“And then?”
“That person obviously becomes one of the 20,007 technicians,” Shillawn said.
“I asked her.” Carigana gave Shillawn a scathing glance.
“The young man is, however, right.”
“And technicians never leave Ballybran.” Carigana's glance slid from Borella to Shillawn, and it was obvious what her assessment of Shillawn's chances were.
"Not without severe risk of further impairment. The facilities on Ballybran, however, are as complete as – "
“Except you can't ever leave.”
"As you are not yet there," Borella continued imperturbably, though Killashandra had the notion the Singer enjoyed sparring with the space worker, "the problem is academic and can remain so." She turned to the others. "As I was about to point out, the odds have been reduced to three out of five. And improving constantly. The last class produced thirty-three Singers from thirty-five candidates.
"Besides the problem of symbiont adaptation required for existence on Ballybran, there is an additional danger, of the more conventional type." She went on less briskly, allowing her comments on the odds to be absorbed. "Ballybran's weather." The screen erupted into scenes of seas lashed into titanic waves, landscapes where ground cover had been pulped. "Each of the three moons contains weather stations, and sixteen permanent satellites scan the surface constantly.
“Scoria, our primary, has a high incidence of sun-spot activity.” A view of the sun in eclipse supported that statement as flares leaped dramatically from behind the eclipsing moon's disk. A second occluded view showed the primary's dark blotches. “This high activity, plus the frequent conjunction of the moons' orbits, a triple conjunction being the most dangerous obviously, ensure that Ballybran has interesting weather.”
A bark of laughter for such understatement briefly interrupted Borella, but her patient smile suggested that the reaction was expected. Then the screen showed breath taking conjunction of the moons' orbits.
"When the meteorological situation becomes unstable, even in terms of Ballybran's norms, the planet is subjected to storms which have rated the euphemism, mach storm. As the crystal ranges of Ballybran extend downward rather than up," – the screen obediently provided a view from a surface vehicle traversing the down ranges at speed – "one might assume that one need only descend far enough below the planet's surface to avoid the full brunt of wind and weather. A fatal assumption. The ranges constitute the worst danger." The view changed to a rapid series of photographs of people, their expressions ranging from passive imbecility to wild-eyed violence. "The winds of the mach storm stroke the crystal to such sonic violence that a human, even one perfectly adapted to his symbiont, can be driven insane by sound.
"The vehicles provided by the Guild for Singers' use have every known warning device, although the most effective one is lodged in the bodies of the Singers themselves; the symbiont, which is more sensitive to the meteorological changes than any instrument man can create. Sometimes the human element over comes the keen senses of the symbiont, and a Singer is impervious to warnings.
“Such injury is the main reason for the tithe levied by the Guild on the active members. You may be certain of the best possible care should such an accident befall you.”
“You said the symbiont increased recuperative ability for structural damage.” the irrepressible Carigana began.
“A broken mind is scarcely a physiological problem. Within its scope, the symbiont is a powerful protector. It is not in itself sentient, so though it could restore damaged brain tissue, it cannot affect what man chooses to designate 'soul'.”
Somehow Borella's tone managed to convey the notion that Carigana might not possess that commodity. Killashandra was not the only one to catch that nuance, which apparently eluded its intended target.
“How was the symbiont first discovered?” Killashandra asked, determined that Carigana was not going to dominate the session.
“By the first prospector, Milekey. He made a successful adaptation with the spore, considering the transition illness to be only some irritating infection.”
“He wasn't the only one on that mission, according to the fax,” Shillawn said.
"No, he wasn't, though the deaths of the other members of his geology team were not at first linked to Ballybran. Milekey made several excursions into the ranges to examine crystal faces and cut new types for evaluation. He also helped develop the first effective cutter. His personal tapes indicate that he felt a strong compulsion to return to Ballybran frequently, but, at the time, it was thought that this was merely due to his interest in the crystal and the increasing uses to which it could be put. He also did not connect his ability to avoid the storms to the presence of the symbiont.
“This aspect was discovered when the transition disease struck Cutter after Cutter, leaving crystallized bodies similar to those in the hall.”
“There's one that was charred,” Rimbol said, swallowing against nausea.
“And that is the third danger of Ballybran. Fortunately not as prevalent these days since common sense and education in the use of equipment decrease the probability. The crystal ranges can build up localized high-voltage and sonic charges near which ordinary communits do not operate properly, nor do other types of electrical equipment, some of which are necessary to the operation of sleds and conveniences. Fireballs can occur. And, despite all the precautions, a Singer can be volatilized. It is a danger we must mention.”
«You say that those who do not make a good adaptation to the symbiont specialize in technical work – but what constitutes a poor adaptation?» Jezerey asked, leaning forward, elbows on her knees.
“Some impairment of one or more of the normal physical senses. But this is often coupled with an extension to the other senses not impaired.”
“What senses?” Shillawn asked, his thin throat muscles working as if he had trouble getting the words out.
“Generally hearing is impaired.” Borella gave a slight smile. “That's considered a blessing. No shielding has ever been invented to silence the full fury of a mach storm. Often eyesight increases into the ultraviolet or infrared spectra, with an ability in some to sense magnetic fields. Increased tactile sensitivity has enabled artistically inclined Guildsmen to produce some of the most treasured art of modern times. There is, however, no way of predicting what form the impairment will take, nor what compensation will be effected.”
“Have you pretty pictures of the victims?”
“The handicaps are rarely visible, Carigana.”
“The handicap plus sterility plus immolation on a storm lashed planet in exchange for a greatly increased life span? That constitutes the Code 4?”
“It does. You have thus been duly informed of the risks and the permanent alteration to your chemistry and physical abilities. Any further pertinent questions?”
“Yes. If you say there are more Singers these days, how does that affect individual profit with so many cutting in the ranges?” asked Carigana.
“It doesn't,” Borella replied, “not with the expanding galactic need for the communications link provided only by black quartz from Ballybran, not when Singers are capable, quick and cautious; not when there are people, like yourself, motivated to succeed in joining our select band.”
Attuned as her ear was to nuances in vocal tone, Killashandra did not quite perceive how Borella could deliver such a scathing reprimand with no variation in the pitch or timbre of her voice. Yet a sudden flush of humiliation colored Carigana's space-tan skin.
“How often are there injuries like yours?” a girl asked from the back of the theater.