Null-ABC

"Null-ABC" by H. Beam Piper and John J. McGuire is a science fiction story about a future world where literacy is only for a select few and the main character, Senator Chester Pelton, is facing tough times in his campaign against this group. Pelton's personal life gets mixed up with politics when his kids, Claire and Ray, have special abilities that could change everything. The story kicks off with a normal family breakfast that quickly leads into discussions about Chester’s political challenges, and the differences in society. The tension grows when Chester finds out his son looks up to someone from the Literate class, and things get even more intense when Chester has a heart attack after clashing with a Literate. The opening sets the stage for a big fight about what literacy means for who people are and who has the power, which will question the role of the educated leaders.