Short Fiction · Chapter
Naudsonce explained
The Terrans attempt to manage the cultural and technological impact of their presence on the Svant village, dealing with the consequences of introducing a pump that disrupts the natives' way of life.
What happens
The Terrans attempt to manage the cultural and technological impact of their presence on the Svant village, dealing with the consequences of introducing a pump that disrupts the natives' way of life. After soundproofing the pump house, they face social upheaval as two Svants are beaten and robbed for accepting gifts out of turn. The Terrans take the outcasts into their camp, while debates continue about Svant language, telepathy, and the ethics of colonization.
Themes in this chapter
Technology and Social Change
The pump's noise disrupts Svant society, forcing the Terrans to soundproof it and deal with unintended consequences.
Alienation and Otherness
The Svants' telepathic communication and cultural norms are alien to the Terrans, leading to misunderstandings and conflict.
Violence and Justice
The beating of the outcasts raises questions about imposing Federation law versus respecting local customs.
Characters to notice
- Paul Meillard
Leads the Terran expedition, makes decisions about the pump and the treatment of the Svant outcasts.
- Luis Gofredo
Marine officer who advocates for punitive action against the Svants who beat the outcasts, but ultimately helps welcome them into camp.
- Lillian Ransby
Linguist working on the Svant language, expresses frustration and suggests the possibility of telepathy.
- Charley Loughran
Hunter who kills a svant-bat with the shockwave of his pistol, later assists in the autopsy.
- Bennet Fayon
Conducts autopsy on the svant-bat and advises on feeding the Svant outcasts.
- Sonny
Svant child who teaches Mark Howell ideographs, showing early signs of communication.
- Mom
Svant woman who is distressed by the pump noise but comforted by recordings; later becomes part of the camp.
- Karl Dorver
Navy intelligence officer who speculates that the Svants communicate via telepathy.
Key passages
“You make the noise. My people will not work while they hear it. The fields lie untended. Stop the noise, and let my people work.”
The Lord Mayor demands that the Terrans stop the pump noise because it prevents his people from working.
Highlights the cultural clash over the pump.
“This happens every time we colonize an inhabited planet. We give the natives something new. Then we find out it’s bad for them, and we try to take it away from them. And then the knives come out, and the shooting starts.”
Gofredo warns that introducing new technology to natives often leads to conflict when it is later taken away.
Reflects the theme of colonialism and its consequences.
“I took a shot at a bird … no, a flying mammal … and dropped it. It was dead when it hit the ground, but there isn’t a mark on it.”
Loughran reports killing a creature with the shockwave of his gunshot rather than a direct hit.
Illustrates the power of Terran weapons and the need for autopsy.
“Vengeance, it seemed, wasn’t what they wanted. The woman made vehement gestures of rejection toward the village, then bowed, placing her hands on her brow. The man imitated her obeisance, then they both straightened. The woman pointed to herself and to the man, and around the circle of huts and landing craft. She began scuttling about, picking up imaginary litter and sweeping with an imaginary broom.”
The outcasts reject revenge and instead offer to work for the Terrans in exchange for shelter.
Shows the outcasts' desire for integration into the Terran camp.
“I’m beginning to doubt they have a language. Sure, they make a lot of vocal noise. So do chipmunks.”
A Navy officer questions whether the Svants have a true language, comparing their sounds to animal noises.
Part of the debate on Svant communication.
