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〃The healer could have done anything else he liked；〃 Fourth said in a shocked whisper。
Second dismissed that with a grunt。 〃Didn't do her any harm and she's still alive and a good worker。〃
〃I mean；〃 First went on； 〃there's a lot of stuff being tried in the Crafthalls； not just the Healers…and when they make mistakes； it can cost a man's life。 I don't want them fooling around with me； inside or out。〃
〃Your choice；〃 Second said。
〃But is it always 'your' choice？〃 Fourth wanted to know； leaning forward across the table and tapping her finger to stress her point。
Third also leaned forward。 〃And what choices are we being given…to decide what we want and need…out of all those files Aivas is supposed to have left us？ How do we know we want all this technology and advanced gadgets？ How do we know it'll do what they say it will？ Lot of people saying we got to have that； ought to have this。 They're making the decisions。 Not us。 I don't like it。〃 He nodded his head to emphasize his distrust。
〃For that matter； how do we know that all that hard work…and I had to work my arse off some days down at Landing…will work？〃 Seventh asked with some rancor。 〃I mean； they can tell us that it's going to work； but none of us will be alive to see if it does； will we？〃
〃Neither will they；〃 Third said with black humor。 〃Then； too；〃 he went on quickly before Fifth could start in again； 〃not all of the Masters and Lords and Holders are keen to just latch on to all this new junk。 Why I heard Master Menolly herself。。。〃 Even Fifth regarded him with interest。 〃She said that we ought to wait and go carefully。 We didn't need a lot of the things that that Aivas machine talked about。〃
〃What we do have；〃 Fifth said； raising his deeper； oddly inflectionless voice above Third's light tenor； 〃has worked well enough for hundreds of Turns。〃
Third held up a cautionary finger。 〃We gotta be careful what new junk gets made just because it's new and seems to make things easier。〃
〃But you have electricity？〃 Sixth said enviously。
〃It's done naturally…we use sun panels； and they've been around forever。〃
〃Ancients made 'em；〃 First said。
〃Well； as I said；〃 Third went on； 〃some things will be useful； but we've got to be very careful or we'll fall into the same trap the Ancients did。 Too much technology。 It's even in the Charter。〃
〃It is？〃 Second asked； surprised。
〃It is；〃 Third said。 〃And we can do something to keep us traditional and unsullied by stuff we aren't even sure we need。〃
〃What？〃 First asked。
〃I'm going to think about it；〃 Fourth said。 〃I don't hold with someone hurting people； but devices…things we neither want nor need…can be broken or spilled or got rid of。〃 She looked to Fifth to see his reaction。
Third guffawed。 〃Some folks tried that。 Got their ears deafened。。。〃
〃The machine's dead；〃 First reminded him。
Third snarled at being interrupted。 〃Got exiled for hurting the Masterharper…〃
〃I did hear that the Masterharper died in its chamber。 Perhaps the Masterharper had realized how insidious that Abomination was。 Could he have terminated it？〃 asked Fifth。
The woman gasped。
〃That's a very interesting idea；〃 Third said softly； leaning forward。 〃Is there any proof？〃
〃How could there be？〃 First responded in a horrified voice。 〃The Healers said Master Robinton's heart gave out。 From being bounced around during his abduction。〃
〃He was never the same after；〃 agreed Second； who had grieved as sincerely as the rest of the planet for his death。 〃Heard tell there was a line printed on the screen。 Stayed there for a long time and then disappeared。〃
〃 'And a time for every purpose under heaven；' 〃 murmured Sixth。
〃Couldn't have been Master Robinton that put up that message。 Had to have been Aivas；〃 Seventh said； scowling at Sixth。
〃Something to think about； though； isn't it？〃 Third said。
〃Indeed it is；〃 Fourth said； eyes blazing。
〃There are other matters to think about： what that。。。 Aivas machine〃…though Fifth's odd voice had no inflection； his scorn for Aivas rippled down the table…〃has insinuated into our way of life； corrupting the traditions by which we have survived so long。〃 Fifth had no trouble dominating the conversation again。 〃I do not…〃 He paused。 〃…approve of harming a living thing。〃 Again； he left a significant pause before he continued。 〃But permanently removing items that can have dangerous effects on innocent people is another thing。 It would be wise to make certain that such new materials and objects should never see the light of day。〃
〃Much less glowbaskets or electricity；〃 Third said in a facetious tone that was not well received even by Second。 Fifth and Fourth glowered so repressively that he recoiled。
〃I go along with removing some of those gadgets and new junk；〃 Second murmured； but he didn't sound entirely convinced。 〃It's more that some of us；〃 he added； glancing from one face to another； 〃never seem to get our fair share。〃
〃I agree wholeheartedly。 Like dragonriders getting what they want first；〃 Third said。 〃Get our share。〃
〃There are more folk than you might think；〃 Fifth said in his pelling voice； 〃who have genuine doubts about improvements from all this Aivas stuff。 Machine oughtn't to know more than a human being does。〃
First gave another emphatic nod of his head and rose。 〃Be right back with some other right…thinking human beings。〃
By the end of the evening； there were over twenty 〃right…thinking〃 men and women； discussing in low voices the possibility that the Aivas machine…the 〃Abomination〃 seemed as appropriate a name as it had been for the original protestors…might not have the good of real people at heart； it being a machine and all。
No one exchanged names and hold or hall affiliations； but they all agreed to meet at the next Gather； if they could。 They agreed to find out who else might wish to organize a protest about undesirable and possibly detrimental changes that were introduced as 〃progress。〃
It surprised First and Second； but not Third； Fourth； Sixth； and Seventh…and especially not Fifth…who continued to use those numbers as their Gather identities； that many people had grievances； small and large； real or fancied； that needed to be aired and perhaps addressed。 Fifth never again spoke about the synchronicity of the death of the Masterharper and the Abomination； but that little rumor bound many to the cause who might not have given it much credence。 Master Robinton had been very popular； and if…if…that Abomination had been responsible in any way for the Masterharper's death； then that was cause enough to ally against it。 If devices or procedures they couldn't understand were sponsored or suggested by the Abomination； distrust or fear…along with that damaging rumor of which death had been first…supplied an impetus that could be successfully channeled into action。
There were those who found fulfillment within the group and in the planning； and with a certain perverse joy in subtly thwarting 〃progress〃 with minor deeds of damage。 But for others； such 〃minor〃 deeds…which did not cause real alarm in Hold and Hall； or have deeper consequences in preventing t