That thy heart could forget,

Perhaps the analogy is wrong, and Lars shrugged diffidently. Well, Guildmember? Have I my day in court, too? Three more crystals? Trags manner gave no indication of his thoughts. Two more, Killashandra said, if we are using the original key. Trag made a barely audible grunt at that comment before he reached for the next crystal and motioned Lars to place his bracket. Killashandra could not keep her mind entirely on the task at hand for she suddenly realized just how much rested on the truth of the dissidents contentions. Had she indeed allowed a sexual relationship to cloud her judgment? Or favorable first impressions from Nahia, Hauness, and the others to color her thinking? And yet, there was Corish von Mittelstern, and Olav Dahl. Or was that convoluted situation carefully contrived? She might be out on a limb, the saw in her own hand, she thought as she delicately tightened the bracket on the second crystal. She didnt dare look at Lars across the open case as they straightened up. Expressionless as ever, Trag handed Lars the tuning hammer. Lars gave Killashandra a rakish and reassuring grin and then tapped out the sequence: da da da-dum, da da da-dum. For one hideous moment nothing happened and Killashandra felt the last vestige of energy drain from her body with the groan she could not stifle. A groan that was echoed by a muted noise and a slight vibration in the floor. Startled, she and Lars looked down but Trag remained with his eyes fixed on the ceiling. Clever! was his comment as the wall sank slowly and, to their intense relief, noiselessly apart from the initial protest. Clever and utterly despicable. As soon as the descending wall reached knee height, Trag swung over it, Lars right behind him. For a heavy man, Trag moved with considerable speed and economy of motion. He did a complete circuit of the room, his eyes sweeping from one side to the other, identifying each bank in the complicated and extensive rack system, and the terminal which activated the units. He completed his circuit at the three heavy cables that provided the interface between the two sets of computers. No one has been in here for some time, he said finally, noting the light coating of dust on the cabinets No need, Guildmember. You may address me as Trag. Lars grinned triumphantly at Killashandra, where she stood, resting her ear against the door norcent digital camera firmware panel. Nothing must interfere at this critical moment. Trag. The yearly dose for Optherians occurs shortly before the Festival season begins, and the tourists arrive. All Optherians are given the opportunity and privilege, and Larss voice was mildly scornful, of attending the preliminary concerts for the current years Festival selections. The Mainlanders get their dose then, to keep them contented while the tourists are here. Then, the tourists get theirs, which includes sufficient Optherianisms to prevent them from accepting messages from strangers for posting once they return to their homes. Some dont, you know, having fallen for the vastly superior and secure Optherian natural way of life. Trag dropped his gaze from the fascinating cable. How many escape these conditioning sessions? Not many Mainlanders, though there are a few who independently discovered the subliminal images. Lars turned to Killashandra. Nahia, Hauness, Brassner, and Theach. Over the last ten years, theyve been able to warn those they felt could be trusted. Do the Elders know that some escape? Killashandra asked. There is a head check at the concerts which simultaneously registers with the Central Computers. But islanders dont go to concerts, do they? Killashandra said with a chuckle. It was a relief to know that she had occasion to be amused. It had looked very grim for a bit there, with Trag coming on strong as Guildmember. I think it is time to end such pernicious subjugation, Trag said. He took from his biceps pocket a hand-unit of the sort used to check programming systems, and placed it on the nearest cabinet. It should be a simple matter of reprogramming the master sensory mixer to bypass the subliminal generator. That would inhibit the subliminal processor, yet leave no physical trace of alteration. Taking from the same pocket a heavy compound knife of the kind favored by crystal singers for field use, he opened the heaviest cutting blade. He sliced carefully at the plastic cable cover, peeling it back to expose the multicolor flex package. Killashandra watched as Trag set the system checker against the flex, taking a preliminary reading. As he pondered the results, she could not restrain a glance at the subliminal room. The devices were so repugnant to her, abusing every precept of the individual privacy which had been her birthright on Fuerte, that she felt besmirched just looking at