"Telra doesn't claim anywhere there aren't people," Steel clarifies. "It's a federation. They bring existing populations under their control to expand, they don't colonize by themselves."

"Nothing in place to govern, say, fishing rights?"

"What I'm asking is how far past the coast do those rights extend. I don't want to park my island in somebody's salmon farm."

"Thirty miles will be plenty of distance. Are you going to make an island or attempt to find one?"

"If I find a really nice one it may tempt me, but I was thinking make. I can start it out with nifty subterranean tunnels and no verminous creatures and wiggly coastline for waterfront real estate."

"I'm not sure waterfront real estate will be as attractive here as in your home. Nice inner city apartments near parks and good clinics and expensive shops are generally where tenant bidding wars happen."

"Huh. Why don't people like the waterfront? I mean, proximity to stuff is also important, but stuff can get built anywhere."

"I think maybe close proximity to stuff matters more here. You seem to have vehicles like that spaceship, I bet you have smaller ones for the ground too. We don't, except insofar as flying or levitated carriages that bus people between cities count."

"Oh, yeah, there will totally be a subway. I will have the best subway on my island."

"Good for you. I'm going to write up as much as I can about the dam in Tlane for Kell, in case they want to keep it. You can do whatever you like until this evening, I suppose?"

"I don't think I will build an island today. I don't have a complete design yet. I will wander Opri and design an island."

"I hope it will be a practical and well-thought-out island. By now your precedent practically demands it."

"The most practical and well-thought-out. And made during lowest tide so the displaced water doesn't inconvenience anyone before it has time to spread out."

"Right. You should swing by the civil service place again sometime after sunset. I bet they'll have decided by then."

And Cam goes to the office.

"I made the dam for you guys to use," says Cam, tail swishing through the air. "I don't mind."

"Sure. The island won't be that interesting to look at to start with, though. I'd want to talk to people who wanted to live on it before I made anything on it besides a house for myself and basic infrastructure stuff.

"You'll have more luck finding immigrants among non-shapers. They are underprivileged and will not lament the lack of established bluestream."

"Well, nothing I make will require shaping to use, which I imagine would also help. I'd find this city kind of uninviting if I couldn't fly."

"That's why there are elevators, you see."