I think the cultural significance makes it more meaningful than simple gamete donation for us. It can be - a defining moment of one's life.

Huh. Not just because of the having the child? I think most Amentans with children would consider that a defining moment.

That's probably part of it.

...I think a Draak egg made without actual sex would just die. The hatchling receives a spark of its parents' minds and inner Essence. Mere genetic material would not be sufficient.

...has anyone tried it?

Probably. I don't want to think about it. Ask the Secret-Finding Claw that convinced me out here.

She shivers all over.

All right. Amentan babies made that way are indistinguishable from the rest.

Perhaps that has some kind of deep cosmic significance. Perhaps not. Let's move on. Please.

Of course.

The orange neighborhood recedes behind them; there's another purple neighborhood, less low-rent, apartments over cute boutiques and specialty chocolate shops and a frame store and a furniture store and an art supply store.

Nothing here makes her stop.

I find it impossible to imagine just how many Amentans there are. I was told a number - billions - but the mind is just not capable of properly imagining billions of a thing...

Sometimes I find it helpful to imagine something very rare, so that I could meet everyone who had that trait, and then think of how many there are and how rare it is together. Like, oh, polar hypovernal people who also have browning disorders, there's probably... ten or so of those in the whole world.

By the Onesong, there must be hundreds of you who are more brilliant than the great Elders in some way even if I assume Draak are much smarter than Amentans on average. We are doomed to be overshadowed.

- I don't know that it works out that way...

A spark of brilliance is a trait which blesses rare individuals.

...I should meet a few people with polar hypovernal disorder.

We're not near a pole but I can put out an international call for it.

And a few people in any other situation of exception from the usual seasonal cycle. 

I'll make a note.

It will help my study. I see why the Architect is nervous of your people now. I will still study to ease springs, of course, since eased springs is an unalloyed good even if my kind as a whole does not get along with yours.

We're hoping very fervently to get along.

Our history is full of not getting along with bipedal non-telepathic people. There's a lot of fear. Such matters are beyond me, however. How far have we walked so far?

About three quarters of a mile. We can speed up, but you seemed to be finding things to look at.

Yes, it's interesting to see the city and all the people. This pace is fine.

The purple neighborhood goes on for a while - mattress store! shoe store! - and then there's a yellow area. Bank, insurance company, library, minor government offices, postal hub, various software offices.

Insurance is a deeply weird concept. Software gets glossed to 'they make the pocket everythings do stuff' in her understanding. Libraries seem like a good idea if everyone can read. She can't.

She's not far wrong on software.

The grey neighborhood they pass next is a bit more spread out - the apartment buildings are just as tall but have larger grounds, some with pools or ball courts.

This is the most pleasant part of the city so far in some ways. Open space. Grass, bushes, trees on the grounds. Birds and rodents. Cities are your preferred style of living and are impressive in their way, but rather overwhelming.