Part 62 (1/2)

'That's the general idea. So what?”

'Well . . . they don't even let low'ranking d.i.n.ks ride' horses.

They're reserved for samurai - like these airplanes you're making.

Won't they object to a slave becoming a pilot?”

'I don't see why they should,' replied Cadillac. 'Trackers are slaves too. Okay, they may be better educated and some may possess high-level technical skills, but the Iron Masters don't place any greater value on their lives.

That's because there's not enough of you in Ne-Issan to form a useful workforce on their own - on top of which you can't reproduce yourselves. As far as the j.a.ps are concerned, we're all lumped together at the bottom of the heap and we're all expendable.”

'Except you,' said Steve.

Cadillac greeted the proposition with a lopsided grin.

'Yeah, that's what I've been telling myself.” The bottle of sake clattered against the rim of the cup as he refilled it.

'But I heard something today which may oblige me to, uhh. cut short my stay.”

Steve waved away the offered bottle. 'Oh, yeah?”

'Yeah... I overheard Min-Orota's people talking as they were on their way out. If the flight tests using these rockets prove satisfactory they're going to send a group of samurai to Heron Pool for pilot training.”

Steve's mind swiftly grasped the possibilities this move opened up.

'Congratulations.”

Cadillac eyed him sullenly. 'They may be a little premature.”

'I don't understand. Isn't this what you expected?”

'That wasn't all I heard. The j.a.ps who have been looking over our shoulders are all craft-masters.”

'So . . .?”

'Isn't it obvious? They're drafting in their own people to help us complete this first batch. When the samurai earn their wings they'll be in a position to teach others to fly.”

'Yeah, go on...”

'And they will also have learnt every detail of the production process.

We could find ourselves surplus to requirements.”

All this was music to Steve's ears, but he couldn't resist clawing back a few points. The and the other guys, perhaps, but not you, surely after all you've done?”

Cadillac eyed him but he didn't say anything.

Steve could see the Mute was steadily drinking himself into insensibility, but he was still able to feel that little shaft drive home. Time for another. 'I'm surprised you didn't see it coming.

Haven't you been reading the stones?”