Lunchtime.

Amentan food continues to be strange and tasty.

More books?

Definitely.

Odette tries to go home that night, on the theory that with Illia still here she should be able to come back if it works.

It doesn't work.

She tries again several times, in different ways.

Still doesn't work.

She is significantly less cheery the next morning.

Alaior wants to know what's wrong.

"I tried to go home last night and I couldn't."

"Oh... why not?"

"I don't know," she sighs.

"Can you fix it?"

"Probably eventually. But not now."

"Can I help?"

"...I don't think so. But thank you."

"You're welcome."

She thinks she's okay at reading now, can she investigate the internet in more detail?

Sure! Alaior can show her how to use a computer.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome!"

So: what does the Internet have to say about Calado?

They speak Oahkar there. It's hot. It does the Imperial permissions system of population control and is really bad at it. Diplomats prefer any other assignment and have described learning to navigate the senate as "solving a puzzle made of snakes".

...Her intuition that the permissions system set up a crazy-bad set of incentives: vindicated.

...Can she find out what people from Calado think of Calado?

It's really hard to leave. It's really hot. The senate is insane, possibly excepting their favorite handful.

...Hm. Any common faces in the favorite handfuls?

The ones who won their elections most recently and some dead ones.

She will attempt to do some research on the one she spoke to.

Won his election a few years back. Medium popular. Not in the news much.