"Thanks, Mika. Is there anything specific I should be doing with this, or is it just for my general computing needs?"

"General computing needs. But they might be weird compared to alien computing needs? If anything I'm surprised you're so like us."

"I will at some point want something with a keyboard, but otherwise I can't imagine there would be much difference."

"Okay. Find me if you need anything. I'm off to keep organizing this madhouse since I'm the only two."

...That seems kinda stupid.

"Okay, seeya, Mika. Seeya, Tak, good talk."

Sid finds a lounge to set up his tablet.

The first three lounges he checks are: Occupied by a trio who sound like they are having sex, occupied by four Kitsune playing some sort of board game and eating snacks, and empty aside from someone who he recognizes (Osal) by an odd stripey mark on her tail, reading on her own tablet. She glances at him, does an ear-flick, and goes back to reading.

The tablet in startup mode wants him to touch spots to calibrate it and then give a visual tutorial of swiping around. The icons are all unfamiliar, but they have text under them- Voice, Text, Library, Theater, Grocery, Goods, and so on. 'Settings' is recognizably a screwdriver and pliers.

What do the apps do? Presumably there's the equivalent of a web browser and messaging app.

Voice does calls. Text does texting. Library seems to be wikipedia-or-something, and Theater is basically YouTube. Grocery is a food delivery service (it asks for his address upon startup) and Goods is the same but for non-perishables. 'Search' and 'Forum' are on the second screen and each are a little bit like an ordinary browser. There's also 'News' and 'Opinion' and 'School' and 'Games' and 'Get More Apps'.

Has his identity been registered with the system somehow? Can other people (such as the people in charge the doctors were going to talk to) reach him?

Also, can he get some kind of programming environment on this tablet?

He's registered as Sidney Hill, sole member and Administrator of Hill-of-Earth-Clan.

'Search' will give him an instruction page on installing a Pawprints 5.6 IDE on his tablet, and plenty of tutorials. Pawprints is pretty complex as a language. More C++ than Javascript, object oriented and weird in subtle ways that he's not used to. But the IDE is very slick.

Okay, good to know.

Hey, by the way, what's up with with the written form of Unified? Is it a logography? Is there, by chance, an alternate form for phonetic spelling?

(Sid is, of course, already familiar with the answers to these questions and is merely taking a moment to reflect on them.)

It's a logography. There's a phonetic spelling version, but it seems reserved for small children, mostly. All the stuff he sees in it on the internet is either obscure jargon or clearly aimed at children, anyway. Typing works by putting in phonetic-spellings and them turning into the proper logographs. There's no tones like in Chinese, though.

If he did not already know how to read this language he would be very mad at it!

Sid prides himself on his self-knowledge, and is aware that if he starts his internet research spree now he may not be able to sleep. So that can wait for tomorrow.

Is Mika free?

Mika is arguing with someone on video call in one of the lounges. Apparently someone else from the clan wants to come over and voluntarily join the quarantine to share the social burden of 'eldest', while Mika argues that it's not necessary.

It might be rude to interrupt, but this is also kinda exactly what he wants to talk to her about. He'll give her a wave to let her know he's here and wait outside for her to finish if she doesn't want to talk to him right now.

"You're driving yourself crazy, dear. And don't you want to listen to your uncle? Come on now."

"If there is some sort of - alien pathogen - exposing more people to it is the exact thing we don't want to do, Witak!"

"No, no. I know what I'm talking about and what I'm willing to endure and risk more than you do. Besides, being around to glare at anyone who gets too antsy and be cried on will actually reduce the chance someone goes and breaks the quarantine, I think! I'm driving over there, you can't stop me."

Mika makes several rapid expressions with her ears. One involves showing teeth.

"...Very well, uncle Witak. The alien- I mean, Sid, is here so I should see what he needs."

"Go on."

She ends the call and pauses for a moment.

"...Sid? You need anything?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you about the whole, uh, being in charge thing you're doing. You seem kinda stressed about it. Is there a reason why the others can't take some of the load off your plate? And is there anything I can do to help?"

"Oh. It is stressful, yes. But- There's no real way it doesn't happen. Until Witak comes over here, he has three tails. It's... The tail count is important. I don't think you get it. It's really important and I can't explain why in simple words, to alien sensibilities, it would just seem obvious to most kits once they're old enough to get it at all. It'd make everyone uncomfortable if I didn't. Uh... I told everyone not to bother you and they've been bothering me instead, can I un-say that? I guess?"

"I don't really know what things people would bother me about that they could bother you about instead, but they're welcome to do that, I guess. I will communicate if it's too much."

"And yeah, I really don't get the tail count thing. Maybe I will eventually. Just, uh, please don't round me off to 'onetail' in your head, in terms of my capabilities or responsibilities or social role. Because I'm not."

"...That's a challenging ask, I can already tell. I will try to keep it in mind. Would it help if I gave a quick, I guess, ramble on the social roles?"

"Yes, it would!"

"Okay. Here's a rhyme for babies, I guess."

One, spring, still so young and eager! Be raucous and simple, but work hard and eagerly, for those who can't any longer!

Two, blossoming like summer! Be artful and curious, for your wisdom grows, like fractal flower petals reaching higher!

Three, full-fruited of autumn! Be satisfied and diligent, your hands crafting wonders even as your back complains!

Four, the deep wisdom of winter! Be contented and wary, teaching and guiding your children so they might surpass you!

Five, the elder, the timeless! Be nostalgic and thoughtful, for you have felt the weight of the world and know the cycle entire!

Why would you ever tell someone to be simple?

"That seems reasonably straightforward. It's not the roles that confuse me, I think, it's how people relate to them."