Into the building she goes, and she finds a librarian and begins speaking Malinquan with them.
"Lead the way. If it's the younger of the possibilities who's prime now - do you suppose they'll have any understanding of what primes even are? Will we even be able to ask them whether they'd call themselves hunti and have the question make sense?"
"I will know if they are hunti," she says. "And I will know if they are prime. As to their level of knowledge, well, you will be there to provide explanations."
"I imagine you'll be able to tell if they're hunti - though it's news that you can also identify primes - I'm just wondering how far back my explanations will have to start if they don't know they're hunti."
"Aleko has me modeled pretty thoroughly and consults the imaginary 'miniature pocket Kiri' on assorted matters. Occasionally, as you can see, even when I am standing right here."
"I see," she says, smiling. "As to the substance of the comment - understanding things is my specialty. My own mind is both the nearest available target and the lens through which I perceive all the rest."
"Miniature Pocket Kiri approves of self-knowledge because it's something I practice as - how did Jayce put it - 'something between a hobby and breathing'."
"It's why we have all those blank books in our luggage. I mean, I also draw in them, but mostly they're for Kiri to scribble in about herself."
"I am not much in the habit of writing things down," says Sarelle. "For most purposes, memory serves."
"I have a fine memory, but I don't like to trust it when it is one of the things I'm trying to examine."
Onward to Narena.
Kiri and Aleko sit in the back and do their not-talking-aloud-except-for-occasional-
"Would you rather accompany me on my search, or stay here until I return to deliver news of the prime?"