy, had not gotten him to repeat it

line by line. It was a minor oversight and in all probability didn't

matter but it was yet one more example of procedural sloppiness and it

niggled him. 'Tell me - does the first verse of the Prophecy as spoken

by the President-General match what Mr Snow told you?"

Steve faced him squarely. 'Yes, Commander. To the best of my

recollection I'd say it was a dead match."

'Okay. Did this, ah - Mr Snow give you any background on the

Prophecy?

For example, where it first came from?"

'Yes, Commander. He told me it was first transmitted - that was the

exact word he used - through a wordsmith called Cincinatti Red about

four hundred years ago."

Jefferson and Karlstrom exchanged thoughtful glances. 'Four hundred

years,' mused Jefferson. 'I'd say that pretty well validates it,

wouldn't you? It means that whoever composed it predicted the

appearance of both wagon-trains and wingmen two centuries ahead of

time."

'The wordsmith may have been lying,' said Karlstrom. 'The problem is

we have no way of proving that - even if he was available for

questioning. He may just be passing on what his predecessor told

him.

Not that it really matters. Our plans are based on the assumption that

it may be true."