Mae mopped his face and told him, firmly, 'You know what you need to say. The Secretary knows he is powerful, so don't waste his time grovelling. He knows you are asking for something. Just ask quickly. But make sure also that you say what you need to say.'

He began again, and the Teacher in him emerged.

'Secretary Goongoormush,' he said, and swallowed. 'I am Teacher Shen Yoh of the village of Kizuldah in Yeshibozkent Vilayet. I have recently been removed from my post of Teacher.' He cleared his throat. 'I understand why this has been done. It is my job to teach Info. And it is true that I did stop Madam Chung from teaching this subject. However, the village has no Teacher at all now. In winter, this means that the children receive no schooling. I request that I be reinstated. As you see, I have begun to learn Info from Madam Chung herself.'

He paused and then said, 'We have always been the best of friends, and I am sure she will help me to become a good Teacher. Thank you for your time.' His breath rattled, and then he said: 'Queue message.'

When had he learned that?

'That's it!' she said, to encourage him. 'You've done it!'

'Yes,' he said. 'Thank you.' His eyes were heavy, his whole bearing was weighted. As if lifting rocks, he stood up to go.

It was time for them to be honest. Mae stood up, too. 'What you did to me was a very bad thing,' she said to him.

'Yes,' he said. Still he did not, could not, apologize. He moved towards the door.

'I am only trying to help us, help us all,' she said, finding herself trailing after him. 'We all must learn, to be part of the future!' What did she want from him? Something in return?

He was being pursued, and speeded his progress towards the door. He picked up his stained coat and wrapped his scarf around his throat. His back was towards her. He was at the door, through the door, gone. Nothing else was said.

Not even a thank-you? She went to the window. Shen's shoulders were hunched. He took a hand and mussed his tidy hair. His hands shook as they fought to open the ancient latch of the courtyard gate. Then, as if in a rage Shen flung the doors back so they shuddered against the cobbles and only slowly swung back to close after him. Before they did, Mae saw Shen hide his face in his hands.

Then she looked to the other side of the courtyard. She saw Mr Ken, glaring after Shen, ready for a fight. She saw Kuei turn towards her window, and she darted back, into the shadows.

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Party of Progress

Today's Events

sunni-ma 'am 's review of good dress high fashion. See how Info makes it possible to select the very dress in your special fabric and colour. Sunni-ma'am's house. Come and have tea at 9:30 after the morning's tasks are done.

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER CIRCLE

begins work every day at 8:00 a.m. See our happy ladies at work as the intelligent machine weaves special clothes for each one of our customers. The ladies make even more special handmade items. These are sold for big bucks to our friends in America. If you come at 10:30, Madam Chung will be pleased to show you the Info she has designed and created for your neighbours' businesses. She will tell you

HOW TO MAKE BIG BUCKS FROM INFO. HAPPY FAMILIES

Both of Kizuldah's TV Houses are open to all every evening. Come in for friendly hello-cakes, tea, and village chat with Sunni-ma 'am, or Wing-sir and Kwan in their own homes, at their own machines.

This is a very good thing that has happened to us: the government says so, and the New York Times says so.

6:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. every night except when snow is too deep.

INSURANCE PARTY

Ten households in our Happy village are even happier, safe in the knowledge that if misfortune falls, they are protected. Mr Wang ju-mei, our village insurer, will be holding another midwinter Jamboree. Come and be warm with wine, Old Mrs Wang's home-cooking, and a free TV show with a difference. You will be the star… a TV show about you. 7:30 p.m. Friday night. Modern music by our modern girl, Sezen!

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audio file from: Mrs Chung Mae

10 January

Dear Miss Soo. I have taken to heart your kind advice of some months ago. I have given this all the thought of which I am capable, and I see so clearly how wise you are. If Balshang is imitating my native costumes, they will take my business because Americans will not see or care that we are real and Balshang is not. So I think: Our own people see America on TV, and will want to look like America. Your house must be planning to sell good cheap clothes for households. The ladies of my Circle are good and cheap. We will give you great deal on duplicate American houseclothes. Maybe your house or maybe even you yourself would be interested?

Your friend,

Chung Mae

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e-mail from: Office of Meteorological Investigation

14 January

Dear Madam Chung,

We were pleased to receive your unusual offer to take readings for us in the Kizuldah sector of the Yeshibozkent Villayet. It is true that we have no regular records of weather from your locale. However, the standards we apply to data collection are very rigorous. This data must then be interpreted via use of n-constant equations before our own database can make use of the information.

Many thanks for your offer, but we see little point in accepting it, either from your point of view or ours.

Bedri Eyoobogloo

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e-mail from: the Office of Agricultural Development

18 January

Dear Mrs Chung,

We are pleased to be able to offer our local weather prediction system. Combined with our partner Office of Land Surveying modelling package, it offers an all-in-one solution for those seeking to predict weather and its impacts on particular geographies. The licence fee is 100 riels a year. This includes an annual update, full online support and Smart Helper installation. As you are a Taking Wing Initiative Centre of Progress, we are also able to offer ten per cent discount.

We await your answer.

Goksel Kartal

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audio file from: Mr Goksel Kartal, Office of Agricultural Development

20 January

It is true that the system does not offer n-constant interpretation. But it is very unusual for normal agricultural use to require such a sophisticated weather prediction system. Why would the Happy Province need to mesh data from Balshang and Beijing?

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audio file from: Mr Bedri Eyoobogloo, Office of Land Use

22 January

Madam Chung, you are quite correct; the process you describe would meet our rigorous standards for data collection, but are you sure you want to do it? You are talking two hours' work a day, I think. Please understand, I think maybe you have this wrong; the government cannot pay you to do this work. Nor can we give you n-constant software. You only pay the licence fee once, but it is one thousand riels! Why are you doing this?

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audio file from: Mrs Chung Mae

22 January

Dear Mr Eyoobogloo, I want to know about the weather. We depend on land here, and water and sun and all those things. N-constant means Chaos theory, right? That means that if I know patterns in Balshang, I know how they affect us, right? This is important because this winter we have high snowfall and warm temperatures. In 1959, this meant a terrible flash flood. It happened with the Erjdha Nefsi, Dragon's Breath, hot wind from the Northern Desert, from Balshang. You see?