The implausible proposition that a Chereionite can understand the surface thoughts of any nearby intelligent being of any species was a premise of one sf pulp short story and thus became incorporated into an otherwise serious future history series.
The Susaians can read the emotional states of each other, to a lesser extent of human beings and maybe of other species. Do they detect pheromones or brain radiation?
A currently male Susaian whose name is translated as "Orichalc" knows that:
the Dominance of the Great Confederacy has sent several secret expeditions to an unknown location;
returned key personnel are sequestered;
crewfolk may not discuss the expeditions with nestmates, clones or each other;
but they detect feelings of awe in the scientists who use instruments and probes at the expeditions' destination and of demonic pride or hope in the Dominators who have received the scientific reports.
A Chereionite would know the content of the reports whereas a Susaian knows only that they describe something monstrous. This information is worth selling to human beings.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
One thought I had was to wonder if humans could hide their emotional states from Susaians by wearing masks. Without the clues given by facial expressions, humans should be harder to "interpret."
Sean
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