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Seeking out new worlds
A dragon explores space, finds Amenta.
Permalink Mark Unread

The secrets of Delver technology could not resist decryption forever. While the tools they wielded are deeply weird, jealously guarded, and immensely complicated, living beings built the tools that brought aliens to the dragons' first world. The great calamity left ruins aplenty behind, and once grown the Seeker gathered these old tools as their very favorite sort of treasure. Dragons are not intelligent in quite the same way as a No-Tail, but they are far from stupid. They live forever and can be very determined if they set their mind to it.

The Seeker brought all its tools and treasure along with it when the world was evacuated ahead of the Tailless's relentless growth and hunger for resources. It studied under the great elder Darktooth on the new world, studied together with Darktooth (an arrangement not very common with dragons, as they are not particularly social), for a very long time. And eventually, by application of the hard claws of experiment and calculation and theorizing, the universe revealed its workings, cold and precise and mathematical. Creating more and more tools of the highest sophistication, and teaching others of its kind in exchange for wealth, and even spawning offspring and guiding them to adulthood, was all satisfying for a long while, but eventually... He got bored.

And so, the Seeker wondered if the long sleep for the journey between stars was really necessary, and got to work seeing about making it not. He managed it eventually, and built a starship, and went exploring. Stars come in a beautiful variety of kinds, and the worlds around them do too, but very, very few bear any sign of life. They are mostly barren and empty.

...Oh, this one is emitting curious amounts of low-frequency light. Worth investigating. Pushing a starship faster than light requires a touch of magic (at least for now), which he provides.

In the outer solar system of a certain star, well above the plane of the ecliptic, a black sphere the size of a city block appears and has a look around with powerful telescopes.

Permalink Mark Unread

It takes four minutes for the planet and the nearest moon to start screaming at it.

Well, if screaming is the word you want to use for radio.

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They have some very keen eyes down there. The low-frequency light is probably communicative, or there'd be no patterns in it and there would be less reason to scream it into the void like so.

...He was hoping to have more than a little bit of time to look around. He knows nothing about whatever lives down there except some things that can be assumed from distant low-resolution images of the surface, namely that there are probably a lot of them.

Now the starship is over there, behind the gas giant, so he can have some time to see if any of that noise was particularly easy to understand.

After half an hour, it leaps back in the same spot as before and beams back the sequences of numbers that was about the only thing he could understand with his RADAR, with some minor variations. Prime numbers, various interesting sequences, addition and subtraction and multiplication and division.

There are dozens of different transmissions doing different things. Where's the one that went with simple numbers? Probably a better place to start understanding than anywhere else.

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The simple numbers came from over there!

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And now it's just out past the further moon. Wow, there sure are an awful lot of them. The whole planet reminds him of some kind of busy anthill.

And now it's descending through the atmosphere towards the island that was sending him primes, emitting '6827' over its RADAR.

And now it's landing slowly, slowly, in the ocean a few dozen miles offshore of a little island. (They live on land; Their power will be more dilute out here. And he likes oceans.) The ship is not quite featureless from up close, slightly oblong and with a few dozen circular ports dotted around it.

He'd like to stretch his wings over an alien sky. That sounds satisfying. So he has a quick flight around for about five minutes before landing on top of his ship and waiting for this busy, busy hive to turn its attention to him.

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It takes another fifteen minutes for a group of boats to approach. They slow down as they get closer.

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...They're tailless. He can see one on the deck of that boat, grey-haired.

They might not be the same ones that cheerfully overran all of nature and forced the dragons off their ancestral homeland, but the similarities are rather striking.

He growls when he realizes this, showing teeth, then retreats inside his ship and sends a blue-white glowing thing out in his stead. It flies towards the closest boat.

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The boats halt. The crew of all the boats all hold very still, waiting for the blue-white glowing thing to do whatever it's going to do.

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It lands in the ocean next to the boat, teeth hidden and limbs held close, floating like it weighs almost nothing, and then very deliberately opens its mouth and makes an almost-purring sort of sound followed by a click, and tilts its head.

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Someone on the boat scrambles with a device and plays the sound back.

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Yes, yes, purr-click. It nods at the person with the device. Purr?

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They also repeat the purr. And say, "Hello."

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"Hello."

...Aha. He sees one of the patterns in the dense buzzing echoing through the air, now.

The projection closes its eyes looking thoughtful for a minute, then plays ten seconds of the clearest unencrypted voice signal radio channel it can hear from here, and tilts its head inquiringly at them again.

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They chatter at each other excitedly: "Is that Bring Home My Beloved -" "Yeah, it's the hook from - maybe it's picking up radio -"

Someone repeats the snippet of song. By singing, not by finding it on the air.

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He has the projection let out a happy trill. Music! It's very weird music, but it is recognizably music.

He sings a short phrase from the middle of the snippet, then makes another new sound. This one is something like 'klirrk'.

Then it asks, "It's, is?"

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Everybody looks at one of the green haired people. Somebody elbows her. "Is," she repeats. "It's. It is."

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Perhaps she is the wisest one here. He runs the feathers on top of the projection's head vibrant green in mimicry. Learning a sound-only language is going to be difficult. Interestingly difficult? Yet to be seen.

"Is that, is'hat? That is, that's? It's the, it's'he? Hook from, hook'rom?" He plays another few seconds from the same radio station. "Klirrk?"

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Some people in the other boats are taking pictures; they take another burst when the feathers change. "You sang the hook from a song," says the green. "He sang the hook from the song too." She points at the green who sang it.

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Pointing strange devices is not very reassuring, but this is a projection. If those turn out to be weapons, he is safe.

"'Is'. You is-" claw-gesture at feathers. "He is-" pointing at a sailor, the feathers run grey. Pointing at the ocean they turn pale blue, "It is?"

He repeats the hook again, and then a whole verse - "It's klirrk!"

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"I am green, he is grey, the ocean is blue."

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The feathers cycle through the rainbow to collect all the color words! Perhaps the no-tails have a way to tell that when they go to a slightly dimmer white they're emitting lot of infrared.

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Nope, they just repeat "white".

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Useful information.

He tries to collect words for 'good' and 'bad' by repeating his happy trill and fluffing up the feathers and giving off a hiss that shows teeth in turns.

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This takes them a little while longer to be confident in, but eventually he gets words for those.

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He solicits a bunch of nouns via pointing, like various boat things and the shiny devices everyone has.

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They will happily name nouns!

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Pocket everythings are good! And they're using radio in complicated ways. Radio seems like one of the cornerstones of local power.

The alien shows lots of curiosity about them. "Pocket everything is radio? Pocket everything is - one two three four five, one one is two, two two is four - is that?"

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"Pocket everythings do have radio. And they can do math. I will you show you a pocket everything doing math." She pulls up her calculator and shows him as she uses it: "One plus one is two. Two plus two is four. Two times two is four. Two times three is six."

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He knows math, the math he can run through very quickly, all the way up to calculus just to confirm vocabulary. "What else does it do?"

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It will also play music from the radio!

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"Good! People are-" gesture for pointing it at her. "Pocket everything have eyes?"

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"Pocket everythings can make pictures!" She can show him one of the pictures somebody's taken of him.

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He copied somebody else's design from long ago to make a beautiful and relatively harmless-looking version of a dragon for his projection, so he has no particular reaction to the picture.

"I have math things. They only do one thing... Pocket everything is-" Some word. (This word defies easy explanation. It's related to 'good', but also its own special category of some sort.)

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"Pocket is -" She indicates her pocket. "Everything is -" She lists all the nouns they've covered and a few more besides with big expansive gestures.

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Nod.

Talking like this is beginning to feel stifling. Using only one and a half senses to communicate (they have thoroughly mediocre noses and can't even smell metal except from very close, and body language only serves to communicate vague intent and mood) is a bit frustrating. He can't think in their babble of sounds, even though he's recording them all. You have to use whatever sounds are ruled to be the truth, with no affordance for arranging them prettily. And the short connecting sounds that draw ideas together are really annoying to keep track of.

The pauses between responses have been getting longer and longer.

"I want a thing. I know what you say. I hear and see, I make song, I remember, I math, I happy or sad... What is word for all these together?"

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"Thinking?" suggests the language-teaching green.

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"Now, I am thinking. I know many words. I go and think so I remember later. I listen, radio."

Without waiting for a response, the shining projection wings into the air and returns to the great black alien starship sitting in the ocean.

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...Okay!

Some of the people transfer between boats; some of the boats leave. Another, slower boat arrives with more people.

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After a few hours running through vocabulary and a nap, a dragon uses his instruments to see if any boats are under the water. He can imagine building such a thing, so it's worth checking before he goes into the water.

It'd surprise him if they have non-metal boats, so metal is what he checks for.

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There exist metal boats under the water - some wrecks, some active vessel - but none very close by.

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So he can nip out and kill something and bring it back for analysis to see if there's any nasty pathogens or weird proteins, and then eat it when it turns out that there aren't any he needs to be worried about. The whole point of new worlds is to experience new things, after all!

Does any of the dense, chaotic radio noise seem to be directed at him at this time?

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Not yet.

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The tailless are probably best left alone until they try to contact him. Let them invite him back out when they're ready - he'll seem less threatening if he waits, so it's only polite. He listens to music and other broadcasts, trying to make sense of the babble, keeping watch for anything that seems directed at him. A thousand glimpses of distant stories.

...Oh, perfect. There is more than one kind of speech. He's not going to try and learn a second one today.

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They do eventually try directing a radio signal at him which says "Will you come back out to talk soon?"

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I will. You were quiet, so I waited. You ask now, so I come.

This time, he doesn't send the projection out - he goes topside himself, a giant being somewhere between the size of a house and a train car - though closer to the latter.

He looks around at the disposition of ships through cameras before heading up, so he can seem aloof and graceful and go directly to wherever they seem to be expecting him.

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The ships are a polite distance from his own, about where they were before. The language green says, "We weren't sure why - your friend? - left, so we weren't sure how long you wanted to be away."

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He holds up a silver rod and makes it speak. "That was me. That was a tool. I was not wanting to be here with no scales between me and you. Talking this way is difficult. Now, I want to do a thinking thing to someone so it is less difficult. I must be here to do it, the tool can't. The thing might be scary, so I ask before. Probably will not hurt much."

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"A thinking thing? Can you say more about that?" says the green cautiously.

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Long pause as he composes an explanation.

"My species has a sense you do not. We think of it like singing to the world on a level that is not sound. We can project this sense to other people and it is the most natural way to speak. Species without this sense can usually still 'hear' it and compose responses. I have never observed the song to harm a being long term."

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"I'll try it," says a person with blue hair.

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The dragon slowly nods and sends out mental feelers towards this blue-haired person.

There are thoughts brushing gently over their mind, coming with faint sensory and emotion impressions attached. Guarded curiosity and deep darkness and the feeling of slaked thirst-

I am here and you are here and I wish to see if we can speak in this way for the words -babble, static, screeching- I do not think that way hello.

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Hello. This might be difficult for me, please excuse any misunderstandings.

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It is difficult but I can understand you. It is good to talk properly - satisfaction, relief - I come here from curiosity and you are frightening you remind me of another species - image of a bearded human man in bronze armor, inextricably coupled with a stink and with anxiety - there were two great wars long ago we left our home planet to seek peace and found it and now I fear bringing war to the Kin again.

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The blue murmurs aloud to the rest of their party. We don't want to start a war. We want peaceful contact with other peoples.

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Some -rare, precious, a friend, mourning- humans wanted peaceful contact. Most did not care to leave our land to us when they could kill us and remove all that was natural and good and live there instead.

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Our people are called Amentans and most of us are agreed on wanting to befriend alien societies.

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I would be glad to be reassured after learning more about you. The pain of the Fleeing runs deep. Right now we know very little about each other. I do not know where to begin explaining.

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What brings you to Amenta?

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I was curious. And I had invented my light-bridge, so I decided some of the Treasure of other stars ought to be mine.

'Treasure' is a weighty and complicated concept, which he tries to express in a sensible way but doesn't really come through in words. Rarity and effort and beauty and worthiness - secrets and achievements and gold and cunning devices. Pocket everythings are Treasure of a sort even though there are many, which makes them a bit less desirable - they are cunning and fascinating and he wants one.

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We'd be happy to bring you your own pocket everything.

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I will enjoy investigating it. What do you wish to trade for it?

Because of course they will want something for it, even if 'something' is 'a favor later'.

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It's a gesture of goodwill, to establish that we're eager to be on friendly terms.

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He is confused. The idea of gifts just... Doesn't make any sense.

Eventually he settles on, So, the price of a pocket everything is listening to you with more consideration for alternate viewpoints than I otherwise would have?

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I suppose you could construe it that way. Is it typical to make all occasions when things change hands explicitly transactional like that?

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When any thing is given, there is always a reason for it. Especially when the thing is Treasure. But it is not Treasure to you, it is as special as a stone, so the cost is small. Wanting me to listen to you and believe you, for actions match words, is a reason that makes sense now that I think about it in those terms.

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All right. Someone will be along with a pocket everything for you soon!

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Slow nod.

My people are called the Draak. We name ourselves for what we like about ourselves and having others accept your name because you have shown them you are worthy of it is a matter of great pride. I am Seeker of New Truths, the Claw that Finds Secrets, Voyager of the Black Sea, Eye that Sees All, Silent Watcher of the Hidden Depths, Scholar of the Ocean, Wise Herald of the Hidden World.

This long and grandiose title comes with strong emotions of pride and curiosity.

'Seeker' will do, in the interest of brevity.

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(The blue's still murmuring to everybody else, and they're taking frantic notes.) It's a pleasure to meet you. Our first names are given to us by our parents, often as much for sound as meaning, and our second names represent what is important to us about our jobs. I'm Kasa Amseli. Amseli means "greeting".

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It must be so confining to have to make sounds to communicate. (He sends pity, then deliberately negates it.) Or perhaps not, since it is in your nature. Sounds can be pleasing - names are sometimes chosen for being a pleasing sound? I like that. It's musical.

I would like to hear what 'Amseli' means to you, if you will tell me.

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I'm trained as a diplomat, and one of the elements of diplomacy I find most compelling is the first exchange of words, with very little content but enormous import, where people acknowledge each other. Greetings.

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(Amusement, admiration) Greetings. I do not fully understand what a diplomat is but there is wisdom in that.

 

There are very few Draak compared to Amentans unless most of your hives/cities are empty.

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No, they're very full. There are about thirteen billion Amentans.

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So very many. The number of Draak... The mental comparisons to busy bees, anthills, and other social insects aren't really deliberate, but his thoughts wander and he sends them idly while he makes an estimate. Perhaps fifty thousand, perhaps less.

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Why so few?

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Many possible reasons. The Fleeing brought only myself and 478 others to a new home. Our numbers were much diminished by the first war even before we left behind our kin who chose to fight the second. We like to keep large territories in close to their natural state and hunt sustainably for food. The time of mating comes infrequently, and many hatchlings are not strong and clever enough to survive their first few years.

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What happens to your hatchlings?

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We teach them for a short time while they are not yet hatched, and leave them a territory to explore and grow in. If they are strong and clever they thrive. If they are not sufficiently worthy, they die. Some Draak will give further advice or save their hatchlings from dangers that could not possibly have been avoided, but others consider that wrong and believe luck and fate has to do with worthiness as well. I disagree. Idiots. What is learned or tested by being crushed by a force beyond your comprehension? Nothing.

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That does explain why you'd have grown slowly from a seed population of a few hundred. We rear our children until they're adults, and usually continue to render assistance if needed later on too.

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Both our ways have produced a species with power and intelligence. Many Draak think that if only the smartest and strongest children survive, Draak as a whole will slowly grow stronger due to small changes in our genetics as some die and children slowly replace us. Some follow a new way like yours, a path of compassion, cooperation, and care. Perhaps they will be stronger and in time all Draak will feel greater compassion to their children.

I have tried both paths - children left in their own territory except for occasional advice, and children guarded and guided each day of their lives. I cannot feel what the followers of compassion feel. I feel pride that my children are wise and strong and satisfaction to spread my good traits to the world so that if I die there will be echoes of me - but no love like less intelligent animals so often feel for their babies.

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We care about our species growing stronger, but achieve it by arranging that the best of us are the ones who have more children at all, not by raising those children without love.

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Interesting. How are worthy ones chosen? How is it enforced? It must be, somehow. Some would decide they wish to have children anyway and then all others would see no reason to obey.

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Both of those vary depending on country.

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The concept of 'country' is difficult to understand. 

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You mentioned your people had fled from a war and implied others had stayed behind, correct? Since we cannot leave our planet, events like that can sometimes lead to groups of people living separately and arranging collective things for their own group, even though we're all on the same world.

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Yes. Some followed Darktooth and fled, most followed Many Times Burned and fought and died. A few followed Great Mother and killed themselves. I do not understand what they could have been hoping to accomplish.

Country is... Collective rules and systems?

The comparisons to beehives are coming out again. Queen, gatherer, warrior, carer. 

A hive of complex minds instead of simple ones?

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A country is an organization, and I suppose our castes have resemblance to the kinds of specializations you're imagining in eusocial animals too.

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I am failing to understand. Each thought reveals new complications. It is fascinating, but tiring. While this is easier than words your mind is strange to me. Frustration.

He draws back the thought contact.

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The blue sits down abruptly and continues relaying what was said to her companions, doing her best to answer their clarifying questions.

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Compassion, they thrive on considering others far more than he does. And they are clearly powerful in some ways, so being friendly is a good idea. So what would a considerate and selfless dragon do here?

He splashes around in the ocean a bit, then comes back and pokes the silver rod some more. "I'm sorry. I did not realize extended song would probably be tiring. I should have taken a break sooner. Are you in pain?"

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"I'm all right," says Amseli. "Thank you very much for speaking to me."

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"Good."

Pause.

"I just decided I want two pocket everythings for if I can't put the first one back together after studying it. If that is not hard."

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"It's not, though the first's already on its way and the second will need a separate trip."

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"Not bad. I want to swim for some time now. Will this be bad?"

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"Not at all. Can you tell us when to expect you to want to talk more?"

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"Not more than six hours. Most likely one or two."

 

"It seemed polite to wait for you to ask to speak to me again because this is not my land."

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"There are a lot of us. If any of us have conflicting obligations, we can be rotated out. The scarce resource here is your time," says Amseli.

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"There are very a lot of you yes. I will be back in one hour."

He starts to move to dive, but pauses.

 

"This is not my ocean. It's rude to hunt without permission I have already done that once. I apologize and I want to respect having of land. May I hunt again?"

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"- what animals is it that you want to hunt?"

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"I was foolish to hunt once without knowing enough about the ocean. I brought food and could have eaten it. I was excited. I can show the animal I hunted by thinking?"

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"Yes, please. Some of them are scarce, but others it won't matter even if you take a lot."

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He calls up the memory and gently shares it. It's some kind of large-bodied scavenger fish.

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She describes the fish to the people around her; one of the greys pipes up, "That's a garbage fish, there's no limit on private catch."

Amseli says, "That means it's fine to eat plenty of those."

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"I understand. Good. I want to learn about Amentan animals later. I will be back in an hour."

He swims out past the perimeter of boats a hundred meters down and dives deep after spending a few minutes hunting down another garbage fish. Down until it's pitch black and almost silent, the machinery of the boats muted by the low natural sound of the ocean. A nice, deep ocean is soothing and comforting, almost as good as flying. There's very little that air-breathers could do to him down here... Except for those underwater metal boats that aren't very near here, perhaps.

He's back after fifty minutes, seeming more relaxed if you understand Draak body language. There are so many of them that presumably someone is trying to figure it out. Moving more slowly and sinuously, feathers laid flat, tail curled. He looks at the nearest Amentan where he came up and has his silver rod say, "Hello."

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"Hello," says the nearest Amentan, one of the grey boat crew, slightly taken aback.

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He peers around, looking for any blue hair on this boat.

"I want to talk to Amseli or someone else again but I cannot tell Amentans apart well yet. Especially when swimming. There are very many Amentans here!"

(The simulated speech is very choppy, especially the last word being emphasized like that.)

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This boat doesn't have any blues. "Amseli's that one," says the grey, pointing.

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"Thank you."

Back over toward the boat that has Amseli on it he goes.

There's a gentle, gentle thought-nudge that just says Hello.

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Hello again, says Amseli.

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I'm excited to take apart a pocket everything! When will it arrive? There's a giddy excitement at the thought. Taking something apart and learning how it works is just awesome. But right now I'm sure you have many questions for me. Feel free to ask them. If I don't want to answer I will say so.

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"The first one's here now!" She reaches into a box at her side and offers it to him. "The next one will be here in a few minutes. We'd really like to know more about how you got here, but if it gets very technical probably one of the greens should be the one to receive the explanation firsthand so it doesn't suffer for my translation."

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He takes it carefully into his clawed hands, and starts inspecting it from all sides.

I would be happy to talk to anyone like this if they are willing, unless they are annoying, but the light-bridge is a very, very, very valuable secret. It is a Treasure of the greatest kind. (Burning pride, mixed with greed.) I find it difficult to imagine you can offer me something that is worth sharing it.

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What kinds of things might be worthy of the information?

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I don't know. Right now it would take something I have not imagined. When I learn more, the calculus will change. Perhaps I will be convinced Amentans will be valuable allies against other aliens. I don't know yet, I don't understand you. If it were so, the cost would be payable. We know other aliens than you exist, and they are all mysterious and powerful. You are not the only possible destruction, but one of many. That is why I am even entertaining the option of telling you instead of going home.

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Are the other aliens all hostile?

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Not universally. Not counting Amentans, of those I have contacted directly, three were confusing but benign, one was aggressive and expansionist, one might have been a rogue bioweapon but wasn't truly intelligent, and one might have been aliens or might have been a disease. I have seen evidence of at least five other kinds and suspect many more exist but have much less information about those.

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Is there not enough space to be had for expansion?

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There is... Some space. (He leaks idle frustration. He's trying to work the pocket everything but big claws are not very good for that.) Oldhome is surely a grey wasteland of city-hives by now, like your planet. Newhome had many dangerous animals on it, but none as dangerous as humans. Or us. I have not had the chance to investigate other life-bearing planets, yours is the third.

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Are there many empty lifeless planets? Some of our scientists are interested in learning to put life and air on planets that have none.

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Yes, very many. That would be a vast effort, but perhaps many workers make impossible tasks possible. If I understand castes correctly more detail should be given to someone with green hair?

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Yes, ideally someone with specific background in terraforming prospects.

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Once I understand enough about how this works - a day or two in my lab - I will be willing to share my survey data of twenty barren planets more or less similar to this one. Or more, in exchange for Treasure.

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Is that how many you have, in total, or how many the pocket everything is worth? We will be predictably more interested in some planets than others.

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I have seen more than a thousand barren planets and planned to pick ones according to whatever criteria your people asked for. For example, one had truly beautiful giant diamonds. Mining them was difficult, but worth it. But I don't think you would be interested in that one, since you seek places to expand into.

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Yes, we like diamonds but less than we like living space. One thing we need is a year length similar to this one.

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There are some. They are often very very cold.

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That's a challenge, but one we know something about how to address, while we don't know how to solve the problems caused by incorrect year lengths at all.

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My payment of information will be as you wish. What are those problems?

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We have a biological reaction to the seasons as experienced on our planet, and the state we fall into without it is unpleasant to stay in for very long.

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Interesting. Many species have reactions to the seasons. Draak often hibernate in the winter and the time of mating is in autumn when it comes, which is not every year.

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Ours is every year, in spring, and if there aren't clear signals of other seasons, we get stuck in biological spring.

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Amseli, student of greetings. Were the prime numbers your idea? They were the only thing I could make sense of at first. It was alarming to have been spotted so quickly.

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They weren't my idea; they're an old, common guess for what would be helpful to establish to aliens that we're intelligent. Other people may have been trying other things on the assumption that someone would have prime numbers covered.

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I came here because it seemed easiest to communicate with one who thought beautifully certain and concrete numbers were the first thing to send. A less wise and patient and curious kin might have fled four times by now.

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Four times?

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Once at the radio noise and having been seen quickly. Once when I saw that you have replaced much of nature with cities. Once when you physically resembled the Humans. Once when it became clear you seek more worlds.

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I'm sorry if we've been presenting ourselves alarmingly. We didn't have a way to know what kinds of postures would be inviting.

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I am still here and still talking to you. Most other Draak would probably handle this worse. We don't have diplomats. The closest I have seen to that is animals convinced to carry messages between kin using the song.

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That's interesting, you can use animals as telepathic relays?

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Not quite. We can communicate with animals and get simple ideas across. They will serve us in exchange for food or protection or other things, sometimes, and some can remember messages that they cannot understand. It is polite to either leave or send a Herald into another's territory instead of going in to find them, if they don't come meet you when you call.

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We used to use animals to carry written messages, though without the ability to communicate telepathically with the animals this involved domesticating and training them.

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He tilts his head. I would find it interesting to meet such an animal, but that is far from urgent. I would like you to try to explain countries again.

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There are still some of them around, mostly as pets and history demos. Ah, the island you're near is called Shi Alassei. It's a country, but it's in a subordinate relationship to a larger country, Tapa, which protects it and can override it on some policy matters. So in some ways they differ - for example, Shi Alassei prints official announcements in both their own language and in Tapap, but Tapa only uses Tapap. But in others they're acting as a unit - someone who attacked Shi Alassei would have to deal with the entire Tapai military, not just Shi Alassei's own, and Shi Alassei's greys enter that same military.

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Subordinating to another who is mightier and agreeing to defend each other makes sense, but Tapa is not a person. Tapa is not a hive of eusocial insects, or a mob who listens to the wisdom of en elder, or even a wolf pack... I think my confusion is on the level of - how do countries function, how do they decide what to do, what do they, in fact, do?

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...All of the people in a country - well, most countries, including Tapa - can cast votes to decide who they want to make decisions for the whole country. Then those decisionmakers make and enforce laws over the whole population, negotiate with neighboring countries, and coordinate projects for public good like train systems and healthcare and plumbing.

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That makes some amount of sense. Draak do not have countries. We do have Grand Moots where elders discuss, decide, and then sing the new law to all Draak. Going against the decision of a Grand Moot means violence against you is no longer against tradition, so those who defy the new laws usually die. They are rare, irregular, called in times of crisis or change.

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What kinds of laws have the elders made? Who counts as an elder - everyone above some age? Is anyone particularly supposed to kill Draak who violate the laws, or do most simply have enough enemies who are eager to do it as soon as it's not forbidden?

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You are an elder if you declare yourself one and pass the tests issued by the other elders. Any kin less than a century or two old would probably die in such tests unless they were extraordinarily powerful or lucky. Currently, there are four elders. I am one. The others' short titles are Darktooth the Wise, Guardian of the Great Green, and Architect of Vaults. Usually there are enough who desire your territory or treasure that defying a new law will lead to your death soon enough. Once, Darktooth, the Guardian, and I decided we must personally slay someone who was doing dangerous experiments and refused to stop. We succeeded.

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What are the tests?

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They vary. Personal combat, ordeals of endurance or skill, elaborate riddles, and intellectual challenges are all popular.

It is not so much a matter of greater age making a kin less likely to die - though that is true - but of a younger Draak with fewer achievements and treasure being seen as more impudent and having more to prove if they wish to be an elder. I would fight a young challenger who I had barely heard of with all my cunning weapons, but someone with plenty of experience I would give a complicated problem to solve and see how they handled it. To discourage those who have not proven themselves from wasting our time.

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Treasure keeps coming up, I notice.

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Treasure is the most important thing, second only to preserving your own life. Accumulating treasure is intrinsically pleasing and losing it is deeply unpleasant, especially loss through anything else than a fair challenge. If you do not feel like you have enough treasure, you feel unworthy to exist and everything else in life is less pleasant, even primal pleasures like eating or sleeping or flying or swimming.

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How much is enough?

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It varies. An adult ten years of age without a few hundred shiny trinkets and six more impressive items would feel like they did not have enough. As you grow older you get used to having more treasure than before. Losing most of my treasure would be extremely painful, but it would be tolerable if I had enough shiny things that I could not hold them all at once and could begin accumuating more. But there are many kinds of treasure, some which cannot be touched. Knowledge and secrets and technology are my most beloved treasures.

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That's interesting. Amentans are interested in material security, mostly in the form of money, and some of us like to accumulate objects, or specific kinds of them, but it's not a species-wide interest.

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Money is a concept that most Draak would be very skeptical of. I tried an experiment to get Draak to use money once, with specially prepared plant matter. The results were: If each unit of a currency corresponded to something specific and concrete they could exchange their money for, they would accept it and use it, but nobody wanted a unit of exchange that was meaningless beyond being a unit of exchange, even when led to believe that everyone else wanted it too. I was surprised by that. I was very sure our instinct as to what is treasure was affected by others' opinions, but it doesn't seem to be.

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Currency on Amenta used to be backed by concrete commodities but eventually we did make the switch to fiat, which is useful for many of the functions of markets. I'm surprised that it's so unappealing to Draak.

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I only did that experiment once. Kin are harder to experiment on than animals or things. Maybe money would appeal more generally if it was presented in a different way. It appeals to me, but mostly as a way to get other things.

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A lot of Amentans enjoy getting numerical representations of nothing at all even when it can't be used to get things - like points in games - which I don't think anyone tries to acculturate on purpose the way we deliberately got used to fiat money, so it seems likely to be a species level difference.

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There are many of those. I think we do not talk to each other as much as Amentans do. This conversation feels like it has already gone on a very long time.

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I'm happy to pause any time you'd prefer to break.

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I do not need solitude yet, but I want a new topic. Are there any greens specialized in terraforming techniques who would be willing to communicate this way?

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"Yes, we've gotten ahold of one and he's on his way."

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How long will it be?

I believe this was a shared assumption, but it is wise to state it clearly. It would be extremely irresponsible of me to teach the light-bridge without first calling a Grand Moot, and I will not do that even under threat of destruction.

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He'll be here in about ten minutes.

It wasn't obvious whether you were at liberty to share unilaterally. Are you saying you're unwilling to take steps toward sharing at all, or have I misunderstood?

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I can do what I want. But it would make me shunned and it would not be the best thing for my species to share this secret unilaterally, and I hold some loyalty to the species as a whole.

I am willing to share information that is sufficiently unlikely to invite war to Newhome. This class of information will probably expand as I learn more. I am willing to learn about your kind and discuss the concerns I have and the concerns others will have and the concerns you have, and consider and reconsider and reconsider again.

I am willing to call a Grand Moot to discuss a new way for our species, contact with aliens, sharing of technology, and the future. I think the old way must change. I am less sure how, and look forward to Darktooth's wisdom on that topic.

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We're happy to tell you about ourselves and discuss ways forward.

I wonder if Draak have invented science fiction. It's a kind of story we invent for entertainment purposes; a lot of them are about different ways we imagined aliens might be and what it could be like to meet them.

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I think we have not. Though fiction itself is familiar. I would read some if you think it is relevant. Reading does not come naturally to us, but I do like a challenge. I also want to know your history at some point. History is a predictor of the future.

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I'll ask around for recommendations if you'd like some books to read, fiction and history both.

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Good. 

He waits a moment to see if Amseli has anything else to say.

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I think that's the terraforming green arriving now.

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He still has little experience telling them apart or interpreting much of anything about how they stand or move.

Good! I hope he's smart. Please indicate him to me.

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He's the only green on the boat approaching now.

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He waits for the boat to come closer before sending, Hello, you know about terraforming?

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- yes, that's right! We haven't had a good prospect for attempting it in practice but I know about what we think would work.

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Excitement! Our kinds have studied different things. I'm being careful what I share, but it's still very exciting. I am going to share detailed survey information on twenty barren planets and part of our conversation is to help me decide which ones you would want to know about the most.

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Ideally, we need a planet with year lengths near ours - a half-season longer or as much as a season shorter would probably be good enough - and a molten core so we can use geothermal energy. It would also be convenient to have a way to locally harvest water, since we need a lot of that and it's one of the least efficient things to haul, but it's not a problem if the water is vapor or ice, as long as we can generate enough power.

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The year length is the most important thing? What about planets with extremely long days? Or no days at all? He sends an image of a tidally-locked planet, then of a gas giant moon. Or moons of gas giants that have a correct year but orbit the gas planet much faster?

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Day length is important but not to within the same factor - we're capable of seasoning properly even with lots of artificial light around or on a nocturnal schedule - but tidal locking would not work. The moon it'll depend, I'd need to have a working model of the exact astronomy involved.

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Not many planets are tidally locked but that rules out a few. I think the moon in question is not ideal in other ways.

Second most important, a molten core. Third most important, existence of water. How important is temperature, magnetic field, axial tilt, presence of oxygen, gravity? Would severe seismic or volcanic activity be prohibitive?

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The green gives ranges for all of these things!

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And the dragon eagerly talks about possible terraforming techniques with him! He hasn't studied terraforming specifically but he's good at chemistry and math, and a pretty quick study. The telepathy helps with complex ideas.

Eventually, I know which planets I will tell you about. None are very like here but several are reasonably similar!

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That's great! I'd love to hear all about them and we can start projects to figure out what to do with them if we ever get there.

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I have to get my survey computer to send valid data to the pocket everything - I can't wait to take one apart under a microscope I have single purpose computers only - and then you can have maps and sample analyses and all the rest. I can summarize them now as well?

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Will your survey data be in a format the pocket everything can read, or raw binary...?

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I can send it in raw binary as soon as I build a radio transmitter and understand the file transfer protocol. I was hoping to do something slightly more elegant, that seems ugly.

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And it'd be hard to decode! I'm glad you can improve on that. I would like the summaries too.

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Here are the summaries. The most promising are:

One with a year length that's short, just barely in the 'plausibly seasonable' range, decent geothermal potential, a thick nitrogen and carbon dioxide atmosphere, and very very salty liquid water occasionally present on the surface.

One with a year length a quarter of a season longer than Amenta's, excellent geothermal potential, with no water but a lot of ice asteroids present in the star system.

One with barely any atmosphere and no molten core, but perfectly nice ice caps and a year length almost exactly the same as Amenta's.

Of course, I have looked closely at only a tiny slice of the stars. I have journeyed off and on for only two years. There are almost certainly better candidates out there, yet to be found.

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The green's relaying all this to a yellow assistant, who takes detailed notes. These are much better than anything in our own system!

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Yes, when there are more random options something good is more likely to turn up. Even in the most boring river in the world, there are one or two pebbles pretty enough to be treasure among their million siblings.

Blue are the wise ones. Green are the clever ones. What is yellow for?

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Yellow is for conscientiousness, if that's how you're categorizing them.

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I only got here yesterday and have not received a full explanation of castes yet! I am well aware that fast simple summaries of a complicated subject are often flawed. Draak have castes of a sort, but I think it's fairly different.

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Should I be calling Amseli back into the loop?

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If she is better at explaining castes, perhaps. But first, what is your job name and what does it mean? Job names are good.

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My job name is Satkafintesh. It means a clear view of a distant place.

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I like it. I wonder if you are more like me than Amseli is? ...Thank you for speaking with me.

He turns his head and changes the target of the song.

Amseli. Hello again. Satkafintesh says you will be better at explaining castes. I have observed some of it, but I would like a more direct explanation.

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Of course! Is there any specific question you have or should I just summarize?

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He was disconcerted by me characterizing blues as the wise ones and greens as the clever ones. (Amusement) A summary from your perspective, I think.

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Well, a caste is a little like a supercategory of job. It's hereditary - my children are blue like me, for example. Blue own and manage land, handle the justice system, and represent our people in the government. Greens study and practice the arts, the humanities, and the sciences. Yellows do administrative tasks to keep systems running, a definition which lately includes software. Oranges look after other people - children, the sick, the old, the lonely. Greys protect - soldiers, police - and are also dancers and athletes, when there's nothing to fight. Purples do - everything else. Manufacture, maintenance, agriculture, service work, transport - there are a lot of purples. The things that none of us can come into tolerable contact with are sequestered into the last caste, reds, who are less sensitive to it, and they dispose of the bodies of the dead, handle wastewater when our automatic systems for it fail, and remove garbage from where people live and work.

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We have something not very much like that. Almost... Subspecies. All Draak can do all things Draak do if they have the skill and desire to.

Sapphire Caste like me are at home in the water. We can breathe in the water. Ruby Caste are at home underground. They are capable of fast tunneling. Emerald Caste are at home in forests and grasslands, the best hunters and flyers. Onyx Caste are nocturnal and secretive. Diamond Caste are extinct. Intercaste hatchlings are always a specific caste and do not have, for example, some Sapphire traits and some Emerald ones - more often the mother's than the father's.

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Those do sound more like subspecies than like castes. We account for caste matrilineally, in cases of crossings, since the traits blend but we don't have a way for someone to be legally two castes; but some countries do it patrilineally, which has more opportunity for mistakes in who the lineal parent is but in the normal case is just as predictive. But most children's parents are the same caste.

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Your caste system seems like a social construct to me. Like countries, or trading circles. Of course, that does not make it any less real. Just because you can't touch or see something doesn't make it not real.

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Yes, it's in that sense a social construct, though we've also effectively been breeding ourselves for caste-relevant aptitudes for generations.

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I am feeling philosophical right now. But perhaps you would not appreciate a long ramble on the nature of belief.

I told you I would speak of other kin's concerns. We live very different lives than you, we want very different lives than you. That much is clear even from how little we have spoken already. I do not like what you have done to your planet... But it is not mine. Many will find developing land which once held unique ecosystems to be offensive and wrong, and value generally leaving ecosystems alone very much. Some will want to protect the ecosystems that remain, or perhaps rebuild them elsewhere.

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What are the things they value about the ecosystems?

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Hmm... Preserving ecosystems exactly in place is not quite the shape of the desire, but it is similar. Ecosystems are not static, anyway.

 

How to best put it in a way a Tailless will understand?

 

We vary, of course, but - Being surrounded by thriving plants and animals creates a pleasant background environment for the sense you do not have. Diversity, the chance to be surprised or discover new things about the plants and animals. The satisfaction of being responsible for and successfully balancing something complex and many-faceted. A well kept territory is Treasure. The idea of self-sufficiency, and being able to hunt and eat as much as one wants without consuming limited resources.

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Hm. We value information about ecosystems, and the things that they can provide materially, including food as well as water and air. And some people do just enjoy existing in wilder parts of the world, of which there are still some.

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There is also... A common belief is... Draak have an appointed role in the world. We were created to be custodians, balancers, and guardians.

This lesson was sung to me long ago: 'You are a true child of Sun and Earth. Draak-Kin are the greatest beings in the world, and all other beasts bow before you, for you are the guardian of balance and order, charged with preserving all of Sun and Earth's beautiful children. Learn the ways of all the good beasts of the land and draw wisdom from them. Destroy that which should be destroyed, do not let rampant consumption or careless imbalance ruin the land. Preserve that which should be preserved, do not let any precious blood-line be extinguished without reason. Seek Treasure and greatness at every turn, but also know balance in your heart.'

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That seems similar in character to some theological philosophies we have, though not in exact content.

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I am not very theological and am perhaps explaining it poorly, but I predict you will face many objections and great anger and fear from the more theological Draak.

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Amseli makes a bit of a face but nods. It's a little tricky to wrap my head around.

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Perhaps I will think of a better way to explain in time. The other largest concern other kin will have with having anything to do with Amentans is fear. There are very, very many of you, and you are terrifyingly good at working together. You have rockets and projectile weapons and use unthinking machines as vast multipliers of your efforts. You have cities smaller than an ordinary territory holding more lives than our entire species. You are in a lot of ways, much bigger than us. Even though we have many kinds of secret weapons to make attacking us a bad idea, that is frightening.

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I can see how it would be intimidating. Draak don't work as well together?

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We do not have countries. We can work together, tirelessly, for an important goal... The evacuation ship was the work of hundreds. But it is irregular and rare.

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How do you agree on what goals are important?

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I have already explained Grand Moots, yes? 

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Yes. Are declarations that something is important binding in the same way as laws?

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There is not much precedent. Elders declaring a thing of importance is not dismissed lightly, but there are no specific consequences to ignoring a call to action except, perhaps, shame. Perhaps there should be. We keep encountering societies that set more rules with more clarity.

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If your way works to muster enough people to complete the projects for which many are needed that seems to be sufficient for you.

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...While he's thinking of countries, he could probably use more examples of how they work, how they play off each other...

What have you told other countries about me and my kind?

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I'm not in charge of filtering our information for international use, but probably less than we know, especially anything we're not sure we understand and might have to walk back later.

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He's a little surprised.

I see. I did not realize you are not necessarily informed about everything your country is doing. I would like to know.

 

I do not want all of my information about Amenta to come from only one country, or only two castes.

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Getting you representatives from more castes won't be hard, especially if you have an idea of what you're looking for from them. I'm sure we can get some other countries to send representatives soon too.

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You seem to be imagining I will stay here. For all that I chose to land in the ocean because you are land-dwellers and thus it is neutral ground away from your most precious places and your center of power, Tapa does seem to have... Claimed me. I resent the implication that I can be controlled.

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We're not going to make any attempt to hold you here. If you'd rather we not fetch diplomats to this location because you're about to move, of course we won't. I can get you a map of who claims what parts of the ocean; some of it, especially much farther away from the continent, is unclaimed altogether, though it's far enough away to introduce substantial delay in getting any personnel or objects you want from anybody.

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...I see. Good. I like Tapa. You, specifically and generally, were understandable. You appear to be handling my presence calmly - there is wisdom in that. I will think about moving to a part of the ocean that nobody claims, but will not do so immediately. Asking other countries to send people here, now, should not be done. I want to learn more first.

...And I want to return to my lab for now. Talking has become stressful.

...And I would still like to know what you have said about me to other countries. I assume you can send that information to the pocket everythings?

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The specific device doesn't receive information; software on it can retrieve information sent to accounts. If you make an e-mail account, we can send you e-mail, but since the pocket everythings were brand new, they didn't come with accounts logged in on them. We can help you with that if you like.

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'E-mail'. 'Software'. Fascinating concepts which I am only glimpsing. Good!

He lingers long enough to get the second pocket everything (to be taken apart), set up an e-mail account (which is a random string of numbers), and find Summary Bank (and be surprised that it's free.) 

Then he goes back to his ship, careful to keep the shiny new devices dry, spends a few minutes admiring the pretty decorations he brought along, and starts poking and prodding the expendable pocket everything. It turns out his ship is impenetrable to wi-fi, but he pokes his head out the top with the intact one every once in a while.

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He receives an e-mail with the contents of all the public alien-related news coming out of Tapa and a note that they can get him secondary sources on request if he wants to know more about the commentary abroad.

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Secondary sources sound interesting, please send one each from a few different countries!

And what kind of things are they saying?

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They are saying that the aliens landed near Shi Alassei, details classified to avoid people mobbing the place, and here are some pictures, and it turns out the first pictures are of some kind of robot and here are pictures of what they believe is the real thing, and there aren't very many of this kind of alien but they know of more kinds, and the alien's telepathic!, and a few factoids about what they've learned about the aliens.

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Hmm, nothing very surprising, they're not sharing all their secrets with everyone else.

He researches robots on Summary Bank to see if they're an accurate description of the projection.

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Robots are mostly conceptual; they have industrial machinery that can do repetitive tasks, but the idea of a robot that can move around in arbitrary environments is not implemented in practice because of terrorist opposition thereto, it seems.

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The projection is not a robot since he has to pay lots of attention to it to make it do anything, but he's not going to go out of his way to explain that. Doesn't seem relevant to diplomacy. And it'd be admitting a weakness.

Ah! So they're not all one eerily-cooperative hive. He notes that for later before getting distracted into a wiki-crawl that starts from a big list of job names.

How do new job names happen? There aren't enough.

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Some people have the same job name, but they can invent new ones using other words in the language. What aren't there enough for?
comes the reply.
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That was a bad phrase. I expected more because there are very many Amentans. I could say that every Draak has a unique job name.

Job names are only so interesting in the abstract, it turns out. Much of the interestingness was in how Amseli and Satkafintesh thought of their job names, the feelings called up by the question and what the choice implied about them.

The pocket everything is being trickier than he expected, which is delightful. It's definitely worth being called 'Treasure', even if there's billions of them. He gets lost in poking away slowly at the task of re-encoding survey data and ignores his emails and the radio for hours and hours, only checking them late in that evening.

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He has an email saying that they've found some good representatives from the castes he hasn't talked to much yet, and another with some more news items (some foreigners agitated that there hasn't been much news suggesting the Tapai have gotten more info out of the alien in the last few hours; opinion pieces on why prime numbers were so appealing and some descriptions of what-all else people were trying; pundits opining on the odds that this means PLANETS; coverage of the conference Tapa has decided to throw on terraforming).

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He is briefly tempted to respond somehow to the more annoying articles, then decides that they're definitely beneath his notice.

Amentans seem very impatient. Draak can easily spend multiple days on one task. I will come out to talk again in twenty minutes.

And there he is.

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They have found two purples, two oranges, a grey besides the boat greys, three yellows, and an extra green.

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The alien would like to know all their job names! And what they think of them! And what they think of the alien, and what their jobs are, and what they think of the Tapai government.

(Probably the Tapai government has found people who like the Tapai government but perhaps this question will be informative anyway.)

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The purples' job names are Skenatshua, which means "last puzzle piece" and was chosen because this purple is a mechanical engineer; and Ahumu, which is onomatopoeia for a noise the vehicles she maintains makes when they run well. The first orange is a doctor whose jobname is just Aktem, "healer", a fairly standard doctor jobname, but the second one is an education consultant who calls herself Noptan, "awakening", because she likes finding ways for school environments to wake up their students to new ideas and opportunities. The nonboat grey is a retired general whose jobname is Kanteko, which is actually a strategy board game she likes which is in turn named after the (given) name of an admiral from hundreds of years ago. The yellows are a software engineer, Amseli's assistant, and a government press correspondent, whose jobnames are respectively: Ikto meaning "sorted" and referring to sorting algorithms, Hehata meaning "invisible" and being a reference to a famous quote about how a good assistant's value is unobtrusive; and Kimahk meaning "scoop" in the journalistic sense. The extra green, a theoretical xenologer, is Itamime, after a fictional character who is an alien and studies other species (including, in said fiction, Amentans).

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Job names are pretty delightful. Noptan's is particularly delightful, and Skenatshua is very good too. He'd be grinning if he were Amentan- Instead his tail swishes back and forth excitedly in the water and the crest feathers fluff up a bit. (Exposed teeth is aggression, to them, he explains to Amseli.)

He wants to have possibly long conversations with all of these people, perhaps even several at once - Except perhaps Hehata since it seems like she might rather not? - and says as much to Amseli along with, I suppose there are fewer reds than other castes, or they are busier, or they are less needed at sea, and that is why there is not one here?

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Hehata doesn't mind! She prefers that her work be invisible; she doesn't herself need to be.

Amseli says, It's not customary to transport reds by sea; boats are confined spaces and need to conserve water for any purpose that sea water can't serve, which would make it especially hard for others to be around reds. They're also much rarer than most castes, about as rare as blues, and unlike blues their skills aren't relevant to first contact.

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They handle disgusting things for you... They are disgusting themselves? He sends polite incomprehension. Strange. But not stranger than not desiring Treasure. You are aliens. Perhaps some other time. Perhaps the projection - shiny robot(?) thing - could be used once I understand Tapap better.

Meanwhile, he has told most of the visitors he'll want to talk to them in a bit, and started barraging Ikto with questions about format encodings! His encoding for the survey images is like so, and the rest of the survey data is something like this, and turning it all into something Amentan systems can display without feeling kludgy or ugly will take some doing, here's what he has so far.

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Ikto can do his best to figure out how to hack something together, though ideally this kind of project wants a large team and at least a month.

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Oh, that sounds like a challenge. He intends figure it out in a few days, at most. The images he can separate into different channels - a set of red-green-blue is more or less straightforward - and in fact here's a picture of one of those barren planets (emailed), the rest will come later - and different black and white scans for the other light-based data he has should work alright, but this other thing will be more challenging because......

He asks Noptan how young Amentans are taught. Draak don't do anything formal. The closest thing to 'formal education' he has ever heard of is old stories which have a widely-agreed-upon version.

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Noptan's most recent consulting job was for a computer science magnet school for green and yellow four year olds and she can chatter about how their computer lab setup needed updating so all the students could reliably access customized work environments even if they left their laptops at home, and how she had them replace their calculus textbooks to better hew to those students' strengths (they weren't even having them solve the problems by coding!), and so on.

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Yes, everyone is different! His hatchlings all grew wiser differently - this one had no head for math but had a way of seeing alternate perspectives so he did a Socratic Method sort of thing and this one would bite down hard on a challenge with a promised reward so he metaphorically dangled shiny things just out of reach and that one did best exploring more freely so he simply made himself available for the occasional question and that one learned best from long lectures with the chance to ask questions afterward...

(He doesn't love them despite the clear fact that they're alien babies, and his. He finds them fascinating and something to be proud of and something to protect and likes them like one might like a friend, but definitely doesn't feel the way an Amentan would.)

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Well, that's interesting and lightly creepy but not something they can't work around. Amseli wants to know if the babies have only one parent.

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Two are necessary to create them, but with very rare exceptions only one will mind them, find a place for them, and teach them in the egg or afterwards. I preferred to do that for all my children, and my partners did not care except for once - we made two, she took the first and I the second.

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Did you miss the first one?

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A little bit. Not quite the way you mean that word. I would have been greatly agitated if I thought her other creator would do a bad job teaching her, if I thought she would become foolish or die through no fault of her own, but I respect Web of Tunnels greatly and knew this was not true. I wish I could have taught her in her first two years, but since I knew she would be taken care of it was no more than an annoyance. I like that she did well for herself, in a way that I might not have been able to help her do, creating tunnels that deepen and extend the ecosystem in her territory.

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Why did your other partners want to create children if they weren't interested in rearing them?

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The dance that causes children is a great pleasure, and creating new life with a wealthy or skilled or well-known Draak is something to boast about, and knowing your traits are being spread to the world is... Culturally reassuring. Even if you are destroyed, silenced, your song continues as an echo, a chorus.

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That makes sense. Are you going to have trouble holding your population growth down when there are more of you? Probably at your current level you're not stressing the ecosystem at all, but since that's important to you, later on...

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In the past this was managed by expecting Draak to starve or kill each other for territory when there were too many. Under a new way, I expect such things would be... Discouraged. Still, I do not expect it to be a problem. If it is, we will see the danger looming.

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Amseli nods. In our history we saw it coming, but coordinating a solution was a very difficult time for everyone.

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That sounds like a very relevant story, to the future course of both our species. I want to hear it from you, and read about it.

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You should be warned that the details are very ugly.

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I do not think I will find the same things ugly about history as you do... Our history is sometimes ugly, too. I will keep that in mind. 

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Up until less than half a century ago, nations warred frequently, often under pretexts but really for territory. You can still see lingering poverty in border provinces compared to interior ones, in countries that have both. Everyone wanted more space for their people, because everyone was intolerably crowded; there were some early attempts to restrict births, once birth control was invented, but it wasn't consistently enforced enough and there were always people who preferred to let their own populations explode and spill out against others to take their chances. It was with great difficulty we managed to coordinate internationally on making it a war crime to have non-greys in combat positions, and that at least limited the scope of the fighting.

The emperor of a country known as the Oahk Empire amassed enough of a powerful war machine to threaten anyone and everyone. And he decided to use this to coordinate mass population control. Anyone who didn't meet his standards of population goals and enforcement strictness was steamrolled and the Empire did it for them, in brutal ways that have left tremendous cultural scars on most of the nations of the world. Tapa wasn't conquered, though we did adjust our population scheme to stave off war.

Just a few years later the Emperor was assassinated from within his own empire and the resulting power vacuum prompted his successors to grant autonomy to any political unit with a remotely credible claim on it. They've recovered more or less well depending on how long they were occupied and the decisions of their blues. But we've managed to maintain the one good thing about the Empire's bid for power - well-coordinated agreements to inspect each other's population control habits and crack down on anyone who lets their citizens cheat.

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He takes a minute to parse all that. There's a lot of somewhat unfamiliar concepts in it.

 

 

A history of well-measured population control, of avoiding war crimes or punishing them even when not doing so would be convenient, of countries keeping their deals even in times of difficulty, a new way that you are following now, will be reassuring to my kin. It will certainly help, though I cannot promise more. If it were a full half-century, a longer time than any one of your lives, that would be a clear milestone. It sounds like it has been less, but it is still significant. I certainly want more detail.

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There are some survivors of the events alive, but they were children then and are very old now. What can I expand on for you?

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How is it ensured that all Amentan countries follow the new way? What other agreements between all countries have been made? When was a time when an agreement was breached, and what happened then? And this question may be premature, but would countries allow Draak observers to verify that an agreement between Draak and Amenta is being followed? I believe a more formal thing than a Grand Moot will be needed for such a deal... Premature. I will read more about all of this later for nuance and verification, but you are my guide in an unfamiliar ideaspace.

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Amseli can tell him about the summits and the conferences at which the major nations decided on grey-only combat and post-imperial population control; she can tell him about breaches of the grey rule in Ereith, in Tuvan, in Tea; sanctions that have not yet blossomed into any wars against population laxity in Shi Cubrio, Tuviri, and Soweto. They do generally handle population monitoring with foreign observers, and Draak observers aren't so different in principle, if they come to a good agreement.

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Yes, that sounds like international cooperation.

...I have just realized something significant. Much of our technology revolves around using the song, our extra sense. For theological reasons, the fact that you cannot use it directly may make Draak in general much less afraid of heavy industry and high population.

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Oh? Why is that?

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There is a belief in an entity called the Onesong, which encompasses the entire universe and can do anything. The idea is that the song gives us a special connection to the Onesong, and if we desire something desperately enough and ask for it with pure and good intentions, anything will become possible.

He feels pretty skeptical about that, but there it is.

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...all right. So since we lack the ability to attempt to communicate with this entity, we're less threatening.

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Yes. Also, we will always be superior, capable of things you simply are not. We can learn everything you draw power from- Factories, the internet, organization- And you cannot learn song. I do not actually believe that is true, and neither will the other Elders. We will never be as good as Amentans in some areas. But many will believe that, and I predict it will be a calming influence on relations.

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I suppose we can live with that, especially if it's helpful with keeping everything friendly.

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I think it would be unreasonable to expect neither of our peoples to have beliefs that discomfit the other. 

He feels a sudden wave of - Disquiet, disgust. 

Factory farming is depressing. It feels like a perversion of ecosystems. One species, living in poor conditions, never seeing a live plant that they evolved to live with, their lives cold and predetermined. Even domestication is slightly disquieting, but factory farming is much worse.

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I can see that for a people who hold naturally occurring ecosystems in high regard it would be very startling.

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Startling. Yes. When I first read about it I felt like dropping everything else and going home to try to invent a plant that grows meat so I could then get all of Amenta to use it. That felt like a good use of my time in the moment. Still, I know that learning your way and finding a path to the future is more urgent.

I'm sure I saw only a tiny glimpse of how Amentans feel about pollution when you explained why bringing a red to meet me was infeasible, but it's the same broad category of feeling.

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A plant that grows meat could in fact be popular enough to at least sharply curtail conventional animal farming, as long as it was economically comparable, but it doesn't seem like the top priority for right now if it would take a while to develop.

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I am at least going to investigate what others have developed in that direction when I return home. Perhaps someone has a project that would readily bend towards that end. I think not all of us will consider ending factory farming a priority, but those who do will be quite motivated.

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You don't think it'll be universally offensive?

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I think it will be universally offensive, or close to it. It will not be universally the top priority.

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That makes sense.

I've been asked to make inquiries into whether we should be considering you clean - it's not very urgent if not, you aren't touching anyone and the ocean is the sort of place that can clear pollution as long as the quantity isn't overwhelming, we don't panic when a ship is lost with all its crew in a storm - but people would like to know.

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I think I would be clean, but require more information about what causes and spreads and removes pollution to be sure.

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Amseli looks up the formal definition on Summary Bank. Any substance a person's body rejects because it is noxious, as opposed to for other reasons, is a primary pollutant; the corpse of a person is a primary pollutant; reds, even living, are primary pollutants, but you aren't likely to have those back home. People and things that come into contact with primary pollutants are secondarly polluted until thoroughly cleaned.

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He decides not to mention that he keeps feathers from those he defeats in combat, and two of those were dead when plucked.

I have been thoroughly cleaned many times since I came into contact with any corpses of people. Waste decays into nature or is incinerated. In my ship it is sequestered until it can be safely dumped and the vessel is then cleaned with fire. I occasionally autoclave myself to remove chemical residues or dust, it seems like that would be an effective cleaning method. 

Reds are primary pollutants?

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Autoclaving does the trick. And yes, they've been contacting the other primary pollutants often since long before really effective cleaning was invented.

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That seems inconvenient. Is the purpose of this to remove disease vectors?

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Yes, that's how our pollution sense is understood to have evolved.

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We don't have anything like that. Perhaps because even juveniles with any skill at all can recognize most pathogens with the song and avoid dangerous concentrations of them - with the rare exception, such as the spores of the possible rogue bioweapon I mentioned, Blueblight. But it's something my kind will not have too much difficulty accommodating, I think.

Do the reds suffer from this instinct, if they are the only members of your kind considered inherently disgusting?

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My understanding is that reds are less sensitive to it. How does telepathy allow you to identify pathogens?

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The song is not just telepathy. It's a sense that happens to detect something other than electromagnetic radiation, or air vibration, or chemicals in the air. What exactly it detects is not very well understood even by the wisest among us. But it is what it is. Everything that is alive and many things that aren't sing. The signs are very faint sometimes, but they are there.

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That's interesting! Do you have instruments that allow you to detect things you sense that way at greater range or precision, like lenses can for vision?

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Yes! There are ways to trap patterns of song so they can be sensed again later, to detect things at a distance, to create illusions in it. There are ways to channel the action we perform to use telepathy into other effects, from light to stunning prey to healing to changing something's genetics, among others. It is even possible to make things that guide one's thoughts in particular patterns if you 'listen' intently - they are good teaching tools. Many of these are techniques, but my specialty is tools.

Permalink Mark Unread

That's fascinating, I wonder if we can see your song-photographs or if they wouldn't work the way you're able to communicate with us now.

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I suspect not directly, but I can certainly bring one out for a test. Or perhaps I should send as clear a picture as I can from my own memory. I have seen that Amentan minds are shaped differently than Draak ones, and also differently than animal minds, and I have been careful to not be overwhelming. The very first thought I sent to you was more chaotic, looser. Do you remember?

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I do, yes. It's gotten easier over time to talk to you.

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That is because I have been learning how best to sing to Amentan minds. If I try to send you a song-photograph, it will be very much like the first moment, possibly moreso.

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I'm willing to try it.

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It will be interesting. But first, I will fetch one.

He closes his eyes and settles into the ocean instead of moving to go to the ship. And then the shiny robot(?) darts out and floats over, holding a deep red stone the size of a fist in its jaw. The Seeker takes it and the glowy thing collapses into a ball a few feet across and zips back to the ship, and then he opens his eyes again and holds the delivered object out to Amseli.

It's certainly a rather pretty rock...?

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Should I pick it up?

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If you wish. It's not fragile. Try... Contemplating it?

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She picks it up and examines the facets and the way the light hits it.

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To all appearances, it's just a shaped and polished rock, like something you'd find in a store of decorative knickknacks.

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I don't think anything is happening.

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I agree. I suspected as much, but it is good to confirm one's hunches.

Let me know when you are ready and I will try to send you what it sings to me.

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She offers the rock back and adjusts her sitting position. I'm ready.

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And-

Flowing lines of color that aren't quite color. A web of red and brown warmth, an aura of blue wetness. The feeling of being surrounded by vast structures, dwarfed by the world. This is all that remains of a proud animal. A thought, a memory, of defiance so thick you can almost taste it even unto death. By fighting, it shouts its existence to the world. Nothing will pass without tooth and claw being turned against it. With a small body that requires little sustenance it is weaker than the huge things that surround it but it knows that if it fights everything, nothing will find it worth the trouble.

And so: Anger, fury, spite at the world, and pride at its combative and confrontational way. It asked to die fighting a Draak instead of growing slowly quieter and sicker. An end its children would be proud of, an end that shows its instincts and body at their best. A Draak heard this and thought that it was good, and here is the fight whirling tooth and claw and pain and the struggle of two wills and - the animal died, fire in its eyes even at its last breath, and thought that it was a good death.

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What was that?

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That was my best attempt at singing what I see in this small treasure into your mind. I apologize if it was too strange.

I think it is beautiful.

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I mean what were the contents, the - creature -

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Oh. I call it Furyclaw - A species of small predator that lived on Oldhome. Its evolutionary strategy was hunting small herbivores while being fierce and dangerous enough that larger predators would usually find the risk of injury not worth the meal it would be. This is what I remember of it challenging me, stored into hard stone once I learned the technique to do that, so that I could never forget. It's not quite a song-photograph in the sense of recording something exactly as I sensed it... Perhaps it was a bad choice to show you. I wanted to show off one of my favorites.

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I don't know that it was a poor choice, I just needed a little more context. Are they sapient?

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...They're smarter than fish and insects and rodents but not nearly so clever as a Draak?

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It seemed like a pretty complex thing to want - a good death.

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Is it? Many creatures have reasonably complex desires, even if their minds are small. Most creatures do not want simply to eat, avoid being eaten, and reproduce. Furyclaw would not have understood going to a different world and meeting aliens, it could not have added two numbers or done any kind of tactics or strategy or long-term planning... But it understood death, and it had feelings, and it felt the difference between two kinds of death and was more repelled by one of them, and it knew that Draak are mighty and dangerous.

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I've had cats, I know they're more complicated than bacteria... conceptualizing death seems different.

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It certainly feels to me like the animals in my territory have an understanding of things beyond mere senses and reactions. If a living thing is going to conceptualize anything, why not creation and death? Those are the first lessons sung to the egg, the two things all life experiences no matter what it is.

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Are most of the animal species from your world telepathic like you, if less so?

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Much less so, but yes. Almost all animals on Oldhome were telepathic to a greater or lesser extent even without a Draak involved. Very few on Newhome. It would be interesting to see if any Amentan animals are natively telepathic.

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I wouldn't expect it but it would certainly be curious to learn.

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One of my theories is that there was a general evolutionary race for greater intelligence and telepathic ability, facilitated by the existence of telepathy. But my best field has always been physics, not biology.

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Does developing telepathy provide more of an advantage in an environment where other creatures have it?

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I expect so, yes. My other most likely theory is that the entire Oldhome ecosystem, Draak included, was deliberately or accidentally seeded or possibly designed at one point. It is hard to tell. I do not rest my theory solely on the creation myth, there is evidence, which is tedious to explain... Broadly, the fossils seem wrong for life to have developed from single cells.

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Huh, I'm not green but my understanding is that our fossils do seem that way.

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There is a lot of stuff out there. Would Tapa be interested in learning about the aliens I know of? I assume and encourage you to think I may be biased and make your own determinations later.

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We'd love to hear all about them!

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Humans. They seem a lot like you in many ways... Things there are no words for, impressions. Your love for each other, your complex hierarchies, the creation of vast quantities of tools and strange art... I was much younger and less understanding when I last saw humans. I do not know as much about them as I would like and I do not dare return to Oldhome in case they have devised some way to follow my trail to Newhome. When humans first came, they flew in great starships like mine. The ships deposited colonists and began clearing land and killing Draak. They saw Draak as beasts and pests, something dangerous to be exterminated, and began this project with guns.

When the Draak rose up to fight back in the first war, these lesser ships were mostly destroyed and we began hunting the colonists to eliminate their threat. Then, greater ships came - larger vessels, and in vast numbers. They used weapons that we still do not understand, that seemed to tear apart space itself. A famous Draak invented an incredibly destructive technique or tool to fight back with. It could burn entire forests to cinders in seconds. Very little is known about the course of the first war from that time on and many, many things were destroyed. Only Draak living secretly and remotely escaped destruction, but the human ships left and never returned again, leaving their colonists behind, unable to sustain their technology.

And centuries later, they had pried themselves out of their suffering with tools of bone and stone, then bronze, then steel, and multiplied to tens of millions. That was when we knew they would end us and the second war began. Humans. Aggressive and expansionist.

The Surveyor Orbs. I discovered and analyzed reflective spheres of machinery that were travelling methodically over the planet. They did not respond to any attempt at communication, but I eventually determined that they were searching for some natural resource and sending their results to a distant controller. I was not able to tell what the resource was, or where the controller was, even when I began intercepting their transmissions. Eventually they self-destructed. Surveyors. Confusing but benign.

The Collectors. The aliens I adapted the white projection from sent robots. They busied themselves collecting samples of every species of life on the planet, non-violently. They would 'taste' plant leaves, take small samples of blood or other things from animals, never killing. They also took on the forms of beautiful versions of female humans and Draak and tried to get males to have sex with them. I believe they wished to create new humans and Draak in some far-away place. When I refused and demanded an explanation, the robot seemed to be replaced by an alien who conversed with me, but they refused to explain themselves, only saying that they meant no harm and that I would not understand. Collectors. Confusing and worrying, but ultimately benign.

The Miniscs. A race of insect-sized bodies which formed a gestalt mind capable of complex reasoning and intricate tasks. They landed in a meteorite on Newhome and expanded quietly, building a glittering city in miniature, until the one who is now called Guardian of the Great Green heard their minds singing. They claimed they were sent on a sacred mission, and asked to trade - the Guardian would collect samples of local species and they would create Treasure for her. She accepted, and the Miniscs lived peacefully without reproducing any further. I do not know what ultimately became of them or what their purpose was. Miniscs. Confusing but benign.

The Blueblight. An extremely effective and aggressive parasitic fungus-like species. Even a few cells can cause an infection that kills in days or weeks. Full-grown Blueblight infections have visible minds in the song, but the individual spores do not, making them extremely dangerous. They appear alien and almost mechanical in the song, growing, developing, and releasing spores in ways that seem designed rather than evolved. It would consume many, many kinds of things if left to spread, though it was less good at overcoming plants than animals. I don't know where it came from. Possible rogue bioweapon.

And lastly... I am not actually sure it was an alien or a disease... But some humans became 'infected' with a new pattern of thoughts and actions that significantly altered their personalities, caused them to want to live away from uninfected humans, and caused them to want to kidnap other humans and torture them. Sometimes the tortured humans would become 'infected' as well, or they would die. It was... Disturbing. The humans eventually killed them all.

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Well, that's not the most promising possible group of species to have as neighbors. I think I'm glad we met you first. Draak didn't talk to the humans to explain that they weren't beasts, or this went ignored?

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I don't know. I was not yet created then, and Darktooth the Wise is the only one who remembers the first war firsthand, and he says that it was already too late. They must have realized we were intelligent when we became organized and used weapons against them, but... I simply do not know the history there. You keep better records than Draak do.

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Why are the Draak records sparser?

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Probably because there are far fewer of us, and we live longer, and we are more guarded with our secrets.

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I suppose all those things would push against being very systematic about keeping written accounts.

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I believe Darktooth the Wise was actually the very first Draak to create written records of anything. When I said records, I meant lost art and old tools and so on. The concept has spread a little bit since then.

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Ah, artifacts. Did Darktooth the Wise invent writing?

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Yes. By creating visual shorthand that is reminiscent of certain common thoughts in the song, you could record information on a surface and it would be easy to teach the correspondences to others. Learning to read was a large part of his 'Test of Wisdom'.

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Who took the test?

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I believe a few hundred have taken the Test of Wisdom, and a few dozen have passed. Writing is not common and before I came here I might have said it never will be. Now, I am less sure. I have seen what you do with it.

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It's ideal for one to many communication and asynchronous uses.

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Asynchronous communication will be popular, once it is likely that any given Draak you wish to communicate with can read what you wrote. One to many communication will be useful, critical, in a more organized way of governing the Draak.

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Is such a way likely on the horizon?

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I intend to call a Grand Moot and express my true belief that it is needed. I think Darktooth will agree. I don't know about the other two elders.

Permalink Mark Unread

That sounds prudent. How are the Grand Moots structured?

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When one is called, we choose a recognizable astronomical event - usually phases of the moons - a few months in the future and send heralds to spread the news, to allow people to finish delicate business and travel to the designated place. Everyone who is interested assembles. The Elders announce that a Grand Moot is beginning and describe the purpose of it, then ask if there are any challengers who wish to declare themselves Elders. If there are, tests begin. Traditionally, a test should not take more than a day or two, and often they are much faster.

When there are no more challengers, the Elders discuss the problem in general terms for a while, then usually choose some non-Elders with relevant reputations or perspectives to speak as well. Then, there is a break of one day, for contemplation and rest. When we assemble again, the Elders each propose a solution to the problem the Grand Moot was called for, and we discuss the solutions for a time, again asking some other Draak to speak up. The solutions get changed and compromised during this. Finally, we choose a solution, summarize everything we have considered, and announce the new law.

The last time the Elders disagreed was the second war, and the Fleeing. We decided a while ago that if the Elders could not come to agreement among themselves, all Draak present would vote.

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Voting's a very useful social technology.

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Winning or losing a clear and fair vote and that being the end of it is certainly much better than fighting each other, yes.

I don't think voting for who gets to be an Elder would be a good idea.

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No? Why not?

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Power flows from strength and wisdom. Only the very best should be trusted to lead all of the Draak-Kin.

Perhaps we could invent some lesser positions and vote on those, with the final power of the Elders called in on only the gravest matters. This will be something we will discuss for days or weeks at the Grand Moot.

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You don't think the votes would tend to accrue to the best?

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Perhaps they would, but that is orthogonal to my objection... Here is a better translation of my thought: Challenges and tests are theologically significant, and keeping them as a trapping of power in this form will help us feel like we are growing, rather than being made to change.

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I see.

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That feels like a natural end to the conversation with Amseli. Are the other people they brought out still here? He wants to talk to Skenatshua! Mechanical engineering sounds fascinating! And he's curious what Itamime has to say, too.

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The other people are around! Skenatshua is happy to talk about the elevator project he's working on. Itamime has been following all the transcripts of what Amseli says about her conversations with the Seeker, and is especially enthralled by the tantalizing descriptions of the other kinds of aliens! How long exactly did it take humans to reach various tech milestones from scratch and did they have written records to help them? Did anyone take the Collectors up on their overtures, are there likely more Draak and humans off wherever they're from? Has the Minisc city died out? What makes Blueblight seem designed? Any idea where the memetic virus in humans came from?

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Elevators are interesting! Draak don't really think about traffic very much, it's a new problem to wrap his head around.

The humans he does not know terribly much about. There were actually three subspecies, (Enforcers, Delvers, and Farmers, as they were called, Enforcers forming a sort of blue-grey caste that eventually got overthrown and exterminated) and probably had some written records to work with. They developed religious practices that were obsessed with outer space and trying to call their ships to come aid them. They also had occasional old tools dug up from battle ruins or abandoned settlements to work with - he knows because one of his kids stole one from them and it was a phenomenally useful thing, a sonic mining tool! Clever girl. They went from hunting and gathering to pottery and farming almost immediately, and then had walled farm settlements with domesticated animals and windmills and so on in about three hundred Amentan years. He doesn't really know the details beyond that, sadly.

Plenty of human men took the Collectors up on it and he doesn't know about it if any Draak did. Humans have a lot more sex than Draak do. The Collectors are super weird, but at least he was able to figure out some of their tech later on. His shiny blue thing is not autonomous but it moves the same way their robots did. He doesn't know what happened to the Minisc city but he has no reason to believe anything bad happened to it. Guardian thinks it's pretty and lets them live in her favorite trove as a decoration.

Blueblight seems designed because of these qualia in the song that Amentans can't feel, and also mature colonies of not-quite-fungus will send each other pulses of light including the originating colony's identity encoded as a number, and information about their current environment and potential targets for colonization including calculations for how much resources would be expended and how likely colonization is to be successful, and even physically detach and move segments of flesh around to spread faster. He has no idea where the memetic virus came from.

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The robots would be really useful to Amentans. Are the Minisc immortal, or just long-lived, that their city's chugging along fine with no new children? Are there more Minisc off somewhere else? Wow, Blueblight's super creepy, may he suggest it to his novelist daughter as a plot element?

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Well, he has to do this complicated thing that's sort of - kind of like virtual reality to pilot the projection and has less than zero idea how to make it work for Amentans, he couldn't figure out the automated controls for the tech at all, just some of the materials and the principles that moved it. Do they really need more heavy industry automating things when they have so much already like trains and assembly lines?

The Minisc seem to manufacture new bodies as needed and attach them to their gestalt-minds. Each gestalt-mind maintains continuity even when all their original wetware is gone. Probably more exist out there, but they're very tight-lipped about it and might not actually know any details.

Blueblight is an actual thing, so he sees nothing wrong with it being used in stories. Especially if the story mentions him as having studied it. Has he got an email address to receive some really creepy photos at?

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Well, a projection would let people safely handle polluted or otherwise dangerous things, even if it didn't technically save any labor.

That makes more sense than them just agreeing to quietly die out!

He does have an email address and here it is.

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He read on Summary Bank that robotics work causes terrorist attacks, doesn't that imply that people don't want robots really?

Here's some photos of towering spires of softly glowing blue fungus snaking all over dead animals and various other things, trailing connecting lines of fiber that move globs of fluid around on them. It's very creepy, but also from the right angle sort of eerily almost-pretty.

He didn't let the captive colonies he studied infect anything alive, but he tried a bunch of things on already-infected areas and throwing them vegetables or whatever. Fire is the best bet for destroying Blueblight, as well as these kinds of toxins, a Draak infected with blueblight and pumped full of this cocktail of poisons survived after a really unpleasant few weeks... You know what, here, have some chemical formulae just in case, Blueblight's nasty.

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Only some Amentans don't want robots, they're just very terrorism-inclined ones. A project that could skip enough steps could roll out the final stage without being vulnerable to terrorism in early development.

Itamime will diligently take all that down!

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Maybe after the Draak figure out their own politics and what to do about Amenta. It'd be much more of a project than his exoplanet data format conversions, anyway, those are a one-off with gear that he knows really well, but turning his one-off shiny tech (that he is actually really proud of and wants to profit from!) into something mass producible seems a lot harder.

How is Kanteko played, Kanteko? Draak don't do strategy games much, riddles seem to take that niche. A round of that might be fun. He expects to lose, having heard of it just now.

He starts giving Hehata a somewhat confusing philosophical ramble about 'hidden worlds' (mostly because 'invisible' reminds him of some philosophical concepts), but catches himself and stops if she expresses any confusion or hesitation.

Do Ahumu or Aktem or Kimahk have any questions for him?

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Kanteko didn't bring a board but can show him the mobile version, which he can if he likes download onto his own everything to play a heavily handicapped game! The mobile version has procedurally generated terrain (in board Kanteko one places terrain tiles in advance according to a slightly randomized algorithm). Unit morale plays heavily into the gameplay - units are promoted or demoted based on various factors, and sometimes the true morale of a unit is hidden from the players till it gets into a fight.

Hehata tries to follow the hidden worlds ramble but isn't sure what the heck he's talking about.

Ahumu would like to know about his spaceship! Aktem wants to know if he thinks Blueblight - or any other Draak diseases - could spread to Amentans, or for that matter vice-versa; Amentans have speculated that even harmless microbes from one planet could be harmful on another. Kimahk effectively wants the story of his life in the hope of publishing highlights as an interest piece.

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The wargame theme feels weird, but it's still a really interesting game. He loses four times, trying four wildly different strategies, then gets better pretty quick.

He's sorry to confuse Hehata. The topic is more green than yellow, her name simply made him think of it - the idea is, how can you tell things you can't physically detect are real? Philosophy. He'll stop.

Unfortunately, many things about his spaceship are secret. He can talk about some of the materials and the general layout without going into any specifics about how it does this or that, though.

Blueblight could almost certainly spread to Amentans and Amentan animals and plants but he's not about to suggest a test, Onesong forbid! He doesn't expect more mundane microbes to cause issues but can't rule it out. It's weird that all three planets he's seen use DNA, as do the Miniscs. He hasn't seen local microbes causing him any problems so far and his foreign microbes probably aren't spreading far in the vicious desert/battlefield that is the ocean microbiome, anyway.

His creators were Darktooth the Wise and Soaring Shadow Over Cold Forests. He grew up in his first few years almost entirely alone. He spends most of his time engineering or reverse-engineering. He studied under Darktooth after the journey to Newhome and discovered many interesting things. He had twenty-seven kids over the last four hundred years, two of which decided to stay on Oldhome and fight the humans and therefore are dead. Too bad, they were promising. He invented FTL, or was the first Draak to figure it out anyway. 

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Kanteko's impressed with his uptake of the game and is happy to play and commentate indefinitely.

Materials and layout are interesting, though not the most interesting.

Aktem certainly wasn't suggesting a test, just wondering if there are precautions they should be taking.

Twenty-seven is a lot! Are most of them alive? What inspired the invention of FTL?

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It's hard to say what precautions might help, but it's unlikely to come up. Blueblight is rare even back home, because when outbreaks get big they burn the entire area to the ground. Symptoms of Blueblight include feeling cold all the time, tiredness and increased appetite, and parts of the body turning blue or seeing blue motes drift across one's vision. It's contagious by fluids early on, but not by air until colonies actually break through the skin.

Twenty one are still alive! Most of them have a kid or two of their own! He's an unusually child-inclined Draak, concerned about the future and all, and he's pretty old. Most are happy with one or two so they aren't the end of their bloodline. He invented FTL because he was bored and wanted to be able to get everyone out if aliens invaded again.

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Are they sure they see the same blue? They suppose they must since he's telepathic.

What makes Draak who aren't that into kids interested in not being the end of their bloodline?

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Yes, it would be Yellowblight if they had a different name for that wavelength of light.

Theology and culture. It is good to create new life, and life in your own image is best, and you don't want your song to end so you make someone to keep singing if you die.

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Do children carry on some kind of legacy-maintenance responsibility?

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Usually not. Some teach their young in particular ways, but we do not expect them to do anything for us, their parents, except exist and be a reflection of us. Of course, I thought Darktooth was great and followed his path of my own accord. That happens sometimes.

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So the "keep singing" thing is sort of abstract.

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Yep. Existing is singing. Most of their cultural and theological concepts connect back to song, and rarely is the song the kind you can hear.

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That makes sense!

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He can produce lots of detail about the particular way each kid was impressive or smart and what they accomplished and how their other parent seemed to shine through in them too.

 

Now that he's thought of it, he asks Amseli about sending music or pictures to everyone. One to many communication. It'd be valuable experience for explaining the merits of the tech to the other elders. (And he wants to show off some of his favorite shinies!)

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Everyone would be delighted to see pictures of his stuff and listen to his music!

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I would appreciate help in choosing a website to do this on. Pictures, perhaps with short messages. Later, music and short videos. Also, I will be ready to start sending part of the exoplanet survey data soon but may need something faster than the pocket everything to do it in a reasonable time. The conversion strains its processer and there is a lot of data.

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Amseli suggests a site called ourPlatform which has multimedia posting options and is commonly used enough not to have weird subcultural connotations. She can also have him brought a more computery computer.

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Good, good. Exoplanet pictures will come soon enough after the computer does. He sort of wants to be at that terraforming conference Tapa is throwing, but that seems logistically challenging and not really his speed anyway. Though, even if he can't go into any buildings, having a look around a city or two in-person would be nice, just for the perspective.

He decided he wants to go visit other countries instead of getting Tapa to bring people from other countries here, but has no idea how to handle figuring out who is actually a government and who is somebody with a governmental-looking account or a radio transmitter if he does a 'why should the alien meet your country next' contest himself. He trusts Tapa enough at this point to take that headache away from him and collect the responses, if they don't mind. His tentative thought was to spend another few days in Tapa while he mostly reads a lot of stuff on the internet, then a day or two each meeting as many other countries as seems reasonable, then back to Tapa for another little while, and then home to start the process of a Grand Moot.

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Tapa would be happy to collect pitches from other countries inviting him to visit on his behalf! What does he imagine he'll be doing on these visits, so the other governments can tailor their suggestions?

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I'll want to talk to their blues with telepathy, and perhaps some members of other castes as well. I want to gather a wider variety of perspectives so that I have a fuller view of the situation on Amenta. The fox and the rabbit tell very different tales.

I also want to assure other countries that I am not particularly beholden to Tapa beyond being grateful you were able to explain Amenta to me calmly and well. -Less relevantly, I also still want to talk to a red at some point. It seems incomplete not to.

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That's going to be very difficult to set up. It might be easiest in, hm, Doet, where they participate in a lot of experiments and there are greens on speaking terms with them?

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I don't have to touch them... But I know little about them, and little about Tapa, in absolute terms. It seems Doet will ascend in my list, then.

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I'm not really clear on what you're hoping to learn from them. Would talking to them on the internet do some of what you have in mind?

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Words are inelegant. That would be better than nothing but I would feel like I was looking at something through thick layers of dusty glass. I don't see why I should speak properly to six castes but not the seventh. It would be like... Studying a tree and ignoring the birds that nest in its branches. Incomplete. Ignoring an important piece of the puzzle. Wrong.

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My guess is Doet will be best placed to find reds for you to talk to and I hope you find what you're looking for there.

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Thank you. I appreciate the efforts you have gone through for me. This would have been much more frustrating with a less competent welcome. If I announce my intent on ourPlatform and say 'send your responses to Tapa', will that be clear enough for other countries?

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It's probably better to be specific enough that a real government can aim its messages more precisely - "send your responses to the Tapai Department of Global Affairs care of your diplomatic team" would work.

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I do not understand bureaucracy, he replies amusedly, Yet, I hope. I will use that phrase. Anything else before I return to my ship for now?

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I don't think anything else is pending right now.

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So he goes and makes an ourPlatform account and emails the handle (SeekerClawVoyagerEyeSilent) to the same address that sent him the first news articles. He follows the instruction to upload a picture of himself, then the first post is a big stained-glass-and-gold sculpture of a tree. The second is a truly enormous diamond, cut flawlessly. More pictures of shiny treasure follow soon after. Each has a short and plain sentence describing how he got it for a caption.

(He's learned that frauds are common on the internet and this looks like one of those. Presumably Tapa is going to make some kind of announcement that the account is legitimate. He waits a few hours, reading some history ebooks.)

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Tapa does make an announcement to that effect! Millions of people from all over the world "approve" and "curate" his pictures. ("Approve" just increments a public number indicating how many approvals the picture has, "curate" mirrors the picture to other subsets of ourPlatform besides just "everything SeekerClawVoyagerEyeSilent has ever posted".)

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And then he puts up a text post with his full grandiose title that says, in very plain but grammatical Tapai, that he is the alien, that he is not giving Amenta any tech yet but will be talking to other aliens about that, that Tapa has been explaining things to him but now he wants to meet other countries to make sure he has a wide perspective, that other countries can explain why they should be met first, or at all, and send the responses to the Tapai Department of Global Affairs care of your diplomatic team.

And some more pictures of shiny things.

And a slideshow of an egg and pictures of a progressively less gangly and featherless baby alien on a backdrop of alien plants! He even has some babyish traits despite the body plan difference - soft and round looking body, big eyes, round face.

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The baby alien pictures are very popular.

Tapa starts forwarding him other countries' invitations about half an hour later. Calado's is subtitled We recommend skipping this one. The country's very disorganized in a way that leads to people taking unilateral dramatic action whenever anything irregular's going on.

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...Well, he can do some reading - they certainly would be a unique perspective, but, uh... It sort of seems like he'd end up needing to kill someone or blow up some boats if he went to Calado. That would be unpleasant. No.

The three biggest countries, at least one equatorial and one southern hemisphere and one non-democracy country, at least one respectable-seeming small country, Doet, and anyone except Calado whose pitch is unique enough, preferences for coastal countries. What do those pitches look like, so he can pick one to go first?

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The three biggest countries are Tapa, Voa, and Cene; the next largest, if he's counting Tapa as been there done that, is Tuviri. Doet's not far from the equator. Baravi's in the southern hemisphere. There are plenty of unremarkable small coastal countries without obvious dire problems. Tuviri is apparently highly isolationist and points out that he won't be able to learn much about them if he doesn't visit. Most of the pitches identify what signal they tried sending him when they spotted him in space, mention some tourist attractions, suggest a bit of ocean he might like to land in (Tuviri's got an inland sea), and list some of their big names who want to talk to him in case he'd care to look up these people's work.

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Tourist attractions don't really interest him unless they're big natural areas, or maybe a sufficiently huge botanical garden.

He'll look up people who other countries specifically mentioned in their applications. If they're being promoted like that they must be impressive somehow, no?

His list tentatively looks like: Tuviri, Doet, Voa, Cene, Baravi, and then two small coastal countries, leaving for Tuviri's inland sea some time tomorrow, travel time will be short. Can Tapa please give those countries his number-string email address? He's starting to realize private, secured communication that doesn't get overwhelmed with noise on this planet is something difficult and best left to the local experts.

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People are mentioning their artists and musicians and xenologers, but also some nongreens - they're downplaying blues, actually, but they scare up accomplished yellow architects and programmers, orange physicians and educational innovators, grey dancers and ship captains, purple engineers and entrepreneurs. Doet says they'd be happy to bring him a red if he wants a red, what exactly would he like to do with it?

Tapa gives out his email address. He gets itinerary suggestions and inquiries from all those countries.

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I want to talk to a red with telepathy because I want to understand each caste. Preferably one who is representative of the red caste. No touching is necessary.

There are so many of these people that he feels - itchy - for learning tidbits of their reputations and nothing more. He knows every single Draak that's worth knowing in his estimation, but that's probably just impossible, here.

He's pretty reluctant to go anywhere very far from his big starship, or land the ship too close to shore, but a few of the itenerary items that are natural areas would work. He plans an arrival place and time with Tuviri and tells everyone else that Tuviri's first, then Doet.

(Meanwhile, he keeps working on the tech compatibility.)

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There is internet kerfuffle about Tuviri being next. What's Tuviri going to do. They don't talk to anybody. Nobody knows what they're like.

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All the more reason to give them a visit, really.

When his more powerful computer arrives near Shi Alassei, he goes out and sends an unverified installer to it from his pocket everything and installs the program and now the laptop is receiving tons and tons of high-res photos of exoplanets which can then be sent wherever Tapa wants them! The photos were easiest, all the other data he collected will have to wait a while longer.

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Tapa is delighted to have exoplanet photos to publish on the Department of Space blog.

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And now it's about time to go. He asks Amseli if there's anything else Tapa wants to say to him in person before he takes off for Tuviri's inland sea.

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We hope you have productive and informative visits! And you're welcome back here any time, or you can email us if you need anything.

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I will.

In that case, he's off to Tuviri, climbing high into the atmosphere with a bright lightshow from the largest circle on the ship, before going horizontal over the planet and coming down gently in the designated place in Tuviri's inland sea.

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Tuviri sends boats. They're of a very different style than Tapai boats and run quietly. "Hello!" says the blue standing at the prow of the lead boat. "Welcome to Tuviri!"

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The alien tilts its head at the lead blue and lifts a silver rod, which says, "Hello. I only know Tapai. I can use telepathy instead if you are willing."

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"Yes, I am," the blue says in thickly accented Tapai.

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And thus,

Hello. I am sorry if I am rude for not learning your language. Languages are difficult and not something I am used to when I can just do this. I am glad to visit Tuviri and look forward to learning what you might tell me.

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It's impressive that you learned one language as quickly as you did; for us it takes much longer. We did not expect you to have already done it fifty times. My Tapap is not very good, but fortunately you can work around that. What I said was 'hello, welcome to Tuviri'.

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I am proud to be known as one of the quickest-minded Draak, and I have computers to help me. But thank you. The request said that a good reason to visit Tuviri is that learning about it would be difficult otherwise - in my experience, things that are difficult to learn are frequently worth learning, so I am very curious how you differ from Tapa and Shi Alassei.

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Our primary difference, I think, is that we do not seek contact with the other nations of our world as an end in itself. While we have enough avenues of communication that we were able to send for you, we do not share our primary Internet with them, swap citizens, or have substantial trade. However, we have any Amentans' interest in learning our place in the universe and learning if there is a way to safely let our people grow.

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I do not speak for all Draak and I'm not sure how much of our discussions Tapa has shared with other countries. We do not have a highly organized government at the moment, and we have been invaded by expansionist aliens once before and are wary, and we must have political discussions among my kind before technology sharing seems like a good idea. But I believe it will be possible to find a deal.

Please tell me if I should stop asking questions. Why does Tuviri isolate itself? Swapping citizens did not come up before, but perhaps I should ask another country about that institution. What is most important about your history and government? What is your job name, and why? ...Does your country traditionally use job names? It seems like some might not.

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Tuviri doesn't use job names. My name is Artanvi Khare Otomor, where Khare Otomor is my personal name and Artanvi is the clan my family belongs to. We see it less as isolating ourselves, and more as seeing isolation as the default - after all, communication between nations requires studying each other's languages, traveling, navigating foreign customs - and having few reasons we need to look abroad for our citizens' needs. Our country was established with its current borders in 3220 out of a group of federated states, and we're a constitutional monarchy as of the signing of the constitution in 3284.

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Interesting. Some Draak are like that - the Onyx subspecies are very private and secretive, preferring to keep to themselves. You have been stable in this system for a long time by your standards. That's promising. I find job names fascinating, but now I am curious how the clans work. I would like to read the constitution as well, or learn basically anything you might want to tell me about Tuviri! Of course, I will answer questions too.

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Clans are a group of interrelated families. Most people in Tuviri marry within a clan; sometimes an entire family will change clans or if large enough break off into a new one, based on family politics. Clans collectively purchase credits to distribute amongst their members according to their own internal rules, as our method of population control. I am not sure if there is a good hand-translation of our constitution into Tapap. Should we be optimistic about the possibility of a faster than light space program with opportunities to settle other worlds?

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It seems reasonably likely, depending on how much my kin decide they can trust Amenta in general and how much Amentan countries are willing to pay. I am optimistic. But I cannot promise anything. Much depends on how my people react to the news that I have found aliens, and what I learn in my time here - we remember a devastating lost war against aliens who seem quite similar to you.

...A program where Draak ships carry Amentans to other planets without revealing the method would be easier than agreeing to share the technology fully, now that I think of the option. For in its current form, it requires a skilled Draak onboard to provide the music to use the light-bridge. I understand if Amentan countries would be uncomfortable relying on Draak forever, but as an interim step to help my kin trust Amentans it may have merit.

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That program might suit us more than it would most; I expect many countries would want to maintain sovereignty over their colonies, and we would expect them to self-govern as soon as possible, so the threat of lost contact would loom less.

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That is an admirable attitude. Self-reliance and independence is good. As to the constitution, if I listen to radio transmissions and read text in your language I can learn it eventually, or if a good or bad Tapap version is found I can read that, and either way I will understand that there may be inaccuracy or loss of nuance. The constitution, or histories, or other things, are windows into what Tuviri considers important.

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There is certainly at least a machine translated version. He speaks to his assistant, who pulls it up on her everything.

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Can the everything Tapa gave me receive it somehow? So your assistant does not have to scroll through it for me or anything so inconvenient for her.

(Or tedious to read right now, or difficult to go back and refer to later.)

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We have a different electronics standard, but we would be happy to offer you this local device. Assistant has it ready, sends the constitution to it, and hands it over.

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Thank you! 

Same principles, different implementation! Excellent. He starts reading the beginning of the constitution while asking Khare Otomor, I want to learn all about everything, but important matters come first. Can you describe what international treaties Tuviri has complied with, and how? Those will be of greatest interest to us in determining how much to trust Amentan countries, I believe.

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We're signatories to the war crime and population control treaties, and have kept nonagression pacts with all the major power blocs. We allow foreign inspection to assess the first two the same way everyone else does.

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He keeps peppering the blue with questions for a while, occasionally asking if he has any questions or anything in particular to cover. (Oh, and: This seems like a pretty nice inland sea, he likes it!)

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It's a lovely inland sea! They use it for intranational shipping and fishing.

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The Seeker has Fishing Opinions, apparently. They aren't overfishing, right? And, Some Draak may wish to live in Amenta's oceans, arctic, or equator regions, eventually.

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They aren't overfishing, they carefully regulate it and farm a lot of the fish. That doesn't sound infeasible.

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That's very reassuring, good ocean management.

I think 'eventually' may end up being a while, but we will see. When I go home, I should be able to return after a month or two with more news.

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How long of a while?

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Until we are ready to work out deals with Amenta? We can probably begin real negotiations after a season, perhaps less. No promises. Until I trust that nothing disastrous would happen if I let some young kin work out a deal and find a place here? Two seasons, perhaps much longer.

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What sorts of deals might they want to arrange?

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Territory, art, gold and silver and gems, hunting and fishing rights, tutors, perhaps things I have not thought of, in exchange for whatever skills they might have. I worry that some young kin would not be interested in understanding Amentan laws, or in following them.

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That would present a challenge.

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And is the reason I intend to have such applicants tested thoroughly.

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How would you test for that?

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I am not yet sure. Making them learn to read would be the start. Asking questions about whether a situation is legal. Exercises of memory. Giving them a pointless command that they must follow none the less for a month. Perhaps I should collaborate with countries to develop the test.

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That would be an interesting exercise. What kinds of skills might they bring?

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Pardon me if I ramble, I will let my mind wander to answer this...

Sapphires like me could inspect or place underwater equipment or explore the deep oceans. Perhaps we could manage seafloor farms. Rubies might tunnel faster than tunneling machines, and have an instinct for ground stability. Emeralds do not have any special abilities relevant to Amenta, I think... Many Draak will be skilled at learning things about animal and plant behavior and keeping an ecosystem, delicate or not, managed. Consulting on agriculture or aquaculture, perhaps. We find factory farming offensive and may wish to discourage it or create meat-bearing plants, but fish and mollusk rearing is not nearly so bad and could be made more pleasing for the fish and more productive at once with some effort, I think. And ordinary farms might benefit this way too - I am not yet sure. 

Using our tools, which can do various things, too many to describe briefly. We could talk to people no longer capable of speech, or translate thoughts. We can sing calmness or stunned confusion into the minds of others if needed. We can be very, very durable, and immune to heat and cold. We are strong and capable of flight - we could work with sea rescue, wilderness rescue, and emergency response. We could verify the sterility of clean rooms or watch for intruders over a wide area or assist with pest control by identifying infestations. We can breathe fire - usually as a weapon but perhaps it has other uses, or novelty value. We could tell telepathic multimedia stories. We can analyze objects with the song for internal flaws or to learn about them.

The True Song of Healing restores every animal it has been tried on to good health, working most efficiently on wounds but sufficing for many kinds of disease and even beating back aging for a time, but it is very, very difficult. Lesser songs of healing exist as well. The skill of Enkindling genetically modifies animals and plants in a variety of ways, and usually grants them magical powers and unaging natures, though I count the masters of it at only eighteen. Some of us are skilled artists who can take stone or wood or gold and turn it into something beautiful, then sell the result for yet more materials.

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Most of those abilities would be very valuable indeed.

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Good. I think I will write that up, as well as much of what I told Tapa, so I can tell governments about it without explaining in person repeatedly. Amentans seem to do much of your best work in writing, anyway.

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It makes it easier for a lot of people to make sure we all have common knowledge.

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I do wonder just how much your systems are influenced by your nature, how you think and feel, and how much they are by the fact that there are very many of you who need to work together and cannot possibly talk to everyone else in existence. It's probably impossible to tell for sure.

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If there are enough places to put colonies, it's likely some of them will be very small, at least to start.

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I have explored for some few years and found no planets that bear life except yours and my own, though I found some exoplanets that would make good targets for terraforming projects. But that exploration was leisurely, by one person, using experimental equipment, focusing on discovery in general rather than discovery of habitable planets in particular. Who can say for sure what the future holds?

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We'd certainly dedicate a lot of manpower to the project.

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If you have better ways than I do of identifying likely stars from a great distance - which seems likely with how quickly my ship was detected upon arriving - a list of stars to investigate would speed my own exploration and I could bring promising candidates to the attention of Amenta.

Permalink Mark Unread

We do have such lists and expect other countries do as well. I think we'd want a firm agreement in place about what to do with the results of such a joint project.

Permalink Mark Unread

It seems there is much that must wait. I do not wish to take any irreversible unilateral action on behalf of my entire species.

Permalink Mark Unread

You must clear your own explorations at home?

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Before making binding deals of any kind or trade more substantial than the exchange of gifts - pocket everythings and internet access for limited exoplanet data - which you may have trouble accessing due to the different electronic standard now that I think of it- Before that, I must call a Grand Moot, a political meeting of my entire species, and we must form a true government and policies on alien contact. We have not needed either thing before now.

Permalink Mark Unread

I see, I was imagining that we could treat with you directly and you could go on your own to check exoplanets without involving the entire species. My apologies.

Permalink Mark Unread

I could do that. Perhaps I even would if I were a slightly different person and there was Treasure to be gained. But it would not be wise. No apology is needed.

Permalink Mark Unread

Some of our people have asked if there is any way for Amentans to visit your world in small numbers, just for the experience, not to settle there.

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Not on my first trip back. I don't have any space designed for Amentan habitation and I could not guarantee anyone's safety. There is also the concern that you could locate our planet by the arrangement of the stars, and my kin might wish to keep that secret. Later, perhaps.

Permalink Mark Unread

The atmosphere might be dangerous? Are you using an apparatus to breathe here?

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I meant there's no space on board my ship for Amentans. I think the atmosphere of Newhome is similar enough to be safe. There's slightly less pressure at sea level, and a bit less oxygen by percentage, and more carbon dioxide - but I am not having trouble breathing here.

Permalink Mark Unread

We can tolerate variance in all those parameters, but it is reasonable that you wouldn't have come expecting to bring back guests.

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Perhaps I will try to expand the ship for my next return. It needs a name. I'm thinking... The Wing of Change.

Permalink Mark Unread

That's a lovely name.

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Thank you. I think naming ships will be popular. We name our favorite shiny treasures. It's simply never come up for ships before. I considered and rejected Eye of Blue and Speeding Feather. Many, many things will change soon. And I hope for that to be a good thing.

Permalink Mark Unread

We hope so too. This could be the most important change ever to befall Amenta.

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Things always change sooner or later. To change is to live. Just because the last major change was an awful war...

I have enjoyed our conversation, Artanvi Khare Otomor. But I think it will be best for me to visit the other countries I wish to visit relatively quickly, then return home, rather than lingering overmuch. So that I might return sooner.

Permalink Mark Unread

You are welcome back at any time. Your Tuviri pocket everything can send messages to mine directly, we took the liberty of adding to the contact list, though it will not work very far from Turivi.

Permalink Mark Unread

Good... I think I would like to fly over an Amentan city at least once before I leave, so that I can show it to my kin. Do you think Tuviri is a good place for that, or shall I look elsewhere?

Permalink Mark Unread

If you'll give me a few minutes I can alert a seaside city so they won't be alarmed.

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Slow nod, as he cuts off the thought-contact.

He dives under the water and goes back to the ship, then retrieves two other metal rods, one dark green and one gold, leaves the silver one behind, then back out to the boat.

Permalink Mark Unread

After a few minutes the blue speaks in his mediocre Tapap: "If you go that way, there is a city. They are ready to be flown."

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"Thank you. I will be brief, and I will not land."

Those are some real big wings. It seems sort of implausible for them to lift such a large body out of the water, but up and up he goes, trailing sea spray. Higher and higher - he knows how high the highest buildings here are - and over towards the city.

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The city has a different architectural style from other places he's seen pictures of; it's mostly silvery metals and glass, with rills of decoration in abstract colors streaking or twirling along the sides of the skyscrapers. The trains are principally aboveground and elevated, some of them running through gaps in buildings, and some of the less trafficked, pedestrian-only streets have grass growing on them. There's a huge marina poking out into the sea beside the even larger cargo harbor, and boats are coming and going.

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The other pictures he's seen were tiny, laptop-sized at most. The proper ones he got in orbit and on descent were better but still distant and from a strange angle.

This is a proper view. It's a lot prettier than he expected. Built like a hive, yes, tall towers divided into little closed-off cells. Far too enclosed and crowded. Very few plants. But there's design here, and intricacy, and shininess (which is really not the most important thing but leaves the rest of it feeling a bit more impressive). Seeing it firsthand, with the song intact, is a different experience.

They remind him of the Minisc, trains like arteries, thousands and thousands and thousands of lives that look like tiny, muddled motes from up here. Dots of color, hair. Purple, he imagines another Ahumu working on the trains. Orange, that clever Noptan, teaching someone something. A grey jogging - they probably like a different game than Kanteko.

So many. So, so, so many. Fear of their obvious trajectory, the endless multiplying, and residual worn-down hate of the humans churn in his gut, but these people are people. He likes most of the ones he's actually talked to. Animals can live and die without much greater purpose. They almost never have any kind of personality or aspiration beyond their basic natures, and it's good to keep the balance, but there's no spark of creativity in them. They can only surprise you so many times.

...He passes over the marina and heads towards the thickest, tallest part of the city.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's full of office buildings and skyscrapers. Some people are gazing at him in wonder out the windows, jostling little children to look.

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Yes, of course they should be doing that, a small part of him thinks. Mostly, he's thinking about his old friend the Artist from so long ago, and worrying.

They love their children and want to have more and more, even at the cost of overrunning other things. The news articles were anxious and hopeful. Most of the people he talked to held it in the back of their minds to a greater or lesser degree - does this mean NEW PLANETS, the greatest possible joy? What if the alien doesn't want to help us?

Compassion is not a totally alien feeling to Draak. Just not necessarily a default, and one not automatically aimed at young kin. And yet, giving Amentans exactly what they want is a problem, long-term. Factory farming, unsustainable growth, and he has a bad feeling about the red caste. He's looking forward to visiting Doet and hopefully understanding.

Countless hopeful, wondering faces. Over the skyscrapers he goes, twisting his wings to bank left and right gently. He looks to the horizon to see how far the hive/city goes.

Permalink Mark Unread

The city's perched over a river that empties into the sea. The main metropolis is miles on a side, and smaller cities with shorter skyscrapers surround it on all non-sea sides and continue along the coast, while the non-sea-adjacent land gives way to smaller towns and farms after a while.

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Too big. Too unnatural. Hive built upon hive. They could probably kill him here if they really tried, even with all his might and tools.

He turns widely and goes back to his ship, landing with a splash in the ocean.

Permalink Mark Unread

The boat has backed off a ways from the ship, so it is only gently bobbled by the wave.

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The city is beautiful, for a city. I don't think Draak will be very comfortable in urban areas.

Perhaps I should learn a radio frequency and destination to direct messages to Tuviri, if the everything might not work everywhere, for when I eventually return.

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They can sure provide him with specs for that.

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He tells the blue he'll be taking off in a few hours, goes back to his ship, types up everything substantial he's told either Tapa or Tuviri for emailing to various countries, takes a short nap, and pokes around the Tuviri internet for a little while if he can.

And then he's off towards Doet's rendezvous spot with another light show for takeoff, high high into the sky before travelling sideways. He emails the writeup out once he has signal again.

Permalink Mark Unread

He can access Tuviri Internet with his Tuviri everything. There are lots of pictures of his flight over the city up.

Doet greets him with one blue, a bunch of greens, and a red they are towing in a plastic bucket-type thing behind their boat.

Permalink Mark Unread

 

"Hello" speaks his trusty silver rod in Tapap. "Perhaps I should speak to the red first so they can go home. That looks not comfortable."

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"- I'm sorry," says one of the greens in reasonably competent Tapap, "we didn't bring a separate boat to tow it home on a different schedule. If that's a problem we can probably get one, though."

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Rather than try and articulate something into Tapap, he thinks at the translator green, Hello. Can you understand me? I'm not sure if it's a problem.

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Yes, I can understand you. I think the red will be fine.

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'Fine' is not 'comfortable'. I was imagining a plastic-covered section of boat... Perhaps this was the best you could arrange on short notice. Very well. Thank you, and whoever else helped, for arranging it - it would have been terribly incomplete to visit and not see a red the entire time, I think. I don't imagine they know Tapap...?

Permalink Mark Unread

I don't think so, no. Reds don't usually pick up second languages.

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What language do they even speak in Doet, he wonders? There are far too many of them to learn in a week.

...I have been asking before using telepathy at first because it can be overwhelming. He tells the green, I think I am used enough to Amentan minds now that it's not strictly necessary.

He swims a bit closer to the bucket and looks at the red. Hello. Can you understand me?

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The red nods, wide-eyed.

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I have spoken to some of each caste, except red. I want to understand all of Amenta's people, not just some of them.

They see you as disgusting, they separate you from them for their own comfort, they seem to disregard you almost entirely. That's concerning to me, and seems unpleasant.

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...It's because we're polluted, offers the red.

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I read about pollution, but I don't feel it. I don't truly understand it yet, I think. It seems... Silly.

 

The overall impression I get is that the average Amentan - needs reds, but they don't like you. That's unstable. Imbalanced. Imbalance is dangerous. Does that sound about right?

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- I don't know very much about the opinions of average Amentans.

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Neither do I. It seems obvious, but I could be wrong. You are all strange to me. I don't want to break things by accident, by not understanding. I wish I understood reds, but you are nervous. If you don't want to talk to me, perhaps they should have chosen someone else.

Permalink Mark Unread

Reds are pretty nervous around strangers as a caste, I think. I volunteered.

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Thank you for volunteering. I am learning a difficult truth here, and that's important. I was told using the internet would be better, but words are difficult and not what I am used to. More than one set of them? Perhaps I will learn them properly in a season or two. I can't even send the projection, which would be easy to clean to anyone's satisfaction, because I can only use telepathy in person!

Permalink Mark Unread

That sounds really frustrating.

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Something rubs him the wrong way about that. Not quite a lie, but something like it.

It seems like you don't actually want to talk to me. Understandable, if so. I will not impose myself on those who want privacy. I will leave you in peace. Before I do, have you any questions for me, about me or my kin?

Permalink Mark Unread

I wasn't expecting to get the chance to ask questions, sorry.

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Why would anyone not ask questions? -No, no, plenty of people aren't as curious as he is. But still... Nervous, noncommittal. And he never refuted that first claim, though he was careful not to accept it either. Seeker could almost imagine doing that sort of thing while cowering before an elder he did not know how to avoid giving offense to. He could have demanded a straight answer, but he is not rude. People have their secrets and it's better to steal them with cleverness than threats.

Concerning indeed. And now, with a contused head-tilt, the alien is no longer telepathy-ing at that poor red. He thinks for a few moments, then looks back towards the green he first spoke to.

I don't think continuing my conversation with him would be productive, but no matter. Instead, what questions do you have for me - and should I speak to your blue instead of you?

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Talking to me is fine! says the green. We'd like to know if there's much chance of access to travel ultimately coming in a form that small countries can't unilaterally use, so we can get started on forming a coalition now.

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I don't have a clear picture of what access to travel will end up looking like yet. I'll know more when I return. I don't see a reason small countries in particular would be disadvantaged, though it will likely be expensive, however the politics are decided.

Permalink Mark Unread

Expensive in what kind of resources?

Permalink Mark Unread

Things that Draak will want. Land, gold and silver and gems, art. Access to travel is overwhelmingly likely to at first be limited to any Draak willing to pilot ships for Amentans. Such a thing will be much faster and easier for the Draak, politically, than revealing the secret enough for Amentan FTL technology programs to begin. Also, I am the inventor of the FTL method and I plan to profit very much from it.

Permalink Mark Unread

That makes sense. It'll probably be wise for small countries to go in together, then.

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I think so, yes. Also worthy of note is that I have discovered no other habitable planets, and few terraforming candidates, in my explorations so far which have lasted several years before I found Amenta. A more focused search with more than one ship may turn up habitable planets empty of residents, but again the political details are unclear.

Permalink Mark Unread

We can parallelize the search a lot, if we can build ships for it.

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Yes. But once Amentans are building starships, the Draak have a powerful neighbor species that will always, always, need more land. We were driven from our home planet by such a species. Thus, the political difficulty.

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We have some prospect of being able to cut down the urgency of growing by finding a way to make our springs milder through genetic engineering or something like that, and then we'd be stable.

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Some of us are noted for skill in modifying life. I think I will try to convince one of them to come with me when I return in a month or two.

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That'd be really interesting!

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Yes. I plan to visit more countries to gather a wider perspective, but briefly. That is why I wished to speak to a red, for Tapa brought members of all other castes to converse with me.

What would you say is the most unique or interesting thing about Doet? What would be missing from my view of Amenta if I left this very moment, having spoken at length only to representatives from Tapa and Tuviri?

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I think the thing we're most known for internationally is the increased prominence of greens. I guess you wouldn't have talked to anyone on the Voan child model if you left now? Unless Tuviri uses it and I just don't know because I don't know anything about Tuviri. Or the permissions model but the permissions model is awful.

Permalink Mark Unread

I don't know what model Tuviri uses either - I was there very briefly. I plan to visit Voa as well, and a few others besides. 

Permissions model? Ah, is that why I was warned away from Calado?

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There's others, I don't think most of them would be that bad of an idea. Calado's just the worst of the bunch.

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I admit that restrictions on reproducing is a foreign concept. I would not have children I expected to die because they couldn't find a territory or enough food, but there is no law about it among the Draak. I certainly understand why Amenta needs the system, but it remains strange. Two each seems stable, at least, but auctions or permissions models appeal more - the greatest among you will pass on their traits more often.

Permalink Mark Unread

That's the idea behind permissions, but in practice it distorts the economy and the culture crazily.

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I don't understand economies and societies well enough to predict how, but I can certainly see that it would do that, yes. Are there many permissions system countries? Calado. I recall the Empire of Oahk used the system as well.

Permalink Mark Unread

The modern Free State of Oahk does too. Yvalta. Some places do combination systems, which I think aren't as bad.

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I will have to learn more about this later, it seems important. But for now I may well leave Doet soon with thanks for your welcome. I do not mean to privilege Tapa overmuch, having spent most of my time here talking to them alone, but I feel more need to return home each hour.

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Don't let us keep you! Thanks for swinging by.

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And so he radios ahead to Voa and goes there!

(And emails a little miscellaneous non-picture-based exoplanet data to Tapa, with a note saying the rest probably has to wait until he comes back again and asking if they're sharing the exoplanet data with all the other countries because pocket everythings aren't really a Tapa-only product, are they?)

Permalink Mark Unread

Tapa's reply says they haven't distributed the data yet, and his pocket everything will say Made In Tapa on the back of the case in fine print if he looks, but if he'd like they can distribute it once it's been rendered into maximally useful form.

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He finds it a little hard to believe that all the foundation of work and years of development into computing-in-general that led to the current state of the art in pocket everythings came just from Tapa. It should probably be distributed more widely since electronics are an all-Amenta advancement, not just a Tapai one, and he might take it into his head to do that himself if they won't.

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They'll be happy to!

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Good. On to Voa!

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Voa's coastal bits are northerly and cold. He's greeted by a party of two blues, three greens, and a yellow. "Welcome!" a blue says in Tapap. "I'm Asonde be-Lorkea de-Nivo."

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The cold means he'll burn a little more energy, that's all, not enough to be a food concern or anything (though he idly wonders what arctic fish would taste like).

Hello. I have been going by Seeker. I am glad to meet a representative of Voa, though I am moving quickly now and will return home soon since I cannot make commitments for my whole species and they do not even yet know Amenta exists.

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Conservatism in such a substantial matter seems advisable. We're glad you chose to stop here despite your hurry and will eagerly await your return. We've brought you a gift. It's a little golden sculpture of a semi-abstract creature which looks sort of like him. The gold should be able to tolerate being underwater as necessary.

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He inspects it carefully. Very pretty, a bit small, not exceptional, but gold is gold, and it's the first real glittering treasure he has gleaned from Amenta - he wasn't really trying to gain the physical kind of treasure, admittedly. Then again, gold is gold.

Yes, if I were less wise I would perhaps have promised a starship to the country that could produce for me the most gold. Which would be a terrible idea in multiple interesting ways. Thank you. This is good. Gifts are not given so casually among the Draak, but as the first golden Treasure brought from Amenta, perhaps it will help convince my kin that a relationship with its people will be good. I will be sure to mention that it is Voan as appropriate. If there is an appropriate favor I can show in return, name it.

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We don't know how you'd measure appropriateness. All we want is room for our people to breathe more easily.

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That is beyond my remit to grant this day. I can only offer my hope that it will be possible, and the assurance that I will have a much clearer picture of this hope a season from now.

I would like to learn what you think is unique and good about Voa. I know you do not use auctions like many others, granting permission for two children to each person, and I think this seems a likely source of stability.

Permalink Mark Unread

We do think it adds stability. People in Voa don't grow up anxious about their ability to compete just so they can have their share of the next generation. We think it lowers our crime rate and our suicide rate.

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Suicide? What possible reason...

I have only seen or even heard of Draak killing themselves once in all my life! It was at the Grand Moot at the beginning of the second war against Humans, when our slow decline and extinction seemed likely or inevitable. There is nothing but oblivion after death! Out of twenty thousand and more, when destruction loomed near, three destroyed themselves... And they seemed to think they were accomplishing some kind of magic in doing so!

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- Amentans do not usually die by suicide but it does happen, and it happens in Voa less often because fewer people must cope with the prospect of living childless.

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The suffering in spring is truly so bad? I read that it is painful, but to kill oneself? That it drives people to end their own lives, end the chance of ever making it better, often enough to have a name for it, to track it, compare it against other countries and think it good to reduce? Of course it is good to reduce.

I could imagine seeking a good death, if you were going to die anyway. To die gloriously and be remembered, to win something for your kin, to accomplish something for others in death... But for no other reason than to end suffering?

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...I believe in one form or another that's the usual reason, though it's not always specifically spring-related.

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Even when the venom of a Great Spinefish swum through my blood, burning with agony and making me wonder if I would perish from the damage or if it would ever end, I would not have wished for death!

He exhales sharply, producing a little puff of fire, then seems to calm down a bit.

This is a difference in our kinds. There have been many. Many! There will be more. Is it usually spring-related?

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The yellow murmurs to the blue, who says, The rate roughly doubles in spring, globally.

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I do not understand. I'm not sure I want to understand. I know not the kind of mind that would willingly end itself, though I know some animals that would face certain painful death for a hope of saving their young.

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Some people say that another advantage of Voan allocation is that we don't select for desperation for children, even though we also cut off some avenues to select against it.

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Perhaps this is wise. Perhaps not. It is clear I don't understand Amentans. A green from Doet said that you seek to change yourselves, to choose milder springs. The changing of the self is one of the highest arts of the Draak, and the art of Enkindling can bring change in other creatures. I am going to try to convince an expert in Enkindling to come to Amenta and see if such a thing might be possible.

Permalink Mark Unread

I'm sure such an experiment would be able to find volunteers.

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If it would bring a new and better balance to your species, the Draak that achieved it would be hailed as one of the greatest of all time. Such a thing would reduce much suffering, and were the Amentan need to expand lessened it would greatly reassure the kin that assisting your expansion will not lead to our own inevitable destruction.

I hope the Onesong allows such a thing, if it exists. I hope that it will be possible.

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The Onesong?

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The Onesong is... A theological concept. An entity that encompasses, or is, the entire universe and all life within it. I am not very theological, but harmony within the Onesong is something seen as worthy and good. The idea of a greater whole, balanced and complete, is... Soothing.

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I see, at least in general terms.

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I am still disturbed and agitated by suicide. I will store this, he indicates their gift, And swim for a few minutes, and calm down, and we can discuss further when I return.

He vanishes into the cold sea without waiting for a confirmation.

He's back a bit over five minutes later.

Hello again. I am unsure if there is much else to discuss. Though I would listen to anything you think is important about Voa for a while longer.

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One point of national pride is the extent to which we've recovered from the Oahk Empire's occupation.

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The feathers on his head fluff up a bit.

Interesting. I know only a limited explanation of the time of Oahk's strength. How have you recovered, what have you recovered from?

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There were a lot of deaths, a lot of suffering - most of our blues were killed, they rolled in during spring and there were a lot of forced abortions, they made serious efforts to suppress our language and traditional culture - but rather than going with the strategy that protected Tapa or using any wholly or partially permissions-based system we went back to our way of two children per family, rather than continuing on with our partially syncretized culture we prioritized restoring Voan ways and words, and we met the rest of the world as our own nation on our own terms.

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Abortions... Destruction of an egg before it's hatched is a painful thing. Probably not as painful as Amentans find a forced abortion, but at least I can sympathize. We don't feel much love for our children once they're hatched and growing, but in the egg... They never even have a chance.

So Voa as a whole sought to restore its identity, to rise out of suffering unique and yourselves instead of becoming what the conqueror wished? The Voa of old is surely gone, for change is in everything and the occupation will never again not-have-happened, but if your people wished to become a certain kind of Voa, and succeeded, that is admirable.

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We did. Not everything is the same - we're a democracy now, for example - but the important things we restored.

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I can only read Tapap so far but if there are any books you would recommend to me about this I would be interested in them. I'm also interested in how exactly the governments I am speaking to are set up, but I've been researching on the internet for that, mostly.

Permalink Mark Unread

They can recommend a number of good Voan histories and civics texts, some of which have probably been translated into Tapap.

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Cities discomfit me. Too crowded, too loud. Forest of steel and glass. Many, many eyes. Knowing cities will be important to knowing Amenta but most Draak won't like them much, I think. Though perhaps I should get over my hesitation and visit some more comprehensively than simply flying overhead.

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They're not designed for people your size, but we'd be happy to invite you to a Voan city if that interests you. Most Amentans like living in cities. There are things it's only efficient to have when many people are near them.

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I think not. The idea makes my wings itch. There are good reasons to like cities if you are Amentan, and good reasons not to if you are a Draak.

...Perhaps younger Draak would enjoy cities, for the density of opportunity if nothing else. We never quite stop growing, and I am rather old. Recently-adult Draak could fit into train cars and through doors if they tried.

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I'd want to consult a train engineer about whether that would affect weight distribution detrimentally, but we'd be happy to receive young Draak tourists.

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I've discussed this concern with Tuviri briefly, but many of my kin will not be as calm and respectful as I. I would want to screen any Draak who wished to visit Amentan countries and have a plan for what to do if there is any kind of incident.

Permalink Mark Unread

Very sensible. Should this, too, wait for the Moot?

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Yes. We are used to having very few laws, and I think we will find laws we do not see the reason for very frustrating, if that might help you plan for such things.

 

He chats for a while longer and hops to a few more countries - Cene, some equatorial smaller countries, a brief stop back to Tapa who welcomed him first. He wouldn't mind hopping around forever but he'll need to think about fuel after enough of it, plus the Moot will come along rather slowly so it's better to start that sooner.

He reads things on the internet and posts some more pictures of treasure, and some wordless alien music full of slow low notes and some kind of string instrument, and another set of baby pictures. He declares the remainder of his exoplanet data, orbital periods and chemical compositions and so on, 'good enough' when he manages to bludgeon it into a giant spreadsheet, and sends it to Tapa. He tells all the governments who have emailed him and announces his OurPlatform account that he'll be back in less than a season, possibly as little as a month.

And then the alien is gone.

 

 

When he comes back five months later a good ways past the moons, the ship transmits a steady signal identifying it as the Wing of Change, declares an approach vector, and starts talking to individual countries via radio. The Wing of Change would like an appropriately neutral patch of ocean, coastline, or ground to land on where many countries can send representatives without interfering with each other much, please, who can offer that?

Permalink Mark Unread

There's a little island out over there with an international research station on it, suggests Tapa; it's nominally Tapai territory but generally the research station handles itself and has scientists from all over.

Permalink Mark Unread

What do the other countries he actually visited think of this research island?

Permalink Mark Unread

Some of them have other candidate places (Voan lunar territory, this bit of tropics) but nobody strenuously objects to the island.

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Research island looks good, Tapa, but can the local ecosystem deal with a bunch of visitors?

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Tapa has taken the liberty of compiling a list of fish they don't mind if they eat lots of!

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They brought along plenty of food for three Draak for a month, after which they will return to attend the Grand Moot, the concern is more for lots of boats puttering around and feet trampling the island's plants and so on.

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The island isn't normally very high-traffic but it isn't in a particularly ecologically interesting area, there aren't any life forms endemic to that island that they know of (and the island is full of greens so they'd probably know).

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Probably a manageable concern then. They'll be landing a mile offshore shortly.

(And the fish will still be good, thank you.)

The ship is suddenly on a suborbital trajectory that will take it on a nice low arc to the designated island. It settles into the water a lot lower than last time.

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The welcoming party is Amseli and some foreign blues and some greens all standing on the shore waiting for them!

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The Seeker settles placidly into the beach, followed by two others who circle in the air over the sea. One appears to be another Sapphire, but much smaller than Seeker, indeed possibly small enough to fit on a train car. The other is probably an Emerald, going by the green coloration, though she has plenty of pockets of color here and there.

Hello, Amseli. I bring with me today my child who has named herself She Who Flows Through Life Like The River Touching Many Things And Nourishing Where She Goes, Flexible And Resilient Like Water. Or, River. I also bring an Enkindler of noted skill who may be able to investigate whether the altering of Amentans to encourage mild springs through Enkindling is feasible. Her chosen name is Creator Of Flourishing, Rising From Solid Earth Into The Bloom Of Beautiful Color, Whose Eye For Beauty Is Matched By The Skill To Create It. Bloom.

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We are delighted to meet you all! says Amseli, relaying this information to her assistant. Should we start finding volunteers for an experiment into milder springs?

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That is a question for Bloom. I warn you that she is less...

He trails off. 

...Less skilled and less motivated to become skilled in singing to Amentan minds. There will be fewer words and more feelings.

He looks towards the green figure in the sky and sings at them with an intensity that everyone present feels as a light brush of feeling despite it not being directed at them, and the pair start descending towards the beach.

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I'll try to cope with that. Will she be able to understand me?

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I will assist, if needed.

The green one lands first, very gently, and pauses to straighten out their feathers before approaching the Amentans. Indeed every 'word' seems to come with a rush of feeling or a sensory impression behind it. The sendings at least come as sensible wholes instead of running together into one confused mass.

Hello, tailless one. Amentan. Amseli. I am Bloom. (Anxiety, a footnote of her trust in Seeker) I am told you wish your natures were altered. (This is an understandable feeling and Bloom sympathizes!) Seeker says you desire to Create Life painfully much in Spring. (Hesitation) No. That you desire to have created life recently. (Good, she corrected her error)

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That's the part many of us want to change, yes.

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Seasonal Changes are often difficult to shift. (And she would know!) However, Enhancements or Dullings of things are easier. (Thankfully; Hibernating for a long time was awful but a short time is OK) Also to note: Enkindling of an individual to alter what exists already is Relatively Straightforward, but changing their underlying Essence (The thing that is passed on to children) Is far more uncertain.

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That will affect how well it can scale if it's not hereditary and few people can perform the procedure.

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It seems your kind (The green-headed ones? Something about color...) Has some knowledge of manipulating Essence. I have been told that Enkindling Amentans to have weaker springs would be Good in your minds (Pointless suffering is nobody's friend). A service worthy of Treasure even if it does not 'scale'. So I will Try.

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Yes, we know some things about genetic engineering. Maybe our greens will be able to copy what's done for other people.

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If it were so I would have no right to complain. (She is unsure if she would want to complain.) Seeker's concern is for the whole of the Onesong (and all that is good and right) But if I succeed it will be an unambiguous help. To begin, I must study a variety of Amentans, doing a variety of things, of a variety of ages. (More and more faces appear, hair a rainbow of color) One must see many facets to view the whole beautiful Truth! (The view zooms out and the heads turn into a field of flowers.) 

...It would help if it were Spring.

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It will be spring in the southern hemisphere soon. Doing what kind of a variety of things?

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I don't know. What do you eat? How do you exercise? What do you fill your days with? How do the thousand subtle things I think may be relevant shift from day to night to day as these things change? Many, many things affect the flow of Essence, often in subtle and non-obvious ways. I can't put it into words. I must Know a being's kind before even conservative Enkindling is wise, lest their new and poorly understood nature lead them to ruin instead of harmony.

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Maybe it will make sense for you to spend some time in a city in the southern hemisphere.

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I want to do that if that city will feed me and help arrange my study and not bother me very much otherwise.

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I think that should be possible to arrange! If you'd like more details, our southern hemisphere representatives here today are - And she introduces them.

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Hello, southern hemisphere representatives. She wants to stare at Amentans in one of your cities.

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Every single one of the representatives names a suggested city!

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I have no way to distinguish between those! I can only be in one place.

Tail-thump.

...Show me the prettiest garden or the best natural area. Or both. I will choose the one that pleases me best unless wise Seeker advises otherwise.

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Everybody looks up pictures on their pocket everythings and holds them up.

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She picks one and looks at Seeker. Seeker nods in assent. There. Annoying decision out of the way.

She will want enough open space to take off from and to visit the garden and probably other things. She makes no promises but the chosen country will surely be first to see the fruit of her learning, if it fruits.

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Open space can be arranged!

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Seeker- Flying south would probably take a while. And I don't want to leave my Trove with you.

Yes, I will carry you there in the ship. Perhaps tomorrow. They must prepare a worthy place for you.

 

He speaks to the chosen southern country representative about scheduling the trip and what kind of place Bloom would like. (A big warehouse or something would probably be fine, if it's near enough the nice garden). Once they have a place set up, she can go there.

Bloom will wish to stay during and after the Draak political meeting, the Grand Moot. We have not yet decided what shape our relations with Amenta will take, but Bloom and three Elders consider the risk of some misunderstanding and incident acceptable. However, I want to discuss expectations if any incidents occur.

She knows not to kill or steal or spread pollution, but there are many smaller laws, what seems to us like far too many to keep track of, and she would become very annoyed to frequently run afoul of them. A liason who is prepared to minimize such difficulty, by suggesting alternate things to do or by gaining special permission or by other means, would perhaps be a good idea.

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We can get her a chaperone for that, yes, says the representative.

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Good. I think she will have fun and be productive.

He turns to Amseli. 

We have begun a ship construction program of sorts, but the Wing of Change remains the only starship, for now.

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Of sorts?

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I told many others that ships will be valuable soon and taught some of them how to build frames and some FTL design considerations. There will be more vessels with star-bridges sooner or later, even if the Grand Moot does not decide to encourage construction even more.

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Do they also know how to find us?

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No. Nor do they know exactly how to build star-bridges yet. That secret waits until after the Grand Moot.

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I see. Thank you.

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Would you like to meet River?

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We'd love to!

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Hello!! River shouts, after ceasing to annoy a crab, I am River, always seeking to touch new things! I have practiced this song much and it would be Disappointing if it were difficult to understand!

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I think I'm understanding you all right! Welcome to Amenta, says Amseli.

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I feel welcomed! Good! Seeker says that you are like those that drove us from Old Home. That's his concern. He's old and grumpy. I don't remember that place! Never been there. You're exciting, not scary.

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You're exciting for us, too!

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 You're exciting because there's a whole new world to see. Like that crab! And the boats! Why are we exciting?

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You're new to us, and we're all very excited that you might bring us a way to see even more worlds!

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The black ocean is wide. I can't help with that even if my creator is the one who bridged it. I'm here because I'm excitable and he doesn't think I'll kill anyone!

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Well, even though Seeker's the one who might be able to do the thing we're most hoping for, we've been hoping for aliens in general for a long time and you're still an alien in general.

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Makes sense! Why cover yourself with cloth things? Doesn't it scratch? How come Amentans can barely smell? Thumbs seem useful even though I like claws better. How did the internet start?

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We cover ourselves with cloth things for warmth and decoration, and most fabric doesn't scratch. We might not smell as well as you do but don't usually need to use smell to navigate. Thumbs are really useful. The internet's development had a lot of steps and I don't know them all, would you like someone to look up an article on it for you?

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Decoration is good. Too much slows you down though. Just look at Bloom! So careful not to scratch a claw or bend a feather! She's very pretty, though. Warmth makes sense... Aha! You see better. I can't see tiny details like words without a lens, especially from far away.

Maybe later, I don't know what I even want to know, yet!

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Maybe with some lenses you'll want to read a lot of the internet to learn more!

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Or just making the words bigger? Lenses are pretty breakable. And I can only read Elder Darktooth's sigils now. But it sounds like the internet has lots of interesting stuff and it will probably be worth the effort!

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Devices with larger print exist too, but I don't know how large you need it.

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Try one and see! Thats how you find out!

Seeker said Tapa and maybe Voa and maybe Tuviri seemed like the best places to go when I'm here, and you're from Tapa right?

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Yes, I am!

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So I could go to Tapa for a week or two until it's time to go home for the Moot. Or is this already Tapa? A city in Tapa.

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This island belongs to Tapa but isn't a central example.

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My Treasure is the things I have experienced. I can't pay for this. I don't know what you would want from me except to make a good impression on my father.

The relationship doesn't seem important, just relevant - one can expect River and Seeker to be similar, and for the latter to care if the former flourishes or dies.

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We generally let people visit Tapa to look around even if we don't want to make good impressions on their families. If you want anything very expensive or complicated, we might want to talk that over.

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People pay to talk to interesting people sometimes! If I end up wanting expensive things could try that.

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That would work! I bet a lot of people would love to chat with you.

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River flaps her wings once, shedding excitement into the air.

Talking to people is one of the best things about wandering! Few people want to talk to a barely-flying-one without much Treasure you can touch. Luckily, I'm good at running away.

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- what does that have to do with running away?

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I wander. I got good at running away, so I don't get hurt when people find me in their territory!

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That sounds stressful.

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It makes sense to chase away someone you find in your territory. They could be hunting your animals or trying to steal your Treasure, and it's yours. So I'm not upset when it happens. I don't hunt in claimed territories much and only little things and I usually leave a few shiny things if I have some as an apology so nobody actually hates me.

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Well, you'll have a chaperone along when you visit a city, so it'll be easy to avoid accidentally wandering onto private property, and the streets are for everyone to walk on.

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What if I want to climb a tree or go somewhere faster than you walk or there's something interesting on private property or-

Seeker clacks his teeth sharply. River shivers all over.

Okay okay chaperone.

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If the chaperone's too slow for you, maybe you can ask them to get a bicycle.

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I'll behave, I promised I would if I came here and I get to see a new planet so it's worth it even if I'm far more Water than Earth.

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More Water than Earth?

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Ooh! He didn't explain the Four? They're the four most important aspects of the Onesong! And people will sing 'oh, Seeker has great Air but could use some more Fire'. Fire is strength and drive and ambition and decisive ferocity. Water is empathy and understanding and flexibility and change. Earth is patience and endurance and calmness and certainty. Air is philosophy and thoughtfulness and freedom and insight.

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I see, that reminds me of some philosophies that are popular in parts of Amenta.

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I think every Draak mostly agrees on the Four and what they mean! And it makes perfect sense to all of us if I say that Bloom is strong in Earth, for example.

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I don't think we have anything like it that's universally understood.

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There's a lot more of you and you can't sense the song like us. But maybe if there's any Draak left on Oldhome maybe they'll have come to a different understanding of the Onesong by now.

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That seems plausible, that tends to let things diverge if there's a way for them to do that.

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Yeah.

...I think I want to learn about your music! The sound kind, not the other kind.

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We have lots of it, it's a very rich subject! Do you want to hear some now?

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Yeah! I think you'll get it from the internet!

The vague mental image of the internet she leaks into the song is of reaching into an ocean and pulling random things out.

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I will, in fact! She puts on some light instrumental stuff that won't make it hard for her assistant to hear her murmured commentary.

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She listens, very still, for a good thirty seconds. Then,

I want to sing along.

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This song doesn't have words, but it does have a tune one could hum, or perhaps you have something else in mind?

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Well, there's humming of a sort. A sound almost like something an animal might make, except purer and clearer, properly musical.

There's also images unfolding into the closest-by minds, telling a wordless story of cheerful wandering matched to the music. Plants and animals and landscape features drift into focus and then out, one at a time.

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- you could also charge admission to concerts like that, if you wished.

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As River claps her forepaws together in excitement, Bloom interjects, I could do better than that, but I will not bother. My only true passion is Essence and Enkindling.

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Even if you both wanted to do nothing but give concerts all day you could fill spaces doing it, Amseli assures them.

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Shouting is exhausting, but it also sounds fun! Let's do it!

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I'll have my assistant get a hall booked for you! What hours do you have in mind?

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I might run out of ideas after... An hour? And I'd get brain-tired and need a break to run around or something. Measuring time in stony blocks is strange.

Oh I don't know how far I can send to Amentans and have it still be clear, what's the hall like?

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Halls vary in size, we can get you a round one with seating in all directions for efficiency and one that's sized about right for whatever that range turns out to be. One hour per... day?

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Days make sense. Yours are about the same even though the year is really long. Hours don't. I guess I'll have to try singing for an hour and see how I feel after that.

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I'm sure they can make it clear in the marketing that the performance may not last the whole hour.

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The first one should be free since neither of us know what to expect! ...Well I guess whoever owns the hall has to be traded something?

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They do, and also charging money for something is one good way to decide who gets in at all, since there will be limited space.

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Oh right there's ridiculously many of you. I bet cities are loud.

Money can be turned into shiny things, yes? So I should get some. I should get... Half!

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I'm not sure what standard rates are, I've never thrown a concert, but I bet we can finagle you at least half!

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I won't complain about more but I don't trust too-complicated deals. Make things harder than they need to be. At least half.

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I'll let them know.

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Young one, while Stone and other materials can muffle your song, you can generate an estimate of your range by walking away while maintaining it.

River does that! It's about eighty feet if she's not really shouting until it gets muddled and indistinct.

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I'm sure there are theaters that radius which would love to have you.

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But not right now? Tomorrow maybe?

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Oh, of course not right now. Tomorrow will be fine.

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Good. I want to listen to lots of music and pick things to play and find a story to tell. Good songs are stories, if I will sing for such a long time I have to have a story.

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There are a lot of kinds! Amseli's assistant whispers to her. My assistant suggests that there's a program that is designed to help figure out people's musical tastes which would expose you to many genres.

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Sure! Just show me how. Computers are strange.

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The assistant offers her a pocket everything (they brought a few new ones to the meeting) and gets the app for her.

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Claws prove to be bad at using touchscreens. She has to hold her 'fingers' awkwardly to allow the fleshy underside a ways down from the sharp point to touch the screen.

Seeker managed it, somehow, so she can't let that stop her from using the pocket everything!

...She cracks the screen.

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They get her a new one and somebody gives her their stylus.

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She attempts to learn the stylus. This is somewhat less awkward than claws.

Sorry! Our tools have buttons and ridges recessed into things mostly. And we don't have as many of them. Seeker makes things you can Sing to, it's kind of amazing!

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We've got a lot of tools, and if enough Draak come by the planet I'm sure someone will invent specialty accommodations for your appendages for them.

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I don't think you could use my grabstick either! It grabs things from far away. And I can charge it back up with fire. I traded a weird fossil I found for it, it was a good deal since I couldn't carry around a big fossil forever.

(She gravitates towards string instruments and complicated percussion sequences in the music-taste app.)

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Do you need to be telepathic to use it?

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Nope but your fingers are too short and soft to aim it right I think.

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That makes sense. Could we make one that was shaped differently?

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Probably! But I didn't make it. I'm not really a making-things kind of Draak. Because if you make things, they have to be perfect or it's infuriating and you want to break the thing you made, and I'm bad at perfect.

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Is that how all Draak feel about making things that aren't just right?

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I think so. It probably varies. Stuff you found or traded for being not perfect is fine, though.

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If we knew the principles of the stick I'm sure we wouldn't mind going through a few prototypes to get it right.

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If you want it maybe I'll sell it! Seeker didn't tell me not to.

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We can see what people will bid for it! Maybe they can figure out how it works. I think they'd like instructions on how to make it even better, though.

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Like I said, I didn't make it. Copper Flame made it. But I'll show it to you!

River produces her grabstick by flying back to Seeker's ship (which lets her in) and returning with it worn around her neck on a black cord. It turns out to be a very fancy motorized extendable baton with a grabber on the end, not a telekinesis device.

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That is less impressive than any of the Amentans present were hoping, but they can announce on the internet that it might be for sale anyway, people have bought weirder things.

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(Bloom is not quite entirely silent about her amusement.)

I don't have anything really fancy. You'd have to ask Seeker for things like that. And I don't think I want to sell my grabstick after all unless it'd get a LOT of money.

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It might be a lot, but it's also fine if you don't want to sell it. We don't necessarily know what seems fancy to you, and vice-versa!

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Pocket everythings are very fancy, the internet is very fancy. Seeker makes these things that trap a Song of Healing inside them! You press the top down and it heals the closest animals some. There's shakesticks that pulverize stone but leave metal and gems unharmed. There's things that let non-Sapphires breathe underwater or let anyone breathe bad air for a while. There's hot and cold machines. I don't think those are as fancy, but they're good. There's trained insects that'll clean your cave. There's special lights that help plants grow better. There's probably other things I'm not thinking of right away.

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Some of those we have things that might be similar. The healing object sounds amazing, though. And maybe the insects, depending on whether they're good at the parts of cleaning that matter to us and aren't themselves aversive.

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Bloom! River calls, and then sends her a rapid summary.

 

I know of the Song-Traps, Amseli. The mechanism is subtle. The trapped Song is not as potent as what was put into it, and it is lost when opened. But they can be used again and again, music suspended in nothingness to be loosed when needed. A useful instrument indeed.

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Depending on how quickly and how well it works on Amentans I could see it being very useful to emergency response or to convalescence.

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I am capable of the least form of the Song of Healing. It has noticeable effects only over the course of most of a day. Greater forms are much more dramatic. It would be interesting to make the experiment.

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It won't be hard to find volunteers.

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I will wait for my southern hosts to arrange it.

Bloom is very patient, River says. Maybe a bit too patient.

You need more Earth in you, child. It does not do for a great and noble member of the Kin, the bearers of great power and responsibility from Sun and Earth, to rush around so.

Knowing what you want and going and getting it is greatness, too!

Then challenge others more often, instead of fleeing for another territory dropping tribute behind you at the first sign of opposition, like some manner of herbivore.

RUDE!

Bloom flicks her tail. If you criticize my way, I will criticize yours.

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The Amentans aren't quite sure what to say about this exchange.

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Anyway what else should we talk about?

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Has the Moot been scheduled? wonders Amseli.

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It starts in thirty-seven days! Our days. Thirty-six of yours. People have been talking endlessly about aliens, it's exciting.

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We agree! I don't suppose there's any way to send people to attend it?

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The ship doesn't belong to me, you have to ask Seeker. I bet someone'd try to kill whoever went there though. You're Tailless.

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Well, that sounds like we shouldn't try, then.

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Well, if an Elder says you're not to be harmed, fewer people would try. Maybe even nobody. And the Elders are pretty good at protecting things. You'd scare people a whole lot just by being tailless aliens on our planet though.

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We wouldn't want to frighten anyone. Are tails specifically important?

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They do a lot of body language. But everyone called the humans 'tailless' or 'no-tails'. It means 'scary and dangerous and bad' now.

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I see.

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I'm kind of scared just talking to you! But that's never stopped me before.

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Is there anything we can do to make you more comfortable?

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Can't think of anything. Oh, wait. Don't touch me without warning and don't surround me on all sides.

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- should we tell the people booking your theater not to get you one that has seating in the round?

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I don't know! Being too surrounded makes me nervous. If there's a way I could run away or enough space to get into the air if I wanted to it'd be fine.

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There are open-air theaters.

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That sounds a lot better than one that's all closed up! I didn't even know those were a thing!

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We like roofs for most purposes so if it rains we don't get wet, and to keep away bugs and windblown dirt.

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Rain is nice, and bugs and dirt aren't that bad. Tail-swish. Every animal's different though. I see a tree, useless except for taking wood from. Squirrels and birds see a food source and a home. I don't think non-Sapphires even like rain.

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Rain won't really hurt us, but it can affect how we regulate temperature and makes a lot of our tools break, like pocket everythings.

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I will be scared in a city, all walls and roofs. But it'll be fine. I'm scared a lot and I'll get to smell and see and hear and maybe taste lots of new things.

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You shouldn't need to go indoors at all if you don't want to. I think you're small enough to take off on a wide street.

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We'll see!

I should bring the meat we packed into the ship when it's time to go to a city. I bet Seeker could go months without eating anything if he had to but I'd better not try that.

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Do you think you'd like to try Amentan food? There is some here.

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Sure!

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Is it only meat you like?

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We can eat a few kinds of plants but mostly they just taste interesting sometimes and aren't actually filling. I'll taste anything though!

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A tasting menu is soon cobbled together out of things they have handy on the research island.

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Most of these things don't taste like things Draak can eat, but the seasonings are interesting and good. It's a little weird that they mostly eat muscle-flesh and not the rest of animals too.

Salty things are yummy. Protein-heavy non-meat foods are more edible than starchy ones. Fried things are yummy! Draak can taste sugar but it's unappealing - not bad, just meh. Dairy is BAD.

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These responses mostly make sense for predominantly-carnivores except they're surprised by the negative reaction to cheese.

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It tastes... Already half-eaten. I would eat cheese before starving but it's not tasty at all.

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It's a substance our subset of animal produces to feed babies.

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Animals on Newhome do that sometimes. Eggstuff would be gross, too.

It's pretty weird. We have things like crabs and fish and insects too. Yours are different but the same kind of thing.

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Maybe there are only so many ways for animals to be, even though it seems like there should be more variety.

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Or maybe some aliens put plants and bacteria on every planet a billion years ago! Figuring out why is an Air kind of thing, though. I'd rather learn what is, not how and why it is.

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Both things seem worth knowing, and specializing makes plenty of sense.

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Specialization happens but not in a caste kind of way. Also, people say the best Draak is strong in all four.

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Maybe that's more efficient for you because you mostly don't live in groups.

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I have no idea really! I'm good at talking to animals and figuring out what plants like. If I had a territory it'd be the best territory. Diverse and flourishing! But I don't want to settle down anywhere yet.

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Plants like things?

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Plants like having the right soil nutrients and water and amount of shade and pollinators and things like that.

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They're healthier if they have those things, but liking?

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Headtilt. Ye-es? A dry plant is just kind of sad and painful, and they go all scrambled when something eats part of them unless it's a fruit that's meant to be eaten. They're not smart, not even like insects, but they like things.

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How curious.

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It's weird that you don't think so! Everything alive likes things a tiny tiny bit, even bacteria.

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Maybe we're just using the concepts differently.

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This seems important. How am I different from a fish or a stalk of seaweed? I'm bigger and smarter and I eat different things, but those beings also live.

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I'm not really an expert on this. I think maybe I'd say that the difference is having a brain, but probably there are greens with much more sophisticated understandings.

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This seems important and I don't know how to explain it.

Everything looks out for itself, but... Everything has its own way, its own image of what is right and good... And they feel, and they're valid, and you need to at least understand this even if you're not going to go out of your way to make a rabbit paradise!

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When Amentans feel, we do it with our brains. There could be other things that do the same thing brains do, but I'm not aware of plants having any of them.

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River scratches at the sand, frustrated.

 

A plant is fulfilling its best purpose and doing something good and right when it photosynthesizes, and consumes soil nutrients, and grows its own body, makes seeds, and spreads them to the wind. A Draak is fulfilling its best purpose and doing something good and right when it eats animals, and learns about the world, and faces challenges and grows from them, and eventually finds a mate and makes an egg or five. There is no fundamental difference.

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I'm really not sure this meshes with what else I understand about the world in a constructive way. I'd be happy to find you philosophers or biologists or something if you'd like help trying to translate the idea.

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Maybe not having proper empathy is why the Tailless were so terrible!

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- I'm really sorry to have offended you.

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I want you to understand. Maybe I should talk to someone you think might understand, yes.

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I'll get you some philosophers. And biologists. And anybody who's both if we have those.

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Thank you. I'm done talking for now talk to Bloom she's patient.

River runs down the beach and curls up away from everyone.

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...okay. Nobody pursues her. (The people taking pictures keep taking pictures.)

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I said that I was not very theological, he tells Amseli. River is. This is a theological divide which I will not be much better at explaining, and it's upsetting. She will be fine. Especially if she can explain it to someone else later.

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I'm sure she'll have as large an audience of fascinated greens as she could wish, but I'm not sure they'll agree with her.

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If she can explain her concern, however, she will have made clear the biggest fundamental difference between the almost-universally-agreed-upon Draak beliefs and those of Amentans. Even if you do not agree, it would probably help for cooperation.

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That's worth pursuing even if it weren't likely to be intellectually interesting for many people.

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Indeed.

 

Meanwhile, Bloom trots up to one crowd of picture-takers.

This is a way of trapping images, yes?

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It is! Would you like to see what we've got so far?

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Yes. I want to make sure you make me look as good as possible.

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They'll show her all the pictures.

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...I like this idea, taking pictures. I would like to take more. What looks beautiful to Amentans?

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We like pictures of the sky, and flowers, and babies, and art.

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The sky and flowers are indeed beautiful. I make my own flowers. Plants are less risky to experiment on than animals. Our hatchlings are mostly not beautiful, though there is something very pleasing about eggs. 

I have tried to make my body a work of art. Symmetry and color. Would you agree that my feathers are beautiful?

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Yes! See, the pictures of you we've posted have lots of people approving of them - that's the number of people who've remarked that they approve of this one, it keeps going up.

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Good! That's exciting! Are there ways I could stand that would make better pictures?

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They have lots of suggestions now that she mentions it!

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Yes, this is a good use of time. She'll preen and pose happily.

She has an idea for a pretty flower she could make for Amenta, a towering cluster of tiny buds that fades from blue-purple-dark green-whitish grey-orange-yellow-red down its length like so- Here's a mental image!

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It's pretty! If she's going for the symbolism they think she might be going for maybe leave out the red?

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...But the red caste exists? They sound pretty important really. The way you deal with waste underpins everything else, even if it's ugly.

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They exist but people would rather not think about them and her flower will be more popular if it doesn't make people think about them. Red flowers are fine, but doing it as part of a caste rainbow is another matter.

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It's no good to willfully ignore part of a whole system. I only received a simple explanation of pollution, though. (Waste, peoples' corpses, reds: Do Not Touch). Am I missing something?

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That's the important part, but we remember that as much by an instinct we have as by having learned it; it's an aversive instinct, sort of like pain.

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Flowers that cause people to feel something like pain would be terrible. But a caste-representation that excludes a caste would also be terrible.

...I will not make a caste-representation flower.

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That seems like a good resolution.

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Seeker tells me that the treatment of reds, the tendency to destroy ecosystems, and the way you get meat are the three things most Draak will not like about your society. I don't know how much we will have to change for each other, though. I'm sure you won't like some things about our society.

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There's certainly things we wouldn't like for ourselves, but I don't know that we have much impulse to try to dictate how you conduct things within your own species assuming it's not interfering with being neighborly. I suppose some people might be moved that way but it's certainly not going to be a policy priority.

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I'm no Elder to decide these things but factory farming sounds quite horrible. I do animals more than plants, and flowers more than any other sort of plant, or I would be thinking about a sausage tree. Weaver-Of-Essence, who well deserves his title, is trying something like that, I believe.

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We'd love a sausage tree, as long as we'd still be able to feed everyone off them.

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Plants are more productive than animals. I think you would probably be able to feed more people than before on the same land. Meat-bearing plants are a drastic step, but helping nature along is understood to be acceptable in cases where there is already severe imbalance.

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Maybe Weaver-of-Essence will be able to straightforwardly solve the problem, then.

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I hope so. If the problem is not straightforward to solve, he'll probably call a Lesser Moot once everyone interested has had the chance to do some groundwork uninfluenced by each other's ideas, and then everyone can work together and share the benefits from the completed project.

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What's a Lesser Moot like?

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A few dozen to two hundred or so people who share common interests make temporary homes close to each other and gather every day in a shared work-space to work on a project. It continues until the work is complete or enough people abandon the project for one reason or another. They're not so formal as Grand Moots. For example, Seeker called a Lesser Moot and got people to start building a lot of starships - bigger than the one he made for himself. He left, but the Starship Moot surely continues even now, and it will probably reform once the Grand Moot is finished, too.

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So it's a little like a convention or a conference.

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I've never been to a convention or conference. You all probably work together more than we do. There is a definite mood to Moots that is absent in daily life, though. It can be invigorating in small doses. Tiring in larger ones.

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Well, I hope all the planned Moots are productive and don't tire anyone out too badly.

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Seeker addresses Amseli,

I have discussed privately with other Elders some of the things that will be decided at the Grand Moot. One thing we are uncertain how to approach is controlling the behavior of Draak visiting Amentan countries. I am confident that River and Bloom will not make trouble, but they were both carefully selected.

If a Draak commits inexcusable crimes in Amentan territory like unprovoked murder or grand theft or willful and deliberate spreading of pollution, we will not care if they are caught and executed. They will deserve it. However, any case of laws being enforced on Draak less clear-cut than that has potential for... Discontent. I am well aware that this is a problem. I would like to discuss what satisfactory solutions would look like to Tapa.

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Well, first we might need to assess what constitutes a provoked murder...

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Self-defense would be the most likely case. If one is being attacked, one will obviously defend themselves to the best of their abilities, whether that means running away or trying to kill before you are killed.

If one is being harassed but not dangerously or lethally so, such as being poked with a stick, it is unlikely they would go straight for a kill but very likely they would escalate, perhaps with a warning scratch or bite, and that escalation might lead to a death. Deliberately killing after clearly light harassment when the Draak was not in danger would be unprovoked murder.

If an Amentan tried to steal some Draak's property and the Draak tried to stop them from doing that, not all Draak would restrain themselves and merely injure thieves, and the thief might die even if they were not setting out to kill. That would be provoked murder under Tradition, and generally allowable for us, but perhaps not for you. 

If a Draak reacts in surprise or instinct to something and this leads to a death, for example accidentally knocking someone into the path of a vehicle, that would be an accident, not unprovoked murder.

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We have a concept of 'diplomatic immunity', I wonder if it would suffice to cover this sort of thing.

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I don't think I've read about that, please explain a bit further?

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It's intended to allow ambassadors to work even in hostile countries; there are generally some limits on it but they're pretty similar to the ones you outlined, and other crimes are punishable only by expulsion from the country. The complications I foresee are that it's typically provided reciprocally, and that without our own ships we can't actually expel a Draak back to your planet.

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Not without the cooperation of some other Draak, at least. Whatever governmental body we formed could without issues guarantee that they would remove a Draak that Amentan governments wished removed, with some penalty for non-compliance. Reciprocity would be... Plausible. No executions by the government, merely removal of Amentan citizens...

I predict some growing pains if we are to begin prosecuting Draak for murders internally, however. The only police action by higher authority we have ever known was the execution of one who was performing biological experiments and not containing them anywhere near well enough, and outright refused to stop, or to do them in an isolated and secure area, and said that the Elders had no authority over them. And occasionally, mandating that fines of gold be paid from one Draak to a harmed party.

Another option that would encourage good behavior, if not guarantee it, is security deposits. Visitors must give up something, and it will be given back when they leave... If they were well-behaved. Losing something you value is very aversive.

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We'd be able to implement that, certainly, and it could take the place of fines for crimes that usually carry that penalty.

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This seems like a good general potential policy to discuss at the Moot, though the details of course must wait.

To summarize: With exceptions for certain major crimes, Draak visiting an Amentan country would not be punished under your justice system. Instead, Draak visitors would give into trust some amount of Treasure when they arrive, to be retrieved when they leave. Those who get into trouble would lose the trust deposit, some or all of it depending on the degree of crime. At the Amentan country's request, the Draak government would remove any Draak you wish removed. We will probably punish them, too, if they did something foolish - and capturing and temporarily holding a Draak in non-tortuous conditions long enough to allow a proper pickup would be fine. The government itself could also give into trust a great amount of treasure which would be forfeit if the government failed to keep its deal. 

Does that sound accurate, pending more detailed discussions?

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That sounds accurate. We'll need more specifications for how Draak are best detained, though hopefully it won't come up.

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I too hope it won't come up. We will be able to provide that information after the Grand Moot. The last immediately obvious concern I have is a Draak that considers themselves innocent resisting detention-pending-removal, or failing to recognize police as the authority they are, and killing police officers in the process of doing so.

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Yes, you're pretty intimidating and our police are trained for taking in fellow Amentans.

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I could design items that are unmistakably of Draak origin and would loudly announce in the Song that this person is an authority and they are permitted to kill you if you do not let them detain you. Perhaps that would work?

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It might - if there were only a handful and our Draak visitors moved around, not every police department will have one, and of course you know more than I do about how reliably it would work if used.

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I would add indicator lights, and I think such a broadcast would be felt by your minds too. The message might get lost if the Draak is disoriented or high or in a lot of pain or panicking, but that's true of shouting too. And I have been studying mass production, it's possible I could make a production run of identical devices... We would be upset if a non-authority got their hands on one and abused it.

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There's plenty of precedent for devices that only certain authorized agencies are permitted to have.

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As to Amentan visitors in Draak lands, as I said a diplomatic immunity arrangement is easy enough, and I think we could find political will for punishing crimes against Amentan visitors, though it would have to be a very simple criminal code.

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How simple? Most of our laws only get too essentially complicated when they're related to how people live and work, tourism can be stripped down a fair bit.

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...It would have to be very simple, at least at first. Simple enough to be read in ten minutes and understood by a two year old.

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That's - hm. Our notion of law involves some laws that can be summarized simply but often have embedded long elaborate definitions of all the concepts used and when they do and don't apply.

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We would want the long elaborate definitions kept to an absolute minimum. Draak are not used to rule of law in a strict sense. Our existing laws are things like "Tell an Elder if you find Blueblight and don't go near it." We mostly don't think in words. If one violates a law in an edge case caused by ambiguous concepts or uncertain definitions in good faith and without actual intention to subvert the law it gets treated as a non-violation.

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How do you determine intention?

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...By asking them to account for themselves?

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- they can be relied on not to lie?

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The forbidden art of Lying is very, very difficult in proper Song. A Liar cannot keep up their Lies without being detected for long. And then they are shunned for abusing the sacred power of song.

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Oh, I see.

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I noticed the internet is different, but somehow I did not make the connection...

Draak will find being lied to upsetting. Lies of omission are annoying but permissible. Mistakes and emphasizing certain aspects or perspectives is fine... Direct falsehoods, claimed to be true? No.

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It's generally not polite, and sometimes outright criminal, but it's not difficult, so Amentans sometimes do lie outright. I don't think I've lied to you.

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I'm not sure if I would have noticed it in your mind, but I trust it to be true as you say it now. The closest I have come to sensing a Lie was a sense of False Sympathy that I think the sender did not truly feel, one time.

For crimes of Draak against Amentans we can ask the Draak for an accounting of the events from their perspective and continue to trust it to be true. Crimes of Amentan against Amentan, we should let you figure that out yourselves.

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Our systems for that aren't perfect, but they do all right for us, I think.

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And you might have heard that I started a ship-building initiative. But any more policy talk would be flapping my wings without actually going anywhere, before the Moot, even if having a picture of possible New Laws helps.

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Yes, I understand nothing's set in stone yet. I'm just imagining an Amentan trying to get a good photo of Blueblight and then trying to adjudicate what "near it" means.

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Hmm. I suppose we might be able to add extra definitions to the Moot laws for Amentan consumption - if the expanded versions apply to Amentans, not Draak. That feels strange to think about, though. They are not intended that way.

Do they not understand that Blueblight will kill them?

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They can certainly be made to sit through a lecture on the subject before they land. We can't expect one hundred percent conservatism, and - I think a lot of Amentans would assume that if you didn't specify a perimeter it couldn't be too dangerous from moderate photo-taking distance.

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Yes, before we allow Amentan visitors I will expand all our laws with more clear definitions and boundaries. Blueblight is very, very rare, thankfully. It's just dangerous enough that it must be taken as a deadly threat should so much as a suggestion of it appear. I wish I had a way to be confident it was totally eradicated.

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I wish we could be confident of that too.

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Yes, well. All the wishing in the world won't get you a tenth as far as hard work.

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I think it might be useful to you to read at least some of the Tapai legal code, maybe with a legal yellow handy to explain things about its history and reasoning and implementation.

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As good a project as any for whenever I'm bored with chatting with the marine biologists. I think I want to stay here for the whole month I intended to visit, barring ferrying Bloom and River. It's a lovely little island.

Actually, River would think it a fine adventure to take a boat instead of my ship.

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I think she'd fit all right!

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Properly adult Draak will have a harder time fitting into Amenta - both literally and figuratively. They're bigger because I don't think we actually ever stop growing, and more set in their ways. Being able to fly is the mark of young adulthood and she had her first flight only three seasons ago.

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So they invite River to join them via boat heading back to Tapa.

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She's in a better mood now. Sounds fun. She has a lot of questions about how boats work!

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The boat greys can explain and what they don't know the others can look up.

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Burning fuel to make something move is a neat idea. Maybe Draak can power things with their fire breath.

Caste is strange, she tells one of the boat greys. I can see differences between greys and blues but they're not even as big as between Bloom and I - Emerald and Sapphire - and you make laws about them.

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- it's not about looking different, offers a grey. That's just convenient so we can tell who we're talking to.

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I don't just mean the hair color. You think a little differently, you move differently. But still! I can breathe underwater and she can't and that's not as big a difference to our social roles as caste!

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That seems more like an ability than like a purpose.

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Then I don't understand castes. Maybe it's just how Amentans are. It's not like all kinds of people are supposed to be a certain way.

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Castes had to be invented, volunteers the yellow who's chaperoning River.

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Headtilt. ...Elders and Moots and Tradition had to be invented too. And that doesn't make them fake. Interesting!

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Yup. They're not like needing to breathe air, but they're real.

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So how do you change castes if you want to?

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- you don't.

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...Really? You can make yourself an Elder if you want to. If you're good enough. There's not an - unbreakable rule - that I can never call a Moot or change Tradition. You can't decide to be blue if you're... Blue enough?

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No, you need to be born blue. Maybe you can fudge it if you're half-caste and move.

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Invisible chains. Freedom is important to Draak and that sounds kind of horrible. But we're aliens.

I wonder sometimes, would it be better to have no law, no Elders, no Tradition, for more freedom? My answer is 'probably not'. After all, I could just ignore all that and do what I want. There's nothing controlling my mind. I would just have to accept the consequences - someone would kill me if I tried to live like there was no law. But I could.

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I don't think out of caste violations are usually capital crimes. Maybe if you defrauded people for enough money.

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Oh, right, philosophy is green. That's so weird to think about! Sports are grey, right? He asks the one who was explaining boats to her. I wonder if there's any sport I could play even slightly fairly.

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Sports are grey. You probably couldn't do the kind of sports that have that as a concept fairly, but you could do some competitive obstacle courses or something?

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I'm bigger but Amentans have much better hands. Obstacle courses sound fun. I bet I'm pretty good at them. I'm the best person I know at running away from things.

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That's kind of like an obstacle course, if you pretend something's chasing you.

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Yeah, that's why I think I'd be good at it. Covering ground really fast can be thrilling - you want to see a running-away memory?

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Is that a lot different from just talking?

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I don't think it's fundamentally different? It's probably more intense? I have to think at you a particular way to make the thoughts come in almost-words like this and you're not getting things that another Draak would be getting, I think?

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Well, I'll try it if she's got the conn all right - yeah, she's on it.

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-And clamber over the boulder feeling heat on your back and squeeze through that narrow passage and scramble up to this ledge and sprint down this straight section hearing a roar behind you and hit the wall to kill your speed and fall into the stream below and swim for the cave entrance and run through the forest dodging trees and brush as fast as possible and an open clearing spread your wings and freedom, fly away, crowing in triumph!-

Fun, right?

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It's got a heck of an adrenaline rush quality to it!

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Adrenaline?

That's not why I go into people's territory, I do that because I'm curious, the running away is intense and fun but I wouldn't provoke people just to successfully run away.

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Yeah, but the part you showed me was the running away.

Flying must be great.

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It is! It's pretty exhausting though.

I wonder if I can carry someone? I'm not sure how much Amentans weigh. And my back claws would be - a very bad way to carry something I don't want to hurt so you would need to hold on somehow?

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I think in art where people are riding stuff with four legs and wings we sit on their backs? But maybe you could carry a harness or something.

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That sounds uncomfortable. My back moves a lot when I fly, the muscle is all there. I kind of want to try it but I'm also scared so maybe some other day.

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Yeah, that's fine.

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River has more questions about boats now!

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Boat questions can occupy them till they pull in to the naval base.

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Cities are big! And kind of ugly...

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This isn't the city, the city's a bit farther along.

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What is it? There's tons of metal around here, I can almost taste it. Is this where you make boats?

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No, it's where some boats that belong to Tapa are stored and trained with.

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Some of them are huge! Seeker said we Sapphires might do sea rescue if things work out okay, cold and storms and waves won't bother us at all, but I don't know if I could do much to help such a giant boat.

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The boats are pretty good at storms and waves and cold, but you might be faster, or better at it in some other way.

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Bet I fly faster than a boat swims. Any boat. There's a challenging tone to this statement.

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You might! How fast do you go?

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- This fast, comes the feeling. It seems pretty quick, trees zipping by just below.

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- I'm not sure how to turn that into a number.

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Me neither! Amentans number and label everything, huh?

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It makes it easier to compare things if you know the acceleration and top speed of a bunch of different boats or whatever in numbers.

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Well I'm fast. That's good enough for me.

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All right! I'm not as fast, so getting into the city will take a while. I'd usually take the train but there's also a road, and it's not too far to walk.

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What are trains like? I want to try one maybe. I want to try basically everything.

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Trains are pretty small and enclosed, and you could probably get into one but it might be awkward and claustrophobic. They go along rails very quickly to get people where we're going.

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I'd be scared but I still want to try it.

Are they still on the naval base? River is looking around at all the everything either way.

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They have gotten off the boat and are going through the base to the exit! Okay, I can ask about having you on the train. They might want to run the train otherwise empty while you're on it.

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That would make me less scared but it seems inconvenient.

Fuel and boat stuff is really smelly, I hope the city is different.

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It is! The vehicles there run on electricity, which doesn't smell at all. Chaperone yellow taps her pocket everything.

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Are you using internet right now? To talk to people? I still have no idea how that works except pocket everythings do it.

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Yes, I am, to ask about putting you on the train. I don't know a lot about how exactly it works either, except that I think radio signal is involved.

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I bet Seeker took one look at the planet and understood it instantly. He's an Elder for good reason. -You can talk to Amseli from here! So I don't have to go back to ask about the theater thing!

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Yes, I can! Though she actually delegated the details of the theater thing to other people, so I'll just talk to them. - Looks like they've narrowed it down to four places, do you want to see pictures?

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Sure! Also how close are they?

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They're all in the greater metropolitan area of the nearest city. She displays pictures of four different small outdoor amphitheaters.

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She picks the one with the most vegetation visible nearby.

I still need to decide what songs to Sing over, and what story to tell...

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They say they'll hold the theater for you till you're ready.

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I have a story idea, it just needs details. And songs. It's getting a little late, but tomorrow for sure.

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I'll let them know you're expecting to be ready tomorrow!

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Tomorrow at midday. If I'm not ready by then I'll just do the best I can and fix it for next time. I think you can make the songs come up right once I pick some, right? It's nice, being in someone's place and them not chasing me away but actually answering questions and stuff. Where am I going to sleep? I usually sleep in caves so anywhere quiet is fine. Everything's kind of loud here. And smelly.

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Yes, it shouldn't be hard to queue up some music for you, the theater purples will know how to do that. It sounds like they've gotten you a hotel room on the top floor of a hotel, since some of those are pretty big. The top floor won't be too close to street noises and they've probably cleared the top two floors so you won't have neighbors bothering you either.

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Good! Thanks! Buildings are kind of flat on top, I wonder if I can fly from the top of one?

Are they off the base yet?

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Yup, here's the checkpoint at the edge of the base, there's the train station. I can ask about roof access! And they say putting you on this next train will be fine, they cleared out a car.

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Thanks, they sound crowded. Does everywhere in a city have so few plants? 

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We like plants as decoration, and there are parks, but most space in cities is for buildings. This train station is aboveground, though it goes into a tunnel in short order. A train pulls up and the chaperone points out the empty car.

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It's a little overwhelming being here. We don't have cities. We barely ever have buildings.

She's a bit tense (though it might be difficult to tell if you don't know tail body language) and hesitates, peering at the train.

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It's probably more overwhelming in the city proper. Do you want to stay here instead?

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I don't want to give up the chance to see it. I can leave if it's too much, right?

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Yes, of course. I can point out the direction to this base and you can fly back to it if you need to.

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I'm no Emerald but I've got a good sense of direction. Won't say no to hints though!

She scurries towards the train car.

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The train picks up speed and heads toward the city. Its next stop is a shipping hub; they don't get out here, but continue through two suburban stops and finally get out at a stop at the city's edge. "Here we are!"

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She slips on the smooth floor the first time it accelerates and grabs hold of the nearest grabbable surface, possibly damaging it.

Sorry! Everything's so breakable around here.

That's way faster than walking, I see why you like them.

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The pole holds, but she does scratch the plastic. It's okay, the chaperone assures her, that's just cosmetic damage, looks like. Welcome to Pahuia!

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So many of you! I can wander for days and not see anything smarter than an owl sometimes.

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That sounds lonely to me!

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This place is super crowded to me. Animals are decent company and almost never try to kill me. It's hard to imagine so many people at once all with different personalities.

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Many of the many people are taking pictures of River. There isn't an explicit security perimeter being maintained, but there are a hell of a lot of greys around, many in uniform.

I don't think anyone here is going to try to kill you.

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Well maybe some of you hate and fear aliens. That makes perfect sense to me.

 

HI!, she broadcasts to the crowd.

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Everyone jumps, mostly with excitement. "HELLO!" exclaim a chorus of voices in reply, with scattered additions of "welcome to Amenta!" and "we're so glad to meet you!"

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...I can't understand what everyone's saying all at once, she sends only to the helpful yellow. I'm listening to minds not sounds and it sounded excited but that's all I could tell. Loud! Also I think I forgot your name again.

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Mostly they were just saying hello! I'm Shima Mahkemiken.

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Mahkemiken. It's easier to remember job names, I think. Because they were chosen. I'll try to remember. I want to talk to people and see things, but not all at once!

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All right, do you have an idea what you'd like to start with?

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These people can ask me a question if I can ask one too! Just... Only one or two at a time.

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Mahkemiken addresses the crowd; people fling up their hands, and she calls on a purple, who wants to know if River would like to try his restaurant's frybread.

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'Fry' sounds good, 'bread' doesn't, but sure! Is restaurants how everyone gets food?

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It's how lots of us get lots of our food, but some people cook for ourselves at home, says Mahkemiken. The purple says something. He also has other things, frybread's just his signature dish, he can get you fried chicken?

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We maintain habitats and hunt. Sometimes we do fish farming.

It's not going to hurt me, and I want interesting stuff, and can get fried chicken other places. If a lot of people are going to offer me food because I'm exciting I'd better eat small portions, though!

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You'll probably get lots of offers like that, yeah!

The purple fetches her a small frybread on a paper plate.

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She tries to eat relatively neatly. It's about as much of a meal as a little rabbit, she could eat dozens of those, and it's interestingly crunchy! She bets chicken will be more popular with aliens if more visit, though. Who's got the next question?

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Mahkemiken calls on a blue! The blue wants to know if the train agreed with her all right.

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It was certainly faster than walking! It's like nothing I've ever used before. Would have been awful if I was crowded in. Probably Draak will mostly prefer to fly places instead of using trains if they can.

Might empty cars with extra room be a thing eventually if many Draak visit?

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They might! says Mahkemiken. Probably not on every train, but maybe every few will have an empty car for Draak, or maybe they'll make dual purpose wheelchair access and Draak cars, or something.

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Cities are really overwhelming I'm not sure we'll end up... Living side by side? I'm a weird curious Draak.

Next question?

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This grey heard she's doing a concert, is that right?

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Yep it'll be something like this-

She croons a single bar from the instrumental music and sends out an image of an alien turtle swimming through alien coral.

-For an hour, apparently. Tomorrow. Maybe less, hours are weird. And probably more than one concert!

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Everyone is excited about that! Mahkemiken calls on a green who asks if she's making some deal with the musicians?

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I don't know anything about that! I was just going to pick some I liked from what the music-taste thing showed me.

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Mahkemiken checks her everything and says the artists will get subsidy kickbacks if they're Tapai and compensation under the international artistic collaboration protocol if they're not. Then she calls on another green who asks how long River's going to be in town.

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It seems like I could spend years exploring one city and not see everything. But I want to go home when Seeker - the big one that visited first, comes the image - does, for the Grand Moot. That's probably thirty days from now.

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A purple wants to know what besides concerts she wants to do while here!

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An obstacle course! Food. Talking to people. Gardens? Swimming and flying? Talking to city animals? Maybe learn things from a wise teacher? Learning things is good. I need to turn the concert money into gold or art or something before I leave, too.

What's your job? Becomes her standard question when she can't think of anything specific.

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This orange is walking her dog! Would River like to talk to the dog? Is that really a thing she can do?

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River's head tilts at the dog.

 

Most animals don't have as much to say as Draak or Amentans, but your dog loves you and she's healthy and she's suspicious of me because I'm big and toothy and smell scary.

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Amentans applaud! The orange hugs her dog.

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She tells Mahkemiken, I don't think I like the idea of pets. It's related to the thing I couldn't explain to Amseli.

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You said the dog loves her, though? And is healthy?

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Yes. It's not that the dog is suffering. The fact that pets are a thing isn't even bad... I don't know how to explain it or I would have already.

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All right, well, I'm listening if you think of anything else you want to say about it.

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It's a pattern. It's multiple things that make a confused mess of feelings. It's philosophy.

Each plant and animal has - a little bit of agency. A single insect changes the universe forever by existing. It consumes a leaf, or feeds a frog, or pollinates a plant. It has an effect. It feels like Amentans see animals less smart than them, and plants, and the whole universe, and sometimes each other, as - tools or potential tools.

Everything that lives acts according to its nature. It'd be wrong to blame a rabbit for eating grass, or a Draak for eating a rabbit, or an Amentan for wanting a baby. But everything that lives shares a nature as a thing-with-agency, as a thing that will predictably change the world in some way great or small, as a thing that the universe would be different without.

It's not that things would be better if people never existed. Nature's always changing, anyway. It's not that people shouldn't make tools and get themselves what they want. It's not even that species should be kept from going extinct! I don't have any idea what a perfect universe would be like if I could make this one! I don't think perfect is a thing.

I guess... Plants and animals are less important than Draak or Amentans. But they're not unimportant.

...Oh. Our compassion extends to plants and animals, and even to species or ecosystems. I don't assign that dog, or that decorative shrub over there, to a different category than you or me. I'd preserve me before you and us before them, and the dog before the plant, but they are in the same category. Yes, I think that's it.

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- then how do you decide who to prioritize consistently if they're the same category?

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I suppose I feel it. I could probably tell you what I'd do if you described a situation, but I couldn't always tell you how I decided it.

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Huh.

Mahkemiken calls on another purple who offers River a dish of sorbet.

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I think that's the biggest thing, but we think in a lot of different ways, it's not just that.

 

...It smells like mostly sugar, I don't think I'd like it particularly but I'll still try it if you're offering, she says of the sorbet.

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She's offering! She has a sorbet cart so that's all she's got.

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She tries it. Eating something cold is neat and the flavoring is neat but sugar really doesn't do anything for Draak!

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"Thanks for giving it a try anyway!" says the sorbet cart purple.

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Thanks for giving me something new to try! Tasting many things is even in my name!

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"You're welcome!"

A yellow wants to know what Draak computers are like.

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I don't have anything like that. Mostly people who really like math make them? I've never seen anything like a pocket everything before today!

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- but you have spaceships!

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Seeker of New Truths is a genius and he has a spaceship.

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This puzzles the Amentans.

A grey wants to know how fast she can fly!

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She sends a memory. That fast in short bursts! Slower for endurance. She's never measured it in numbers.

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Purple wants to know if her scales and claws and whatnot take a lot of maintenance!

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I only care if I can use them, so not really. Just occasional cleaning in water and honing on a stone. You should see Bloom, though! I think there's pictures, plenty of people were taking them. Emeralds get feathers all over, between their scales, and she spends ages making them beautiful.

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Orange wants to know how, with Draak so spread out, they manage medical care.

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We mostly don't? Adults mostly don't need it and hatchlings live near one parent who can help if they want to. There's a few experts who can adjust your hibernation period or how your colors come in or regrow teeth and bones right if you can get to them and pay them.

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Ooh! The next person called on, a grey, wants to know if the color thing could be exported for people who have the wrong hair color.

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That sounds probably easier than nudging springs down, which is what Bloom came to try! 

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That's very exciting! Next person is green and wants to know how Draak school works.

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Draak teach each other if there's something one wants to learn from another. Usually for token payments in Shiny Things. There's nothing organized, unless you count Darktooth the Wise's Test of Wisdom. To pass the Test of Wisdom you have to learn to read and write and do math and make simple circuits and a lot of ancient history and learn about different schools of thought and what the flaw in each of them is! I think only like two hundred Draak have actually passed the Test. Most don't bother trying.

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Another green hops up and down, hand in the air, and when called asks why they only have schools of thought with known flaws in them.

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I'm not sure what you mean! Everything has a flaw in it from at least one perspective. Even the school of Number, which can always generate an indisputably correct answer, but indisputably correct answers to multiplication problems aren't always very useful. That's the flaw: Math can't do everything for you.

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That seems like a flaw in application, not in math itself! says the green.

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It was more like ways of thinking about the world. Math isn't a way of thinking about the world. Trying to use math to solve everything is, and that's flawed!

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Isn't a blend of ways of thinking about the world itself a way of thinking about the world?

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Yes! And it's still flawed, but you do your best anyway.

You seem like the kind of person Darktooth might enjoy talking to. What's your name?

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Shiknema Shafio!

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I'll try to remember it and mention you to the great Elder if the chance comes.

Next question?

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Purple wants to know if lots of Draak are going to be visiting soon.

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Not lots. Mostly we're kind of scared of Amenta and there's many more of you than us.

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Why are you scared? asks the purple.

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You're like some other aliens that we lost two awful wars to. Most of us hatched after that but lots of people remember them as scary and bad and dangerous.

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Are we related to them somehow? a yellow wants to know.

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I don't know! But you look like you could be.

Here's that classic image of a bearded warrior in bronze armor again, slightly indistinct. And another one, of a sprawling medieval city seen from above.

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Is there any kind of entire galactic community we can hope to join? wonders a green.

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It doesn't seem like it. Other aliens exist, but nothing... Organized like that?

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Do you wanna start one? asks a three-year-old blue Mahkemiken calls on.

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That would be good, but I want to meet Amentans and taste your food and see interesting things and do concerts!

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Next person is a purple offering her a meatball on a stick! He warns her not to eat the stick, unless Draak eat sticks.

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Draak eat bones sometimes, but not sticks.

Nom. She wiggles happily!

Good! I like how I barely have to chew it!

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It's all ground up! explains the purple. That lets us blend several kinds of meat and also spices and stuff!

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Spices are fun. We don't usually use spices. Or cooking. Some animals you have to cook but other than that we just don't. It's a lot better like this though!

I hope the meat-tree idea I heard about works out, it's kind of sad to think about animals in factory farms.

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Why? asks a different purple.

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It sounds like they suffer there, and they don't see any live plants or the sun or rain or any other species of animals, and their whole lives are predetermined, and that's sad.

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Amentans seem a little confused. The yellow Mahkemiken calls on next wants to know if there's such a thing as different languages or dialects or anything when everybody's telepathic.

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Well, she already knows that they don't get it. Maybe explaining enough times will help.

There are common shortcuts and tendencies in the... Shape... Of thoughts that are sometimes different from place to place, that's sort of like a dialect I think. I'm unusually good at using telepathy to talk and understand, I can usually tell what people mean. 

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An orange wants to know how old River is!

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I think about twelve or thirteen, maybe! Seeker says I'm at the developmental equivalent of four and a bit.

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Do you age like us just slower, or is it not - linear in Amentan equivalent development per year? asks the orange.

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I'm not sure how you age. A hatchling can already walk around and use telepathy and hunt and learn things when they hatch. And they're about as big as a two year old Amentan. Then there's a long time when you just slowly get bigger and smarter and learn things, and after about nine years males could be fathers, and once you can fly you are a young adult - that's usually between ten and fourteen Amentan years - and after about sixteen years females could be mothers. Oh, and our years are shorter but I'm using Amentan years so it makes sense.

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That sounds really different, all right! Where'd the guess that you're like four and a bit come from?

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I can fly but that started just three seasons ago! And I'm still kind of immature by Draak standards, even though I'm technically an adult.

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I guess that makes sense!

A purple wants to know if Draak thinks Amentan babies are cute. He's holding one.

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I don't think we even have a 'cute' reaction! Or at least not the same way.

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That must be so different!

The baby's two year old brother wants to know if the baby looks tasty. His dad is appalled.

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All Amentans look a little bit tasty, but not as much as meatballs now that I've tried one! And I promised not to hurt anyone, so please don't worry!

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This gets a scattered uncomfortable giggle.

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Well, it's true. Draak eat animals. Amentans are animals. What would you think of an alien made of fruits?

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"We wouldn't eat an alien!" objects a grey.

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I'm not going to kill any Amentans because I want to eat them. There are less smart things to kill and eat, and everyone would be super angry at me, and maybe even pollution would come into it and I don't understand pollution really, and it just seems like a bad idea.

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"I'd eat an alien animal," muses a purple out of turn to himself. "If it was tasty, I mean."

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...I'm starting to feel a little bit surrounded, River tells her chaperone.

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Do you want to go to the hotel now?

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Maybe? I'm not exactly tired yet and I could use a break but I don't feel - done for today. If there weren't so many people here I'd want to just wander around and get to know the place, but there are.

I think this street's wide enough to take off on, but the winds are funny, like they are around a crazy mess of cliffs, and flying in a place where you don't know the winds is a bad idea. Could we go to a - sports place or an obstacle course?

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I can see what there is around.

I've found a rock climbing place, a track, a pool, a ball court, and some kind of maze thing but I think it requires being able to go through smallish apertures to enjoy.

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I might break the rock climbing place, but it sounds fun. 

She flexes one handful of claws. 

I don't usually cut things I don't mean to, but it does seem to keep happening here. Do you think I'll make enough concert money to pay for that? Do you think whoever owns it would let me try despite that risk? A pool might be good if not, or a big open track.

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I can have someone ask the rock climbing place, but they might take a few minutes to get back to us. The rock climbing place doesn't have real rocks, though, it has fake ones sized for Amentans and might not be much fun for you. The pool sounds like a good idea.

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Climbing is fun, but you're probably right if they're not big walls. Okay.

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Mahkemiken says that'll be all the questions for now please and would people please step aside? and the Amentans part and they can proceed toward the nearest pool, which is underground beneath an office building.

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She stares at walls and floors on the way there, sometimes seeming to stare through them.

Buildings are sort of like caves, right? She's not walking into an incomprehensible hive, she's exploring a weird cave. Calm, calm.

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The pool has a nice high ceiling, at least, and it's not too crowded relative to its size at the moment; there's a lap pool with a couple yellows and a grey and a purple in it, and a hot tub with a yellow and a green, and a family pool with some purples and more yellows with their kids. Mahkemiken explains who they are to the person at the entrance. People look around to gawk at River.

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...It's not gonna hurt me but wow you pushed all the nature out of your swimming places too.

Whuf.

How deep is the pool? She peers at it.

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The lap pool is four feet, the family pool goes from two to eight.

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This feels really cramped, and slightly poisonous, but it still won't hurt her and at least she can go back and forth at the deep end of the family pool or something. She waves at the other swimmers before splashing in.

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Some of the bigger kids swim over to meet her! (The adults are busy containing their smaller ones.)

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-And there's an idea to make this vaguely unpleasant swimming place more fun.

Hello! She sends to the smaller group approaching her. I think none of you could catch me in the water if I don't let you, for I am a Sapphire, and we are practically hatched in the ocean!

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"I bet we can if we all try at the same time!" says a purple kid.

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The power of teamwork against the power of a Draak? It seems possible, especially in such a little pool! Maybe I will take that bet. If I lose, I will ask Mahkemiken to let you all come to my concert. But what will I get if I win?

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"What do you want?" asks a yellow kid.

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I like shiny things and adventure!

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"I've got a tumbled amethyst," volunteers the yellow kid. "But I don't have it with me."

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That sounds pretty enough and would be acceptable. 

(It's doesn't seem like especially good Treasure from the mental image but this is a game with hatchlings- er, kids- and she's not risking anything particularly great either.) 

I would not demand my prize immediately, if it's in your hoard. There should be a time limit or you could just refuse to admit defeat!

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"We have to leave in twenty minutes," calls a yellow mom.

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The challenge is made! 

She roars - quietly for a roar but it resembles that word more than anything else - and disappears under the water with hardly a splash, tail the last thing to go under.

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The kids split up and try to surround her! One of the parents leaves their one year old with the other parent and goes to get a video.

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She is swift and nimble in the water, twisting and feinting to avoid their reach despite her large size, and turning on a dime. She also doesn't seem to need to come up to air, though she doesn't just stick to the very bottom, that wouldn't be as fun! A wing or her tail or her head pops out of the surface for a moment with a splash whenever she gets clear enough from the group.

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Eventually a yellow kid gets her tailtip!

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I am defeated!

She surfaces and makes a dramatic show of lamentation, but she's grinning inside and leaking some of that out.

A bet is a bet. But in the ocean you could never, ever catch me!

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"Probably not," agrees the yellow kid, grinning.

"Could too!" cries a purple.

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I'll show you just how fast I can swim if you clear the middle of the pool. My short name is River, and I flow like one!

 

To just Mahkemiken, Sorry to just go ahead without asking, but I had a fun idea and I flew with it. I hope it won't be a problem...?

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It's fine! Mahkemiken assures her. The kids herd themselves back to the stairs with their families.

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That was fun. The tumbled amethyst wasn't even enough to make an even bet considering that concert places turn into money. It'd count as one, maybe two, Shiny Things. But that was fun and I feel like I've learned something and I've got an unusually casual relationship with my things for a Draak.

I think going to the hotel now would be good.

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All right. Mahkemiken thanks everyone at the pool and shows River out and to the hotel building. The elevator is rated for lots of people to board at once and should be able to handle one River-sized Draak, if it doesn't seem like this street is a good place to take off.

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She's kind of scared to try flying in the middle of a city after thinking about it some more, to be honest. If she tumbles it's concrete and glass, not tree branches, that'd catch her. Elevators make her nervous too, but less so.

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Then they can go up in the elevator, separately because River's cutting it a little close on the weight limit, but Mahkemiken can follow in the very next car. Here is the top floor of the hotel! And here is River's room, which is spacious as Amentan rooms go and has a bed she will actually fit on if she wants.

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This is good. It's quiet. Thank you for showing me all around today! I think I will finish picking music and then message you the list and then sleep. I'm looking forward to doing the concert!

I'll wake up when the sun rises, please don't let anyone in, it would be really alarming to have someone have been near me while I was asleep.

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I'll put up the do not disturb sign and tell hotel security. I'm in the room right across from you, please feel free to knock and wake me up if you need anything! Do you want me to show you how the plumbing works, and the lights?

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Sure! Everything is shiny and unfamiliar, you might as well explain anything that's more complicated than the window curtains.

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The window curtains are actually also controlled with buttons, it turns out; Mahkemiken explains them and the plumbing and the lights.

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It doesn't smell like rainwater coming down from the roof, how do you push water all the way to the top??

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Pumps, I think? I don't know a lot about plumbing.

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It all seems like magic to me sometimes. I guess our best things do too.

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The telepathy seems like magic to me!

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It seems a little like magic to me too. Life's kind of like magic. Any matter existing at all is kind of like magic.

I wonder how many approves the pictures of me swimming with those kids got? Probably a lot. That was kind of the point. Or one of the points. Being a nice and exciting alien who wants to play with you, not a scary alien who might want to eat you.

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Do you want me to check?

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The number will be just a number, it won't feel like anything. So, no thanks. I think I'm good and I'll come find you if I need anything.

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Okay, see you in the morning! She lets herself out and goes to the next room.

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River... Chooses music and continues to outline her story in her head. It doesn't have to be a long story, since she's going to pad it out with her memories of wandering and alien animals. She manages to curl up on the sooooft bed and even gets off it in the morning without puncturing it. She dreams nervous but hopeful dreams.

She wakes up when the sun intrudes through the curtains and stretches in the relatively spacious room and manages to use the plumbing without breaking anything worse than a little scratch in the countertop. The room's door is opened by careful application of her grabstick, still hanging around her neck, and she knocks on the next door over with the stick too.

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Mahkemiken opens up. "Good morning!"

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Hello! It will be I hope! I'm excited for the concert. Picked out all the music and I know what story I'll be telling even if I've never done something like this or even practiced before.

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Can you let me know what songs and I can send them to the theater?

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They're my favorites list on the music taste app! Typing is hard. They're in the right order though. I think they are probably not exactly an hour?

She hands over the pocket everything. (The favorites list totals to an hour twelve minutes.)

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Mahkemiken copies all the names onto her own everything. Alrighty! Looks like it's a little long, but I think they booked two just to give you some wiggle room - some people like to have an intermission, or wind up starting late - so no problem.

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A little break after the fast drum one would be good. Ten minutes.

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Okay, I'll let them know! Your time slot's not for a few hours, what do you want to do?

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I could practice. Or wander around restaurants and wait for people to offer me things, that would be fun. Or maybe take a train out of the city somewhere I can fly without being scared to crash. Or relax in a park. Any of the four really.

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Do you need an audience to practice on?

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It'd help! You or someone could point out things that don't make sense to Amentans.

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I'd be happy to listen!

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Good! In a room, not the hallway?

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Naturally. She comes over to River's.

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She starts the first song and sings.

The story is slow, with frequent pauses for wordless sense-impressions, images and smells and sounds coming in over the music and her audible singing.

It starts with a smaller River waking up from hibernation and singing about how wonderful the world is, with so much to discover. From the stones and landscape to the plants and animals, everything from tiny fish to great trees has a lesson that can be learned from it.

In the next two songs she is determined to learn the ways of all the animals and plants, and tries to see things from various perspectives: A tiny minnow, a great tree, some insects, a deer-like pack herbivore, a slow and patient giant omnivore bigger than herself but much slower, among others. All these animals get a lot of attention to how they move and sound and smell, with commentary from River like 'the Giant Sloth did not fear its visitor, for its skin was thick and its body mighty'.

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Mahkemiken is enthralled! This reminds me of some TV shows I liked as a kid.

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I'm glad it's good!!

The fourth song is a bit faster with a drumbeat that makes things feel a little uncertain, she sees an Amentan from a distance, purple-haired. She invents lots of implausible explanations for the strange things the Amentan does, like wearing clothes to smell like plants to smiling and laughing to warn off predators. Small River decides she can't figure out the truth without talking to the Amentan, but when she goes to do that they are already leaving on a boat (???How did it not sink???), so she'll have to figure out some way to follow them.

The next few songs are dramatic and challenging, as Small River journeys to meet the Oldest Draak, all while trying to find enough to eat and gather treasure to pay for his wisdom. She faces harsh terrain, bad weather, and hostile Draak who deride her for her quest and challenge her to fights or riddle-games. She gets past all obstacles one way or another, though one of those ways is by fleeing, and the song talks about how it's sometimes better to just leave and find another path than to try and bully through.

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Why do all those other people want to fight or do riddle games while you're busy with a quest?

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Because I'm going through their territory and eating their animals. It's also just what you do to strangers traditionally. No fights to the death unless you have really angered someone, though.

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Mahkemiken nods.

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I'll try to mention that.

The next song has a moment of high tension. She's almost there, the Spineback Peak is in sight, when a large Draak from her earlier adventures called Burning Eye swoops down on her. They argue with River wanting to learn about the Amentan and Burning Eye wanting to avoid them. Burning Eye refuses to bend. He says that trying to meet the Tailless is foolish - that they are strange and dangerous and better left alone. He demands that Small River turn back and give up her ambition.

She refuses as fast drumbeats come in. Burning Eye says that he will imprison her until she learns better. She tries to flee, but isn't fast enough. She tries to hide and evade, but that fails as well. Burning Eye captures her in a great metal cage. No matter how she cries and rages, she can't get out of it. And so, without any other options, filled with despair at Burning Eye's refusal to listen, she curls up and tries to sleep...

And now is when I will have an intermission. I don't think I could finish the whole story without a break!

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That seems like a good cliffhanger for the intermission!

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Oh, that's an interesting word! Of course hanging from cliffs is worse for you. I really do have to take a break, though. 

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Of course! I'll go order myself some breakfast.

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Please get me a little bit as well! Nibbles of things, if you can. I don't have to eat for a week or two but everything's been delicious so far!

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Of course!

She gets bacon and eggs and toast and hash and fruit oatmeal and sets aside bits of each for River to try.

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Bacon is good, of course. Cooked eggs are... Strange. She's never had raw eggs because breaking eggs makes Draak instinctively cringe, even unfertilized. Cooked ones are just weird. They might be an acquired Draak taste. Everything else isn't, particularly, but she's glad to have tried it all.

Her story resumes with Small River complaining about her plight to the animals that come peer at her cage. They don't care. Then, she uses what she learned in the beginning and takes the perspective of these animals. Field mice get taught where to find nuts and berries and bring some of the extra to her. A small omnivore is bribed with the bounty of food to go get a Giant Sloth to come to the cage. And to the Giant Sloth she promises to collect a lot of fish for his baby from a nearby stream if he breaks open the cage bars. She is freed, and keeps her side of the deal, and then resumes the journey to the Spineback Mountain.

The mountain has the first sign of civilization, of structures, in this whole tale. Workshops and monuments dot the mountainside. Her way to the caldera at the peak is guarded by a series of magical guardians, Enkindled animals. They demand payment before she is allowed to approach further, which she provides with treasures gained earlier in the quest, kept in her mouth the whole time. Then they give her tests. She must melt a metal lock with her fire breath, navigate a rock maze that requires a lot of contortions, sprint across a long tunnel before a timer runs out, and endure the intense heat of crossing over an active lava channel from the volcano - these four things embody the four elements that a good Draak should have: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth.

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(Mahkemiken thinks it's interesting that breaking eggs even of other species would be troubling, since there are plenty of egg-laying animals that will happily eat the eggs of other egg-laying animals.)

Is it unusual to be able to melt locks? I'd think that would come standard among Draak who can breathe fire at all.

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Well, would the average Amentan enjoy killing a cute puppy or kitten?

The heat gets wicked away, since the metal is part of the door itself. And it was a big lock. Your fire has to be strong to melt something like that. If it seems clearer, I can make the guardians have frost magic.

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Not... recreationally? But if they were tasty someone would have the job of butchering them to get them to grocery stores. Frost magic would probably make that seem less perfunctory.

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I wouldn't be surprised if some Draak like eggs. I don't. And, makes sense.

Back to the story. And then... She is before the Oldest Draak. He is enormous and scarred, and his mental voice booms. She tells them about the Amentan, about her journey and everything she has learned. Then, Burning Eye shows up. Burning Eye sings a harsh song to the Oldest Draak, claiming that avoiding the Amentans and their strange technology is right and good, for they are numerous and clever and powerful, and who knows what will happen if they learn important secrets from the Draak? River argues back, singing about how learning about other life has only led to good things in her journey, and about how if they become friends with Amentans they will no longer be dangerous.

The debate continues for another song, with both River and Burning Eye making clever points. At length, the Oldest Draak silences the two. They are both partially right, the great elder says. Burning Eye's plea for caution is well-meant and sensible. Rushing into the unknown often has terrible consequences, and caution is right and good. But Small River's hope for understanding and learning has merit too. Burning Eye would have the Draak's traditions stay the same forever, locking what came before into place as the Unquestionably Correct Way. The world is always changing, and the best way to live when a riverbed is dry is no longer the best way to live when it floods and overflows its banks. The Draak must change as the world does, or they might as well be dead.

The final song is a hopeful and uplifting piece. During it, Burning Eye, the Oldest Draak, and Small River are journeying across the ocean, meeting fish along the way, and collecting all the other Draak she faced challenges from earlier for the journey. Ultimately, they make landfall. The Amentans are alarmed and afraid of the strange visitors and brandish spears, but Small River walks forward, unafraid, and bows her head to a blue who also walked forward. She says, Hello!

-And the last song ends.

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...spears?

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Do you not use those? That's what the humans had for most of the time on Oldhome. I think they came up with other things by the time the second war started but I don't know much about that.

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We used to have them but not for a long time.

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Well, do you think I should change it? Also, what do you think of the story?? I wonder if I should linger in the first part, learning about all the plants and animals, a little longer since you liked it.

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It's really engaging, especially since the format's new! I'm not sure if everybody else will like that part as much as I did, and it has to sync up with the songs, right? You can give the Amentans spears if that seems right.

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Yes, it does seem right. I could find another song that's good for the first part... But I'll just leave it. I could do other kinds of stories, or fill a whole hour with learning-about-animals, but this one seems like a good first one.

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Are you going to repeat it through the whole time you have the theater booked, so lots of people can experience it? It won't really lend itself to a recording.

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I don't know how bored I'll get of telling the same story every time! Probably little things will vary even if I keep the same overall plan. Maybe I'll get tired of it and want to do something else. I'm not sure yet. Thirty days isn't really a long time, but it's a little bit of a long time to do the same thing every day.

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Sometimes a performance that's popular enough runs for seasons or even years, though I think they sometimes swap out the performers as they move on to other things.

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I really don't want to tell the same story for years. I'm not sure what I'll want in half a season! Maybe other Draak will come and sing stories if it pays well enough. Money only barely makes sense, though.

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Oh?

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...It's sort of like Shiny Things? Shiny Things you can't actually touch? I'll give three to someone for being allowed to hunt in their territory for ten days, or two for a history lesson, or a hundred and fifty for adjusting my white stripe so it's straighter and brighter that one time. But you can't actually touch money, it's just a number, and the part of me that likes having things says that doesn't count at all.

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Oh, money's mostly not for having, it's just for spending.

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She flicks her tail in a curvy sort of motion.

 

...Oh. That was a shrug. How long until I sing the story for a real crowd now?

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There's time to go wander around for a bit, though maybe it'll make the most sense to get the train to the theater now and then wander around near the theater. It's in a park!

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A park sounds excellent! Maybe the wind will even be calm enough I don't feel too scared to fly!

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Maybe!

They depart the hotel and people take pictures of River and they go to the train station and wait for a cleared car; the station's security shuffles people from one to the adjacent ones and River can get on.

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She knows how not to scratch the plastic this time! 

I feel a little bad people got squeezed out for me but not bad enough to get into a more crowded train car.

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I don't think they mind too much. They get to take pictures and tell everybody they had a chance to see you!

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If I think I can fly safely maybe I should go around a lot so more people can see me, if it's so exciting!

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Sure! Up close is special, I think, but they'll still be thrilled.

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Too bad there's only one of me and far, far too many of you to ever see everyone. The universe is so huge I could never ever see all of it, though. I just have to find parts of it I like!

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I think that's what we're all doing in the long run!

The train whisks them to a less built up area, with buildings that can be reasonably called "houses" instead of "skyscrapers", though there are also apartment buildings five and six stories tall, and shopping two and three floors deep among it. Still, there are trees, and it's a short walk to the park, which covers a great big shallow slope on which people are picknicking and flying kites and throwing various recreational projectiles. At the bottom of the slope is the amphitheater, built out of severe and handsome gray stone and furnished with plasticky cushions on the tiers of seating around the circular center stage.

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This is a much better part of the city. Still very crowded, but less oppressively so.

A long shallow downslope is an ideal takeoff point! She scurries to a clear spot at the top of the hill and with two long steps and two great flaps and a bit of a roar begins climbing through the air! She passes over the ampitheater and turns, coming back up the park's slope. 

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Amentans, perhaps predictably, take pictures.

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She tags a kite lightly with her tail as she passes.

Passing over Mahkemiken she sends a wordless plan: To fly in wide circles over the general area and look at things from above. She will assume it's time to land and come sing when people start to fill up the theater!

And then she's out of range, moving quickly enough that she might beat a non-high-speed train.

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Well that's going to make it hard for greys to case all the places she'll appear but also hard for a lunatic to set up somewhere she's going to be they haven't cased, so. Mahkemiken goes and sits in the amphitheater to wait.

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She twists and turns and dips low past apartment buildings and rarely passes the same street twice, keeping her promise to let lots of people see her.

If she comes across a particularly landable roof or another park she might have the whim to take short breaks to talk to people.

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Here is a roof with some purples having a party on it!

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That looks fun! She circles the building a couple of times, radiating curiosity, uncertain whether there's enough clear space to land and not crash into anything and then take off again later.

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Purples wave at her. One calls "DO YOU WANT A SAUSAGE?" Some dancing purples clear away from the place they were dancing.

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YES! But I need more space to land!

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More dancing purples press to the edges of the clear space.

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And she lands, realizing that this is possibly a bad idea - it's a very crowded roof - but when has that ever stopped her?

Hello! This looks fun. What's going on here? I can't stay long but you have sausage!

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"We're having a party to celebrate Mik and Tafe having enough for a child credit next year!" explains someone.

"Sausage!" says the one who offered the sausage, presenting a steaming-hot grilled one on a paper plate.

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What? -Oh, right, Amenta has to limit reproducing by law to control imbalance. And you buy it with money here. Congratulations to Mik and Tafe! May your lives echo beautifully in your children! I'm too young to do that but I want to, eventually.

(Sausage is nommed. Sausage is tasty!)

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She can have another sausage if she wants! There is also pasta salad and grilled pineapple but they heard she likes meat best.

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She definitely likes sausage best of the foods present here but would appreciate little tastes of the other things. (And it's so loud and crowded here, it's a bit overwhelming, like being downtown, maaaybe she shouldn't have landed at all but they're not going to hurt her, are they?)

I can sing for a little bit to celebrate with you, if you all would like, but I need to go do my concert soon!

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She can have tastes! "That'd be really cool!" agree a couple purples, and the others all nod.

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She matches her own voice and the pace of the telepathy to the music that's already playing. New life, always growing, so much potential yet to be brought forth! She throws in images of cute baby animals, of plants sprouting and growing. Who knows what the yet-unmade child will see and do? But they will Mik and Tafe's, a new expression of them formed together, and it will surely be right and good and worthy of celebration!

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The purples are super into this and dance around her about it.

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She breaks off suddenly and tries to back up and get space, but they surrounded her while she wasn't paying attention.

Aaaah!

She tenses up and arches her back - can't back away with them dancing all around her - and puffs out her head feathers and hisses slightly.

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A purple one-year-old starts crying. "- do you not like dancing?" asks one of the adults.

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...She holds herself smaller.

-Sorry. I wasn't paying attention, and then you were all around me, all close, that's a little scary.

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They back off.

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I don't want to scare you all either. I should probably go to my concert soon, can you clear a path for me to fly away? But congratulations, and thanks for the sausage!

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They all squish as close together as they can so she has space.

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Taking off is slightly precarious here, she can't quite extend her wings all the way until she's clear of the roof, but there's enough room to catch herself and lift up and away before hitting anything.

Back towards the theater to see if it's filling up yet, after a final call of, Thanks! Sorry! Congratulatioooons!

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There are people in about a quarter of the seats, and security greys checking tickets of others as they come in.

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She swoops over the auditorium and comes to a gentle landing halfway up the park slope. It doesn't seem to be quite time yet, so she lays in the grass and stares at the sky, thinking.

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Friendly Amentans in the park say hi and welcome her to their planet and city!

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She says hi back, a little vacantly.

(She's in a little bit of a mood.)

 

...Does anybody here know how pumps work? Maybe they could think about it while she listens. She was curious earlier and hasn't had a chance to find out.

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...this purple knows how pumps work, sure?

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Draak barely have any of some kinds of technology and this Draak has not personally studied much of what they do have! Pumps are interesting. So is almost everything else. And she can't actually read Tapap, let alone text as tiny as a pocket everything shows, so she has to ask questions when she's curious.

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The purple will explain pumps as the theater fills up.

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Fascinating. She stays there learning about pumps as long as this purple will indulge her, coming out of her bad mood and occasionally checking for the spirit-signature of her helpful chaperone yellow in the Song. (Mahkemiken always seems to know when things should happen, and River doesn't, so she's assuming she will find her and tell her when to go start.)

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Mahkemiken is over there, and does eventually walk over and say, Your start time's in ten minutes, will that be okay?

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Sure.

She strolls up to the edge of the theater and considers how trapped she's likely to feel in the center of it. The lack of roof helps a lot. The many, many people present doesn't but she's not about to back out!

How big is the spot in the center? Big enough to move around a bit?

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Yup, she can pace around a fair amount.

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Then she will go there and curl up in the center as if sleeping and remark to Mahkemiken about possibly getting some props, next time, and wait for the first song to start.

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The theater has a staff green come on and introduce her, and then the green goes away and the music pipes out of the speakers hidden in the stage.

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Ooooh! These are much better at making music than pocket everythings! She was a little worried.

She keeps the excitement hidden, and sends out a feeling of deep darkness, deep stillness, deep calm, while the first song slowly picks up... Snow and frost around a cave entrance melting and running away, and grass creeping in... And then uncurls and stretches on the stage while Singing about this young Draak, named Stream, and how her hibernation is over and she can go out and see the world again! 

(She scans the audience and tries to see if the most distant seats are getting everything.)

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They're leaning forward but seem to be engaged with the performance!

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Good, then she can continue! She has to tell the story as about some other Draak, as a-thing-that-could-have-happened, at first. It breaks the immersion a little bit.

The story she told Mahkemiken earlier pours out of her mostly unaltered, a multimedia telepathic movie that touches every sense River can make it touch, accompanied by the music and her onstage dance, with only occasional pauses. Her performance doesn't exactly line up with the songs either, at first. She keeps finishing ideas too quickly, then needing to fill the time with random, wordless imagery. That's hopefully alright - the story has a pretty high ratio of wordless lush sensory detail to actual content already.

The protagonist Stream has a wonderful time meeting all manner of animals and musing on how the rabbit's story is the exact opposite of the fox's, how an insect is simple and blind to the larger world uncomprehending of the titan hovering above it, how a tree wouldn't notice the tiny dramas that play out around its roots, instead paying attention to the warmth of sunlight and the quenching rain.

Stream is confused by everything from clothes to fingers to smiling to speech when the purple-haired Amentan visitor is spotted and cautiously watched. His face is indistinct, and everything about him seems slightly distorted and strange. (She was possibly aiming for humor in this section, but seems to have missed the mark.) But his tools! His boat! She has to figure out what's going on, perhaps even make friends...? If only he hadn't left so quickly, the Draak and the stranger might have learned something from each other...

She really gets into it after that. The sense of unreality, of this-is-a-story, disappears and she is Stream, facing all these challenges, venturing across the dry desert and hoping for water, frantically trying to solve Pebble-Counter's gemstone riddle, defeating the brash Flare in a fight by cunningly tripping him up... (She might scratch the stage a little bit flailing around during the more dramatic bits.)

She misses the start of the next song, fear of Burning Eye knocking her out of that flow state. She keeps going, though the telepathy during the last song before intermission is jerkier and less coherent than the rest. Stream is trapped and disconsolate (and River wishes she had a real cage to lower over the stage) and wow she really needs her break, she's almost panting.

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Everyone bursts into applause as the music quiets.

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Good! Thrilling! Excitement and cheer and appreciation from hundreds of minds fills the entire area in the Song, now that she's silent in it. She stands and absorbs it for a little while, trying not to think.

A great success! Except... For a while there she was almost Lying. She wasn't actually trying to deceive anyone, it was a story, but still - she was projecting something made-up as it was completely true.

...Mahkemiken, can you get me some water? ...Also, did you notice anything about the middle part? After seeing the purple, until the last song.

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It got more immersive around then? Mahkemiken says, running to grab a bottle of water off a vendor with a cart.

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Yes. It did. She 'sounds' unhappy about this.

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- I think that's a good thing?

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Not really. It means I could lie.

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I don't think anyone in the audience thinks you're telling a true story. Water bottle.

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-Huh, these are really light. This is almost all water.

She gently grabs it in her front teeth and slowly tilts her head up to drink.

No, that wasn't lying, but I started to believe I was Stream for a while. So I could lie about something if I really wanted to. And that's awful and dangerous.

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...I'm not sure how to help you with that. Amentans can lie and it's not the end of the world.

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No Draak can lie for long. Every Draak thinks that. If you do lie, you slip up eventually, and it's one of the worst crimes. It's unfair and just wrong. And I didn't mean to but it happened anyway.

Whuf.

I guess it's not your problem. It's mine.

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Are you going to be up for the second half or should I tell them it's off?

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I promised I'd do it. More or less. Right? I don't remember if I ever actually promised but in practice I did.

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People are expecting it, but if you aren't comfortable I can cancel.

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I might not be as good in the second half - last third, it's more like the last third - but I'll do it.

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Okay. You can take a longer break than you'd planned, if you like. Do you want another water?

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Don't need it. An extra few minutes would be good, though.

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Of course.

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With the remaining part of her break, she peers around to see if the kids from the pool are here.

(It might be pretty difficult to tell, all the Amentans kind of blend together to Draak eyes.)

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Some of them are! Not all.

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She thought-nudges the first one she recognizes, a purple kid. Hi! How do you like your swimming-contest prize so far?

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It's weird! I never went to a thing like it before!

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It's weird for me too. Never done a thing like it before.

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You don't do this all the time on your planet?

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Nope! Not for a whole audience, and telling a whole story like this. I'm not sure why not, it's fun! Lessons are a little like this I suppose.

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Did you invent this thing?

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...Guess I did! Shiny, I've never invented anything before!

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Coooool.

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Huh, you say 'cool', we say 'shiny'.

I hope you're having fun at least?

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My mom says it'll be a good story for my kids.

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So it's not fun? Huh. Not everyone likes the same things I suppose.

I'm definitely going to tell my eggs about Amenta, but I don't know if meeting you and those other kids at the pool will be part of that. Stories for eggs have to be really short and I'm seeing a lot of things and meeting a lot of people.

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That's okay. It was real nice of you to invite us.

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I made a bet, so even if it was partially a game of course I kept my end of the bet! May you be blessed.

That seems to be a conversation-ending phrase - the telepathy stops. She at least says hi to all the others she recognizes from the pool, including the parents.

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They smile and wave and say hi back!

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Are they enjoying her story? It's exciting that people mostly seem to like it! ...But also fine if they don't.

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Most of them are! It's a really novel experience.

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Good!

She relaxes for another few minutes before resuming the story where it left off. It doesn't get quite so immersive as it did in the middle of the first part again. Her bargaining and pleading with the animals to escape her cage comes through fine, though, and connects back to learning about them in the start of the story.

The magical guardians and the importance of the payment and tests are never actually explained, and the debate between Burning Eye and Stream before the Oldest Draak ends up being a little hard to follow - she makes references and uses turns-of-thought that (of course, in hindsight) the Amentans won't know.

But the journey across the ocean has lots of pretty sea life and connection back to the other aliens Stream met in the first part of her quest, and the last moment - of caution warring with curiosity and tentative hope on a foreign beach - is a crescendo of genuinely felt emotion from River, a sense of wonder.

And the music ends. That was a fiction, something that never happened. But there is some truth in it anyway, for the best stories are so! Thank you all for listening to me.

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Applause! Whooping!

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Hurray!

Mahkemiken, I'm so happy! Thank you for helping me do this! I want to answer questions for a little while and then maybe talk to people about what wasn't perfect about it! Once everyone calms down a bit. It seems like you might know how to figure out who has smart things to say about how the Song was good or bad? Or at least better than me!

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I can call on people for you like I did in the street if you like?

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Hmm, there's a lot of people here. Did any of them pay the most money? Maybe only let those ask? So it's not so many people that hardly anyone gets to ask questions?

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The ones in the front row probably paid the most.

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But will everyone else be mad that they don't even get a chance? ...Forget it, please call on whoever you want to when the cheering stops, I don't want to make myself frustrated overthinking this.

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Don't worry about it, Mahkemiken says, stepping up next to her on the stage smiling and clapping herself. She slows down, after a minute, and everybody else slows down to mirror her, and finally the audience is quiet. Mahkemiken has a mic and says, "River's willing to take a few questions, raise your hands and I'll call on people!"

And she calls on a blue in the first row who asks in accented Tapap, "Is this a traditional story formula among your people?"

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(She's relying more on seeing who is being called on and paying attention to their mind than her slowly-seeping-in knowledge of Tapap.)

Do you mean sensory-stuff-and-music-and-dance, or the things that happened in the story?

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"The things that happened," says the blue.

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Not really! Some things are well known story elements like the guardians and tests, and being challenged by most people you meet, and learning about plants and animals that way, but Stream's quest that combined them all and some other stuff is unusual!

River answers questions for a while, and then wants to see a mall since she has money now!

 

 

Back on the island where Seeker landed, he addresses the Voan representative. (Voa has a moonbase which has been called to his attention, and seems stable.)

Voa has significant space infrastructure, including on the moons, from what I can tell. Would it be correct to think of your country as a leader in space construction? I would like to discuss a possible project with you - though an actual deal would have to wait until the Moot, like everything else.

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Our lunar presence is of similar size to Tapa's, but the two are the largest. What's your project?

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Draak have limited experience in heavy industry and construction and do not generally think or work in ways that lend themselves to scaling up. However, I realized that it should be possible to fit a small vessel, little more than an FTL engine and a fuel tank, into a larger one in a way that a single star-bridge can transport both ships. A bit like freight engines pulling cargo cars cross-country.

It remains unlikely that my kin will permit me to share the FTL engine technology immediately, but something like this or carrying Amentans inside wholly Draak-built ships is quite likely possible, I predict. I imagine many Amentan countries would be eager to participate in making vessels suitable for this.

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We'd certainly like to know what specifications we'd need to operate under and are able to scale up to suit availability of FTL engines.

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I will have to do some development work on the engines. It is possible, it is not even particularly difficult, but it is not already done. I would be willing to talk to greens about a few things now despite the Moot being yet upcoming - for example, the common docking connector the other Draak and I agreed on, our transponder and basic signalling encoding. However, my reason for asking is that I want to understand Voa's orbital infrastructure and construction capabilities to focus my development effort correctly. Tapa's as well, but I can speak to them separately. What the largest spaceships you could build are, what they are generally made of, how durable they tend to be...

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I can invite a specialist here? Or I could get one on the phone.

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Yes, I would appreciate that. In person is much better for me. I can use phones if necessary but spoken language is uncomfortably confining.

I think it will be worthwhile to try this first with only Tapa and Voa, to keep from being overwhelmed by too many competing standards of work. I would consider Cene as well, but they failed to impress me as much, and smaller countries are probably less able to take advantage of this idea.

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Some smaller countries do have space programs, but we and Tapa have worked on them the most. I'll have some spaceship specialist greens come here.

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He gives the same spiel to Amseli to alert Tapa to this offer (and that Voa got it too).

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Amseli can summon some Tapai spaceship greens too! Meanwhile she has this generalist on hand who can at least understand technical papers if he downloads them and answer some of the questions Seeker has about their ships.

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My specific and detailed questions can wait until the specialists arrive then, he sends with amusement. He can give me an overview, that will be helpful.

 

...It occurs to me that I have not seen any representatives from Calado visiting this island. Do you suppose Tapa is keeping those away because they seem likely to annoy me and otherwise cause trouble, or for some other reason?

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We've got a security perimeter and they may have turned away some rogue Caladors, because, yes, they're likely to cause trouble.

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It would be good to speak to a few Caladors, even expecting some amount of trouble. I will at least say 'hello' to anyone who sends a representative here over the next month - should Calado not be included in that?

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We'd consider an official delegation if they put one together, but it's remarkably hard for Calado to get anything accomplished officially. I can get you the Calador ambassador to Tapa without much risk if you like.

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I would be deeply annoyed to take my ship to visit them and have them try to steal from me or something, and it's better for everyone if that does not come up.

Well, presumably the ambassador is a blue from Calado. That would be appreciated.

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She is, yes. I'll send for her. Is there anyone else who should be on the next plane?

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One of the biologists mentioned a colleague who studies evolutionary history. If they are interested, I would enjoy speaking to them. He gives a name. Other than that, I suppose ambassadors from any other countries that have not sent actual delegations would be welcome. If there are any.

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I'll let them all know they're invited!

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Good.

Next, he asks the country that Bloom picked about her accommodation to describe what they've found or made for her.

She will be content once settled but would surely find the process of settling irritating, so I would like to make sure things happen smoothly by seeing how you plan to accommodate her and making suggestions if necessary.

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Baravi has cleared out a warehouse with a truck parking lot that should give her enough space to take off, three miles from the botanical garden she likes.

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Yes, I think that's suitable. When would be a good time to fly her and her belongings there? I can land directly on the truck lot.

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We're ready whenever you are!

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He asks Bloom. Bloom asks if anyone here is likely to also be there. He says 'probably not'. Bloom asks if he found someplace good for her and he tells her to think of it like a large rectangular cave, all yours for as long as your study lasts, with room to fly off just outside and near enough to the nice garden that it's a fairly short trip. And if you want paint or fabrics or planters or lights and the like they will surely be able to arrange those things given a day or two.

Bloom is ready to go now. Seeker sees no reason to delay it. He gets exact coordinates from the Baravi representative and lets Tapa know for air traffic control purposes, and then they're off.

Seeker's starship is curved and damages the pavement from sheer weight resting on a small surface when it lands on the truck lot, but it doesn't wobble. Bloom pops out to investigate the place.

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It's pretty boring-looking; there's paint, but it's parking space lines and arrows and building labels, not decorative. The warehouse door slides sideways to open.

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Symbols do not really need to be artful. She peers inside the building and paces a quick circuit of the interior, keeping watch for a local Amentan to address.

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It's fairly plain in there. Columns support the roof. There's a blue in a corner, who stands up from his folding chair when she enters. Welcome!

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Columns, because this is a thin-walled building and not a proper cave. Oh well.

Hello. I am welcomed. This place will be good enough as a temporary home. It's more like a real cave than anything else out there, I'm sure. Are you the one I should speak to for arranging visitors to study?

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Yes, I'm coordinating that - and my colleague, who'll be here on shifts in case you want something at an irregular hour. I'm Ruan Morlou.

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I am Creator Of Flourishing, Rising From Solid Earth Into The Bloom Of Beautiful Color, Whose Eye For Beauty Is Matched By The Skill To Create It. Long names, self-chosen, are traditional among Draak. 'Bloom' will suffice for most purposes.

I am not yet sure what will make the most sense for my study. At first I need to develop a working understanding of Amentans in my own perspective and framework - this simply requires watching a wide variety of Amentans exist and go about their business in a variety of contexts and conditions. After that I will want to narrow my focus and see the same people every day as spring begins. Some who spring little and some who spring much - some who expect a baby this year and some who don't. Otherwise, a variety.

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We're already putting out advertisements for volunteers, I don't think it'll be hard to find plenty.

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I think for the first part it may be easiest to simply wander the streets while seeing people, or lie down in a building somewhere busy and see the comings and goings of a whole day. There are many, many people. I suppose a geneticist or two would also be helpful. Usually I have to figure out things from scratch but your people know your own Essence.

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We'll find you Amentan geneticists - any particular kind? Not every building has room for you but most streets do, and you'd fit in a medium-sized or larger train station without congesting traffic too badly, lots of people come and go through those.

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I don't really know what kinds of geneticists you have. Perhaps the first one you find will be able to recommend a specialty based on my questions? A train station would be a good place to start. I might want to see restaurants, sports fields, schools, other such places... Context matters and train stations are places where everyone will be active and slightly stressed from travel.

I also would like to see the gardens and get some planters and lights and flower seeds so I can play with those when I need a break from my main study, but that's not urgent.

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All right, a generalist with connections in the field. Restaurants will mostly be too small for you but we can ask for people to bring exceptions to our attention, and most parts of schools but they'll have playgrounds. What kinds of planters and lights and seeds?

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I don't know enough about what you have to form a useful opinion. It will be just a hobby, anything suitable for growing a lot of flowers will do. In the meantime, I should get my things out of Seeker's ship. I thank you for the welcome, Ruan. I hope my study is successful and not too onerous on your clan.

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We're delighted to accommodate you, he assures her.

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So she goes and fetches a giant basket in and out of an airlock on the side of Seeker's ship, full of metal nuggets, geodes and crystals, animal skins and feathers and flowers preserved in clear blocks, dumping all the stuff into one great big waist-high pile in a corner in multiple trips. A few objects get treated more carefully and lined up on the floor.

I will be very upset if anyone takes my Treasure. And I will notice.

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...would you like me to have extra security posted?

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That would be helpful. There are so many of you that a thief would not necessarily be easy to find and punish.

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It's sometimes a challenge, yes. I'll have them step it up.

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Did Seeker not tell you I was bringing my things? I suppose he and his daughter aren't very concerned about material treasures, perhaps he didn't realize. At home I keep this all behind a very sturdy door with trained animal guardians to alert me and show me the intruder. Such measures are usual for adults with established territories.

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I'm pretty sure we can keep thieves out.

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I don't understand your society or systems at all. If you think so, perhaps it is so. If you are mistaken, it won't be the end of the world. The reason I am attempting this is because Amentans will give much Treasure for eased springs. I feel some Compassion, but Greed speaks much louder to me. If I learn to Enkindle your kind safely, it will bring me enough to make a pile bigger than myself eventually, I'm sure.

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It most certainly will, unless you develop more of a taste for physically compact objects.

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More compact objects could certainly be good Treasure, or perhaps a territory on this world eventually, but nothing I brought is bad enough that I would throw it out when I am rich.

Some things to note for when I am ready to start trying experiments: Enkindling feels strange and is somewhat painful. It's best if the target is conscious despite this. Side-Effects are very likely and difficult to predict, especially for the first few to be Enkindled. The object of my initial study is to make it so these will be less dramatic, more manageable and informative.

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What's the benefit of being conscious? What kind of side effects might people expect? Will painkillers that don't cause unconsciousness help?

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I can watch what they feel and adjust what I'm doing better if they are conscious. Being as close to 'normal' as possible is best but pain drugs are probably fine if I've seen what they do to that person before. 

...Difficult to predict. Minor physical changes like a change of eye color, or to the texture of one's hair, or sharp fingernails, or increased height are possible. Balance changes like a shift in sleep pattern or sex drive or comfortable temperatures or desire to exercise or what foods taste best are likely since springing is most centrally a balance thing as I categorize it. Cerebral changes that affect learning or memory skills or attention span are unlikely but cannot be ruled out. There's a chance any Enkindling target may develop some sensitivity to the Song, or the ability to Sing, which could be disconcerting.

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You've been emphasizing the variety you need to be exposed to; will it be a problem if the initial waves of volunteer test subjects all spring very badly, to be willing to risk it?

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It will limit my ability to learn to make fine adjustments, but if those are the volunteers so be it.

Enkindling is much more delicate after the first time. One attempt per Amentan, for the first year at least.

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More delicate?

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Multiple sessions... Interact with each other. The changes multiply each other. It's usually not a problem. Working on animals, there is less need to make sure the changes are limited to only a few things.

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It'll probably limit the applicant pool if there's no hope of fixing an unwelcome side effect for a year, but you'll still get takers.

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Tail-shrug.

I could try to fix something with the understanding that it might make other things worse, but it seems unwise. I could also steer away from one or two specific particularly unwanted side-effects.

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Since we don't know what the side effects might be that'll probably only affect people with very specific fears. But there are people who spring unbearably enough they'll risk anything.

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This is only for the very first few. Other effects will probably be necessary still, but I could choose which to cause once I know the range. I'll probably be able to say what might happen in more detail when I'm ready to actually try it.

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I understand that the littler one, River, is taking money for her concerts; do you have a pay scale in mind?

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None, while I am experimenting. I will auction my time afterwards, I think.

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All right. That will encourage people to get in early if they can tolerate the risk, to save money.

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Yes. I would hire a yellow or two to manage scheduling and collection. Or possibly just let your government arrange it. Your rampant specialization is strange, but convenient.

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We've got some government yellows on it.

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Is there anything else we should discuss before I go to some train station, or perhaps that lovely garden, an island of green in the grey?

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I'd like to accompany you in case anything comes up, will that be all right?

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Yes, that's fine. It is only at night that I will want to be entirely alone.

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That's no trouble at all.

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Shall I just start walking somewhere, then?

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If that's how you'd prefer to travel! I can show you to wherever you'd like to go, if you'd rather arrive directly.

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I could fly places, but you said you would accompany me and I wouldn't be able to carry you while flying - not comfortably - so it must be walking, she reasons. The two places I know to visit are the gardens and a train station, and the gardens are more pleasing. I will follow you, if that place will receive me now?

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I'll text ahead so they'll be all ready. They're open. And he leads her out.

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She follows after running a claw gently through some chest-feathers that got a bit tangled while she arranged her stuff. (Seeker's ship is gone by now, heading back to Tapa's neutral island.)

Industrial areas are uninteresting. Presumably the city gets more interesting, if even more built-up and busy, a bit closer to the nice garden?

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Yup. They can go go over the bridge that gets them past the train tracks, and past some grocery warehouses and consumer goods warehouses, and past the last of the big cranes that hauls shipping containers onto and off of trains and trucks, and then they are in a low rent purple neighborhood. It has convenience stores and a passenger rail station and a hairdresser's and a glasses store and a liquor store and a nail salon and a pocket everything repair shop.

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She slows down at the hairdresser, and actually stops in front of the nail salon.

...You can paint your fingernails! Another way I could decorate myself! Your paints must be very fine to make something like that work. To think I was content merely making sure all my claws were the same length!

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Would you like to see if they'll paint your claws?

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Yes. Very much yes. I would be even more orderly and perfect, it would be excellent. I would gladly pay a few Shiny Things for it, except I expect the artists will want money and not polished silver and clear quartz and preserved flowers.

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We'll comp them and if you want to settle up later when you have money that will be fine. He addresses the salon purples, who are really excited! Bloom won't fit in the door, but they can bring out a bunch of stuff.

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This is very exciting! She asks lots of questions about what the usual styles are! Probably there should be some amount of design for her and not just a flat color since she has a lot of surface area to work with, possibly swirls or shapes or a color gradient? What do these clearly artistic purples think? They'll probably have more locally fashionable ideas than her! ...Though a nod to symmetry and colors that at least loosely match her feathers should be maintained.

Her claws are the size of kitchen knives and about as sharp at their points, and are smooth, clean, and trim in a natural orangey-red color. They're not keratin, but turn out to take polish and paint fine.

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They can do a gradient and then stuff on top of the gradient, such as sunset colors and then clouds?

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That sounds beautiful. Excellent idea!

She's very good at holding the paws still, though her tail never stops swishing around excitedly.

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They will happily gradient and then cloud all her claws! A crowd gathers to watch; a couple people take video of the whole thing.

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(She thinks about getting her teeth painted as well, but one sniff of the paint puts an end to that notion.)

Is the crowd a problem? She asks Ruan Morlou. They're partially blocking the way, and that was a concern you mentioned about train stations.

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It's possible here for people who want to go through to go around the block; train stations don't have detours like that.

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I see. It's all your concern, now that I think of it. If it were a problem you would have done something on your own, yes? I apologize for doubting your responsibility.

She'll enjoy showing off her freshly painted claws and posing for the crowd a little bit, and thank the purples profusely and ask a few questions about maintenance, and after a while tell Ruan she wants to continue to the garden.

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The purples advise her about what will chip or dissolve the paint, and how to take it off if it chips enough to be no longer decorative.

Ruan Morlou clears the way, shooing purples (and one orange and a yellow and a grey) aside as they proceed down the street.

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It's a little nerve-wracking to be surrounded by crowds - of Tailless no less - but she doesn't let it get to her. She walks calmly behind him, head a couple feet higher than the average Amentan's.

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The purple neighborhood abuts a commercial district full of restaurants and a plant nursery and a gym and bars and a hospital and a movie theater. They cross that street, and Ruan jukes a little right so they'll be going through an orange neighborhood instead of the adjacent grey one.

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The bars merit a brief pause - alcohol affects the things she's looking for - the gym and plant nursery get her to slow down but not actually stop. And she has no knowledge of this city or ability to navigate it so does not question the chosen path.

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Through the orange neighborhood they go. Brothel, massage parlor, advice nurse office, therapy practice, dermatologist, nursing home.

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It's somehow amusing that Amentans sell sex, she comments upon understanding the brothel. I have seen something superficially similar and yet entirely different in purpose and significance among Draak.

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Oh, what is it there?

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It's reasonably common to offer pay to a prospective co-Creator in autumn if you want their traits in your children but don't impress them enough on your own for that. There is culture surrounding this that I'm not sure how to explain simply.

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We have gamete donation but that's separate.

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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.

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

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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.

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...has anyone tried it?

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

She shivers all over.

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

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

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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.

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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...

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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.

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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.

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

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

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

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

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

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I'll make a note.

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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.

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We're hoping very fervently to get along.

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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?

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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I think most people have mixed feelings about the birds and negative ones about the rodents.

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They're an essential part of most ecosystems. Small scavengers. What's bad about them?

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Well, they aren't toilet-trained. And sometimes they get into garbage or homes and make a mess of things. Rarely they'll bite.

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Most things will bite if they feel threatened. We have very different perspectives on things.

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I've noticed that.

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Their presence is an annoyance, an accepted cost of existence, a gnawing at your feet. It would be supremely difficult to wholly exterminate them. If you did manage it, there would probably be unwanted knock-on effects. Draak would try to change the system - to find a use for the rodents or to give them a new niche that didn't have them eating things we care about. But Draak could never build such a hive of stone and steel and glass in the first place. To each kind their own Way, I suppose.

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We have domesticated some animals, just not the sort of rodents that would live around here.

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Domestication is not quite similar enough to what I'm thinking of to use the same word. At any rate, this is not my territory and if your people choose to try to exterminate rats I have no say in the matter.

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All right.

Her guide skirts the edge of the grey neighborhood and they come out in another purple neighborhood, but he takes a route so eventually they're at a purple/green overlap area, and there are in addition to the usual purple businesses and a purple kids' school, theaters and an art museum and a university campus.

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I might be interested in the art museum some other time. How is art chosen for these places?

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I'm not sure, but I can see about getting you an appointment with a curator if you like!

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That would be interesting, I would like that! I think life is the most beautiful but other art is certainly good too.

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I think the garden we're going to has a bonsai exhibit. That's life turned into art, I wonder what you'll think of it.

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Flowers bred for color and arranged, herbs grown with tender care, bushes trimmed into pleasing shapes, are all life turned into art. I will probably like it. (Happy tail-swish.)

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And at last here is the botanical garden right at the end of this green/purple divide! They are welcomed by a smiling docent who asks if they'd like the grand tour.

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Yes. I can feel it from here, beautiful diversity, thriving photosynthesis! It's not natural but it will be lovely none the less. I am told I might like Bonsai.

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"We can stop there first!" says the docent, and she leads the way through the cactus section.

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She dawdles, inspecting each species, careful not to damage anything.

I could easily spend weeks in here, I think... If only I had thought to bring some seeds from home!

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"That would be amazing! We'd love to open a section of alien plants."

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It would be good, yes! ...But I'm not eager to repeat the experience of stellar travel. Perhaps in late spring, or local summer?

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"Especially if they'd take to being transplanted best then!"

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I have very little idea what they'll make of the long year here. Or what my body will make of it, for that matter.

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"Hopefully you do better with a funny year length than we would, ha ha!" says the docent.

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Yes, I hope so as well. Winter is the worst season for me. Draak hibernate, and occasionally estivate. I once slept for four of your years!

Amentans would fall into a permanent spring, correct? Watching someone experiencing that or coming out of it would be valuable insight.

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"Right, if we go someplace without seasons," says the docent.

"It's on the list. We'll probably be able to get you some people visiting from orbit or the tropics," Ruan says.

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I will probably end up learning to push people into the current local season as I try to observe enough to change springs. Without side-effects. It's not a permanent change, just a realignment.

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"That'd be good for people who don't want to wait for reseasoning!" says Ruan.

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Yes... How many different plants do you have here? You've collected immense diversity, it's inspiring. I count dozens of species of this desert-thing alone and it's only one category!

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"Oh, there are a couple thousand species of cactus! We have more remaining diversity in cacti than some plant families because deserts, where they grow, aren't very hospitable to Amentans, so people don't move into them much."

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There's immense diversity on our planet, but I don't have access to all of it. I keep a small territory in dry scrublands and hate travel. But Amentans work together, so you can venture all over the world to collect... It's a shame your farms and cities have driven other things extinct. You could at least preserve them in places like this even if their ecosystems have to make way, would that be so hard?

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"Oh, we do try to do that! Whenever a new wilderness area's about to be developed people from all around the world try to get a chance to go in and collect specimens. We don't always get everything, and some things we don't figure out how to care for well in time, but we have captive instances or at least frozen samples of most things."

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It's still a shame. I am not hypocritical enough to suggest that your kind ought to have left nature alone and not expanded at all - Draak would like to expand, and we change nature all the time. But vast swathes of city and farm without a real wood or glade within hours' walk makes me feel like the beauty in the world is irrevocably diminished. The creations of nature declared garbage.

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"Well. I hope you like the garden anyway!" says the docent.

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It's quite lovely.

The tour continues, then?

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It does! They go past a greenhouse and here are the bonsais in their decorative pots.

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Bonsais are very beautiful! Tiny, delicate perfection!

These are Treasure! I've seen things like Bonsai but they were individual works, not examples of an art form. They will surely be popular projects. I want to grow one myself, now! Would you like me to show you the things from home they remind me of?

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"- show me?" asks the docent.

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I have been careful to sing pure concepts that your mind easily turns into words. The Seeker says that anything else would be startling and impolite. But I can also sing sensations. Sights, sounds, scents, memories.

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"- all right, I'd like to see one."

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Here is a small grove of alien trees that look sort of like elms, standing straight, short and thin and not very bonsai-like. But the trees' flowers are a riot of color, fading from white through orange, yellow, and red like candle flames. White and red and grey butterflies fly around from tree to tree in an effect that makes them look like sparks and motes of ash, drinking from the buds.

It is not quite bonsai, but the ember-trees stay no taller than an Amentan their entire lives and flower beautifully for almost the entire year.

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"Oh, that's so pretty! Is it hard to make them like that?"

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They're an entire new species, selectively bred and gently Enkindled over several decades. I don't know the details but they do take a fair amount of maintenance, I think. The butterflies as well.

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"Not one of your projects?"

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No, much to my chagrin! I alter other Draak, animals, and flowers. They were the first thing bonsai reminded me of. Their creator guards the secrets jealously and rightly so, they are beautiful and utterly unique to him until someone replicates them.

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"But what if he dies before anyone else learns it?"

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Then they may well be lost, and that would be a shame, but it still makes sense to keep the secrets. If they weren't unique, they would not be nearly so great a Treasure. I don't think he is likely to die any time soon, though.

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"I wonder if we're the way you are about ecosystems, with information, a little bit," says Ruan.

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Headtilt. The internet and libraries are both curious concepts to me. That seems plausible.

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"Some people keep processes secret," objects the docent.

"But they'll tell somebody or at least write it down, practically every time," Ruan says.

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I can't read or write and neither can he. He might tell our child how to care for them? I was initially not sure if I would want to teach others what I learn about easing springs, but Seeker commanded that I should, and the word of an Elder is not to be ignored lightly, so I will if any are interested - and they will be.

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"- there are billions of us. Even if you learned to do it really fast just getting everyone to one place would be a nightmare," says Ruan.

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There are less than a thousand Draak I would trust not to cause more harm than good with Enkindling. There are less than a million of us, total. Far less. That's part of why Amenta is terrifying.

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"Would you like to see the water garden?" asks the docent.

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If you want hopeful speculation or deep thought about the future, speak to the Seeker. He excels at that and my interests are much more narrow. I'd love to see the water garden!

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The water garden has lilies and reeds and stuff like that!

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...There will probably be more Draak soon, she offers halfway through the water garden. And thus more who can provide magical services like mine. One of Seeker's hopeful speculations is that when I am confident enough to press spring changes into hereditary permanence, which is riskier than non-hereditary changes, your greens may be able to pick apart the changes and scale them that way.

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"That would be wonderful!" says Ruan.

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I cannot know whether it will become truth, but there is always hope.

I think I would like to learn to read. Or try to, at least.

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"In what language?" he asks. (The docent shows them through the arboretum section.)

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...I had forgotten those exist. Perhaps I should start with Darktooth's symbols, our own language such as it is.

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"As you like! I'd be happy to teach you our country's language if you ever want to learn it."

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She notices that she's dithering again. Dithering is an annoying state to be in.

Yes, I think I want that. My decision is made, I will try to learn your language.

And now, having stated it to the world, she will.

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"Would you like to pick it up by being around people talking aloud, or more systematically with a tutor or program?"

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I listen in the Song, when you speak your minds shed intent into the Onesong. A systematic approach seems easier to actually learn than trying to not do that, I think.

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"I can hire you a tutor, which might be easier to use than software."

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It probably would. You are not demanding anything of me that I wasn't already going to do for the warehouse, the escort, the tutor, the miscellaneous accommodations?

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"No, not at all. We've got a budget set aside for making sure you're happy here and a language tutor's well within its means."

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That's surprising. But good, that will be a pleasing arrangement. I can focus on learning without the annoyances of needing to hunt for food or defend myself or find people to learn from.

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"Why is it surprising?"

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...I suppose setting aside resources to welcome and care for a visitor is not something I can imagine doing unless I want to have a child with them. Draak are self-sufficient. It is perhaps against Tradition for me to accept being accommodated to get more time to learn but I don't really care, at least not for a time as short as an Amentan year or two.

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"I think Baravic citizens being the first people to benefit from your project is more than worth it to us."

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I suppose it makes sense if I imagine I am Baravi. You have many, many warehouses and orange tutors and so on, and there is only one Enkindler here. Very well.

Back to questions about the plants! The garden continues to be lovely.

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She can see the whole grounds, though there are a few places where the paths don't accommodate her and she has to skirt sections and get a look from a bit farther off.

Afterwards they can go back to her warehouse, bristling somewhat more visibly with security now.

And the next day she can check out a train station!

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Train stations are loud and crowded and cramped. But she's determined to be unruffled. She demonstrates how small she can make herself and still be comfortable for a while then lets Ruan lead her to a good spot, since he knows where she'll be in the way.

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They bring some greys along, who can set up a perimeter to give her some space. But on the stairs down into the station a two-year-old purple darts toward her and the grey who lunges for the kid slips on the stairs, letting her through, and she gets her hand on some feathers.

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The reaction to jerk backwards and bare teeth and raise one handful of claws towards the surprise, the threat, is instinctive and automatic.

She catches the reaction a half-second later, five sunset-painted knives raised to the kid's head's height. She freezes, all her feathers puffed out, hissing quietly.

BAD! You do not touch without asking, hatchling!

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Another grey reaches the kid and yanks her back. The kid's mother, horrified and panicked, is standing frozen past the perimeter. The child bursts into tears.

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I am not going to hurt a child who does not know any better, she announces, still unmoving. I am going to turn around and be on the street and calm down.

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The grey marches the kid back to her mother. The grey who fell gets up, apologizing under her breath to the lead grey and Ruan. Ruan catches his breath. "That seems prudent," he agrees.

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She squeezes in the stairwell and manages to turn around without much difficulty. She goes up to the street.

Draak really, really, really do not like being touched unexpectedly, she tells Ruan. Everything in my mind and body says it means something is trying to kill me! Another in my place might have finished that swipe! And I have to fix my feathers now, threat response tangles them like nothing else! Her mental voice sounds fluttery and almost-panicked.

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"I'm so sorry," Ruan says. "I can get some more greys so they'll be able to stand closer together."

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I refuse to let surprise and anger rule me! I am more alarmed that I nearly killed without meaning to in a moment of instinctual passion! If she had asked - if I saw her coming sooner - if I was aware that it might happen -

She starts running the flat side of her claws over herself.

If I have a wall behind me. If several or all of those things are true I am in no risk of reacting that way again. Don't punish her if you were inclined to, the fear is lesson enough.

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"Her mother might, but we won't. - how would the wall help?"

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I would know I wasn't surrounded. Just knowing that your children don't know to NOT DO THAT is almost good enough. And touch I'm aware of and expecting is not a problem at all.

The feathers are starting to lie flat again now, except for the ones on her head. She runs the sharp tips of her claws through the colored ones on her front lightly, preening. 

...I'll finish this later, it takes a long while to do properly.

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"Most children by that age know better. I think she was probably very excited to see you and forgot herself."

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Excitement does that. If she were a Draak I would say she needs a minor injury to make the reason not to touch people unexpectedly memorable.

Whuf.

But you're very much not Draak. I think you relate to pain differently, I've seen this in my observations already.

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"- oh?"

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I have no hard conclusions yet but it seems like pain causes... Lasting conditioned responses in Amentans. Trauma.

Most Draak have experienced great pain, and fairly often. Some prey fights back. We fight each other. We occasionally get sick or poisoned or unpleasantly close to starvation. But once the pain is gone, it is gone. Especially those strong in Earth can learn to turn awful pain from a mind-numbing, crippling experience into a mere signal of wrongness so that one is aware of damage to one's body, not distracting, barely unpleasant.

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"Huh. That's indeed not typical of Amentans."

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Already my insight grows. You can learn a lot from the spirits of things, that which we sense in the Song other than deliberate telepathy, with practice. I'm ready to go back down now.

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"Would you like to stay to one side so you have a wall there?"

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Yes. It might also help if I were less hungry.

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"I can have someone bring you something here. Meat, is that right?"

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Meat, yes. I can also extract energy from particularly high-protein vegetables, from fats and oils, from several specific kinds of rocks and minerals, from sulfur and phosphorous and nitrates, but meat is easiest and pleasantest. Raw would be fine, fried and salty might make each pound of flesh sustain me longer. I don't need to eat every day but I do need to eat a lot. More for my size than Amentans, and you can see that I'm much bigger.

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He consults his pocket everything and says, "Somebody's going to bring you a lot of raw bacon and a couple orders of fried beef and if you're hungry I can send them back for more."

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Alright. I would say I'm about three-quarters of the way from stuffed to starving right now. It's a little bit distracting but not urgent or painful at this level. It may be best to eat as much as I can now and then not have to bother for a week or two. Whatever is convenient for you to arrange, I suppose.

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"It wouldn't be hard at all to bring food to the warehouse every day," he assures her. "I suppose I was expecting you to tell me when you needed to eat, but I ought to have asked."

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I wasn't expecting getting food when I needed it to be a problem unless I needed to do a lot of magic unexpectedly, so I didn't mention it right away.

Oh. I can sing the Least Song of Healing. It should work for Amentans but bears testing if there will be volunteers. It works best on wounds.

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"I'll put out a notice to some hospitals and we can swing by one that will like it to be tested! Will it affect everyone within a range, or just who you're trying to sing to?"

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I haven't had the occasion to test that. It affects me, and at minimum the animal I'm focusing on. It might affect more, or not.

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"If it does affect within a range, about what range might we expect?"

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She makes what might be recognizable by now as a 'hmm' noise.

...A small one.

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"- a few feet, a couple of rooms away...?"

(A purple arrives bearing a large package of bacon and some takeout containers, which he passes through the greys. They look it over and pass it on to Bloom.)

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I am not sure at all, thus the test. It would surprise me if such a weak Song had effects further away than my wings are long. That looks like perfectly fine meat.

Just how large is 'large'? More like a big package from a grocery store, or a food service style bulk bag?

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There are twenty pounds of bacon in here.

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This will feed me for three days if I don't fly or do much magic. I like how neat it is. No blood. Though blood is tasty in its own way. I might need to eat a lump of iron if I mostly eat bacon. What's in the other boxes?

She opens it and starts munching on bacon, three strips at a time. Much more neatly than one might expect of a giant predator.

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"It's a fried beef dish. Mostly meat, some onions and spices, some cooking oil."

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She tries some. The tail thumps against the wall happily. 

Spices! I don't taste the onions at all but even they carry a slightly different texture and this interesting sauce! This is tasty. Yes. It's more expensive than plain bacon, though?

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"Not by very much, but we weren't sure you'd like it."

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I wouldn't want to eat only this, but variety is interesting. We don't usually do cooking more sophisticated than breathing fire on whole carcasses.

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"We can bring you an assortment, then!"

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Even if nothing else comes of my presence, novel pleasures are very welcome. Gardens, nail-painting, frying, gathered knowledge... Convenience. I hope there is some way of achieving balance so these things don't trade off so much against other things we Draak care about. The Onesong becomes greater when two beings both find more of what they want after meeting. I hope, but all I can actually do is my small part in the symphony of the world, to study springing and see what I can do about it.

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"It'll be an enormous boon to our world if it can be done."

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Then I should settle down and focus on learning what I need to learn.

And she does that.

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After she's done hanging out in a train station eating bacon and people-watching, they escort her back to the warehouse, and there's a language tutor waiting!

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She could stay in the train station all day, easily. But eventually she does want to go back.

Hello! You are my teacher?

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"Yes! My name is Kimya Sebdan. Is this too late in the day for you? I can come back tomorrow if you'd like to rest now."

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Now is fine. You have come to teach me, it would be rude to ignore that.

I can't make the right sounds to speak like you do. I wanted to learn reading and writing, instead.

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"That makes a lot of sense! Our alphabet is based on the sounds, and that's where I'd usually start, but you don't need to pronounce it yourself." She has brought some tutoring materials, including a printed alphabet.

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Bloom can make some of the breathier sounds, and send the feeling of hearing a sound to ask or answer questions about the ones she can't make. She goes over the whole thing several times, very methodically.

Why were these sounds and symbols chosen?

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"The Baravic alphabet was invented by a green called Toler Vay," replies Kimya. "About a hundred years ago."

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Did he write about his design? It would be interesting to read.

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"We have some of his writings, though not all of them! I can bring them next time."

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Thank you.

How do you learn... Words? Just memorization?

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"And practice! Amentan children are very good at picking up languages just by exposure, but for adults it's usually better to try to learn and practice explicitly."

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I'm not sure how Draak learn best in general but that's probably how I would best learn something like this as a matter of personality.

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"Then it's convenient that that's how I know how to teach it!"

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The grace of the Onesong, or simple luck? Either way, yes. What next, now that I think I know the alphabet?

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"Now we can start with enough simple vocabulary words to make some basic sentences. Are there any topics you'd especially like to be able to read and write about first?"

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What I call Essence, and what you call Genetics.

...Or food. Or plants. Genetics is my life's work but food is delicious and plants are a compelling hobby.

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"The words for food and plants are mostly simpler than the ones for genes, mostly because they're older commoner words, and the longer a word is around and the more it's used, the more it gets abbreviated and generally smoothed over for speakers' convenience. So -"

And here is how you write "I eat a steak" in Baravic.

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After learning which word means what she carefully writes it herself, sharp claws moving with extreme precision to hold the writing tool.

Interesting. Sensible, efficient. Common words should take less effort. The... Connecting words... Will be the most challenging. 'I', 'eat', and 'steak' all make sense.

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"Different Amentan languages use different kinds and numbers of connecting words. It's one of the things that's harder to pick up if you learn a language that doesn't use them how you're accustomed."

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And I don't know a language unless you consider thought-forms to be one. Your mind is doing most of the work to understand what I Sing. I am thinking without words.

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"Yes, I'm finding it really interesting - in particular language makes concepts come in an order, and in Baravic it's a very particular order too - other languages can shuffle things around more - but the order isn't present in what you're telling me."

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If Baravic has a very particular order that will be easier to remember. Thoughts come in an order but this is mostly relevant for arguments and logic. Great Elder Darktooth invented sigils and you write many of them directly on top of each other to make a whole thought. I only know a few, I never thought they were useful enough to learn, but I would show you some if you want?

She pauses, sounds out 'steak', then sends an image of bacon and a vague notion of a question.

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"That would be really interesting, though I'm meant to be here to teach you, not to take up your time teaching me! I think bacon isn't usually considered a kind of steak in particular."

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There is a small joy in teaching and it wouldn't take long. But if you insist, I won't. Bacon is a piece of meat... 'Usually'? The meanings are not necessarily rigorous and explicit, then? Usage defines meaning?

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"That's right. There are ways to use words that are very wrong, or could only be right as metaphor, but 'is bacon a kind of steak' isn't quite so clear - the distinction doesn't matter for communicating often enough that everybody would know for sure if they thought about it."

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Messy. Not that mess is bad. Subtleties like that will surely escape me even if I practice a lot.

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"Most Amentans are never perfectly comfortable with languages they acquire at age two or later, but we can get really close. I don't know what to expect for you."

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We will see if I don't get frustrated and give up. And I won't. Some more words now?

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She can learn "I buy a steak", "I eat a stew", "I buy a stew" - to have a nice grid of examples - and then they can start complicating it with who she is buying the steak from and whether the steak is hot.

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She's not particularly fast or creative but very methodical about it and makes no mistakes, even if it takes her a half a minute or longer to compose more complicated sentences.

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That's an entirely reasonable clip for a brand new learner, Kimya assures her! Now the steaks and stews can also be spicy or not, and people can sell the things she buys, and she can say please and thank you, and they can cover numbers to describe how many steaks she wants, and how much they will cost.

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Can she not-buy the not-spicy steak or does that require a different word?

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Different word, in Baravic. Here's how you negate verbs.

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Slightly frustrating that there's different ways to negate a thing. But at least there's only a few. She would like to collect extra vocabulary for a while instead of moving on to more complications of grammar.

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Sure! Here are colors, and castes, and more foods, and body parts.

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How would you decide what word to use if it turns out Draak have a body part no other animal you've studied does?

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"Well, there's nothing obvious, so it'd probably be some internal organ and then a biologist would come up for a word for it based on what it did or looked like."

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I see.

She wants to collect more and more nouns, adjectives, and verbs, and keeps resisting learning additional grammar but will accede to learning a few more simple structures.

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Kimya's happy to focus on vocabulary if that's what Bloom wants! Here are words for plants and animals, for buildings and streets, for furniture and clothes.

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She could do this for hours.

She goes back and reviews of her own accord. She forgets a lot of words, but never misspells them when she does remember them, and never remembers them incorrectly.

She could do this for hours, but she still has to fix her feathers before sleeping, so after a bit more than one hour she asks about being about to do or having already done a verb.

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Kimya will introduce her to future and past tense. "Usually new learners work in present tense for a while before starting to conjugate things."

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I wanted to challenge myself to a useful writing task. Like so:

And she writes,

I learned. Thank you. I will sleep. Please.

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"All right! Good night! I'll come by whenever Ruan says you're ready tomorrow."

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I'm sure I will find a routine when I have been here for a while. Rest well, and may you be blessed.

She peers at one of the greys doing security for a minute, metaphorically squinting at a difference between her and Kimya, then camps inside the warehouse and preens her feathers for a couple of hours and sleeps curled up around her pile of shiny things.

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All of the shiny things are right where she left them thanks to Baravi's hardworking greys and the fact that no one decided to try to steal them today.

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She paces a bit and sits and thinks a while after sunrise, then goes and finds Ruan.

I would like to go somewhere. Hospital? Another train station, or perhaps the same one? And this evening could I perhaps visit an undeveloped area of some kind, or an especially large park?

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"There's a hospital ready for you! How undeveloped is necessary - there's a hiking area up in the mountains, but it does have some plumbing and access roads."

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I want solitude and quiet. Cities are... Overwhelming. Too much to listen to forever. The gentle tones of stone and trees and wild birds will let my mind relax again. If there is a spot that would have no Amentans or electricity for a mile or two, that would be acceptable. I spoke with Seeker to determine that I can fly at one hundred forty miles per hour, and a flight to and from such a place will itself be calming.

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"Okay, I can find you a place that doesn't even have plumbing and access roads within flying distance by the time you're done at the hospital."

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Thank you. I may decide I want to sleep wherever you find if the city gets too grating. My dreams were... Strange.

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"I'm sorry to hear that. I'll make sure it's a place where it'll be all right to sleep."

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Thank you. Shall we go to the hospital?

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"This way!"

Some of the route is the same but then they turn and here's a hospital - mostly grey patients, and some purples. They've roped off a waiting room with big enough doors for Bloom to get into and when she shows up they wheel in some volunteers.

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What-all is wrong with them?

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Broken leg; head injury; complications of a metabolic disorder.

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Hello. Oh my, you have very sophisticated ways of tending to wounds... I don't think the general Song will help you much, She tells the last. Some more specific magic might but it would be foolish to try to invent it right now.

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"That's okay," says Metabolic Disorder Patient. "They just said I could try if I liked."

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I will begin. It will take a while. Feel free to do other things.

Her eyes close and her head stills and there's a... Feeling. A sense of refusal, rejection, stubbornness. Endure, it seems to say.

She takes a break after twenty minutes.

Doctors? Ruan? Now would be a good time to see what the effect is. It should be noticeable, if nowhere near complete.

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The doctors wheel the patients away to examine them in rooms with more equipment!

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Their pain is reduced some. The broken bone has a week's worth of healing. The head injury swelling has gone down a bit. If the metabolic stress is soothed, it's not immediately obvious. All three have noticeably better miscellaneous chemical signs and feel more rested and energetic.

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A nurse comes by to report all this to Bloom for her information.

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Interesting. As I expected, it works for your kind. You will want greater songs of healing and Seeker's Song-Traps to store them. They could do what I did, and more, and quickly.

Perhaps I should learn about your medicine from someone...? I didn't understand most of that but it could be an important insight. Ruan?

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"I can get you a medicine tutor, though you should be aware it takes well over a year of full time study to become a doctor."

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I would aim to fit some of what you've learned into my own understanding. Not a tutor, exactly. A - consultant?

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"Easily done."

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I could continue healing the volunteers. We have not seen how far the Song reaches.

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"We can bring them back in," says the nurse. He goes off and the patients return.

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She explains that she's going to move around to try to figure out how much area she can cover and they should tell her when the feeling of endure stops.

It starts to fade at about twenty feet and is gone at thirty.

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They identify the radius and measure it.

Ruan's found a desert; there are some ruins, from a time when the area had a different climate, but currently it's uninhabited. Occasionally rough-terrain-buses take tourists out to see the ruins but there's no permanently installed electricity or plumbing and this isn't the tourist season, generally they go in fall or winter.

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A desert will be awfully dry and hot and there will be sand in her feathers but at least it'll be empty. She wants to head there after people-watching at the train station for a while again. Maybe she can get a pocket everything that has a map on it or something, since she doesn't know the local geography super well? To go there and find her way back, too.

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She can get such a pocket everything, and Ruan will show her how to use the map!

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Technology is very convenient.

She flies there, circling the industrial area to gain altitude and then cruising through the air, a streak of feathered green alien visible for dozens of miles around, and then she lands in the desert and does nothing. Silence. Emptiness.

...The cities are full of wonder and beauty, but such noise! Such strict artificial transformation of everything! Can this really be the will of the Onesong? Yes. Life is not without challenges or trials. She's still going to figure out how to do nice things for these weird Tailless. It'll make them want to do this to other places less in the future.

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She can park there as long as she wants, as long as it's not so long that the Baravic government gets nervous.

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Bloom flies back from the desert after six hours, and settles into the routine of people-watching, visiting the garden and the desert, learning Baravic, and talking about fiddly hormonal system details with whichever greens they find for her to do that with.

 

 

Meanwhile, the Seeker finally read about Olvala's test city. He waits for an opportune moment and asks Amseli, 

Does Tapa have an official stance on Olvala's expulsion of reds and the rotation program?

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Our official stance is that the experiment is worthwhile in some form, but the handling of the obsolete reds was irresponsible both on pollution and on population control grounds. We're accepting imports from them under a special label with reduced tariffs to compensate for the lower price they command due to the former concerns.

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...I'll have trouble following the logic of tariffs and economics, perhaps I'll look into it later, but why is it a concern on population control grounds?

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Some of the reds are believed to have dispersed into the wilderness where it will be difficult to monitor them if they find some way to persist.

Permalink Mark Unread

I see. I find it concerning on... Philosophical grounds, I suppose. They were once essential, but when they become redundant - driven out, discarded. They are few in number compared to Amentans as a whole. I see parallels to my species and begin to wonder what will happen if Amenta learns to build your own FTL engines.

Permalink Mark Unread

We don't have any reason to think that the Draak aren't clean. And you do have skills we seem unlikely to acquire on our own to do with the telepathy, if that's more reassuring.

Permalink Mark Unread

It is, a bit. Not really enough.

I imagine that if I worked with teams of greens to adapt the projection technology to be controlled by Amentans and the technology was deployed and the reds all killed without any harm to non-reds, most Amentan countries would find this a satisfactory course of events. It would certainly be a decisive end to the current, unstable system - the system that drives unthinking cruelty to people who are more similar to you and the greens I have been learning from than Bloom is to me.

I struggle to make what is displeasing about that idea sensible... It's related to the objection to factory farming. And slightly related to the objection to wholesale destruction of natural areas. I suppose it is simply not right that one's fate is to be replaced and die, simply because one is red, just as it's not right that one's fate is to eat, grow, and die simply because one is a cow in a factory farm. And it's no more right to kill all reds than it would be to kill all blues. Something irreplaceable would be lost, something awful and irreversible will have been done, either way.

Permalink Mark Unread

I do hope we'll be able to reconcile our philosophical perspectives eventually. I'm not sure I agree that we're more similar to reds than to you, apart from the matter of species.

Permalink Mark Unread

I cannot see how you are not, but I will not argue it with you if you don't wish to.

Those I spoke to at home are confident that meat-bearing plants could be made with a few years of work, possibly as little as two or three seasons. Such a thing could probably end factory farming and make meat more plentiful and cheap all at once, and that is a very pleasing prospect, a perfect example of making the universe greater when two peoples meet. Is there no way to benefit Amenta while also bringing things more in line with Draak views in the matter of reds, too?

Permalink Mark Unread

I'm not really clear on what you want us to do with reds. Or what you envision for the meat animals - the producers will stop breeding them, once the meat plants can outcompete them, and then there won't be any more.

Permalink Mark Unread

My kin may decide to make an end to animal-based meat farming a prerequisite of substantial sharing of technology. The end of the meat animals as species will still be - quietly tragic - but it's better in our perspective than allowing the current situation to continue. The goal is no more animals being born, living their whole lives, and dying in a metal box.

Reds are less clear-cut. I don't know myself, perhaps. Exterminating them feels wrong. Forbidding them children so that in time there will be no reds also feels wrong, and with your springs is perhaps even more cruel than a quick death. Keeping things as they are is not an option - Olvala has done it, others will do so in time. I have to wonder, is there some other option? Can they be sent to Newhome and kept there? Can they be cleaned?

Permalink Mark Unread

As far as I know all the things that could clean pollution from a red wouldn't be survivable. And - I'm not sure if we could be confident they were adequately contained on your world, either as population or as pollution.

Permalink Mark Unread

Implementing population control and strict cleaning procedures is not something my kind would be very good at, no.

He sighs, which is a fairly momentous event for something so big.

It would not be the worst thing that has ever happened. Wars have killed more people than there are reds in both our histories. But I should at least talk to some theologians about cleaning reds.

Permalink Mark Unread

I can get you some, but I'm fairly confident they'll agree none of the things we understand to clear primary pollutants are the sort of thing a red would live through.

Permalink Mark Unread

Perhaps they can be sustained by magic through things that would kill them and be survivably cleaned like that? It would probably be painful, but preferable to death, surely.

I would indeed like to speak to some theologians. Thank you.

Permalink Mark Unread

They'll be along by tomorrow.

Permalink Mark Unread

Disagreements are to be expected between two species. I hope to try to fix points of tension and fear instead of merely complaining about them. Eased springs. Meat-bearing plants. A real government for my kind instead of the anarchy we were fine with before. I count myself grateful there aren't more, really - and that I have the tools to learn about you, to understand Amenta.

Permalink Mark Unread

I think we've both been very fortunate to find each other!

Permalink Mark Unread

I'm finding it rather stressful and tiring to be honest, but now that I've found you and called the Grand Moot it would be irresponsible not to see things through. This will probably be the most important moment of my life for a long time, after all. I remain confident and proud that almost any other Draak would have done worse as a person of first contact.

Unless you have anything else in mind to discuss at the moment, I think I'll go back to talking with the visiting greens about possible terraforming techniques and wait for the theologians.

Permalink Mark Unread

I have nothing else on my agenda right now.

The theologians arrive in some hours.

Permalink Mark Unread

What sorts of things are acknowledged to properly clean things? Are new cleaning methods ever invented?

Permalink Mark Unread

They can innovate on cleaning things that are not themselves pollution of pollution that has contacted them. This theologian is working with some purples on a procedure to clean electronics without damaging them, for instance. But the things that can transform something inherently polluted into something that is not polluted require radical transformation of the physical structure: fire, total decay and assimilation into a nonpolluted environment.

Permalink Mark Unread

The radical physical alteration is necessary? If something inherently polluted were heated to extremely high temperatures but somehow prevented from being destroyed, that would not necessarily suffice?

Permalink Mark Unread

The theologians mutter amongst themselves. They conclude with about ten minutes of this that that would not necessarily suffice; after all, if it wasn't destroyed, it could still be infectious, and anything that doesn't kill infections definitely doesn't kill pollution.

Permalink Mark Unread

That makes sense. If there is a possible vector of infection, it cannot be considered truly clean... It seems theoretically possible to protect an Amentan's cells from searing heat, allowing all foreign matter to be destroyed, but that is not something I have ever heard of being tried before. And it would be difficult to verify that all microbes were destroyed. And that might have negative health effects. And it would still not necessarily clean a red because the cells would still be composed of the same atoms.

He can take their slightly absurd perspective just fine, it will help him think of things to propose and seem more serious about it.

There are other things. Most of our technology involves effects in the Song and is not written down. I am very curious how they would all affect pollution. Perhaps these methods can clean things you normally consider uncleanable even if they wouldn't work for inherently polluted matter.

Enkindling can cause large physical changes even though it's essentially a self-sustaining Song pattern acting on the same level of the universe our telepathy uses. Experts in physical manipulation can do things like teleport objects, reshape stone and bone and living wood and flesh, hold things in their current state when they would normally change, or filter and separate materials by their physical properties... The True Song of Healing works by searching the Onesong for a pattern that matches a being's healthy state and creating and reshaping matter to bring them into that pattern... And I have heard of but not personally witnessed a method of moving a mind from one body to another.

Permalink Mark Unread

The theologians mutter more and then all agree that moving a red's mind, such as it is, to another body, would work just fine as long as the two bodies didn't have to touch at any point, though of course this leaves the question of where to get spare bodies.

Permalink Mark Unread

I have no idea where to get spare bodies either. The things I heard of the mind-transfer are negative - it was used for evil ends. Perhaps the Guardian of the Great Green, who knows more, would be happy to see such a thing used productively. But I'm still curious.

True Songs are all centered around bringing the universe in line with a new pattern. Some of our philosophy holds that all that matters is patterns - if I were utterly destroyed but recreated, atom for atom and Song for Song, I would still be me in all the ways that matter. A hypothetical True Song of Cleansing might create new matter that exactly matches the thing being cleansed, less any factor that might mediate pollution, and then burn the old matter as thoroughly as possible. Such a thing is theoretical, but could that work? Would a red disassembled and reassembled still be polluted? Would a new body assembled from clean matter into the shape of a red be polluted? If a red's body and brain were changed to exactly match a member of another caste but using most of the same matter, would the new person be polluted? 

Permalink Mark Unread

The theologians all think newly created matter less anything more substantively icky on a red's person wouldn't be polluted; that a red disassembled down to the cellular level and put back together might be polluted still they'd need to think about that more but any smaller level would work fine; that assembling non-polluted matter into a red would be fine; and that the last case is horrifying and would probably have a polluted result, though one isn't sure about that last conclusion and thinks she'll get a paper out of it.

Permalink Mark Unread

An easier-to-develop version of the idea to create a whole new body from base matter would be changing as many things as possible about the existing red body, possibly while doing something to keep the newly-changed parts from being affected by the not-yet-changed parts during the process. Destroying most microbes and anything else that ought to be destroyed, destroying and re-making cells, replacing interstitial fluids and plasma and so on in a churning wave while holding things still.

Permalink Mark Unread

Well, but then the new stuff would be touching the old stuff.

Permalink Mark Unread

If they went top to bottom or something so there is always a layer of being-changed-stuff and stopped blood from flowing and cross-contaminating, perhaps?

Permalink Mark Unread

They'd need to think about that a lot with fuller information about the nature of the being-changed stuff.

Permalink Mark Unread

It's hypothetical for now anyway. He doesn't have a method pre-prepared. As long as they're here he has a lot of questions about theological history and development of sanitation and edge cases and what kind of cleanliness standards Draak might have to take to reassure Amentans - young ones can't survive autoclaving themselves to clean up - and so on, though.

Permalink Mark Unread

These greens are theologians, not hyposensitivity therapists, but they can explain the basic rules and give paragraphs of justification for them!

Permalink Mark Unread

Draak don't suffer hyposensitivity. Their level of sensitivity is perfectly fine, for Draak, and any additional cleansing standards are a concession to Amentan sensibilities.

Permalink Mark Unread

Of course they're experiencing a typical Draak level of sensitivity, but hyposensitivity therapists are the ones with practice explaining to people who experience less than the standard Amentan amount what they need to do and how.

Permalink Mark Unread

That makes sense.

Draak theology has little to do with cleanliness, perhaps what different species have theology about reflects what's important to them?

Permalink Mark Unread

That seems likely to theologians! They would have expected other species to have some form of pollution sensitivity but it would be odd if it were the exact same in kind or amount, and it's a little odd that Draak have this ecology interest, they weren't anticipating that at all, but they are glad to be able to learn about each other.

Permalink Mark Unread

A well managed territory is one that will consistently feed you and teach you interesting, useful things! They don't live in crowds, disease is not a common problem!

 

 

As the deadline for his return home approaches he hides away in his ship for most of three days and then emerges to give gifts to various countries. Hand-sized black rods with a ring of six green lights around a button at the top.

Rods of a Greater Song of Healing, he explains to various representatives. They will stop someone from bleeding out for a while or mend a broken leg. Six charges. Single target - touch the end opposite the button to the target and hold it for two seconds.

Permalink Mark Unread

The Amentans wish to know how the charges thing works. Can they recharge them?

Permalink Mark Unread

You can't. I or another Draak who can do such magic themselves can, with a companion device.

Permalink Mark Unread

They will allocate them accordingly. Probably not for broken legs, a broken leg basically never kills a person.

Permalink Mark Unread

Studying the effects would help them understand how Songs of Healing work in general, perhaps. The details of how magic creates or reshapes living matter could be important.

Tapa gets fifty. Voa gets forty. Tuviri gets thirty. Cene gets twenty. Doet gets ten. Most other places get two or three, and he earmarks three for Calado, giving them to the Calador ambassador to Tapa.

Permalink Mark Unread

The Calador ambassador is delighted and appreciative that he chose to consider Calado in distributing the rods!

Most rods will be in hospitals and ambulances in major cities, and while they will probably use many charges on people of importance with acute conditions that might kill them before the doctors can intervene, they plan to try using some on other stuff and get back to Seeker with the data on how it works on chronic stuff, comas, etcetera.

Permalink Mark Unread

Science is always interesting.

Well, almost every country he's spoken to a representative of gets at least one, and he feels a little bad that Calado seemed to be mostly left out of things so far.

I have been repeatedly warned to stay away from Calado lest trouble occur when I arrive, and what I can learn from sources outside of Calado seems to support that, unfortunately. I do place importance on gaining a wide variety of perspectives, though, and I would appreciate yours.

Permalink Mark Unread

Personally, I love my country very much, says the ambassador. It's got a sort of entrepreneurial spirit to it that I think a lot of places lack. But I don't think 'stable' would be on my list of the first adjectives that'd come to mind, I admit that. If you'd like to arrange a visit, I can figure it out - it just might be complicated compared to visiting someplace more organizedly authoritarian.

Permalink Mark Unread

I would like to visit, at least for a day or two. Even if there is trouble, it would very likely not cause me more harm than annoyance. I am more worried I'll be forced to use violence to protect my personal interests, which would be an unpleasant note on otherwise peaceful discussions and contact with Amenta.

Permalink Mark Unread

What personal interests do you worry about in this context?

Permalink Mark Unread

Theft of my tools or other possessions, danger or attacks on my person, and anyone trying to get into my ship are the things I would feel compelled to respond to forcefully.

Permalink Mark Unread

Calado does have a higher crime rate than many of our neighbors, I don't want to downplay that and have you nastily surprised.

Permalink Mark Unread

I understand. I will defend myself and my things, without lethal force if I can avoid it. It is up to you whether a visit to Calado seems like a good idea under these conditions.

Permalink Mark Unread

Of course nobody could reasonably hold self-defense against you. I'll make some inquiries!

Permalink Mark Unread

Thank you. But my time on Amenta approaches its end for now. If nothing can be arranged in the next... Three days, when I next return - another two or three months perhaps - will do just as well.

Permalink Mark Unread

Two or three months out it is, then.

Permalink Mark Unread

He finishes handing out the Rods of Healing and explains that he can't truly mass-produce them yet, and might want to source materials and parts from Amentan companies. Can Tapa get him a bank account and help him auction another thirty of 'em so he will have money to do that with when he comes back?

Permalink Mark Unread

Tapa can absolutely do that. He has an account at a bank and another at an auction site in less than twenty minutes; bids start rolling in as soon as the rods are listed and the Tapai issue a press release confirming their authenticity.

Permalink Mark Unread

Good, good. The auctions are set for three days, and he's going to leave shortly after they close. Can he get a modest line of credit? He'd like to meet up with River and do a little shopping by sitting outside of a mall and borrowing her eyes, or maybe sending in his not-quite-a-robot, before leaving.

Permalink Mark Unread

Yep, here's a standard high-end consumer line of credit and here's where he can land near River.

Permalink Mark Unread

He prefers to actually fly there himself instead of bringing the spaceship. Seeker's bigger-than-a-train-carriage size makes landing anywhere more confined than an airport runway a slightly tricky proposition, but the chosen spot works.

He brings the shiny robot, and it takes on an Amentan shape (technically a human one, but it's close enough), still shiny and glowing, to better navigate the mall with River and whatever escorts are sent along with them.

"A place for trade with as many people as possible seems like a good idea. There are things you would want to buy but would never know to seek out."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes," says Mahkemiken, "that's one reason there are still shops we visit in person even now that it's pretty easy to order everything online, people like to browse. That and there are things you want to touch or smell before you buy them."

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can't fit inside or use telepathy with River here, so I'll only touch or smell things I actually buy. Not a big deal. I will want to spend a lot at an electronics store. I hope large amounts of purchases can be sent to, if not the island, some place convenient for landing the Wing of Change?"

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure, we can have things delivered all the way to the island if you want or someplace nearer by for pickup."

Permalink Mark Unread

I should probably spend all the concert money since I'm leaving with Seeker after this. I could buy a lot of gold and art and shiny rocks if I don't have any better ideas...

Permalink Mark Unread

You sure could, though a mall might not be the best place for higher end art or most forms of gold - they will have jewelry and some relatively mass-produced paintings and prints and statuettes, though.

Permalink Mark Unread

I don't even know what I'd do with lots of Treasure. I'll probably just lose it. I still don't have anywhere to put it. But feeling like I'm missing out on something is annoying. That's also why I wanted part of the concert money even though I didn't know what I would do with it. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Money has the advantage that you can store it digitally and don't have to keep track of it!

Permalink Mark Unread

Huh. I guess I can just keep it for later. Unless I die.

 

"You two are talking?" Seeker's projection asks. "I cannot hear your song, River. I would appreciate it if you could repeat in sound what River says to you, Mahkemiken."

Permalink Mark Unread

"- oh, sure, I can do that," says Mahkemiken. "Sorry. We're talking about how she can store her money for later, unless, uh, she dies."

Permalink Mark Unread

"-I would try to laugh but it would probably sound unnatural. River, you are probably not going to die. I think you are too used to wandering. I think you should buy whatever catches your eye and keep the rest of the money."

River gives a thoughtful tail-swish once this is thought back at her through Mahkemiken. I know that. I'm not afraid or expecting it. But it might happen. Mahkemiken, if I somehow die please just give all my money to Seeker and tell him to use it for the benefit of all Kin.

Permalink Mark Unread

Mahkemiken does her best to live-translate this.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We should just go shopping for now. I'll discuss this with River later."

What all is there to see in a mall?

Permalink Mark Unread

Furniture store. Smoothie place. Sunglasses. Coats (the shop name implies it's seasonal clothes). Jewelry. A shop with fancy olive oils and suchlike, with free samples. Fresh hot croissants! Shoes. An entire store devoted to socks. Yarn and fabric and sewing stuff. Baby clothes, sized to the current season. Popcorn and other puffed grains. Candy. Novelty gifts, like desktop mist machines that look like foggy gardens, globes that arc pink light toward your finger if you touch them, and lava lamps. Toy store. More clothes. Food court.

Permalink Mark Unread

Both Draak buy lots of stuff from the novelty gift shop. And a few things from the toy store. And some jewelry. River is cheerfully fascinated by it all. Seeker adds a sewing machine and fancy oils and spices to his list.

"It surprises me that so much space is devoted to clothes, even though it shouldn't - it makes sense given your biology. I think we never needed protection from exposure, so cloth is a niche product with some useful applications, not an essential of civilization."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yes, and people use it for personal style too, not just warmth and weatherproofing."

Permalink Mark Unread

"Because it has elements of personal style, some Draak might find clothing interesting. Decorating ourselves is an occasional hobby. Or they might reject it because it's alien. I'm not sure which - some of each, most likely. Could I get some - things - of cloth and a very long scarf?"

Permalink Mark Unread

He can sure get some bolts of cloth and a very long scarf in any color he wants.

Permalink Mark Unread

Excellent. He's racking up quite a bill, but not a house-sized bill. The auction of Rods of Healing should cover it and then some.

What about an electronics store?

Permalink Mark Unread

The electronics store has everythings and larger computers and game platforms and nice cameras and AV equipment and smart lights and you can try everything there, that being why they bother to have a physical store. There are games!

Permalink Mark Unread

River wants a camera she can use with claws!

Seeker tries all of the games on display, able to use the controls without damaging them through the projection.

Permalink Mark Unread

None of the cameras are designed for claws but the shop-purples will try to help! Seeker can try the rhythm dance game and the game where you assassinate people and the art game and the motion capture fighting game and the puzzle games and the virtual reality exploration adventure.

Permalink Mark Unread

Something fairly large, with nice physical buttons as opposed to a touch screen is workable. River is fascinated by talk of shutter speed and focal length and so on.

While the assassination game is intriguingly predatory, it feels deeply strange to commit violence without actually committing violence. Puzzle games land best, though it's amusing to try to fight in an Amentan-shaped body. Seeker buys some of everything, including most of the best-rated puzzle games of the last five years.

 

How much do the thirty Rods of Healing end up auctioning for? More like 'enough to cover the shopping spree' or 'enough to buy some plots of land'?

Permalink Mark Unread

The latter!

Permalink Mark Unread

Seeker doesn't buy any plots of land. He mails out the Rods of Healing with the best possible delivery services and full insurance, even if insuring such precious items is expensive. He collects all his purchases, and he and River go home.

 

 

In Baravi, Bloom talks with geneticists, learns the local language, hangs out in the desert, tends flowers, and soon enough arranges to see the same set of people day after day as winter ends and spring begins.

Some months later, with the southern spring having just begun, Bloom tells her blue guide, I think I am ready for a first experiment. It would be best to first try one of the people I've been repeatedly seeing.

Permalink Mark Unread

The worst-springer in the bunch, a purple with scars on his arms and a purse-sized dog he brings with him everywhere, is readily convinced to volunteer.

Permalink Mark Unread

If I try to adjust your spring twice, the side-effects will be much worse the second time. I think it would probably be a bad idea.

With that in mind, would you prefer I attempt a dramatic reduction to the low end of Amentan springs, with more risk of side-effects, the most likely of which is reduced sex drive for the entire year not just in spring, or a more gentle reduction to merely average springs with less risk of side-effects?

Permalink Mark Unread

I don't know what either of those things is like. ...honestly I miss being a kid and not springing at all. Try the first thing? Please?

Permalink Mark Unread

Very well. I will do my best. You surely know by now that there is some risk in this, so I thank you for volunteering... It will take perhaps ten minutes and hurt a little bit, so I think you should lie down for the Enkindling. You should speak with Ruan to have a bed brought, and I will meditate to prepare for this.

Permalink Mark Unread

A bed is acquired. The purple lies down.

Permalink Mark Unread

She touches the tip of her nose to his hand.

It feels like burning, heat. Relatively gentle, but insistent. Just bad enough to make you want to twitch and wince. There's a vague sense of being pushed by something huge and inexorable. Something invisible stretching what seems like too far, then further, then further. And when it starts to seem intolerable, like he's gotten too big, about to collapse or shatter...

...Like exhaling after inhaling, the exact opposite process begins. The feeling of piercing cold sets in, with a vague sense of being pulled and twisted and pinched this way and that, invisible surfaces being folded and molded, pulling against each other the whole time. He sees glimpses of what must be Bloom's mind, focused on some incomprehensible indescribable process in a sense he does not have - on what might be described as a hellishly complicated weave of ten thousand tangled threads, or an elaborate chemical brew, or the conducting of a symphony.

 

And then...

 

It is done, announces Bloom, sounding tired. Her head rests on the concrete floor with a slow exhalation.

Permalink Mark Unread

He whimpers and squeezes his dog, but doesn't cry out.

When she's through he spends a few minutes just breathing fast, adjusting. His dog licks his face nervously.

Permalink Mark Unread

She watches the Enkindling settle and entrench itself, trying to learn lessons for next time. She tells the dog that he will be fine. The dog is still nervous despite this reassurance.

He... Might be able to directly sense these things, along with Bloom's looming presence to his left, dense and bright, and Ruan's presence across the room. It's at the edge of attention, sort of muddled and indistinct, almost like the faint impressions you can get by squeezing your eyes shut.

Permalink Mark Unread

He doesn't notice right away.

"Can - can you tell how well it worked -"

Permalink Mark Unread

...I am still observing. But I am sure it worked. All the markers of severe springs are suppressed. How much better this makes you feel will be important information for future attempts.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I feel different. I'm not sure. That was really intense."

Permalink Mark Unread

That is not surprising. Enkindling is the molding and setting aflame your very Essence. Metaphorically. There is time.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ruan has a spring severity screening questionnaire ready for the purple, who takes it, picking his way through carefully, and scores a three out of fifty, somewhat incredulous about it.

Permalink Mark Unread

That is good, correct? What you wanted? I think there are other effects... Probably your sex drive, as I predicted. It's well entangled with spring.

...I used more of my own Essence than I expected to cover problems and gaps I noticed developing. Enough that it was very tiring, and that is the kind of thing that tends to cause side-effects, especially sensitivity to the Song.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You aren't... louder than you used to be? I..." He blinks. "I might feel something but maybe just because you suggested it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Close your eyes? Suggests Bloom.

Permalink Mark Unread

He closes his eyes.

Permalink Mark Unread

She lifts her head on her long neck over to his other side, trying to remain silent.

...Yep, something just changed, moved from left to right.

Permalink Mark Unread

He turns his head to track the motion.

Permalink Mark Unread

Open your eyes. You followed me without vision. You have the Song, though perhaps only a glimmer. Isn't it beautiful?

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't see enough to really say. I guess it's pretty."

Permalink Mark Unread

Only a glimmer, then? I see almost as much as with my eyes...

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah. Not very much. Enough to tell where people are but not to tell them apart or anything."

Permalink Mark Unread

If you can sense the Song, you may be able to sing in it, too.

Permalink Mark Unread

"How?"

Permalink Mark Unread

I'm not sure. It seems obvious to me.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Maybe I'll figure it out," he says dubiously.

Permalink Mark Unread

Maybe. I want to keep seeing you for a day or two and watch the Enkindling settle... But I'm happy I succeeded and your springing has been cut down so! I think my own irritating tendency to hibernate a lot doesn't compare to how unpleasant severe springs are, now that I've seen the beginning of one.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mine are - were - really bad, most people don't have them that bad."

Permalink Mark Unread

Yes, and my hibernations were bad for my species, and now we have both overcome this to an extent thanks to the power of the Onesong and my role as an instrument of it.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Thank you so much."

Permalink Mark Unread

You are welcome, though I did it for my own reasons. Please let me know if you notice anything... Strange.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I will."

Permalink Mark Unread

 

I should sleep soon, she tells Ruan. And eat a lot more bacon. I spent more energy rather than allow the Enkindling to be botched. I hope you agree that was the right decision.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I hope it'll get more efficient with practice, but yes. Bacon's on its way."

Permalink Mark Unread

It should, now that I know how things interact with magic in place. I had to use... Brute force, more or less, to keep things from going badly when not everything unfolded how I predicted.

Permalink Mark Unread

Bacon is presented. "What things weren't as you expected?" Ruan asks.

Permalink Mark Unread

Bacon is getting a little samey, but very filling.

Well, here is some geneticist lingo and some attempts to describe how things are tangled up together and how Amentan minds are different in this this or that way from Draak ones.

The biggest surprise was just how delicate the hormonal system is. She'd read the literature and people-watched but it still surprised her how much it tried to spiral out of control while she was nudging it.

Permalink Mark Unread

"That's probably especially true of people with extreme springs."

Permalink Mark Unread

Yes, that seems likely. It was a valuable and humbling learning experience. I was overconfident, I made mistakes, I was merely able to mostly mitigate their effects.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We really appreciate your interest in the project."

Permalink Mark Unread

Yes, I know that well by now. And while I am interested in it for my own reasons, it continues to be favorable for both our kinds, a boon for you and a reassurance for us, good without compromise. My small contribution to peace, whatever hope for that may exist.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'll get everybody out of your way so you can rest."

Permalink Mark Unread

Thank you.

 

Bloom sleeps for a solid thirty six hours.

Permalink Mark Unread

Nobody disturbs her, but if she peeks out of the warehouse Ruan's there. They have plugged in a chest freezer for her food out there.

Permalink Mark Unread

How is he? She asks Ruan while going for more food. Anything that seems like a side-effect?

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"Ah, yes, actually. He told us that he forgot about a bowl of ice cream and picked it up when it was half-melted and then it froze solid. It's... the sort of thing we'd usually dismiss as obviously invented, but..."

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I was afraid of that. The original purpose of Enkindling was to create powerful animal servants. I used enough Essence for something like that to happen. It probably won't do him any harm if he's not reckless.

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"He doesn't seem it, but if you have advice I'm sure he'd appreciate it. Is... this going to come up again?"

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Cold magic? That sounds appropriate. Using it is a thing of will, and it will make him hungrier. It probably won't come up again when I can use less power for the same result. Or I could do it deliberately, but my aim is to assist with springs, not empower your kind.

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"The geneticists are probably going to look into it, if it's the kind of thing that might be genetic like the softer spring."

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It's more a matter of how much of my Essence is used. But your geneticists studying my work was always part of the plan, of course.

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"Why is cold magic appropriate?"

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...Spring is the end of winter and the coming of warmth. Cold is denying spring's hold on the world. So, cold magic is appropriate.

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"...I suppose. Does a lot of what you do run on aesthetics like that."

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Aesthetically appropriate things tend to happen when one is close to the Onesong. Not everything is like that, but powerful magic? Does tend to be.

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"If he uses it a lot, gets a job in an ice cream place or something, and eats a lot to compensate, will he be all right? Is he likely to misfire?"

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Yes. And, practice would do no harm, and if he casts about in a fit of passion it will be just as available as my claws are to me, but once one has the hang of it accidents will be unlikely.

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Ruan nods.

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I imagine he is happy with the additional blessing, even though I did not intend to give it? It's not as if I can take it away.

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"Oh, yes, he's pleased. Most people would be."

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I don't want to make a habit of such empowerment. This, the Elders will understand. Enkindling is a delicate business. But doing so on a regular basis is something I would want to seek guidance on.

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"That makes sense to me."

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I'll be ready to work on someone else in a day or two. Without any side-effects, this time, I hope.

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"I'll line up the next person!"

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She goes back inside with a lot of bacon.

She sort of understands the internet now, and has rather mediocre but existent Baravic skill, so, curious, she looks up 'Draak gives mild springs and ice magic' on a pocket everything acquired a while ago.

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She can find the purple giving an interview about it. He demonstrates the ice magic and seems very happy.

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That's a good result as any. She emails her language tutor to mention a couple of words she didn't quite understand and which the dictionary didn't help with, to go over next session.

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The tutor replies with a preliminary explanation of each word and a promise to follow up with telepathy later, and, My nephew has some questions for you, would it be all right if I pass them on?

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That is fine, she writes back.

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He wants to know what other kinds of powers the test subject could have gotten, what circumstances might get you to give more people powers, and whether they get better with practice. To be clear I don't think he's trying to figure out how to get his own, this is for a story he's writing.

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Direct and simple powers with that amount of Enkindling. Ice, water, fire, earth, air, motion and force. It's not unheard of for the powers to get stronger but it is rare. Practice makes you better at using the powers yes. I'm not sure what would cause me to Enkindle more Amentans enough to display magic. It would have to be some kind of very very dire emergency or years in the future.

A story about me? I'm not sure how to feel about that.

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I think he wants to write a story about people with superpowers, not about you. I can tell him not to if you like but he probably isn't the only person to think of it.

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I have no right to deny a story about superpowers. I might want to read some. I also want you to explain the origin of 'super' when you get here.

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I can do that!

She shows up to the next lesson armed with the etymology of "superpower".

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She appreciates it.

Is writing stories about something that inspired you common?

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"Oh, I wouldn't say most people do it, but it's enough of a popular hobby to have its own little culture. And of course some greens do it professionally."

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Interesting. Are there a lot of those? I think Enkindlers have something like it. We discuss projects and the history of the art on the rare occasions we do meet, and sometimes collectively look down on Draak that don't have the skill. We have a reputation for being... Detached? Closer to the Onesong. Which some consider good and others bad.

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"A lot of - hobbies? Yes, most people have some."

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No. Things that 'have their own little culture'. I'm confused by this, what are they like? How does it work?

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"Oh, I think most hobbies have at least some of that. People who like something are friends with other people who like the same thing, and they develop shortcuts for talking about it, and so on. Even if they're just thrown together without a hobby things like that can happen. There are phrases and jokes I'd only use around other people from my college."

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That's very strange now that I think about it! Even as I notice that Draak do it too! Not nearly as much, I think, but especially the different subspecies seem have different habits of thought and a sort of shared identity. Though, I have met Onyx clan Draak who resemble me far more than some of my fellow Emeralds, too.

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"Sure, I might make one of the college jokes with a yellow who worked there even though all the students and instructors were orange."

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The clans are not very much like castes, I think.

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"I wouldn't know. What are they like?"

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Your clan determines where you can live, where you can explore, but not what you can do. Perhaps Emeralds might make better gardeners on average than other clans but it would be absurd to say 'you are not Emerald, therefore you cannot live your life gardening or dwell in a forest, you must find some other thing to do'.

Amentans approach blues with more deference and respect, each caste seems to generate many weak assumptions in your minds, and you cannot tolerate the thought of reds at all... If we had castes, I might expect any Sapphire stranger to be strong in Water, obsessed with the ocean and fish, deeply tolerant of changing circumstances and adversity. But we don't. I expect them to act like any other Draak does, I greet them just the same as a fellow Emerald or a Ruby. Though perhaps I would assume they can swim well.

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She nods.

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I might like to read your nephew's story. It could be good practice. Mostly I just read you and Ruan's emails and the subtitles on Nature View.

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"- I'm sure there are some already online and they have ways you can sort them by how many people think they're good."

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Could you show me?

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"All right." She looks up "draak" on Fiction Closet and finds a well rated story with no sex or crossovers. "This is from before the news about the ice magic, should I find a newer one?"

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There has not been much time to write new ones yet, correct? I'll read some of the others first.

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The story is about an original Draak character called Cloud finding a habitable planet and helping some Amentans build a colony there without messing up the local ecology too much; the Amentans in the story live in treehouses and underground and in dirigibles wherever the habitats are sensitive to conventional living. It's mostly a series of vignettes but does keep revisiting some perspectives.

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This is charming and believable! Treehouses and dirigibles and underground cities are much better than the standard ones. How much is from Cloud's perspective? Does any of it show Cloud's internal thoughts?

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It has some Cloud-perspective, mostly about the ecosystem and some about the Amentans where the narration dwells on things the author guesses would stand out to a Draak about them.

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She reads it all the way through, then writes a long and rambling review peppered with minor criticisms, with several paragraphs attempting to describe what flying feels like.

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"Do you want to post this anonymously or make an account?" asks her tutor.

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I will make an account so nobody thinks I am Lying about being Draak.

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"You'll have to confirm that it's your account on another site that has you verifiably connected."

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...I don't really understand. Does Nature View count? I should just ask Ruan to deal with this maybe?

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"Ruan can announce that the Fiction Closet account is yours, probably, if it's really important nobody think you're an Amentan posing as you."

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Not Lying is extremely important. Not being seen as Lying is not quite as important, but I still want to avoid it. I would verify it some other way than asking the blue I know, if I knew how, which I don't.

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"If you had an account on Quoteme or something you could post a Quote about it, but if you don't he'll manage something."

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I can open more accounts. Is that one of the ones that pictures go on? Would I take a lot of pictures of me to prove that I am me?

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"People can put pictures up as Quotes these days but usually don't, it's got a pretty strict file size limit. I guess you'd have to get Ruan to verify your Quoteme too, but once you had that done it'd be a good way to claim any other accounts you made."

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She goes through the rigamarole of setting up two new accounts and getting Ruan to verify the Quoteme and declaring that DraakBloom on Fiction Closet is indeed the alien who's practicing spring-reduction magic.

And then she thanks her tutor for walking her through that and finishes the lesson. And then she posts her review.

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Quoteme starts with person-to-person messages turned off and Fiction Closet only allows messages to story authors by default, so nothing exciting delivers itself to her unless she goes looking.

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She is unaware these options even exist. She reads more highly-rated Draak fics on Fiction Closet.

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There are some with more approves than the one her tutor picked but they are two erotica fics, four crossovers, and one that's both.

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It's all very strange. The work of deciphering words into concepts is entertaining enough by itself to keep her doing it. The crossovers might be interesting despite her near-total confusion - she understands the concept at least, stories that borrow from other stories. And the erotica is a little interesting in a weird alien-thinking sort of way, unless it gets repetitive. What are these popular works about?

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The porn is in fact less repetitive than most porn, a fact she might not appreciate without a background in other porn, because everyone is separately inventing what they think or hope Draak mating habits and anatomy might be. They are about:

- What if a Draak OC appeared instead of the canon monster of this erotic novel?

- WHO WOULD WIN: a not-particularly-characterized Draak or this sea monster cyborg? What would the canon characters of the sea monster cyborg's movie series think of all this?

- Seeker and this OC Cenemi biologist fall in LOVE which Draak can do now because they're telepathic and Amentans can love, right? It could be communicable! Also everyone has SOUL AURAS like in this fantasy franchise. Seeker's is MAUVE and the biologist's is TEAL and this has SO MANY IMPLICATIONS but the author is not trying to be canon-compliant so don't ask about why he's ignoring season 4 episode 17 of series 2. That was a bad episode anyway. And stop asking the author when they're going to fuck, he writes for an all-ages audience! Maybe there are three year olds who want to read about aliens learning to love!

- What if the Draak had found the planet in this novella instead of Amenta? Military science fiction would happen, apparently!

- What if the Draak had landed 45 years ago and met characters from this historical fiction series? Could it be comedy of errors social drama?

- Seeker is River's dad, right? Let's imagine all her brothers and sisters and speculate in detail on their conceptions for some reason!

- What if Bloom tried to de-spring somebody and instead the result was sex pollen!?

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She Quotes each one (except the historical drama) with a link to the story in question:

This one is not very unrealistic, even if the Draak is a background for the rest of the story.

Draak combat abilities vary wildly. I think the Guardian of the Great Green would surely defeat the monster but I would probably die.

I think I could understand love as Amentans feel it if I wanted to for some reason, but I don't know if it could become part of me.

It's impossible for any one person to know the full resources the Draak as a whole could use to fight a war. Still, I think we might have just fled our world once again in this scenario. That is safer than fighting, if it's an option.

A clarification: Usually two or three eggs are created at once.

I wouldn't know how to do that if I was trying!

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She gets a lot of approves and curations and comments on all her Quotes!

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Wait what? What do these numbers mean? Does she reply to these, is it a conversation? Why are so many people doing this now when it was silent before?

What?

...She opens Fiction Closet again and looks for more stories.

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There are lots!

- What if this character from this story about fictional aliens showing up on Amenta were a Draak instead?

- Five Ways Amentan/Draak Hybrids Could Work

- Various attempts at slice-of-life Draak-hanging-out-on-their-planet-doing-Draak-stuff stories

- A Draak OC meets a little purple kid and takes him flying!

- The Draak demand payment for getting Amentans off the planet. The payment is sex.

- A fic clearly begun in winter with thoughtful explorations of how the Draak developing a government could work that takes a sudden turn as of its first springtime update into the V-romance between an Amentan ambassador and two Draak OCs.

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These are increasingly silly and decreasingly novel. The Draak who don't act like Draak are disconcerting, though it's vaguely flattering that everyone is excited enough to try. It's downright irritating that the last one turned into a romance when it was thoughtful and interesting before.

She does Quote, Flying under your own power is truly one of the greatest joys of life, about the one with the purple kid.

She pauses her reading to email Ruan asking if there are volunteers for a second attempt at de-springing, preferably a female this time? Who won't be receiving magic power, hopefully. And to remind him that this is the non-hereditary version. After a few hundred successes with it, she might be confident enough to attempt a hereditary version.

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A second volunteer, an orange woman, is presently available.

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Hello. Thank you for volunteering. This is the second time I have done this, so it will be less painful and much less dangerous. Still, there is a non-zero risk of side effects, especially a reduction of your sex drive. Would you prefer I aim for a sharp reduction to mild springs with slightly more risk of side-effects, or a moderate reduction to average springs?

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"...side effects like the magic powers?"

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You will almost certainly not gain magic powers. That was a result of me exhausting myself to prevent a catastrophic result. With the experience from the first time, I can keep it from coming to that point in the first place. Side effects like changes to your sex drive, or less likely what temperatures or textures feel comfortable or what foods you like or minor physical alterations like your eye color are also unlikely, but cannot be ruled out.

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"I guess lower chance of side effects."

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As you wish.

It still takes about twenty minutes, but it's barely painful - though still strange-feeling. Bloom takes her time nudge-nudge-nudging the one thing along while trying to keep everything else in the same place.

Done. That was much less precarious than last time, excellent. Wait a few minutes and then take Ruan's spring survey, please?

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"Okay. Gosh, that was odd."

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Yes. It's a change of your very nature. It would be odd if it felt like nothing, would it not?

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"I don't know, I could have seen it either way."

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I suppose there is always more to discover, and many things I myself do not know... Well, Enkindling feels like something. That truth is apparent to all who have experienced it.

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She nods.

She takes the screen and scores 21 out of 50. "I used to get 46," she says.

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I hope you are happier this way. Ruan, I can do this work several times a day without exhaustion now. My study and your support are now showing buds, if not yet bearing the heavy fruit of success!

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"That's wonderful! I'll get batches scheduled, how many a day?"

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I think I should do this for six people tomorrow and see if that's too slow. I would not want to schedule more than is sustainable and then turn them away.

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"All right, six it is."

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Good.

Is there a place like Fiction Closet for things that are true?

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"...Summary Bank, maybe? It's not exactly like Fiction Closet though."

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That doesn't sound like what I want. I want to write about my life because it's annoying how much the stories I read are getting wrong. But it's not fiction.

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"Oh, memoirs. Huh. I don't know of a memoir site. I suppose people might have personal blogs with that kind of thing but I'm not aware of anyone aggregating them with truth in particular as the filter - there's no way to check at scale, you realize -"

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Yes. That's annoying too, but there's nothing to be done about it. I suppose I could put it on Fiction Closet anyway, and simply declare that it's true?

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"You could, I don't think they're very strict, or you could get a blog. Like Quoteme but for longer things."

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I already have the Fiction Closet account. That seems easiest. The internet is really a mystery to me. And so many people! Praise and recognition is nice but after a year on Amenta I'm going to be very ready to not talk to anyone for a season or longer.

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"Should I be leaving you alone more of the time?"

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Not necessary. It's more that I miss my old territory, I think, where I could keep everyone out. I feel... Homeless. Visiting the desert is nice, but it's not mine. I find myself wishing I could fight someone and take their land. It's probably an instinct, because a homeless Draak is a vulnerable, undesirable, and starving Draak in the ancestral environment.

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"That makes sense. Would it help if you owned the warehouse?"

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...A little bit, yes. And the loading dock. It'd be a very small territory but it could soothe the part of my mind that itches at not having a place that is mine. Slightly better if it's explicitly because of my progress in Enkindling to reduce the severity of springs. I do still intend to leave Amenta sooner or later, of course.

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"I'll look into it. You're not blue but since you aren't collecting rent I think that should be fine."

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I will surely either abandon or return it whenever I am done here, so I don't care what happens to it after that. Whatever is easiest to arrange, I suppose?

I do see why Seeker was so selective in the visitors he brought with him. I know Draak who would have simply declared that some section of desert or jungle is theirs, and dared anyone who wanted to object to come kill them. It is the way things are done at home. These systems of history and ownership and payment and words to decide territory, and rules and rules and rules on how the territory is to be used, are unfamiliar, even offensive. If a Draak did want payment in exchange for use of their territory, here or on Newhome or whatever other new homes lie across the ocean of stars, what would you do then?

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"Our laws about in-caste income don't really account for aliens; I assume that anyone giving a Draak land and expecting them to collect rent on it would work that out ahead of time, and it'd be a little farcical for anyone to actually bring charges even if they didn't do that. On your own planet of course no Amentan nation's rules apply."

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Taxes are something many will have to adjust to, too. I'm not sure how they're going to collect resources for common use back home and glad it's not my problem.

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"Maybe something more like a crowdfunding model will work better for Draak than taxation."

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I think so, yes. The Elders will figure it out. They are the strongest and wisest of us. I am content in a lesser place that fits my temperament, I am not beholden to shallow Vanity which might drive me to ruin or evil.

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"...is that a common effect of vanity?"

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One might think 'I am great and mighty and perfect, therefore everything in the world should be mine and all should serve me and any who question me should be destroyed.' That is evil. Ruin is simple overconfidence leading to doom.

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"I see."

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I will go meditate on Enkindling and then amuse myself until tomorrow, now. Tomorrow, six attempts. If all is well, the next day, perhaps more.

Part of her amusing herself is writing and posting the beginning of that memoir. It uses simple words and is kind of amateurish. The first chapter is titled 'What it's like to be an egg'.

...Time had no meaning. There was no motion and no sensation except being surrounded on all sides. Warm. I could not count sleeps but I counted the times my parent sung to me. Preparing me for life outside the shell. I wondered how beautiful the world would be...

...The two first lessons given to every Draak in their egg are the first thing any Draak learns, are that you are a destroyer, you must destroy other life to survive. You are a creator, you must one day create new life yourself...

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The numbers on the story go up!

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That means people are reading it, and might be less blatantly wrong about Draak in the future! She Quotes something to this effect and then sleeps in preparation for six de-springings the next day.

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She is presented with three purples, a yellow, a grey, and a green over the course of the day, their arrival times staggered.

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She asks each one whether they want to spring an average amount, or very little. She patiently works on them, getting more used to this minimal and delicate kind of Enkindling each time.

...She rejects the green and asks him to come back tomorrow. I have to think about your case a bit more...

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"- is something wrong with me? Wronger than it just being spring -"

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No. You are subtly different than the others, a different combination of complicating factors that makes your spring slightly trickier, and I want time to consider it before moving.

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The green looks at Ruan, who ushers him away and figures out a replacement time slot the next day. The green hits on Ruan. Ruan turns him down and sends him off.

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Some Amentans will be straightforward and easy to de-spring now. I could do sixty or more each day and speed up even more as time passes. Others, like him, will not. The latter are more interesting and likelier to expand my understanding, but will take longer. I can tell you which are which, among the people I've been people-watching the most.

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"The greens who are following along could maybe use that to make predictions."

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Yes, the mysterious practice of Statistics. That sounds potentially useful. I can also judge many, many more people for simplicity or complexity in a single day, if gathering that information seems like a good use of time.

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"Let's see if anything jumps out from the existing data before trying that."

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She goes down the list with him, sometimes needing prompting like 'the one with the hair clip', or pictures. About four fifths of these people would be simple to de-spring, apparently.

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"Once you've thought about someone complicated will they take longer than everyone else?"

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Probably more time, but not more energy.

I should do this to a red and a blue. The castes are subtly different.

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"- getting a red here may be difficult."

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I can go to them for this.

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"That would be much worse. Is it important for anything besides de-springing more reds?"

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Her tail twitches in what might be an upset manner.

A fuller picture of things never hurts.

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"I'll... look into it. One will do?"

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It may be necessary to see many for a full understanding, eventually. 

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"I'll try to get you a batch to drive in after everyone else will have left."

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Why do people hate them?

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"...they're unclean."

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That explains the separation, the aversion, the disgust. But I fail to see why it must lead to outright hate.

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"I don't think most people do hate them outright."

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The way you think of them seems... Distinct? Something that stands out like a lone tree on a field of grass. It doesn't follow what else I know obviously. There is so much about you I still don't understand. I can only hope to learn.

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"I don't have the outside perspective on my thoughts so I couldn't say."

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I don't either. Introspection is a worthy skill and not one I possess in abundance. It's just that something seems sad and wrong about it, much like the factory farms.

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"Well. I think they spring like anyone else and will probably appreciate it."

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Indeed I hope that if you manage a general treatment for springs, reds will be included in the recipients.

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"Once the price comes down I'd expect it to go to them like contraception does."

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I suppose money is as good a way as any to distribute things.

...I had not thought to mention this before, but Enkindling does often stave off aging and promote general health. My favorite eagle lived for sixty three years until he was eaten by another Draak. Though, I had greatly empowered him and was specifically aiming for long life and performed regular healing besides.

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"...well, that seems all to the good coming as it does with milder springs and the prospect of planets, but it would be an awful tradeoff if it didn't."

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I don't expect those I have worked on thus far to live more than a few years past the average.

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"And it won't affect anything for a long time. We've been sending you younger people."

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That makes sense. There is more benefit - they have more of their lives ahead of them, they have had fewer children. Wise. I would not have been surprised if the powerful older ones arranged for only themselves to benefit.

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"Well, this is in some ways a public health and population enforcement concern - it makes more sense to send you the worst springs first - but also people don't spring as badly after age twenty."

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I alone am never going to de-spring everyone. I hope Seeker will bring other Enkindlers upon his eventual return. Perhaps the Draak should deliberately have a population boom...? I think could keep one or two hatchlings each time of creation alive if I tried. We are not really near the carrying capacity of our planet even without any infrastructure and paying keen attention to conservation. And there really are terribly few of us.

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"That would be interesting, though I couldn't confidently form an opinion without knowing why there are now so few."

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Very small seed population. Low average desire to have children. Low survivability into adulthood. I have had nine eggs, and two children alive now. Significant death rate among adults.

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"I more meant it isn't clear why you tolerate that death rate."

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Most animals die. I wouldn't want to have had any sickly and inferior children, and leaving them to fend for themselves solves that. It is the way it has always been done and Tradition is comforting.

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"Can't you - Enkindle them, if they come out defective?"

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I could do that, if I wanted to lock down their own magical potential to set paths before they have any chance to stretch it. It would be an interesting experiment if it didn't feel weird and wrong to do that to my seeds of potential.

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"Well, it seems better than letting them die."

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...Perhaps. It could be tried, and if the Kin who came from that method are truly inferior or unworthy we will see in time.

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"We've given a fair amount of thought to nondestructive eugenics since we're not prepared to weather a high death rate," he explains.

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That could be useful. We mostly don't feel Love. We do, sometimes, but not often. We mostly accept death when it happens to other beings, though we would claw and roar against the void for ourselves. I feel like I'm not adequately describing our minds by resorting to contrasting them with yours, though.

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"It's early days yet. I think we'll probably acculturate each other and be better able to understand over time."

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I hope my memoirs will help. The horribly wrong stories are annoying.

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"I'm sure some people will care about accuracy, but some of them are probably just using Draak as an inspirational jumping-off point."

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Annoyed tail-flick.

There was one in particular that was actually very good. The first one my tutor showed me, in fact. I want to email the person who wrote it. Do you know how to do that? I also would be willing to answer questions to help make people less incorrect.

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"It's probably possible to send messages between Fiction Closet accounts but I don't have one. I can try to figure it out from yours if you like."

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I would appreciate it.

Oh. You were going to try to arrange for me to own this place at least temporarily? Perhaps you should start charging money to de-springed people to pay for it, or is that premature? I don't wish to owe some nebulous debt. I also still need to pay back all your hospitality, the meat, the garden, the nail painters, the amenities and guards for this place...

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"I thought I'd explained we have a budget for things like that. It included buying the warehouse, transferring it to you isn't even an extra expense. And we aren't charging your patients, since it was important to get variety on a lot of factors rather than filtering mostly for money - anyone with awful springs and money is spending it on credits. If we started charging the patients then your batch of reds wouldn't be able to afford it."

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...You did mention that. Budgets are such a foreign concept that I keep forgetting they exist. I never did see much point for the use of Number, except for knowing exactly how much treasure I have, so I'm not used to anything math can do.

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"Would you like a math tutor?"

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Perhaps later if I find myself bored, or think of a use for such skills.

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"All right, the option will be open as long as you're here." He can find the Fiction Closet message function.

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Oh, it's like another email account? It looks like I already received some?

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"It is a bit like another email account, yes, though if you want you can check this box and your Fiction Closet messages will go to your normal email and you can reply from there."

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I will do that. Thank you.

I think it might be best if I see the man I sent away first thing tomorrow, and then thirty or so simple candidates.

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"That can be arranged."

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She goes back to her pile of Treasure and tends her flowers and writes another memoir chapter: 'What it's like to hatch'.

...It was not something I decided. I realized. I knew that I would die if I did not break free soon. I would be crushed by the same egg that protected me...

...I felt sure it would be the most exhausting experience of my life. Covered in slime and dirt I wobbled on unsteady feet and stumbled to the ground...

...I stared at the little animal. It was alive. It was moving. It glowed with warmth and magic. It seemed beautiful and irreplaceable. Did I really have to kill it? I didn't want to. But I was very hungry. So I accepted the lesson that I must destroy, which my parent told me in the egg...

 

She also messages the writer of the first story she read, the one with Cloud, simply saying that she liked it and she thinks they understand Draak better than most.

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The author really appreciates that! She read a lot of interviews and articles trying to piece things together. She likes the memoir!

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I'm writing it because I want people to be less wrong about Draak. Some of the stories are very silly and wrong. Is there anything I should make sure to mention in the memoir to do this? I will answer some questions if you want too because I like the story.

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The author has lots of questions! What do Draak do with dead Draak, how do they react when it happens? (It's not necessary to answer but she'd like to know for verisimilitude.) Do they have anything like a pollution instinct? Do they have fridges or canning or drying or salting or anything to store food for later, like in winter, or do they just hibernate if food's scarce on the hoof? What's hunting like? How do they meet people, some of them seem to know each other but they have neither cities nor Internet. Does she notice interesting differences in Amentan castes or nationalities or anything?

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Death comes for everything eventually, even Draak who don't seem to die of old age. Bloom expects to die one day, whether by accident or violence. Of course she doesn't want to die, but it's going to happen sooner or later. If her child or a friend died she would be a little bit sad. Destroyed eggs hit harder.

Sometimes a few feathers are plucked as trophies or tokens of remembrance, one might eat a portion of it if one was hungry but Draak are not very tasty, and then the body is just left where it lies so it will return to the land. If there's any ecological concern to just leaving it there it's shredded or burned or buried or otherwise processed in situ.

Concentrations of pathogens - sensed directly with the Song - seem off and unusual but are not actually aversive. Eating a partially decayed body and getting horribly sick as a result is a lesson most Draak only have to learn once, though. An infected live animal, however, is obvious and disturbing and disgusting. It's common to cull and incinerate animals with particularly bad diseases if you find any.

Food preservation is mostly not a thing. Sometimes drying and salting, but really most Draak can go months without eating and then mightily feast even in summer. She thinks the hibernation response is not actually linked to how hungry one is.

Hunting is a competition between you and your target. You have to pay exquisitely careful attention to it, read the wind, know its speed and abilities and body language. It's about watching and waiting and moving at the exact right moment. You need keen senses, great patience, and speed and ferocity at the moment of striking. Setting traps feels weird and unsporting, but is acceptable if you're starving.

You wander around and smell the scents of other Draak and go find them and meet people that way. You ask your neighbors about their neighbors. You rudely wander straight through claimed territories or around unclaimed ones. You buy and sell lessons from other Draak with shiny things. You train birds to fly in every direction and invite others to come meet you if they might like you. There's all kinds of ways.

She has only barely met anyone outside of Baravi so can't comment on nationalities, but greens seem weak in Earth and purples weak in Air and blues weak in Fire and greys weak in Water, as stereotypes. Oranges are strong in Water, yellows in Air. She hasn't met many any reds but Seeker says they might be strong in Earth.

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The author would like to know more about all those elements!

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She answers the next morning after sleeping.

It's hard to explain. She could show everything they mean in person with telepathy but here is her best attempt. 

Fire is destruction and death and consumption, but also life and animation and new creation. To live is to consume, as a flame consumes. To live is to shine and warm, as a flame shines and warms. Being strong in fire means having a drive to get what you want and living loudly and fearlessly, showing your spirit to the world and changing things.

Water is flexibility and adaptation and subtlety and empathy. Water curves and bends over the land and fills the shapes it occupies and cannot be crushed, but over time it can carve valleys and wear away mountains. Being strong in water means understanding and changing your approach, finding another way to get what you want than the obvious.

Air is speed and insight, attention and activity. Air is rarely quite still, always moving from every tiny disturbance. The wind blows dust hundreds of miles in a day and fills every corner of the world. Being strong in air means careful observation and intelligent adjustment and diligent correction of mistakes, plus a swift pace of work in whatever you do.

Earth is silence and stillness, solidity and durability. The ground beneath one's feet might not move for centuries, and when it does - earthquakes and landslides and cave-ins and tectonic plates shifting - it is nearly unstoppable. Being strong in Earth means one is patient, resilient, one can face danger and pain and hunger and all manner of indignity and continue on regardless. 

Earth is her personal favorite.

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The author wants to know if these are a real thing or just a philosophy.

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Bloom is pretty sure they are a real thing but feels compelled to admit that not all Draak do. It's theology.

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The author does not know much Amentan theology to compare. What do Draak do with all these concepts?

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They feel like obvious and natural categories that reflect something real in the universe. They're handy shorthand concepts to describe or relate other things. They're thought to be the best ways Draak can be, they're ideals to live up to. And many kinds of magic are extremely difficult without being strong in the relevant element.

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Ooh, what kinds of magic for which elements? What's difficult about them?

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The classic thing for Fire is various combat magic, most grandly the True Song of Destruction which can vaporize almost anything. A special branch of Fire magic allows one to eat almost anything - some plants, rocks, metal - and extract energy from them. Fire magic is most connected to the physical world. Flinging boulders or hydrokinesis is Fire magic, and Draak's fire breath - or some have lightning breath instead - is natural Fire magic that doesn't require thinking about but gets stronger with Fire affinity.

Water magic is about changing oneself. Camouflage, altered scent, reshaping things, and magically teaching things. Water is also the element most connected to dreams and intuition, but dream magic is very confusing and hard to explain. Water magic can also sometimes do something like object-reading, but it reads an object's purpose instead of its history.

Air magic is about speed and senses and states of mind. You can confuse or panic someone with Air, or induce pain or sleep, or sharpen your own mind or senses briefly, or flash-step and otherwise move quickly, or help you fly. The True Song of Dominion creates a very strong but sometimes resistable urge to obey the Draak who sings it for a few minutes.

Earth magic is all about durability. You can be very very difficult to injure, ignore pain, be all but immune to disease or poison, reinforcing or repairing objects, and of course the Songs of Healing, varying from least powerful to most in the True Song of Healing. Earth magic is also linked with Enkindling, though it requires all four elements to do properly.

Most magic is difficult because it requires very strong intent, clear visualization, and specific states of mind. She has to feel like she is a deep pond to object-read, or like she is the howling wind to confuse a prey animal.

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What does it feel like to be a pond or a wind? Isn't it weird for hydrokinesis to be Fire?

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That is very hard to put into words! She thought so too at first, and you can do a little hydrokinesis with Water, but Fire is motion and animation and does it better once you get it. (Enkindled powers don't work the same way, they're specific and not freeform like the true magic of a Draak.)

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So the guy with the ice power isn't using an element?

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Nope. It's just a thing he can do now, like talking or running. Enkindled powers are like that.

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And it wouldn't get better or worse if his personality got more or less like any element?

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It might get a little better if he meditated on the nature of ice and cold? That happened with some of her trained animals. It's more like improved efficiency than an actual increase in power, though.

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How would thinking about ice and cold make it more efficient?

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She's seen it happen and doesn't know why. Lots of things about magic seem to be beyond anyone's understanding especially the very powerful things. And by the way it's probably time for her to go de-spring a bunch of people soon.

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Okay! The author wishes her luck with that!

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May you be blessed, she messages.

She asks Ruan if the statistics about simple versus complex de-springings have shown anything interesting, or if it's too soon for that?

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They're not sure what the difference is yet! Guesses include it having to do with general health of a relevant gland or a vitamin deficiency but they could be on the wrong track.

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I doubt it is any one thing. I could judge a thousand people in a day or more for it. In a month or two we can try hereditary ones and see if the genetic changes are comprehensible.

I think I might want to commission an artist for some illustrations in my memoir at some point and despite being reassured that you have a budget I don't wish to continually add things to it without hesitation.

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"That wasn't really an anticipated expense, I'll admit. Whether it'd fit comfortably into the miscellany earmark would depend on your taste in art."

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Well, I am patient. I will have money eventually. For now, work. How many people shall I see today? That green, I know how to do it for him now, and some others.

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He shows her the schedule. "It's a little logistically difficult to get huge numbers of people in here just for a complexity diagnosis and then follow up on the tricky ones with a lot of questions to find out what the common factor is, so the greens are prepared to wait a bit and see if a pattern drops out naturally - it's not that hard to plan for bumping a few people to the next day each time, by comparison."

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That makes sense. I do like this way of doing things, it lets me think mostly about magic. Even if it is rather impersonal.

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"Specialization's the big advantage of how we have our economy set up, yes."

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It's also slightly disquieting to Enkindle dozens and dozens of beings the same way, with a touch as light as a feather. I don't think anything like it has been done before. But it is for the best, yes? I will get over it.

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"Disquieting how?"

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Un-Traditional. Enkindling is a mighty, special, rare power shared only with the most inspiring or deserving beasts, who are to become your friends and servants. This is... Not that. It will be seen as shameful to some. I might have to bite them.

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"Well. Let us know if we can usefully back you up about that."

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We are not all chained to Tradition. And Tradition changes over the centuries. And an Elder supports me in this. I will be fine.

She gets to work. She rejects one purple not for being a complex case but for having a cold.

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They are all very angry at the purple for showing up with a cold. She leaves in a quarantine taxi, crying.

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It feels like the cold had started the afternoon before. Yes, this is the correct response.

Sick animals trigger something not entirely unlike a pollution instinct in Draak, though less severe and more to the character of anger. I think it's a culling instinct to keep one's prey healthy.

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A bad-springing green in the waiting area remarks, "Some Amentan predators preferentially eat sick animals because they're easier to catch."

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To me sick animals are just obviously bad and need to die on some level of my mind. It's ignorable, but irritating. And once's something is dead meat is meat, unless the disease is something like rabies or blueblight.

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"Amentans don't eat sick animals," says the green. "If an animal on a farm gets sick I think it's sometimes made into pet food, but not food for people, even if we could cook the disease out."

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...Kind of wasteful. I am reminded of the sausage-tree idea again. But I am here for springs, not sausage-trees.

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"Hopefully in a few years we'll have those too."

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Part of me would like things to stay the same way forever. That would be safe. But it's not possible. Instead, I would like things to get better.

Back to de-springing people! She attempts to explain the qualia and process to the greens on the project. The 'weaving' and 'symphony' metaphors get kind of stretched.

(...She messages her new writing-friend on a short break and says that magic is actually more complicated than just picturing something and having a particular state of mind but those were the easy to explain parts. She thinks that might have been misunderstood, the way she wrote things earlier. Writing is frustrating sometimes.)

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Writing-friend would love more detail on what doing magic is like!

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After the full day of de-springing she elaborates. It's all in the sense that Amentans don't have and everything will have to be a metaphor. If doing telepathy at someone is like talking, breathing fire is like shouting, and persistent durability effects are like constantly humming under your breath, and -kinesis effects are like singing something with no set melody but lots of rules about what comes after this or that set of notes, and messing with minds is also like shouting but different than fire, and water magic is like mimicking natural sounds with your voice, and Songs of Healing are like very precise chanting, and Enkindling is like conducting a symphony while also singing something very fiddly and complicated.

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Do Draaks even actually vocalize at all?

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...Yes! They can actually vocally sing! They can purr with a lot of range and roar and make clicks and a few breathy sounds and something almost like howls, though some noises Amentans make are beyond them. '-th' and '-b' are really weird to listen to for example. A few simple messages are vocal and not telepathic, almost body language type things more than anything else, it carries further if you're really loud, but it's really not a proper language at all.

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There should be Internet clips of that, it would be cool!

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She finds some videos of River's performances and points out timestamps where she was actually making meaningful noises. This low-high purring means sadness inflicted by something external, and this slightly different low-high purring means self-inflicted sadness or self-pity. Low growl with two clicks is 'you are probably better than me but I'm challenging you anyway'. And so on.

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Why does one acknowledge that someone else is probably better right before challenging them?

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Because it's the truth?

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As opposed to saying some subset of the truth.

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Well, it's good to be honest even if it's not really Lying to just plain challenge someone. And if you're really weaker than them but try your best and succeed anyway that's very impressive and admirable.

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Author would like to know more about how Draak are about lying.

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Lying is bad. Lying is really, really bad. It's a corruption of the pure beauty of Song, using it to express something that is not Truth. Animals are very stupid and if they know no Draak lie they will believe you if you say 'I do not intend to eat you today' and that's convenient, and you can trust what you hear to be real information about the world, but if anyone Lies everything is now in doubt. Telling some subset of the truth is tricky and annoying but not actually bad but there's limits to that. Telling someone "I want the gold" when you have another reason to do something and want to hide that reason is not Lying. Telling a patient "I gave you the strongest painkiller I have" when you just gave them water is Lying, even if it's technically not false if you don't have any real painkillers.

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What about, like, lying by omission? Also wow it's freaky that animals on the Draak planet can understand complicated things like "Draak don't lie", is she sure they don't just automatically believe what is Sung to them even if it is in fact a lie?

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It's a bit of a spectrum and opinions vary Draak to Draak. She doesn't have a strict definition of it. She could place examples.

Animals mostly believe what they hear and are pretty easy to trick but are not completely thoughtless. At least, ones on Newhome aren't. They know when they're going to die soon and recognize other animals and consider whether they can cross a river or if they'll drown and decide to save food for later. A lot of that is instinct, but a little of it is actual intelligence. Amentan animals seem broadly even stupider than the ones she's familiar with, though.

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Maybe Enkindling the animals' ancestors made them brighter generations on. How does she feel about, like, screen names, some of which are the sort of name a person might actually have and camouflage among names that actually are the name of the person they belong to? (The Author doesn't have one of these; her screen name is "tree877".)

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You can name yourself whatever you like. You can have a dozen names if you want. If Bloom called herself Faultline that would be weird and imply she is a Ruby, but it would not be a Lie.

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That makes sense if all your names are chosen names! Why would Faultline imply Ruby?

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It has to do with plate tectonics, which is an underground thing, which implies tunneling, which implies Ruby Clan.

(She pulls heavily from her conversations with tree877 thus far to write 'What it's like to do magic (not chronological)' as a new memoir chapter)

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tree877 notices this! She likes the chapter. Would it feel weird in some way to dig a tunnel while not Ruby?

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She's aiming for one chapter a day. Is Cloud's story going to continue?

Well, she can dig, but she doesn't have a Ruby's digging-optimized claws or sense of direction or echolocation.

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tree877 thinks she's done with Cloud's story but might start another soon.

Amentans don't have digging claws or special directional senses or echolocation either but plenty of them dig tunnels.

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She doesn't dig tunnels. She sees how they could be useful but would have Enkindled something to do it if she needed a tunnel dug.

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Does she have lots of pets at home?

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Fifteen. She left them all there because they would probably react badly to moving, and to keep her claim on her land. They'll be fine without her unless someone specifically wants to hurt them.

(She starts on 'What my infancy was like', about her first year, with many paragraphs devoted to the simplest things like bewilderment over what clouds could be and the wonder of seeing a tree try to sprout, with a few conversations with a not-very-fatherly father and a lot of tales of minor misadventures.)

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tree877 wants to hear all about the pets.

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They get a bit smarter after so much Enkindling - Amentans do too but it's probably hardly measurable, much more noticeable on animals - but they have some difficulty accepting a new place in the world, with intelligence enough to do more than eat and grow and reproduce and die but not enough to compare to her or other people. But she tried to only Enkindle animal servants with a clear purpose and place so they wouldn't be too unhappy.

Seven birds, to watch and listen and report back to her. Four of a species of small spined herbivores, a family, who spread wild plants and eat invasive or overpopulated ones and help keep her territory's flora just so. Two bear-like creatures and a giant sloth, guards and combatants if she ever has to fight. And a rabbit named Forever. Her first Enkindling project, and one she regrets doing badly from inexperience. Forever is not a very happy animal.

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Poor Forever, what's wrong with it?

Are they doing before and after IQ tests on her patients?

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Presumably they are. They ought to know the 'getting slightly smarter' thing from Seeker.

Forever is smart and aggressive and strong, but it is against a rabbit's nature to kill things. He's good at things he doesn't want to do but which young Bloom thought were cool. He doesn't have a useful purpose beyond being her friend and growing plants. He still does the rabbit equivalent of springing but doesn't want to reproduce since candidates for that are much stupider than him and the baby rabbits would be, too. Such recklessness and thoughtlessness can't be repeated.

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Poor Forever. Are there any protections against that sort of thing besides Bloom happening to personally find it objectionable? tree877 guesses not since there is no government.

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There is no government except the laws read out by Grand Moots. There is a law forbidding experiments that might have dangerous results without the approval of an expert. Also, Enkindling teachers mostly refuse to teach someone they don't think is ready. She probably seemed readier than she really was, because she's strong in Earth.

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Who taught her? What was learning like?

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Her father taught her. It was a lot of lectures and then paying close attention while he did it and then some thought experiments and then doing the thing 'at' empty air so he could critique her form.

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You can practice on nothing? Doesn't she need to know what she's acting on to do it? Why her father, don't they basically not do families?

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The practicing on nothing is more about form and the knowing what she's acting on is more about knowledge. If she had knowledge but not form she'd still fuck it up. Her father doesn't love her but thinks she is a reflection of his greatness and her doing impressive things makes him look better, so he taught her for free.

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What are the different ways one fucks up depending on whether form or knowledge is missing?

Is it sad that her father doesn't love her?

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It's hard to predict and depends on the specific fuckup for both kinds. The target growing horribly sick or dying, the Draak growing horribly sick and the target dying, adding lots of side-effects you didn't want, creating a malevolent spirit (a Song-construct not attached to any physical thing), madness...

Not really. He loved her some while she was still an egg, it's gone now but that was enough.

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tree877 wants to know more about spirits! Are they all malevolent?

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No. Plenty are just kind of... Alien. Some are actively seeking to harm anything they can, some just have some kind of natural conflict or don't understand Draak perspectives, like a river spirit causing floods because a bigger river is obviously great, some are benign or helpful. There were a lot of spirits on Oldhome and hardly any on Newhome. She hasn't sensed even one on Amenta. Most spirits are about nature.

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Do they all arise from magic gone awry (or possibly intentional magical creation)?

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Intentional creation and accidents are one theory. She believes the Onesong creates them, or that some occur naturally, or possibly as a side-effect of Draak existing nearby.

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Might some start existing on Amenta after Draak have been visiting long enough?

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It's a possibility. She would notice a spirit trying to form if it did that near her. She should probably tell Ruan about this, actually.

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"...would you be able to interrupt its formation?" he wants to know.

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...Yes...

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"- I don't know if that's the ideal response but it seem important to know if it's possible. What would it be likely to do if one finished forming?"

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Spirits are very individual. They are fairly intelligent but very - inflexible. They don't really learn. I could certainly talk to it if it was strong enough to cause much trouble, or bully it somewhere uninhabited, or shred it while it's weak if it is evil. If it's any kind of spirit I'm familiar with, one of wind or rain or leaves or a hot spring, it could be convinced into the botanical garden or some patch of wilderness easily enough.

If a new spirit has something to do with elevators or glass or the internet I wouldn't really understand what it wants. Such spirits sound impossible to me, but since you want to consider all possibilities I mention it.

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"What would the familiar types do?"

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A river spirit might play in the waters and eject pollution and trash to the banks if there is any, but a very old and powerful river spirit could cause flooding. A wind spirit would spread leaves and seeds everywhere. A tree spirit would make trees grow faster and be healthier. A fire or warmth spirit... Could be trouble.

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"Flooding would be trouble too."

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Tail-shrug. You don't have to be a Draak to kill a spirit. Attacking whatever it's affecting hurts it.

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"I admit I'm not clear on how to attack wind or a body of water."

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I could show you a memory that might make it clearer?

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"Please do."

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Here is her memory of fighting a wind spirit! It leaves a faint visible outline, a distortion in the air, and seems to affect only an area about fifty feet across at once, and while it's fast it's a bit predictable and Bloom charges through it, breathing fire. Eventually it wanders away, slightly diminished.

I have never had cause to hurt a water spirit, but that wind spirit was chaos for the birds I liked so I drove it away. Wind spirits are the fastest spirits. Water cannons like on those fire-fighting machines would have hurt it too. And a thick cloud of dust would have slowed it down.

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"All right. Some of them sound beneficial, but it's not something we're used to working with..."

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Some of them can be useful and beneficial, yes. I don't think spirits will come here soon.

I notice that I keep not thinking of things you might like to know until later. I'm not sure what to do about that.

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"So far it hasn't been a serious problem. I'm trying to think of ways to be more exhaustive but don't have any obvious ideas."

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While the topic is fresh in my mind: I had been assuming you already knew this but perhaps you do not - Enkindled beings are slightly smarter. The effect is significant in animals but would be very slight in Amentans, considering how intelligent you already are. Even the one who gained the magic of cold - I would not be surprised if he failed to notice.

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"We did have word on that already and have been offering IQ tests to your patients. They're getting smarter by an average of three quarters of a point if you abstract out the noise."

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It's a shame Draak can't be Enkindled without ruining their ability to do freeform magic. I would like to be smarter.

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"How does Enkindling affect that?"

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Draak have natural magic inside us. Our very breath is magical. It's extremely complex and elegant. I think that if I were two hundred times better at Enkindling, I might be able to turn someone into a Draak... At least in spirit. If we did not have such magic, it would be impossible for something so large and heavy to fly. Enkindling presses magical patterns into a new and self-sustaining configuration, which twists and bends the magic Draak have. Or did you mean why does it affect intelligence? That I am not quite sure of. Perhaps the same thing that allows spirits to think.

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"I meant the first but the second thing is also interesting to know."

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Seeker thinks we were designed by the Onesong. Or by someone. How would evolution have produced such a complex inner spirit for us but not done so for any of the other animals around?

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"Without your home planet to check for fossil records I don't know that our greens are likely to come to a very educated guess."

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It's a bad idea to go explore a bear's cave except with great caution. We don't know if there is one, or a thousand, or no bears in our old cave in this metaphor.

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"And the information doesn't seem urgent enough to begin an unusually dangerous archaeology project."

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Your kind would probably be better at talking to the humans than mine was. But yes.

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"It does seem like something we'd want to do eventually, but with the utmost caution and not before we're generally well-established in the galaxy."

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She gives a vaguely agreeing tail-gesture. 

Incidentally, the complex spirit is why I think artificially-made Draak eggs would just die. It's an unnerving idea. However, thinking about it more, it does not seem entirely out of the question for... Hybrid children of one kind or another to be possible, though I would not know where to begin such a thing and don't personally even want to try.

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"I'm sure someone would be interested in the idea, though perhaps fewer than if we were more similar species."

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I read a story mentioning the idea. I think for many Draak, the spirit and mind would be more important than the body. An Amentan who could see the world as we do would be more Draak than an uncanny being in a Draak body but cut off from the Song.

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"Interesting. What about psychological differences? Someone with Song but otherwise disposed to behave Amentanishly?"

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I'm not sure. My thoughts on this matter are all intertwined. I think an Amentan with Song would not be very Draak-like... In fact that might be somewhat alarming, to see the truth of the world in Song and not act in accordance with it... And of course the body is not completely unimportant. I doubt anyone on this planet finds me sexually attractive no matter how shapely my tail and broad my wings, or how orderly my feathers, and the reverse is true.

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"...I'm not sure I'd bet on that," Ruan says.

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...Thinking on what I read again, I suspect you are right to doubt it.

Huff.

I cannot do anything productive about it, but that is annoying. Again.

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"I'm sorry."

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I will content myself with continued study.

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Ruan nods.

Meanwhile, tree877 wants to know if Bloom's handler is nice to her and stuff.

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The blue coordinating everything is fine and nice enough but not particularly a friend of hers. He does a good job not letting little details of things bother her. Her reading and writing tutor is nice. The geneticists and other greens are interesting to talk to but too impatient and flighty. She's fond of the purples she sees to get her claws painted, because of their earnestness. She doesn't talk to the greys that are always around much and isn't sure why not, on reflection.

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Well, greys aren't very friendly.

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Castes are super weird. She's starting to get used to the fact that they exist, but they're still super weird.

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There are probably some friendly greys but ones who are working and have high profile security jobs tree877 would definitely not expect to be friendly.

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They seem to pride themselves on being quiet and reliable. There was this one time with a purple kid dashing through the perimeter and this is how they reacted. She nearly hurt the purple kid out of instinct, things touching Draak unexpectedly is alarming! When she was a baby she flailed around and hissed and tried to see what was attacking her the first time it rained!

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Lucky purple kid.

She should put the rain story in her memoir!

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She will! Next chapter isn't done yet. There's time.

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Ruan tells her the next day that he's gotten a social worker to round up some reds who weren't doing anything important and tell them to drive out here. They are to stay in their truck at all times and if they do anything that makes Bloom uncomfortable they can be shooed right away. She should stay well back in case they make sudden moves.

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That seems overcautious. She really doubts any of them could actually hurt her.

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...they could pollute her though.

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Oh. She doesn't feel that. If it's really necessary she can breathe fire on the affected area? She's fireproof.

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"If I have to consult a theologian about what needs to be done for that to count the turnaround will delay the reds' visit. You can inspect them through Song at a distance of a few yards, can't you?"

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This is stupid. But this is your place. Yes. Fine. I wasn't planning to touch them, just talk to them and see the Enkindling-factors.

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"All right. They'll be here this evening after all your patients are gone."

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She de-springs people. She talks to geneticists about how springs work like every other day, but seems unusually irritable today.

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Everybody tries to accommodate this, though one green suggests she could just come back tomorrow if Bloom is not in the mood to talk about how the this site on that chromosome affects this hormone.

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My annoyance is unrelated to genetics and would not be improved by you leaving. Understanding of these mechanisms is not directly translatable to what I do but has given me more insight and I should keep learning.

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So the green goes back to explaining.

And when it's down to Ruan and the security greys the truck of reds rolls up. There are two in the cab and three in the back. Their social worker follows on a scooter. "Do you need them to put the top down in the back?" she asks Ruan, who looks at Bloom.

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Thin metal obscures things a bit but not very much. Either way.

She pads closer to the truck, a bit uncomfortable at the smell of fuel and oil.

Hello, she tells those inside.

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One of the ones visible in the cab startles, curling in on himself. The other, an old lady, waves tentatively, not quite making eye contact.

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This feels wrong. Amentans this terrified are an unusual sight.

She addresses only the older one, stronger in Earth. Hello. I have not seen any reds before. I am not here to hurt anyone. Why are you so afraid?

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The old lady opens her mouth, then closes it, thinking.

 

- can you hear me? Is this how people talk to you?

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Yes. If you speak aloud or intend to talk like you just did, your meaning appears in the Song.

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I've heard you really don't like it when people lie to you.

I think maybe you should not ask questions where, if the clean people heard what we'd told you, they would be angry with us, if some things were true.

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'I do not want to tell you' is fine. 'This is a secret' is also fine, if the fact that a secret exists is not also bad. But... That very concept is worrying.

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The reds don't answer. The ones who can see her look at her warily.

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It's clear to me that you are all as people-like as any other, your minds shine in the Song, but you act as though one false step would see your Destruction.

I don't like it. It feels like destroyed eggs. Everyone should have a chance. 

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Still no response, still nervous reds. Their social worker is still sitting on her scooter, glancing up now and then from her pocket everything.

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She rests her head on the concrete, staring at the truck.

I don't know what would anger them. Many Amentan things make little sense. I would appreciate hearing anything you might tell me, or answer questions you might ask. If you wish for me to sing nothing of what we discuss, I intend to be silent about it.

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They might ask, says the old woman. Not answering would be strange. It would be best for us if you told them we were boring and inoffensive. Since you won't lie that means we have to be boring and inoffensive.

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Her tail swishes angrily exactly once, then stills again.

This is not right.

I will do my best to make you seem uninteresting.

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Thank you.

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You must all be stong in Earth indeed to endure when thinking like that is necessary. 

I want to change it. I don't know how, or what a good change would look like, and a failed attempt would be far worse than being still. So I will do nothing. Such is the nature of Earth.

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The ones in the cab look at each other, then back at her.

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I will be silent for a few minutes so I can truthfully say I spent most of the time just looking.

 

And she does. Eventually she looks at Ruan.

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"All done?" he asks.

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Yes. They can go. Thank you for arranging this, it was informative.

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He waves at the orange. She puts her everything away, scoots up to abreast of the truck, waves at the reds, and leads them away.

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She goes back inside and tends to her flowers.

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"Were they interesting?" wonders Ruan.

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I thought their bodies would be more obviously different than other castes than they actually were.

That's not Lying! It's just an unrelated fact! She feels so clever.

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"They're not very distantly related," he nods.

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Red and purple are closer than Emerald and Sapphire... I wonder what the Diamond Clan were like, sometimes.

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"What was their niche?"

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Magic. They knew it better than all others. Or so it is sung.

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"Why didn't they come to your new planet?"

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The last Diamond was the Great Mother, who always refused to reproduce. Perhaps she could not. She killed herself, intending to do some great magic to bend the humans towards peace by doing so. I have no idea if that could work. If anyone could do such a thing it would be the last Diamond, and one of the old Great Elders.

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"Why did she refuse to reproduce? And - is doing your magic dangerous or draining in some way that means it could plausibly be fatal to perform some large amount of it -?"

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She never gave a reason. I could kill myself Enkindling by pushing too hard... But the story implies some magic that is only possible with death.

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"That seems like it would be - hard to know in advance, about something you were also confident would work - but perhaps I don't have a good enough model of magic."

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No, I agree. More than half of all Draak think her sanity had left her, I believe. But it is aesthetic. And powerful magic tends to the aesthetic in ways we don't understand.

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"I have noticed that, yes. Do you think you'll need to look at reds again later or are you all done?"

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It wouldn't hurt, but I don't need to see them again, no.

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"All right. I'm glad that went smoothly. Can I get you anything else before I hand things off for the night?"

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No.

 

She keeps at her work with Enkindling, getting it down to an exact art. She writes memoir chapters, mostly in chronological order and showing the daily life of a Draak. Highlights include curiosity about everything and a fair number of cute misadventures like feeling attacked by rain as a tiny Draak, meeting a stone spirit who just wanted to stay in one place and sleep and later learning more about spirits, being driven out of the place where she hatched by another Emerald who beat her in a fair riddle contest, accidentally nearly starting a forest fire (some meditations on destruction and renewal are included in this chapter), how she met some of her Draak friends and what they are like, her mentor-like relationship with her father and everything she learned from him (history, the elements, beginner's magic), finding this or that shiny thing and describing her Treasure-hunting and all the warm fuzzy feelings her hoard gives her in loving detail (but also talking about how knowledge, skill, territory, and reputation can be Treasure). She covers six years in a month of writing.

 

She tells Ruan, I think I am ready to try the trickier hereditary version of de-springing. It should be safe to try with what I now know.

The true fruit of this work has been pollinated and now I must see if it will grow. Draak don't mass-produce anything, so I cannot help you with that part.

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"I think we have that part covered."

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This has been a very interesting if overwhelming time. I think my ability and knowledge has grown more in the last season than it did in the last five of your years. I almost feel like celebrating, but it would be premature.

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"How do you like to celebrate things, when you do?"

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It varies. I hunt up something particularly delicious and add a lot of salt and feast, or taste just a bit of a very special herb with pleasing and disruptive effects - don't have any here. I go flying for two days straight and find a high mountain and sing for two more days. Or find somewhere pleasantly empty and just abandon all responsibility and work and do nothing for a week. I brag to my neighbors. I decide to try for eggs the upcoming autumn.

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"Sounds like nothing you'd need help with unless you want us to get you a nice cut of steak, then."

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Her tail swishes amusedly.

You could find me a mountain nobody would object to my being on top of. And this I am less sure of but I do sort of miss actual hunting. For all that your methods are easier it eventually started to feel like something is missing.

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"There are fish the aquatic ones have been taking but I'm not sure there's a land animal equivalent. I can look into it for you."

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No equatorial jungle, or fatty arctic animals? Those would both be novel. (She's teasing a bit here.)

I do think I want a few days off and a mountain to go visit. The desert is lovely but variety is, too.

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"I can most likely find you a mountain, but Baravi doesn't have equatorial or polar territory," he smiles.

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Oh, right. Countries exist. I still have no model of how Baravi interacts with the rest of the planet but it has been accommodating to me.

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"We might be able to make a deal with someone else, or there could be something people hunt domestically that I don't know about. If you see a rabbit you can have it, they're invasive here, but I think we got them all a few years back."

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No rabbits. Mice and other rodents, mostly. There are a few in the surrounding area. Cats. And of course birds and insects.

My celebration not being perfect in every way is not a grave matter. 

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"Still, I'll look into it."

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Good.

I wonder when the Seeker will return. It's been a while. Of course, they have much to decide.

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"We're all eager to hear what's going on with them but of course they mustn't rush."

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Rushing leads to ruin.

 

She takes a short vacation once Ruan finds a mountain for it.

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The mountain doesn't have any stuff on it, even, though it's got line of sight to some that have antennae and blinky lights to prevent airplanes from hitting them, and one with an observatory and a resort on.

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One of the tops of the world. Cold and thin air. A high place. She stares at the sky. Tension she didn't realize had been building disappears.

Her voice echoes down the slopes as she sings something slow and steady. She flies around the area some and even lands near the observatory, curious.

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The observatory is also a planetarium and space museum, but it doesn't have an entrance big enough for her. There's a purple with a food truck out front selling cheese paninis and fried chicken; he's startled.

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Hello. I'm curious what this place is.

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"...it's the Fauvo Observatory."

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A place to observe? ...I will leave if I'm making you uncomfortable.

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"It's for looking at space? I run a food truck..."

Some oranges are giving Bloom a lot of space as they lock their bikes up to go in to the observatory.

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Yes you are not the one in charge here, but I suspected you knew more about it than me. I suppose this is one of the many eyes Seeker complained about.

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"I took my kids here once but one of them just wanted to play with the space computer games they have the whole time so I didn't see much."

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It sounds interesting. I had better just leave since I won't fit inside, though.

She flies back to the original mountaintop without waiting for a response and stays there for the next few days, singing and flying around occasionally, then goes back to the warehouse.

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It's waiting for her just how she left it.

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Back to work doing magic for science to apply itself to.

The hereditary version takes longer and has more risk of side effects.

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People want to know if she means cool side effects or the less exciting kind.

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More magic powers aren't very likely. That's if she screws up specifically in a way that can be fixed with More Power. The less exciting kind. Physical changes like a patch of scales or feather-like hair or eye color change are pretty likely on her first attempt, because of the hereditary-ness.

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Having scales sounds inconvenient, could that be fixed with a skin graft if it came up?

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She confers with some greens and concludes that yes probably. She can also specifically avoid scales at the cost of slightly increased risk of something else.

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They can give the volunteers a form to fill out. Most people don't mind the possibility of eye color changes and some people think feather hair sounds neat.

Here is her first test subject, a purple guy.

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As long as they know that's not the full list of possible effects, just some likely ones. (Sharp incisors that might keep growing back and a slightly deeper voice and a slightly longer neck are on the list of possible effects, too).

She does her work slowly and carefully.

After a long pause she... Says that it worked, but now his eyes are a deep, foresty green.

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He brought a mirror. "Neat," he says.

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That could have gone badly. I know none of you have context for how risky this is to fully appreciate it when I say things like that but... It could have gone badly.

Let's let the greens see what they make of you before I try that again.

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"Is the eye color hereditary too now?"

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Probably. I can tell for sure if I see you tomorrow. Or if the usual genes for eye color are different now that would answer that.

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"Thank you," he says.

"Should we be making some update to how we advertise the risks?" Ruan asks.

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I don't- 

A doctor's first surgery might have worse outcomes on average, statistically. Because of inexperience. I'm not sure if that is truth, maybe they're very careful on their first surgery but that's not the point. There are things that must be seen to be learned and complications that an experienced doctor would barely blink at that a new one would react incorrectly to, yes? I came very close to - that, approximately.

I should watch the first Amentan Enkindling of any others who wish to do something like this.

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"...all right. Are you expecting to be available long term...?"

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Well, how long of a term? I don't intend to die.

I will make myself available, as a duty to the art of Enkindling and to... Flourishing. Peace.

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"My understanding was you weren't planning to be on this planet full-time."

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Ugh, the prospect of regular exposure to Seeker's ship is not appealing... Once there are others who can do this I could leave if I did not want to try to keep my position as the best of this new specialization, but still...

I'll think about it. I'll certainly stay long enough to teach a few others. I might fetch my pets.

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"Thank you."

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I'll want to start seeing more lavish rewards from this work soonish. I can take the long-term view of returns on effort but at some point there must be a return.

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"Do you have something in mind?"

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I don't know. Money? Shiny things? Extensive construction work to convert this place more to my liking? Land? Fame?

I want to talk to some colleagues. They'll think I'm heretical, some of them. But I don't see any of them trying to keep your kind from overrunning everything.

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"...you're very famous already. And we're working out the kinks on deeding you this place, should be able to do it smoothly soon. We can start charging your patients and give you most of that, and you can buy shiny things and construction services."

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I am rambling. This reminds me of that thing with the purple girl I don't like feeling this way that is why I take pains to be strong in Earth. I'm just upset that I nearly made such a stupid mistake! I never would have predicted it but the interaction with that hormone is blindingly obvious in hindsight. I cannot stand failing in this art. I thought I had gotten my one big mistake behind me already but I nearly did it again.

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"Is there something we can do to help?"

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...Not really. This is the thing where anything I truly put all my effort into must be perfect. If it's not, I have to improve and try again. I think it's a common impulse among Draak.

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"How do you want to schedule patients going forward?"

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I can keep doing non-hereditary fixes. It'll even be sort of soothing since I can definitely do those right. Yes, that sounds good. More of what I did today should wait a week or two and I want to be looped in on all the analysis.

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"Of course. I'll let them all know. You'll be able to command higher prices for hereditary fixes but we can start charging for the simpler kind and our finance people can itemize anything they want to call administrative costs for you to OK."

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Well, I can't do those yet. Anybody who was already scheduled for free treatment before today should still be treated for free. That seems fair, yes? Promises are somewhat sacred. And I have no idea what is reasonable as fees for something like this. I think I will simply trust you to realize I will be annoyed and that will be unpleasant for Baravi if I later find out I am being blatantly cheated.

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"Sure, everyone with a time slot can be seen for free. It's that we haven't been scheduling very far in advance since we didn't want to jerk people around if something about your availability changed; there's only the one of you. I trust our yellows to come up with a fair scheme."

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That sounds good. Thank you. There will be more of me, in this metaphorical context, sooner or later. The prideful part of me thinks they will all be worse at it, but I know that is not necessarily true.

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"But adding capacity will be very welcome."

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It's still overwhelming just how many you are. I think they'll tell everyone to have as many eggs as possible.

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"Really? Why's that?"

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We're nowhere near global carrying capacity especially if meat-bearing plants are developed and there is a global Amentan population - even if they only count greys which they won't - over a thousand times greater than our own. Draak have always been few but it feels dangerously vulnerable.

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"...why would they only count greys? Is the idea to be able to hold your own if there's a war? I'd hope we'd both be trying very hard to remain at peace forever."

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...Every single one of us has been told the history of being nearly driven extinct. Twice. Also, being ready to defend one's home is a fairly core motive. You defend your territory or you lose it. I do hope for peace but making sure we will not lose a war makes perfect sense to me. Another Fleeing seems more likely than a serious war against Amenta even if things spiraled out of control to such a disastrous level.

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"I understand it would've had to cross your minds... it's my own biases making it sound more momentous than it is, I suppose."

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I'm sure your generals are considering how to kill us, if only theoretically. It's perfectly natural even if everyone hopes it will never come to that. And I'm sure we have biases too, being 'mighty predators' and so on. That might even be one of them.

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"Oh, yes, it's only that telling everyone to have as many children as they could - or even just enough to bring a country up to carrying capacity; we try to stay comfortably under it - would be - incredibly out character for any post-Imperial government on Amenta. And obviously that hasn't been your historical trend, and obviously everything we've seen from you so far has been friendly. But if one of our Amentan neighbors announced a policy remotely like that - well, when I was in school we learned about politics and diplomacy with the expectation that that's what we'd be dealing with. Neighboring Amentans."

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I quite literally can't imagine how the Draak government is going to work. Though I did hear a lot of stories about how dealing with humans was almost always counter-intuitive. I know most of the usual stories about them, though of course I wasn't there and I'm probably missing lots of insight. I am not old enough for that. Apparently they saw exterminating Draak as a theological duty, thinking we were the manifestation of chaos and our deaths were the same moral category as clearing farmland or breeding livestock.

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"That... sounds pretty hard to do diplomacy around, I'd imagine."

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Yes. We don't understand what their initial priorities and intentions were and the Oldest Draak never publicly talks about the first war, but my personal theory is that after the great war they were left with vague hearsay and old stories, and pattern-matched a wholly new theology onto it. They were also fairly obsessed with outer space, sacrificing animals while chanting about the stars, and calling out to the black sea. As if requesting reinforcements was garbled into a badly misunderstood practice.

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"...I don't know how to interpret that at all."

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They were very strange, by all accounts.

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"It sounds it. I'm glad we're off to a more promising start here."

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What makes you say I am famous already?

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"...I think most people on the planet know you exist, and have an idea of what you're doing here."

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 ...The internet doesn't feel real. Seeing a number of curations or approves go up doesn't feel like anything. I suppose I am famous. I will calm myself.

She de-springs people.

She writes, and she had been writing the whole time. There's plenty of material, both the actual things that happened to her and what she thought of them and long philosophical rambles or digressions about biology/ecology or Draak social mores and memes or history and old stories.

When she was four Amentan years old she was driven out of her first territory because she used to hibernate for a longer time than other Draak in winter and another took advantage of that. When she was five she met Darktooth the Wise and was rather overawed, but the incredibly famous and accomplished Elder was very humble. When she was seven her colors started coming in unevenly and she was challenged by another who thought they were better-looking, and even now she still takes great care to be pretty. When she was nine she suddenly decided to learn Earth magic and traveled for multiple seasons (multiple years on their planet) looking for a teacher and then a way to pay for lessons.

When she was twelve she made friends with a strange Onyx Clan Draak called Ink who taught her celestial navigation (extremely useful) and also theoretical astrogation, which was intellectually fascinating but useless at the time. When she was fourteen she flew for the first time, a late bloomer. When she was sixteen there was a horrible wildfire spanning half the continent she was on and she estivated for a full Amentan year and had some dreams about the Onesong which she assigns great spiritual meaning to. When she was eighteen and nineteen she learned Enkindling and made a terrible mistake (and here she tells the story of Forever, the deadly rabbit) and vowed never to be so careless again.

She talks with the greens working on the project as they poke at the new genome and theorize, and endlessly hesitates to try it again.

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Those unreal-feeling numbers go up more. The Baravic people are accommodating of her nervousness around doing more of the hereditary version, and study the results of her one instance aggressively.

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Before Bloom feels confident enough to try again and before the southern spring ends, the alien spaceships reappear out in interplanetary space.

That black egg-shaped ship the Wing of Change is accompanied by two other vessels. One is clearly a space-only vessel, a silver cylinder with spindly offshoots that cannot possibly hold up under gravity. The other is even larger than the others, a wedge covered in some glittering translucent material. Both of the new vessels are pretty, in a very alien sort of way.

They are ready to talk about exploration and colonization. Shining Truth, that spindly one, would like a parking orbit nothing else is using. The Wing of Change would like someone, preferably Tapa or Voa, to volunteer a landing area with the following specifications for that big wedge-shaped ship (Ice Scale). It can't land in the ocean safely.

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The Shining Truth can go over there. Ice Scale can have its pick of spots, including Tapai and Voan spots.

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They pick a southern bit of Tapa. Shining Truth docks with Ice Scale for a while before all 3 ships are suddenly much closer to Amenta. The two that are landing come in to land.

Draak start to spill out of the two ships, led by Seeker.

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There are Amentans there to greet them!

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Hello! We mostly have a government now and we are ready to talk seriously about exploration and things. It's very exciting.

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"That's great to hear! Do you want to come to the capital or should we set up here?"

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Staying here might be best. Less chance for incidents than if everyone who came is in a city. We could go to a village or something instead of an open field if that is better, probably.

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"Maybe something a bit closer to a train station so all the Amentans who need to be on tap for the discussions can get hotels and commute in," says Amseli.

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That will work. I can introduce some relevant people to everyone in a bit. Some will stay behind as guards. Do you know how Bloom's spring project is going? I could look it up but you probably already know, yes?

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"It's going really well! No bad side effects, at least from patient perspectives, and she's gotten quite quick about it. Baravi's starting to talk about letting foreigners bid for slots. Do you want some greys to watch the ships too?"

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Either way. Our guards will keep everyone away from the ships themselves. Maybe they'll have an interesting conversation about guarding things or something.

Good. I knew she was the correct choice. Choosing people is a skill I have new appreciation for after visiting Amenta twice. The selection was a bit limited by who was easy to convince admittedly, but she is good at it and her personality is stubborn in a way that I thought would do well at the goal 'make only this very tiny change with absolutely no other effects'. Plus her history. Has she told the story about her rabbit?

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"Yes, she's been writing a memoir. I'll have the greys set up around your own guards."

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I'll want to speak with her about her progress. And get her to come talk to all the other masters of the Enkindling art. 

Ah, the one called Partition is coming over. I shall introduce you. He's an Onyx Clan, a surveyor, also noted for resolving - land and natural resource ownership disputes, such as they are with us.

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"I can get you Bloom's email address. Hello, Partition, it's good to meet you."

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Hello! Amseli, the student of greetings, is how you are spoken of among Draak. Seeker likes the name a lot so I have good expectations. Your planet is very tidy at a glance. I have a hundred questions that I probably shouldn't rattle off all at once!

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"It'd get a little hard to keep track of that many! What are the most important ones?"

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Your satellites and computers are simply amazing for keeping track of things and I want ten. That's not a question. How can I get seafloor surveying data, how does government interact with land ownership, can non-blues own land and doesn't this give blues a lot of decision power that can't really be taken away, do you systematically map underground geography?

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"If you'll be a little more specific about the seafloor data you want I can have it sent to you. Sometimes governments own land but usually they just enforce limitations on what landowning individuals can do on theirs. Non-blues can own land, what they can't do is rent it - at scale; most countries allow some out-of-caste income, usually a percentage. Blues do have a lot of power but even though we're not a populous caste there are enough of us that it'd take some doing for us all to act as a coalition, and the other castes get to vote, too. There are some caves that have maps but we don't spend a lot of time in caves so I wouldn't call it systematic."

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Contour maps would be fine! I made a few of my own to understand the concept but I want to buy a bunch of equipment for when I go home. Lasers and RADARs and telescopes and computers and things. Hopefully something I can do is worth money. Oh, and apparently I'm one of the 'Eyes of the Draak' and I'm going to be on the interplanetary exploration team. Once they figure out what's wrong with Shining Truth so it stops being so wobbly it's going to be - very fast. The idea is to get a list of possible Amenta-like planets within a few thousand light years and go have a look around.

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"That's exciting! If you want money I'm sure there's some way to turn planetary exploration into lots of it, we're terribly eager to find more planets. I'll have contour maps sent to you once you have an email address."

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I'll get one in a bit. Ah, but I want new toys now not whenever that happens! My two big sources of reputation are being an explorer who knows all the weird places on Newhome and being good at ending territory disputes with compromises and happy neighbors. I can't do the Songs of Healing, that's Elder-level Earth magic... I don't suppose your kind will pay to be flown around? It's fun. I have a few shiny things that I could part with if I really had to sell them, too.

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"You could sell rides, if you'd like to, and artifacts."

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Flying is great fun. Someone could probably sit just ahead of where my wings meet my body. As to underground exploration, I wonder if some of the diggy Draak might be able to help with that. They are pretty good at it - finding minerals and things in the ground, I mean.

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"There are probably people who'd be excited to hire Draak for underground survey, I can make it known that that might be available."

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How are land ownership disputes resolved here? What kind of government limitations are common? Is airspace or ocean or underground space owned?

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"There are civil courts in situations where ownership is ambiguous. Governments have laws applying to landowners about things like allowing inspections, noise and other nuisances, passthrough requirements, and signage for any hazards the land might contain. Airspace is available to the landholder up to a realistic building height but is subject to passthrough requirements at plane height; same with underground but there passthrough has to do with subways. Ocean is governed at the federal level, not the individual."

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Is the civil court decision superior to individuals? I wish I had something like that to fix disputes. But if I did I might not be as good at it. Everyone's kind of confused about how all the stuff we decided on will work so adding more things right away might be a bad idea. We mostly don't do passthrough rights. What about lakes and waterways, also federal?

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"Lakes can be owned but sometimes aren't; riverfronts can be but the rivers themselves are public."

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That makes sense. I got someone to give up a claim to the lake itself and just claim the west side lakefront, leaving the lake for nobody, in exchange for a concession by the other Draak once.

Do passthrough rights oblige the owner to build or maintain subways and so on or just to not get in the way of someone else who wants to build one?

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"Just not get in the way. And if the construction's a nuisance the builder has to compensate the owner, though the owner can't jack up the price arbitrarily, that being not in the spirit of the passthrough right as a legal guarantee."

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You must have the most fascinatingly complicated arguments and arbitrations and so on! I want to read about it. As soon as I learn to read Tapai or something. I only know our glyphs.

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"I can get you a tutor if you'd like! And legal textbooks, once you've picked it up."

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That would be interesting. Maybe I should teach some people glyphs and sigils instead? Not all Draak know how to read them but the important ones mostly do. I wonder what we'd call the language... Thoughtmarking? Or just 'Draak'?

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"I can very easily find you a whole lot of people who'd love to learn to read and write in Draak."

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A good use of time, probably. I'm not a teacher but I do read and write a lot. Can teaching be turned into a little bit of money?

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"It can!"

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I'll do it then. Have to go fetch some things, be right back!

Off he goes. Seeker's tail waves in amusement.

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"I like him," Amseli comments to Seeker.

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Partition weaves through the few dozen Draak scattered around the two ships. Some of the Draak are unloading and unpacking things. Some are investigating the flora. A trio of green ones are clambering over Ice Scale, inspecting for damage.

I'm glad. Should I introduce someone else or give you the summary of our government now?

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"I think the press is most eager to hear about the government."

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We're keeping the institutions of Elders and Grand Moots for matters of grave importance, but we assembled a senate for more ordinary matters. Anyone who can fly or is over fifteen years old can vote for two Draak. Both of these two votes count, it's not a ranked vote. Voting is not anonymous because that would introduce too many opportunities for tampering, but we might try to come up with a tamper-proof anonymous system later. The fifty most voted-for Draak are the senate for the next five years, but there is a clause to ensure there is at least one Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, and Onyx Draak on the senate every time. Elders cannot also be senators but are permitted to weigh in on the discussions. Their responsibilities and powers are relatively limited. They're mostly authorized to call for crowdfunding, award titles, and assemble and oversee groups with their own responsibilities and even more limited powers. They've raised a diplomatic group, an exploration corps, a militia, a ship-building group, and an archive service so far.

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"That's really impressive for the amount of time you've had! What's the trouble with anonymity?"

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We are used to trusting what is Sung... And most Draak can't write, and would worry whether what they wrote was truly what got counted. And they don't see the point of anonymity when we can declare a Law that says bribing or threatening people to vote for you is not allowed.

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"I suppose if no one would violate such a law in practice anonymity wouldn't be as important for you."

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I'm not entirely sure it won't be a problem, but trying to solve this particular potential issue in advance would not be a productive use of my influence.

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Amseli nods. "Are most of the Draak here members of the diplomatic group?"

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There are sixteen Draak who have been chosen for the diplomatic group here. I would expect some colorful interpretations of the job of 'diplomat', but they do know what they can and can't promise. There's also some of the exploration corps, a few of the militia, eight more Enkindlers, ship crew and designers to see how the two new vessels handle, and some others who have other possibly useful or relevant skills.

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"Colorful interpretations?" she wonders. "And what sort of other skills?"

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Not everyone is entirely clear what diplomats' specific goals and methods are supposed to be! There's a little bit of 'try everything and see what works' when Draak have something new to explore. That's why the three completed ships and the others still in progress all have big design differences. There's some ecologists who want to look at farms, a metallurgist calling herself Cast who makes exotic alloys and wants to see how you get so much steel, a few who can sing the Songs of Healing - I will arrange for a recharge those rods for a reasonable fee and I have more to sell - Flyers and swimmers and brawlers of noted skill who mostly came to show off, two doctors... I would have chosen different and fewer people but I was not entirely in control of the list.

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"I find myself a little surprised that there are Draak doctors."

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They're more like cosmetic surgeons, therapists or teachers, and occasionally veterinarians, at least in terms of what people actually want them to do.

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"That's more in line with what I expected. What brings them here?"

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Curiosity and the idea that we should get as many perspective as possible about Amenta. A couple of people brought eggs. It seems reckless to me, but as I said, I was not in full control of the list.

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"Well, people will be very excited about baby Draak, I suppose, though if too many eggs show up they'll begin to need population legislation about it. Two would fit comfortably into anyone's margin of error."

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The idea is to offer them to some group of Amentans or another and see how the hatchlings turn out. I think it's a bad one, it's making me anxious, but I hesitate to simply forbid it.

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"- huh. It seems... high-variance. Uh, how old are they when they learn to breathe fire?"

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Where we put eggs tends to be high variance, yes. Anywhere it will hatch and have a chance...

Fire is innate. As soon as they hatch, though it's weak at first. They're conscious right now though, and the parents are Singing lessons to them and they Sing back even unhatched. New hatchlings are developmentally one or two, approximately...

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"Would it be bad for them to be raised by non-telepathic parents?"

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That's one of the things that it's hoped we'll find out. Draak can hatch and grow up entirely alone except for slightly telepathic animals and be fine... I'm not sure what extended socialization with aliens will do. But they're not my eggs, even if it distresses me second-hand.

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"I'm sure they can be placed with ecstatic caretakers, I'm just trying to anticipate some things that could go wrong in advance so I can render informed advice to my government about whether those ecstatic caretakers should be selected from a pool that includes Tapai people."

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I think they should have occasional Draak visitors and live in a rural area or on some large grounds. They will be much more independent and violent than you expect two year olds to be - Not in a murderous way but in a way that considers biting a natural response to most things, at least at first. They should have a place to retreat to and be alone in. They may have difficulty understanding and following rules that seem... Artificial and with nonobvious reasons. I'm not sure I can confidently say more without watching it happen.

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"I'd default to green parents just because they'd be most interested in learning from the experience but filtering for rural and tolerant of biting might leave fewer greens."

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I think a hatchling might learn to stop with the biting relatively quickly. But there will probably be some biting. There's millions of greens, yes? And there's Calado if Silver Pine and Moose Hunter get very frustrated with trying to do their clever idea in Tapa or Voa or somewhere sensible.

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"There's millions of greens, I'm just assessing how picky we can reasonably be about it."

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The biological parents won't be terribly picky about caretakers. I'm willing to give advice once in awhile if this happens... Greens will sound best to them. I did manage to convince them it would be unfriendly to simply bury the eggs in uninhabited desert or jungle.

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"- yes, that would have been a problem sooner or later."

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You don't do that in someone else's territory. You section off part of your own territory for the hatchling. They would have been punished by us if they did it secretly, and again for the offense to Amentans. 

He's slightly amused under the anxiety.

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"What's the usual penalty for - cuckooing?"

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We don't have a police force nor any Laws about this. Destruction of the egg, or relocation to somewhere unclaimed, is a typical response. If the identity of the parent is discovered it would not surprise me if the one - cuckooed - chased down and mauled the offender, or even killed them. Of course, the offended has to be stronger than the offender for that to work.

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"Of course. Is there a lot of unclaimed territory? I heard from my counterpart in Baravi that the Draak might be planning to encourage population growth."

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Yes. Not all of it is as desirable as others - the most beautiful, temperate, lush, and prey-rich spots are all mostly taken - but I would estimate that sixty percent of our planet's habitable ocean areas like coastline and shallow seas and fifty percent of the land is entirely unclaimed, and average territory size could shrink by two thirds without causing major issues. We ended up not deliberately encouraging population growth, but I think there will be an egg boom anyway.

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"Why's that?"

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Individuals coming up with the same reasoning that caused us to consider it. We don't want to be quite so vastly outnumbered. In times of change there's usually more eggs than usual. Such times are an opportunity, I suppose.

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"I suppose that makes sense. More likely some of your children will be suited to the new conditions."

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And whatever upheaval is going on is likely to have opened some slots in the niche of Draak, so it's a good time to try.

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Amseli nods. "They've found a spot near here for the - conference, I suppose we can call it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Would it be obvious from the air?

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"Not very, if you were high up, but we can lead you there."

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We would prefer to fly there than walk. I still have that pocket everything if you could show me using that?

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"Sure." She zooms in on a map and shows him.

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He turns around and roars, and presumably does telepathy at everyone, because almost thirty Draak ranging from the approximate size of a truck to a train carriage take to the air and start flying in the correct direction, with Seeker in front.

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And they can all meet in a slightly less wilderness location with a train station.

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The giant flying aliens require a lot of space but settle in the surroundings without collapsing any buildings or anything like that.

Seeker introduces a few diplomats to Amseli. The diplomats call themselves 'the voice of the Draak'. They want to know what Tapa expects a diplomat to actually... Do, since they understand the job as mostly 'know what Draak want and learn what Amentan countries want', and whether other countries' representatives will be arriving.

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"Diplomats on Amenta keep foreign governments apprised of their own governments' plans, especially when those plans might look alarming without context or have effects the neighbors might want to account for - population and immigration and trade policy, for example, or any action near a border, but also just general updates to stay on the same page. They can make recommendations to adjust those plans based on what reception they get when explained - so, for instance, if I were posted in Alavet, and told the Alavene government we wanted to start charging yellow immigrants from Alavet because of some selection effect we wanted to compensate for, and they objected, they might tell me their reasons to believe the effect was a fluke, and then I could talk to the Tapai population board about that."

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Hello - I've chosen a new name for this. 'patient speaker of Truth whose voice is like clear ice'. 'Ice' is a fine short name. We don't really have a clear idea of what our plans are yet! Not in all respects. The senate is torn between changing its mind a lot and worrying about being seen about unreliable since they're changing their mind a lot. It sounds like long communication latency can make diplomacy hard too.

Hmm... Ice Scale and Shining Truth are both owned by the senate, and three of the ten other ships being built are too. We're going to look for more habitable or terraformable planets and keep building starships. We don't want to tell you how it's done yet but the 'puller ship' idea of a tiny Draak ship carrying big Amentan vessels around is fine if we can deal with secrecy concerns. We might want to import some rare materials useful for the construction, or get you to refine fuel. We're going to ask Bloom to explain her work and then try to expand it because Amentans who spring less strongly seem less dangerous.

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"It's lovely to meet you, Ice," Amseli says. "We'll speed up getting a pullable ship into flying condition and we look eagerly forward to Bloom's work being propagated further."

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I am pleased to be here! The Seeker himself will probably need to help with the ships.

One of the diplomatic group's goals is to start thinking about what's fair to do about any discovered planets. We're not necessarily opposed to sharing planets or to all development on new planets. Especially ones that have to be terraformed first.

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"Do you envision shared planets as having interpolated territory, or large chunks for Draak and large chunks for Amentans?"

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Large separated chunks has the benefit of being more familiar and comfortable, with large stretches of a world managed the way we are used to doing it, but I can imagine benefits to a more interpolated way too - natural preserves across more variety of places and ecosystems, and our kinds would learn from each other more.

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"There would be advantages to experimenting with both, but that presumes a pretty high supply of usable planets."

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There is a lot of space out there. Most of it is dead. The ships are fast... But there are only a few so far. It would be bad to worry so much about which path to take that you stand still instead.

I offer more thoughts on the matter. We aren't going to like cities and I'm not sure how much acculturation will change that - either cities becoming more Draak-friendly or Draak getting used to cities - but I would not expect to ever be fully comfortable in one. Sapphires can live in oceans and lakes and waterways, and Rubies can be satisfied with small territories that they can dig in or in places like mountains and canyons. Or entirely underground in some cases. Those two clans will benefit from the marginal land Amentans don't want to use as much. Emerald Draak are a bit harder to satisfy since their preferred environment is the same as Amentans, though there are still equatorial and arctic regions, maybe?

It would be lovely if a Draak could manage a polyculture farm that mostly resembles the original environment with a lot of different plants and animals and export food from their territory and thus secure slightly more of a planet's land kept in a closer-to-natural way since there will be fewer farms necessary.

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"Right, we're still going to prefer seasonable areas so Draak running food forests in the tropics won't be high opportunity cost. Though we do actually farm some of our tropics - some things only grow there, and if you pay a farmer enough they'll tolerate the permanent spring for a while - the climates of other planets' equators will probably vary."

Permalink Mark Unread

A food forest or Draak-managed fishery somewhere on this planet might be a good thing to try.

Amenta has a better chance to make enough starship fuel to power a massive exploration effort. We've decided it's not useful to be so paranoid that we don't even tell you what materials go into the things. 

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"I can look into a fishery in Tapai waters; we don't have tropical territory. What are the materials?"

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We are going to want to talk to everyone else too. I presume you're inviting them?

The starship fuel is deuterium and helium-3, plus small amounts of some rare radioactive elements, but those are dangerous to handle and the Draak can take care of that part. Antimatter would theoretically be better but they don't have so much as a prototype for an engine using it yet.

Steel alloys, titanium, and a variety of rare earth metals will be handy for building more ships.

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"People are converging here, yes. I'm told we can get those things."

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We will have to come up with appropriate trades, of course. I think that can wait a while though.

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"Do you have a preliminary idea of what might be appropriate?"

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Concessions about planets? Transit service on the ships? Lots of money, earned some way or another? Maybe there are materials we have plenty of and you don't. 

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"I could get a list of rarities if that's ever useful. Some of these things will tend to belong to private enterprise rather than governments; it seems like it might be simpler at least at first for governments to buy and consolidate the materials rather than for you to make deals with dozens of steel manufacturers, does that sound right?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Yes. Complex interconnected economies are a new concept. Every part of the vessels we have was handmade often with great effort, and many of them only one or two Draak understand the full complexities of. The solar fuel - the ships have power plants that use a similar process to stars to generate hot plasma which is used directly and for electricity, that's what the fuel is for, hence 'solar fuel' - is the thing we are most worried about producing enough of, long-term. A skilled Draak could drive a ship by breathing specialized fire, but very slowly and it would be utterly exhausting.

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"I think we'll be able to produce fuel if that's a step towards planets. It's hard to overstate our collective enthusiasm for planets."

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Plenty of fuel is going to be necessary to move millions of people out to the stars no matter how the technology sharing and planet search works out.

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"Yup. We'll figure it out. Even if most planets we find are uninhabitable we can mine them."

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I think I want to study how specialization and economies work while I'm here. It's one of the biggest differences between our kinds. Shall I let you speak with someone else for now?

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"Sure. I can send you an economist!"

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Thank you. May you be blessed.

Ice goes to talk with some of the other diplomats. Partition scurries over with a big bag hanging around his neck!

I have writing materials!

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Amseli can set him up with linguists as soon as they arrive!

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He passes out sets of transparent sheets with colored characters on them. He warns the linguists that it's character based and it might be hard to learn because it was designed before anything else to be intuitive to Draak by using correspondences with the Song. The character for a Draak kind of 'looks' like a Draak does.

 

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"That'll make it harder to use casually but just that much more interesting and informative!" says a green.

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It's pretty interesting, yep. He starts explaining! It uses characters to represent nouns and adjectives, and those are mostly blocky or circular. Verbs are smaller and more like lines with things added on. Multiple nouns and adjectives can be written on top of each other rotated or shrunk or transformed in thus and such ways.

Verbs can connect to as many nounadjectives as they want and these little curves and dots indicate things like time order and what is doing a verb versus what is having a verb done to it. 'I bite rock and tree' is just 'I bite rock' with an extra bit pointing to 'tree'.

Every character has an associated color: Red green, blue, white, black, infrared, copper, silver, gold. This character means fire if it's red but steam if it's blue and lightning if it's white! He uses the plastic flimsies to write out simple thoughts as examples.

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The greens are SO fascinated. Doesn't it limit the writing system a lot to require colors? It does add a useful dimension but sharply limits the media you can use to write.

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It does, and it makes it harder to preserve if you use dyes or paint, but writing is high art and getting things just right is important and a very satisfying feeling. The precious metal colors are sometimes used interchangeably with red, blue, green. (Copper, silver, gold - white can be made from mother of pearl, black from obsidian)

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That just makes writing expensive and technically difficult.

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Originally at least half of the point of the writing system was to make written things Treasures. Treasure is perfect and lovely and the root of most good feelings, and anything you wanted people to pay attention to and emulate had to be appropriately shiny. Over the last two centuries most writers in the world agreed to change it up a bit for practicality.

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It's still pretty impractical. Maybe they could have a monochrome version with little diacritics to symbolize colors.

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He bets Draak wouldn't like it, it sounds like that be much less pretty and more importantly less Song-analogous, but he'd be interested to show some readers and see what they think if these linguists come up with something.

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It's not urgent since no one needs to write Draak in monochrome right now and anyway they are trying to learn, more than influence, the script; they were just wondering what the design constraints that produced this system were.

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He thinks Treasure-likeness and intuitive readability were the two big goals. And paper doesn't last but metal dripped into engravings does.

He has a copy of the first written thing in this system! It's engravings copied from cave art, a mythologized and illustrated history of the creation story of Draak and the first war against humans.

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Ooooh the greens want copies.

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They can take photos. Or if someone wants to pay a bunch of money for this one that works too, he remembers it perfectly and can always make another.

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His is a copy anyway, they'll settle for photos.

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Dang, he wants money to buy shiny tech toys. Well, Amseli said he'd get paid a little bit for this anyway.

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Oh yeah, their universities are footing the bill.

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Fun fact! This writing system uses base ten numbers because Draak have five claws on each paw. Lucky correspondence, or convergent evolution? Probably a lucky correspondence, he thinks.

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Yeah, five doesn't seem that special. And some Amentan cultures used to use bases eight or twelve in spite of having five-fingered hands.

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There are a lot of them, it makes sense that people would try nonstandard things once in a while.

He gives some more vocabulary and mentions that they're having a bit of a difficult time fitting new technical jargon into the system.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It does seem limited that way. Some of our character-based languages will squish existing characters together."

Permalink Mark Unread

We already combine characters a lot so that's what we've been doing, mostly. We don't have much of a spoken language and trying to create an alphabet for thoughts sounds... Impossible, so characters may be the best we can do for general use.

Permalink Mark Unread

This makes sense.

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He happily continues to lead them through exercises of arranging simple thoughts into dense colorful combos.

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Elsewhere, Bloom tells Ruan, I am going to Tapa. I emailed the Seeker and he is coming to get me. You should too. I suspect you know more about my progress than any other blue.

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"All right, I'll book a flight. To that conference they're setting up?"

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Yes. I have to talk to them. I'm sorry about the delays to the work but I really must go talk to my kin. There are more Enkindlers there too. I recognize at least three people from that video... Though it's strange to see their bodies and not see their spirits.

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"I guess that might be disconcerting. I'll meet you there."

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She waits for Seeker's ship to show up and climbs in. They're back at the conference in Tapa in a few hours. She makes a speech to the other Draak.

...She appears to have started some kind of argument. A lot of them gather in a big circle, and there's some unsettled growling and other noises. Lots of Draak stop talking to their corresponding Amentans and go listen.

Permalink Mark Unread

Ruan's not there yet but a bunch of other Amentans want to know what's going on.

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...We're not sure how to react to how she has been Enkindling people. There's a lot being said that doesn't go into words very well. Her detractors are saying it's - blasphemous? Profane, irreverent? Does that make sense as a concept? There probably won't be any violence.

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"It makes... any sense as a concept but I'm not sure why they'd think of it that way? It sounded like it was going very well based on the reports out of Baravi."

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There's... Spiritual feeling about our magic. Enkindling in particular is almost seen as... A maternal relationship by some. A rare gift not to be given lightly. A lot of us are shocked by how widely she is using it, given that.

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"...A lot of people need it."

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Yes. It is reducing suffering... Theologically, Enkindling is bringing others closer to the nature of Draak. That could be seen as good or bad depending on context... They are upset by the time she gave someone a magical power? ...Ah, she's going into magical jargon and confusing those who might agree with her, instead of presenting a coherent argument. Perhaps I should go help.

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"I don't know if it matters but everything I've heard suggests the fellow with the magical power is thrilled."

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Whether he is happy about it is relevant but not the primary concern.

...Seeker is weighing in so I don't need to. He's more respected. He says it could be good for the balance of the Onesong, and even if the new art she is describing is a change from the old ways - change is inevitable. They may argue for a while but the senate knew she was Enkindling people and told those with relevant experience to vote on what to do about it when we got here so at least it can be settled without a trip home.

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"What might they do about it?"

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I see three outcomes. Some or all of them join her work, they tell her to continue possibly with an observer, or they tell her to stop.

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"...anything we can do to influence the result, there?"

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Her tail swishes thoughtfully. Offering her asylum would make things tense... Speak of your pain. Speak of hope for the future. Speak of how you will need to expand less.

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The Amentans dig up an astronomer with bad springs who haltingly approaches the argument.

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They catch snatches of confusing telepathy, very much less in word-translatable format, as they approach. The Draak have organized into two sides which are making noises in sync almost like a song. Thoughts and feelings and imagery from dozens of sources-

STOP. An Amentan approaches.

(There's a flash of annoyance and dismissal - A green? Not one of the important ones.)

Be slient. We will listen to what they have to say and consider it. Thus is my command as an Elder.

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"- thank you," says the astronomer in a small voice. "Um, I wondered if I could tell you or - maybe try to telepathy you? - what a bad spring is like - if that would help you decide things."

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There's a murmer of feeling, silenced by the Seeker again.

We know as established fact that severe springs are unpleasant, but knowing a fact is not the same as Knowing. True wisdom draws from many sources. Refusing to see other viewpoints is a false and vain wisdom. To make a wise decision on this matter we should hear their song.

What is your name, o Amentan? We would hear what you have to sing to us. If you focus on what a bad spring is as if you were going to say it, as if you could speak feelings, we should be able to hear. If that fails, words work just as well.

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"My name is Soante Sha." She's trying to do the telepathy thing now; "sha" means "star". "I'm an astronomer. I'm thirty-two now and it's much less bad than it was when I was younger. I have three kids and my whole life was - warped around needing them. I broke up with a boyfriend I loved because I didn't think he was ever going to earn enough to help pay for credits." She tries to think at them, remembering being five and weighing the idea of marrying a financially precarious musician whose parents were still paying off their second mortgage they took out to have him, spending the rest of her life with a spouse who would have loved her and sung to her and cooked dinner every night and gotten her one more spring of agony than the guy she eventually married instead, a chemical engineer who she's reasonably happy with at this point for his own sake but knows she wouldn't have looked at twice if he didn't have job security and good money sense.

She goes on. "I gave up hobbies to go after grants and didn't pick them up again till my children were done having children of their own. I tried to kill myself once the year we couldn't pay the guaranteed price and put in a bid anyway and lost, I had to stay in the hospital until summertime and we couldn't try again till two years after because we had to pay off the medical care and I'd missed so much work. My parents didn't know how bad it was until I'd gotten as much financial help as I could out of them because I thought if they knew my sister's springs were better than mine they'd think they should give her all of it instead and I did that even though I know they would have been right.

"I was physical science track already when I was a kid but I specialized hard in astronomy as soon as I went back to school, my first spring, I just - I needed to spend most of my time every day thinking I could be helping somehow with fixing it maybe not in time for me but for my kids or my grandkids - I have a grandson who has it as bad as I did. He kept calling people in a panic in the middle of the night, when spring would hit, fighting himself about it because most of him wants to go for the get-rich-quick schemes he knows are fake without sanity-checking with anyone else first, he has his girlfriend hold his finances for him these days. That's with the huge doses of drugs his doctor has him on to keep him stabilized, he starts taking them in the middle of winter so they'll be full strength in the new year and they make him throw up sometimes and it's still better than going without. Sometimes I think I shouldn't have - shouldn't have stayed in the hospital and kept trying, since, of course that happened, of course it's genetic, why wouldn't it be. They didn't have the Soft Spring Project yet when I was having children but I couldn't have borne using it if it had been there because I'm one of those people who needs the babies to be mine. - and since Bloom started seeing people in Baravi I've been saving up money again but this time I wanted to buy my grandson a visit to her when she started taking foreign patients." She rubs a little at one of her eyes.

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There's a silent moment when she finishes, and then-

 

-See how it distorts their entire lives, drives them to madness-

-Not madness but merely their nature-

-How can that be anything but madness when feeling drives such actions-

-Is it not mad how much we seek out Treasure then?-

-Outweighs every other positive thing to such an extreme degree-

-Cannot make such decisions based on one unpleasant story-

-Perversion of the Onesong to share our essence with an entire species-

-This story repeats one million times and more but we cannot listen to all of them-

-Will swallow everything in time and hate us forever IF AND ONLY IF WE DO NOTHING-

-We would lose all that makes us holy and special and this will lead to our kind's total destruction-

-Changing Nature and developing new magic are both things that have been done and were good-

-Don't understand this pairing off business but it's important to them?-

-Don't bring the larger politics into this, this is just about Enkindling-

-Creepy and uncanny to apply as lightly as a feather, such a thing has never been done-

-Can never say for sure what the future holds. We can only make bets-

-Work to make things better instead of hiding in fear of making them worse-

 

And then silence.

I am shielding you from the cacophony. We may have questions in a minute or two. Will you wait for now?

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"- all right," says Sha.

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Be warned, he says after some time has passed. This is a deliberately provocative question. I am asking it so they can feel your response.

What would you think of us if we decided helping Amenta was wrong, that Amentans gaining space travel was intolerable, and that we should leave and never return? What would your friends, your leaders, think?

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"- well, we'd - we were working on it ourselves. And now we know it's possible," she says. "...if you were specifically hoping we'd never get it I think we'd be worried you'd come back and kill us all before we could."

A couple of blues at the edge of earshot start muttering at each other in alarm. "Sha," one calls, "you're not really supposed to be doing this sort of -"

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It was a hypothetical, he tells those blues. And it was informative. I will not take what she says as the position of Tapa's government.

And just to Sha he says, This is another leading question. Would you find it reasonable in that case that some countries on Amenta might seek to become more powerful than the Draak, and possibly to destroy us so we cannot be a threat? That it might lead to a horrible war?

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"...that's what I'd expect to happen if my daughter were telling me she was writing a script about this premise?"

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Not quite the answer he was hoping for but he can work with that.

Do you see, my kin? This is a path that certainly leads to suffering, uncertainty, and fear. This is the kind of thinking that may lead to a third tailless war! I still weep for our old home. Such a thing cannot be allowed to happen. The Onesong is a crucible of creation and destruction, but creation and harmony remains better than destruction and discordance. It is not a natural way for our kind to think, but by helping another you can help yourself.

 

-I am shielding you again, he says more privately. Thank you for speaking to us, Sha. I think that is all you should say for now. I am sorry if you are offended that I used you to make a point. But it helped.

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"I'm not offended," she says. Nervous, sure, but not offended.

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Please go, for now.

He casts thoughts out to those two listening-in blues he doesn't recognize. Do you have statistics and studies that specifically compare same-caste groups who spring severely and who spring mildly?

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"- compare them along what axes?"

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I am trying to make the case that we will get along with Amentans better if they have mild springs to some of my particularly stubborn kin. Data might help with that if you can think of any relevant studies, or else more perspectives from Amentans. We'll want to talk to Ruan of Baravi when he arrives too.

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"I'll get you some cites."

"Off the top of my head bad springs increase crime. Fraud and population violations and some violent crime and things like that."

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We don't really have an emotional reaction to violent crime but it's at least predictive. I'm impressed by the population control treaties to be honest. Amentan countries can keep their word. It's just that not every Draak believes that and I have resolved myself to acting with them - or at least not against them.

To be more clear, they agree that mild springs would be good for relations but don't think it's worth it given theological reasons not to - those reasons being mostly that magic is special and Draak are special and you are not. Plus a general conservatism about sharing things that may be a mark of our kind.

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"I'm not sure there are any traits of ours we feel that way about."

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Theological feeling is not necessarily responsive to logic and facts and reason. I know asking Amenta to change how it handles pollution would be... Difficult.

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"That's true. Someone else handling it differently would affect how we could trade with them and I guess would give us a lot of pause about helping them colonize. It wouldn't make it better if they did it without us paying attention, though."

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...This seems like a relatively good time to bring up a certain delicate topic.

Yes, your current pollution arrangements give us a lot of pause about helping you colonize. The existence of a permanently polluted class of people does not mesh well with one of our own theological tenets which can be summarized as: Everyone should have at least a chance. I have discussed reds with theologians before and may want to meet some of them again.

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"I'm sure Doet can grab some more for you, and heard Baravi was also able to get Bloom an opportunity to look at some. A chance to do... what exactly?"

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Our observations of them have only led to more concern, in fact.

...I understand how they must be separated. How allowing reds to interact with other castes feels completely intolerable and would never work. But this is something that seems deeply unfair and wrong to Draak, that a red lives as they do simply because they have the misfortune to have red parents.

I want to find a way for the red caste to stop existing, without killing them all.

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"A lot of people hope that one day we can pension them off, once we have robots. They don't react well to the idea, though."

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Well, they spring. And once you no longer need them someone might decide to kill them all.

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"I'm sure we could avoid killing them all, especially as part of an effort to accommodate your theology. They do spring. Maybe the Enkindlers can fix that?"

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They would have trouble imposing an effect that the target does not want, or even feels conflicted about. I was speaking with theologians about things like mind-transfers and matter replacement, which might be possible with a derivation of the True Song of Healing.

...I or two others I could point out can recharge those healing rods for a reasonable fee if any have been used up. And I have more.

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"...we'll be delighted to get those auctioned off. Is that germane to reds?"

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Only in that the subject of healing magic came up as I thought about them. The healing can create matter, and such matter is entirely new and would be clean at first.

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"I haven't gotten any reports of new conclusions from the theologians on that front."

"Me either."

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...I was under that impression that it had been agreed. Perhaps I made an erroneous assumption at some point. I would be happy to demonstrate the creation of new matter by magic to any theologians.

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"Let me look that up for you," says one of the blues. "- yeah, they say they agree that new matter wouldn't start polluted but it hasn't been demonstrated that you can do that without the new matter being immediately polluted by the old matter touching it."

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Good. Yes, I meant that the new matter was clean. Not that healing would suffice to clean reds.

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"Of course it would be delightful if there were a way to get them cleaned up."

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That would be much better than pensions or genocide from our perspective too! But for all that our kind can do things yours can't, these abilities do not appear from nowhere. 

I am not the expert in biology and medicine, but hopefully our kind can develop one of the things I have heard theologians saying would fix it. Though all the options I am aware of would be very difficult.

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"And there are many millions of reds, through the whole world."

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You start moving a mountain by picking up a single rock. Or, really, you start by thinking about how the project should go, but wise-sounding platitudes are appealing and not entirely invalid.

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"If it's likely to be very slow, that gives us more time to navigate, but it means we have to have a relatively sustainable plan to cope with a prolonged transition period."

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I think it's likely to be slow. Probably limited by the number of skilled Draak, like Enkindling, though one of my favorite areas of study is turning magical processes into tools. Depending on what if anything Weaver of Essence and Darktooth and all the others come up with I could see artifacts helping. But we do not scale things up easily, as a general rule.

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"And it doesn't sound like the sort of thing we might be able to solve with genetic engineering, as they're trying with Bloom's work."

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Theologians would have better predictions about that than me.

I want to ask Amentan companies to manufacture some of the parts for more rods of healing. Do you know someone who might be able to give me advice on how best to proceed?

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"Sure, I can put you in touch with our procurer." He provides an email address.

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Hello, email address, he is the alien who invented FTL and the rods of healing and he would like to get a production run of high precision metal parts! He has money but doesn't know what it's reasonable to expect to pay or how to go about doing this.

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The procurer can recommend the following companies who will need the following specs! Here's a very ballpark estimate, the companies will have more precise quotes.

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He thanks the procurer and assembles specs and emails companies between mediating the ongoing Enkindling argument and talking to various blues and greens.

Everything he asks for is very fiddly and intricate, as if he's never heard of designing for manufacturibility.

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They ask for tolerances.

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Those are pretty low. And the alloy has to be just right.

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That's going to be expensive, and more expensive if they can't ship any duds and have to filter those out at the factory.

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...That's expensive enough it's not worth outsourcing. He can test for duds. Would it be cheaper if the tolerances were bigger? What else makes it cheaper?

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Bigger tolerances would help and so would a bunch of other adjustments to make it work better with their equipment.

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Ooh.

Can he get someone to come talk to him about that please? He's willing to pay expensive-but-not-world-famous green level consulting fees for one of their best.

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Sure! This purple engineer will be over right away!

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He brings out a bunch of exotic alien tools and works-in-progress to the field near the train station and is visibly excited waiting for them to arrive.

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The engineer appears after a few hours.

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Hello! He's read and assumed things about how mass production works but it's pretty confusing in the best way because it looks like it should all make sense if only he studies it enough and he is Very Excited to be able to talk live with an expert about how to make things better for mass production! It seems complicated enough to be its own massive field of study and that's kind of amazing!

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It is a field of study! The purple went to school for it and the field has since advanced.

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Ooooh. Telepathy is very helpful for sending mental images that this had to go here so it can do that, and it can't do that because it would create an induction effect but this part could go away if the other thing was changed...

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The purple rapidly gets very pro-telepathy for these reasons! He hates drawing diagrams ever since he hurt his dominant hand!

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Being a big, toothy, strong being and flying around and breathing underwater are all neat, but the Song is probably the best thing about being a Draak.

...How old is the injury?

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Three years. It healed pretty well at first but as he's gotten older it's started deteriorating again.

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Hmm.

The True Song of Healing would fix that. An old injury like that any lesser magic wouldn't help, but that one is a Magnum Opus, refined and perfected in tiny increments over centuries. It's also sacred, and deeply, utterly exhausting.

...Hmm.

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The purple has moved into a management role and hand only really bothers him when he has to draw diagrams or carry groceries. He'll retire soon. He wouldn't want to put out an alien with lots to do towards the project of planets.

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You're right.

Wisdom and humility are admirable. You remind me of an old friend, long dead, even more for your refusal.

...Let's take a short break.

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Sure, the purple can go get dinner at the conference catering tables.

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We would like to plan how to allow Amentans to visit our world, Ice the lead Draak diplomat informs Amseli. We have identified small land areas that nobody will be particularly upset to develop a bit, but we aren't sure what shipboard or planetside facilities you will need to be comfortable.

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"We can figure that out and plan to build them there ourselves if that's easier, given information about the spaces set aside."

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I think we will want to be heavily involved in the planning and construction to keep any development... Ecologically noninvasive and not too disruptive to the landscape.

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"Oh, I was imagining ecologically non-sensitive areas. Are you sure you want permanent Amentan structures on the planet at all? We can probably make do with self-contained ship designs."

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They are, but it's still a concern. Part of the reasoning here is practice for possible joint development on wholly new planets. And part of it is... Creating something together is a wholesome experience.

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"That's true, but only if we can come to agreements about it without too many difficult compromises. I'd like to make sure we have a plan to retreat to if it turns out to be harder than anticipated."

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...We can make a nice stable landing pad if jointly built residences and local farming don't work out?And let you bring your own ships down. Shining Truth could haul an Amentan ship docked to it to another star. 

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"That sounds workable."

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I think they would welcome someone trying to dock with them, for the practical experience. And your greens got our docking connector schematics almost a season ago so I would assume you can do it by now?

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"I think we do have some shuttles refitted accordingly now, yes!"

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I know who knows how to communicate with ours, and I presume you can find out on your end? Shall we arrange it?

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"I think that's a great idea."

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She skirts the still-ongoing argument and finds a small Emerald-clan Draak. Small by Draak standards, that is - they're still bigger than a horse. The little one makes an affirmative sort of chuff and flies off towards the ships.

 

Lightsong is retrieving a device. It seems our ship-to-ship communication is limited to pre-chosen messages and simple ideas because the devices that transmit the Song at a distance are low-fidelity.

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"You don't have a protocol for digitizing writing?"

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There might be one? Electronics to most of us are unique handcrafted masterpieces. Also I am not literate, though I plan to learn.

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"We also use radio to transmit sound and it comes through pretty clear, though that requires spoken language. I suppose you could tote Amentans with you as signal translators."

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It would certainly make communicating with other Amentans easier. I'm not sure we'd want to do that for Draak to Draak communication.

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"It'd compromise security, certainly. And if you had to encode the message it'd be no easier than everyone involved learning to read. Oh well."

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Everyone involved will probably learn to read. It's a very unsettling time. I think some Draak are planning to just pretend nothing has changed. Certainly many are planning on letting their children do most of the adapting for them and watching how things go.

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"That doesn't seem unreasonable to me. As long as enough of you are invested in steering they can wait for consensus to form."

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She makes an uncertain considering noise.

While I am thinking of security, the senate wanted to demonstrate a powerful weapon on a moon or asteroid but I convinced them that would be a bad idea.

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"...it certainly doesn't seem like a friendly thing to do. What purpose was it meant to have served?"

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A warning not to invade Newhome. And a general lashing out, to soothe fears of inevitable doom at the multiplying horde of Tailless. Her tail flicks sharply. I can't say I don't share those feelings at all but that's not the right reaction.

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"I'm glad you were there to tell them it wouldn't be wise."

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Eventually we hope for some kind of mutual defense arrangement. If Draak keep meeting aliens there will be a war eventually.

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"It'd be a lot to hope for that everyone we ran into would be cooperatively inclined. I don't think there'll be any trouble about coming to your defense if you're attacked. We would like to prioritize trying to talk to whoever we find first, if possible, and we're willing to plan on being the first to try it if a situation seems dicey to the Draak."

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At least trying for peace seems worthy. And if you believe that we have powerful weapons worthy of being called the Sun's Flames the spirit of their goal is fulfilled, so I will speak no more of those unpleasant things.

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"We've gotten the picture about Draak opinions on lying! I wouldn't expect you to bluff about that."

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Boasting is not quite the same as Lying. Draak will overstate their power and accomplishments sometimes. 'Powerful' can mean different things. But - good, I can stop thinking about them now.

...We performed a census! Admittedly we only did it because it seemed like a governmental thing to do and most Draak were already present for the Grand Moot, but having the numbers may come in handy.

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"What did the census find?"

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There are more Draak than we thought there were, almost sixty-seven thousand of us in total. The nigh-impassable jungle of the Great Green is full of thriving Emerald and Onyx Draak where we thought it sparsely populated. The mix of clans is approximately 30-30-25-15 of a hundred, Emerald-Sapphire-Ruby-Onyx. And there were over ten thousand eggs this year! It's currently winter at home, just after the time of creation. More of us than average were trying.

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"In response to Amentan contact?"

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In response to great change in general. Starships, government, budding permanent Moots styling themselves like universities... Which was all started by Amentan contact, admittedly.

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"How long do the eggs take to hatch?"

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They're laid in mid-autumn and incubate over winter. They are conscious by the time most people stop hibernating - if they're somewhere cold enough to hibernate and have the personal tendency to - and then they get taught lessons by whichever parent wanted to do that over the end of winter and early spring, and hatch in late spring or early summer. Our year is approximately a season long, of course, these aren't your seasons.

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"Of course. It'd probably be good for public relations to have cute pictures of the babies."

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Eggs are the closest any of us come to finding something cute, so we might not be good at getting them. They're precious and perfect gems of potential that have to be protected. Especially your own. I think the Seeker has cameras and other fancy electronics...

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"If you just take lots of pictures of the babies I'm sure some of them will be cute."

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Tail-swish. I suppose. 'Public relations' is a resource that can't be measured, touched, smelled, exchanged for specific benefits, or tasted, so we will not be eager to try very hard to get it, but pictures are pretty cheap to do. Maybe if I spin it into pride...? I will think about it.

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"The benefits are admittedly not very specific."

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While we wait for Lightsong to return with what passes for our radio, do you know when people from Voa will arrive?

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"Let me look. ...Half an hour. Is there someone from Voa you're particularly hoping to talk to?"

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Nobody specific, but they are the other nation with a good space presence and I want to get Shining Truth to rendezvous and dock with a Voan shuttle too if they're up for it. Our general plan was for Tapa and Voa to build ships that can attach to Draak vessels and be towed places while our peoples grow more comfortable with each other. Since both nations have a sizable space presence already. The Seeker mentioned Tapa and Voa more often than any other county. He also took a liking to Tuviri for some reason but they don't have much of a space program, I think.

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"I don't know a lot about Tuviri, but I can get ahold of people who've been placed there if that would ever be useful."

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Perhaps later. Other than the shuttle docking, we want to collaborate with Amentan scientists - not necessarily of only one country - to identify possibly habitable planets and go looking at them. You're a lot better at telescopes than we are. We don't want to commit to anything about ownership and so on of unoccupied planets yet but we're not intending to claim all of them or even most of them.

Her head tilts as the one she called Lightsong lands again, a bag secured around his neck hanging close to his chest. It seems we can talk to Shining Truth now, too.

 

They arrange a shuttle rendezvous.

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Back at the Draak's landed ships, one of the aliens who stayed back to guard the place pads over towards the greys a bit further out.

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"...Hey," says the grey. "What's up?"

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They're a relatively little red and mostly-featherless one.

We're bored and I'm thinking of sparring with Flickerclaw and I thought, maybe you guards are bored too and want to watch.

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"...cool! Can we take video?"

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I have no objection, more people will see how swift and strong we are!

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Some greys set up to record the fight! "What are your names again so we can title it?"

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They both have long and grandiose names but the short versions are 'Sunwind', who has white head stripes, and 'Flickerclaw', a lithe red Draak with lots of symmetrical black marks.

The two duelists stand on their back legs, wings spread wide and breathing gouts of flame into the sky with loud roars!

Then they are cautiously approaching the other. Flickerclaw strikes first, not committing to it but forcing the other to dodge. Sunwind responds with a short puff of flame and that makes Flicerclaw snarl and back off, and they keep their distance with only light strikes for a while. They use fire sparingly.

A different Draak comments, They are testing each other. They have about the same speed but Flickerclaw is more experienced and older. Sunwind has spirit and strength in Water, though. I would bet on him.

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"Water?" asks a grey.

"Do you guys bet, actually?" asks another.

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Means he's flexible. Adaptable. Water goes around and through and just splashes if you hit it. And yes, sometimes. 

(The fight continues.)

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"You don't have money though, I heard."

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So we bet stuff, their fellow audience member replies. Some of it's even kind of money, everyone mostly agrees that this gemstone is worth twelve Shiny Things or whatever even if it's their first time seeing it.

(Sunwind is on the defensive, flowing around and dodging the other one's aggression.)

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"Oh, that makes sense."

"Stop talking, the video doesn't need you talking in it."

"It was relevant!"

"It can't pick up the telepathy!"

"Oh yeah. That's not gonna make any sense, is it."

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You could repeat what I say.

 

(Sunwind suddenly rushes forward and gets under his opponent and grabs, claws digging into scales. He tries to lift and flip the other Draak, but Flickerclaw twists and escapes. They're both bleeding now.)

 

If this were a real fight there'd be a lot more biting.

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"He says I can repeat what he says. And if this was a real fight there'd be a lot more biting. It looks pretty serious to me though."

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(Sunwind tries to go for another fast dash under his opponent's guard but this time gets his head and neck slammed into the ground with an unpleasant noise. His claws shove his opponent off of him and he dodges backward again, a bit shaky.)

 

Stupid to try the same thing twice. They're not trying to kill each other, it's not serious.

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The grey repeats this. "When we spar we usually don't bleed."

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I heard Draak get hurt a lot more, maybe we're used to it.

 

(Sunwind's strategy changes to a style full of feints and sudden changes in momentum. Flickerclaw seems to get angrier and angrier at being unable to land a solid hit.)

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"You guys could be in movies if you wanted."

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What's a movie?

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"Like see how I'm recording this on my everything? That, but with a story people act out."

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Doesn't sound like my thing. Maybe they'd like it. Especially if they can show off.

 

(Sunwind plays at being tired, then Flickerclaw gets recklessly aggressive to press the advantage until she overextends and Sunwind swoops around from the side, smacking her with the end of his tail as he goes, and pins one wing and puts his head on her neck.)

 

...Flickerclaw yields!

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Greys applaud, the ones who aren't filming.

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Sunwind crows in victory, breathing fire at the sky again, and vigorously shakes himself before padding over towards the audience.

What do you think of that spectacle, o Amentans? We Draak are fast and strong and of excellent fighting form yes?

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"It was really cool! I was just saying you could be in movies!"

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What's that?

Video stories.

That would be fun! Stories are usually nice even if they're not actually true.

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"They'd probably take a true one too if you have one that's cinematic."

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I don't know lots of stories and I don't know what 'cinematic' is. As long as I get to look awesome or fight something it'll be fun.

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"Looking awesome on screen is cinematic."

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...Everything I'm thinking of that might fit involves volcanoes or animals that aren't around here or things like that.

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"Oh, they can fake that up with computers."

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Maybe the story of Implacable Tide and the great firebreak? She rallied Draak to stop a massive forest fire from advancing to the heart of the Great Green. She's a hero.

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"Huh. Not very plotty - well, maybe, depending? - but somebody'd probably grab it anyway just for the novelty of Draak in a movie."

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I really don't know a lot of stories! It doesn't have to be a Draak story, does it?

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"Nah, somegreen could write something."

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Is that something that can happen right now?

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"I think making movies takes a long time even if they dug up a producer today."

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Well, it still sounds kind of fun. I don't wanna be here for a whole year though. 

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"I don't think you'd have to be here the whole time? I'm not sure, I've never been in a movie."

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So the movie of us sparring, can you tell anyone who watches it that I'd want to do a longer one too? Maybe someone will have an idea.

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"I can put that in the description. You wanna give an email?"

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What's email?

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"I'll take that as a no. How should people who wanna do a movie with you talk to you?"

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They could come here and, you know, talk to me. Or I could fly somewhere? And I guess a bunch of other Draak probably have email or whatever and could pass on messages. Or one of you guys could do it?

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"They aren't letting just anybody come here. I can tell 'em to go through the government, I guess, they probably have a setup."

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Blues seem... It's kind of suspicious to have people whose whole job is to tell other people what to do. Our Elders and other people all tell people what to do, 'don't go flying around you'll make them twitchy', like that, but bossy Draak all do real work too.

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"I dunno, some blues do make-work or nothing, but handling alien contact seems like a real job. Gotta get it right. They go to schools for this sorta thing."

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...Sure. Then I think you should tell people to ask the blues if they can come talk to me and I'll go over to the other spot once it's someone else's turn to guard the ships.

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"Sure thing." The grey sends out some messages.

A blue on a scooter appears after not too long.

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Are you here to talk to the movie guy? One of the perimeter Draak asks.

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"I am!" says the blue. "I saw the video on the way over, it was impressive. Now, I can't personally get you in front of a film crew, but I can put you in touch with the right people and handle your security arrangements. What kind of availability and constraints should I be accounting for to the cinema greens?"

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I'll go get him.

 

It was! Good.

I don't know what movies are like and all I heard about cities is that they're crowded and loud. So I don't know really? If someone's going to do a voice for me I want to choose who, so it sounds right. I can maybe get a couple other Draak to show up for one day so I have someone to fight or something but nobody else I asked is very keen on doing a whole project of it.

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"All right. How long do you mean to be on-planet? What hours are you committed to guarding the ships?"

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I was going to go home whenever we were done here but I could be convinced to stay. Sunrise to sunset every two days of three.

I'll release you, the other one comments. I'm co-head of the guard, o Blue. Give Sunwind his adventure, give the rest of us a bigger share of the work and the Treasure.

I'd go for that if I am definitely going to get paid something.

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"I would be astonished if you were ready to act in a movie and weren't paid anything," says the blue.

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Well, movie makers can come talk to me about their ideas and what doing this would actually be like but I won't be going anywhere until I have a promise.

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"Okay, I'll get people checked out and waved through the security so they can do that. Should people be considering a promise more binding than a normal industry contract? Those outline expectations and specify a penalty if someone doesn't follow through but it's very irregular for them to compel specific performance, but you could arrange to get paid either way."

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...A promise is a promise and you're a cheat if you break it. I want to make sure to get paid if I fly somewhere and show off for the cameras, that's all. I'm going to lose some Treasure I would have gotten working as a guard. Opportunity cost doesn't suck as much as losing something you already owned but it still sucks.

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"I'll get you a contracts yellow. Should work out fine."

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Alright then. The leader type Draak would probably be saying something about cultural exchange or new perspectives or something right now, but I'm just excited to 'look awesome on screen', as the greys put it.

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"It'll be a blockbuster. Do you want to see some movies to get an idea what they're like while I'm working on this?"

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...Eh. Video is a little uncanny, but maybe I should. It's kind of an art, right? And it lasts. If it's lasting art I have to at least try to do it right. Can you get a nice, big screen?

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"It is. Big screens need to be plugged in, so getting one here would be hard, but there are theaters you could fit in."

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I could fly somewhere for a little while after sunset but I do need to sleep... Pocket everythings are too tiny is all.

The co-head of the guard's tail waves in amusement. Mention the problem to an engineer and they'll have lots of fun trying to solve it. I think the Seeker might have something for it already. He's got to keep all the computers he got from your planet working somehow.

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"If he has compatible electricity worked out here I can have a big TV delivered."

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The guard captain fiddles with a small silver disk for a few moments.

He does. Apparently the whole skin of his ship eats sunlight. Nice.

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"Can I see the outlet?"

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Fiddle fiddle-

Sure. 

She pads over to the big egg-shaped black ship and pokes a long claw into a particular small marking in the skin. A panel slides away to reveal an array of perfectly normal house-type outlets plus some unfamiliar ones.

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"All right, I'll get us a TV and some movies that aren't too dialogue heavy."

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Sounds like fun. Guarding isn't exactly engrossing work.

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"I always imagined it was somehow more interesting than it looks." He taps his everything. "TV delivery in about four hours."

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It can be relaxing or reassuring sometimes, but this is super boring. Just needs doing. And we're being paid.

Doesn't smell like rain, the guard co-captain notes, But if the weather turns bad or the wind is an issue do we need to build a shelter? I know your electronics are designed to be in shelters generally.

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"The TV shouldn't be rained on. I can get someone to also bring a tarp, that seems like it would be easier than building something."

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It'd give us something to do, but the movies are something to do too. So now we just wait?

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"Right. Someone will be along with a delivery van soon."

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They wait. The Draak disperse back to evenly spaced positions and mostly sit absolutely still. They could almost be statues except for the occasional turn of a head and how the wind ruffles their feathers.

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The delivery takes a while - they aren't very close to the warehouse. (A tarp arrives first.) Eventually there's a big screen TV plugged into the ship and he can get some movies queued up. He picks low-dialogue action flicks since the Draak are only going to understand the words by reading his mind.

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They still don't seem to understand the words despite any supposed mind-reading abilities, actually, but they think physical brawls and melee weapons are cool, explosions and fire and parkour are cool, and seem undecided whether guns are cool or not.

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There can be lots of martial arts and swords and parkour and blowing things up in the selections.

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Their comprehension of movie tropes - like the concept of cuts and scene changes - is all the better for it.

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"I've got a few producers interested, I'm scheduling them time slots to come pitch you tomorrow."

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Okay. Can you show me each of their best movies so far today?

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"If you want to spend all day watching movies, you bet, let's see what's best rated." He queues up some more.

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Watching for trouble and movies at the same time beats just watching for trouble.

Anything particularly notable about these movies? He wants some way to tell the producers' styles apart, since movies are apparently an art.

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The interested producers who have made it through whatever initial filters were applied have made the following example movies:

- Planet Alone, about a planet that doesn't have a sun but does have other properties making it effectively seasoned and warm enough, and passes through Amenta's system and gets colonized before it leaves. The story is set once it's impractical for any further transit to go between the planet and features hostile local fauna, terrorists, and a romance subplot between the lead grey (an agent of the prevailing government with a very vague job description) and a military grey responsible for high-latency radio communications with Amenta.

- Under the Empire, a gritty period piece about the Oahkar occupation in Met with lots of crying springing people and machine guns and depressing corrupt bureaucratic obstacles to things.

- Neighbor, an animated kids' movie about a kindly sea monster that takes a gaggle of cute purple kids on underwater adventures and defeats a bad sea monster queen who is oppressing cute seals with the kids' help.

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He likes Neighbor the best as far as first impressions go though Planet Alone is not bad! Under the Empire suffers from them understanding about one word in five and not much liking guns.

After thinking about it a bit more, he concludes, These all have their merits. Neighbor is... Almost weirdly sanitized. It's not a bad story but it's pretty simple and there's no blood or anything? Maybe it's that not-real style? I think Planet Alone is my favorite of these three, anyway. I liked that six-legged beast and I want to fight it now. Too bad it's fake.

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"Neighbor's for kids, they can get scared if it's gory."

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...Strange. Hatchlings are more scared by intimidating sounds and strange smells and animals that are bigger than them. That sea monster would have been pretty scary.

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"Well, the one sea monster's friendly and the other one gets defeated, so I think that helps. Some really skittish kids might have bad dreams about sea monsters, I guess."

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Hatchlings basically have only three emotions for a while. Scared, hungry, and 'Ooh, shiny'. 

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"I guess movies for them would be very different, then."

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Well, one year olds are a bit more sophisticated than that. I've never had one of my own but I talk to some. Hatchlings are kind of stupid... But mostly because of lack of life experience.

Movies would be better if you could capture the Song. Without that I don't think it will ever really take off for Draak.

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"Yeah, that makes sense."

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I wonder if there's a good way to record us flying? A way that'll feel like really flying? Flying is great.

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"You could carry a camera but it won't feel the same."

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Hmm. I should figure out a safe way to carry someone.

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"Tons of people would go for that. Basically anybody who's not afraid of heights depending on how much you charge."

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Everyone should get the chance to fly. Some kind of rock climbing harness that holds them on my neck? I'm having trouble picturing it, though. Would one of the greys have ideas on how to make something, maybe?

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"I'd ask a purple about manufacturing something like that. I guess a grey would have an idea if they hang glide or something."

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A weird saddle might work too. As long as everyone remembers we're not horses. Could you try to find someone? If you have time besides the movie thing. This sounds fun, too.

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"I'm here for the movie thing, I don't know what I'd need to evaluate and sign off a passenger securement strategy, but I can ask for someone."

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Exciting! I'd go looking for someone but I'm still guarding these ships.

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"Amseli's assistant is looking."

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As the guards keep watching and discussing movies, other Draak occasionally approach the ships and take or leave things. The guards squint at the visitors every time. But this time they stare a bit.

Two other Draak have retrieved from the ship... Two eggs the size of a curled-up Amentan one year old, each carried protectively and slightly awkwardly in the crook of a wing. They glance at the blue and sit near each other, tails irregularly moving. Probably discussing something telepathically.

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The blue is from the department of media and not qualified for this. Amseli rushes over.

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When she comes in range Amseli sees images and smells scents and hears sounds-

-And that is what a bear is. You should avoid them until you're big and strong.

There's a tiny pulse of wordless anxiety / acceptance.

Sleep, my egg. (Love).

Hello.

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"Hello. I'd heard someone wanted to place some eggs on Amenta, is that right?"

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Yes. That's us.

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"I've been putting out preliminary feelers but I'd like to know more about what you have in mind."

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We don't know!

We cannot know. We are old and set in our Ways.

But that is the point.

Our hope is for them to find a new Way for Draak to be.

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"Do you have a timeline, want updates, care to meet prospective foster parents..."

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They will hatch in approximately sixty to ninety days...?

We want to stay with them until they're very close to hatching. And we want to know what becomes of them in broad strokes after they hatch and grow, but don't care much to be actively involved at that point.

Yes. And we'll talk about hatchlings to anyone who should know, whatever seems relevant about them.

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"Can Amentans communicate with them in the eggs?"

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Hmm. There is only one way to find out. You are an Amentan, and the eggs are right here.

The boy's asleep. The girl might still be awake, though.

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Hello, she tries.

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Sleepy confusion. Anxiety. Then curiosity!

Hello?

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Welcome to Amenta.

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...Confusion. What is 'welcome'? What is 'Amenta'?

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Amenta is a planet. It looks like so, from far away. Welcome means the people on Amenta already are glad the egg has arrived.

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Oh! The New Place.

...Places are very big.

Is Welcome like Love? Love means the first and second voices are glad she exists. It feels nice.

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It's a little bit like that. Amseli would like to find some more people for her to live with when she hatches. Does she want to be with the one in the other egg? Does she know what kinds of things she'll want to see once out?

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...Thinking is hard. Being near another hatchling sounds vaguely scary. Living with people sounds vaguely scary too. She doesn't know what things there are to see.

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Amseli would guess that she'd want lots of wild outdoor space but needs to narrow it down. Why would living with people be scary?

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They might want to eat me.

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Amentans would never eat a person. That would be both wrong and really unappealing.

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...Some animals only eat plants? Are Amentans one of those? It still seems scary.

(The parents are just passively listening to this exchange, fascinated.)

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Amentans eat animals but not the ones who are people.

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...What is 'people' then?

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People are individuals who have especially complex thoughts.

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There's sudden anger from the egg. It wobbles slightly.

So it's okay to eat a hawk or something but not okay to eat a Draak just because Draak are smarter? That's not fair!

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...Amseli wasn't really prepared to have this argument with an egg. Should she be trying to find caretakers willing to give up eating meat?

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The egg doesn't know! The egg is just upset! Not fair! (Wobble-wobble.)

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Amseli apologizes for upsetting her.

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The wobbles stop.

No, that's no good either! An apology is the wrong direction to move in. This seems important. The First Law is that you have to eat things to survive. Eating things is an important subject.

The egg is thinking about why it's unfair, and can't come up with a reason, but still feels sure that it's unfair... Somehow.

But mostly it's confused and tired now.

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Well. Amseli will try to filter out some people who'd like to hang out with and socialize a baby Draak and they can swing by and meet the eggs and see if any of them get along.

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Okay. The egg is going to sleep now.

 

One of the parents sends, What a clever egg! Thinking about ethics like that, even unhatched. I have high hopes for her.

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"How much do they sleep?"

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About half the time, not in consistent intervals.

It's probably good for them to be awake in silence sometimes, so they can introspect.

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"Okay, I'll schedule people accordingly."

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Should we stay here or carry them to the conference?

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"The conference will be more convenient for visitors."

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We will start walking there, then. They will get cold if we try to fly.

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"But they don't require a lot of insulation on the ground?" Amseli asks, scootering alongside.

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You put them in caves or burrows, hidden from hungry things and just deep enough that Earth's inner warmth keeps them from freezing. If we carry them they'll be warm enough for now.

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"Do you want to leave them around where people are - I don't know how robust they are to accident, but those are the spaces we have heated - or dig a hole, or get some blankets or a space heater?"

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...We probably just want to dig a hole. That is comfortable and familiar. A good cave is best but a hole is acceptable.

But then the dirt will muffle the Song and keep them from talking to people.

The smaller one purrs thoughtfully. True. We can keep them on the surface and warm them with our breath or your electrical controlled-fire, then, Student of Greetings.

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"I'll order a space heater for them and if they aren't comfortable then the hole can be a backup option."

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I have heard that you make studies of what harms children and what makes them thrive. We have only predictions and instinct to guide us, not careful observation, but eggs are reasonably resilient.

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"We do study that, though usually just by careful observation. At any rate I'd be surprised if something that didn't feel right to them was a good idea."

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Indeed. We're filled with joy that these two are both viable! Some eggs fail for no clear reason.

People may touch them, if they're careful.

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Amentans trickle by to take selfies of themselves patting eggs.

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One of the eggs wakes up eventually, and faintly sheds idle curiosity and an almost dream-like rambling train of thought.

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The first people Amseli got ahold of come by to meet the egg. They're a green couple in their twenties who live in a cabin in a national park studying, respectively, mushrooms and climatology.

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The Draak parents seem impressed. That sounds like a good egg-home.

The egg that is awake thinks climatology sounds cool. The sky is so huge, but you can still see how it works??

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Yes! You take measurements of lots of things and find out about the patterns they exhibit.

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Hmm. What's a measurement, exactly?

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Amseli mentioned eggs like to be warm? One can measure how warm someplace is; not just whether it's warmer or colder but by how much.

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Warmth is nice, yes. That sounds interesting! But how? Everyone feels things differently.

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People can feel more or less comfortable in the same place, but the place is only one temperature. They have instruments to measure it.

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...Is there always an unquestionably correct answer for a thing's temperature? The idea seems weird.

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Sometimes it's complicated. The climatologist can talk about interactions with pressure and evaporative cooling and stuff. But this is all what they know from using the instruments, feeling stuff doesn't get precise results with useful patterns.

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The egg eagerly listens to all this. He had no idea air and water could do those things. He's happily looking forward to seeing it for real!

The other egg wakes up and listens for a while, then asks what kinds of animals these new voices know about.

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These ones are not animal experts but have seen deer and squirrels and stuff in the national park.

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Ooh, those things look tasty.

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The deer are, they know a guy who hunts them and sells venison. Squirrels they don't know.

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The hungry egg is now thinking about eating things again. Eating things is good because then you don't die. Eating smart things is bad because... More potential is lost? Maybe? She's not sure.

Maybe eating smarter things is more bad than stupid things like the Amseli said, but a big smart thing like a buffalo has as much meat as a hundred little stupid things like squirrels? Is it better to eat a buffalo or a hundred squirrels?

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The greens don't have ethical opinions that distinguish those options. It's just that one mustn't eat people.

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Draak are smart. Amentans are smart. They've never talked to any other animals. How do you decide when something is a little bit too smart or too stupid?

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This isn't their specialty. Something about tool use and symbolic understanding and stuff. Buffalo and squirrels don't do that.

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They want to know why, and what exactly 'people' is so they can decide how much to pay attention to this rule.

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Well, for one thing if you eat a person at some point the thing you are eating is a dead person. They've heard Draak don't have pollution sensitivity but it's a big deal and they will have to learn about it to live on Amenta. But for another by and large Amentans think people should get to keep being alive unless they do something wrong, and not something wrong like "being near a hungry Draak", and they don't think this about animals particularly. There are exceptions but not nutritious ones.

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...'The Amentans really really don't like it' is a valid justification for this rule. Since they are going to hatch in the Amentans' territory. And of course people want to continue being alive? Hmm.

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Many animals don't much care for being hunted - ones that liked it would die and not have any children - but they don't care about being alive in the same way, as far as Amentans know. It would be pretty alarming to discover they were considering non-people some creature with a complex inner life that merely didn't display this in any way, but the visiting telepaths haven't discovered any of those yet.

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They wonder what talking to animals will be like. And eating. And breathing. And seeing things. So many things they have to wait to hatch to try... (The hungry one wiggles again.)

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Well, the people around them are trying to figure out where they should do those things. Lots of people will come by to meet them about that before decisions are made.

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Ooh, what do the possible places look like?

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Their place looks like, uh, this mental image of a forested mountain range!

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Ooh. That looks like a great place to live!

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Yeah, Amseli's trying to find mostly people who live places like that even though not very many Amentans do because Draak like open space and nature.

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Where do the rest of the Amentans live?

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Cities! Here's the one their kids live in.

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...There's high places, at least? How do you even tell where anything is?

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What sorts of things?

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Where do you get water? There's no streams. Where do you hunt?

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There are pipes that carry water, hot and cold, inside to various things like sinks and washing machines. Amentans don't hunt much. They get groceries delivered or go to restaurants.

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The egg-lings were told that they must kill and eat things when they're hungry, or they will die. That's the First Law. If Amentans do it differently that's probably fine though.

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Amentans eat meat but most of them aren't specialized in turning it into food. They like their food more prepared than Draak seem to. If an egg goes home with them, they can get the Draak in it a hunting license to go after deer and squirrels once it's hatched, if it would rather not eat grocery delivery meat, but they hear some Draak like grocery delivery meat fine.

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(The parents are slightly ruffled. Hunting license? What.)

It would be reckless to go after deer right away. The wiggly egg might not let that stop her, though!

The calmer one is wondering just how many Laws there are. They only know the First Three Laws so far: You have to eat. You have to make eggs someday. You should seek Treasure.

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...the Amentans think making eggs and seeking treasure could be optional. And separately Amseli's surprised the parents don't like the hunting license idea, do they want the deer to go extinct from overhunting?

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(It makes sense since the land is government-owned... It was just a bit surprising.)

...The eggs don't think making eggs someday and seeking Treasure are optional. They can feel it already when thinking about themselves. The idea of shiny things is nice. The idea of having descendants someday is nice. "Someday" doesn't have any particular urgency about it, though.

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If they want eggs and treasure nobody is trying to tell them not to want those but having a law seems weird. A law that you have to eat is weird too but at least eating is obviously necessary. The eggs might want to know that by the time someday rolls around there may be population laws applying to Draak on Amenta.

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...Oh! The First Three Laws are things about being alive, not things that someone else says they can or can't do!

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Well... they still need to plan to cope with population laws but shouldn't have trouble earning money since they can acquire scarce in-demand skills.

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They haven't even hatched yet. So many things they can't even imagine will happen between now and when they have to think about that.

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Of course. They don't mean to be intimidating.

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The idea of hatching, existing in the big complicated world, is intimidating. The wiggly egg is more excited than anxious, but the other one is the opposite.

These eggs liked seeing that mountainous forest! They'd like to see more plants and landscapes and things and to learn about them.

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The greens will obligingly think about those things. The mycologist's mostly have mushrooms.

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They seem tired of trying to think about complicated things and reflect wordless happy curiosity back at the greens!

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Awwwwww.

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And eventually they fall asleep again.

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The next time they're awake there will be more people there to meet them. There's a V-marriage of three purples who live and work on a fruit orchard full of bees, a retired blue couple with a big country estate where some ruminants graze but there's not a lot of development, an author and a painter who live with the painter's extended family as far north as Tapa gets in some barely seasonable boreal forest, some retired greys who live in farm country, and more in this vein. Lots of choices for the eggs.

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They're really torn! The national park seems best to both (the calm egg likes the two greens, and the wiggly egg likes the landscape and nature) but they don't want to both go to the same place, and they bicker about it. The wiggly egg also likes the author and painter, and the calm egg also likes the blues with their estate and the purples with their orchard, as second choices.

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Maybe if enough people come by one of them will prefer them to the national park. Failing that they can let the parents pick which egg gets the preferred option.

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Their parents have a bit of a debate over it themselves, and then decide that the calm one has a better chance of doing well in a non-national park place.

The calm egg is calm about his disappointment even as his sister wiggles in delight. He wants to know what the blues with their estate and the purples with their orchard think being a hatchling with them would be like before deciding.

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Well, that would depend a lot on what the calm baby wanted to do. The blues know some important people if he wants to meet any of those, and can get him tutors in anything he wants to learn about, and they themselves like hiking and drawing and having picnics and sometimes throwing parties. The purples administer the farm and there's a bunch of kids around at any given time, various extended family from the hinge spouse's side who also work on the same farm, if baby Draak like other kids to play with; they know Draak mostly eat meat but they heard they'll eat other things and fruit is best fresh off the tree, and their family likes playing sports and doing weird amateur art projects and baking and photography if any of that sounds fun.

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...Lots of other kids around sounds a little scary. And he liked hearing about measuring things from the national park greens, so tutors sound probably nice. And hiking seems probably nice. He chooses the blues.

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The purples are kind of bummed but they go home.

The blues and the greens would like to know if they should take the eggs with them soon or wait till they're almost hatched, and how often they should visit if the latter.

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They should be taken to where they will hatch sooner rather than later. We can visit as often as either set of you want - we have no business more pressing.

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"Will they miss each other? Should we plan on having them see each other?"

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Hmm... Our understanding is that Draak are naturally solitary and introspective minds. Perhaps different acculturation will change that, but I'd wait and see if they want to visit each other.

We do think it will be good to have occasional visits from an adult Draak, us or whoever else is available, to remind them of their heritage. Once or twice a year at least. Perhaps as tutors, even.

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"Has anyone already expressed interest in that or should we just ask around?" wonders one of the blues.

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The Seeker of New Truths has expressed interest in our hatchlings' fate. He surely has many, many things demanding his attention, but he has expressed interest.

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"That's lovely," says the blue. "- do new hatchlings usually have names at all, or do they go without till they pick something?"

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There's a pause and a thoughtful tail-swish.

We usually have no need of names at a very young age. I think they will be able to pick something quickly, though we do change our names sometimes.

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"So we shouldn't name them," says one of the greens.

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You could name them. I think it would be interesting. But if they reject your names and choose their own, then I would suggest acquiescing.

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"Oh, naturally," agrees the green.

The greens name their egg Toama and the blues name theirs Katmem.

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The eggs want to know what those names mean!

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There is no known etymology for the name Toama but it's a popular green name and a main character in a classic film the climatologist likes. Katmem is derived from the name of the astronomer who discovered the planet Katme.

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Hmm. Toama will want to watch this 'film' thing before deciding if the name is acceptable.

Katmem wants to know about the planet Katme.

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They can tell him all about the planet Katme.

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...He's not really feeling it but doesn't have any other name in mind. Did they pick that because he's from a different planet?

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That was the general idea.

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Yeah, it works for now. Space is pretty exciting, after all!

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It is! And the astronomer is very famous as astronomers go.

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The smaller of the two parents comments, It's... Something like a mark of foolishness and rudeness to name yourself directly after another Draak, especially if it's only because they're famous, but that seems to be something Amentans do differently.

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"We'd run out of names," points out the mycologist. "If we didn't re-use them. Some cultures don't name people after other people, but it's not uncommon."

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Quite true. I'm sure there are a few dozen Rivers and Clouds and Sunlights even with our relatively few numbers. It's just that calling oneself Seeker of New Truths or Guardian of the Green or any variation of Darktooth or the Architect of Vaults or Weaver of Essence, without being the Seeker or Guardian or Darktooth or Architect or Weaver, could make others think less of you for your presumption.

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"That makes sense," says a blue. "It's flattering, here, if someone names their kids after you."

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The parents are silent at this. One of them nuzzles an egg.

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Amseli summons a suitably empty series of trains, and the eggs can go where they're gonna go.

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The parents don't really trust the trains and would like to stay with their eggs while they are on trains, even though they are unnerving cramped uncomfortable loud strange-smelling things. They can probably fit... Barely.

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They can get one parent squeezed in with each egg if they swap in a car without any seats. Boxes are supplied so the eggs won't roll when the train accelerates.

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The eggs report that trains feel really weird and kind of uncomfortable. They're eggs so they can't do anything but complain. At least it'll be over soon.

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If they'd like to get off at the next swap and take a helicopter that can be arranged?

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...Both parents say that the eggs should not always get what they want. They can all deal with a train ride.

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"It's not that we plan to spoil her," says the mycologist, "but some things we don't have a good way to guess if it's a need or a want."

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That is a good point. They will try to think about what to do about that. In the meantime, they can see how the eggs are doing with magic and this is not a need, it's just uncomfortable.

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The national park is farther away than the blues' estate. In the estate they introduce the egg to the servants and a visiting niece and ask if it would like to incubate indoors or out.

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Katmem is sleepy and slow at the moment, and is indifferent about hatching-places. (The parents warn that hatching is messy.)

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Good to know, they'll put him in the garden.

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We should find a small shelter, a pocket in the planet's body of soil and stone, his father comments. Stable temperature, and dry, but with room for him to get out when he hatches. A root-hollow maybe? I can dig.

He looks around at the garden, to evaluate spots.

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There are trees, including some big old ones he could bury an egg near.

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He wanders for a bit before selecting the perfect spot.

 

In regards to spoiling him, the best idea I have thought of is for you to ask a Draak if something seems strange, and warn you of strangenesses I can predict. Though I do not know what seems strange to you.

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"Amentan children sometimes want to eat diets that aren't good for them, or do dangerous fun things like running around on slippery rocks near a fast river, or skip painful vaccinations - I'm not sure if you have those - or neglect school to play, or run off so their parents don't know their whereabouts. And parents have to overrule them on that for their long term good."

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The dad thinks for a while.

If he has cravings for rust or certain kinds of rocks, those are normal. It guides us to make up for mineral deficiencies. He may need eat more than muscle-flesh, organs and all, but I'm not sure on that. It would be weird if he never hunted anything, that seems like an important part of being a Draak. We don't have vaccinations but you can make him practice listening for pathogens in the Onesong to avoid infectious things. Draak are tough, and almost all survivable injuries have little or no long-term effect on us. If he's badly injured make him sleep as much as possible. He shouldn't try to fly, though it's very tempting. The two greatest causes of death for hatchlings on our planet are starvation and fighting, and I suspect neither will be an issue here. Extra or irregular sleep doesn't harm us. I don't know what the long seasons will do to our hibernation tendency. For the balance between lessons and play or company and solitude, I can offer no certain advice except that never being far from you two might be stifling. But I truly don't know.

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"How far is far? And is it stifling if he's as far as he likes but carries an everything with GPS?"

"We don't know how to teach him about the pathogen magic, what are the guidelines there or is that something we'd get him a tutor for?"

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Most Draak learn that lesson by eating something rotten and regretting it. It's not something that needs a tutor, just exposure and practice... My infancy was spent wandering a pine forest totally alone, as was much of my youth. I really don't know. Do what feels right. We will have to see how our seed of potential grows under your Way.

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"There are mice and birds and things in the garden but nothing big. Will he need trips somewhere with more animals to hunt?"

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...Wait and see.

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All right. Do eggs like music? They worry it is boring in there.

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Katmem would like to be alone for a day or two. The last few days have been kind of mentally exhausting.

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Okay! They will come back in a day or two but will look in then to make sure no people or animals or weather or anything have been bothering him.

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He projects his excitement to live, mixed with anxiety about what life will be like, as they go.

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Awwwww what a good egg.

The greens arrive at their cabin in the woods and propose a big pile of leaves like that one over there that they raked up as a warmish place for an egg to be.

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Toama thinks this sounds fun since leaves are dead bits of trees and make appealing crunchy sounds!

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They do! Amentan children like to jump in leaf piles.

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They are right to like it! Running around with leaves and trees and hills is going to be so fun!

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Oh, the Amentans should know how Draak can be best cleaned, when they get dirty.

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The egg's mother can tell them all about proper grooming, from feather care to plucking bad scales and more.

Hatchlings mostly get clean just by swimming in streams and running claws through their feathers and such. The breathing-fire-on-yourself trick only works when you have enough skill in magic to not get burned. Soap probably won't hurt them?

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Can the mother test some soaps to make sure?

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She's kind of bemused, but sure. She can even stop doing the being-super-tough magic for the test. It gets to the point of being subconscious but you can always deliberately stop.

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They get a variety.

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Most of these soaps are okay. A few will mess up the long wing and crest feathers. These two will mess up the short downy feathers that cover the whole body, too.

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They take notes on which soaps are okay for which feathers so they will be able to mop up their baby Draak if she jumps in a leaf pile and squishes a slug, or something.

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(She wonders if slugs are tasty...)

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It's okay to eat a slug if she would like to try one and it isn't a poisonous slug, just not okay to have slug goo on her feathers.

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That makes sense. Feathers are supposed to be clean.

...The mom is suddenly concerned. There are a couple of plants that are potent addictive drugs for Draak. Do the greens recognize this mental image of poison ivy or its relatives that make the same toxin?

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They're not botanists but don't recognize that plant.

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Can they please email someone at the conference to ask the two Draak doctors and whoever else to figure out if Amenta has this dangerous plant.

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Of course! They describe it as best they can and the mycologist can sketch adequately from the mental image but if there's no photograph they will probably have to get a botanist in front of a Draak.

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The relevant plants or equivalents probably do not exist here but I want to be sure. My hatchlings should not have the chance to stumble into the herb by accident. All Draak should avoid it without exception, in my opinion. It makes you act strangely and excessive use can be addictive and even deadly.

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"We can't rule out that some plant here might have a similar effect we can't predict."

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We can't. But my worry about this one could be soothed.

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Someone at the conference gets a botanist on the scene to see if they recognize a mental image of the offensive plant. They don't.

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Well, that's a relief.

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Movie producers are also appearing on the scene to tell the would-be movie-star Draak about what scriptwriters they have on tap and what actors they could hire for him to appear with and suchlike.

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He doesn't really know any of the names or understand movie business at all. He liked the hostile fauna in Planet Alone? Those were some good fights, even faked.

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This producer thinks she can get the choreographer from Planet Alone! That one thinks he can get the lead animator!

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You are talking about the people you can find. That's nice, and the choreographer and lead animator from a movie I liked are probably good to have, but... I think I'm confused. I thought you were all going to pitch story ideas?

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"That's typically later in the process," says the one who thinks she can get the choreographer. "We don't already have scripts lying around calling for Draak -"

"I do," says another one. "But mine needs at least five, so we're in talks with a claymation studio."

"- okay, we don't have scripts lying around calling for real Draak, because the availability of Draak is new. We'll get someone to write a story around you. Talent makes product, and you're the talent bottleneck right now."

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I see. Of course I am good at fighting, and I have even practiced making a show of it sometimes, but I wonder if I am not the most talented Draak but just the most talented Draak who is willing... Though as I told that other guy I can probably get some friends to help for a day or two... Well, that works.

What is the process, then, if choosing the story is not the start?

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"Getting together the talent," she goes on. "Screenwriters are talent like anybody else, I'll rope in someone from my studio and tell them what we're looking for and they'll write something and then it'll go into edits and we'll get concept art and hire more people while that's ongoing."

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...How long does all this take? I just fought and let them record it the other day. Should I be planning to spend the winter on this planet?

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"We can rush it if you need to be offplanet sooner? You'd need to be dubbed anyway, if you mostly do fight scenes we can probably record some of that in a vacuum and put different narration on it depending -"

"If you'd rather do something fast I know the people who did Four Swords, twenty minute martial arts piece with no dialogue, I think we could crank out the parts of that which'd need you on set in - two months but let's say three because there's often scheduling overrun."

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Those don't sound as nice as Planet Alone was, but maybe. I'm just worried about falling into a great sleep before we finish. I already feel it a little bit, because of the autumn. It's weird, since we're coming into spring back home.

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"We could get some preliminaries handled and plan to film in spring."

"I usually avoid shooting in spring, nobody's on task -"

"Maybe you can afford to just not shoot a quarter of the year."

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I'm not sure whether or not I'll do that yet, or how much I'll do it. Nobody's quite sure how very long seasons will affect us.

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"Well, we can get everything together, and shelve it till you're ready if you fall asleep, we don't hibernate but things like that happens if actors are injured or something."

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Could I do both a fast and slow one?

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"Sure, that's a good idea. Most actors and stunt people have a few balls in the air at a time."

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Yes-good. I like the idea of having the same choreographer as Planet Alone. I also like the idea of getting money and I'm going to stay here until I have a contract because I have a guarding job.

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"I've actually got a standard contract on me."

"How, my yellows aren't even sure Draak can sign contracts -"

"There's a busload of blues around, I'll get one to witness."

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I could mark the sigils of my name. I want to know exactly what is being promised before I do something like that though.

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"Oh, yeah, I can read it to you, if you're ready."

"I can get something emailed to me for a proxy e-signature, since you want to do both."

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I will listen! 

He pays closest attention to the parts about what he needs to do and when/how much he will get paid.

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The contract is a hastily edited boilerplate; Sunwind agrees to appear in at least one movie, if the return on the movie is at least yea much he agrees to appear in at least one sequel, only applies if the studio is ready for him under thus and such conditions by thus and such time, he's entitled to this much flat or this percentage of the net whichever's greater as of two weeks after opening unless he wants to cash out with his flat rate early, entitled to unionize, food provided on set, bonus if it goes over so many days of filming due to studio issue or weather or third party action, arbitration with this firm, entitled to yea many vetoes on costars and such, unexpected expenses associated with him such as replacing a makeup artist he doesn't like or fixing stuff he breaks or whatever can come out of his pay, etcetera etcetera.

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...This is confusing and complicated and he's not entirely sure he trusts it. Listening to someone who actually knows these things explain it helps but only so much.

He doesn't like promising to appear in a sequel when he doesn't know what doing it the first time will really be like. What's a union? Where will he live during this? Can he get a zero interest loan or a partial advance or something? What happens if everything is a disaster and he wants to abandon ship, does he just not get paid or what?

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The sequel clause is only for if the first one makes it unusually big - one of the five most popular movies in a year, is about the magnitude of that figure - and it's not always included even in movies that might have that potential. They can edit it out but would rather compensate him for not liking it in some other way since they think the first movie with a Draak in it could be that popular and they'd like to follow up.

A union is a group of people who all work in the same industry and can coordinate work stoppage or other measures to put pressure on their employers. They're required to let their actors belong to unions.

He's too big to live in a trailer but they can provide a tent or repurpose a prop warehouse depending on whether they're shooting on location or not.

He can get a zero interest loan if he'll take the sequel clause!

Penalty clause is over here - can't go be in another movie for four years, owes them expenses up to this cap, can reduce the money owed by finding them a suitable replacement for the role, penalty is lesser the earlier in the process he bails out.

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I'll probably want to do a sequel but I can't promise I will. I know my own mind - I'm not stubborn enough to do it anyway if it's horrible and awful. Same with the penalty thing. And I don't even HAVE any money to do the penalty clause thing.

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"I can swap in the sequel clause with a paragraph about permission to use your likeness in animation, would that be better."

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-But then I won't have any influence at all over the story I am placed in.

It feels like I am walking into a trap made of words. I didn't think this would be so complicated.

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The other producer says, "I could have one of my yellows come in person if that would help? I'm afraid my contracts don't look a lot different by default."

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Maybe.

...Can I go see a movie being made? That might tell me if it's likely to be horrible and awful.

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"Sure, I can get you on the set of Sojourner, they're doing location shoots in the Apta Desert so there'll be room for you."

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Okay. If I see nothing there that makes me think it would be horrible and awful I can probably accept the sequel clause. Where is it?

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"Apta's about two hundred fifty miles northwestish of here, I can show you on a map."

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That's not far at all by wing.

...He sends a burst of excitement. I should show your choreographer flying tricks!

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"She'd be ecstatic!"

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Please show me where they are. The sooner I reassure myself it will be exciting instead of horrible and awful, the sooner good things will happen.

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Here is where the set is on a map.

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Sunwind flies there at high speed and looks around!

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By the time he arrives the people there have been told to expect him! He is waved down by some purples and a yellow jogs over to meet him.

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He shows off on the landing, diving sharply and spiraling in midair, then flaring wings to swoop to a gentle stop. Behold!

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The purples applaud!

"Wow, that's sweet!" says the yellow. "Boss says you want a set tour?"

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Indeed, my skill in flight is great! Yes. I want to be in a movie but the contract is scary! Seeing how it's done will make it less scary I hope.

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"Sure thing!" And the yellow can show him the trailers and the tents where they're doing makeup and catering and costuming and so on, and he can sit over here out of the way of the cameras and watch this scene. "Boss says if you want to try flying across the background in the next shot they're setting up, to get used to it, he's cleared that with the director."

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Thoughtful tail-thump. The idea is to feel what it's like to act as instructed?

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"Yup! Doing a few takes, taking direction, that kind of thing."

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Very good. That is exactly what I want to know. The moment-to-moment experience of doing a movie. The director is in charge? I thought the producer was.

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"The producer does the business side, more or less. The director does artistic detail."

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I see... I think. Draak don't work together much.

I should speak to them before doing this, yes?

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"Sure, between scenes! I'll tell you when." There are more set minutiae on the tour while they get enough takes of the one scene.

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This is all very complicated but they seem to know what they're doing and the final product was impressive. He muses to his guide that someone here probably knows how to make a good flight harness.

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"Sure, after you've met the director we can ask the propsmaster about that! Or the grip, that might be a grip thing."

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Flying is fun! And carrying someone is probably cinematic. It might be pretty difficult, though.

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"Because we'd be too heavy?"

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A lot of it is weight, but also balance and wind resistance. I can fly with three hundred pounds of rocks in my belly. I did that for training. It's hard and I can't go as fast or use the same tricks, but I can do it.

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"Makes sense. Some stuntgreys are little."

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He waits and watches as they keep taking the current scene.

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Eventually they cut and the actors go get their adjustments to makeup and hair and costume for the next scene. The director beams at Sunwind. "Good evening!"

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Sun's descent graces our meeting! If we are being formal. Hello! I have seen many movies in the last two days and- well, you know why I'm here, yes?

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"Set tour and also the producer says you might want to do a background flyover!"

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I do! That will be seeing what it is like. If it's likely to be tolerable for a whole movie and a sequel so I don't have to bicker about the sequel clause that so worries me.

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"He looooves his sequels. All right, you see that shrub thing over there?"

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Yes.

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"If you go there, and take off and fly in a big arc up -" she points, "and land over by the cacti there, I think it'll look neat behind the scene we're shooting. You should know there's no guarantee the scene will be in the final cut, though it probably will, or that we'll use a take with you in it, though again we probably will."

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He tracks his gaze from one end to the other.

I honestly don't care whether or not you use a take with me in it, at least for this. How long should my flight take, and when should I start it? And what is this scene about? 

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"About one minute, and - will you be able to hear the actors talking from there, how good is your hearing?"

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I can go slow, then... I don't understand words, I understand what you mean when you talk. I won't hear them in the Onesong from over there.

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"But could you recognize the sound of some words if we told you what to listen for?"

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Probably yes, if I'm not flying at the time!

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"Oh, I meant you'd listen for a line, then start flying. Peshi over there - the tall one - is going to say 'then that's what we'll have to do'. And then you take off."

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Understood.

He gives an upwards tail-flick, then remembers to nod as well.

Anything else?

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"Nothing fancy. If we need tweaks we can do another take, and if it's hopeless we have a good-enough take of the scene from yesterday. All right, let's try to get a few in before the sunset's over!" She claps her hands. "Scene thirty-eight take twenty now with added background space alien, places!"

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He goes over to the designated bushy thing.

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The actors get in place.

"The trail's only going to get colder while we camp for the night," says one, "but there's no way to follow it in the dark, not - not anymore."

"If we wait for morning at least we'll be rested. And maybe she'll come back, she might find us - you can't rule that out."

"We can't count on it, we can only try to keep going on our own."

"Then that's what we'll have to do."

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He hesitates for a moment, then takes a running start and claws his way into the air. Up, level flight, and down. No tricks or anything. (Going up involves a lot of flapping, and going down none at all.) Then he starts walking back towards the set.

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Don't go that way, you'll cut into frame - go wider - says the director.

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...Good thing he was paying attention to the director specifically. He goes wider. He doesn't say anything back - art is being made, you don't interrupt craft like that.

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Eventually the scene cuts - the rest of it after he takes off doesn't have much talking, they're just messing with props fixing fictive dinner - and everybody relaxes.

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He waits until the director seems to be free and then asks, Is the daily process of movie-making basically like this, over and over and over?

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"Basically! Some of the scenes are more complicated," the director says.

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I see. This doesn't seem too bad at all. And you pick the most perfect one when all is done?

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"Right! We've done twenty takes of this one now. We'll probably use the one with you - it'll be great hype even if the screenwriter's going to grumble about it not having much to do with the theme - but we can also splice in bits from other scenes, like in take six there was a scorpion wandering by in the foreground, we might get the editors to blend the takes so we can have both."

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I can do that a few more times if you want more to choose from.

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"Sure, let's do another." The dinner props are swapped out, the actors checked for any touchups they might need, and the whole thing rerolled.

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He tries to fly in a slightly different way this time. Smoother.

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"All right. Running out of sunset. Let's set up scene 12 to catch as much night as we can before we crash for the night. Thanks for stopping by!" she tells Sunwind.

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He goes back to the conference and pulls another trick landing and looks around for the horde of producers.

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The producers are over there! The one who sent him to the set is cheerful.

Permalink Mark Unread

Hello! That was informative and pretty fun. Thank you for arranging it. I've thought about it some more and the sequel clause is... Probably acceptable. With a few small additions.

Permalink Mark Unread

"What kind of additions?"

Permalink Mark Unread

First: If the great Elders of my kind call me forth or bid me leave the planet, I will obey, penalty clause or not, sequel clause or not. It is the obligation of all Draak to obey the Elders in matters of grave importance. It is not spelled out in our laws, but it is such a core part of Tradition that it might as well be. It might be better for everyone if I would only not get paid if this unlikely event happens, instead of adding further penalties and debts that would be unlikely to ever be fulfilled.

Second: I want either a small zero-interest loan or a small personal budget, to buy trinkets and such with, to be repaid when I get the full payout.

And third: If I am paid more than the minimum based on the original's percentage-scale, the sequel's minimum payout goes up to match three-of-four of what the first movie's payout was. The percentage can stay the same.

Permalink Mark Unread

"How small do you mean?" inquires the producer.

Permalink Mark Unread

He has consulted with some other Draak about how big amounts of money are. It's small. About enough to get one restaurant meal a day.

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can do that. How'd you pick the pay scale you have in mind for the sequel, it's a bit odd."

Permalink Mark Unread

I don't understand your economy but I considered how I would feel if I made vast wealth on one movie, was called for a sequel, and made almost nothing on the sequel. Then I increased how much I made on the sequel until it didn't feel like loss. That rule is not necessarily in that exact form, but the minimum pay must go up for a sequel. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"We can boost the minimum pay for a sequel, but I can tell you now the yellows'll pitch a fit about doing it in terms of the first movie's take. Sequels usually make less - they're more reliable than a new standalone, but they don't bring in as much as whatever they follow."

Permalink Mark Unread

Alright then. Show me something tomorrow and perhaps I will sign it. I'll be back at the ships tomorrow, on guard duty - it's getting late and I'm sleepy.

For the first clause, the only scenario I see the Seeker telling me to get off the planet is war. Rather unlikely, and if it does happen there are bigger things to worry about than a movie.

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"Yeah, we can put in an escape clause for if you're - drafted or whatever."

Permalink Mark Unread

...Ooh, new word. 'Drafted' is a good way to think about it. That's almost exactly what would happen in such a case. Yes.

Permalink Mark Unread

"That won't be a problem," nods the producer.

"I've got a contract ready whenever you are for a short fight-choreo film," says the one who knows the people who did something in that genre.

Permalink Mark Unread

He wants this one read to him too, to be thorough, but there's probably nothing objectionable in it?

Permalink Mark Unread

It doesn't have a sequel clause and since this contract is of a sort often applied to greys there's actually already a clause about military service exits. Comes with a per diem.

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How will schedule conflicts get resolved after I sign both? He asks the two producers.

Permalink Mark Unread

They hash that out amongst themselves after not too long and adjust the contracts.

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He considers both contracts for a while longer, then asks, Would it be much of a burden for you two to come see me tomorrow? I want to see if I have any dreams to warn me away from this, and then I can hunt up the right inks to sign my name as we write it.

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"...we can come back tomorrow. Is this more magic?"

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...I suppose it is if Amentans can't properly dream. I intend to enter the Dreaming and see what the elements tell me... Water. Or maybe Fire. A final reassurance, a spiritual approval on my course of action.

Permalink Mark Unread

"...okay."

"Good... luck with that."

Permalink Mark Unread

I will see you both in the morning!

Permalink Mark Unread

"See you in the morning!" And off they go.

Permalink Mark Unread

 

In the morning, he is guarding ships but has gotten two small vials of very shiny special ink. A good sign, presumably.

Permalink Mark Unread

They have brought paper versions of the revised contracts!

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My dreams were inconclusive, so in the absence of a dire warning I will move forward with this venture!

He uses the tips of two claws to sign both contracts with the swoopy almost-pictographic sigils of the Draak writing system, two inside each other, in red and silvery-whitish ink.

Permalink Mark Unread

The producers appreciate that very much and would like an email address for him so they can give him updates as things move forward and tell him where and when to show up!

Permalink Mark Unread

He knows what 'email' is by now but still doesn't actually have one. Also he can't read Amentan, or Tapap, whichever. But he can follow them or fly somewhere pointed out on a map right now, the guard captain officially released him!

Permalink Mark Unread

Okay, how about he go over here where the movie production studio is, and they'll get him an intern to translate his email.

Permalink Mark Unread

Sure! He will totally fly there and look for a good spot to land.

Permalink Mark Unread

There's a lot for truck deliveries, currently pretty roomy as all that's there are a van delivering sandwiches to craft services and a bottled water supplier.

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He lands and waits. Ech. Hopefully most of the time the work will be in more open places instead of... Here.

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Pretty soon somebody comes out to meet him, a purple, who turns out to be his promised intern. "Hi, I'm Nuan Meksi. How was your flight?"

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I am called Sunwind! Flying is always a joyous thing. A bit less with all the cities and things, but they are not going away any time soon.

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"This isn't really a city, it's more of an exurb, I think, but I guess it's still got some midsize buildings to get in your way. I'm supposed to show you to whatever you want to see, bring you stuff, and be your translator for email as necessary. There's a set getting broken down right now and when that's done you're welcome to move in there. Unless you want to live in a set for Prince Antumas, I guess."

Permalink Mark Unread

If I had free choice I'd rather live in a cave somewhere. Or tunnels, maybe. I could dig some. What's Prince Antumas like? When do we talk about the story with people?

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't think we have a cave. Or even a cave set. And if you dig in a settled area you'll hit pipes and wires and subway. I think the Draak who lives in Baravi lives in a warehouse? Uh, Prince Antumas is a comedic space fantasy TV show. The preliminary pitch meeting is the day after tomorrow, the writers need time to throw together a starter idea to suggest."

Permalink Mark Unread

I could dig around and below those things if I knew where they were! Or do it in an unsettled area. Yes, but that Creator of Flourishing is such a quiet and patient sort. It might be fine if I just go flying a lot, I don't know. I'll wait until the set is gone either way.

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"I can... ask someone about getting permission to tunnel somewhere."

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Yes, yes, I know you have to go to someone else. Everyone does in your world. All that seems so silly to me. I wonder if I should show off everything I can do to you, so you can tell whoever needs to know, the director and screenwriter and so on?

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"I could record it for them? I think trying to describe acrobatics in words wouldn't work very well."

Permalink Mark Unread

Good point. And not just acrobatics. I can change my color temporarily, for example. Though that takes focus. My breath can be an inferno or a blowtorch. I have trained every aspect of myself rigorously, for my body and skills are the only thing that I definitely won't lose or have stolen.

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"Ooh, they definitely need to know you can change color." She pulls out her everything.

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The magic of camouflage is in the domain of Water, which I am far from a master of...

He holds absolutely still and slowly takes on the color of the concrete. Including a white line where he lied on a lane marking, that runs up his flank before turning blurry and splotchy and fading into the grey.

Matching my surroundings is easy enough. I can hold the color when I move, for a short while. But I can't pick any arbitrary color and become it. If my skill in Water were greater, perhaps I could.

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"That's so cool! They can have stuff behind you the camera can't see, if they want you to be a color besides for camo."

Permalink Mark Unread

I can see how it would be good for movies! Or I can grab a color and then walk onscreen. I'm not sure I can do tricky acrobatics while holding colors. Practice might help with that, at least.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, it's hard to do both at once?"

Permalink Mark Unread

It's magic, it's Singing into the fabric of reality to convince it that red is grey. Think of keeping a color as like humming a tune. You can do it... But it gets harder to do other stuff at the same time and not screw up.

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"All right. I'll let them know." She composes an email.

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Color bleeds back into his scales and leathery wings. When she's ready to record again he goes through a series of acrobatics, leaps and jumps and lunges and twists and dances and low slinking motions along the ground. He also demonstrates the fire breath for a while.

I can also climb pretty easily, push off from walls and squeeze through gaps, that kind of thing. Maybe I shouldn't use the wall of your building to demonstrate since I have to pay if I break things. And there's flying tricks but I'm not sure how you want to record those.

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She films him doing this. "The wall's sturdy but I don't know how much harder you push than an Amentan and it's probably a lot. I can ask for roof access if that would be a better vantage point?
Or is there too much stuff around to fly?"

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I'll just have to be fairly high up. I can try to pass back and forth in the same place.

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She gets roof access permission and says she'll meet him there.

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He takes off with a running leap and flies in lazy circles until he sees her come onto the roof. Then he does a shallow dip above the loading area to show where he's going to pass.

His aerial repertoire includes many kinds of dives and spins and twists that a stunt pilot would have names for, plus controlled falls, using his tail as a whip, and a pretty convincing feigned injury where he lets one wing hang limp but still 'struggles to fly', gliding and wobbling through the air.

Permalink Mark Unread

The intern records it all as best she can.

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He lands again, breathing hard. Back in the yard rather than risk putting a hole in a roof.

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Down she comes. "Are you tired?"

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A bit. Trick flying is one of the most strenuous things a Draak can do. Hungry, too!

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can get you some food! I was told 'mostly meat, any kind, no dairy no eggs'?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Correct. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right, I'll go get you a bunch of beef stirfry, I saw it at the catering table." She goes in and comes in with a trayful of beef, with onions and peppers.

Permalink Mark Unread

He scarfs it all down near-instantly!

That was a tasty snack, but it might not be the best way to feed me the whole time I'm here. I eat a lot if I'm moving around and flying, and it doesn't need to be cooked.

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"Yeah, I can also order groceries and I put in a couple hams for you, but it'll take a little longer, we get our grocery delivery at four."

Permalink Mark Unread

'A couple hams' might not be enough. We will see. If we are to wait a day or two for the screenwriters, are grips or propmasters available? I was told they might know how to rig a flight harness so I can carry someone safely!

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"A ham is like this big," she gestures, "but I can order more tomorrow if that and what's left of the stirfry and all the other meat dishes at the end of the day aren't enough. I can see about a propsmaster or a grip no problem." Taptap on her everything.

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As I said, we will see.

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"Timu's free, she does props, she's on her way."

Permalink Mark Unread

He does a tail-flick. I'm going to have trouble remembering all these names... Ah, should I tell you all about Draak body language? I heard someone thinking about verisimilitude in the desert set yesterday.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure, it'd be good to know how to interpret."

Permalink Mark Unread

There's a huge variety of tail motions. Flapping one's wings while on the ground can be excitement or irritation depending on context. Exposed teeth is aggression or defiance or anxiety. The crest feathers stand up when excited, surprised, or angry, and lie flat when relaxed or afraid. Crest feathers lying back with teeth covered and head and body low to the ground is... Something like flirting... If it's accompanied by a weird sort of swaying that he doesn't actually want to demonstrate. Or fear and submission if you hold still instead. And a lot of the purrs, croons, growls, huffs, roars, and clicks he can make have simple meanings most Draak would understand, too.

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"Huh, does it look weird when we smile?"

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Not any weirder than not having tails makes you!

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And here's Timu the props person. "You wanted to talk to me?"

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Yes, hello! I want to carry someone into the air, because flight is a great joy and it will be cinematic. I think you might know how to make a harness or something?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Ooh. So what I'd be doing would be making the harness look nice and compatible with whatever its fictive origin, you'd want a rigger for making it safe for you and the rider."

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Yet more specialized crafts I never would have guessed existed! I suppose... Nuan? ...Can help me find a rigger? And if it works we will be seeing you or your - hmm, not kin nor clan - you or other propsmasters, soon enough.

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"My co-workers?" says Timu.

"I'll ask about a rigger!" says the intern. "I was expecting you to call me Meksi, I heard Draak think jobnames are neat."

Permalink Mark Unread

Co-workers. Yes.

-Oh, a jobname! I forgot those existed. That'll be much easier to remember! You weren't thinking of it as that, you weren't thinking about it at all, it flew off your tongue and into the Song without context. What does it mean? 

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's just a word for the sort of all-purpose job I have, these days. I think it used to mean 'ask me'."

Permalink Mark Unread

Huh. The reason jobnames are easier to remember is because you choose them, and you have thoughts about them, and because of that when we hear you explain, it sticks in our heads like a scent.

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(Timu leaves.) "Huh, that's interesting. Rigger's on his way."

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He tail-flicks an affirmative and then arches his head up and stares at the sky instead of the ugly concrete while he waits.

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The rigger appears. "Sepkan, how can I help you?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Sunwind. I want to carry someone into the air, because flight is a great joy and it will be cinematic! I think a climbing harness sort of thing that holds them over my neck might work, but perhaps you will have other ideas.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Hmm. What specifically do you think would go wrong if someone just tried to sit there astride and hold on?"

Permalink Mark Unread

My scales are slippery and hard and might be uncomfortable, they could slip. If I go fast enough or try to do anything fancier than level flight and shallow climbs and dives, they would fall off, from wind's whimsy or gravity's inescapable grip.

Being so far forward might make balancing tricky, but my back muscles move a lot in flight so sitting further back might be very unstable or dig limbs into my tender wing-surface or limit my range of motion a lot.

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"Okay with you if I climb up - or you can put me up - and see what the range of motion is from up there?"

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As long as you don't blame me if you fall.

He lies his long neck and head on the ground, front limbs mostly extended as if in flight.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Anything I'm looking at fragile?"

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Don't poke the wing membrane where it's thin please. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Alrighty." He clambers up. "Can you slow-motion through how you'd flap?"

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...It'll be a little different since my weight is resting on my claws.

But he does. There's a bit of flex and bulge in the thick mass of back muscle as the wings slowly go up, and not much at all when they go down and lift him off the ground. Most of the muscle mass  in his center body seems devoted to the 'down' part of the motion.

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"All right, you're right that it'd be hard as anything to cling to your neck bareback, to the point where I don't know that I can even make it look like that for movie purposes unless whoever it is is purported to have mutant sticky fingers or something. As long as you need apparatus anyway, it might be that it'd make more sense to have someone slung under your belly, given that any thought?"

Permalink Mark Unread

...That seems uncomfortable for them, though it would make the balance better. It might make a cool scene where I am supposedly hurt so I crash on my back to avoid crushing someone!

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's how hang gliders do it, let me show you -" He finds a picture of a grey dangling by a harness from a glider.

Permalink Mark Unread

...That looks like it would work. And it would leave their arms free. But it looks deeply strange to me. And takeoffs and landings might be a bit dangerous if I have to keep my body well clear of the ground.

Permalink Mark Unread

"They usually jump off things, I think, and run to a stop for landings, and it'd sure be a trick to coordinate it with you without breaking somebody's leg, I'll grant you that. How about sitting on your back behind your wings, would that throw your balance off too much?"

Permalink Mark Unread

...That should work... They'll push the wing surface out a bit unless they're very far back, but the edges provide most of the control anyway.

Permalink Mark Unread

"So that'll give the plot some flexibility to add or remove tack from the equation, though in real life the stuntgrey'll be firmly attached. Word is you can do camouflage. A thing I'm likely to do is have part or all of the rig in a color we can tell the cameras to ignore, will that throw your color thing off?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Probably at first. I expect I can probably learn the trick if I try hard and believe in myself.

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"I can get you samples of stuff in those colors if it'll help."

Permalink Mark Unread

It would definitely help. I may as well practice now if we're waiting for you to make something, for the writers to write something, and so on. Not everything can be exciting.

Permalink Mark Unread

"All right. And I'll put together some prototypes and get back to you. Might take me a few days."

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I am excited for the result! May you be blessed.

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"Thanks!" And off he lopes.

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Do you think that set is disassembled yet? He asks Meksi. And does my email say anything about the short martial arts film I am also going to be doing?

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"Looks like it's broken down, they're vacuuming for you and then it'll be all set. I'll check." And she reads him an email with a map to the studio where they'll work on that, and a calendar with both producers and their assistants shared on it so they can come to agreements about timesharing him.

Permalink Mark Unread

It looks like flying between these places will take about an hour. Two if the weather's bad.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, it looks like they're going to minimize you going back and forth too much. The other studio might be far enough into the boonies that you could have a tunnel there but you'll have to ask them."

Permalink Mark Unread

Aww, nowhere to dig around here? Maybe hanging from the support beams will be close enough to a cave.

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"...dunno if they're rated for that. I did ask about digging here but I think there might just be too much stuff, nobody's gotten back to me yet."

Permalink Mark Unread

We are a bit lighter than we look... I won't try it. I have to pay for things I break and there seem to be a lot of those.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you know how much you weigh?"

Permalink Mark Unread

We don't have much to do with numbers and measuring things unless one is doing science or manufacturing. So, no. Less than a truck, maybe?

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"Maybe we can get access to a really big scale and find out if it's safe for you to climb around in the rafters."

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I think I might have seen one by a road while I was flying? Trucks went on it and a number appeared.

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"Yeah, that kind. I don't know if they charge to use it or anything."

Permalink Mark Unread

Me neither. You are the expert on Amenta here.

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"I'll ask. - and they're done vacuuming, you can come this way and see the place."

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He follows into the studio's halls. Tight spaces don't much bother Ruby Draak.

Permalink Mark Unread

And here is an empty room they build sets in, recently vacuumed. Concrete with some metal supports for the ceiling, lots of space.

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Not particularly cavey.

He stands tall and leans slightly on one of the metal pillars.

Probably good enough for a while. I might want somewhere else or stuff in here later.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Any stuff you'd like right now?"

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Poles and rope and curtains to divide it up a bit. Being visible from the entrance itches at my hiding instincts. Something I can definitely climb on like one of those grey playgrounds would be nice, but that sounds harder.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can get you divider screens if those are okay substitutes. I don't know about playground equipment, that usually has to be bolted to the ground, but maybe pretend rocks or car wreck props, if those would be okay?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Divider screens work. Not quite! I don't want to neglect my climbing exercises but I haven't had a chance to do much since I left Newhome. Oh, and I want to go shopping for shiny trinkets at some point! That's what I asked for a loan for. A preview of all the Treasure I'll get when I get paid.

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"Shopping online or at like a mall?"

Permalink Mark Unread

A mall would be better. I can see what I'm getting directly. Not that there are art stores specializing in what we Draak like yet.

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"There aren't, yeah, there aren't enough of you around for people to try starting a store catering to you. I can get you screens and when you've arranged those I can take you to a mall - though by then your hams will be here."

Permalink Mark Unread

Eating doesn't exactly take a long time. And maybe the rigger's test material will show up at some point too, I can start on that. Turns out there's lots to do even if the scripts are delayed for a few days.

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"Okay, I'll be back with your screens in a jiffy." Off she jogs.

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...He decides to lurk in a corner of the big room and blend in for when she returns. Because it might be funny.

Permalink Mark Unread

She doesn't spot him right away! She drops the screens - lightweight wood frames with paper across them in various colors - and turns on the spot. "Shiiiit..." She pulls out her pocket everything when she can't find him.

Permalink Mark Unread

I'm still here. In the corner to your right.

He starts un-hiding.

Permalink Mark Unread

"- oh. You scared me!"

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Good to know I am capable of being scary! Being visible from the entrance is aversive... And I thought it would be funny. I wouldn't have wandered into another set or anything like that.

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"I thought you might have gotten lost. Anyway." She stands up the dividers and shows him how to accordion them out.

Permalink Mark Unread

They are kind of flimsy but accomplish the goal of breaking up the space.

I appreciate these. It'll be relaxing to rearrange them into mazes. Could I get some more later, perhaps?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure, I'll go get your food and then another armload of these."

Permalink Mark Unread

Excellent. This will help make this place comfortable a lot. Preparing ground, mazes and traps and the like, is fundamentally satisfying to a part of the Draak mind. At least for Rubies.

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"...if you put traps in here you gotta warn me so I don't step in them."

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No traps. When I make those, I make them to seriously hurt Draak intruders, and harmless ones just aren't the same.

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"Okay. Hams in a jiffy." She runs off and comes back with them, wrapped in plastic.

Permalink Mark Unread

He messily noms down the hams.

I hope the meat-plants they're making work out. Everyone needs to eat, but it does seem a bit sad when there's a possible way to not kill for it.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I think meat plants will be good for hypersensitives. Plants are cleaner."

Permalink Mark Unread

It's like the springs thing. The Elders were talking about finding things that are good for both species, instead of just being offended and ranting and raging about how you tear up nature like there's no tomorrow.

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"I guess I'm glad you're not doing that, yeah. I'll go get you more screens."

She brings in batches of them till he has enough.

Permalink Mark Unread

Four batches is enough to make a pretty involved maze. He happily arranges them until either the rigger's color sample comes in or Meksi finds a scale for him to go use.

Permalink Mark Unread

The rigger sends an intern over with color samples. Meksi determines that it's okay for him to use the truck scale.

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It turns out he weighs just under one and a half tons. Regardless of whether or not this means he can clamber over the roof supports, he starts practicing with the color samples.

Permalink Mark Unread

The set architect doesn't think he should try it.

Permalink Mark Unread

Bah.

Are there any good cliffs I could go visit instead, perhaps? Bridges, maybe? Since things heavier than me drive on them all day. Or could something sturdy enough be made up in a few weeks? I don't want to finish the movie and realize I've forgotten how to properly climb!

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"We'd only have access to a bridge if we were shooting at one and I don't think we are now. I can try emailing the government? Or get back to the set architect to ask if he can build you stuff."

Permalink Mark Unread

I don't know what will work to get me somewhere I can climb. It's not something I need today or tomorrow or the day after that, but I want it eventually... It'll help me stay in top form for flying around and looking cool on screen too, if that convinces people!

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"Oh, yeah, I believe you. I'll figure something out."

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Good! I look forward to it. He goes back to practicing the color-shift.

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Back at the conference in Tapa, Bloom spots Ruan and heads over towards him.

Hello. It's very busy here. I hope you are willing to speak to my colleagues. They are being frustrating.

Permalink Mark Unread

"...sure, I'm happy to talk to them. What's going on?"

Permalink Mark Unread

They're still thinking about telling me to go home! After all this work, when I have laid down the structure of a new art, minimalist Enkindling. When I have started a great work the likes of which comes once a century - a carefully controlled shift to an entire species' nature!

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"Can they make you go home, if you don't want to?"

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I very much hope it doesn't come to that point. It would be... Bad.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't doubt it. Can you summarize the argument so far?"

Permalink Mark Unread

The Seeker argues that this program makes Amentans approve of us, and less desperate and thus less dangerous, and abandoning it will be a betrayal. I argue that art and skill is its own reward and that exploring this method shows us new aspects of the Onesong. Everyone complained that I am too young to have legitimate insight on the subject. Then they said that Enkindling is not meant to be applied lightly to so many, it's supposed to be a deep bond and partnership between a Draak and their uplifted animal servants, it's wrong to Enkindle people who do not become your servants. And that the music of Draak, our inner magic, was something that should never belong to the Tailless who corrupt nature and bring about the grey future of concrete and steel and glass. That by Enkindling Amentans we are demeaning and debasing our superior natures.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Are tails actually specifically theologically important?"

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-No. The thing of theological importance is that the Humans are Other-Seed, brought to Oldhome by colony ships. Invaders. Tailless is just the usual term for them.

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"And it isn't clear to everyone that we aren't humans?"

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Not on an emotional level, I think.

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"Well. I'm happy to join you but you should know I've never taken a theology class and if I had it would've covered different things." He follows her over.

Permalink Mark Unread

Most of these Draak are bigger and therefore probably older than Bloom.

I bring Ruan, who has organized my work and lodgings and study and managed volunteers. Please speak in whole ideas for the comfort of the Amentan.

A Sapphire clacks their teeth in Ruan's general direction. (That was rude of her, Bloom comments to Ruan.)

Someone else asks, What do you imagine he could say to change our minds? We have gone around and around in circles on this. The only thing left is to vote.

Not yet, a third Draak responds. There is legitimate uncertainty in many of our cores.

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"I'd be happy to tell you anything you need to know to resolve this. Do you have questions for me?"

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Can you explain how genetic engineering works? That has been a point of minor confusion. Though it is not the heart of the issue.

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"...well, I'm not a genetic engineer," he touches his hair, "but my layperson's understanding is that they can take an embryo and replace some of its genome with other, better genes, to correct simple genetic diseases, and they're working on being able to make more spot edits and being able to do it in later stages of development, maybe even adults."

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But as far as its use goes - it's mostly to correct for diseases and defects? Not to give one's children enhancements?

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"I don't think there's a consensus definition of the difference between an enhancement and a correction. Some Amentans have, say, unusually good vision and some have unusually bad vision - I don't actually know if there's a genetic therapy available for this, it's just an example - and there's not some fixed amount of vision quality that we're supposed to have by some objective standard, just better and worse, so if better results with fewer side effects become available, that's what people will go with."

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They have a brief digression that concludes that of course you want your children to be as perfect as possible, and Draak would do the same if that was the tool they had.

Then they have a longer digression about something confusingly technical with lots of sixth-sensory detail.

And then one asks, When new genetic therapies are developed, does it involve matter from a person transplanted into another person in any way, through any amount of layers and indirection? This distinction could be a technically important difference to a point of theology.

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"I'm afraid I don't know, I'm not a genetic engineer. What's the importance?"

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Changes applied in mimicry to those caused by magic are not magic. While the faint traces of Essence left behind by inheritable Enkindling in a parent may be passed to a child in ordinary reproduction, that is not magic that the Amentan knows how to do. It just happens. Thus, we are not teaching Amentans magic. However, if you transplant material from one person to another or from one person to an embryo for the treatment, that might bring the Essence traces along and thus be technically doing magic, and we would have technically taught Amentans to do magic.

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"Well, I can ask a genetic engineer, or we can see if there's a Tapai one already around."

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Does it really matter? Another Draak asks. This information won't change my vote.

We need to resolve the open questions!

Hanging on technicalities is not true wisdom, you're thinking too far into the school of Facts-

Please ignore them. And do find a genetic engineer, if you can, the main speaker tells Ruan.

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Ruan goes and finds a Tapai green and brings her over.

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The space aliens would like to know how genetic engineering is done. Specifically regarding things that actually go into an embryo or a person, where do they get them, how are they made?

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"We did use to physically remove chromosomes from other organisms and splice them in, but these days we can just type genetic sequences into a machine and it prints them out. We still know how to do the first, but if it's objectionable we don't have to, I don't think that loses us much capability unless magic genetic sequences just don't work for some reason that way."

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The genetic sequences themselves are not magic, they're pretty sure. Just like magically healed flesh is not magic, it was just made to be that way with magic.

They argue some more. They vote.

The voting concludes that if they only use sequencing machines it's fine to study people heritably-Enkindled to have mild springs and develop treatments based on that. Two of the traditionalists stalk away in a huff.

Bloom's tail is acting cheerful again now! There are still some details to be resolved but I think that solves it! I am glad those two did not become Senators. They're kind of obstructionist. The reactionaries and those too afraid of change to stick their heads out of their caves were the ones who were the problem, and they have been sufficiently appeased.

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"I'll make sure everyone working on it knows not to physically splice," Ruan assures her.

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It's a pointless distinction in my opinion, but some care about these things a lot and it would be a problem if it was discovered you were physically splicing after all.

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"I think as long as the sequences aren't magic and don't need to be spliced to work there'll be no problem at all," the genetic engineer assures her.

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Okay. Good. I am still worried... I will continue the work regardless, but expanding it is difficult without students. I need to have authority if any others are to learn from me to do the same thing, or they will cause problems.

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"No one's willing to join you?"

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Some would happily listen to me and then go off in another direction, but perhaps only one of those present will be willing to actually submit, to place themselves under my judgement. These are all old experts and I am very radical, after all.

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"Are there others back on your world who might be willing if asked?"

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Maybe, depending on how my reputation there goes? Younger Draak are probably more tractable in this. They would take longer to learn it but would be more reliable if trained up correctly from the start.

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"Would you need to make a trip, or can you send a message?"

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Oh, I have to go home anyway and get my pets. Leaving them to their own devices for a season is one thing but I am probably going to be on Amenta for years now. I'll split my territory back home between my kids and buy some desert. I have enough money to pay for that now since you started charging people, right? Or I will sooner or later?

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"Yes."

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I don't know how to get lots of bright young Earth-strong kin to follow me here, though... I do know how, but I don't know what steps to take. Being obviously rich and famous and telling them they can get rich and famous too.

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"How rich? You're already one of the most famous people on the planet."

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-That won't count to them. Obviously rich and famous in ways that Draak understand. I kept to myself, I don't know how to properly brag. Maybe the Seeker will sell me a big pile of gold and such to show off, I know he wants money for things.

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"If you want a big pile of gold you can buy that here too, I don't know if it'd be cheaper from him or not."

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Well, I judge that the Seeker having more money is probably good for Draak as a whole. I don't like him much, but we find our interests aligned. It's strange. Anyway. Big pile of gold and art objects, some desert, the acknowledgement of the inventor of the star-bridge... Maybe Baravi could give me a grandiose-sounding title? It doesn't need to confer any actual privileges. Maybe a green who wants to see our planet comes along and tells others how famous I am?

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"I'm sure you'd have a lot of volunteers. We could elevate you to the peerage, that does confer voting rights but that's all."

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That sounds like it could be quite a powerful symbol! Please tell me a bit more about it?

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"It's a title conferred by the Baravic government on nonblues, or foreigners, that acknowledges services to Baravi and grants a blue share of the vote. - it doesn't come with residency, we're doing that separately."

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It's not something exclusive and unprecedented, but there is a feeling of tradition about it. It will make me seem Greater. It would help attract students. Do I have residency?

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"You have renewable impermanent population-compliant residency, which is just a fancy way of staying that you can live in Baravi but we have to keep affirming that to the international population commission every year and you'd need to arrange it separately if you wanted to have kids there."

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She visibly restrains herself from saying something.

 

...Can you accommodate twelve students? In the desert, probably. Any more would strain my ability to teach them.

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"Yes, I can get a dozen more the same residency status."

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I should go find the Seeker and schedule my round trip home. Perhaps you would enjoy meeting him too? I don't know if his ship can accommodate an Amentan - for my idea to bring a green with me.

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"I'd be happy to."

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The Seeker has been having a grand time ignoring all the politics and frenetically designing manufacturable Rod of Healing components with that purple consultant's help!

But Bloom is too important to be ignored. 

O creator of flourishing, I hear you have learned a lot. And I suspect you need something now. Who's this?

Ruan. He's helpful.

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"It's a pleasure to meet you. I've been Bloom's primary contact with the Baravic government."

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If she thinks you are helpful, then I am glad to meet you, too. I will guess that she wants me to convince the essence-weavers to follow her?

No, Bloom replies. They're too much trouble. I want to return home and find promising youths who I can scream caution into. I want you to praise my accomplishments and trade me Shiny Things for money to help me do this. And I want to bring my pets and some seeds here since I'm going to be on Amenta for years.

Easy enough, we can leave tomorrow.

Bloom's crest spikes up. ...Just like that?

Yes. You are doing useful work. I want it to continue. And I need to get some more things from my trove.

And I want to bring a green to Newhome, I think that will help too.

No. The Wing of Change is not designed for Amentan comfort. And they might take pictures back to others who might then figure out how it works. How much money do you have?

...Ruan handles that.

Seeker's tail waves as he radiates amusement.

Have you any questions for me, Ruan? Perhaps the Baravic government wants to discuss spaceships.

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"Bloom has about fifty-five thousand riva but I'd need to look up today's exchange rate into tap, it's been unstable. What would be the discomfort aboard the ship?"

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No gravity for two days, hard and cold surfaces everywhere, low air pressure, no toilets designed for you. It can't tow Amentan shuttles, either. And I'm not in the only voice that has a say in Ice Scale or Shining Truth's schedules.

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"That does sound uncomfortable. Is there much rush to have someone there, Bloom?"

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...Not if it's legitimately difficult, I suppose. No visitor is much simpler and easier and there's not an absolutely crucial reason to do it anyway.

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"I'll still find some people who'd be willing, just not on such an immediate schedule."

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I asked the diplomats to put together an actually organized expedition. It might just be Tapa and Voa and whoever they invite, since they are the ones who have shuttles that can latch on to Shining Truth. Talk to the one called Ice - white body, red wings. Or Tapa and Voa's people, I suppose.

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"We've agreed with Tapa that they'll allow us some small-scale use; this definitely qualifies."

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I will work out a deal with Bloom for her riva later. Tomorrow two hours after sunrise I'll bring you to Newhome, Bloom, and we can return together a few days after that. If there's nothing else, I am making great progress on the Rods of Healing...

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"Please don't let me keep you," says Ruan agreeably, and he backs off.

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Bloom follows him, looking a bit agitated.

...I wonder if I could go see those eggs someone brought.

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"They're both in Tapa, but it doesn't sound hard to arrange if the parents don't fuss about it, why?"

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Oh, I'm - autumning, I suppose. It's useful data and not intolerable, but seeing eggs might shake me out of it.

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"I'll talk to my Tapai counterparts." And presently: "The national park greens would love to have you visit and are asking the parent who accompanied that egg."

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(That Draak asks questions about who Bloom is, but is fine with it once it's clear that Amentans hold her in high regard.)

Bloom solicits directions and flies there.

This place is beautiful!

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"Isn't it just?" says the mycologist. "The egg is in the leaf pile over there."

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I can hear her soul from here.

She carefully shifts leaves out of the way.

Healthy. Vigorous. There is much fire in this one.

Toama the egg sends out a burst of pride that everyone feels! She's gonna breathe lots of fire!

...Does anyone object if I frighten her a bit, to impress the importance of not starting forest fires?

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"...no, that sounds good," says the climatologist. "Maybe she can help with controlled burns or something when she's grown up but certainly not willy-nilly."

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...You are not her creator, her parent, the other Draak comments with vague suspicion.

I am not, Bloom agrees.

Very well.

 

Bloom's story to the egg is mostly wordless. It acknowledges that setting things on fire is fun, but then lingers on bad feelings and horror at burned things being totally ruined now! And then she imagines wildfires as a giant beast made of flame that eats everything in its path, if foolishly awoken... Including small hatchlings! The beauty of nature, tasty prey, trees that took decades to grow, her own life, all gone for a moment of foolish play! Only ash and bones remain. This is the Worst Thing Ever. You have to be careful with your fire and only burn things that really definitely should be burned, and always remember that fire is a lively and hard to control thing that will slip out of your grip.

 

...Toama is appropriately scared. The egg is actually quivering.

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That's kind of cute. The mycologist records the quivery egg.

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Bloom carefully puts the leaf-pile back over the egg after a minute, then smooths out some of her feathers.

Would you teach her Earth magic when she is a bit older? the parent asks.

She does not seem likely to be good at it... Though I've been surprised before. It won't be relevant for a few local years either way.

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"Earth magic is the kind you use to fix people with bad springs?" asks the mycologist.

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No, that's a further specialized skill that demands high skill in multiple domains especially Earth to even begin.

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That's slightly disappointing. Oh well.

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I'm going to put a school in Baravi. If I'm still there in ten years, who knows what the world will look like then? Perhaps it will come to pass.

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Ooh, a school. Baravi is lucky to have her.

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They've been welcoming. My only worry is whether I can get students who will actually listen to me.

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"Why wouldn't they?"

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A lot of them want nothing to do with aliens.

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"If you can get students who'll come to Amenta at all, though..."

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Yes. I'm going to recruit younger and have to teach them more, is all. The ones who are already experts in their own right have too much pride, too much invested.

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"We're lucky you wanted to help!"

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Luck, fate, or the Onesong, whatever you may call it. Vast is the Onesong, and mysterious its ways.

Indeed, the other Draak agrees.

I will give you two my email address. Seasons don't affect hatchlings much except for winter, but you would probably like to know what I observe about them. I am in autumn now despite it being late spring in Baravi and winter at home...

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"How odd - I wonder if the egg will season to this hemisphere -"

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I don't have enough information to be confident in any of my ideas about it. Autumn is not actually very bad for us, though. Winter is the one I hate.

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"What's your winter like?"

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You become incredibly lethargic and sleepy. You feel heavy and slow all the time. You want to hide from everything, and the sun is too bright. Every morning it's a struggle of will to get up and go outside. If you bury yourself, you'll hibernate - if you resist the sleep, it's absolutely miserable to try and get anything done.

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"That sounds awful. We don't have a season like that, it sounds pretty... pointless."

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There are other things that cause great sleeps. There's usually at least one or two between the ages of two and ten, three seasons or so long. Occasionally an adult Draak will estivate for a truly long time. I slept for four local years once. We don't have a clear understanding why all this happens, though there are various theories.

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"What other things cause them?"

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Prolonged periods of hunger. Loss of an egg, sometimes. Having worked very hard on a task and finally completing it. None of these do it consistently, but those are the correlates.

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"Huh! Hunger makes sense, but I'm not sure about the others."

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Like I said, we don't understand it. Yet, perhaps.

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Amentans nod.

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She hangs out for about an hour, apparently content to just look around at all the pretty forest in silence. Then she flies over it for a bit and returns to the conference.

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The other egg, in his place in a blue estate's garden, tentatively reaches out for anyone who can hear him's attention.

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One of the blues bustles out. Hi! Do you need something?

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Oh. He seeps surprise that they actually came out. And so quickly.

Uh. He's not uncomfortable or anything but he was thinking about measuring things and wondering what else can be measured besides temperature? And how measuring temperature even works?

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Oh, let's see. We measure time, and distance, and weight, and lots of other things. I don't know how temperature measurement actually works in detail.

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He likes the idea of knowing things definitely-for-sure. His Creators said that the world has lots of mysteries and that seems vaguely scary.

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There are many things we don't know, but we learn more all the time.

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Good! He wants to help.

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That's great! You'll be able to do a lot of neat things when you're older.

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Everything has to wait for him to be older. For him to hatch at all.

...That's okay. He can be patient. Being patient is sort of like sleeping.

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We could find you a tutor who could tell you things while you're in the egg, if you want, it'd just be hard for you to do your own measurements or anything like that.

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Listening and thinking sounds nice. He doesn't know how to do anything else yet.

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Do you just want a general science tutor?

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Sure? How can he make important decisions when he doesn't know hardly any things? His new caretakers should decide. They seem smart, and they want to help him, which gives him warm fuzzy feelings.

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They feel fuzzy about him too! They will find him a good tutor.

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Yay!

He likes being under a tree. He can feel the tree, just barely. (He sends this extrasensory impression out.)

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That's really interesting! Can he feel anything else from there?

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Here's what the egg's shell feels like! It feels like being hugged all over by an object that's somehow capable of love.

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Awwwwwwwwww!

When he comes out of the egg they can hug him if he'd like that.

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That sounds nice but also vaguely scary. (A lot of things sound vaguely scary.)

...He will decide after he hatches.

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There's no hurry.

A tutor arrives later that day. Hello, I'm Sonin Mahikne.

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Hello.

He is an egg. He is mostly not thinking in words. Is Sonin Mahikne a tutor?

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Yes, I am! Your - hosts? Foster family? I'm not sure how you prefer to think of them - said you were curious about science.

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A Draak being taken care of by an Amentan has never happened before. So he's not sure which way is right. Measuring things seems interesting, you don't just feel everything! And knowing things is nice. He's not sure what 'science' is, exactly.

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Science is the process by which we come to know more about the world. We go out and look at things - including by feeling them - and make guesses about how they might be if we look closer, and find ways to look closely that let us tell the difference between our guess being right or wrong. Then we can make new guesses.

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...So there's no way to know something absolutely definitely for sure?

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Well, that's getting into philosophy more than science.

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He doesn't like the idea that you can never be sure of things.

But knowing more things is better than knowing fewer things, even if there's a small chance they might be wrong.

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I think so too.

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...Measuring things sounds interesting. And it feels nice and definite-ish. Can he explain how to measure temperatures please?

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The tutor has been warned that this is a subject of interest and has a lesson on the history of thermometers loaded up to "read" to the egg.

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Wow, that's pretty neat! He's really interested in how to make glass and where to find mercury and so on now.

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The tutor can find stuff on this too! Mercury is poisonous to Amentans; it might not be to Draak but warrants caution till that can be reliably confirmed.

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He will be vaguely scared of mercury too.

(The Draak doctors aren't sure since they're more like therapists and cosmetic surgeons. The Seeker sends a terse email that reads 'Besides the following exceptions assume poison to Amentans is poison to Draak possibly with higher dose tolerance'. Mercury is not on the list of exceptions.)

...He gets tired fairly quickly.

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The tutor will plan to return tomorrow.

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The egg in the national park has an active imagination which she broadcasts by default and loves hearing about all the weird things mushrooms do, as well as learning about anything else that's alive.

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The mycologist is utterly thrilled and will tell her all about the mycology he is doing and the incidentals of other things he encounters in doing it.

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Nature and biodiversity is great! She's going to try Very Hard to remember not to start fires that will spread. Even though fire sounds great too.

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Maybe they can have campfires and roast marshmallows when she is out.

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They don't need any wood for that when they'll have her! Sounds fun.

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Meanwhile, the movie studio gets its in-house scriptwriters together in the parking lot so Sunwind can attend their meeting. They each have pitches ready!

- Sunwind falls through a magic portal and finds Amenta some years earlier and fights the Oahk Empire. Since Tapa wasn't involved in the war at the time they'd stick him in among Anitami planes.
- Sunwind in his usual capacity as a Draak on Amenta shortly after first contact joins the fight when monsters break open one of the moons and attack!
- Sunwind and an Amentan four year old are both accidentally stranded on a half-terraformed planet in a near-future sci-fi setting, where they must then fight aliens who want to interfere with the terraforming attempt!
- Sunwind is, in an alternate universe without Draak contact, actually an Amentan remotely controlling a body designed to survive on this other, highly dangerous planet they're harvesting plants and minerals from!
- Sunwind-and-a-grey buddy cop movie IN SPACE ft. more aliens subject to interspecies policing set a hundred years in the future.
- Sunwind as a fantasy creature in a fantasy world with a fantasy Amentan-analogue princess companion saving the kingdom from a hundred years of darkness.

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Okay, wow. That's a lot of interesting ideas.

 

He could do the fighting-Oahk thing but muses that planes are really loud and unpleasant and if that really happened he'd probably have gone to the equator and hidden instead? Maybe he could fight Oahk with more digging and sneakiness than flying tricks? He's kind of cool on the whole concept, though.

He would totally fight a bunch of monsters alongside Amenta, that sounds awesome. If the monsters were evil and not just desperately confused or something, that is. Sounds like a simple and straightforward way to get maximum awesome on screen.

Protecting a terraforming project sounds like a nice theme, especially if they're trying to keep the bad aliens from burning plant nurseries or something, not just giant science machines. Why only one Amentan with him?

Pretending to be an Amentan pretending to be a Draak sounds interestingly twisty, and 'survive the highly dangerous place while carefully extracting valuable things' is a neat concept too! He's not sure he knows how to act out Amentan-controlling-a-Draak-shaped-body, though.

He is not really sure he understands what the appeal of the buddy cop thing is supposed to be?

This last one hits closest to Draak-favorite aesthetics and saving people from darkness with the power of fire is a powerful idea/theme/arc that he likes a whole lot! It reminds him of some Draak folklore, actually. Should he tell that story real quick?

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The monsters could absolutely be evil.

The idea is the planet's not healthy to be on yet so they aren't really supposed to be there; more strandings are more implausible.

It's possible that the Amentan-piloting-a-Draak-body idea should wait till he has more acting experience.

They could show him a buddy cop movie but if he isn't into it that's fine.

Sure, they can hear the story!

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Evil monsters is on the list of maybes, from his perspective. So is the terraforming project thing. And the fantasy one. He should probably watch a buddy cop movie, maybe later, but it seems like something else he would have trouble acting out. He knows how to be a big scary fire-breathing lizard, not how to be an Amentan or a cop!

The story goes that in ancient times, the Sun's light was stolen away - who stole it is forgotten, and gets filled in depending on the storyteller: The Others, the Moon, a Draak, the Spirit of Greed - and everything was slowly freezing, and plants were dying in the eternal night. The Draak at the time refused to go fix it, fearing death. Then a tribe of birds agreed that something had to be done and if nobody else would fix things, they would. They flew to where Sun's light was being kept and cleverly stole it back. Then they clutched Sun's fire in their beaks and flew it back to the sky, continuing to fly despite being burned both inside and out. Their bodies, their minds, even their souls were permanently damaged, and they became the Blackburns. Birds with too much wisdom for their tiny minds, who crossed the line from 'wise' to 'insane'. Even now, the Draak remember their sacrifice.

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...wouldn't the Draak have starved or frozen eventually with no sun?

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Rubies and Sapphires might have been fine, using the Earth's inner heat and the bottom of the ocean. And Elders. Elders can do some absurd things. But yes. It's a very old story, and probably not complete or even very accurate, even if it's said the Blackburns would tell it to you if you asked why they are what they are.

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"Is this a real species?"

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On Oldhome. 

He sends out a slightly-indistinct image of some corvids.

I've never seen one personally, but they did exist.

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Well, lacking any wannabe-actor birds they aren't going to adapt this but they can take some beats as inspiration.

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If you don't think it'll make a good movie, then don't bother. The age of darkness idea just reminded me of it. I'm not sure if the evil monsters, terraforming project, or fantasy one sounds best to me. I'm guessing it's not all up to me anyway, right?

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It indeed is not; the meeting must also cover considerations of budget, available talent in relevant sub-industries such as music and (Amentan) acting and set design, and the zeitgeist of preferred tropes and styles. By the end of the meeting they're leaning pretty strongly toward the terraforming project idea; it's hopeful in the right way.

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Most of this goes waaaay over his head, but he attempts to follow along.

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They run out of time on the meeting before completely scuttling the evil moon monster idea but the terraforming one is the favorite and both proposers are supposed to submit followups with more detail for final approval by the producer.

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Okay, so the story's not definitely set but close to it. 

Am I supposed to do anything else in particular now? He asks Meksi.

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"While they work on that you've got a block of free time by us, so you're scheduled to head over to the other studio for a few days. I think they're planning to pay for me to accompany you rather than assign somebody on their end, so you have continuity."

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I hoped the rigger was ready with a flight harness. Oh well. I want to fly there - you'll take a train? Now?

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"Yeah, I'll take a train. You'll probably beat me there."

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Probably. I'll circle for a while over some farms. Stretch my wings. Show me a map?

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She'll go over the map and landmarks with him till he's comfortable with the route.

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And then he's off, embracing the wind.

And after an hour and a half he lands near the last landmark, looking around at the new studio.

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It's smaller, and has more outdoor spaces; he's met by a yellow.

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Hello! I'm here for the short movie. I see Meksi isn't here yet.

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"She's not, I can help you with what you need till she arrives. How was your flight?"

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...I probably should stop telling people I don't like cities and farms and railroads and things. It was as expected, how's that? I'm excited to make a movie, anyway.

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"Great! We think it's going to turn out awesome. I'm supposed to double check that you think you can get some involvement from other Draak for short segments?"

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For one day. Sunrise to sunset. I'll need to pay them a bit, they're not sufficiently interested in the novelty unless I promise them some shiny things. If you could take over that, that'd be nice.

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"Oh, we'd absolutely pay them - have you got a ballpark figure -"

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I told them five Shiny Things, which is a unit that makes intrinsic sense to a Draak. A shiny thing is not necessarily one Shiny Thing. Two or three handfuls of semi-precious stones or a bit of gold and silver would cover it.

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"...I think the prices of those things vary a lot depending on a bunch of things. Uh, my bracelet is silver, what's that in Shiny Things?"

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He peers at it.

That bracelet is worth maybe a tiny bit less than two Shiny Things. It's small, but silver is silver and it's something that would be pretty hard to make which ups the worth a bit.

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"Okay, we can swing that. Can we get them on different days each so we don't have to worry about wasting one's time while we shoot with another?"

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...I can try to arrange that. I asked Flicker, who I fought in that one video, plus Thorn and Rose who are Emeralds, and Seascale who's a Sapphire. Flicker will be super mad if I beat her again.

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"...we usually do choreographed fights. Should we choreograph you to lose that one?"

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...I may have more trouble than anticipated getting other Draak to come out here.

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"Because of things being fixed?"

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Yes. I did not update my assumptions when I visited a movie set and saw how controlled it all is, I'm only thinking about it now.

...Rose and Seascale would probably still be interested if not every move is specified, just outlines.

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"All right, I don't know what they'll want to do in light of that. They could probably pay more than two and a half of my bracelet per day, if that helps."

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That would help. It's just that I pitched it as 'a regular fight, but on camera in a new place'.

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"They might be able to work with that but that's not my side of things. Can I show you where they got permission for you to dig?"

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Ooh, yes!

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There's a set with a building facade in front of a bit of a hill, and he can dig behind the facade, into the hill, as deep as he likes downward, provided the surface doesn't collapse and he doesn't go too far this way or that laterally.

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Huh, that's an interesting constraint. He would like a whole rectangle defined not just left and right, please.

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The yellow walks out the boundary for him.

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I'll be having fun underground unless you need anything else now. Shout down if you can't see me and want me to come up! I'll hear, unless I'm asleep.

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"Okay! I'll tell Meksi where you are when she gets here."

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He starts clawing at the ground, tail waving happily.

He makes a surprising amount of progress in a very short time.

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...the yellow films it.

Meksi's there about an hour later.

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Ruby Draak are very, very good at digging, he brags.

He has a wide gently-sloping tunnel going down a short distance by then! And he's been doing something to the tunnel walls that compacts the dirt into them, slowing the growth of the pile of displaced dirt.

Hello, Meksi!

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"Hello! Wow, that's a lot of tunnel for as long as you've had."

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I am very strong! I have dug hundreds of miles of tunnels over the years!

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"Wow. Uh, one of the yellows here says you were talking about only some of your friends being cool with scripted performance?"

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He pauses digging and pops out of the tunnel, body language all wiry excitement. 

Oh, yes. I pitched it as 'fight on camera' not 'fight to a script'. Rose wants to show off to aliens and Seascale lost a big bet recently, so they'll probably be fine with scripting it for a bit more pay.

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"Okay. If they can get everybody on different days they say at the price they'd still like to have all of them come by, Rose and Seascale last, so they can script a simple plot structure around whatever footage they get with the others to string everything together sensibly. The basic idea they're planning on going with is that you're trying to get some object, and everybody else is trying to stop you, and it's best if you win most of the fights but it's okay if you lose a couple as long as you get away to keep making progress."

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I see. The object should be big and shiny. And possibly glowing. That should work. I can beat Thorn pretty consistently, but Flicker knows all my tricks. Are the fights going to be in different places, to make it look like I'm making progress?

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"Yeah, they're going to have different sets for it and they'd like to time things so they don't have to rearrange the fights in post, in case you accumulate injuries."

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...Should I stop myself from healing, to show the injuries?

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"Oh, good question. Uh, that probably depends on how much you can heal in a day."

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He turns to show his back left leg. Those slightly paler scales were a bleeding gouge four days ago.

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"Ooh. Okay, you might need to talk that over with their makeup people, and then it'll probably depend on whether any of the fights leave you with marks they can't easily work into the sequence."

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Alright. Are we going to go straight into fighting or am I going to do some other things first?

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"I'm not sure, they didn't tell me everything. Do you want to come with me and ask or are you comfy and I should just bring you dinner?"

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I should probably talk to the people running this thing, yes? That smells like the responsible thing to do. I can dig later.

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"Okay, cool, the offices are over thataway." She leads him to the little three story office building set off across a dirt road from the place where his tunnel is. Greens and greys and yellows come out since he won't fit indoors.

The studio has a battery powered salt lamp they are planning to wrap in gold wire and faceted crystal and use as the object he's going after. They're not going to go too deep into why he wants it, just have a shot where one of Rose or Seascale (since those are the cooperative ones) is showing it off, followed by the series of fights with whichever cooperative one isn't the showoff being last and most elaborate, followed by him triumphantly collecting the pretty object. Then they're going to set it all to a custom soundtrack with heavy percussion; they've got a musician already starting to come up with motifs, though the final composition will wait for all the footage to be lined up.

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He is amused at the prize. To any Draak watching the final product, the fact that it is shiny and presumably rare will be quite enough to explain why I want it. I kind of want to keep it afterward, but that's not in the contract. Are you going to voice us or narrate us or what?

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"We're probably going to auction the prop," says a yellow, "but you could bid on it if you want it."

"I'm thinking no dialogue, no narration," says a green, "everything through visuals and music."

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This is indeed going to go much more quickly than the other one. Alright. I can fly back to the conference tomorrow and talk to everyone again. Though, perhaps Meksi should come with so I don't mess up the schedules.

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"I can do that," says Meksi.

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Should I do some trick flying or other bits for you, or is it going to be more than enough just cutting together the fights? If not, I'll go dig a bit more and sleep, and head out at sunrise to get everyone else. It might be a good idea to have the Shiny Things pre-prepared.

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"I think an intro sequence where you're just doing tricks would work well," says a green. "You can show us your repertoire and we'll see what would be a good order to do them all in and then shoot in good light, it's a little cloudy today. Maybe one of the choreographed fights can have visual callbacks. And matching musical motifs."

"And at the end of the tricks something can catch your eye, and then we can cut to the scene were you see the lamp."

"Yeah, I like that."

"They don't want to pick out their own shiny stuff? I can place the orders if they just want generic stuff in good materials worth about three times as much as my bracelet per day."

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Meksi took some videos of it the other day, that's most of my flying tricks. If you want me to do them again I can only do a few now. Trick flying is exhausting. We can put a little flying in the called fights maybe?. Strike from above! I think Seascale's fight should be most elaborate and Rose should be the one who shows off the thing.

...Most Draak don't like the concept of 'shopping'. It seems weird to me, too. As long as it's roughly five Shiny Things for Flicker and Thorn and maybe eight or ten for the other two, they won't necessarily care about the exact contents.

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"Okay, I'm on it," says the yellow.

"What has you placing Rose and Seascale in those roles?"

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Seascale is the better fighter and I think Rose might be prettier to Amentan sensibilities.

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"That can be the tentative ordering, then."

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Anything else? Tomorrow I'll go down to the conference and get them all on board with it hopefully.

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"- hopefully? What kind of uncertainty are we looking at here?"

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It'll probably be fine. I would be surprised if it doesn't work out. Couldn't put a number on it.

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"Okay. Which kinds of Draak are all these, we know there's kinds..."

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Flicker is another Ruby, like me. The diggy kind of Draak. Thorn and Rose are Emeralds, like the one called Bloom. Supposedly the best fliers on average. Because of the feathers. Seascale is a Sapphire, like the Seeker. They can swim really well and breathe underwater.

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"We might want to set each in a different environment - Flicker in a cave set, Rose in the air, Thorn out in the open, Seascale by the lake, maybe."

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Rose and I would fight in midair? That would be pretty cool.

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"Is that not typical?"

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It happens, but I wouldn't say fights that start, last several minutes, and finish in the air are typical. What will usually happen is one Draak attempts to pin or injure the wings of the other and get them to crash, gaining an advantage for a follow-up fight on the ground.

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"Oh, that works. Start in the air then crash, near the macguffin."

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Sure. That's a fun word. Macguffin. I guess you'll all want to go over the tricks video I already did and figure out what moves would look best for the intro, and tomorrow morning Meksi and I can both head to the conference to get everyone else to agree to all this and I'll be back in the afternoon, does that sound good?

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"Yup, that works on our end."

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This is going to be great fun, I am looking forward to it! For now, I will be digging.

 

He gets dinner from Meksi and digs. His tunnel is a fair bit bigger the next morning, when he flies off for the conference.

The Seeker's egg-shaped black ship is gone. Apparently Flicker is probably going back within a week or two, with the first Amentan visitors to go to the Draak planet. The other three are going to linger around the last ship, Ice Scale, which is staying until further notice, and happy to pick appropriate days.

He's back at the smaller studio an hour after noon.

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They have tentative storyboards and have given all his tricks names and have a shooting schedule and are in progress on the sets! Here's a proposed schedule.

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Looks good to him. All the other Draak agreed to show up but Seascale made some sarcastic comments so maybe expect slightly less cooperation with storyboarding than the ideal.

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"We'll make it work. You up for a makeup test today? They want to see how they can get stuff to stick on your scales and how it'll hold up - might be nothing works, we need to know that early."

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Makeup might be kind of uncomfortable, but you do have to try it sometime. Very well. Do you know about my camouflage skill?

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The makeup test is mixed but they think they can get a prosthetic wound or fake dirt to stick if necessary, and that if they want to more strongly imply that the salt lamp is magical by having him look different when he picks it up they can have patterns appear on his wings, which are pretty cooperative. They probably won't do that since they have limited time with Rose and don't want to spend it on makeup.

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Rose is vain enough she might be temptable into doing a second day if the patterns are neat enough.

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Oh, well, they'll finish out the pattern they had in mind on him and take photos to send to her. They have stuff that reacts to black light, look!

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Ooh, yes, she'll like this. Should he go exercise some to see how all this holds up to activity?

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Yes, that would be great. Especially if there's any tricks that he hasn't shown them yet.

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The video Meksi showed them should have most of it except the things he can do while pushing off from or landing on a vertical or hangable surface. Because there weren't any vertical surfaces around that seemed likely to hold up to that treatment. He can land upside down and cling to something, like a bat!

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Oooh. And how much does he weigh, maybe they can make the cave set to work with that...

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He used a truck scale the other day and it said he weighs just under a ton and a half. If he doesn't eat for a week that can probably go down another couple hundred pounds.

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"Couple hundred pounds probably doesn't make a difference here. Might be able to swing it, kick it to set design, don't rely on it till they clear it."

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Well I'll do tricks in a new order, the transitions are slightly different, I chain them together.

He goes and exercises. The makeup on the wings cracks and flakes along all the fold-lines after extended movement but everything else sticks alright.

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"Okay, let's save that for the last shot, nothing that has to hold up -"

"Way ahead of you. I wasn't expecting it to last as long as it did."

"Musician's getting copies of all our test footage, right?"

"Oh yeah."

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I almost want to stab ink versions of this into my wings permanently, it's wicked cool.

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"Do you guys even do tattoos?"

"I'm not sure they make tattoo ink that reacts to black light."

"They do."

"Oh, keen."

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I've seen them before. They're not super popular because a lot of Draak think natural looks best.

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"If you get the black light ink it could be invisible in normal light. I think."

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Maybe I'll look into that later. Could I maybe hear some of the music they're thinking about? We don't sing in words and I'm not especially good but we can sing, not just growl or roar. It's more of a-

"Oooooo." It resembles an animal noise like a howl more than anything else. Maybe with a bit of bassy woodwind blended in.

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"Oh, that's neat, actually -"

"Yeah, let's get the music green we hired over here."

The music green is presently hauled out with his various equipment on a cart.

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He repeats his warning about not being especially good. This is what Draak consider singing-out-loud to be, though! Up and down in pitch a good distance, slightly different tones that make it more of a "Uuuuu" or "Aaaaa" as needed, and that's about it.

Some Draak like to sing pure vocals, some sing only when there's the correct nature sounds or use an instrument that's vaguely like a xylophone, or metal drums, or weirder stuff. I'm not really a singer though.

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The musician fiddles with synthesized instrumentation till he has something like the 'oooo'. "I can work with this. I go heavy on percussion for fight scenes, but this'll decorate it and lend some authenticity."

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So you won't need me to actually sing? That's a relief!

His tail smacks the ground loudly.

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"Oh, yeah, nah, I wouldn't make you do your own vocals, we hired you to claw folks and look neato. Everybody shut up for one sec - can you do the tail thing again now I'm recording -"

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Smack.

He is amused, he sends out; The tail smack is amused body language and being asked to do it again for the sound is just more amusing.

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"Awesome. Thanks!"

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Want me to sharpen my claws or scratch rock or something? Those are nice sounds, too.

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"Sure, let's get a whole library of them, I'll mix it in."

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That's a nice way to spend the rest of the day. He might get bored of it after a week but has plenty of patience for now.

The next day he asks Meksi, Can you ask if they've decided on the flying sequences yet? Even if they're not ready to record, I can practice. Or if there's anything else to do? I can always just exercise if not. And I go back to the other movie soon right?

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She asks. They have a storyboard, here it is! And he doesn't actually have to be at the other studio for a while but he is invited to scripting sessions and auditions and a concept art showcase.

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Neat. He will practice flying according to the storyboard a bit and then fly back to the big studio, since he's looking forward to trying a flight harness and maybe the rigger has one ready now. And be back here in four days to fight Flicker, that being the last day she could come and still make her trip back to the other planet.

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The rigger has a harness ready! But there aren't any stuntgreys around today; they don't hang around the studio between jobs, generally.

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Aww, I was so excited. I could at least see how it fits?

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Sure, the purple can put it on and snug it up.

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It feels kind of weird. Especially where it goes around his limbs. See how it stretches and strains if he turns like this?

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Hmmm, he can snug up this connecting portion to compensate for loosening those bits.

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That seems much better. Thank you! This is going to be cool. I'm going to have to learn how to move without snapping anything in this, though, maybe I should fly around some with it on?

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"Go for it! Let me know if anything rubs or pulls unpleasantly. Aaaand lemme put something between here and here nice and loose as an indicator for whether flying might strain something on a rider."

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He flies!

He can't do a lot of his most extreme twists and spins and so on with this thing on without straining things pretty badly, but the tamer stunts still work alright and 'basic' flying is perfectly comfortable.

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"Let me go get a dummy on there and see how that works out."

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Good idea.

He will fly with a dummy strapped in. It slows him down a bit and feels weirder. He doesn't try anything particularly bold.

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"You don't have to worry about damaging it, that's what it's for."

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It's floppy! And dragging at the air!

He steps up the moves, though.

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The rigger assesses the dummy's condition and whisks it and the harness away.

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Well, that was less fun than he had hoped. Maybe it will be better with someone who he can feel the joy of flight from instead of a stupid dummy.

Meksi, you said something about auditions and concept art and scripting?

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"Mm-hm, do you want to look at concept art on the pocket everything or should I ask them to bring it to your room? They're doing some auditions with actors who have relationships with the studio over the next few days, you can sit in on those or meet them after they've done them. Script draft is due in six weeks but those run late a lot."

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Pocket everythings are too small to see anything! The second thing. It's probably good to meet people. Is there a more detailed script outline yet?

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"They're still workshopping it. They need to go through a lot of ideas and filter for the best ones. You can tell them which concept art you like and they can iterate from that theme."

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Okay, that sounds good. I'm not the last word still, right? But that's fine if I have at least some kind of say.

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"Right, you can be overridden but they'll pay attention."

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I don't know what I might reject until I see it. Maybe if they want me to act in a really un-Draak-like way?

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"Like what?"

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Acting humble and timid? Running away unless I'm completely outclassed? Giving up Treasure without a very good reason? There probably should be a convincing reason I want or need my co-actor and can't just go off on my own.

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"Oh, you don't think you'd just - help them out if they needed you?"

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...No?

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"Okay... I'll tell the writers."

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I might help them if I expected them to be useful. Or valuable. Or if they were my kid. Or if it was my job. But not just because they exist? That seems strange. 

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Meksi nods. "They can probably write in reasons like that."

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Draak don't do the collectivist cooperation thing too often. If your neighbor dies because they were unfortunate or stupid, that's life.

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"I'm not a writer so I don't know if they're going to do this," she touches her hair, "but often they like to write movies so the characters learn important lessons by the end, should they not have your character, uh, learn to do the collectivist cooperation thing?"

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I'm not sure. It would depend how they did it. They could make it seem like I am becoming Amentan instead of Draak. That would be offensive. Or it could be more... Learning to work together with aliens, which is gaining something.

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"Okay, I can tell them that."

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I want to read whatever they come up with and maybe veto it. Now I'm worried.

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"I'm gonna tell them, they'll figure something out."

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We are aliens. I would save five dogs over one random Amentan... Maybe it would have to be ten. I eat wild animals whole when I'm at home and make deadly traps for a hobby. Getting a new shiny thing feels like what I imagine a baby smiling at you does. I can feel compassion but helping strangers is just not a core drive.

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"Do you have, like, friends?"

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I have people I know and like to talk to. I wouldn't go more than a few minutes out of my way much less risk being seriously hurt or dying for any of them.

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"Wow. Okay."

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It's admirable to help others in some circumstances, if their situation is unfair or would create imbalance, or if you expect to benefit from them or you invested in them, but you wouldn't do it just because you like them. And your Way is as weird to me as mine is to you!

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"What makes it - unfair in the right way, or unbalanced -" She fidgets with her hair, still composing her note to the writing staff.

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He recognizes the hair fidget from mental context by now.

I can repeat this and talk to them directly if that works better. Hmm, unfairness... If someone uses cheap tricks to gain the advantage while not in their own territory that is kind of unfair. I would fight a known Liar on behalf of just about anyone, because Draak who Lie are awful and I like picking fights that nobody can justifiably be mad at me for. Hmm, balance... If someone's death would leave the world poorer, I suppose? If they're good to their territory and whoever's threatening them is probably going to be a bad neighbor, you want to prevent that. Or if they're... Special? Most people are not special. Bloom or the Tidepool or the Seeker, I would defend. Not that the Seeker needs it. He probably has cool guns. Bloom might need it. I'm not explaining myself very well.

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"The greens'll probably have follow-up questions. I dunno, plenty of Amentans won't go out of their way to help strangers either, but you don't make somebody like that the protagonist, they'll seem -" Shrug, hair-twirl.

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Movies are about cool, admirable people, not boring average or hateable people?

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"Yeah. People you'd want on your side."

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I can act like someone else. I just don't want to act like someone who obviously isn't Draak! Hmm... Keeping your commitments is generally an admirable thing to Draak and Amentans both, I think? If I had sworn to protect someone, I'd do my very best to keep my promise even at dire risk, unless I was facing undeniably certain and extremely thorough death.

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"Would you promise that though?"

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Maybe. Depends on a lot of stuff. But I can certainly act like a Draak who promised it and who is the kind of Draak who would promise it.

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"I mean like, what would get a Draak to promise that."

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That one takes him a while. He goes still and seems distant.

 

...Fate. The Onesong. The transformation of fear into hope. The future. The greatest Treasures are not golden art, but things rarer and more precious still.

Emotion leaks into the telepathy. Something like awe.

Now that I actually think about it... Terraforming a planet will be nothing less than the gestation of a truly grand Treasure, and being a guardian of such a precious egg? That would be something I would happily swear myself to if I felt it necessary. I'm not good enough to make something like that. But I could guard it. And with that, perhaps the Amentan is also precious - a young genius, or one who is crucial to preserving the terraforming by being smaller and nimble-handed and understanding computers, or just a settler of the new planet and therefore worthy of shielding simply because they belong. Something like that would work beautifully.

...Or the prospect of lots and lots of gold, or a huge territory on the new planet. But that's less admirable, isn't it?

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"Oh - I like that - I'll try to write it up but you might have to explain it again for the greens -"

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I will, gladly!

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She sends an email and then tells him the next script meeting will be the following morning and he should go.

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I will!

Do you think it will it be a problem if I go back to my tunnel at the other studio for the night if I'm here in time? I like it better than the room here. It feels safer.

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"I think that's fine if you make the meeting."

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His tail moves indecisively.

 

...I'll stay here just in case. And I'll dream on the element of Air for it. Do you know if the studios are sharing all the information they learn about me? Like the makeup stuff?

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"Uh, probably, but I'm not sure, do you want me to check?"

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Sure. It just seems like it would be good to do that. I might forget something that could have been important and the movies would be worse, but if both directors and whoever else know most things that's no problem.

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Taptaptaptap. "I asked the makeup people and if they're sharing because the director told them to probably everyone is but if they're not, or they are but it was their own idea, then other people might not be and I'll kick the question up."

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Lots of people working together on something complicated is so weird to see and think about. I've barely ever been around more than one other Draak at a time before the last Grand Moot and everything that happened next.

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"Yeah, I guess all the organizational stuff would take getting used to!"

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The rule at Grand Moots was 'do not say anything unless the Elders call you forth or someone will bite you'. I barely even tried to understand what all the other organizations people were throwing together were doing.

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"Gosh. I guess you have to start somewhere."

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Lots of older Kin will find the time before all this democracy nonsense nostalgic and charming, even if most of the younger of us are coming around to the view that it's probably good to adapt and grow.

I could just make myself go to sleep until tomorrow morning, but maybe I should see some of that concept art and maybe watch a buddy cop movie before sleeping, I think those things came up before?

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"Sure!"

They have concept art of the planet at various stages of terraforming, and of arcologies for people planetside to be living in to supervise and direct the process, and of a windstorm bearing down on an escaping shuttle before Sunwind and his indistinct costar can board.

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Terraforming concept art is very pretty and inspiring! The arcologies are almost like city-eggs or something, it's weird but neat.

My first reaction to the last one is "why didn't he just dig a nice deep hole and estivate for however long?" ...I suppose protecting my costar is why not. Or worry about never waking up.

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"I think they were also considering having your character be injured at the start but I'm not sure if they're going with that or if they tossed it."

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I can feign injury. Or actually hurt myself.

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"...I don't think they're gonna wanna actually have you hurt yourself."

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It's no big deal if I'll have plenty of meat to heal up. I guess it sucks a bit more for all the poor pigs in a box somewhere. But alright.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you want, like, the best reviewed buddy cop movie, or my favorite, or what?"

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I want to know what the big deal about buddy cop movies is? Your favorite probably works if you talk about it while we watch it, hearing what you mean instead of what you say when you talk like Draak do is pretty helpful for context and stuff.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay, Tinuto and Kapku it is."

Tinuto is an ex-speedskater who had a career ending injury and joined the force! Kapku's a five year old fresh out of police track! Tinuto's taking Kapku under her wing because she got into an unspecified embarrassing situation last spring ("there's a lot of fanfic about that!") and is reassigned from her usual beat. Kapku is excited to have her mentorship because a few years back Tinuto was responsible for getting a burglar active in Kapku's neighborhood caught. Together they will improve relations with the orange community in their new assigned area, and track down someone who's been performing plastic surgery without a license and endangering patients, plus unravel the complicated web off complicity that got the culprit access to space, patients, and equipment. It's a comedy, with well written banter that cracks Meksi up every couple minutes.

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He doesn't understand a lot of the comedy (especially situational or referential things, slapstick and really basic conversational jokes translate fairly well). Or basically any of the organizational complexities, though he does understand individual relationships (looking up to Tinuto) and reputation (doing silly regrettable things) enough to extrapolate. And he gets that Our Heroes found everyone who did bad things eventually, more or less.

I think that helped. I'm still going to be really confused but at least I know what I'm going to be confused by, mostly. Fanfic, is that like that thing Bloom was ranting about? Mostly about sex, mostly uninteresting but occasional Treasures, often wildly wrong and doesn't care?

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't think it's mostly about sex. Otherwise sounds right."

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Most of everything is boring.

...Ah. It was spring in Baravi while she was there, perhaps that explains it.

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"Well, the not-sex fanfic is still there in spring, but maybe it makes new stuff easier to find or something."

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Or maybe I misunderstood something. Maybe she was surprised there was any at all? I don't know, this is all secondhand and kind of irrelevant.

He does a tail-shrug. 

I think I'll sleep soon. Thank you for showing me that movie.

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"Anytime!"

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He rearranges the privacy dividers and then sleeps. Perhaps nobody believes him about the dream magic but that presumably happens too. He is ready for the script meeting, presuming it happens after sunrise! Clocks are weird.

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It is after sunrise! Meksi shows him the way.

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Is it in a room that's too small for him? Looking in through a door might be annoying.

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They were thinking he could look through the window but they can wheel the whiteboard out to the balcony if he prefers.

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Whuff.

Opening the window will make it good enough. He is going to have to get used to being around too-small people and their things. Smaller than him, anyway.

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They apologize for the inconvenience.

They have the following plot outline more or less agreed upon: the terraforming is underway and people of both species can go out of the arcologies for short periods now but there are frequent major natural disasters expected to calm down when there are more trees as windbreaks and they've rearranged the waterways in some way to be determined on consultation with appropriate science greens. The Draak presence on the planet is for ecological consultation, magic, moving heavy objects, and the general spirit of cooperation; in response to Meksi's relayed remarks they are planning to lean on a theme of the planet as an egg the Draak and Amentan species are producing together that will hatch into a beautiful colony. Sunwind's character is injured and his costar is sneaking out to plant a species he doesn't have formal authorization for but knows for insert-science-reasons-here will be important to the ecology later, when a windstorm shows up; because the former is slowed down and the latter is not where he's supposed to be they can't evacuate in time and the evac shuttle can't wait for them. They take shelter in a cave and have to survive on the planet together until everyone else comes back; they must hack into an arcology for supplies for the Amentan's suit and food for both of them, and in so doing they discover a problem! They must repair a damaged insert-engineering-thingamabob-here that can't wait for the main party's return lest insert-terraforming-here go wrong. When everyone comes home, they are greeted as heroes! Montage of post-terraforming planet a few years along being settled. They can have Sunwind put a prop egg somewhere and the Amentan character walk around with a kid sitting on his shoulders on their new home.

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Oh, wow. All this is pretty cool indeed. He has a bunch of comments and will kind of start at the top.

Some Draak could totally be guards and scouts, flying Amentans places and checking on things. And he's pretty sure the starships need magic to go and has no idea if that might change. Is the planet supposed to be mostly for Amentans or mostly for Draak or kind of both?

His character should have been injured doing something appropriately heroic. Or maybe stupid (like flying in a severe storm) so he can learn from it, not something ordinary and boring like a construction accident.

He thought there were going to be other aliens involved somehow? That he would fight? Is that being replaced by lots of acrobatics and climbing and flying type things, those are cool too.

...A prop egg is going to be kind of creepy, he will totally be able to see that it's not actually alive. If the goal is to make Amentans go 'aww' and think his character made out well the egg works probably, they would know, but if the goal is to make Draak think he made out well, roaring and then leisurely flying over a lush landscape on the new planet that was supposed to become his would be good too.

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They're planning on the planet being both, with cities and farms but also greenway; they're going to animate a bunch of background Sapphire Draak because those would be easiest to split up a planet with but Ruby's not bad either since they can mostly hang out deep underground.

They'd been thinking maybe he got injured trying to escape from the storm, but he can have gone into it stupidly. Maybe to retrieve a shiny object?

They're still considering working in aliens but it wound up being tricky to work that in with all the other stuff, and it's in tension with the theme of Cooperating With Aliens. They might put in a hook for aliens in the sequel.

Presumably if Draak watch the movie they will not know it's a prop from the video alone? He has correctly divined the purpose, anyway, but they can also do a shot where he roars and flies over the landscape, that seems like a great capstone.

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Learning not to chase shinies all the way to your doom is a common Draak aesop. If it works in the story it might be neat.

The Emeralds and Onyx will probably be annoyed if their relative ratio gets reduced. If not nearly as furious as like oranges or someone facing a sharp cut in credits. They can get the equator, right?

No, other Draak won't be able to automatically tell from a video. It'll just be kind of uncanny for him.

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Yes, they can have there be Emeralds and Onyx at the equator. And the poles too if they want.

Sometimes actors have to pretend that very stupid looking assemblies of foam or whatever are their costars because they're playing opposite CG effects; it's part of the territory.

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Poles are harder because there's less things living there, but some would live there.

I will find a foam egg or whatever else a bit hard to take very seriously, though acting like it's real is not quite Lying. I'll try, anyway.

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If the scene doesn't come out well they'll cut it or just have a shot of the egg without him interacting with it.

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Sure. Meanwhile he has all sorts of ideas for cool stunts he could do in the course of the story but patiently sits on them until a good time to mention comes up instead of constantly interrupting.

Uh, by the way, he can't actually provide samples of Draak writing, if they were going to want that for verisimilitude. He only knows how to write his name and the characters for 'Draak' and 'treasure'.

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh, okay, they'll have to get bits from the samples on the Internet or something, but they weren't planning on that featuring very heavily.

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At this point he just listens and waits to see if they want him to do anything too un-Draak-like.

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Doesn't sound like it!

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At the conference with Tapa, between diplomats getting to know each other and scientists talking to each other about this or that, one of merely horse-sized young adults has been working on his Tapap and decides it's good enough for now.

He hauls out a heavy box from somewhere and looks for the nearest unoccupied blue-haired person.

I want to attend an engineering school! I have stuff to sell to pay for it.

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"- gosh. What kind of engineering?" says the random blue.

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Electrical! I'm already good at our kind of electrical engineering. Short name is Wire! I apologize if you're not the right person to talk to but I do not have a better first-pass filter than hair color at this time!

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"No, that makes sense, we all talk to each other anyway. I'm actually from the population department but there's not a lot of population stuff happening so I can help you. Uh, do you happen to know if you want green or purple type electrical engineering? Or yellow, I think there's some yellow courses you could describe that way. Or a subfield?"

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I'm not sure. The things I did myself are mostly making a lot of interesting gadgets from scratch, and electroplating, and weird experimental generators, things like that. That sounds more purple. But green might have more new and interesting subjects I don't already have a kind of understanding of. I have tried very hard to learn Tapap so if I can pay an amethyst for a pocket everything I can research it on my own.

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"An amethyst?"

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Or rubies or diamonds or gold I guess?

He opens the box. The box contains a lot of shinies between some further compartments.

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"Pocket everythings aren't denominated in gemstones but I can help you get those on the auction site we've been using. And there's also some spares around for any Draak who want them, you can have one now."

Permalink Mark Unread

Good, good! I can do my research on it. Can I set minimums? I do want to get a good deal. I can probably make jewelry and sculpture and sell it if I need to, to get enough money for a university.

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"You can set minimums, yeah, or an amount of time you want to leave it open to further bidding so it doesn't go to someone lucky and fast who didn't offer much. I think stuff you make will probably sell better than raw rocks because there's not enough Draak-made stuff on the market for everyone who'd want it but I don't know much about what gems and jewelry are worth so I don't know if that box is likely to have tuition money in it already without extra work." He fetches Wire a pocket everything.

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I see! A lot of what is in my box is already fashioned, it's just that raw rocks and metal can go in a big satisfying shiny pile that you just want to roll around in, I seal up the nice stuff so it's safe. Some of it is pretty and useful, too. Ooh, I definitely want some pocket everythings of my own so I can take them apart.

He apparently already knows how to use the pocket everything! He signs up for a free email account without any prompting or help at all and then starts researching engineering programs.

Permalink Mark Unread

"- cool, I was expecting to have to show you. Uh, the auction site we're using is called Bid Up, you can make your own account if you want but if you go through us we've already told everyone the stuff isn't fraudulent if it comes through that account. No charge."

Permalink Mark Unread

My dad showed me the basics. I feel like since I am probably going to use it a lot I will want my own account to have better control over the presentation and timing and things!

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"Okay. I can tell them to let out that your account is legit too once you have one."

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I will appreciate that! I don't think I have any questions the pocket everything can't answer right now if you have other stuff to do, by the way. Unless you have questions for me. It's polite to answer those if they're casual things I think?

He is signing up for an OurPlatform account now.

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"That's polite, yeah. Uh, I'm not sure every university you look into will be prepared to accommodate you, you should probably cast a pretty wide net."

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Good point. I need to research a whole bunch of things first though.

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"Okay. If you want to go to school in Tapa I can process a residency app for you."

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I know Voan too! Oh, asking you is probably much better at getting relevant information than undirected searching, for topics related to government. What does a residency app do? What legal issues and more importantly what taxes would I run into if I auction a lot of artsy things and buy food and pay tuition and rent somewhere to live that'll sell to me and buy materials from places? Should I be giving you some kind of consideration for this assistance? I'm not at all sure, though I am sure you are and will be helpful!

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"The residency app would give you permission to live in Tapa long term. I can find you a Voan if you want to go to Voa instead. We're not enforcing any caste income limits or anything and the auction site will pay all the other fees out of its service charge - you don't qualify for the art subsidy, though, so don't check that box on the form. I'm already being paid to be here and you don't owe me anything."

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Well, I don't have a caste and wouldn't want to pick one. I don't know if going to Voa would be better for what I want yet! Maybe my favorite school among those I end up applying to and accept me will be in Voa. Or another country that speaks Tapap or Voan!

He manages to take a selfie, then starts digging in one of the other compartments for something.

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"There are some people who speak either in any country, but I'm not sure about universities that teach in those languages."

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I will see when I do my research. I'm probably going to be here for a few days building my internet presence and researching. Is there any reason not to send in a residency app? I might as well do it now if not.

He digs out a palm-sized twisty wire-and-rock sculpture of a whiskered alien fish with gemstones for eyes from one of the compartments, takes a picture of it, and posts both that and the selfie to OurPlatform.

Another Draak Takes The Stage! Watchful Arranger Of Wire And Spark, Who May Be Called "Wire". My Artful Creations Will Soon Be Shared With All Of Amenta, For Auction.

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This promptly gets lots of attention.

"It'd be better not to have applied for Tapai residency if you're going to live in Voa, because then it'd have to be transferred."

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I guess I'd better wait to do that until I pick some universities then.

He turns on comments for his OurPlatform posts and posts another art piece. This one waves its flippers and turns its head and tail slowly, powered by tiny solar panels cunningly disguised as scales.

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People really like that!

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The idea of a government controlling its population is pretty wild, he idly comments while signing up for that auction site. I mean, it's kind of self-correcting if there's too many kin, is how we see it.

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"- well, we don't want there to be horrible destructive territory wars over it."

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I wouldn't call most territory challenges horrible and destructive. Kind of horrible for whoever loses, admittedly. But, we don't do armies and organized conquering and killing.

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The blue nods.

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He reads the terms of service.

-How do you tell if something counts as a weapon?

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"...for the auction site? Uh, do you have something in mind?"

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I know how to make nice lasers, and sticks that shock things they touch, and electrically powered guns, and stuff like that.

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"Those'd all count unless it'd be hard to use the laser to hurt someone like the lasers in optical drives or whatever."

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Makes sense. No, they're pretty serious lasers. I use them in science and mining but they could definitely blind someone. I'm not sure I even want to try to sell those. Pretty, harmless things seem more expensive anyway. I can make lots of stuff but it seems like those will be the best money for effort.

Tappity-tap-tap tap.

I am setting up my auction account with these treasures and many more but will totally answer questions in the meantime!

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He gets lots of questions, mostly random autobiographical stuff and what he's doing on Amenta and why he chose Tapap to pick up.

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He's a Sapphire who lives on a small volcanic island in the middle of the ocean. He's fourteen and doesn't have any kids. He wants to go to a local school and he really likes making intricate sculptures, and it turns out he can get paid for his intricate sculptures which is kind of great! His dad knew a lot of Tapap and less of a bunch of other languages, and Tapap and bits of Voan seemed the most useful pair.

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Is he going to study sculpture?

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Electrical engineering, actually! Or some kind of engineering. Probably electrical.

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At a green or a purple school? Sculpture implies green?

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He is still researching schools to see what the difference even is!

(Meanwhile he does research via search engine to figure out what do the two different color schools focus on, anyway?)

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Summary Bank says: greens do the arts and sciences like music and physics and writing and sociology, and purples do labor and labor-adjacent work like farming and shipping and cleaning and retail.

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Yes, he knows this, but what does this mean for what the different electrical engineering schools actually teach is what he is trying to find out.

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Looks like it's a combination of the purple curricula being more hands-on, the practical examples being tailored to the interests of the students' castes, and the schools offering different classes and the certificates being good for different jobs.

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He is leaning towards a green school because it's more theoretical and he can poke at practical applications on his own. If any schools want to let him attend one lecture or something to see what it's like that would be neat. He's pretty sure he wants to attend some school even without knowing what it's like though.

(He looks into what applying for a school is like.)

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There are forms to fill out and many places want a letter from a teacher or tracking counselor and your school records and some have school tours and they usually admit in the early summer but have options to get in at other times.

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These application forms are obviously not designed for Draak. It would be unreasonable to expect them to be, of course. I don't have any teachers or tracking counselors. Maybe my dad would count, but he is kind of terrifying and I don't want to bother him.

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"I can write to a university for you if you'd like, if you pick out a couple that are your first choices."

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I am certainly an unusual case. Thank you.

He picks green schools, one with a nice campus on the coast and one that also has an agri-science college and thus is a bit more spacious.

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The blue writes emails with his very official government email. He gets one response right away; the one with the agricultural program can schedule a tour for him and let him audit a day of classes of his choice, here's the schedule. The blue forwards the reply to Wire.

Permalink Mark Unread

Excellent! He does want a tour and to audit some classes and emails back to set up a time.

(He is meanwhile doing his best to get the internet more excited about his little sculptures while he finishes setting up the auction house account.)

Permalink Mark Unread

The internet is fully prepared to become excited about his little sculptures. Four people are advertising their willingness to make knockoffs for commission rates.

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...That is extremely annoying. He writes a rant about how annoying it is.

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His commenters want to know why it's annoying? The original will still sell for more.

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But they're going to be like a thing he made, and less good! And the ones he makes will be less unique! That's just terrible! It might be a Draak thing.

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Commenters assure him it's not solely a Draak thing but Amentans are more used to it. Do Draak not copy each other?

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Draak copy each other sometimes. It depends on context and can range from almost flattering to a dire insult, but it's generally rude. Especially if it's actually just a copy and not putting your own spin on it.

The ones that move are harder to copy, here's a barrage of them:

More alien fish and turtles and birds that spin or swim or flap or open and close their mouths. A polished egg that 'hatches' into disconnected pieces with a nebula-type pattern on the inside to reveal a carved baby Draak whose head tracks towards light! Transparent animals that glow with spirit-lines in their bodies, analogous to how Draak 'see' them with the extra sense (Technically these are supposed to be a teaching aid, to teach animal recognition). Pieces that ape natural scenes, with 'trees' whose leaves rustle, 'ponds' that look like something is splashing in them, and an arrangement of red crystals that flickers like a fire.

...And that's basically all of his best things, he was originally going to bring them out bit by bit. Oops. He will take ideas for new ones, though!

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He can have so many ideas! And what are spirit-lines?

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They're the soul. They're these things in the extra sense, the Song. Every animal has them and most plants do and spirits do and sometimes natural phenomena have them too. They can be very pretty, and they have positions, and something that can translate fairly well as shape and color though it's not exactly shape or color. They run through bodies, and collect around the head of most animals smarter than, like, a fly. You can tell if something is dead by whether it still has a spirit. Amentans' are mostly "white" in the body and "grey" around the head. Draak's are mostly "red" in the body, and come in green/red/white/blue around the head.

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Huh! He should do sculptures of Amentans with these line things.

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Sure, he will if someone will sit still for it. He still has all the same materials he used to make the animal ones. (He bribed the real animals with food to sit still.)

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He has 9,682 volunteers.

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Can any of these volunteers get to Tapa's conference-thing?

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That depends on how they're screening people!

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He can't bring the sculpting stuff somewhere else easily but if anyone gets to the conference he will sculpt them. He might do a video of him making something simple later!

Meanwhile he starts opening auctions.

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Things get bid up quite merrily.

A green at the conference gets her niece in through screening and presents her as a sculpture model.

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Hello! This should be interesting. I might not get details all right, like your face and hair, I'm going to focus on the spirit lines.

He sets out a tarp, some weird tools, and a few blocks of metals plus a big chunk of translucent glass.

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"Can I take a selfie of us first so my friends know I really got here?"

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Sure! We are very exciting, after all.

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She beams and snaps a photo.

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He holds two claws on one hand up and sticks his tongue out!

What's your name and what do you do? Nobody's sure what makes spirit lines a certain way but I like to make guesses sometimes.

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"I'm Kah Mian and I'm an artist, I do papercraft."

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That sounds interesting. I've never seen paper or plastic made into things before. I made something that was probably plastic once by cooking tar, but I like working with metal and rocks and glass better. Mostly metal and rocks, glass is so tricky.

He has brought out a large shallow bowl from somewhere in the depths of his big box and puts the lump of glass into it, then starts breathing fire over it.

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Mian watches in fascination. "I've done other materials but I've been paying the bills with quilling recently."

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This part takes a while. No Draak can be happy without enough precious things to call their own, and turning something into art makes it even more precious. I guess Amentans like art too but maybe not the same way. There's a lot of kinds of art, what's that one like?

Fire, fire. He turns the little brick of glass over and over in his claws, applying heat evenly and seemingly not bothered by it.

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"It's making little strips of paper into curly shapes and assembling them into stuff, I sell ornaments and framed stuff for walls and sometimes I cast something in resin to be jewelry or a phone case or whatever. I'd show you but you're busy."

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I wouldn't use paper because it's not a very Treasure-like material, but it sounds pretty. You can think about it 'at' me and I'll get the idea! The Song is a much nicer way to communicate than vibrating a bunch of air.

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So she thinks about paper quilling art.

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Soon he has the block of glass at a nice malleable but non-molten temperature.

I think a simple and relaxed pose will work best for my first try.

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She sits in the clover, cross-legged, leaning back on her hands.

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That works!

He gets the rough shape right, then uses weird tools that are probably magnetic somehow to draw long, thin strands of the metals all through the sculpture. He spends a lot of time tweaking those to be just right before fixing up the shape of the glass with tiny careful puffs of flame and taps from tools or a claw. The last thing to get added is a twisty and spiky corona of grey wire around the sculpture's head with a single curlicue of bright white hovering directly above the head like a question mark.

He cools it gradually by breathing flame to keep the temperatures up.

Ah! I should have recorded that. What do you think of it?

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"I like it! Makes me look sort of like a grey but the whole thing's monochrome so it's fine. Those tools you're using to get the threads in the glass are really cool, do you sell those?"

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The head aura is mostly grey. You have a bit of bright white in yours, see, which is unusual for Amentans. Probably because you're green, white is Air, it means... Alacrity? Mental sharpness?

...I think probably not. If you don't have these already they can be my secret weapon, something no stupid commission artist copycat can do.

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"Aww."

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Go ahead and take a bunch of pictures, make it famous! And, I'll give you one part of twenty of whatever it sells for when it goes. It's only fair.

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"Ooh, thanks. Lemme give you my payment info." She writes it down, and takes pictures of the sculpture and herself with the sculpture.

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Wire takes the payment info and keeps plying the internet. He discovers celebrity crush lists and makes one of the most attractive Draak (in his opinion)!

Looks only, not any of the other reasons one might want to be with them. The movie star Sunwind is at the top. He is a prime specimen. Bloom is second and attractive in a neat and pretty way rather than a raw power way. He makes similar comments for every other Draak he can find or take a picture of, even River, his sister (Draak do have an incest taboo by the way, but he can still judge attractiveness!) and ranks them all.

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This list goes promptly viral and people post their own opinions, either purely aesthetic or suspiciously not depending on the person.

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The things a Draak will find especially attractive in another Draak include: A nice tail, orderly scales or feathers, a correctly proportioned neck, good crest feathers, big wingspan, a nice scent, and some qualities of the spirit/soul that are hard to think of a visual metaphor for. None of these things vary by gender so while he's never heard of Draak autumning sideways it doesn't really matter for this list.

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It's mildly interesting to the internet that Draak don't come in sideways. Do Draak come in xeno, wonder some of the people with suspiciously thirsty Draak attractiveness rankings.

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He doesn't and it sounds pretty unlikely but he can't rule it out.

He thinks Draak have a lower baseline sex drive than Amentans.

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It's spring!, protest the southerners.

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It's not spring in the north. Outside of autumning some Draak don't even think about sex, some will bother to find someone once every month or two if it's not much effort, and only rare people who everyone else thinks is a bit obsessed will approach 'once every few days'.

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Amateur xenologers speculate that this is because Draak don't pairbond and accordingly needn't solidify pairbonds with sex.

The university tour date arrives.

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He flies to the place with a little bag of things. What's the campus look like from above?

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It's laid out in a spiral; on the outer edges the shape deteriorates, with the auditoriums and libraries and largest dorms surrounding the neatly organized smaller buildings and giving way to the agricultural sections, outdoor engineering testbeds, and other large-footprint things. It has a train stop between the university and the town it abuts.

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He wants to snap some pictures but has no way to hold the pocket everything while flying. Maybe he'll make something. But, hey, this place isn't an awful crowded city at all.

He lands at the designated place, wherever it may be.

Permalink Mark Unread

That would be in the deliveries lot, not far from the train station, where trucks come to bring the university stuff. There's a yellow waiting for him. "Welcome to the University of Aupto!" he says brightly.

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Hello! I feel welcomed! It looks nice from the sky and I already like that it's pretty rural. I'm excited for the tour!

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"I've got our itinerary all planned out unless there's something you'd like to see first or double check is on my list!"

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Besides thinking that if I end up attending I probably don't want a normal dorm room... I have come to realize that actually I don't have any intuition for how Amentan schools work. I can read online reviews of schools and Summary Bank and other things but that doesn't actually give you context and understanding if you start from a cultural context where one-on-one tutoring in specific subjects is the only schooling. So whatever you have planned is probably fine!

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"Okay! Usually I do whole tour groups but they thought it'd be better to give you a one on one. So - watch out for the cargo bike, he's gotta get over to the truck there and pick up cafeteria stuff - over this way is our old library building. It used to be a more important part of the campus before computers and everythings got really good, but some people still like to physically browse the legacy collection and it's also where we keep historical hard copies for the departments that use primary sources. There's also some parts that have been gradually turned over to not quite central cases of library - classes in things like sculpture or chemistry provide equipment for coursework, but for independent projects there's a tool library and a glassware library and suchlike. The library is open all day every day, even when classes aren't in session, though then it's all self-checkout and security greys with no librarians. The sculpture out front is a monument to one of the university's founders; there were six and each one has a statue somewhere on campus, we'll hit all six on our tour." Walk walk.

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He rears up on two legs to get out of the way of the bike, using the tail to balance, then pads after him.

I made or bought all the sculpting tools I need, but it's neat to provide loaner tools for people who don't have any. Maybe I will decide to do chemistry experiments, after all. I'm pretty interested in the agricultural and outdoor sciences, those seem probably relevant to the future.

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"Our next stop is the agriscience building! One of our students won an award for her thesis on gene splicing in rice. She got a job with East Grains to develop it further, they think they'll be able to produce some interesting rice flavors that persist through cooking and improve vitamin availability. Here it is, though of course the fields out back are also part of the classrooms."

Permalink Mark Unread

I know about genes of course but I suppose classes would tell me more about that? The rice fields seem kind of samey. Do you know if anyone has done experiments with integrated fields? Multiple plants, or plants and insects and animals, that coexist well?

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"I think people keep pigs and ducks together for some reason but I'm administrative staff, not a student or faculty. Bees for pollination, there's that. Are you pretty confident you can pass an entrance exam? With some accommodation for jargon and such but of course there's only so much in-the-moment assistance can compensate for not having been to a normal green school."

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I know kind of a lot of things but I have absolutely no idea if they're the same things you expect entering greens to know. Certainly no Amentan history. My vocabulary is probably pretty limited. Only thing for that is to try taking an entrance exam, I think.

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"You can fail a few subject tests, some people track early and will make great physicists or painters without being able to find Oahk on a map."

Permalink Mark Unread

Are there sample entrance exams on the internet maybe?

 

Permalink Mark Unread

"There are practice tests, yeah, we suggest Proctor Net."

Permalink Mark Unread

I'll try one of those in a free moment then. 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Here's our theater where the performing arts students put on their shows, and another founder's statue. There are other stages on campus but this is the big one."

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Actually I am uninterested in shows and theaters. Some dance and motion is beautiful but that's not what I want here. The statue is neat, though.

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"Okay, uh, do you want to look at my itinerary and note anything else you'd rather skip?"

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That's probably a good idea. Sorry!

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The remaining itinerary says:

- Fitness center
- Physical plant
- Pond
- North dorms
- Sculpture building/garden
- Science quad
- East dorms
- Social science tower
- Fine arts semicircle
- South dorms
- Medical building
- Music building
- Central classroom towers
- West dorms
- Security office
- Gallery
- Art library
- Campus store
- Admin building

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He probably only needs to see one set of dorms and can skip social science and medical.

What is the 'physical plant'? I can't think of anything that makes sense there.

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"It's maintenance of all the buildings and infrastructure - they show up if there's a lightbulb out or a window broken or something. The itinerary's written this way because it follows the spiral, I don't think it shortens the walk by much to omit a handful of things, but we don't have to stop those places."

Permalink Mark Unread

That makes sense. The spiral is a neat idea. It sort of seems like there is a fair bit of effort being put into making the school nice to be in instead of - or as well as - good at teaching, does that sound correct?

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"It's not instead of, but the students do live here for a year, sometimes two, unless they happen to live right in Aupto which most of them don't."

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I'm going to be a bit uncomfortable anywhere but my island no matter what and I want to attend for the learning opportunities more than for the nice things, but nice things are still nice. And I will probably learn more things if I'm not horribly stressed all the time.

(He quickly checks the ongoing auctions to see how much money he's likely to make.)

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They're looking to be very pricey.

"Well, all the universities are designed for Amentan students and faculty, so they'll all have I think a similar ratio of environmental spending to educational spending, so you can still use the niceness of a campus as a sign of the quality of staff and student population they'll have been able to attract."

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Nice. Well, of course, they're all great. His worry about not being able to afford all this mostly goes away.

Headtilt. Why do you think they'll all have a similar spending ratio? I don't see that as a very obvious conclusion.

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"I mean, of course it'll vary at all, especially if you look at really old places with huge endowments and old buildings, but I don't think there are any campuses that are horrible to be at and have really good professors, because the really good professors can go wherever they want, and they care about money, of course, but by the time they're very sought after they're past twenty, not scrabbling for credit money. Once you're past twenty most of what you'd buy is just a nice place to be, and if that comes free with work you can take a lower salary."

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Society is weird. I thought I was starting to understand but I really don't.

If I wanted a nicer place to be I'd make it or try to take it. I'm not stupid enough to try that on Amenta, I'm not going to challenge a government. Anyway. On with the tour?

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On with the tour. The remaining statues are scattered throughout. "You're scheduled to sit in on a class in the science building in half an hour. Do you want to stop by the dining hall under West Dorm first? We told them you were coming and they got you some Draak food."

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Ooh, a class! I'm good on food and want to look at an entrance exam right now. Unless it'll go to waste if I don't eat it.

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"I don't think it will, they probably got something they can use for something else. You can go ahead and look at exams."

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So he goes on, what was it, Proctor Net and sees what this university tests on.

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This university is listed as taking the General Green App, which has lots of practice test options for gen ed and subject tests.

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He's really quite good at physics up to electromagnetics and math, and passable on the general biology/ecology type questions, and does well at anything that is pure intelligence instead of specific subject knowledge. Everything else is much more spotty.

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He gets wildly variable results. The website tries to sell him study guides in areas he's weak on.

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'34/100' doesn't feel like anything and neither does '97/100'. The important part is what his guide thinks about these scores, so he reports them to him.

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"- we wouldn't usually admit a student with those scores without exceptional circumstances but you have exceptional circumstances. We might assign you your own orange for accommodations and catchup tutoring."

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I'm not sure it actually makes that much sense for me to follow a traditional green track. I'm not looking to get a green degree and then a green job - I just want to learn what you all have learned, specifically the science, and maybe art.

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"Maybe what you want is to audit the courses?"

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Yes, maybe. Well, I'm not entirely sure what I want but it seems like it's probably not shaped the same way as what an average green wants? All of this is very new. Perhaps I could try that for a few months and then see if I want a whole year or two of study here?

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"We can probably set that up."

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Perhaps I would prefer that. Spend a lot of my time in a rented place making art, and some of it learning science at my own pace. That sounds nice. I'm supposed to sit in on a class to see what it's like next, yes?

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"That's right. This way."

The class is Intro to Telecommunications and they are talking about wifi today.

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He's visibly anxious at the crowd of students and the frisson of attention he gets, but makes his crest feathers lie flat again.

-Should I sit in a corner or what- 

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, how about back here out of the way -"

When they're settled in the instructor delivers a lecture on how wifi works and what makes it do various useful things.

Permalink Mark Unread

Oh wow, this is so much more informative than attempting to decipher Summary Bank. He holds stock-still (except for his tail) and pays careful attention.

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The lecture is two hours long and ends with assigned reading and a reminder to do the online progress quiz.

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Two hours is not nearly enough to strain his patience, though it's a little bit irksome that apparently nobody gets to ask questions.

This is the biggest thing I wanted to try and I like it a lot. Listening to a mind that understands the topic is so much easier than reading. I understand there are discussion sections, practical sections? While I am used to one-on-one teaching this style is informative enough that it's worth paying for and being stuffed into a room with too many people.

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"There are those, yes, with TAs or sometimes just in smaller groups with the professor."

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His tail does a happy motion. 

I am going to learn so many things! It will be excellent.

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"Do you want to come to my office and work out an auditing plan now, or do you need a while to think, or ask more questions?"

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Yes! This is a thing I want to do! I will have lost nothing irreplaceable if it doesn't work out. Is there some workspace I can rent and receive deliveries and ship from? I want to keep making sculptures.

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"The university doesn't rent out space unless you count the dorms; do you need help finding something in town?"

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I doubt you want me melting glass in the dorms. Yes, I want some nearby place to be before working out an auditing plan. I could probably figure it out on my own, if your job doesn't extend to that.

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"It doesn't exactly but if you ran into a problem looking into it on your own I could try to help."

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I will make the attempt on my own, then!

-Ah, I do need to apply for Tapai residency still. So perhaps I should fly back to the conference and set another time to come here and set up an auditing plan.

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"Okay, that works for me. When would you like to plan to return?"

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Any time past tomorrow.

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They can set a time for the day after that, then.

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He flies back and finds that population law guy, thanks him for arranging the tour, and asks him to help him apply for residency.

It's impossible for all blues to know each other, but you seem to know someone who knows someone, or know how to find someone who knows someone, no matter what the task at hand is. With that in mind, do you know someone who could be a shortcut to renting a garage or something in the university town or am I better off just searching on the internet?

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"I can ask around, I'm sure I," he chuckles, "know someone who knows someone with property in the area. Might take a few hours for everyone to check their messages though."

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Good! I'm not in a hurry on a scale of hours. Just say so if I should use the internet instead. I probably need a residency approval to rent a place, that seems like the sort of thing that governments do, that's why I haven't looked on my own already.

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"It's actually permissible to stay for short periods without residency - people can have vacation homes in Tapa with just a vacation visa and we've issued all the Draak vacation visas preemptively just to make things go smoother. But to live there for long, yeah, need a residency."

Permalink Mark Unread

Amused, I'm sure not everyone realizes you've done that. Or that visas are a thing.

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"We haven't gone up to every individual Draak about it, no, it seemed as likely as not that the ones who aren't that interested would think it was a waste of their time. It is on the public internet and anyone who might be trying to look into whether a given Draak is allowed to be somewhere in Tapa ought to know it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Maybe, maybe not. I think so many of us gathered up into one place does something to our psychology. People are acting humbler and calmer. Like Moots. There haven't been any fights except some sparring. A few insult-exchanges, but no blows. That's very surprising actually.

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"- I didn't realize nobody coming to sincere blows in a group this size was remarkable. It wouldn't be remarkable in a conference of Amentans a hundred times this crowded. I wouldn't be floored if you got three thousand people together and there was a fistfight, especially if somebody was intoxicated, but..."

Permalink Mark Unread

It's... Showing who's better. If half a dozen or less Draak meet, it's obvious who'd beat each other in a fight, or it's not - but you find out pretty quick when someone gets a little too annoyed or prideful. Like I said I think critical concentrations of us flip a switch.

Or maybe it's just that the Seeker would flatten EVERYBODY, easily, and snipes at people if they get too worked up.

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"Well, thank goodness for him, if it's him."

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Would fights actually be that disruptive if they were over quickly and nobody died?

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"I'm not sure what the greys would do, they're here to make sure no violent elements get in but they'd also break it up if I went and, uh, punched a linguist."

Permalink Mark Unread

If two Draak start fighting each other, Amentans should probably not get in the way.

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"I'll make sure they know."

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Wire completes a residency application and reads articles on building one's internet presence and sculpts something while streaming.

 

The Seeker has completed a prototype of a more-manufacturable Rod of Healing and submits requests for quotes for some of the components to various companies again. The company his very helpful consultant came from probably has an advantage, it's practically tailor-made for their machines.

Permalink Mark Unread

They can submit the low bid, yup.

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He has enough money from the first and second rounds of fancy, complicated ones - and recharging any that have been presented to him at the conference - to pay for this.

(He wants a small run of like a thousand units right now, with plans for a big one later, even if it's a lot pricier per unit. He still has to see about automating and assembly-lining the finishing and assembly.)

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Meanwhile, the expedition-slash-FTL towing test is finally set to begin. The Draak who were trying to arrange the whole thing had pretty clearly never seriously considered using checklists or schedules before, which their newly minted diplomats apologize for with varying amounts of sincerity.

The broad plan is: Up to five shuttles between Tapa and Voa latching on to Shining Truth, two days of travel in null-gravity there, shuttles can land on a barren and rocky but flat piece of land near the closest thing the Draak have to a capital, the place for Grand Moots and where the Senate has been hanging out. After five days on Newhome, another two days in transit and everyone goes back to Amenta.

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Voa gets three and Tapa two as a result of some backchannel negotiation on the subject.

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The Draak seem oblivious to any backchannel negotiations. About half of them load up in Ice Scale, which takes off and nips over to transfer them to Shining Truth's big hollow cylinder, and then they're ready to receive five shuttles on five stubby silvery prongs radiating out asymmetrically near the front.

The Amentans can peek inside the Draak ship and meet the pilots and engineers if they want but should go back to the shuttles well before they get underway. Because that part is very secret.

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They do want to peek! And take pictures! But they are shooed easily enough.

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The main body of the ship is dominated by a huge hollow cylinder of open space ocasionally broken up by a sturdy pole for moving around with or a rack of mysterious equipment, the entrances to other areas all silvery metal and swirling sigils. It looks like Draak are more at home in zero-gee than Amentans.

FTL travel feels like... Something. Like a tingling at the base of the neck, a faint indescribable else-ness. They travel for a few hours at a time, then stop for an hour in interstellar space to dump waste heat from giant radiators deployed at the back of the ship, then get going again.

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Some of the Amentans don't like the sensation, but they put up with them. A few of them love it.

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It seems to irritate some of the Draak, too.

And two days later they're above a green-blue marble with three entirely unfamiliar mediumish continents, lots of large islands and island chains that aren't individually enough to count as more continents, and two moons - a big one and a really little one. The night side of the planet is entirely dark. It looks like the planet is a bit bigger than Amenta itself, with a larger slightly radius and something like two fifths of it being landmass.

The landing zone is over there, near a few huge structures carved into the foothills and slopes one side of a mountain range, almost the only sign of habitation visible from space.

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Amentans take videos as they land and are SO. EXCITED.

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Alien fauna scatters from the descending shuttles, then stops and watches curiously from a significant distance. Draak lurk nearby or circle in the sky. (A Draak swoops down on one of the deer-things as they unload.)

After the initial unloading, the diplomat Ice approaches whoever is leading the two countries' contingents.

We don't have a detailed itinerary, but some options are meeting the Senate, meeting other interested parties, seeing various sights, a Great Song - that's a bit like a concert, bioscience, and I'm told some of our engineers are coming here wanting to talk about building low-impact living spaces or farms for Amentans.

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"Who are the other interested parties?"

"All that sounds lovely - also I've got a zoologist who wants to take some animals from here home to put in zoos if that's all right with you."

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Various individuals that aren't on the Senate, with varying claims to fame. Noted ecologists, wealthy miners, renowned spiritualists, philosophers, duelists, animal breeders, explorers, geologists, magic experts. An Elder. Darktooth the Wise and the Guardian of the Great Green are... Busy. It's not entirely clear with what. But the Architect of Vaults may be willing to meet Amentans. You will get plenty of warning if you approach land claimed by a specific individual as opposed to the Mootlands, where we are now, which are said to belong to everyone and noone.

The Law is for no individual to deplete the Mootlands of prey - I think there might be a Gamewarden to judge what counts as depletion of prey by now but I am not sure, I will have to look into it. Less than a dozen of any small species noted to be reasonably abundant would certainly be fine. I'm sure someone would find live capture an interesting challenge if you need help with that.

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"She'll be delighted."

"Magic experts and the Elder sound especially interesting."

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Magic experts are indeed interesting! The deepest magics are often pushing the boundary of what is possible. I'll invite those here particularly and see if the Architect can be pulled away from her project... The Senate is not actually here at the moment. We ran into unprecedented logistical challenges trying to keep fifty Draak fed without immediately killing everything in the immediate area and are still trying to solve those to our satisfaction, so they frequently return to their own territories.

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"That does sound like it'd be hard. Maybe a good use case for a subway line, have people load it up with meat along its route and unload it here."

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Interesting idea. We certainly have enough tunnelers. I think many are placing their hopes on meat plants to solve this. Rumors say it's definitely possible and progress is steady but the goal is distant at the moment. We are, perhaps, a bit too patient at times.

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"It's not urgent on our end, though we'll be happy to adopt the plants once they exist."

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The ones working on it consider it an urgent moral crisis and only the announcement of their progress has kept calls for... Intervention... Down. If there is to be trouble, this is not a good subject of it when it can be avoided to both our benefit. But we have been over this. Her tail waves uncertainly. I will see about the visitors.

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"Thank you!"

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Ice flies off.

Engineers and curious onlookers show up of their own accord, no effort required on her part! Disproportionately many of the engineers are Ruby or Onyx. They're all carrying various devices, mostly for the purpose of showing off. This lot gawks at the shuttles and asks a lot of questions about computers! That trio is assembling a breath-powered electrical generator apparently to prove they can! Those ones want to show off or ramble about their sonic mining tools and railguns and a glass sphere that can project 3-D images and samples of weird alloys and musical instruments and a set of magnetic cubes that are totally not just toys because he'll find a use for them eventually and a prototype telepathy recording device and an astrogation tool and crystal growing setups and this thing that makes you have specific kinds of dreams, and so on!

The remainder have Lots Of Excited Questions about architecture and subways. They seem to be the building project contingent.

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The Amentans are delighted to film all the showoffs and promise them a billion people will see it once they take the footage home. Does the dream thing work on Amentans or is it only for people with magic dreams? They brought a surveyor and an architect to figure out how to build here if they're eventually invited to, and this blue used to do city planning before switching over and knows about subways!

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The Dream Rod's inventor tried it on a bunch of animals and they woke up really confused, but those were fairly dumb herbivores, so she's not sure. It probably won't do any long term harm, the porcupine-things took the longest to recover and they were fine by noon.

We're interested in building something small for now, cooperatively, something to accommodate a few hundred Amentans at a time, maybe as many as a thousand.

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Two greens want to try the dream thing!

"Where do you want it?" asks the surveyor.

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They can try it! Which of the Four would they like it set to? ...They need to be asleep to do that of course.

The leader gestures widely. Somewhere in the Mootlands. A few places we would veto but otherwise... Not right next to our own structures, but a mile off is sufficient distance.

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This one wants to try Air and that one wants to try Earth!

The surveyor and architect tromp out and find a spot they like. Is this spot okay?

Permalink Mark Unread

They'll have to agree on one or take turns. Can Amentans fall asleep at will?

Well this patch of shrubs is in the way, but they're not actually very important and there's plenty of similar ones over there, it's not near a game trail or a stream that would need to be diverted, hmm yes this place works. What's their first idea for what the place would look like?

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They're willing to both try Earth. And not really, no.

The architect has a concept sketch ready! Little mixed use tower over here, water circulator here, generator here.

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...Well, they need to be asleep and within about ten feet of it for it to work.

The Draak want everything to be pretty and evoke natural shapes and not disrupt the landscape much, and have lots of ideas. Most of it being underground with a few small buildings popping up into a park here and there? Greenery all over the tower walls and a big wire-and-strut canopy with more plants, stretching out of the roof, like a tree? A big curvy tiered structure shaped so it almost looks like a hill instead of a building? Adding rock and soil and vegetation over three sides and the roofs of lower, longer buildings so it looks like they carved out places from geologically inexplicable scarps and canyons?

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They can go to sleep near it, it'll just have to be about when they were already going to go to sleep and not right now.

Putting stuff underground is possible but complicates ventilation a lot. Smothering the structures in plants works much better, though it might be high maintenance, and the curvy tiers could work too!

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The Draak have all sorts of plant-maintenance-lowering ideas. They discuss it a bit and decide that they particularly like this new idea: A few smaller mixed-use buildings, each with a couple levels of sub-basements and the above-ground portions smothered in rock, soil, and native vegetation to make them look like natural landforms wherever there aren't doors or windows. This has the added benefit of natural thermal insulation! They sketch some outlines in the dirt. They could probably run a power line from the nuclear fusion generator that's inside the mountain and just use a transformer and have emergency generators just in case instead of a full power station.

Permalink Mark Unread

That works! They weren't sure they should expect power infrastructure. How's "nuclear fusion" work?

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It's the same sort of thing stars do! The phrase 'bottled star' is very aesthetic to these Draak. Any further details are probably secret, at least for right now, since they can always explain later but they can't un-tell knowledge unless they kill everyone here.

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...let's avoid killing people. That would be a hell of a diplomatic incident. But if they don't understand the infrastructure they might still patch in, but can't rely on it.

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...It would? Things die all the time. Anyway. It's been operating (mostly) continuously for almost a season and nothing awful has happened yet. How are you going to make electricity if you don't want ours?

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Amentans mostly die of old age and very rarely of murder. Murder is a really serious crime. Everyone would be very upset if the Draak started murdering people they invited onto their planet.

They were thinking of having a garbage incinerator in there to pull double duty, and they have this smoke-trapping system to protect the air quality. They can also capture some energy from wastewater flow like so, though that doesn't make up for having to pump it in the first place.

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It's not really murder if it's a duel or if they stole things from you or if the Senate says to do it. Oh yeah! No garbage. Everything has to get hauled back to Amenta or disposed of in a Draak-approved way - burning unwanted things to ash is a classic and good way to do this, and filters are a good idea if you're going to do a lot of that.

Would anyone like to try these alien fruits? Local creatures of all kinds like them!

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On Amenta it's still murder in all those cases unless the Senate is authorized to order executions and you're the sort of person who does executions.

This one green wants to try a fruit and see if he dies! If he doesn't then more people will try more fruits.

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Well, they're not on Amenta. But nobody has plans to kill anybody as far as they know and if some Draak tries it anyway everyone else will probably 'execute' them at the order of Skyclaw over there - she's designated as a leader of the militia. How's that?

The fruit in question is pretty weird. Tough and pulpy, both sweet and sour like raspberries or strawberries, except it's really not either of those flavors. Nothing horrible happens immediately.

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That's probably good enough but just so they all know if Amentans get killed and Draak are all "meh" about it the other Amentans will take that WAY more seriously than they might expect.

"I like the flavor but the texture isn't very... fruity. I bet the juice would be good in a panna cotta or whatever though."

"Ooh, if we can eat these plants we need to bring seeds."

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There's so many of them and yet they're so defensive- The leader clacks his teeth and suggests that how about these prospective architect-Draak go back to talking about architecture, hmm? The Amentans can pay for excavation and the Draak labor that will be involved in setting things up to look natural once the buildings are up by letting them watch and explaining construction techniques. There won't be any actual building in this visit probably, though, things have to be properly planned first right?

The Draak have no objection to anyone collecting seeds. One of them wonders if drinking juice is like drinking blood.

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They go back to talking about architecture. They didn't bring all the stuff they'd need because they don't have a plan finalized that they could have a complete inventory planned out, but they can make another trip.

The Amentans do not drink blood but suspect it is probably different. Blood clots, once it's out of the animal, and juice doesn't do that out of its fruit.

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Blood is not really very tasty and much worse if it's not fresh, yes. Nobody goes to the trouble of preserving it. One comments that she collects blood to feed a certain insect that eats it, so that she can then eat a certain bird that prefers to eat that specific insect.

Here's another fruit! Or did the risk-taking green want to wait longer, for any possible effects of the first one to be obvious?

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Probably he should take it slow but he super wants to try that fruit tomorrow!

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Draak would probably be very impatient if they only got forty years, too.

(If the rule that a Draak's size is their age holds, that one flying in now may be the Elder.)

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Wow that's a very big Draak. Some of the cameras that are constantly recording everything point at them.

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She's flying fast, fast enough that it still looks fast even with that sheer size. She doesn't quite move with believable physicality. Too nimble, too light.

She lands with a rush of air and peers at the shuttles, then at the gathered Amentans and Draak.

I am the deep one with a thousand secrets buried underground. I have delved into Earth's Blood, the Mantle, and returned alive. I have caused and prevented earthquakes. I created the Archive Halls for my own use and turned them over to my kin for the good of all. Together with the Great Seeker, I caged the power that burns within stars. I am often called the most cautious of my peers. I am the Architect of Vaults. Who would hear my song?

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The Amentans who volunteered to go to an alien planet are all totally down to hear her song.

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Then here is some wordless telepathy: An unremarkable landscape. A day passes, and a grazing creature is dead, eaten by a Draak. A month passes, and the flowers are in bloom. A year passes, and the Draak faces a dozen challengers and dangers, which pass by faster than the blink of an eye. A decade passes, and the woods have advanced. Something is watching, utterly still.

A millenium passes. Every animal that was once alive here is long dead. Most of the plants are too. The Draak who lives here has created powerful artifacts and discovered deep magic and eventually died. Even the hills have been worn down. But really, nothing has changed. The landscape is different in the details, but the same in overall picture. The True Spirit of Earth abides. Everything on the surface changes, but the way of the world is fundamentally the same. This state of affairs is familiar and comfortable and good.

Draak lived on Oldhome for millions of years, following the way of their people. It was not peaceful or easy or always happy, but it was right and good. In less than a thousand Amentan years, a cosmic eyeblink, so many things have changed. The Way of Draak remains fundamentally the same. Even as change is a part of the world, it should be a slow change, a change of the details that leaves the overall shape of a thing intact.

The wordless telepathy-story concludes with the sentiment that she is deeply anxious that Amentans are going to make her world and people unrecognizable within two centuries, whether deliberately or not.

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One of the blues steps forward to volunteer that they would like to learn more about Draak so they can disturb as little as possible while they visit, and Draak who want to live in this way on this world will be unimpeded even if ones settling new worlds invent other ways.

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If Amentans spread to the stars with my kin, this other-way will become a vast and powerful force who could then turn here if they ever wished to. You are not Human, but they are all I have to compare you to. Human empires, great and powerful and peaceful, often lasted for mere dozens of your years. Even the greatest ones did not keep their commitments for more than a century. They curdled and rotted from the inside. The politics of recent times, the current immediate crises, make one question how important old promises really are. The great-grandchildren of those who made those commitments have their own hopes and dreams and curse their foolish ancestors for making promises they don't want to keep. Large political organizations will be unrecognizable in a few centuries unless the same people are at the head of them after all that time.

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"It's regrettably impossible for a single Amentan to head a nation for that long."

"Also probably incompatible with democracy," murmurs a green.

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Democracy is dangerously whimsical and I fear my peers are unwise for embracing it so.

My goal is for the Old Way of the Draak to remain powerful, relevant, and unchanged in essence. Exploration, colonization, and terraforming pose a possible long-term threat to the Old Way. And yet, it would be unspeakably cruel to attempt to forbid and prevent these things. And yet, the freedom to choose and the joy of creation is an essential part of the Old Way, too. And yet, there are other aliens who are utterly unknown to us, and they pose an equally grave long-term threat to the Old Way - a New Way offers a second perspective and additional resources to levy on any threats that may appear, even as the New Way may turn against the Old Way.

I do not judge it beneficial to my goals to do anything except watch, wait, and fortify at the moment.

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"Thank you for addressing us," says the blue.

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The Elder nods solemnly and settles down at a good distance from everybody to watch.

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Anyway, the botanist wants seeds and to be told the proper growing conditions for them all and how they reproduce so they can make sure the specimens don't turn invasive.

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The Draak talking to Amentans are excited engineers and whoever else was close by. Few of these Draak actually live around here long term and those that do aren't really botanists but they can make some probably pretty good intuitive guesses as a group? They don't want to collect seeds for him either, he can do that part.

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He can do it himself. The one with the fruit doesn't know where the fruit is from?

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Oh, that one comes off this one bush. It likes direct sunlight and grows most often in sandy soil and sometimes gravel, here's some other info about it. It flowers and is pollinated by flying insects.

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Cool. The botanist will hang out with Fruit Draak and learn about fruit.

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Fruit is not her life's work or anything, she just heard that the aliens eat it sometimes. She makes tree branches grow in interlocked patterns as art most of the time. Fruit is a perfectly fine topic though.

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Even a non-fruit-eater's knowledge of fruit could help them grow the tasty ones on Amenta! The tree branches thing is also neat though.

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She wants to know about how Amenta does plant breeding, the pictures someone showed her of an orchard looked kind of absurdly luscious.

Someone else hears that the Amentans want live animals! He thinks a zoo might actually be a terrible awful place for animals and wants to protect them from this fate.

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"We're not set up to take care of animals on the return trip this time besides maybe some bugs. We try really hard to make the zoos comfortable for the animals so they don't do stress behaviors or stop breeding, though."

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Animals can be very stupid, but that stupidity and taking care of them doesn't change the fact that keeping them penned up somewhere is kind of unnatural and therefore obviously bad, just like cities!

(Some of the other Draak seem to be nodding along to this one's rant.)

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...for whom are they positing that cities are bad? wonder Amentans. One of them helpfully tries to draw an analogy to various animals that also build themselves structures to live in, like birds with nests and burrowing things with burrows.

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Okay, maybe cities are fine for Amentans. And yes some kinds of animals also build things. He digs tunnels. But he'd torch parts of an ant colony that got too grabby with nearby land. Zoos are probably still bad because the animals can't leave or do what they want to and don't encounter the same things they would in a real ecosytem. Their Way goes unfulfilled!

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Well, they don't... have to let the Amentans take any animals home, if they don't want. Is this related to the objection to pets?

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Good, you shouldn't take any animals from here!

(The nodding along stops at this. Lots of the audience is suddenly surprised and upset.)

He continues unaware. Yes! Not respecting the autonomy of your pets is bad too! Some Draak even keep pets as little more than servants and tools and that's horrible!

...Someone growls at him. Who are you to forbid them hunting in the Mootland? This someone asks. Who are you to deny the truth that Draak are the greatest children of Sun and Earth, above the lesser-minded animals of the world?

I am Root-Grinder, Gnawer of Slate and Shale, one who sees the Correct Way of all things-

Shut up. It's not your place to say these things. You have overstepped.

You dare insult me? I am trying to protect the animals, as any good Draak should! I would enforce the correct way of existence!

You are wrong-headed and stupid. You began with a reasonable point of view but blindly carried it to absurdity and gave commands you had no right to. Shut up and go away or I will burn you very badly.

The loudmouth looks at the other one. He looks at the array of Draak staring at him in anticipation. His crest feathers dip and then flare up again. I challenge you, one who has not given their name! I think I am greater than you and you should not be telling me these things. You say I am foolish and wrong but give no argument as to why, you insist things are true without any clear reasoning and are doing the very thing you accuse me of!

...Very well. A challenge from one as weak as you is of no concern to me. We will fight.

The one called Skyclaw, earlier identified as a militia leader, hurries over to where the two angry Draak have started circling and posing at each other.

Fight over there. If you hurt the Amentans I will kill you both and eat your souls.

...The two belligerents glare at each other. Skyclaw sighs. You, go that way. You, go the other way. Circle around and fight at least one hundred body-lengths from here. I am a Claw of the Draak and my song carries the weight of the Elders. Turn around NOW.

They hiss at each other and slowly turn away. Skyclaw sighs again.

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"I'd really like a consensus Draak perspective on what just happened there," remarks a blue.

"I want to know specifically about the soul-eating part," says a green.

"...I kind of want to know why you use body-lengths for measurement when you're all different sizes," murmurs another green.

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Skyclaw answers these questions and everyone else defers.

Stormcloud thinks Shale is an idiot and called him out on it, so they're challenging each other. That's normal enough. There aren't any explicit stakes on the challenge, which is slightly unusual.

I can take what remains of a Draak's magic after they die and grow more powerful for a time. What is eating except taking something into yourself and making it a part of you? It's disrespectful, but I do not respect anyone who endangers bystanders in their fights.

Body-lengths are intuitive especially with context, which is more important than precision for most things.

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"You just eat the magic and not the body," says a green hopefully, "right?"

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Oh. Oh dear. They have some kind of thing about dead bodies.

You know what isn't Lying? Awkward silence isn't Lying. Nervously glancing at the Elder watching placidly from a distance isn't Lying.

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The Amentans are sure awfully concerned about all this awkward silence.

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Sigh. I will not Lie.

A Draak falling at another's hands is a rare thing. But if a Draak dies, they are no longer anything more than meat and magic. Meat is for eating, and I have eaten dead Draak before. It is not a thing of concern for us.

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"It's a thing of concern for us," says a green shrilly. A yellow they brought along actually faints and one of the blues catches him.

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Skyclaw is going to be in trouble over this somehow, isn't she?

The last time was over a decade ago, if that helps. Did nobody think to mention this before?

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"It hasn't come up!" exclaims Shrill Green. "How many of you are actual literal cannibals - have they been walking around on Amenta -"

"You can go in the shuttle and wait if you can't calm down, this is a diplomatic mission not a Doetaran control group," hisses a blue. The green shudders and helps the other blue drag the yellow into their shuttle.

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Skyclaw looks uncomfortable.

Skyclaw notices the other Draak acting agitated, and the low mutter of confused anger slowly building.

 

All of you DISPERSE! Leave the immediate area! Someone go find Clear Ice and bring her here. She's screwed up by not anticipating this!

All the Draak disperse.

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The Amentans mostly go in their shuttles. Two blues and one green stay outside, fidgety.

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Skyclaw lies down on the ground and closes her eyes. And sighs again.

I don't want to deal with this. I'd be grey if I had to pick one of your colors. And I do not think the Architect is not going to budge from her spot until this is all over.

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The Amentans don't have a reply to that. They look at each other uncomfortably.

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The crowd of dispersing Draak mostly hang out in the surrounding area. Skyclaw growls at a couple that start to approach again until they go away.

 

There's a lot of silence.

 

Eventually, the Draak's diplomat lands again. A good distance away.

 

...I hear that we have alarmed you.

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"We're. Disconcerted. To discover that some Draak... eat... dead people's bodies."

"We need a list of which ones who've been on Amenta may be included in that group so we can make sure the pollution is contained and controlled."

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I don't have that information. I expect if you ask most Draak would tell you if they have eaten kin-flesh, and when. I have never done this. Is there a way Draak who have done this can become clean?

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"Maybe."

"There obviously isn't -"

"You're not a theologian. Maybe."

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If there isn't, contact between our species will likely have to be very minimal going forward.

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"That will be a great loss," murmurs one of the blues.

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It's of no more note than having eaten fish so I really cannot guess who has or has not done this.

...Shining Truth will end its maintenance cycle within half a day if there are no unforeseen problems.

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"That's good to know."

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I am assuming you will want to return to Amenta as soon as possible.

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"I think that would be best."

"We didn't bring the equipment we'd need to operate long term in a polluted environment."

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Tail-flick.

She considers and discards several more things to say.

 

...I will arrange for an early return.

She turns and goes.

 

Skyclaw comments, You might want me to stay. Some of those people were angry. Some of them might be stupid enough to think they can get away with dropping a rock on your ships or something. I won't touch the ships.

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"The whole place is -"

"Yes. Thank you," interrupts the other blue.

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Skyclaw doesn't say anything else. The giant Elder, the Architect, flies back to the mountain after a while.

Skyclaw fights someone who comes up wanting to break the ships, and wins after a brutal match, and plucks two feathers from their head before resuming her guard as they slink away.

The shuttles receive a synthesized voice radio transmission with orbital rendezvous coordinates that night.

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The Amentans depart.

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Shining Truth darts some distance out to interplanetary space as soon as they're all undocked in their home orbit.

The Draak currently on Amenta are the adopted eggs' parents, the Seeker, Sunwind, Bloom, the diplomat Ice, and a miscellaneous two dozen or so lingering near Tapa's conference.

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The eggs' parents are asked very gingerly by the families hosting the eggs if they have ever eaten someone.

Ruan asks Bloom.

Meksi asks Sunwind, stammering horribly.

Amseli asks Seeker what the best way to find out about everyone else might be.

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One of the eggparents took a chunk out of someone while they were still alive before they ran away, does that count? Bloom hasn't. Seeker goes still and declares that he will ask everyone, since the Amentans are positively reeking of anxiety about it and might offend, and asks if feathers taken off a recently-dead person count.

Sunwind proudly declares that no less than three challengers or lawbreakers have become his food at one time or another!

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That doesn't count, hooray!

Ruan is so relieved!

Feathers off a dead person are polluted but would presumably not be eaten. The theologically complicated thing here is whether it's possible to recover from eating a dead person; if you've just touched a feather you can wash or burn that off.

Meksi runs away, crying.

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...What???

 

...Oh. Uh oh.

 

A conflict is imminent (maybe) so he'd better run away from his (potential) enemy's favored terrain. Like, right now. He darts out of the empty set building where he was staying and towards the loading lot as fast as he possibly can.

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Security greys meet him there. "Where do you think you're going?"

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Right past or through them and into the air, apparently!

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"STOP. YOU HAVE TO STOP RIGHT NOW. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HURT YOU IF YOU DO AS WE SAY."

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This does not override his overwhelming instinct to GTFO.

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Soon he is chased by a helicopter. It's loud but he's telepathic. The people inside think it's EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that he knows to go straight to the conference site and not land anywhere else even for a second, and it's going to follow him all the way there to make sure.

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He dives as soon as the helicopter approaches, thinking to land and dig a hiding spot, but such loud thoughts can be heard even a good distance away. Instead he levels out and goes faster. He tries to lose the chopper, but can't keep that much speed up for long. When he gets to the conference site he circles in the air.

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The helicopter people think loudly that it is okay for him to land at the conference site.

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He thinks right back at them that he will stay in the air where he can burn off adrenaline and his instincts won't scream at him to bite someone for now but will only land there when he does land!

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I am ashamed of myself, Seeker tells Amseli. It is true that I have autoclaved myself since last I touched anything that might pollute me, but I do have feathers taken from the dead. They have sat in a corner of a cave for hundreds of years, untouched. I filed away pollution in my mind as 'handled' and became over-excited by everything else, when I perhaps should have anticipated... This.

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"The feathers aren't a very serious problem. The feathers might pollute you but it'd be fixably. There isn't up to date theological consensus on cannibalism. It may be unrecoverable for anyone who's done it, we're not sure."

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I continue to not be a theologian but I will observe that it would be very inconvenient if that is the case, so perhaps they will try harder than usual.

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"They might benefit from knowing what extremes, like autoclaving, could be on the table."

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Not everyone can survive autoclaving or similar treatments - it depends on strength of Earth. I could ingest a literal ton of bleach. It would be awful but I would live. I could be washed with razor-sharp steel wires. I was once infected with Blueblight but burned it out with a cocktail of extreme venoms and poisons, then treated others the same way. I could bathe in potent acids or bases or liquid nitrogen or molten stone or withstand a lot of hard gamma radiation. I can withstand the True Song of Destruction, which is a harm beyond the physical world.

But I am an Elder Draak, with all the power that implies. Most could withstand much less. Though, I may be able to keep them alive even against such treatments.

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"Radiation's promising - I'll pass all that on to people with more experience than me in pollution theology."

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Seeker collects information and reports that one of the guards, one of the explorer corps, and one of the miscellaneous visitors are cannibals. And that the crew of Shining Truth sent him a rant about too-short turnaround times but that's probably just empty griping and anxiety talking, reading between the lines.

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Amseli records a public apology for not having caught this problem sooner and promises everyone that the cleanup will be publicly funded. It goes online. The cannibals need to stay in one place under observation - or depart the planet - till the greens are done with their emergency theology conference at least.

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All four cannibals prefer to depart the planet. The Draak don't like it when the 'under observation' thing sinks in. Being put under observation and confined and seen as disgusting does not sit well at all. Ice Scale, the big cargo-hauling ship, is in fact going to take EVERYONE except the Seeker back home. Even Bloom is going, to collect students and pets, not because she's offended. (Though she kind of is.)

Sunwind lands at some point and manages to badger someone to email Meksi from some other account and say he's going home for a while, maybe forever, and didn't mean to disgust everyone, it literally did not even occur to him as a possible problem, and he bolted when it looked like there might be a fight but hopes he didn't clip the security with a claw or anything he was moving too fast to tell, and anyway to sum it up, sorry.

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Ruan abjectly hopes that Bloom will be back soon and didn't want to offend her and certainly didn't expect her to be a cannibal but was obligated to make sure to keep his people safe and hope she understands and etc. etc.

The emergency theology conference is supposed to have an answer in the next four days but is more likely to run long than short.

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...Seeker hangs out even when everyone else leaves, thoroughly exasperated by the setback to his plans that the bad PR represents. He tries to bribe that manufacturing company to rush his batch of parts, and also asks Amseli if she can find someone to arrange for him to buy batches of various metals while the theology conference is ongoing.

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"...probably, why?"

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I am deeply annoyed at the moment and don't want to deal with it myself. I can pay for the work, I still have a lot of tap from the first and second round of healing rods.

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"If you tell me what you want specifically I'll get it procured."

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Whole bunch of things like Neodymium, Molybdenum, Boron, Zinc, Gallium, Tungsten, and so on. He's not super picky about purity or format, he has machines to deal with that.

I deal with annoyance by throwing myself into work.

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"That's reasonable.

There's some risk my resignation will be called for, depending on what people think of the apology. I'd like to introduce you to the person who'd be stepping into my shoes if that happens sometime in the next couple days, whenever's convenient for you."

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Fine. It may as well be now.

Some people are going to go 'They don't want to ever set foot on our planet? Good! How can we make sure that state of affairs continues?'

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"Some of ours are going to go, 'they didn't even know cannibalism was wrong? What else might they do, they can't possibly be trusted' -"

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We can literally directly sense pathogens. But of course, saying you shouldn't be disgusted because it's fine for us is hypocritical.

Trust is dangerous, and difficult, and fragile, and oh so very precious.

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"I'll remind the theologians of that point in case there's some way to argue it's different for your species, I suppose.

My colleague Mata Miamoto is going to take over for me if I resign, you may have seen her around - Mata, over here -"

Mata jogs over. "Hello, I wish we were being introduced under better circumstances. Miamoto means 'nexus'."

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-Of people? Interesting take.

I hope you both realize I am not a politician by nature. Or perhaps I am as much a politician as our nature allows, and not one by your standards. For example, I have managed the situation and spent secrets so that I am no longer the junior member of our clade of Elders but an equal, a fourth driving force pulling in a different direction but not any lesser, as it were.

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"We're aware Draak don't go through blue school and have government internships and so on," says Miamoto.

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We are not nearly as social. That changes things, too.

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"You've been accomplishing a lot in spite of the learning curve."

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Times of change demand frantic motion, learning, and hard decisions.

I'm going to go back to my workshop for now. Do let me know if theologians want to talk to me.

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"Of course."

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He works on things. After three days emails Amseli asking for an injured animal or Amentan volunteer for his simplified Rod of Healing prototype. Which has been autoclaved.

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They can find a purple with a sprained ankle not too offput by cannibalism rumors.

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It works fine. Not quite as well as the ones he gave out before but perfectly serviceable.

These are one-shot and non-rechargeable. But they are going to be much, much easier to make, unlike the intricate clawcrafted works I sold before.

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"Some of the logistics of using them are probably simplified with disposables," Miamoto observes.

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Yes. I had to make a lot of sacrifices in the name of manufacturability, but manufacturability is a new and intriguing art so it's exciting instead of limiting! I'm investigating the possibility of refurbishing them. If I can make a machine that opens it up and replaces the central needle, it could work. Whether that makes any sense to attempt depends on how the economy of scale works out, which I still don't have an intuitive feeling for.

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"It probably depends on how recyclable they are otherwise," says Miamoto. "And how expensive the materials."

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I suppose we will see. 

Has the theology conference produced anything actionable or shall I go back to one of my other projects for another few days? I'll want to take the news home if they come up with something so nobody gets too many bad ideas about what this means. And I also assume the plan to build a place for Amentans to stay on our planet is totally bust...?

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"They're not usually told they have to work at this pace; I don't think we should expect speedy turnaround even under pressure," says Miamoto.

"It's not necessarily completely bust - we can ship them hazmat suits, they already would have needed the capacity to get a decontam shower in case of accidents - but it imposes very different criteria for who'll make a good visitor," says Amseli.

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It's not as if every inch of ground in the world has been tread by a cannibal. But this is your concern to manage, not mine.

To distract myself and try to keep tensions from rising I would be willing to lecture purples on good ways to refine deuterium from seawater and synthesize helium-3 for some reasonable lecture fee, since ship power plants need the stuff. It will be a good investment unless things spiral to the point where we break off contact entirely. I may teach you about the reactors if this pollution scare gets resolved well. You can't perform FTL travel with only them and they're one of the hardest parts of really capable ships.

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"I'll get you an audience of purples," says Miamoto.

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He does experiments in his ship. He teaches some purples. At one point he flies the ship to the most isolated piece of ocean on the planet and just swims around for a whole day, then comes back. He waits for the theology conference to come up with something or have questions for him.

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The theologians think enough radiation will do it; here is their paper on how much and why.

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...That's enough to very definitely extremely kill an Amentan in the normal course of things.

 

...Would this work on reds if they were somehow kept alive through it?

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Uh.

Somehow like... how.

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A Song of Healing ongoing the whole time is the obvious option, but if constantly repairing the radiation damage the whole time messes it up, maybe their mind and soul could be held in stasis - Song-pattern and magical energy only, no cells or atoms - until all the radiation has hit them and then they get healed only after the entire body is thoroughly irradiated. No rush on thinking about this.

He's going to get one of the cannibals to come back and be irradiated and see how people feel about that. He could build a radiation machine but perhaps one made by Amentans would be more reassuring.

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They have some for use with food and can make it oomphier. Who's the biggest Draak they'll need to irradiate?

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Among those who are likely to volunteer or ever want to set foot on Amenta, that would be the possibly-former movie star Sunwind, at nearly thirty feet of wingspan fully extended and thirty-five feet long.

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They don't have to be irradiated wings out, or tail extended, so that's not too outrageous. They build a big irradiator.

Sunwind's studios are paying a lot of money for cleanup and pretty grumpy about that but they're not unwilling to talk to him about resuming. After he gets cleaned, not before.

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He can't speak for Sunwind, obviously, but from Sunwind's perspective he was surrounded by people who were suddenly disgusted and angry at him, in foreign territory and outnumbered, and that kind of thing induces really strong fight-or-flight responses. So running away and not landing anywhere except the conference was probably close the best outcome that could reasonably be hoped for. Wasn't the cleanup going to be publicly funded?

Anyway, he might be gone a while managing the politics at home. He needs updated information about what the Senate and other Elders feel about all this and so on before any more serious talks can happen.

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The cleanup is publicly funded but the lost time while they can't use the studio isn't and neither is anybody's distress bonus if their contract says they get a distress bonus for having been exposed to pollution on the job.

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He privately thinks that if they try to deduct anything from his pay, Sunwind might just call the whole thing poisoned and have nothing to do with it anymore, but has no further comment to the studios.

He tells Amseli (within metaphorical earshot of some other blues) that he hopes she keeps the job - Miamoto's perfectly fine, but he's gotten to know her - and promises to Voa, Cene, and some smaller countries that he'll give a few batches of their purples the same lecture the Tapai got at some point if they want to arrange that, and leaves.

 

Draak ships appear once more only when the northern winter and southern summer is well underway. There are four this time. The new one is littler, colored red and purple, lurks waaay out in the edge of the solar system where you can barely see it, and transmits a transponder code calling itself Fang #1.

Seeker's ship wants to land at Tapa's conference site with a few cannibals, is that fine?

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They have the irradiator ready, so if the cannibals are all ready to be irradiated, yes. What's the deal with Fang #1?

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The militia pooled their resources and commissioned it from the Draak's growing skunkworks, to escort other Draak ships. They're forbidden by the Senate to approach the inner solar system without permission or a clear and obvious threat to Draak lives.

Seeker's ship complies with the descent path given to it, nice and slow, and four Draak including Sunwind and the Seeker pile out. Seeker breathes hot flame over the exterior of his ship and the ground near the exit.

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The Amentans appreciate that. Here is the irradiator. They will not need to touch it for it to work apart from the ground and they made it so they can do the fire thing to said ground to make sure they're not tracking anything external, and when they pop out they'll be certified clean!

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Sunwind goes first. He wants to see if he can stand it without any active help from the Seeker. How long does this last anyway?

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Three and a half minutes.

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That's all? He can withstand anything for three and a half minutes!

 

 

...He's a lot less cheery and confident after three and a half minutes, but walks out under his own power, then flops sedately lies down in the dirt, refusing to complain.

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Would he like someone to email his studios for him?

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Uh. Sure. He's probably not up for talking much for a while, though. He is in kind of a lot of pain. He'll live, but ow.

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They might be able to revise down the consensus about how long this has to take later, they're just sure that three and a half minutes is enough, but as long as he never eats anybody again he will not have to redo it.

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The pain bothers him a lot less than it would bother an Amentan. Because he is a very strong Draak. Who is not thinking in words at the moment, sorry about that.

(The other two cannibals who want to be cleaned accept the Seeker's offer of magic to toughen them up during their irradiation and go through it without incident.)

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Then they are all certified OK to go about as they were doing before this unfortunate business!

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The other two don't actually have any business they want to pick back up. They just found the state of not being allowed anywhere on Amenta infuriating and intolerable.

Seeker emails Ruan and tells him that Bloom is having trouble finding prospective students.

And then finds Amseli-or-Miamoto. My peers and my kin in the Senate are much cooler on the prospect of full technological sharing now, out of fear that more unexpected conflicts will be found.

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Amseli has been permitted to keep her job, so it's still her!

"That's not unreasonable. Our long term upside is still too good to turn down, but I think side projects like the films may be a little harder to come by. Is there anything we can do to rebuild faith with your people?"

Ruan is sorry to hear that, is there anything he can do to help?

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There's a feeling that we're being rushed, that we can't afford to leave Amenta alone for more than a season, which is too short a time to do any truly serious long-term planning... And somewhat regrettably, the idea that Draak could be treated like reds is what the common consciousness absorbed. There are so few of us compared to the number of Amentans, you see. We might be relegated to specific districts and hated and hunted for leaving those bounds. It's not at all an appealing prospect.

Seeker doesn't think so, in his opinion there's nothing to do except wait and see since she's already bought a chunk of cheap desert for them to live on.

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"The red caste evolved under very specific conditions I don't expect to see repeated. I wish I could slow everything down for you - with this many people even a low rate of people doing things is pretty chaotic."

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Bloom's search for students continues, the work on meat-plants continues, our ship building continues. The lesson absorbed into common consciousness that would make cooperation easier is that you are not Human, that you don't hate and fear and seek to exterminate us. Hmm. If that ecologically neutral living area that was being considered could be built and used after all, Amentans spending time near Draak in the Mootlands may help with that. And those eggs...

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Elsewhere:

Amentans welcome little baby Draak who will grow up knowing better than to eat people.

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The one in the national park still thinks it's weird that you decide whether you can eat something by how smart it is but since they feel so much about it okay fine.

Hatching is a long process, which she does her best to shorten as much as possible, wobbling back and forth. She's going to see TREES! And MUSHROOMS! And the SKY! Stretching and straining. First one small crack as she wobbles back and forth. It slowly lengthens with each wobble, more cracks spiderwebbing out. A few flecks of gooey shell fall to the dirt. A large chunk opens up and they can see a closed eye on a little head moving. Almost out! Comes the exhausted mental shout...

And then a clawed forelimb reaches out of the little hole and grabs and pulls, and the side of the egg splits open pouring out goo and out falls a gangly hatchling no more than two feet long, covered in goo and wobbling as she tries to stand.

She's too exhausted and stunned at the thought that she's breathing and it feels weird to do anything else for a few moments.

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"Hello!" coos the mycologist.

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HELLO!

She shakes her head and blinks rapidly, trying to clear her eyes and sending flecks of goo flying.

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"Do you want to get cleaned up? We have an outdoor shower set up for you but I don't know if the goo is as uncomfortable as it looks."

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She radiates uncertainty.

She scratches at the dirt a bit, then opens her eyes and looks around... And stares out at the autumn-colored national park in awed silence as blurs turn to clear sight. So pretty! So big!

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"Isn't it beautiful? Welcome out in the world!"

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It's so beautiful. She wants to take off running into the trees, so she tries- And stumbles and wobbles forward a few feet.

...Maybe the shower thing would be nice while she gets used to not being in an egg, she thinks at her mushroom-teacher and sky-teacher.

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"It's this way!"

"My name's Pep but you can call me mushroom-teacher if you want," laughs the mycologist.

"I'm Tathsei!"

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Names seem important. She will try to remember them. Try.

She wobbles towards the shower, getting less wobbly by the second.

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Here is the shower! It's high up since she'll grow. Here it is cold, would she like to try hotter?

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She reaches one wingtip in, then flinches back and hisses at the stream of water, then tentatively puts more of herself in. It feels pretty strange and is kind of unpleasant. Hot is a little better.

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Hot it is!

"Everything probably feels pretty weird at first! Do you want us to help you get the goo off?" says Pep.

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No!

A moment later she elaborates: Maybe? The idea of being touched by someone else is just obviously and immediately kind of scary but she wants to feel every thing at least once and maybe it won't be scary.

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"You can wait, if you think you might be more ready for it later, and especially if you think you might be startled enough to bite us. Amentans aren't as tough as Draak, see, it'd be a big problem if you bit us."

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She clacks her small teeth consideringly, then comes up with something ingenious (at least to her own mind).

Can't bite you if I'm already biting a stick or a rock!

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"That's a very good idea!"

They go find her a branch to chomp.

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It doesn't taste edible but chomping on something is an interesting sensation anyway! And she knows they're going to touch her so she might be scared but she won't be startled.

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Okay! Pep approaches to try to help her get goo off.

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She tenses up. A lot of the goo has come off already just by standing in the water, and rubbing the rest away feels... Weird in a maybe-bad way. (Her scales are not yet hard armor, though not quite baby-soft. A bit like snakeskin.)

Pep is a lot bigger than her. Things that are bigger than you might want to eat you and she should run away or bite them! But Pep is not going to eat her. Or hurt her.

She gnaws her branch and her tail flicks around, agitated, anyway.

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Pep backs off. "You all right, Toama?"

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Probably?

Everything is very... Everything. Big and loud and smelly and weird-feeling and there's a whole world and it's too much but also she wants to go see and do all the things right now and the shower is annoying and she feels like she should be alone right now instead of with mushroom-teacher Pep and sky-teacher Tathsei and she's hungry and everything smells weird and-

She scrambles out of the shower and dashes to and dives into the pile of dry leaves her egg once sat in.

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...Tathsei goes and gets her a raw chicken.

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She pokes her head out of the leaf pile. That's a lot of meat, as small as she is. It feels confusing that she doesn't have to do anything to get it, but she's both hungry and grateful.

She slowly walks over, introspecting. Pep and Tathsei feel good to be around because they like her and teach her things, but also weird and bad to be right next to, which is very confusing.

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They give her some more space.

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Eating the chicken takes a little while. Her tail wags.

She's thinking about running around the woods, or maybe trying to climb a tree, or looking for mushrooms, or watching clouds, after this. What do her teachers think?

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All excellent options! They are a bit worried she'll get lost if she goes very far; they don't know how good her sense of direction is. But there's a reasonable amount of woods and mushrooms within shouting distance.

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She can almost definitely follow her own smell back even if she can't remember where the cabin is. This is how obvious smells are to her.

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Gosh, very obvious, she should be all set if she doesn't fly or cross water. She should come right back if she meets another person and is at all confused about what to do; there shouldn't be any today but there could be somebody lost or trespassing.

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Oooh she's got to try flying.

She starts to run off excitedly, then just as excitedly turns around and runs back.

!!!Maybe smelling better can help with mushroom science!!!

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"It probably can! Some are really hard to find just by looking, or hard to tell apart!"

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She rears up on her back legs and roars a very smol roar!

How do I try it??

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"Let's go find a mushroom and see if you can find more like it! I'll show you a shelf fungus that's growing just over this way."

Here is a shelf fungus jutting from the side of a tree.

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She stares at it for a while, head tilted, then sniffs at it, then moves her head forward to taste it...

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"This isn't poisonous to Amentans, so it's probably fine for you too, but if you eat the whole thing it'll be gone. If you leave a bit it'll grow right back."

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She does a tiny tail-flick upward (acknowledgement body-language) and takes a tiny nibble. She wonders vaguely whether it's eating the tree reaaaally slowly, so slowly that the tree grows faster than it eats. Trees can't run away. It would be boring to be a tree. The sun probably feels really good to a tree though?

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"Trees don't have any nerves to sense things with or brains to experience things with. And you're right, it eats the tree very slowly; if it always had shelf fungi all over it that would be bad for it but they don't live that long and there usually aren't too many because animals eat them and not all parts of the tree are right for them."

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She can 'see' the tree's soul. It 'looks' like it could feel things a little tiny bit. The fungus, too. But if they don't have any Mind at all...

Anyway, I will look for another one now!

Looking for another one involves walking erratically through the forest and sniffing. There are a lot of smells, it's hard to sort out which is which, but she's gonna try her best!

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Pep follows her cheerily.

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She gets distracted from her mushroom-hunt to chase a squirrel! It flees up a tree and she tries to climb after it, but falls from about Pep's head height. She shakes herself off, unharmed. Oh well. Back to looking for fungi.

Eventually she finds another one!

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"Very good!" Pep takes a picture of it. "I like to have pictures of all the samples I find so we have lots of examples of how they can grow."

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She can't just remember what it looked like?

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"Not perfectly! And I can't show other people from my head like you can."

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That makes sense! Finding a fungus was fun. And helpful! She wants to keep doing this sort of thing.

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"Sounds good! Next time I find a rare one I'll show you so you can get a sniff."

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Being alive is great! Doing things is great! She is going to go explore some more now!

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"Sounds good!"

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The other egg is still very sleepy, though he drinks up an hour or two of tutoring a day and will talk with his hosts about how the world works too... But he shows no signs of hatching even after the 90-day window they were given.

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"Do you feel okay in there? You're supposed to hatch pretty soon. Your sister has."

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He is getting a little uncomfortable... But it's so warm in here. It feels safe.

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Would it be easier if they got a heater and put it by the egg so it would also be warm out here?

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Not really. Being warm is just an excuse. He's afraid to hatch really, because everything sounds so big and important, and he's always so sleepy.

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He can come out and take a nap right away if he likes! There's no rush!

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He will try to hatch soon.

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They are so excited to meet him.

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He's been here the whole time! But everything will be different when he's hatched.

...He'll never get this peaceful quiet safety of the egg back again. Egg time is irreplaceable. So. Maybe a little longer.

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They're not sure that's even safe. They could ask, maybe?

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If he gets too uncomfortable he'll try to hatch. It's only a little bit uncomfortable right now.

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Sometimes things that are only a little uncomfortable turn out to be really dangerous!

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It doesn't feel dangerous. But he wouldn't know. Ahhh, something new to be scared about!

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They're going to keep him safe! He'll be okay! They just don't know if he's going to run out of something he needs in there or wind up with a spinal deformation if he doesn't uncurl or something.

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...If he comes out deformed because he waited too long that would be bad.

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They agree.

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(He stews in indecision for a while, then falls asleep.)

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They email the conference to ask if delayed hatching is risky.

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...Delayed hatching will eventually lead to death in the shell, and can also mean the hatchling comes out very hungry and weak, which meant death in the ancestral environment but presumably would not in this case. It is not clear if there is a risk of it causing deformities but the Seeker's educated guess is anything short of death will heal in time.

Having your egg broken open for you will cause stigma. Traditional Draak will question whether the hatchling is worthy to live. Being raised by Amentans is likely to make them a bit of an outsider already; Not hatching himself would be much worse. If possible the hatchling should hatch themselves.

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When Katmem wakes up the blues inform him of this.

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That makes him angry. No. Of course he is worthy to live. Who do these other-Draak think they are? And he'll prove it!

Egg wobbles. And radiates irritation. And wobbles. And cracks slightly.

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Oh good. (They film the hatching.)

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It takes a while. No sudden bursting of the side of the egg. Bit by bit the top cracks apart, and eventually he levers himself out, covered in goo.

I did it. See? I'm not weak! I will live!

(The shell is largely intact, and the inside of Draak eggshell is pretty - speckled with white dots on a background sheen of dark pinks and purples, almost reminiscent of nebulae in space.)

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Maybe they will save the shell for decorating with. "Hi, Katmem!"

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Hello!

Everything is blurry. You're both very tall.

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"Probably your vision'll get better over time."

"And you'll get taller!"

"Do you want some food? We got you some ground beef. And cooked a bit and left some raw so you can see which you like."

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He looks around at the garden. He looks up at the tree that he's been under all this time, twisting his neck around without moving his body.

...I think it's the goo.

...Yes, I'm very hungry.

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Dishes of ground beef! That one's cooked and that one's raw.

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He likes them both. They're not better or worse, just... Different. He keeps looking around at the garden and the big house and everything else. He puts his head down by his wingtips and carefully inspects his claws.

I thought I would be sleepy but everything is so big and bright that I'm not! I'm glad I hatched! You two do not look how I imagined even though you thought about what you look like at me!

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"Huh, how are we different?"

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I can see your heat and your spirits! And the clothes are different.

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"Well, we wear different clothes every day."

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Okay. 

He's a little confused by that, he sends, but isn't going to let it bother him. 

He finishes the plates of meat and starts wandering the garden.

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"The clothes get dirty and need to be washed, plus it's fun to change how we look."

They follow him at a distance of a few yards.

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Changing how you look sounds fun!

He cranes his neck around to look at the clothes.

...They look hard to move in, though, he muses.

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"It's not hard for us, but maybe it would be for you, even if clothes were made for your shape."

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I can try it. Maybe necklaces?

He starts walking again.

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"Necklaces are jewelry, not clothes, but you can try one if you like!"

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He does that tail-flick that is the Draak equivalent of a nod. He wanders and thinks about trees and flowers.

 

...He would be happy to just wander in the garden for a while but do they want something since they're following him?

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They just think he's fun to watch! Wandering in the garden is a fine thing to do.

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...Okay. He wanders. He often glances at them to make sure they aren't sneaking up on him. He climbs a trellis and peers out at the garden from this new perspective.

Is a forest much different? Like where my sister is?

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"It has a lot more trees. Do you want to see? They're taking pictures of her!"

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I want to see a forest!

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They can show him pictures of his sister in the forest!

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He cares a lot more about the forest than his sister. Now he wants to know how tall different kinds of trees are and how fast they grow!

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They can sure look that up for him!

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After some more garden exploring and a short nap he wants to see the inside of the house.

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Here it is! The entryway has a plush rug and console tables with potted plants and suncatchers in the windows and nice tile walls and flagstone flooring.

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Shiny. He stares at the suncatchers a bit, admiring. He walks along a wall instead of down the middle.

...The potted plants seem a little lonely somehow.

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"Lonely?"

"Plants aren't social."

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Uncertain tail-flick.

It just feels a bit weird to have them like that. I'm not sure why.

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"Huh."

"Even plants that are going to be in gardens one day usually start in pots so people can tend them till they're bigger."

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If things feel weird but he can't think of why it's probably just because he doesn't know enough, he thinks aloud.

He moves on into the house.

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There's a dining room on the left and a parlor on the right and two staircases up ahead and a big open atrium between the stairs with a piano and a couch pit and a fireplace and a projector screen and a fountain on the wall opposite the fireplace.

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All of it is very shiny.

 

He skirts around the couch pit and investigates the fountain (and sips water) and sniffs the fireplace, and then slinks around the piano's legs and bats at the foot levers a bit.

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The blues think this is adorable but want him to mind the pointiness of his claws around scratchable stuff like pianos.

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He is definitely going to get too excited and forget that sometimes.

...This thing is rare or valuable? Ooh.

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Pianos are pricey, yeah. They make rubber things you can put on pets' claws, if he won't be able to remember? Or they could put oven mitts on his feet for indoors, so he can still get his claws out when he wants them on purpose.

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And it does music? That's what their thoughts sound like. Music!

Those sound annoying but he is willing to try them. Maybe he should just be outside most of the time if everything in here is delicate.

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It does music! They both play, one more than the other, as a hobby. One demonstrates and the other fetches oven mitts for him to try; if the basic idea is okay they can get something better fitted.

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Music!!! He clambers up onto the bench and possibly into a lap before the oven mitts arrive and stares at the piano's keys, head feathers all a-fluff.

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Awwww, lap Katmem! She'll play through the whole concerto.

Here are oven mitts for him to try.

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That's really good. Music is beautiful.

Oven mitts feel weird and restrict his 'paws' too much. Even the back legs are surprisingly dextrous in the paws and it's weird not to be able to flex each digit independent of the others because there's something covering them. Really little oven mitts that go over each sharp bit would be better, and none at all would be best.

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They can do individual-claw-mitts just for indoors until he's gotten good at not impulsively scratching pianos and things?

His foster mom is happy to play lots of piano with an alien baby in her lap.

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Not destroying things by accident is worth some discomfort sometimes.

He radiates contentment at the music. He reaches out and tries replicating a simpler bit with two clawtips after a while.

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Awwww! Does he want a piano lesson??

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He thinks he gets it, you press the things and it makes music, but lessons can't hurt!

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She's reading this sheet music, here! So that she can make the specific tune she wants.

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So, like pictures for music? To share with people? He might want to just play what he thinks sounds nice instead.

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Okay. Lessons can still help with playing by ear but he does not need to take piano lessons if he does not want them.

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Instead of piano lessons, he will sing ooo-aaa-uuu sounds and a babyish mental message of curiosity-about-everything and liking-pretty-things along with her playing.

(He does get antsy about being in a lap when the piano is no longer quite so new and exciting and curls up under the piano instead.)

Eventually he wants to know how the piano works, is it science?

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It's sort of science? Mostly in the sense that everything is science. They can show him inside under the lid if he'll let them pick him up (they're not sure it's a good idea for him to fly indoors).

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Hatchlings can't fly. His Creators told him that and he remembered it instead of forgetting, because crashing sounded scary.

...He is kind of nervous about being picked up but will try it.

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The piano-playing foster parent moves very slowly to scoop him up.

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He goes a little stiff and the feathers point out but he doesn't hiss or flinch away and still seems pretty calm. He peers at the piano.

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There are these strings, and these hammers, and here's how the hammers hit the strings when you press the keys!

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He stares in fascination at vibrating strings and abruptly realizes- The shorter ones make different sounds because sound is air moving (his science tutor said), and the strings are moving the air, and the moving is - different somehow - on short ones! Is that right???

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Yes! They can have his tutor cover sound waves next visit!

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YES he is smart! Learning things is very good! He is glad hatching has not been nearly as scary as he thought it would be! He would like to be put down now and go outside because he has a sudden urge to run around real fast.

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Okay! They can open the door for him.

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And he gleefully runs around the garden making little ee, ee noises.

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They have a big garden and it abuts a river. The garden includes a hammock, rosebushes, fruit trees, a mosaic wall, wooden benches in an aesthetic swoopy style, windchimes, hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and flowerbeds. There are a couple small outbuildings, one tucked into an orchard and one right by the river and one just by the hammock.

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This garden seems really great! He gives the hammock a wide berth, regarding it with suspicion. Like that couch pit. Unstable surfaces are not trustworthy! Roses are cool! Plants with teeth! Sort of. What a neat idea. Trees are nice, tall and sturdy and making pleasant sounds in breezes, even if fruit holds no appeal to him. The benches are pretty and make him think of wind.

He tilts his head left and right at the mosaic, even craning his whole neck almost 180 degrees upside down. Something inside him wants to pry the shiny tiles off and put them in a big pile somewhere - but that would ruin the art! 

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It would certainly do that. If he wants some tiles to make his own art with they can buy him a kit complete with plaster and a frame, though.

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Ooh. ...Why would they just GIVE him things though?

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Oh dear. ...why didn't this come up with the food or the tutor? They know he is not an Amentan kid but they are prepared here for something in the general conceptual space of raising an Amentan kid which definitely includes providing food, shelter, and art supplies at least up to reasonable limits. His job is to be adorable and learn things and do stuff and hopefully be okay with them posting all these photos and video snippets on their blog.

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He only thought of it now because a mosaic is unique and pretty enough to be Treasure. Which is just obviously great.

...He doesn't know what 'adorable' is like but learning things definitely sounds good. He is a little worried that if he turns out to be stupid or weak everyone will know because of the blog.

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If there's anything he doesn't want going up on the blog they can skip that? Adorable is stuff like flopping in somebody's lap while they play piano, or running around the garden looking at stuff, those are adorable.

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Then he'd better run around and look at stuff some more! The windchimes are nice and he sings along to their tinkling for a bit. He's very curious about the birds and insects, holding himself low and staring, halfway hidden behind a bench.

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Some of those are pollinators for the plants!

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He starts talking to a hummingbird, extremely simple and slow and even more wordless than usual. 'Are you hungry', 'What do I look like'. They can't hear the bird's response but it seems he can. The bird flies off to another set of flowers after a minute and he tromps after it.

Flowers are even prettier to hummingbirds!

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"You can see through their eyes?"

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I have to ask. It showed me a little bit then got distracted. It's always hungry.

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"Huh."

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He tries talking to bees and butterflies and they're almost totally incapable of responding. So he eats a bee.

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"Those can sting, be careful."

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He doesn't eat any more bees, but being stung doesn't sound that bad unless they have lethal venom or something. It wasn't very tasty anyway.

He tilts his head left and right when he finds the beehive though.

...The hive is greater than the all the bees together. It's almost like it has a soul.

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"The bees have simple behavior algorithms that let them all work together and cooperate!"

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He thinks maybe he can guess some of them from looking at the weird tangle of sixth-sense stuff that all the bees and larvae all together make? It's really cool how stupid bees make something smart-ish together. He could probably spend all day sitting here staring at it.

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He can do that if he'd like! The piano-playing one goes off to do something else, the other stays.

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He stares at bees contentedly, occasionally moving his tail or tilting his head.

 

 

After a while,

I don't like the name Katmem. But I don't know what name I would like.

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"Do you want us to come up with something else, or just think about it more?"

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I want to think about it more. Maybe for a long time. Today is only my first day.

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"Do you want us to just say 'the baby' when we talk about you, for now?"

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He is a hatchling, not a baby!

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"...what's the difference? People say 'baby bird' and 'baby turtle' even after they've hatched."

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...New Amentans are Amentan Hatchlings to him, then. 

He wanders towards the river. This really is a nice place to be, he likes it.

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Oh good!!!!

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Ooh, a little river. Excitement versus vague fear makes him hesitate.

...Swimming is probably safe-ish, right? 

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"It doesn't move very fast but it is deep enough to get your head under if you don't know how to swim. I don't know if you hatched knowing how or not."

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...He is a Draak. He's not going to let a little moving water make him afraid!

He steels himself for a bit and takes a charging leap into the river, splashing away. Apparently he does have at least a little bit of swimming instinct because he pops right back up, making a triumphant sound.

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The fosterblue applauds!

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"Gao! Gao!" Up and down and across the river he goes!

Swimming plus everything else is tiring enough that he finds a nook somewhere in the garden and naps after he's done with it.

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That's adorable.

When he wakes up it's lightly drizzling and someone has put an umbrella over his nook but nobody is immediately around.

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This thing is weird but seems useful for staying dry. Cool. He pokes gently at the plastic cover and metal frame, even tasting them. How was this thing made? He plucks at one of the thin metal supports. He picks at the little button just under where all the metal bits come together-

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The umbrella flumphs softly closed.

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With most of him inside it! He practically shrieks in surprise and tries to get out, succeeding after a few seconds of panicked scrambling.

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Somebody emerges from the house; it's the one who plays piano. "Are you all right?"

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He was betrayed by that treacherous rain-covering-thing when he tried to figure out how it works! It closed on him and he... Slightly panicked.

(The umbrella is lying in the grass, one of the ribs bent with three punctures from small claws in the plastic.)

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"- oh. We didn't want you to get rained on but we didn't think of that, I'm sorry."

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He wouldn't have wanted to get rained on either so thanks for that.

(Crest-feathers unfluff a bit as he calms.)

I should have not broken it though! And I didn't figure out how it works yet!

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"It's not expensive, it's okay. Do you want another one to look at?"

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Sure! He won't break it! (Sorry.)

...Inside, he doesn't like the drizzle.

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Inside they go. The broken umbrella gets trashed and the housekeeper fetches another.

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He plays with it for a while and thinks the little locks that keep it fully extended or fully closed are really clever because they're so simple but still do the job, and would like to add 'springs' to 'sound waves' on his tutor's docket!

Who was that other person?

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"Our housekeeper! She keeps things clean and manages the staff."

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He has Several Questions, none of which he manages to think about coherently. Eventually he settles on:

...Why?

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"- why what? Why keep the house clean? Why have someone to manage the staff? Why does she want to do those things for us?"

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Yes. All those 'why's. And why did she leave so soon?

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"We keep the house clean so it's pleasant to be in, and have someone to manage the staff so they all have all the tools they need and keep to an appropriate schedule and get paid on time and know if there's anything irregular they should know about going on and have someone to report that to without needing our attention every time, and she does it because we pay her - she's also been working for us for a long time so she might be fond of us but she wouldn't do it if we didn't pay her. And she left because she isn't supposed to hover unless we've asked her to be especially accessible."

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Clean is better than not clean. And you can pay people to do things. Those two points make sense. And liking people but not enough to do stuff for them for free, that makes sense too.

...So, her job is to take their money and use it to get other people to do other jobs? How many other people work for them?? They must be very important if it's more than one.

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"It's not uncommon to outsource cleaning and cooking and gardening and things like that. Blues like us are more likely to have dedicated household staff, but lots of people buy food at restaurants that someone else cooks at, or hires a few hours a week of a maid's time. Our gardener isn't full-time, for instance, and when we need repairs we don't have a single purple for that. Sometimes we have extra help when we're entertaining and she manages that, too."

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...He should learn everyone's names. It's probably hard to keep track of them by 'piano one' and 'not piano one' if there's more than two people he needs to know about.

...Also castes seem strange. He's not a blue, is he? Is Draak a caste?

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Draak don't have castes but he'll probably have a lot of the advantages of being blue just by growing up around blues.

"I'm Tish Ahtemik and my wife is Haemi Fanu and the housekeeper's Kadta be-Miyon Tusan - she's Voan, she moved here when she was a little girl - and the cook is Siuno Pip and the gardener is Theton Sahamte."

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I will try to remember. I need a name. I just don't like any of them yet.

I don't know what Voan is.

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"The country we live in is called Tapa. Voa is another country, one of our neighbors. They do names differently but she still uses her parentonymics even though she has a job name now too."

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...Well it doesn't not make sense that different countries do different things with names, since they don't pick their own names anyway.

Am I Tapai or Draak?

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"Both! You're a Draak with Tapai citizenship. I don't know how to predict other Draak will relate to that."

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I feel like they will expect me to behave like other Draak and be confused and alarmed if I don't.

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"If you like we can bring you to meet more Draak but I'm not sure socializing is actually how Draak learn to act like Draak."

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I'm not sure either. I just know some things and it's confusing because I'm not sure if I'm wrong.

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"Hmm. If you start out just knowing some things you were never told, they're probably normal Draak instincts, but they might not be normal guidelines for actual adult behavior. They could be vestigial. And even if they are normal Draak behavior that doesn't mean they're right. It used to be normal for Amentans to have a dozen children or more but we learned that we couldn't do that without making the world much worse, and now we have to disobey that instinct, even though we still have it."

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...You smell tasty. If I was bigger and didn't like you and didn't know Amentans think eating people is bad I might want to do it. But I'm not and do and know.

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"I'm glad you know that. One important thing about people is that we can understand the reasons we need to disobey some of our instincts. Animals can be trained to do all kinds of things, but they don't know what's going on when they're trained, and people can."

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That sounds slightly wrong. I just realized that I know animals have ways of being and can understand some things if you explain it using their way. But that might be wrong.

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"Hm, I think animals can understand some things, but pretty shallowly. Maybe with telepathic help they can understand more, but they don't do it by themselves."

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You have to explain it in a way that lines up with how they think!

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"They don't generate those explanations to explain things to themselves."

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Headtilt.

...Sounds wrong. Maybe Draak planet animals are all people.

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"Maybe. Since they can be magically genetically engineered it doesn't sound out of the question. ...it's probably bad if they are, because it doesn't seem likely they'll ever all be able to learn to deal with pollution properly."

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Pollution should probably an Amentan thing not an all people thing. There are going to be SO many people.

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"...that's not something we can decide based on what would be convenient."

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I mean aliens. There's too much everywhere.

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"We can't decide if aliens can generate pollution or not based on what would be convenient."

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Oh. I thought you were going to try to MAKE them be clean.

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"...well, we have to if we're going to be able to share any space with them, and we'd really like to be able to do that. And we're optimistic that even aliens who don't start with instincts about pollution like we have can learn about and learn how to do better."

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...Sounds wrong. But I'm really new. I don't know.

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"If you have any questions about this or anything else you can always ask us."

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If there's aliens who want to be left alone and be polluted you should let them.

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"Do you think so?"

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Yes.

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"We think that wouldn't be very good for the aliens, since being polluted is bad for people, and it would mean we'd have a big problem if they left their planet and started touching things on other planets, especially if the kind of planet they needed was like ours."

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Why is being polluted bad for people who aren't Amentans except that they can't be near Amentans?

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"Being polluted is inherently bad. Some kinds of people don't mind it, but that's a disorder. There are also people who can't feel pain, and this is also bad, even though people don't like to be in pain, because it means they can't tell what to avoid and often injure themselves."

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Sounds wrong. Sounds maybe like an Amentan instinct that needs to be ignored like having twelve kids.

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"Even if you decide to believe that for yourself, polluting people or things is a very serious crime you have to avoid. It's a capital crime if it gets bad enough."

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I'm not gonna do that I just don't think you should make all the aliens you find clean like you like. I'm too little and new to be important enough that it matters and I'm not even really really sure but that's what I think right now. Maybe I'll change my mind growing up.

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"You've got plenty of time to think about it! And you can think whatever makes sense to you as long as you know how to follow the law and do it consistently."

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He droops slightly and goes quiet and pensive and curls up on the entryway floor.

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She goes over to the piano and plays something fluttery.

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I want to see the rest of this house. And sleep soon.

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"Okay, let's get you a tour," she says, standing up. "Haemi! The baby wants a house tour, we can show him his room, he's getting sleepy. - we set up a room for you, in case that's more comfortable than napping in the garden, but either is fine."

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I'll have to see it!

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Haemi emerges from the room on the right. "A tour sounds good! In here -"

In there is a parlor; it has its own screen currently displaying a view of the ocean panned over from the air, and a broad horseshoe-shaped coffee table and sideboard and a big window looking out on the garden and a shelf of board games and a table with video game consoles tucked into it.

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Hello, he says to Haemi.

He wonders what the boxes on the shelf are at his guides. They look neat and slightly important.

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"They're games! We can show them to you when you're not about to go to bed; they'd take a while to introduce," says Tish.

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...Ooh. 'Games' is a bit of a strange concept but it does sound fun.

Tomorrow!

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"Yup!"

The parlor has a doorway down to a storage basement but they don't go down there. Here's the dining room! It has thirty chairs. "We usually eat in a smaller nook; this is for when we have company," says Tish.

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He doesn't see why. It's kind of impressive. He wants to know what's behind that door.

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"That's where we keep things we won't use for a while, like seasonal clothes, and things Kadta uses and we don't, like the vacuum."

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That makes perfect sense. All your things have to go somewhere and the less important ones can go out of sight as long as you still know where they are.

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The dining room has a door to the kitchen! Tish and Haemi usually aren't in here but they can show the baby. There's ovens and a stove and a walk-in fridge and a freezer and a big pantry and cupboards full of kitchen implements. They had dinner while he was napping in the garden and the cook has gone home but if he wants a snack here's where they're keeping his food in the fridge.

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He could probably eat like five times as much as he did before! But doesn't need to right now. The kitchen things are all interesting and he wonders how they work, but sleeeeepy.

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"Do you want to go to your room next and finish the tour in the morning?"

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That sounds good. He is curious about everything but is so tired.

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Up the stairs in the atrium is a wraparound corridor, railing looking down on the atrium on the inside curve and doors out. This door is his room! It has an ensuite bathroom, a bed that will be big enough for him for a while, and a big shallow bowl full of assorted shiny objects ranging from artistic glass marbles and beads to souvenir silver knicknacks and a couple old fashioned coins and a small gold spoon. They know Draak like shiny stuff so while he's been incubating they threw some stuff together!

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He's going to try sleeping in the bed but not liking soft surfaces might be some kind of Draak instinct but maybe he will get used to it.

Ooooh. Those things are definitely shiny! He likes them a lot. So they should take them away and make him earn or find them! Because as much as he wants to just have it all he thinks you should earn your Treasure. ...Well, they should take most of them, he particularly likes this one coin.

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...okay, they can hide them while he sleeps and do a treasure hunt and keep some back for, uh, accomplishing educational goals? And the coin can stay.

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Having shiny things is really nice but my Creators told me the point of getting Treasure isn't to have Treasure, but that getting it is hard and proves you are strong or smart. That's why.

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"Okay! Sleep well," says Tish, and they let themselves out.

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He rearranges pillows and blankets with a little difficulty and nibbles lightly on the coin a bit and is soon fast asleep, curled up in a little nest of bedding, coin resting between his chin and the tip of his tail. He sleeps pretty soundly.

 

Meanwhile, Toama has vanished into the forest for several hours and comes back with some small scratches on one of her arms - wings - and her head feathers rather rumpled. She's moving just a little bit slower and has a pretty rock in her mouth.

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"- hello," says Pep. "What happened to you?"

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I fell out of a tree and found a nice rock!

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"That is a nice rock! What are you going to do with it?"

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Keep it and have it because it's pretty!

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"Where will you put it?"

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I didn't think that far ahead. Maybe I will bury it somewhere until I decide.

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"We could get you a box, if you like."

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If I had a den I would put it there. Actually I don't know where I'm going to sleep but I thought it would be here somewhere. And now that I thought of it I really want to bury it! So nobody else finds it!

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"We do have a room for you but I was assuming you might not want it, since presumably in normal circumstances you'd be living outdoors."

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I want a cave but a room might be good.

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"Well, you can dig yourself a cave and in the meantime come on in and see your room."

The room has a bed and a sink and a window big enough for her to jump out of if she wants and large nature prints on the walls.

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She puts the rock under the bed and sniffs and stares at the nature prints.

These are neat even though they're not real! I want to see these places someday!

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"You can probably do that! That one's a place in this very park."

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Yay!

Also! She hasn't set anything on fire today even though she really wanted to when she fell out of the tree. Is there something she can set on fire? Or maybe she can just do fire into the air but that's not as fun probably.

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They have an old fashioned fireplace! She can set some kindling on fire in there - "though it's a warm enough day we won't want a fire going long."

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Fire is part of being a Draak!!!

She impatiently waits for it to be ready and- Fwooosh. It's a fairly little flame, as befits a small Draak. Like half a dozen lighters taped together.

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The paper goes up in flames and the kindling catches!

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SUCCESS!

She stares at the pretty flames.

I'm going to be better at fire when I'm bigger!

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"Yup! Next time the park has a campfire safety class we should bring you to it."

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Okay. I remember that fire will eat everything if you let it.

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"Mm-hm, but you can learn not to let it."

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She does that tail-nod again.

I found two more shelf fungus.

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"Can you show me?"

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She will totally show Pep the mushrooms! One is about ten minutes' walk from the cabin and one is small and new.

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"Ooh, good find, I might've missed this little one till it was bigger."

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Horray!

I want to learn more kinds of things you're looking for and find them ALL!

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"All right, let's find more mushrooms!" He helps her find a few more and tells her what they're all called.

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She's really curious about all the plants and mosses and insects and animals too, but she understands that Pep likes mushrooms best.

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Pep didn't actually specialize in mushrooms till university so he knows plenty about plants and mosses, and some about insects and animals.

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This is a lovely way to spend the day. She investigates interesting rocks as they go, but deems none of them pretty enough to be hers.

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Sunwind is still in considerable pain from the radiation cleanse but can, like, think and move around now so if someone could email the studios he was working with that would be nice.

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Miamoto does this.

The fight studio doesn't feel like rescuing the concept now that none of Sunwind's would-be costars are available. If he can scare up replacements maybe they can re-work it but they're not optimistic.

The feature film studio has actually been looking into having their script idea animated but could pivot back to live action if he's clean now and there's no other nasty surprises. Meksi quit her internship, though, they'd have to get him a different assistant.

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He might be able to round up some other people but they wouldn't be as good at it as the ones he chose at first.

He definitely did the radiation thing. They can ask all these blues and yellows. It sucked. He doesn't think there's any other nasty surprises but he didn't see the first one coming, so who knows really? He'd never eat waste and has never even seen a red, those being the other two flavors of this exact problem. Also, dang, he liked Meksi.

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Well, Meksi was very upset and had another opportunity lined up so she's working for a different studio now. They can find him someone else to replace her and anyone else who can't stand it even post-cleaning.

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It's not his fault. He would have done the cleaning thing before if anyone realized he was supposed to.

Anyway, he's fine with all new people if the director and choreographer - the one from that one movie with the rogue planet - are the same as before.

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They don't say "well you could have just NOT EATEN PEOPLE" because they have any sense of how to make a business deal.

The director will stay on and the choreographer will if they pay more.

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So should he fly to the studio again or what? He remembers where it is relative to here.

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Yeah, he can come back.

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He does so and lands gracefully in that one loading dock.

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His new assistant is a different purple. "Hello. I'm Taku Temnin."

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Hello! I am Sunwind and I'm excited to be back! Did they give you my email account?

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"They did, yeah, and I got forwards of your correspondence with Meksi too. Do you need anything right now?"

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They probably threw out all the stuff that was in that set warehouse, right? Some new privacy dividers would be good if they did.

Huh, they're not nearly as excited about this as Meksi. Well, whatever. This whole mess is kind of an awful collision but he refuses to feel too bad about it.

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"Yes, they did, but I got you some more in advance of your coming, you can set them up now if you like."

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He will go do that and also ask Temnin what the schedule looks like. He can practice excluding greenscreen material from his camouflage if there's nothing more urgent to do.

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There's nothing more urgent; nobody was positive till today that they were going to restart the project (working title: Project Soufath, it'll probably be called something else after there's a more firmly nailed down script and they want to get teasers online). They're going to re-issue the casting call for the costar and resume script workshops, though.

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He's glad this thing can still happen! Cheerful camouflage practice ensues.

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His assistant comes by to translate emails for him: Shian Epechi had been very interested before but in everyone's absence picked up a TV show and will be shooting on location on a moon for the foreseeable future. They're having other folks read for the role starting tomorrow.

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Making a movie on a moon is an interesting idea! And now he kind of wants to experience weak gravity, and learn to move and fight in it, but he's got lots of time for that later. Whoever that is, hopefully they will have fun.

Can you see if the flying harness someone designed can get remade and - someone grey I guess - wants to try flying with me? I never got to do that before. It seems important to practice that well in advance. The mannequin was a little tricky to fly with but an actual person might be different. Less floppy. And it sounds fun.

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The rigger can make it again, yeah. Here's him and a stuntgrey!

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He is so excited! Carrying an Amentan who can hold and use tools while he flies is a really neat concept and he thinks they'll have fun!

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The stuntgrey's pretty into it! The rigger is cooler but he buckles the thing on and shows the stuntgrey where to sit and gets her strapped in.

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He sends a low nudge-y stream of thought about what he's about to do. He's about to walk forwards a bit - and then does it. He's about to turn around - and does that.

Are you getting that alright? I think if when I'm about to do something you get ready, you can stop yourself from flopping around like a mannequin and it'll be easier for both of us.

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"Yeah, I can hear you. It should help, easier than riding a horse."

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Of course it'll be easier, I am no mere horse!

He's about to take a charging dash forwards! He's about to start flapping! And now they're in the air! The feeling of wind pushing up against your wings is just the best! Higher, higher, higher...

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"Whooooo!"

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He's about to bank gently left!

His left wing squeezes against her leg as it's tucked closer in for the turn. There's a little bit of a freefall sensation, he's losing speed and height while not flapping and taking a long, slow turn above the studio.

How advanced should I get?

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I think I'm doing okay so far but if you change direction real suddenly it's bad for my head!

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Yeah, you leaned into that turn! Much better than dead weight was! I'll escalate slowly and you tell me when I get close to too much?

He's about to level out and ascend again.

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Yeah, go for it.

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Here's some sharper turns! Here's some spiraling-down turns! Here's him deliberately just barely not stalling! Here's a lovely forty-five degree dive! Here's as fast as he can possible go in level flight! Here's a half-loop-downward-and-roll! Here's a really steep dive! 

Flying is so awesome especially when you are feeling a passenger's adrenaline rush and feedback-looping about it!

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The stuntgrey is super into it!!!

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(He looks around the ground for anyone who seems to be recording and deliberately gives them a nice view if there is.)

He has a pretty big supply of tricks!

Eventually, I don't want to try the really hard stuff with you there, worried I'd crash. Any requests before I go land?

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I like the dive best, can I get another dive?

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I'd do my spindive landing but that's asking for a face full of dirt if I screw it up. I can survive that, but I don't wanna bet you can.

He climbs bit higher, deliberately stalls, and falls over into a near-vertical dive, falling like an arrow!

Holds it... And holds it... The ground is starting to rush up...

And then he levels out, and glides and lands heavily, skidding slightly and panting huge whufs of breath.

Excellent fun! And probably cinematic!

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"Whooooo-ooo! Yeah, that'd be amazing!"

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I'm surprised how well that worked actually! I thought it would be harder. Still pretty hard.

He lays down on the loading dock, body heaving a foot or more up and down with each breath.

Can you get out or do you need someone to do that?

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"I got it!" She unbuckles herself and hops down, running her fingers through her hair.

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Would people really pay to be flown around? It's really fun, I suppose.

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"Oh yeah! You could have a line going for blocks! Probably have to make them sign a waiver."

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A - waiver? Huh. Weird concept. Doing tricks like that is really exhausting though, I'd have to keep it tamer if I wanted to give lots of people turns.

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"Then maybe it could be a shorter waiver."

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I'd like to do that. I have a movie to do for now though.

 

Can you get this thing off of me? It's starting to chafe around where your legs go.

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"Sure." She unclips it in enough places to tug it off.

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Huff, huff.

Thank you. I'm just going to lie here for a bit.

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"Sure thing, thanks for the ride!"

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Sunwind doesn't nap right there on the loading dock, but he does rest for a bit. Then he wanders towards his set warehouse, looking for Temnin or food or anything else interesting.

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Temnin's hanging out by his lair entrance. "Hi, can I get you anything?"

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(Meksi would probably have been out there at the dock, grinning at him. Sigh.)

Food? The rigger so I can ask for an adjustment on the harness?

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"Sure, just a minute."

He goes away and comes back with a cooler full of whole raw chickens and then goes away again and comes back with the rigger.

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He tells the rigger all about how the harness was really good - and it's kind of amazing how they can come up with stuff like that - except for this one spot where it chafed.

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"I can put some padding there but I don't want to give it too much ease. Sound all right?"

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Sure. Nothing I can't endure anyway.

He eats the chickens after the rigger leaves.

...And now he's thinking about how depressing the idea of factory farming is and morbidly wondering if he could visit one of the places himself. Probably a bad idea. He can almost taste sadness in the meat, though surely he's just imagining it. Hmm. Some shiny trinkets would cheer him up.

Temnin, if there's no script workshop I should go to or anything else today could you come shopping for shiny things with me somewhere? I think I have an advance, or a loan, or a personal budget, or something like that.

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"Yeah, you do. Do you know where you want to go?"

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I don't know places, but I know things I want - Art and jewelry and interesting trinkets, geodes, incense or scented candles, maybe a big TV and some puzzle games I heard good things about those.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay, I guess we can start at a mall, if you don't want to shop online. Let me find walking directions, I'd usually go by subway..."

Permalink Mark Unread

I don't really want to shop online. I could probably fly around and land in the middle of a city but it does seem possibly alarming, so walking is fine.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'd worry you'd hit something if you misjudged how fast a scooter was going or something. Okay, we start going up 46th." He leads the way.

Permalink Mark Unread

Nothing in a city (or whatever this half-city area is supposed to be) could possibly scare him. Except people with guns. He follows along cherrily.

 

What does Temnin mean? Is it weird or bad to be someone's replacement?

Permalink Mark Unread

"It means coffee, I haven't picked a new one since I worked in the caffeine department. I'm still thinking about it. I don't mind being a replacement. Meksi's a little too on the hyper side, I guess."

Permalink Mark Unread

You should think about your names a lot, he agrees. I regret 'Sunwind' sometimes but everyone knows me by it now! I feel a little bad about Meksi specifically, too.

Permalink Mark Unread

"What's wrong with 'Sunwind'? It's a nice enough name."

Permalink Mark Unread

It's the same kind of thing everyone names themselves when they don't have any unique and interesting qualities or accomplishments! I'll probably add a new clause to my long name when the movie is done and maybe even go by it.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Makes sense. You could announce it at the premiere."

Permalink Mark Unread

That's a good idea. I'll have to think of a good name.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You could consult on your character's name and pick up a bit of it."

Permalink Mark Unread

I probably need to talk to the writers and director about who he is a lot if I'm going to act like him. Terraforming a planet, either guarding or helping some other way... There's a lot of personalities that could draw someone to such a role.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I could probably find you books on acting and read them to you if you want."

Permalink Mark Unread

If I run out of things to do, sure. Or watching movies and you explain what parts are good and why.

At some point I'd like something I can climb on, or somewhere I can dig, I don't think that other studio would be happy if I went back in the hole I dug there.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, it's probably filled in by now. I can ask around but we're not out in the middle of nowhere like them."

Permalink Mark Unread

I can dig a tunnel to some place when there's not movie stuff to do if anyone wants to pay for that. Or fly people around, the stuntgrey I tried the harness with said it was really fun.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I can look at excavation ads and help you post one about giving people rides for sure. I think there might be some kind of limit on running a side hustle from the studio premises but it's possible it doesn't apply to you."

Permalink Mark Unread

That's part of the complicated maze of systems I don't understand at all! Perhaps I should try to understand but it's much easier to ask you to do it. I'll buy a harness from the studio, and pay them back for your time if you spend a lot of it on this if that makes sense as the thing to do, I'll go somewhere else or pay for whatever's needed to organize the excavation and rides thing... And the movie comes first.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, it should all work out, it's just maybe complicated enough it could take a while. If you want really fast results you should probably ask a blue, a blue can just do something that probably no one will actually mind and then clean it up if they do actually mind, but the rest of us can't do that."

Permalink Mark Unread

If you do it does that probably look most like two days, or ten, or forty?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Probably two, even after the fiasco 'it's for the alien' smooths things some."

Permalink Mark Unread

Tail-thump.

I would have waited for ten but not forty, probably. 

...I should probably not argue about the fiasco.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I haven't got a ton to say about it. It was a fiasco, they fixed it and we're good now, yeah?"

Permalink Mark Unread

(But it definitely wasn't my fault. Know when to shut up, he thinks to himself.)

Yes.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Mall's that big one with the flags and garlands."

Permalink Mark Unread

Looks like I can fit inside! Good.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You might not be able to get into every shop individually."

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He mentally shrugs and goes inside, doing his best to ignore the crowds.

Permalink Mark Unread

People stare at him and take many photos and whisper and elbow each other. Everybody with a kid takes very firm hold of the kid lest there be a repeat of the well-publicized incident with Bloom that one time. Here is a pretzel shop, here a clothing store, here a walk-in brothel; there is the sign for the food court, a jewelry shop, a bookstore mostly aimed at children; ahead, an escalator to the next floor, a shopful of houseplants, a shoe shop, a furniture store, a store full of baby clothes, a specialty candle shop, a candy store.

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He peers into the jewelry shop.

Ooh, many shinies. How much money do I have after reserving some for a TV and puzzle games?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Uh, depends how many puzzle games. You could get four things yea pricey." He points at a ring. "Won't fit you, I don't know if you care."

Permalink Mark Unread

The head feathers puff up at this.

I'm not sure if jewelry is more expensive than I thought or my advance is smaller than I thought.

He peers at the staff inside.

Permalink Mark Unread

Purples, staring at him! Also a yellow customer and an orange one.

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He looks at the entrance to the shop, decides it's better not to try to squeeze into it with so many delicate things and Amentans around, and says to the closer purple:

Hello! I want to buy shiny things. Do you have some that are cheaper than those rings?

Permalink Mark Unread

"- yeah, the - you don't even really have ears, do you - the earrings on this rack are pretty cheap, the cut glass stuff over there is cheap -"

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I have ears, I just listen to what you mean with your brain instead of the words you say with your mouth. I can't wear rings either! I want jewelry because it's shiny and intricate and decorative and to a Draak that means it is just obviously good to have.

He peers at the two specified things.

Please bring some out, I can't see them too well from here?

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The purple grabs some earrings in gold-filled and agate, and a green glass pendant.

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He ever-so-gently takes them and turns them over between a blunt part of two claws, then returns them.

I like the rock-like ones, but the pendant seems a lot sturdier... Do you have agate and other stone pendants?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Uh, let me check." He can turn up amethyst, malachite, and snowflake obsidian in pendant form.

Permalink Mark Unread

He will buy about one ring's worth of these after agonizing over the display a bit, carefully trading off prettiness and price, massive tail wagging.

The obsidian remembers its birth in fire...

Permalink Mark Unread

"...it's a volcanic rock," says the purple tentatively, though mentally he's going why did we wind up with superstitious aliens.

Permalink Mark Unread

That purple wasn't intending to say that second part so he doesn't hear it, though some of the tone comes through. (Sigh.)

Do you sell display cases?

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"Uh, little ones, not whole shelves but I can get you a plastic box."

Permalink Mark Unread

Hmm, do you have metal or wood boxes?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Not... around. We have fabric ones intended for surprise presents but they're not see-through so they're not intended for display but maybe I'm not clear what you mean by display if metal or wood would do. Uh, you might be happier with the selection at our competitor Corundum Fancies -"

"Dude!" says the other shoppurple.

"- but their stuff is more expensive."

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I was thinking something I could hang them on little hooks with, like you have in here, it's neat. And then I could open it to look at them and close it and carry it around easily. I don't know what to think of plastic is why I asked about wood and metal.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I don't think I can sell you a rack with the little hooks, sorry. I can find the brand of ours if you like."

Permalink Mark Unread

Tail-flick.

Tell Temnin and maybe I'll get one from somewhere later. I still want all the pendants. If you are cheaper, that means I get more shiny for the same money.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay..." The purple finds the manufacturer's label on the bottom of a wooden case of charm bracelets and gives it to Temnin. ("Temnin?" "I haven't picked a new one yet.") The other purple bags the jewelry for him.

Permalink Mark Unread

He is thinking quietly about the nature of plastic and suspects that it's probably more aligned with Air than anything else but he needs to learn more.

Out loud, he says, I can carry the bag if you want. I want to see the candle store next. Nice scents that burn to nothingness seem appropriately luxurious.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It won't make it hard to walk?" asks Temnin.

The candle store has decorative ones as well as scented ones. Vanilla is on sale.

Permalink Mark Unread

He sends a mental image of him holding the bag strap over one of his slightly less pointy teeth.

He sticks his head into the store and sniffs back and forth a bit, but once again doesn't attempt to actually enter.

That 'silver pine forest' candle doesn't smell much like any forest I've ever seen.

Permalink Mark Unread

Temnin hands over the bag. "Maybe our trees smell different? I've never been in a forest, I don't think, or at least not a pine one."

Permalink Mark Unread

It's sort of like a painting of a forest, not a real forest? Like that concept art, vague swirls of blue and green and brown and white that sort of resemble a real actual planet.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well, real forests aren't made of wax either. I dunno, I've never taken a candlemaking class."

Permalink Mark Unread

I'll buy some anyway. The idea of luxuries that get used up forever is a little transgressive and a little thrilling!

His selection of what scents he likes seems fairly random. He wants a couple big ones of each scent he likes if that doesn't add up to much more than he spent in the jewelry place.

Permalink Mark Unread

Candles aren't expensive; they get bagged up and the purple throws in a little vanilla one for free.

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He will carry these bags on his teeth too! What else is in the mall?

Permalink Mark Unread

If they go up a level - Sunwind can probably climb up over this railing if he's very careful, but Temnin doesn't think he ought to try the escalator - there's more clothes, and a souvenir shop with a bunch of stuff themed around the city's claims to fame printed on various objects, and an electronics shop, and a toy store, and a store devoted entirely to disposable plastic covers and protectors and bags and the like for keeping things from touching other things, and a store with dishes and silverware, and a tabletop game store in the middle of a tournament.

Permalink Mark Unread

He can successfully climb up a level very very carefully. He appreciates the challenge of delicacy, if anything. Still, he tries it near a support pillar, just in case.

-What's going on in there? He wonders of the tabletop game store.

Permalink Mark Unread

"They're playing a game to see who's best at it. Sign says the game's called 'Windowpane', I don't know it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Ooh, now I'm interested. Contests are fun. Could you find out what it's about?

Permalink Mark Unread

Temnin sticks his head in. "Sunwind wants to know what Windowpane's about -"

A few people jostle each other for the opportunity to be the one to tell Sunwind what Windowpane is about. A green wins. "Windowpane is a deckbuilding game - uh, that means there are some cards, and you try to put together a group of cards according to a set of rules, that will then perform well according to another set of rules but it takes a while to get good at it - and this is a tournament celebrating the new set release."

Permalink Mark Unread

Correctly preparing a 'deck' is the key to victory, then?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Yeah, that's right. And then using the deck once you have it."

Permalink Mark Unread

Preparation is key but correct movement in the moment is important too? This is a truth in more things than just games. It seems a little strange to make up complicated rules and compete by them, but possibly fun. I think I might like to learn this game - if my helper doesn't mind the delay? He glances at Temnin.

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm here for you, I can hang out," says Temnin.

"It's too late to enter but I've already been eliminated, I'll teach you if the store'll loan us a basic set," says the green.

The store will do this!

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I wouldn't want to enter a contest in my very first attempt, I would obviously lose!

 

...He gravely listens to the explanation of how to play.

Permalink Mark Unread

The premise of Windowpane is that you are trying to build a town; cards include abstracted population (described as individuals but representing more people than that), buildings, transit, policy options, and a handful of rarer things. There is a quick building phase and then the neighborhoods continue to grow as a series of event cards must be responded to with the contents of the towns. "The green who invented this was aiming at the blue schoolkid audience but it picked up a recreational play following," says the green teaching them (Temnin has to play because three is the minimum number of players).

Permalink Mark Unread

...He is kind of bad at this game.

I don't have intuitions about any of these things. Like why trains are better than buses or what the difference between the kinds of houses are for. And I can't read the cards. It's making me want to steal the idea but have it be managing an ecosystem well enough that you don't starve, though.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Trains aren't always better, it depends what kind of strategy you're using. I could see an ecosystem deckbuilder, that might work."

Permalink Mark Unread

He plays out two full matches, asking questions about strategies and the cards, and thanks the green for showing him how to play. Maybe he will want to try it again some time, it's complicated and twisty enough to be interesting even though it's just a game.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, if you like them twisty you want something like Jewels of Sarispen."

"Isn't that the one where -" begins Temnin.

"Yeah, the one where you can subscribe to a rules interpretation service. You wanna houserule it a little to make it tolerable but once you get into it -"

Permalink Mark Unread

-Huh. I think Draak don't play games like this much, so I'm not actually sure what counts as twisty. I guess this one might be more 'complicated' than 'twisty'.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It gets more elaborate later on and at high levels of play people can pull some incredible fuckery."

Permalink Mark Unread

I can imagine something really weird happening in a corner where all these moving parts meet the right way - yeah, that's what I meant. What's that other one about though?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sarispen? It's fantasy theme, wizards with magic rocks trying to manipulate a field of play to set up the conditions to do more spells and achieve one of nine win conditions or a forfeit."

Permalink Mark Unread

That sounds fun too, and it does sound like it could be twisty, do they have it here?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure, the whole range except they're sold out of Whiteburn Diamond packs."

Permalink Mark Unread

Packs?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, uh, for Jewels of Sarispen - and some styles of Windowpane too but not the tournament style I taught you - you don't all start with a common pool of cards, you just own cards and make a deck with them and that's your deck. And you buy new ones to make more decks or refine yours. But the packs have random assortments. It's kind of a blatant cash grab honestly but if you're playing casually you can get people to accept a common card with a different card's name written on it and if you're playing to win prizes you can buy whatever specific cards you want already out of the pack."

Permalink Mark Unread

He gives a tail flick. That sounds annoying. I don't like feeling cheated. Maybe I will still buy some if the movie does well.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Nobody's cheating anybody, you know they're random and how rare everything is when you buy a pack and people trade."

Permalink Mark Unread

But it FEELS cheaty. So I'll pass.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay, I don't get a cut of the sales or anything, I'm just saying."

Permalink Mark Unread

Are there games that don't do the 'buy more forever' thing?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Sure, most of them. But you don't tend to get big communities of those unless they're certain specific ones with lots of traction like Gingham or Isoceles. The ones with a ton of expansions, with or without the randomized packs element, are the ones people stay interested in for years because there's novelty."

Permalink Mark Unread

I was going to buy video games because someone on our planet had some and they looked interesting, but I think I want some board games too. Maybe not deck builders.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Oh, sure, there's tons of kinds, do you know anything about what you do want?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Apparently puzzle video games are the best kind for Draak? Something with not so many cards maybe? A fantasy or nature theme?

Permalink Mark Unread

"I'm less into video games myself - hey Muo -"

"Kinda busy!" calls Muo from the tournament.

"Just real quick rec a nature or fantasy puzzle video game for Sunwind here."

"Uh. Um. Tree Palace, it's a whole series."

"Thanks Muo."

Permalink Mark Unread

I'll make sure to get one of those, but I meant a board game!

He radiates amusement.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Well then why did you bring up video games - uh, how about Spell Tiles, it's new so maybe it won't hold up in a year but I like it. Has a solitaire version and you can get fancy shiny tilesets if you're into that."

Permalink Mark Unread

Because there are other kinds of video games, but the puzzle ones are apparently best for us. I thought that would be useful information for recommending a different format of game. Fancy tilesets do sound like Treasure...

Permalink Mark Unread

"You place tiles and if you do it in certain ways you turn over parts of the layer below which changes what you can place next, I've seen it get eight layers deep."

Permalink Mark Unread

Tail-wag. Yes, I want that. It's less expensive than jewelry, right? He glances at Temnin.

Permalink Mark Unread

"With the fancy tiles? Depends on the jewelry. There's a cheap app version though if you just want to try it on your pocket everything," says the green.

Permalink Mark Unread

I don't have one of those and don't really want to get one. I'd break it before the sun sets. I think I will buy a cheap physical version.

Permalink Mark Unread

The green goes and finds one, weaving around the tournament as it goes into an uproar over a ruling on orange population's interaction with a public health event, and reports that a cheap plastic Spelltiles is the same price as one of the pendants. Temnin goes in to buy it for Sunwind.

Permalink Mark Unread

Too many people here, he tells Temnin. I'm getting anxious. This was good but I want to get the TV and Tree Palace and go before it gets intolerable.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay."

They find a place with the Tree Palace series - the first one is cheapest - and a place willing to deliver a TV and walk back to the studio.

Permalink Mark Unread

I don't want any more help for today. I'm going to arrange my new stuff and practice camouflage and sleep. 

Permalink Mark Unread

Wire has managed to get back to Amenta by now. He is not a cannibal. He tries to figure out what the auction site thinks about all his auctions that were in progress or not yet shipped when everything blew up.

Permalink Mark Unread

They're all labeled "suspended - technical/logistical difficulties - click here to receive an update when the auction resumes".

Permalink Mark Unread

Does the seller portal look any different or offer clues on how to put them back in motion?

Permalink Mark Unread

The seller portal has a button that says "All's well, resume" or "Cancel auction".

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He resumes them all and posts on Quoteme and Ourplatform that auctions of his art are resumed! Anyone who won an auction but didn't get the goods yet will be getting shipping tracking numbers soon.

Permalink Mark Unread

Everyone is glad to hear that he is not a cannibal and that they'll get their stuff!

Permalink Mark Unread

He very carefully avoids the topic of pollution online. He emails to ask that university if auditing classes can still happen and the population control blue who helped him initially about applying for Tapai residency.

Permalink Mark Unread

He can still audit, though the schedule is no longer convenient for him to enter at the beginning of a semester. That matters less for auditing anyway.

The population control blue can get him the appropriate status.

Permalink Mark Unread

Wire has a grand time being popular on the internet and making a lot of money at art auction. Money is useful for buying raw materials and workspace.

He arranges a time and flies back to the university after finding a garage or similar to rent in the nearby town. He has acquired a stylish green scarf at some point, wrapped around and around his neck, and lands outside the correct building just before the correct time. He's even wearing little rubber things on his claws that help them work more like fingers without scratching things, so he can open the door himself!

Permalink Mark Unread

And here is the registrar! "Hello, Wire! Do you have an idea of what courses you want to take?"

Permalink Mark Unread

I want to take the electromagnetism physics class to make sure my understanding of it has no major gaps, some of the sample tests I found were confusing but I'm not sure if it's because of the language or because I am missing something important. Other than that, I'm not really sure except that I'm more interested in science and engineering than anything else. Maybe intro to computer science, maybe something in crop science or ecology, maybe intro to communications systems, maybe integrated circuits design, maybe something in the math curriculum or chemistry.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Do you want to take a math placement test and see if you're interested in the level you'd be ready for?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Yes! I might not understand the notation but understand the concepts, but if that's the case then perhaps I need the class anyway.

Permalink Mark Unread

"It's pretty notation-heavy and a lot of people get through math by symbol manipulation without keeping all the concepts in their heads, so it'd be a special concern there, yeah. Let me pull up a placement test and send you the login." She does this.

Permalink Mark Unread

He is rather heavily impaired by the notation, especially once you get beyond algebra, and the placement test thinks he should go for Calculus I.

Permalink Mark Unread

"Okay, in light of that I think you should get a student tutor - someone'll want to have 'taught a Draak math' on their CV, even though we don't subsidize tutoring when you're not paying tuition. That'll catch you up on notation to use in your other classes and maybe in a math class later. You'll be handicapped in the math-heavy sciences but we can put you down for electromagnetism physics anyway, and comp sci and intro agricultural science and intro ecology and if you want to take five things the chem class - that's got notation too but doesn't get into the weeds about it at the intro level and it's less abstract, somebody in the lecture hall will be managing to think about actual chemicals most of the time probably."

Permalink Mark Unread

I know math, it's just not your math! But of course giving me tutoring benefits the giver in some way. It only makes sense. Five seems like at least one too many classes... Might want to drop crop science. I'm not so much into crops. I'll be a resource for Draak who want to export food and save some land from becoming fields if I do, though, so... Yes, I'll keep it.

I'm paying tuition, aren't I? I'm going to pay to audit the classes? Or I thought I was. It'll be really interesting seeing what you teach in terms of ecology. It's a popular study among Draak and I think I would already know the basics, but again I can't be sure, so best to try it anyway.

Permalink Mark Unread

"You're not paying full tuition which comes with extra resources like tutoring subsidy, sorry, I was unclear. Auditing is less expensive."

Permalink Mark Unread

Okay. From my art sales I have - He gives a figure - And I think I can earn about a third of that per month surplus of rent and materials if I spend enough time making more, is it enough for auditing?

Permalink Mark Unread

"It is, yeah."

Permalink Mark Unread

Good. I want to audit those four classes but not chemistry. What now?

Permalink Mark Unread

"Now I'll send you your class schedule - there. Any questions?"

Permalink Mark Unread

Do I get library access?

Permalink Mark Unread

"You do, yes."

Permalink Mark Unread

Nothing else, then!

He looks at the schedule.

Permalink Mark Unread

He has comp sci four days a week, and ecology two of those days, and physics and agricultural science on three days, so he has all the classes on one day but the others are sparser.

Permalink Mark Unread

He thanks the registrar and goes about getting textbooks and syllabuses and figures out how to pay his fees and checks on an auction and then goes to the next class on the schedule. 

Permalink Mark Unread

His first class is ecology! It's midsemester and they're talking about what happened in a certain region when the apex predators declined.

Permalink Mark Unread

(He arrives early and introduces himself to people.)

Permalink Mark Unread

He can get all their names back. Most don't have jobnames yet; the three Shians and two Shahns and two Nimos are disambiguating with florid adjectives.

Permalink Mark Unread

He's friendly and attentive and mostly remembers names. Is the class session all lecture or some discussion?

Permalink Mark Unread

It's a lecture and then breaks up into student-chosen discussion sessions. He can have his pick of them.

Permalink Mark Unread

He picks one at the edge of the room.

Anywhere a Draak lives can't sustain as many apex predators because we ARE those.

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"Do you wipe them out on purpose when you move in some place or do they just starve?" wonders one of the Shians (the Illustrious one).

Permalink Mark Unread

It varies by Draak. Mostly the latter. It's rare for them to be wiped entirely from a region - and you sometimes make agreements with your neighbors where a range is split between your territories to only hunt one every season or whatever - we've noticed evolutionary trends toward smaller sizes and scavenging in a lot of predators, though.

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"You must've been paying attention for a pretty long time to have noticed that," remarks a green called Afeh.

"When they starve does that tend to have effects on the existing scavenger population, and the fungi, and stuff?" wonders Illustrious Shian.

Permalink Mark Unread

My species has been on Newhome for about four hundred years. I didn't specifically study ecology back home so I may be missing things, but yes - things change constantly in response to anything and everything, but predator population is a big one.

Permalink Mark Unread

The discussion drifts to a debate about how an ecology might react to Amentans deliberately replacing the role of apex predators with hunting an equivalent per-prey-capita amount.

Permalink Mark Unread

He sticks to clarifying questions for this part.

Permalink Mark Unread

Seeker has a general announcement - this offer is not just for Tapa, and anyone interested can meet him about it.

The Senate has authorized limited technology exchange. He is allowed to explain nuclear fusion to Amentan countries that seem like good ones to know nuclear fusion, if they will send teachers and engineers to the Draak planet to teach any Draak interested. Nuclear fusion is a step towards starships, since you need it to build the right powerplants.

Permalink Mark Unread

He is promptly mobbed by green petitioners, many of them extremely anxious and urgently wishing to tell him something that they aren't telling the blues!!!

Permalink Mark Unread

.....Alright, then.

It's a pretty technical subject, the blues can wait a bit.

Permalink Mark Unread

The greens nervously inform him that there is lowkey a physicist conspiracy not to get too into nuclear fusion because they think there will be demand for weapons and that the weapons would be very bad!

Permalink Mark Unread

...He wasn't planning on sharing weapons technology, there is a kind that is pretty much good for only power generation. Maybe it would allow someone to make a ship that never needed to refuel but that's about as dangerous as it would get initially.

Permalink Mark Unread

They didn't know that on account of the conspiracy but they're glad it's not a concern.

Permalink Mark Unread

He is... Somewhat concerned despite that, actually. You could theoretically get back around to first principles and eventually come up with the weapons that way. He's glad they warned him, he will think hard about it.

Permalink Mark Unread

He could probably get people to declare it a war crime to develop military applications for Draak-derived knowledge and cover it that way?

Permalink Mark Unread

Draak have military applications for Draak-derived knowledge. And haven't signed any war crimes treaties even besides that. He'll have to think about it, and maybe talk to some blues.

Permalink Mark Unread

The conspiracy is specifically about preventing blues from finding out.

Permalink Mark Unread

...And if he wants to discuss war crimes right after announcing technology sharing everyone will be suspicious that it can be used to make weapons.

Permalink Mark Unread

Yes, that's true, but he can decline to tell anyone how it's done unless they'll sign a treaty.

Permalink Mark Unread

They are probably suspicious of that anyway. And depending on what they want Draak to agree to in return... Hmm. Like he said, he'll think about it.

Permalink Mark Unread

Some of the other greens aren't aware of the conspiracy and are just willing to go in protective gear to the Draak planet, if for some reason being there is necessary (is it? maybe they could just have lessons here?). Or since Draak are telepathic, they could just stay in their ship module the whole time and learn through it. (If, again, they have to go to Newhome for some reason.)

Permalink Mark Unread

The point of bringing greens to their planet is so that Draak can come and go without much disruption to their lives or tying up the existing FTL ships, which are going to start exploration missions soon. He was hoping they could invite Amentans to their planet and have them be comfortable in some place despite what happened last time, possibly something burned down to bare bedrock where no Draak will set foot and with fences and magic to repel animals and birds. Ship walls would interfere with telepathy.

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Burning the place to bedrock and keeping everything out should be good enough.

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(Hopefully it will help them be less paranoid about it in the future.)

Are there any theologians in this crowd?

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There are a couple, not here about the nuclear physics thing but just around for the conference purposes.

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It's not going to be politically feasible for him right now, but if he managed to get every cannibal Draak to undergo the radiation purification, what else (in broad strokes) would need to happen before their planet could be considered clean?

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Well, the other stuff the cannibals touched would have to be cleaned or destroyed, same with any other Draak corpses around, they'd need well-managed waste disposal procedures.

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...That's all unlikely to happen in the near future. He could maybe sell universal incineration of bodies, but he's not sure it's even possible to have global waste disposal standards - especially not ones that most Draak would actually care about - and bribing people to be willing to destroy or clean their stuff would be ridiculously expensive.

Perhaps he should go talk to the blues now.

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There are plenty of them around! "What can I do for you?" asks Amseli.

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I'm growing increasingly pessimistic our kinds could ever actually share a world.

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"It... would require some pretty serious adjustments to bring a Draak population well into line with international pollution control treaties. Individual motivated Draak seem able to live with us but the reverse seems more difficult and I'm not sure how it would be possible to arrange for young Draak to consistently grow up behaving cleanly by our standards."

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The Architect is never going to let me install pollution standards as they exist now on our planet. I think we could manage population control - we see the problem as well as you do, there. But pollution...? It's a superstition and a fantasy to many. If I did try to install your pollution laws she would actively flout them and I would not be able to do anything about it.

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Amseli restrains a wince at the idea of the Architect going out and devouring a random person specifically because Amentans can't tolerate it. "Then it's better not to try. But on new worlds, if we ever find them..."

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Separate Draak and Amentan lands, with Draak who can tolerate cleaning themselves and Amentans who can tolerate everything not being verifiably non-infectious visiting each other. And no food exports, I suppose.

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"No food exports. We'll have to take meat plant seeds or cuttings and grow them ourselves and so on."

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The Senate decided that I could teach construction of nuclear fusion power plants if I get a good deal and secure Amentan teachers to spread knowledge among Draak in kind. But I have concerns about Draak-derived knowledge changing the nature of war here. I don't understand organized war no matter how many books I read but I don't like it. It makes me feel unsettled. Enkindled soldiers, military ships powered by such powerplants... Even my healing artifacts are a new element in the calculus of violence, though I plan to make and sell them anyway because something that only heals should be an overall stabilizing force.

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"Do you have questions about how we conduct war here I could answer for you?"

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I want to learn more about the existing war crimes treaties, what led to them, how they interact with decision making, how decisions on ambiguous cases are made... And more context on what leads to a war and what happens during one, too.

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Amseli can give him an overview on these things. The most recent forms of all the international war crimes treaties was formalized after the dissolution of the Oahk Empire. They are about clearly defineable tactics with a humanitarian cost out of proportion to their strategic value, either in use or as threats. People basically don't commit war crimes and when they do this is followed up on very seriously by an uninvolved country's court; here are some times it's happened (Ereith's king got executed over it one time, etcetera, etcetera). Wars happen when two peoples cannot compromise, and they do try pretty hard.

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It's possible Draak should agree to a war crimes treaty. We would likely use everything we possibly could if we were desperately defending, but I could perhaps see such disastrous tactics in wars of aggression banned, and even possibly any perpetrators handed over to an international court.

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"It often becomes - ambiguous in situations of warfare who's defending and who's attacking, in any given moment and in narratives about who started the fight to begin with."

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...Hmm, I can see the concern.

I was trying to frame a potential concession because I don't want our technology to be developed into weapons of war by Amentan countries. This is possibly a lot to ask and a bit hypocritical of me since it's not like Draak are going to stop making weapons.

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"Is there a reason this is coming up right now -"

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It's because I'm considering active technology sharing. Some of the technology I'm considering sharing could - eventually - lead to weapons whose use has a humanitarian cost out of proportion to their strategic value, as you put it.

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"If you have a more specific vision of how that could work we could draft legislation about it. ...most war-related treaties only apply to signatories even if they have informal normative force in other contexts."

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There is a particular class of weapons I am worried about. If those, specifically, were internationally recognized as war crimes to use, and if treaty signatories agreed not to attempt to develop them, much of my concern that sharing technology might eventually lead to these weapons being used would be assuaged. I think I could detect anyone trying to develop them. I could certainly detect anyone testing one.

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"- do you imagine your people also signing such a treaty?"

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Possibly with some affordance for the fact that all four Elders and one other know these secrets - we could agree not to stockpile them excessively, to keep them only in certain places, to not use them except in retaliation against similar weapons. I can't see us agreeing to dismantle them entirely.

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"But you'd object to any Amentans developing them at all."

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Right now, yes. Giving others even the remote potential for such weapons is- Terrifying.

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"...you have a lot of leverage but I don't think you'll find this sits well enough to drive an international war crimes treaty that doesn't apply to Draak unless you apply it very heavily."

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I should have said nothing, then.

Onesong curse him for his impatience and lack of foresight! You cannot unsay anything, cannot put the secret back in the box!

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"There may be some way to get at least part of what you're aiming at, but I'm not immediately thinking of anything that doesn't make it look like you expect the Draak to provoke Amenta, perhaps all of Amenta, and like you expect that to go fine for you if and only if we don't have whatever this weapon is. That's really very much what it looks like to propose a treaty like you describe without anything else going on to complicate it."

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-You can't hurt us without starships. The weapon is just terrible. Five people knowing it is five too many. And the Guardian almost never gives up her weapons, is why I can't just agree to destroy ours.

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"Even if you're privately skeptical that we'll ever invent our own starships and plan to keep the details from us forever that doesn't come through in the structure of the proposal."

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I approached this badly and I'm in no state to discuss important political things any further right now.

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"...all right."

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He turns to go back to his ship, then stops and stares at the sky instead.

I don't understand your caste sometimes.

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"I'm... sorry to hear that. Is there something I can explain -?"

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I wish the last half hour had not happened. But that's impossible. So I will try to learn from it instead. Freedom to provoke Amenta and get away with it is not what I was getting at. Why was it understood that way?

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"That's - a fairly typical reason to want to reduce someone else's military capabilities without commensurate cost to your own. The exceptions tend to come with some kind of protectorate arrangement - we demilitarized Shi Alassei, for instance, but at the same time we arranged to let their greys join our own army, pledged to defend their interests and fulfill their commitments on the international stage, and took over all the routine patrols of their waters. If we - told, uh, Calado, that we'd invented a terrifying bioweapon, that we didn't want them to invent it, that we were going to propose a treaty forbidding their scientists to look into some applications of virology, but that we were keeping it, just couldn't convince our universities to all destroy what they'd made and pension off the researchers but it was definitely a very scary weapon, one they shouldn't even want because of how bad it was..." She trails off. Calado would be bewildered that they were so clumsy, actually, but if you factor that out it looks like Tapa is about to annex half their territory or starve them out with trade sanctions or dump criminals into their borders and refuse to take them back and threaten retaliation if Calado doesn't house them.

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This is frustrating and I don't like it. I'll solve this by inventing something that makes them not work and sharing that with everyone. I am just hubristic enough to think that it is probably possible.

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"I'd hate to divert your attention from your other projects if there is a diplomatic solution to be had but you might be right in thinking there is none. When I say you have leverage I mostly mean everyone still hopes that any season now we'll have planets or at least the ability to scale up Amentan-controlled projects to look for them."

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That was supposed to be my goal in coming months but then I was reminded the weapon exists and didn't handle that well.

Sigh.

I'm not actually sure how Amenta could make finding more planets our top priority.

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"No?"

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No. I have accumulated comparatively vast amounts of informal social and political capital on my planet but I am one of four, there are so very few of us, comparatively, all independent and pulling in our own directions...

I could work with Amentans to start a terraforming project on one of the potentials we identified in those first days without any issues. I could probably prioritize planets astronomers think might be habitable for the two ships that are exploring, depending on what Amenta wants promised about it. I could, with quite a lot of political capital expenditure, secure you an island of a thousand square miles on Newhome to do with what you wish, including cleaning and developing it - but the year's far too short, and it's not a fight with my kin that I want to have for all that I think ordinary Draak interacting with Amentans will be good for things.

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"A planet of our own would be dramatically better than an island on an unseasonable planet with its own occupants, especially while we still don't have Amentan-controlled transit."

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Quite.

I could buy Ice Scale and hire crew, and then rent it to one or several Amentan countries as a hauler for a terraforming initiative, if that might be a good idea. My ship isn't ideal for cargo hauling. There is a planet with a thin nitrogen atmosphere, slightly long year and enough geoactivity for geothermal power. No surface water but many ice asteroids in the system. I haven't caught up to what your terraforming conference concluded but perhaps I should talk to some greens and see if that might be a route to getting a habitable planet. Are people refining deuterium and helium-3 yet?

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"Whenever you hint something might be the next step to planets, people are jumping on it. Maybe not as many as if their investors knew how long it would take to pay off, but they're jumping."

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Well, I will sell off some of my gold for quick cash and buy some, if anyone has managed to actually make any.

I'm disappointed in myself and my conduct today.

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"I'm trying to think if there's a book I should be recommending but I'm not sure exactly what skillset you'd want here."

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Some sort of psychological-focus historical political analysis? It was largely a failure to model what my proposal would sound like to you, I think. And rushing, somewhat. I can't exactly attend a blue school.

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"Wire's auditing classes but he's... smaller. We could get you a distance learning setup like they use for students in quarantine. But in the books department maybe you'd like The Language of Implication - it's not historical analysis but has some historical examples."

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I'll read it. I'm not sure I can justify auditing blue classes as a time expenditure and a - mental resource expenditure. And the image it would present to other Draak.

I think I need to fetch Bloom back for Baravi, whether or not she's managed to acquire a full roster of students, and have a nice relaxing vacation holed up in my lab for a month, and come back to things with a clear head.

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"I'll send you a copy of the book and see you later, then."

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Not-Katmem wakes up in the middle of the night, stares out the window for a while, then heads down towards his blue caretakers' front door and reaches up as far as he can, trying to open it.

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There's a grey standing guard outside the door but she doesn't notice right away.

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He's being careful not to scratch things, but he does tap on the door some while using his tail to stabilize himself on two limbs, trying to boost himself high enough to grab the doorknob.

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She peeks in the window. Hey. You want to go out?

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Eep!

He falls on his back, then gets upright again and retreats under one of the console tables holding potted plants.

 

Who are you???

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- I'm Estin Mae. I'm security your - parents? - hired and I'm supposed to let you out if you want.

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...He just stands under the little table for a while, shifting slightly, thinking.

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They didn't want to freak you out introducing you to everybody at once since you might've not run into some of us for weeks.

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Strangers are scary.

 

I want to look at the stars.

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She opens the door.

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He walks past, hesitant and watchful, and tries to find a spot in the garden with a particularly good view of sky.

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The grey shuts the door behind him and watches him go.

There's a reasonably good view of the stars from this bench.

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He tries climbing things if they look like they'll get a better view. Maybe even the outside of the house?

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The house is not very climbable but there are places he can get purchase if he doesn't mind scratching it up.

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He starts to try to climb but immediately realizes that.

...Hmm, follow the no scratching rule, or a better view of the stars? Looking at the stars seems really important right now for some reason.

He sits there thinking for another while, then decides in favor of patience and goes back to the bench and stargazes, head pointed straight up at the sky. After a while he starts singing, reasonably loud despite his small size.

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He's far enough away from the house that he doesn't wake anybody up, though Estin appreciates it.

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He goes back inside and back to the bed after a couple hours, thanking Estin on the way in (though he feels weird about it) and then sleeping through to the morning.

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When he wakes up Tish and Haemi have been up for a while and hidden some of the shinies around!

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Ooh!! He will wander around looking for them... And sniffing for places Tish and Haemi have been recently. It's actually very hard to tell because they're in the house pretty often anyway, though.

You said you would keep some shiny things for educational milestones. What kind of educational milestones will I have?

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"You could learn to read, or learn enough math to pass assessment tests," suggests Tish.

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Those don't sound like Draak-ish things to learn but he's on Amenta so that's fine!

(Sniff sniff wander, are there any shiny things around the piano? Are there any by the kitchen?)

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There are none by the piano but there is one by the colander cupboard.

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Shiny!!!

He carefully fetches it up to under the bed, just like the coin, tail wagging.

 

What kinds of things do Amentans learn besides reading and math?

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"We learn history and science and civics and art and music and politics and economics and rhetoric and literature and languages and all kinds of specialized things depending on what we want to do with our lives."

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Science and math and reading will do for him for now. Maybe history? He's not sure what civics or economics are.

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"Civics is about being a responsible citizen - what the laws are and how we can engage with our government and be good neighbors. Economics is about how goods and services wind up reaching people who want them."

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Economics and civics sound really weird.

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"Well, everyone needs a little civics but you don't have to learn economics if it doesn't interest you."

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I should meet everyone who might be here so I won't be scared they're not supposed to be here if they are. And I wanted to climb the house to see the stars better but I would have scratched it. How do you get up there?

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"We usually don't get to the roof of the house but when you can fly you can fly up there. I'd worry about you falling if you went before you knew how to fly. There are a lot of people who might be here sometimes. There's security and servants and also delivery people and the purples who farm the estate and our families and friends. It'd be hundreds of them if we treid to get them all here at once."

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I'm not going to be able to fly for a long time. I tried yesterday but now I just know that.

I don't know how to recognize anybody without meeting them... Estin scared me because I didn't know if she was supposed to be there.

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"Yes, she left us a note. We can warn you before we have guests and introduce you to the rest of the security and during the day those would be the only surprises outside an emergency... could you recognize people from pictures or would that be missing important telepathic stuff?"

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...Maybe. Scent and telepathic stuff is easiest to recognize. 

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"I'll get you pictures of the greys and we'll try to get them all introduced. It's not your job to worry about who's supposed to be here, though."

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If I don't know if they're supposed to be here I don't know if they'll try to hurt me!

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"- I mean that it's our job and the greys' to make sure only people who belong are here. It's okay for you to just assume we've done that."

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He tilts his head.

I don't think I can do that. I think I will always be looking out for things that might want to hurt me.

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"That sounds really stressful."

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Maybe it's Draak instincts to do that.

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"Maybe," says Tish.

"Suppose," says Haemi, "we give people who belong here a password and if they know it it's because we told them."

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Headtilt.

...I think that would be reassuring!

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"Okay! We can do that," says Tish. "Do you want to pick the password?"

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I can't think of anything good. It shouldn't be easy to guess?

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"How about, hm, 'kumquat glass'."

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He bobs his head up and down (and also does the tail-nod).

It doesn't make sense, but that makes it harder to guess.

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"Exactly. By this afternoon we'll have told everybody. You can wake us up or find a grey who does know the password if someone's trespassing."

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Yes. I am too little to fight big people.

I want to learn music until my science tutor comes today!

 

 

Elsewhere, the other hatchling has been enjoying her forest wanderings, has claimed another rock and a blue feather that some bird left in a tree, and wanders further from the cabin every time she goes, looking for mushrooms to report. (She's helping!)

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A twig snaps over - there, cliffwards of her.

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-Freeze. Sniff sniff - that's downwind of her so she can't smell anything.

She slowly walks to the nearest bush for concealment, watching in that direction.

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There's a group of three purples wearing backpacks and walking along the line of the cliff, a safe distance from the drop.

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Oh, huh. Right, there's more other people than Pep and, and- TATHSEI, that was the name.

(She wants to fly off the cliff-! Nonono, bad idea, remember falling out of the tree, you can't fly yet.)

She follows their path curiously, staying a bit behind them among the plants a bit further from the cliff.

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They don't notice her. They're talking about whether kiwis would be good in cake.

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Food is a fun thing to talk about!

Wanting to talk about food fights with wanting to feel all sneaky for about ten seconds, then she decides to keep silently following them. Being sneaky is kind of fun.

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"I saw a recipe for it."

"I saw a recipe that called for locusts, that doesn't mean anything."

"Ew!"

"I know, right?"

"Hang on a sec, got a rock in my boot."

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(Insects are reasonably yummy but far too small, in her opinion.)

A small head with a few purple-blue feathers is just barely sticking out over a shrub.

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The purple with the rock in his boot flings the pebble off the cliff, and they all watch it fall while he puts the shoe back on. They turn to continue and one spots her.

"Whoa!"

"What's that? Is that a bird?"

"Maybe? But no isn't this the park with an alien baby in it -"

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Sneakiness: Fail! They can see better than she can apparently! The little head disappears almost as soon as they spot her. 

Run or hide?

...Wait, does she really need to do either? If it was something that wanted to eat her maybe, but Amentans don't eat people. So she pokes her head up again.

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"Hi baby!" coos one.

"Oh she's so funny-looking! Like almost cute -"

"Do you think she can understand us yet?"

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Yes! What's cake? Does it involve meat?

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"Nah, cake doesn't have meat. Flour and sugar and eggs and butter."

"You probably wouldn't like it."

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Butter might be good...

She walks around the bush and sits on the path, tail flicking about.

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"I have some fudge, it's butter and sugar. And peanuts. You wanna try it?"

"Can the aliens eat that stuff?"

"I saw the footage with Seeker's kid - what's her name - River, and they didn't get a complete ingredient list before letting her try random stuff..."

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I like tasting new things! Pep and Tathsei said that Seeker said that we can mostly eat the same things except Draak can eat kinds of rocks and shouldn't eat plants that smell funny.

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The purple offers her a cube of fudge.

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She's a bit nervous about approaching, but she does. Sharp teeth take a small nibble. She tilts her head consideringly and the tail wobbles around, then she takes a slightly larger nibble, and then eats the whole thing.

...It's new and kind of good but not REALLY YUMMY. And it's sticky. Are you here to walk in the forest? It's a nice forest and Tathsei said people do that because it's nice.

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"Yeah, we're hiking!"

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Have you seen any- Somewhat vague mental image of shelf fungus!

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"No - why?"

"Do you eat it?"

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Pep studies them and I find more for her!

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"Huh. I don't think we've seen any. Is it rare or something?"

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Dunno. I look for other kinds too.

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"Is that fun?"

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Yes! Exploring and finding things is very fun!

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"It's like Message Wall."

"Mushroom hunting is not like Message Wall."

"Is too. Exploring, finding things."

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She listens as they chat, but looks out over the cliff at the pretty scenery, starting to get a little bored.

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"We should keep going if we want to be done before dark."

"Yeah. Hey baby alien, you wanna come?"

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She makes a purring noise.

...No, I'm going to look for mushrooms and go home. Goodbye!

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"Bye!"

They move on. One pauses to take pictures of her.

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When she gets back to the cabin that evening she mentions meeting hikers and only liking fudge a little bit at the end of her mushroom report.

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"Oh, you ran into some people? Were they nice?"

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I only talked to them a little bit. They didn't do anything mean and one gave me a little bit of fudge. I don't know if that means they're nice. Cake doesn't have meat in it so I probably don't want any.

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"You probably don't, yeah. Does telepathy let you tell how things taste to other people?"

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Ooh I should try that! Think about cake!

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"We do't have any... I can try to just remember it?"

"We do have mousse," says Pep, getting spoons. The two of them split a cherry chocolate mousse.

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She studies them very carefully.

I can tell what it tastes like to you but it's, it's 'huh' not 'yum!'.

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"I wonder why!" says Tathsei.

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Watching other animals eat is not as adaptive as eating other animals?

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"Hm, I wouldn't have been surprised if you could enjoy vicarious flavors," says Pep, "but I suppose it wouldn't be strongly selected for - especially in a solitary-ish species."

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I want to understand all the life because it's amazing but I am still a Draak and I think Draak are special and different.

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"Well, Draak are people."

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We have telepathy and magic! I don't know how that could evolve.

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"I'm not sure how it would've first made it into the population - there's a magic Amentan now but even if someone else introduced magic to Draak like so, that just prompts the question of where they got it - but once it got there it's a clear advantage."

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My Creators said that Sun and Earth made the first Draak.

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"That sounds... probably metaphorical."

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Probably. They told it like a story even though they said it definitely did happen. I think they were wrong.

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"It's supposed to be very serious, even unheard of, for Draak to outright lie, but maybe they didn't think about it very hard before they told you."

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If you're very sure but wrong that's not really lying?

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"We'd call that being mistaken. I'm not sure what line they'd have drawn themselves," says Pep.

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Lying seems sneaky which is fun, but if every Draak thinks it's bad I'd better not do it or they'll think I'm bad.

I want to practice breathing fire! I could use the fireplace even if you don't put any wood there so it doesn't burn things.

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"Sure!"

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She strains with the effort. Her fire doesn't seem any stronger than yesterday, though. At length she happily eats dinner and absorbs more lessons before Pep and Tathsei go to sleep.

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Elsewhere, Sunwind comments to his new assistant, I can only practice making camouflage ignore greenscreen material for so long before getting bored, and boredom is not good for staving off hibernation. Are there scripting sessions I can go to? Tunnels to dig or greys to fly around with? Anything productive to do in general?

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"How far can you telepathically hear?"

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That depends on a lot of stuff. Less far than I can regular hear usually.

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"...okay, but how far can you regular hear and can you do telepathic hearing through stuff? Because if you can do it through stuff and kinda far I could just find out where they're having all the meetings."

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Crest feathers twitch a bit. I don't number my abilities! I can hear a truck coming into the loading dock from here. Through stuff is hard. Even glass isn't great. It's best if I'm within... A hundred feet... Of someone to try to listen to them, maybe up to five hundred if they're being loud and it's not very crowded. Glass and drywall and wood doors all cut that down to almost nothing.

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"Okay, so they'd probably have to move meetings to loop you in, or they could conference call and I could be an interpreter?"

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That would be... Better than nothing. Maybe the Air-heads hanging out where we landed have artifacts that relay or boost the Song. I've heard of things like that.

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"I can send an email to the conference people. And stuntgrey flights are probably very doable, they'll want to do lots of auditions to find someone of the right build for final casting whoever they wind up hiring for the green half of the role. Oh, also, they'll probably want to do a photoshoot soon, that's productive."

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All good things. I still cannot be sure if I will hibernate during the Amentan winter yet. Not being sure messes up the planning, right?

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"It does, yeah, especially casting because the actors can get tied up in other stuff like Shian Epechi did while you were gone."

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Are they famous? It's just a name to me.

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"She's not the most famous actor but she's definitely A-list. The kind who disappears into roles, just wildly different in a movie over here with an orange wig and a show over there in purple dye."

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I hardly know any actors but that does sound like it would make good movies. I guess I will have to be disappointed because it means this movie might be a bit worse.

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"They'll find somebody good."

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Draak at the conference (who are mostly talking with various greens about various things) say that the kind of telepathic relay Sunwind thought of to remotely watch meetings is fairly rare and tricky to make. One Draak says she'd let him borrow one - and is very clear that he can not outright have it - if he'll have sex with her.

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"...I can make sure your jury-rigged income category covers that if you're gonna go for it," Temnin says.

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He's both exasperated and amused. That would be a distraction from boredom, I guess. Does it even count as income if it's an object? And I'm only borrowing it?

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"It probably doesn't but I can make sure."

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Tail-wobble... I know of her. She's not awful. Please check, I suppose. If it doesn't cause any legal complications and it's hard to move the meetings to somewhere I can be, then maybe.

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Temnin sends an email. "Yeah, you're all set if you wanna," he says a minute later. "If they have to move meetings to keep you awake they probably will though."

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I might hibernate no matter what I do. It's approaching winter at home, too. It's just that boredom doesn't help. Maybe I should obsessively play board and puzzle games and hope that does it. I might need you to explain how the one I bought even works!

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"Sure." He can get out the instructions and read through them.

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He will play board games for a while, that's not boring!

Sunwind thinks about it for the rest of the day, then the next morning flies down to the conference and ends up fighting the Draak who made that offer, winning a delicate golden feather as a prize, and then taking the original offer somewhere hidden away. He is back with a strange crown sort of thing on his head and a blocky abstract-art type metal object that is the other end of the relay.

If you just put this in the meeting room I will be able to listen properly but not speak through it.

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"I can sit with you and transcribe stuff you want brought to their attention," says Temnin.

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Sure.

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There are meetings! They nitpick the script; they review concept art; they hire people and teams for multitudinous aspects of the film.

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He often chimes in with input on whether this or that stunt is possible and safe or whether something is a reasonable way for a Draak to react. He has aesthetic opinions but pretty gentle and malleable ones, and a lot of stunt ideas. (Clawing upwards against a strong current in a pipe! Holding bits of falling-apart building together long enough to run across them! Bat style upside down landing!)

With makeup and wigs and camouflage I could pretend to be several different Draak... As long as I don't have to move too much when I'm not being red and white. 

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They are happy to take his input on stunts and plan to incorporate a lot of them. They aren't planning to have other significant Draak characters but might have him play a bunch of background Draak, it'd probably be cheaper than doing it convincingly in CGI since they don't have Draak models to iterate on from previous movies. They can use camera tricks to make the background characters look different sizes.

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Maybe Amentans won't notice that all the Draak are proportioned about the same, just like he's pretty bad at recognizing faces.

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Yeah, they won't pick up on that and they can have them in different poses to cover it up further.

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He really appreciates being able to listen in on these meetings! He feels a lot more invested now.

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The starship Ice Scale would like to land in this patch of Baravic desert to deposit Bloom and company, instead of the usual spot in Tapa, for this trip. And Bloom says she wants to talk to Ruan about some important news.

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The Ice Scale may do this and Ruan is at her disposal!

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Seeker of New Truths bade me send this message to Amenta: 'The weapon is no longer a concern. I will teach construction of nuclear fusion powerplants if appropriately paid.' I don't know what weapon he is talking about but it seems important. He had a very dazzling fight with the Guardian of the Great Green just before being very smug at me and giving me the message. Also, I suspect one of us found a habitable planet but I am not sure.

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"That's delightful! What makes you suspect that?"

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More ships and people are gone at a time, for longer times, and they don't answer questions about what they're doing but seemed to be suppressing excitement.

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"Okay. Did he say what proper payment would be?"

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He didn't. Money, I presume. Oh - I was planning to make all my students live here in the long term. They will not be comfortable in the warehouse, it'll be too crowded, but in the very short term it will work. I have eight. Seven youths, and my friend Ink, of the Onyx Clan.

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"Is there anything you'd like to help make them comfortable?"

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A water pipeline so that we might garden, as much a subversion of the local climate and a drain on wherever you source water from as it is, may be a good idea in the medium term. This place is a little more arid than even I am used to. We'll need food. I would like to get internet out here. The Rubies among my students might dig underground homes for us, or we might want some simple shelters built.

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"If you want water there might be someplace that already has it for you rather than where you've been, since the site was chosen with other criteria in mind. Internet you can get a satellite service no problem, though."

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But I bought that place, did I not? With the money that did not go to the Seeker instead. Tail-flick. Having a place that is far away from everyone will be important for long-term comfort, and I thought the desert is the only such place in Baravi. And I need a place for my old Enkindled pets/friends to be comfortable. I have several. Perhaps I was too hasty in leaving without arranging things beforehand.

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"You did buy the place, it's yours, I just didn't know if it's the place your students should ideally go. We can get a pipeline in if that's your preference."

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Things always seems to turn out like this. My decisions turning bad in hindsight.

Do you have any ideas for alternate locations?

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"Nothing specific, I'd have to go back and look at what came up when we found this one."

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...The warehouse is acceptable for a few days while something more permanent is decided. Even for my pets. I don't think Ice Scale can land there though, so getting the largest of them there may be a problem. I did remember to bring a lot of seeds for the botanical garden, at least.

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"They'll be delighted! Do you want to bring them in person or send them?"

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In person. I want to spend significant time discussing their care so that they might flourish in beauty. I have both natural plants and my own creations.

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"I'll schedule that, then. How long will you want to discuss them with the gardens' people?"

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Several hours. I'm not sure how long it will take to go over everything but it does not need to be all at once. I'd like it if the garden names something after me.

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"I'd expect they can do that."

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I suppose I should introduce you to everyone next?

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"Please, I'd love to meet them."

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She pokes her head into the ship and out tromp out eight more Draak, all smaller than her, and a few other animals with strange coloration - her pets, presumably. The Draak spread out across the desert, staring curiously at everything, while the other animals stick together near the loading ramp.

She gives their names, with mental images to go with them. The Draak are Ink. Cloud. Longfeather. Basalt. Vines. Flow. Star. Sleeper. Each of them has shown talent in the right sort of skills and a temperament that I think will cause fewer problems than average. Longfeather, Basalt, Sleeper, and Vines are here primarily for the opportunity of fame and fortune. Cloud and Ink are here primarily out of academic curiosity in what I can teach them. Flow and Star are here primarily out of sympathy-or-pity for Amentans.

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"We're glad to have you all," Ruan tells them. "Can I get you anything?"

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Three of them want pocket everythings. One wants to try spicy fried chicken, then everyone else chimes in with requests for kinds of food that Bloom has had before. Vines says that they could treat factory farm animals better and he has brought a gristle berry seed to grow! It's not exactly meat-like but he thinks it's pretty close!

Ink says, Bloom should probably keep them distracted with more teaching much of the time if we are going to be all in the same building.

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Ruan has pocket everythings on hand to give out and can send for food. What is a... gristle berry.

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It's one of the kinds of meat plants the Growers Moot has been making. Sort of an extended experiment that taught them a lot of lessons for other attempts but doesn't seem super promising for further development on its own. It makes little fat-and-protein-dense berries like tiny chunks of some unidentifiable animal. It's not very practical for Draak since it takes a lot of care per unit of meat produced but he is definitely going to take Amentan feedback and observations back to them for further meat-plant development. 

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He can send that to a... food science lab, sure.

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And Bloom has pages and pages of notes she can email them, and he wants to go to that lab and talk to them on a regular basis between Bloom's classes! He's still going to learn Enkindling and de-springing, it's just, this is a very important and pressing project for a lot of Draak. Factory farming is awful.

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"We will be happy to bring it to an end as soon as there's a suitable replacement. What are you going to talk to the lab about?"

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If they have questions about the plant it's a lot easier to answer in person and I want to learn what Amentans want in food and what a plant needs to do to replace keeping animals in soulless metal boxes for their whole lives so we can do it right the first or second time instead of playing toss-the-bone with endless iterations of slightly changed plants.

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"I guess that's a good place to start. I'll see where they're located. - in a skyscraper, it might be a bit hard."

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I can tolerate crowds and cramped spaces for this. It's important.

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Ruan assesses Vines's size.

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Perhaps six inches taller and a couple of feet longer than the Draak who toured Tapa, River - like a large horse. He could fit in an elevator but he might have to be the only one in that elevator.

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"I'll let them know."

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Vines is glad and excited!

I still need either some water and vegetables and shelter here, or a way to move my pets to the warehouse. Also, I think bringing all eight of my students people-watching in public like I did at first would be a bad idea. But they do need to watch Amentans, preferably with me while I explain what they should be looking at.

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"We can arrange separate trips. The estimate on a water pipeline here is two weeks, which sounds like it might not be fast enough, but if your pets will tolerate a helicopter it'll fit in the warehouse lot."

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I think they won't be much more discomfited by helicopters than they were by the starship. I should fly with the helicopter the whole way and reassure them. I hope to not have to move them around very often. Moving them to Amenta is a commitment to live here for years, maybe decades. And I am not sure if 'pets' is the correct interpretation of my relationship with them, thinking of them like that is a bit discomfiting, though it's closer than any other word your mind readily accepts...

I am also not sure if they are intelligent enough to count as people.

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"I'm... not sure. How smart are they?"

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More so than dogs, less so than Draak or Amentans. I have not met animals noted to be particularly intelligent besides dogs and cats. I've never been to a zoo. They are all quite strongly Enkindled, however - it seems to have diminishing returns in terms of the expansion of the mind, but there is a lot of magic in them all.

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"Hm - do they match some age of Amentan child, maybe?"

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Tail-flick. Not really? They're intelligent in different ways than an Amentan child. More intuition, better memory, more physicality, less introspection, less social understanding, less abstract reasoning. I would say they are like a one year old, or one and a quarter, if you forced me to make such a comparison despite the differently-shaped minds.

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"I... think I'll kick the question to the theologians. Will it be a problem to treat them like they have person-level capacity for pollution?"

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I ensured they know how to use toilets and understand that they must. Many of them can't be autoclaved without the Seeker's absurdly flexible magic protecting them but I could probably help them through a shower.

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"I'll get you the guidelines on that."

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Sigh.

Perhaps you should talk to some of them. Or the theologians can. Or perhaps they should simply stay away from Amentans. Once again I should have considered things further before making the leap...

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"How can I talk to them, are they telepathic in their own right?"

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Yes. Not nearly so loud or clear as a Draak but enough Enkindling magnifies their song to such heights.

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"I can talk to them, then, and some greens will probably want to also. Helicopter's on the way."

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Bloom shows Ink how to use a pocket everything map feature and has her lead the other students in a flight to the warehouse. Her pets include two animals that can be approximated as bears and a giant sloth that's probably as heavy as Bloom herself is.

They're guardians. I recognize that their bulk is inconvenient but I was not going to leave them.

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"It's a big helicopter, it'll manage."

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At length, everyone is at the warehouse. Bloom's students are already a little grumpy.

I'm going to keep them busy and less grumpy by insistently teaching them until a better place is found. Can you put dividers in this warehouse? Sleeping within line of sight of another Draak would be - impossible.

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They can get cubicle walls and stack them.

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Better than nothing.

Bloom teaching her students looks like everyone gathering in a circle in the loading area and staring at each other late into the evening.

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Ruan gets all the things he said he would, from fried chicken to a meeting time with the food scientists.

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Fried chicken is delicious! Vines is looking forward to his meeting!

I can go back to de-springing a few people a day non-heritably if that helps you somehow. It'll be an excellent demonstration after I yell at them that they're not ready to try it themselves and to NOT interrupt me, if anyone is willing to be watched by extras. The heritable change - I recognize that is probably the only true path to giving this gift to all Amentans. So, I will try it again... At some point.

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"We can absolutely find takers for the nonheritable version. How many slots?"

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Let's say four a day. Same process as before - A few will need to come back the next day. If they'll let my students watch and are okay with it being slower, that is even better.

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"We can make that a condition, if you'd like?"

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It would speed up my instruction somewhat. But their instruction will be a season or so at the very best either way. You know better than I how to balance what you want out of my work. 

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"All right."

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Please let me know about alternate locations as soon as you find some.

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"I can show you what I have now -"

It's mostly abandoned towns near played-out mines or in one case a dried-up lake, with infrastructure that could be started up again faster than building new.

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Abandoned mine towns would actually work pretty well. Especially if it's a shaft mine and not open-pit. Caves and tunnels are comforting, especially to Ruby Draak, even artificial ones. The biggest criteria is individual spaces for every Draak decently far away from all the everything, and reasonable access to water and delivered food and visiting Amentans for treatment or whatever else. The abandoned mine towns certainly seem to have that.

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They can move in to the abandoned mine town of Favu as soon as the water can be turned back on then! A few days unless there's some kind of unexpected issue turned up on inspection.

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A few days with everyone crowded into here is tolerable. I'm glad we will be able to move, however.

Tomorrow, can you get me sets of live plants that are all genetically identical? A dozen or two per set? As teaching aids.

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"...let me ask, I don't know if that's a naturally occurring state of plants." He types. "- yes, there are berry cultivars that work that way, I can get you a lot of potted berry seedlings. They'll be on rootstock, is that okay?"

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That should be fine. I am going to have my students watch me nudge them, and then do it themselves as a sort of exercise and project. We can chance ruining plants by accident to learn without much concern. I did it a lot when I was learning.

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"All right. - ah, he says there's other plants that work this way too, you'll have a selection, couple dozen per."

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Good. It doesn't need to be all at once. I will want lab rats, eventually. I am not entirely happy about their use but if they serve some useful purpose of learning and are treated with dignity it's not the same as existing only to be eaten...

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"I'll get those sourced too. Also identical? How many?"

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I haven't decided when I want those yet, but not right now. In two months Ink and Vines and Longfeather might be advanced enough to move to animal subjects. And, perhaps some identical cloned cohorts and some not?

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"All right."

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May you be blessed.

 

Bloom tries to work on her memoir that evening after some more teaching, but nothing seems to be a good idea to write. Her thoughts circle in frustration and vague resentment. Amentans really are weird.

...She messages tree877, her writing friend from before.

Are you a red?

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There is no reply.

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Troubled sleep with all her pets huddled into her partition of the warehouse it is, then.

 

...In the middle of the night there's roaring and the sounds of fighting from inside the warehouse!

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...nobody goes in but Ruan thinks as loudly as he can that that's really alarming and they'd like to know what's going on!

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Hold on!

It only lasts for a minute or two. Bloom emerges, missing a few feathers, a bit after that.

Cloud and Longfeather insulted each other, accused each other of vague plots to undermine the other, and started fighting. Ink and I beat them both into submission and they won't try that again tonight.

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"...okay. Uh, do you need... anything."

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More space further away from each other!

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"Would some of you like to move into an adjacent warehouse - I can have it cleaned out in a hurry -"

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That may help. If you can tolerate probably one or two fights a day - that will not have lasting harm on our ability to work together, I think - it is not necessary. This is why I should have arranged a place to teach them more carefully before leaving.

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"The cleaning crew is on their way."

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Alright. A fight or two is really nothing to be very concerned about. We're getting access to that empty town in a few days, yes?

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"Yes, unless they find a problem with a pipe - less than fifty percent likely but it hasn't been maintained in a while so not by much."

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I am strong in Earth and most of my students are too, but perhaps I underestimated how stressful this would be for them because I have had a season to get used to it.

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"I'm sorry. The crew thinks three hours to get the next warehouse swept out and there's more cubicle dividers coming."

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Thinking about how to run a school or accommodate others is not a natural mode of thought for me. I'm not even charging tuition - the Seeker gave me gold and promised more.

...Thank you.

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"You're welcome."

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She nods and goes back into the warehouse and stands sentinel against any further fights occurring while they do that. Then she sends Ink and three other students over to the other place.

Ink can be strange but she is my friend and she knows how important not causing trouble here is to me. Perhaps you should get to know her, too.

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"Hello, Ink," says Ruan. "Is there anything besides the cubicle walls you four will need to be comfortable in here?"

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Hello! Life is not all comfort and indolence, and expecting that makes a weak soul. But strong scents might make it less obvious to the primal spirit inside me that there are three other Draak who might want to kill me or steal my stuff very close by. Nobody sleeps at Moots.

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"Like scented candles and perfume sprays? I can have some in."

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Those would help. Bloom was a bit silly not to secure space for us in advance, but that's her. So careful and thoughtful in some things, utterly oblivious in others. Ink radiates fondness. She has spoken well of you, Ruan.

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"I'm glad to hear it. Our whole world has been grateful for her presence."

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She is one source of hope for you. Not the stars brought into grasp, but an ancient pain given succor. She doesn't feel what she is to you, though. It is an interesting problem to solve: Pinch and twist in exactly the right way, and everything lines up just so. Like origami!

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"We're aware Draak don't have the same range of social emotions. I do think she's enjoyed her popularity."

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Yes! If only in the abstract. I think it might be better for her if she did feel it, though.

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"Maybe it would, but she doesn't seem to have picked it up telepathically."

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That's because she's oblivious and considers brief moments of wondrous hope and joy - fleeting and not representative of the true worth of what she does. Such fleeting joy may be gone soon and does not necessarily represent an actual good. If she met some of her patients again after six months, perhaps?

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"Huh. I suppose I can list it as a nice-to-have when advertising for jobs that may get facetime with her."

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That is a trap a lot of us fall into. "I may die some day, but the eldest Kin have seen thousands and thousands of years! What matters a moment of peace and contentment and happiness? A fleeting minute of joy does not matter and is no good compared to the vast time I will exist, nor does a few days of pain and hunger and stress indicate a problem of any kind: Only the long arc is important." But I hold that each moment is a mote of color in the landscape that is your life, and you want warm summers and not cold winters to dominate it.

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"That seems reasonable to me."

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I see my role here as feelings-nudger as much as Enkindling-student. As a Draak I may have better insight into us. And though I will try my best, I do not have the sheer talent she does.

I would like to hear about you and the other people who have worked with Bloom, though when the scent things arrive I will try to sleep.

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"They'll be here in about ten minutes, they're trying to get a variety in case it turns out you don't like some of the smells. What would you like to know?"

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What drives you? What brought you here? What frustrates you? What makes you proud? What do you think and feel about we Draak? And things I will have to puzzle out over more than a few minutes, what is it like to be Amentan? How do you form friendships and how is it different to how Draak do it? How do castes affect perception and behavior? How does romantic love work? Minds are fascinating.

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"Bloom's been reading some of our fiction, you might want to learn to read too - for fiction or for psychology books and journalism. I'm personally here because I have a good track record in my diplomatic background and wanted the job - some people could have had it over me but were feeling risk-averse about something as big as alien guests."

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Yes, I want to read! If you don't want to answer those other questions, well, that is fair enough.

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"Oh, I can - it wasn't obvious which you thought would fit satisfyingly in - eight minutes now -"

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Amused tail-wave.

We are not delicate flowers, though I'm sure some consider deference and respect to a Draak the natural course of things. Do Amentans think about social risk a lot? As opposed to physical dangers, games of chance...

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"Both physically dangerous activities and games of chance are - minority interests, though I guess lots of people have some low-level anxiety about less avoidable physical risks like getting sick or hit by a bicycle or mugged. I suppose social risk is on our minds a lot but of course 'a lot' is relative."

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I get the impression that you don't want to mess up your job, you don't want to appear silly to your friends or even random strangers, that an Amentan might want to appear responsible and clever and like a good friend or neighbor or boss more than they actually want to be those things. Draak like having good reputations too but I wonder if the drives are different - more different than finding different things admirable, I mean. Certainly I would be very embarrassed if I said something stupid at a Moot.

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"Oh, that seems very likely, since you're solitary by default and Amentans effectively can't live on our own - some may have been able to before we developed an interdependent civilization but I don't think it was ever a winning strategy and now unless there's someone with the specific hobby of living alone on a boat and only putting in for supplies once a year, or something, I wouldn't expect it of anyone."

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The winning strategy for Draak is to claim a lot of land and keep it well, to amass great hoards of Treasure and long lists of accomplishments and show them off, and to seek out other Draak who do the same at the time if creation.

'I hate you and want to kill you but cannot because you are wise and mighty!' Feels very nearly as nice as 'You are truly a fine example of the Kin and I wish to mate with you!'

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"Hm. Well, I suppose the equivalent would be something like - 'I hate you and want to ruin your life but can't because no one will listen to me' versus, uh, 'let's have five babies'. Which I suppose are surprisingly close in pleasantness depending on the recipient's current parenting prospects and the general quality of the speaker."

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For Draak that feeling is focused on the self. 'Nobody will listen to me' makes someone... Irrelevant, it doesn't make you victorious over them. And we'll pick partners we personally hate over ones we are good friends with if they're more attractive, more accomplished.

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"Well, as I understand it you don't do much parenting? So being able to work together comfortably would matter less."

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That is true.

I wonder if we should learn lessons from your kind, and vice versa. Many things you do seem so silly to me...

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"Oh?"

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Such a complicated criminal justice system! Such an extensive definition of pollution. So many dizzyingly complicated social standards that all make one stand out as unusual if violated. Castes.

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"What dizzyingly complicated standards are you thinking of?"

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This is going by what Bloom tells me, not direct observations, but - accents and word choice and posture and caste mannerisms and shared assumed knowledge and shared assumed values.

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"Those are mostly pretty automatic for us."

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To hear her describe it, you have invented rules for all these things and more - how to look at a blue versus a yellow versus a green! How to talk like a purple and when it's acceptable to be loud and what it's acceptable to complain about! When to let others speak or help them with some minor thing just because helping is a thing you do! All to live in close-packed hives without infuriating each other as much. And follow them mostly effortlessly!

It's weird.

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"Do Draak not have any customs like that? Or do you just not care much about what happens if people find you unpleasant?"

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If you are unpleasant, what does it matter if you have plenty of food and Treasure and a nice territory and everyone agrees you are mighty? The customs of Tradition help Draak feel safe even if you have neighbors and keep neighbors from killing each other, but they are much less complicated. No killing in challenges - simply driving one off is better. No cuckooing, no hunting outside your territory. No refusal to pay up if you made a deal or a bet. Announce yourself, don't just walk into a territory. And... That's about as complicated as it gets!

Hmm. It can be good to allow hatchlings and younglings to challenge themselves against you and hold back a little bit, maybe part with lesser Treasures that you don't care much about anymore if they're impressive for their age, but it's hardly required - it's the kind of thing you do if you wish to be known as one who seeks the good of Draak as a whole, a reputation that has both advantages and disadvantages.

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"If an Amentan is very personally rich and powerful but widely disliked the thing they worry about is coordinated opposition. Union action, conspiracies, shunning. Consequences for their less personally powerful relatives. Maybe less-coordinated less-legal actions like frame jobs and murder attempts - no one's bulletproof. War, maybe, depending on who dislikes them and why."

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We don't really do organized - anything, until recently. Organized censure is not an issue unless you transgress enough to earn the ire of the Elders, and if it gets to that point you are doomed. Say... A reputation as a Thief is bad in a lot of contexts but not life-ruining, and if you're very good at stealing maybe people even find that hot.

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"We specialize more than you do; someone who no one will help can't eat, can't find a place to sleep."

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I can imagine there would be evolutionary pressure to get along in those conditions but it still seems very weird.

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"I've been told that we may have evolved intelligence specifically to navigate social situations by some greens struggling to explain where Draak got it under that model."

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The dominant theories among our thinkers are effective use of magic requiring intelligence, and intelligent design.

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"Any candidates for a designer?" he asks as a van rolls up and a purple starts unloading candles and perfume.

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Only old stories. And most of the evidence is out of reach.

She cranes her neck and sniffs in the direction of the van.

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The candles smell a little through their packages; the perfumes, in bottles, mostly don't, but the purple can show her how they spritz.

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She and Bloom will thank the purples, liberally spritz around some of the strongest smelling ones and light a few candles with soft flickers of breath, and shuffle all the student Draak back to sleep. The rest of the night passes without incident.

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In the morning, while all her students play with pocket everythings or question Amentans about this or that or sleep in, Bloom writes another chapter of her memoir (What The Time I Nearly Drowned Was Like) and checks if tree877 has written anything recently.

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tree877 has been silent since mid last week.

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That doesn't seem like an unreasonably long silence. Any new stories or chapters from them that she hasn't seen yet, though?

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Sure, there were a bunch of updates while she was offplanet!

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She reads those and sends pleased friendly commentary before gathering her students up for more lessons!

Vines has his appointment with the food science lab later, and is more advanced than the others so Bloom is fine with dismissing him to go talk about the gristle berry with them.

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He is met by a green and invited inside!

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I am happy to be here! I suppose I'm representing the Growers Moot. We want to replace factory farms. They are simply horrible to us! So I brought a prototype, a product of the work so far, the fruits of it safe and edible - for Draak - and I want to see what you think of it. I want to learn what it would take to do that, from Amentan perspectives.

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"I've been reading up on that! I think there's almost no chance of a smooth switch to plant meat for all purposes unless you can replicate not just meat in general but the specific cuts and flavors people are accustomed to. People don't want to just never have a steak again. But no matter what you do the transition will take time, so depending on what's easy to roll out first you might be able to cut demand a lot with things that replicate the nutrition profile but taste different or have different textures. I think in particular you could replace animal food for pets and zoo animals and farmed fish pretty early, and then get something with a good flavor for generic broth products, and then get something with a good enough texture to be interesting as a dish in its own right and have some replacement effect, and then get closer to traditional Amentan meals."

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Draak love specific cuts and textures too. I like livers. Someone is trying to make a bush grow rabbit hearts! Once there is a body of work on how-to-grow-meat at all a huge variety of cuts and flavors won't be much trouble. It's just probably going to take a lot of refining and the whole pollution fracas will make rapid iteration annoyingly hard.

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"Uh, hearts in particular aren't very popular. I can probably get you a usage breakdown so you can get things that'll displace lots of meals before things that'll get you the last five vanity farms that sell rabbit hearts. ...how is pollution interacting with this?"

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Zoos, apiaries, some kinds of fish and mollusk farms, and niche farms that, like, expose the animals to the sun and live plants sometimes would be fine. Not great, but not worth going through all this over.

When we make a new version apparently we will have to let you grow it from seed? If the flavor or texture is slightly incorrect, if the nutrition is off, another iteration means a delay for a whole new plant to grow, even if magic can speed that part up somehow.

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"You could also just do your inventing in clean conditions if you can guarantee those to an inspection..."

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Your meaning of 'clean' seems overly paranoid to Draak and is a big political mess back home. Are we going to mandate everyone who wants to work on the meat-plants use the radiation machine and take the five-hour showers? That will infuriate a lot of people, including some of the brightest flames. Are we going to split the Growers Moot into two camps, one willing to do this and the other not? Apparently there are strong reasons not to want a split. Is delaying the final result and the end of a quiet tragedy by working around this conflict better than acquiescing in one direction or another? Well, the work is not yet at the point where rapid iteration is possible and helpful, so they chase the sun away and leave the problem to be considered another day.

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"Well. We can wash seeds. If that's easier. It's not as though we're the ones in a hurry."

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I think you all are being unreasonable in several ways, but complaining about that isn't likely to accomplish anything, is it? And I have here some seeds, and within my mind as much knowledge about them as I could reasonably hold, though I am more like an 'undergraduate' than a 'professor', in terms you would be familiar with.

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"That's fine. Do you have questions for us?"

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Lots. About how agriculture works, about how food labs work, about how new foods get adopted and spread, about nutritional science... Easily hours worth.

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The green will happily answer these. And he wants to take a selfie with Vines.

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Eh, sure, just don't touch the feathers.

They're going to grow these, right? They're not even super great at growing, they need specific triggers and a fair bit of care. Partly because nobody wanted to create an invasive weed.

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"Isn't there some way to make them default seedless? A lot of our fruit cultivars are seedless, so they can't escape and we don't have to eat around seeds."

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Oh, probably! But this plant is one that was created to explore the possibility-space, to be an example and lesson for future attempts. Almost the only focus was to get it to make stringy protein in the right way without dying.

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"I think it could be grown by early adopters as a novelty product and for pet food."

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He lets them wash the seeds and talks about how to properly cultivate them. The Draak are fine with anyone who wants to grow these doing so. It should grow, flower, and fruit within a season. It needs powdered iron oxide fertilizer in thus and such amounts. The meatberries are supposed to turn red when they're ready and yellow when they're no longer safe to eat but that might not be totally reliable. The little seed inside each berry should be edible but might be unpleasant. He gets email explained to him and signs up for one and would appreciate updates.

Do you know anyone else who would want some of these seeds?

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"I can get you in touch with some people internationally!"

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Excellent! The more people who try these, the more advice we have for attempt two.

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The food scientists email people and soon have lots of takers.

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He brought dozens of seeds, but not infinitely many. He figures out how to distribute them.

Elsewhere, Bloom has seeds for the botanical garden, too!

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The botanical garden is so happy! They show her the plant nursery where they can try to start the plants.

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The garden is pretty wonderful. She's a little surprised that they don't grow the plants in their final display area...

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"Sometimes they don't take. We do it with ones that have especially good chances."

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I see.

Most of these grow in arid but not totally desert conditions with a lot of sunlight. I found some from equatorial regions as well as my own home. They might handle a long year better.

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"That makes sense! How arid? Direct sun?"

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She can describe this for each plant by leaning on telepathy to send mental images and let them decide on numbers for things. She also tells them what they should look like as they develop.

I also have seeds for many kinds of flowers that I designed myself but I am not actually sure I want to share those.

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The botanical greens take a lot of notes. "No? They're - secret?"

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Not secret, but... Private. If you have something splendid and perfect, you want it to be unique, so it will be all the better.

The internet and writing a memoir is making me think about fame, though. So many people know about me now, enough that I can't properly picture it, though I was a minor and mostly irrelevant person at home. And that is so because you share everything.

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"If you'd like to do something in between giving us seeds and keeping them all to yourself, you could sprout them yourselves and we could put on a special exhibition without you relinquishing ownership of the plants."

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I need to think about it a bit more. I'm leaning towards just growing my own garden later and allowing visitors and photographs.

Perhaps I should work on a flower meant for Amenta when I need a break from other things? Flowers are relatively simple and relaxing to do. I don't know what I would make it look like that means 'Amenta', though.

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"Does it need to look like us to be for us?"

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No. But it needs some kind of symbolic importance, I think.

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"I'll look forward to it."

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Ink looks for Ruan some time that afternoon.

I have realized a potential problem. Probably we should discuss it now instead of when it rears its head, yes?

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"- yes. What is it?"

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What will we do if any eggs happen? You see, we do not have birth control, and we don't know how our seasons will work here yet... We could just ban sex at our school and that won't be much hardship but it bears planning about in case someone is an idiot.

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"...Tapa found places for a couple without it being a big deal, and we could find places for more. But that won't scale forever."

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I see. It's possible they could be taken back to our planet too. I don't think it will happen - certainly not myself - but much better to bring it up just in case instead of being surprised, yes?

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"Yes. I can look into citizenship for eggs hatched here if the parents would be likely to prefer to place and leave them."

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A short teaching then placing and leaving is generally how we do things, but of course I cannot speak for everyone. It would be good to know if it's an option. 

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"It probably is, if they don't mind placing the eggs with volunteers who can socialize them, like Tapa's."

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Some might mind that. The thought would be that a socialized Draak is not a 'true Draak'. Taking the eggs home would be the thing to do in that case. There would be most of a season while they developed to do that.

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"I don't think we have a good prospect of handling unsocialized citizens. So they should plan to bring them home if they don't want to get them foster situations here."

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The choices 'break the egg, give it to Amentans, arrange for it to be returned to Newhome, or don't have it in the first place' are a wide enough array, I think.

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"I remembered there being some sort of taboo on breaking eggs, was that overinterpreted?"

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Oh, it's horrible! Just about the worst thing! That's why having it on the list makes the other options look better.

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"Ah."

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Tail-wobble.

I would like to learn your language.

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"Is the same tutor Bloom had agreeable?"

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Sure.

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"I'll book her. Will anyone else want to join you or would separate lessons be preferable?"

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I see no strong reason for separate sessions but I am not sure how dedicated others would be. Perhaps a daily session that anyone can join if they wish, with minor rewards for progression, would be a good way to teach us all. If all of us learning your language is desired. 

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"It seems good to me... Bloom didn't suggest rewards for progress, what's the significance of that?"

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I assume she occasionally grumbles about wanting things but makes little effort to go out of her way to get them? Learning is its own reward for some, as her, but not all. And a task such as a new language, not the beautiful art of earth and fire and water and air that is magic, does not hold the mind as well. A clear reward is necessary to motivate, there.

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"I think with little children they use stickers but you probably have something else in mind."

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I would have to think of something. I don't know if this is what we want to do. I am thinking aloud. Maybe they will learn if we tell them it's expected if you wish to work with Amentans.

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"It reduces friction in the long run if you're literate, at least."

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With an annoyed tail-flick she carves a few curving lines into the concrete.

They say 'I am literate' in the Draak language if you assume a color or two.

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"- in an Amentan language, sorry, I meant that to be clear from context."

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Ah.

If I am getting twitchy like this I had better go nap. Or fly. Do you predict any issues if I fly around the desert at night?

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"That should be all right if you can hear planes and give them space."

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It would be hard not to hear them.

Ink nods at Ruan and goes to her corner of the warehouse.

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One of the other students, the one called Star, comes up curiously after she goes. 

I think I would like to meet young Amentans.

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"They'd - be delighted, I'm sure, but there was an incident once of one of them grabbing Bloom's feathers when she was out in public. I can't offer the same kind of guarantee about children's behavior that I can about adults."

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I hear the protectiveness in your song. We are big and dangerous, as individuals. I admit that the natural response to surprises at close proximity is to lash out... But I swear by the Onesong that, forewarned, I can and will make my reaction to surprise stillness instead of motion. You can have someone throw something at me at an unexpected time and I will freeze instead of lashing out. I'll even wear claw padding if that seems best.

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"I'm sure I can find an interested bunch of children - do you have any other specifications?"

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Extensively caring for one's hatchlings is common enough among animals but I want to see how complex Minds, how aliens, do it. I am not sure who would be best, but I could visit or be visited by multiple sets of people in time... I believe four year olds are at approximately the same life stage as we Bloom-students?

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"I think so, yes. Maybe a selection from one of those recursive orange schools where they have older ones looking after younger ones."

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Orange to begin with, I see! Caste is an extremely major factor in Amentan life so perhaps I ought to see purples after that if I am still interested.

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"If the first visit goes well there'd be no shortage of kids excited to meet you!"

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Claw-pads if you wish! And the surprising me as a test thing if you wish!

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"I might surprise you, if you aren't just going to telepathically predict it."

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I think you overestimate it. Powerful music, yes, but I am not constantly aware of the inner workings of every mind around me. It is possible to remain silent, too. If I was looking at you and watching for an attack perhaps I could see you intending to move a moment before you did, but you should be able to surprise me.

Bloom will be back soon for our lessons, I hope. That will be a distraction. We kind of need it. I can't imagine living in a city for long.

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"It does seem to put you under a lot of stress."

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It's made worse by the proximity to each other. Could you sleep with an uncaged predator in your room - even if you knew it was tamed and well fed?

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"...I had a cat that slept in my bed for four years."

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Weird. I couldn't do that. It's just - very stressful and vulnerable-feeling to sleep somewhere you don't control.

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"The water in the desert is looking to be going smoothly so far."

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None of us students have promised to stay in Baravi, you know.

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"...yes, I'm aware."

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I don't quite understand why you'd give up territory, even temporarily, and go through trouble like guards and water pipes and food and language teachers, given that we could all decide to fly somewhere else afterward.

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"If no one does that our world will lose out on what you can offer. Besides, we can benefit from your being here even temporarily - there's been a tourism uptick, people are more eager to move to Baravi in case they can be a test subject, that sort of thing. And less tangibly Baravi's citizens feel good about belonging to a country that can and does host a contingent of Draak to promote the advancement of science and abatement of spring."

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I think some Draak think about things that way. But you really want to just help yourself. It's always easy to think, 'well, what do want'. The answer is usually prey, land, victory, or Shiny Things. 'The good of all' or 'the advancement of science' is - further from the primal selfishness that I believe is the core of my species. Of all species. The thing I would be without my mind. That's why I came here. Spring seemed like - something that I couldn't not go see what's up with.

...I thought you mostly don't let anyone in?

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"People can swap. It's good to be a country people want to enter - it gives citizens lots of options and lets us pick better immigrants."

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Huh. Well I have even less hope of understanding governments than understanding how Amentans feel about things.

I want those language lessons, too. Please let me know if/when I should visit some kids!

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"I will!"

The language tutor shows up to teach Baravic literacy.

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Ink, Star, and Longfeather show up! Ink knows the Draak system but the other two don't.

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The tutor doesn't know the Draak system so it's not a very useful sort of background knowledge.

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None of them pick it up as quickly as Bloom did. Picking letters based on sounds seems deeply weird!

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"Fluent readers pay more attention to the whole shape of a familiar word anyway," the tutor assures them.

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Longfeather wanders away after it proves to be a significant effort. Two other students decide there's nothing better to do since Bloom is somewhere else, though.

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The tutor is slightly annoyed but doesn't say anything about it when Longfeather leaves.

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The Draak don't seem to even notice the annoyance. They're making reasonable if slow-ish progress.

 

About an hour in, all three Draak twitch at once, feathers fluffing out and heads perking up.

Bloom will be angry- Star begins.

-I will deal with it. Replies Ink. Apologies, o teacher, but I must go. She slinks off surprisingly quickly.

...One of us is bothering Bloom's pets, Star explains. Idiot.

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"...why are they doing that?"

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I don't know. Overwhelmed by city smell and bored and tense?

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"They don't have... coping mechanisms?"

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Getting bitey is a coping mechanism. So is staring at your Treasure but we're all young except for Ink and Bloom and don't have that much of it.

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"What is Ink going to do?"

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In increasing order of probability of success, the quiet one called Sleeper suddenly pipes up, Logic, intimidation, and violence.

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"...mmm."

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We're not Amentans.

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"I know."

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Ink comes back out.

I made him understand that annoying his teacher is a bad idea. And annoying a bear with magic powers is also a bad idea. Back to the lesson?

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Back to the lesson!

Ruan arranges a visit with the Harank Recursive Orange Academy.

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Star is delighted! He stares around curiously on the way there and settles with his wings folded up small and claws pinned under his central body once there.

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Out come a troop of assortedly sized orange children from their school, eight in all.

"You're not as big as I thought you were gonna be," says a two year old peevishly.

"Neb! That's not nice!" scolds a three year old.

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I'm only twelve! I'll get bigger in time. Hello! I am called Star. My full name is a lot longer. I'm excited to meet oranges because Draak don't do child care.

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"Don't your babies miss their parents?" says the other two year old. "Babies need attention like all the time."

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Eggs need someone to protect them and teach them things, but not hatchlings. I remember being new-hatched. I was alone, but didn't feel lonely. Draak like being alone most of the time.

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"That's not good for people," says a four year old, "if they don't talk to anybody they wind up too weird to make friends later."

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His tail wobbles. I'm pretty sure Draak work differently, but that's interesting. Do you know why?

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"They don't learn any social skills. Those need practice like riding a bike or playing an instrument."

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I bet I don't have many of those. I was horribly rude the first time I met another Draak. Tail-wobble. We talk to animals a lot, but they're very simple in comparison.

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"Plus if they have any social skills they'd be different ones."

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What's being a kid like? What's taking care of a kid like?

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"We're not allowed to do anything!" says a one year old. "And in spring people are ALL over you."

"Only little kids," says a three year old. "They don't care that much extra about bigger kids in spring."

"They won't stop making messes," says a four year old, slightly pointedly at one of the one year olds, "and screaming and kicking when they have to do anything they don't feel like and they like things being repeated over and over and over again which is developmentally important but so annoying."

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Spring is really strong, huh. Winter is really strong for Draak. Hatchlings are allowed to do anything. It's just that some things will make them get hurt or die.

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"We don't let kids get hurt and die," says a four year old.

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I see that. It's very strange to me, but interesting. Do you disagree sometimes about what's best for kids?

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"Sure, but getting hurt and dying isn't good for them."

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Tail-wobble. I believe you! I more meant about repeating things, does everyone think that's important? And what's your school like?

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"I don't think it's actually important for kids to repeat things -"

"It might be, they're doing research on that sort of thing."

"- okay, well, it's not obviously important, but they kick up a huge fuss if you don't let them watch Jellyfish Dance thirty times, or whatever."

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Huh. I remember jumping out of this one tree and into a stream about a thousand times. Literally. 

He radiates a feeling like a smile.

What kind of things are fun?

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"People like different stuff."

"Reading and playing games and sports and watching TV and stuff."

"Drawing! And cooking with my grandpa!"

"I like putting together Assemble furniture but that's weird."

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Interesting. Maybe there should be Draak sports other than fighting and races.

What kind of things are you learning in school? You all have any questions for me?

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"Are you going to help with planets?" asks a two year old.

"Or springs?" asks a four year old. "I think the planets ones are in Tapa, it's the springs ones who come to Baravi."

"Why don't you have other sports?" asks a three year old.

"I have to go to the bathroom," says a one year old, and the other three year old takes his hand and ushers him inside.

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I'm here to learn Enkindling, that's the thing that can make gentle springs. It's very tricky music. Most sports need teams, right? We don't like doing things in teams most of the time.

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"Skiing doesn't need teams."

"I don't think they can ski."

"You can do tossball one on one."

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What are those like? Our manual dexterity works a lot differently, tossing things is hard, but it might give me ideas.

He slowly pulls one claw out from under himself, the wing extending out a fair bit, and slowly flexes his 'hand'.

No opposable thumbs.

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"Maybe you want, uh, one on one netstick. You could tape the stick to your arm?"

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That sounds just funny enough to try!

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"I don't think we have any here."

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That blue who hangs around us can probably find me one to borrow later. What do you learn here besides taking care of littler Amentans?

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"General education stuff, and track-switchy background in case we go into nursing or something instead later."

"I want to RIDE you," announces one of the one year olds, while the other returns from the bathroom.

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He goes completely still for a second, then puts his paw under himself again.

You might fall off. Do one-year-olds get carried around a lot?

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"Yeah! My legs are little and I ride Mommy's shoulders."

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He purrs quietly. (Carrying a kid is not really appealing at all, but he's here to see how kids tick so it's worth a try...)

Since you think it will be fun... You can try it for a little while. But don't touch the feathers on my head! 

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"Are you sure?" asks a four year old.

"What happens if she touches the feathers on your head?" wonders a two year old.

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I'm sure, you can try it. Probably not for long.

It'll hurt and you only let someone touch your crest feathers if you lost a bet or a fight or something.

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"Why do you even have hurty feathers?"

The four year old boosts the little one.

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I'm not sure. Why do you even have colorful hair?

He holds very still. Just in front of the wing joints and just behind them are the two plausible sitting spots.

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She's in front. "It's not riding if you don't move," she points out.

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So Star stands up. He looks a lot bigger when he's not deliberately making himself as small as possible. Those wing membranes add a lot of Draak.

He cranes his neck to the side to glance at his passenger, then slowly starts walking around.

It's actually weird to meet children that aren't scared of me, he comments to nobody in particular.

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"Are baby Draak scared of grownups?" asks a three year old.

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Yeah. Baby Draak are mostly scared of any animal bigger than them! At least on first impressions.

Slooow walking.

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"Would they be scared of us?"

"Faster!!!"

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Maybe? Probably. If you want to not scare a baby Draak, crouch down so you look small and don't look directly at them and don't get close or try to touch them.

No. If you fall off me you will get hurt and I will be ashamed. I don't want either of those to happen.

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"But this is boring! An alien ride shouldn't be boring!"

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Things that should be aren't and things that shouldn't be are, sometimes. I don't know how safe riding a Draak is. Do you?

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"Go faaaaster!"

"If you're bored you can get down."

"No!"

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...Huh. You are not acting how I expected! Interesting.

I will go faster if the older students think it's okay.

 

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"You can probably go a little faster. You're not much taller than some of the playground structures."

"What were you expecting?"

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He goes to a normal Draak walking pace, like a brisk jog for Amentans. He turns around to not get too far from the other students. The wing joints move a lot.

A hatchling might go 'I will not be mad at you if I get hurt!' or 'how can I make it safe?' or just be quietly disappointed instead of repeating themselves.

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"She's only one."

"Some one year olds are that sophisticated."

"Yeah but you can't expect it."

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Pace, pace.

...I think hatchlings just start more mature and thoughtful and introspective than Amentans do.

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"Your eggs can, like, already talk. Right?"

"Yeah there's that - are they parentbloggers if they're not really her parents - there's the Tapai baby Draak and there's blog posts up about talking to 'em still in the shell, Amentans have to learn to talk, takes about a season to even be saying a few words let alone sentences."

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I only know one side of that, being in the egg, but yes.

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"Do you have real long pregnancies before you lay the eggs?"

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...I don't think so?

He pauses thoughtfully.

That sounds like something I would know, if it were so. But, I don't actually know it's not.

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"...you don't know how long it takes?"

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No. Nobody ever told me directly. And I've never tried to have a child myself. But other things make me fairly sure eggs are ready quickly even if I don't actually definitely know.

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"Huh."

"WHEEEEEE," says the one riding.

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Trot, trot.

One thing I notice is that Amentans organize so very many more things than Draak do.

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"Organize?" asks a two year old.

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Cities, schools, subways, castes, so very many laws, sports with teams, the assumption that everyone will know certain things, it's all very structured.

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"It kind of sounds like you have instincts doing most of what you need done? Or maybe you just don't mind people dying when they don't know what to do very much," says a four year old.

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...That sounds about right.

He lays down on the ground again. 

Ride is finished.

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"Noooo!" cries the passenger, but one of the three year olds pulls her off.

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It was interesting to talk to you all. I'm not sure if there's anything else to talk about before I go.

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"Can I have your paw print?" asks a two year old. "I have a fingerprint book."

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...How does that work? How do you get the prints?

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"I have an ink pad."

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If you get some water to wash the ink off me, then sure!

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There is a hose in the playground for rinsing off children who get dirty playing so this is easily arranged.

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Bloom and Ink mostly keep their students and her pets from getting into trouble over the next few days, give or take a few more scuffles and the one called Basalt disabling an annoying rattling ventilation fan by cutting a couple of wires instead of asking anyone about it. Bloom sees a few patients. She oversees all her students doing magic to a batch of plant seedlings once those arrive. Various Draak start to learn to read. They get more and more antsy.

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Finally they can move into the old mining town! It has water! And road access!

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Before they go - or after if that's better - some greens want to interview Bloom's pets!

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After the move is better. Less stress all around. The Draak seem much more relaxed almost immediately. Bloom, some of the other Draak, and her pets start planting and tending little gardens in the area - four dog-sized porcupine type animals do most of it.

You are trying to decide if they count as people, correct? I have far more Enkindled pets than most Draak, it's one thing that separates me from my kin... Though I want to repeat that 'pets' is not quite the correct concept. Neither is 'children', nor 'partners', nor 'projects'. Perhaps something in between all of those.

...I suppose you should speak to Forever, the oldest. Or perhaps Nestwatcher, who is chatty.

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There are several greens here - a theologian and a zoologist and a psychologist - so they can split them up.

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She goes off to fetch them. A an alien bird resembling a large sparrow flutters over after a minute. The bird flits over to a green picked at random - the psychologist - and starts chattering. The telepathy is a lot harder to interpret than Bloom's.

I am here to tell you things, because Flowermaker said to. I have never seen you before so I am supposed to tell her about you! Except she already saw you, so I am not supposed to tell her about you!

-And then he starts describing the movements of every Draak in the area over the last day at a rapid pace.

 

 An alien rabbit that looks subtly off and a blue-tinged giant porcupine type creature follow a bit later. Bloom lays down some distance away.

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The theologian goes up to the rabbit-thing and the zoologist the porcupine. "Hello," says the theologian. The zoologist looks the porcupine over more closely first.

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- And then the red scaled one with blue splotches went over there and then -

The rabbit-thing stares at the theologian, whiskers twitching. Hello.

The porcupine is low and round, about the size of a large dog, and dew rests at the end of each short spine. Its paws seem meant for digging.

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"...is keeping track of that interesting?"

"We're trying to figure out if you're people," the theologian explains, "what do you think?"

"What's your name?" asks the zoologist.

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...I am supposed to watch for other Draak and tell the Flowermaker about them!

Yes. What is 'people'? ...But yes.

The porcupine sniffs at a patch of grass and says- Plant arranger-friend-worker-water-rain-sister-adaptable one.

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"Why?"

"People are creatures that reason about the world and their own existence."

"Is your job looking after plants?"

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If I do what I am supposed to do I get safe-nest and food.

I do that most of all Bloom's servants. I am not an ordinary rabbit. I have been made to be much like a Draak. I don't like it much.

We grow plants. We eat plants. Other things eat plants. Bloom eats other things. Nothing eats us. (The porcupine-thing runs one forelimb along the dewy quills, collecting water on its fur, which it drips on a patch of grass. The quills are wet again after a few seconds.)

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"How did you learn to do it?"

"Do you think the others are people?"

"Where's the water coming from -?"

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...I know how to do it, yes!

If they use reasoning even very rarely, does it make them people? If they reason only about the world and have no self-awareness?

I drink big water. I give big water. Magic.

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"How did you learn?" repeats the psychologist.

"We're trying to figure that out," says the theologian.

"What does that feel like, the water coming out of your quills?" asks the zoologist.

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...The Flowermaker tells me what I am supposed to do!

...My name is Forever. Bloom named me so that she would remember forever the lesson my existence represents.

Like digging.

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"Is it difficult?"

"What is that lesson?"

"How is it like digging?"

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...I do things wrong sometimes! You ask hard questions that aren't about what I saw.

Don't force something against its nature. It just causes pain.

Feels good to do.

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"Do you want me to stop?"

"What makes something against something's nature?"

"Oh, good. How old are you?"

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I am supposed to answer questions!

I don't have a simple answer to that. Is it similar to things the animal does by instinct? Rabbits do not hunt.

Not-magic cousins born and died many times since my sisters became magic-sisters.

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"Are you always working?"

"But you do?"

"Do you miss your cousins?"

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I don't understand the question.

No. My body wants to, but my mind is horrified.

Not-magic cousins are not important.

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"Do you do things - when you're awake - besides track things for Bloom?"

"And this can't be - fixed -?"

"Why not?"

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I keep track of things the Flowermaker doesn't care about sometimes even though I am not supposed to tell her about things that she doesn't care about!

Bloom would fix it if she could without unmaking me. She can't. Too much of me is magic instead of flesh now.

...Sisters are important. Plants are important. Bloom is important. Other things are not.

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"What things doesn't she care about that you track?"

"- hm. Do you remember before she worked on you?"

"What made you decide those things were important?"

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I follow a bug until it dies and then I eat it. I count leaves. I decide which of her feathers is prettiest!

Very dimly. I have learned about the truth of memories. I cannot be confident it's not imagined.

The porcupine thing holds still, deep in thought...

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"...which of her feathers is prettiest?"

"Can you tell me what you remember, even if it might not be accurate?"

The zoologist waits.

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Her prettiest feather is the longest green one on her head. It was one of the purple ones for a long time, but the best one got bent when she fought someone the other day so now a green one is the best.

I remember many brothers and sisters. Never any specific ones, but so many, and that was good. I remember leaving a burrow being surprising and awe-inspiring every time. I remember seeing Bloom and knowing that I was like nothing in comparison, and holding still instead of fleeing like my siblings, and talking with her.

...I don't know.

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"What makes it best?"

"Do you remember why you didn't run away?"

"What things about the important things are important?"

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...It's the best one!

Part of me wants to think I was curious to seek some truth, or self-sacrificing out of love, but that 'me' was a dumb animal and couldn't have reasoned either of those things out. I truly do not know.

It feels bad if important things are hurt.

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"Do you have favorites of other things?"

"You seem like you're probably a person," says the theologian. "Do you understand why we're checking for that?"

"Have those things always been important?"

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Clouds! Leaves! Bugs! Pebbles!

Your kind has some aversive instincts that our master feels like accommodating.

...I don't remember things much.

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"What is your favorite pebble?"

"Right. Has she explained what will happen if it seems like that applies to you?"

"Does that bother you?"

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The bird flies off, presumably to fetch the pebble in question.

Both other animals say 'no'.

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The theologian summarizes the cleanliness protocols for Forever.

"Are there things you do remember?"

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The bird returns with a small lump of copper in its beak! This is my favorite pebble.

...I don't really care.

This is a new place. I remember an old place. I remember kinds of plants.

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Eventually at some length the three greens confer and determine that Forever is almost certainly a person, and the other two probably aren't, though they're a little concerned about the bird's ability to make aesthetic judgments.

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Beings Enkindled as heavily as Forever the rabbit are very rare. If I worked on my bird for a season or two more, with more power and mindfulness slowly gathering, at what point would he become a person by your reckoning? Would it be a judgement call? This clean dividing line is strange to me. I see all of them - on a spectrum.

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"Our discernment is imprecise, so we have uncertainty about where the line is crossed," says the psychologist. "But that's different from expecting the actuality of personhood, rather than some subcomponents that contribute to and indicate personhood, to be spectra. The subcomponents aren't the thing itself. Even a very disabled member or infant member of a species that is generally people is - at least for the purpose we're concerning ourselves with here - also a person. We don't think you've somehow upliffted the entire species whence Forever came, but otherwise it's much like the reverse of that case."

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...I think I understood part of that. If I define 'person' intuitively, I still see the actuality of personhood as a spectrum. I would intuitively define it as something's capacity as an agent, to make choices of increasing complexity and nuance. But I understand what you mean by personhood in this context is not a spectrum. It's a different thing that there is not a different word for, and though the concept is shaped differently in my mind that is translating poorly.

I don't understand what you mean by being like 'the reverse of that case', though.

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"- the example of disabled people is a particularly clear decoupling of personhood and capacity, but while they're less capable members of a species of people, Forever is a more capable member of a species of nonpeople."

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So the capacity of Enkindled beings is somewhat decoupled from their personhood, because their species are not generally people?

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"No, that's not what I'm saying. We do think Forever's a person based on his capacities. It's just an irregular case."

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...I wonder if Enkindling is a special category- Well, that is something for you to think about, not me.

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The adopted hatchling Katmem was kept entertained by the garden and estate and treasure-hunting for a while, and listens intently to science and piano lessons, but eventually remembers board games exist and asks about them again. Are they fun?

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They can be! Here's a simple one their grandkids like.

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He's happy to try the one they recommend. What are you supposed to do?

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You roll dice and move your pegs on the board trying to land on these marked spots which move according to more die rolls!

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...It's frustratingly hard to roll the dice but apart from that the game is fun!

You can think about what to do next and what the spots will do but you can't be sure. Is that on purpose?

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"Yes! There are also games without any chance."

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I don't mind the chance. Getting lucky and unlucky sometimes feels right.

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"There are games that are entirely chance and have to do with deciding how much to risk on which outcomes, too."

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There are a lot of games. I probably don't want to play ALL of them.

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"I don't think anyone has. But there are lots of kinds and it makes sense to try several to learn more about what makes them fun for you,"

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Let's play one of each kind then!

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They have a card game that is nearly unadulterated chance with wagered tokens, and a board game with a predetermined setup of pawns and purely player-chosen moves from there.

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Pure chance is interesting exactly once, and then just frustrating. The totally predetermined ones merit a lot of careful thought about strategy, head resting on the floor next to the board and tail slowly dragging side to side.

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Awwwww.

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Katmem runs around excitedly whenever he wins! Board games are fun.

I would like to go somewhere I can see the stars very well. There is a bench in the garden that is pretty good but a tree and the house still gets in the way. That's why I wanted to go on the roof a while ago. Is there a good place for that?

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"We could take you out into the pastures if you like."

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Ooh. Are those yours too? I thought the house and garden was all of it.

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"We hire people to manage the land, but it's ours, and nobody's working at nighttime."

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Having lots of land is impressive and good! I would like to see it.

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"We can go for a walk around it while the sun sets and pick a good place to stargaze once it gets dark!"

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He's so excited!! The stars make him want to sing every time he sees them. A music lesson and a nap would be a fun way to pass time until sunset.

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Then he can have these things! They're very indulgent of their baby dragon alien.

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He still acts noticeably alien. Strange things frighten or startle him, he's not very predictable in when he feels chatty or social, and he eats a rusty nail found in the garden once. He seems to be learning science pretty quickly, learns to read sheet music after a while, and is good at math, but learning to read regular language is very slow going. He likes the wide-open space of the pastures a lot and thanks the blues when they take him out to see them (and spends more than an hour crooning at the starry night sky). He finds cows kind of intimidating and actively avoids them.

 

The other baby Draak comes up to her parents one morning and says, I think I learned to do something magic besides fire! But I am not sure. Please help me figure out if I'm right?

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"Of course! What is it?"

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I think I can tell when the wind is about to change!

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"Ooh," says the climatologist. "Okay, let me go set up some of my devices and get a watch and we can see when you expect that and what the instruments say."

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Yes good! She scurries around excitedly while he prepares.

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Now there are wind-measuring devices, recording to a computer so the climatologist's thoughts won't give them away, and they can go sit outside and inspect the wind!

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She closes her eyes and perks her head high into the air and listens.

........Left.

...............Right!

...........Forward.

........Gust!

...........Stillness.

 

She is calling these out a second or two in advance at most.

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"Hmm. You're getting it right but I can't be sure if you're doing it by magic or if you're sensing something in a normal way, like how the leaves are moving a hundred meters off."

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...I think that is what I am doing. I'm feeling the air. But I think that still might be magic!

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"Oh? How?"

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Because it's listening with telepathy instead of ears.

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"Telepathy with... the trees?"

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With the air!

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"I'm not sure that's technically 'telepathy' but I guess it might be running on the same kind of magic you use for telepathy."

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If you say so! It's the same thing just not at a person.

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"Huh. I guess maybe your telepathy doesn't work the way I was assuming."

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Want me to show you?

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"- sure! Let's try it!"

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Here is some weird nonsense sensation that isn't a color or a sound or a texture, though parts of it feel similar to those things! It's complicated and directional and layered. He 'shines' brightly directly in front, a beacon compared to the faint not-quite-green 'color', not-quite-smooth 'texture' of the grass, a humanoid shape of 'light' thrumming slightly almost like a drumbeat as his heart beats. Motes of warmth are dotted around the grass. The computer and instruments are marked by a faint almost-bitter, almost-cold tinge. The movement of air is something like a timbre or echo, easily missed in the rest of it. There are patterns and harmonies in all the weirdness.

-And it stops.

Do you see why it's called the music of the world?

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"- I suppose I do! What an interesting sensation - is it like that all the time?"

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Yes! But looking and listening and smelling are better for finding far away things.

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"Because it doesn't go too far? Makes sense."

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It is sad that you can't see how pretty everything is like that.

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"Can you see how I'm experiencing things?"

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If you think about it really hard maybe?

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Sure, the climatologist will try that!

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Head-tilt.

...I can tell you're thinking really hard but that's it. I say pictures as easy as I say words so I don't know how to tell you to do it.

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"Huh. Maybe I'll figure it out one day."

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She sends a mental shrug and wanders off to report her new magic the day's mushroom scouting results to Pep.

Animals can get sick and get parasites. Plants can get sick and parasites but different. Can mushrooms get sick and get parasites?

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"Sometimes, but not much."

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The baby Draak is delighted to learn just about anything about biology, even if she can't easily be motivated to learn much about anything else.

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This time when the black-hulled starship Wing of Change appears, it radios that it would like to land offshore of Voa instead of in Tapa. Their history, particularly the aftermath of the war with the Empire of Oahk, makes him think they would be a good place for him to teach the bits of technology he is here to teach.

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Well, he can land the same place he did last time he visited Voa, up north. Should they be setting up a whole conference site type deal there?

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It's just the Seeker himself, no big conference needed. He will want to talk to some blues who can make big deals and organize a lot of greens at some point, but he can explain himself to the one he met last time first if that is easier.

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The party he met last time is there. With another sculpture present, this one made of coral.

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Well, he's not going to say no to shiny gifts.

Greetings. I am here to share technology. Not all of what you need to make starships, but a major step. I was going to do it last time I was in Tapa, but had a startling realization that the technology I was going to share could potentially be used to invent a class of weapons of terrible power - weapons which the Elders and one other of the Draak already know the secrets of, but we hope are never used. By grace of the Onesong, there is a way to make those horrible weapons not work and I am going to share it widely. I think Voa is one of the better countries to do that with.

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"We're honored by your confidence."

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You will want many physicists. I'm interested in asking Voa to handle distributing the knowledge of how to make the anti-weapon devices, or the devices themselves, to most countries. I don't want to lecture to a hundred small countries or make lots of them myself but I do want to make sure nuclear weapons can never be used here.

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"We can get physicists. And engineers. How much material are we talking about?"

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I am unfamiliar with exactly how smart your smartest greens are and what they already know about the relevant physics. I estimate two weeks to six months for manufacture of anti-weapon devices, six months to four seasons of dedicated study for the basics of nuclear fusion powerplants. It's a regrettably large range.

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"Even a vague estimate helps. I'll put out a call. Do you want to deliver the information here or should we set up somewhere more populous with more resources?"

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Somewhere more built up is better in this case. I'm willing to attempt to teach lots of people at once, though the usual Draak teaching style is one to at most a dozen, and often one to one.

I'm willing to teach anti-weapon devices for free without any further considerations, but am interested in earning a lot of money for teaching the general theory of nuclear fusion. Voa's admirable history and the act of distributing the former knowledge will benefit you if I decide calling for bids makes sense or something like that.

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"Is there a limit to how big a lecture hall you can cover, or how many people?"

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Distance and audience size is not really an issue for whether they can hear my song unless you fill an entire stadium. Though a large class means I will have very little attention for each individual.

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"Greens are accustomed to learning at least some things in lecture format. If nothing else they'll be able to take turns asking questions."

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I will simply have to try lecturing and see what works and what does not. The notion of smaller discussion sections in addition to large lectures is probably a good idea.

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"We can set that up if you think it justifies the multiplication of time investment."

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I intend to spend most of my waking hours teaching. You can schedule discussions all morning, lectures before and after lunch, and discussions all afternoon with office hours all evening. On average, Draak handle intense workloads on single tasks much better than Amentans do.

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"All right, we'll arrange it like that. Do you want to wait until all the students are ready before you fly in to a city?"

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Yes. Are there fusion fuel refinery startups in Voa? You'll need some for prototypes and demonstrations.

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"We've gotten some rather enthusiastic emails from a lab in the southwest, I'm not sure if there are also politer competitors but we'll check."

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We Draak are set to run out soon. I only ever sought enough for my own purposes, and now there are more than a dozen ships, and more all the time. Perhaps I will side-track to consulting with that lab. Or accept payment in promises to provide fuel.

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"It's called Moav Labs -" He provides their email address.

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He gives a very large nod.

I will compose an email later. Can you recommend any particularly good national parks? Perhaps I could overfly those while waiting for the students to be all assembled and considering what to charge for lessons beyond the anti-weapon device.

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He pulls up a map and points out an arctic park, a chunk of a mountain range, and a canyon with a river.

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I would also like to meet other blues later. For all that statistics, history, and policies make Voa seem sensible I have met few Voan rulers in person.

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"Do you want to swing by the capital and meet some governors and more diplomats and the like, or do you mean provincial level blues?"

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The capital sounds interesting if there is a space that will fit me. 

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"It's on a large river; you'd fit in the water."

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I am most at home in the water either way. Good. When?

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"How about the day after tomorrow - enough time for us to get into the city and find a good spot in the river to mark for you and assemble some people to meet you. How should we indicate where to land?"

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Email me the location, that will do.

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"An image of it?"

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Or coordinates, or an address. I have Maps, you know.

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"I wasn't sure if you were able to fly and check it at the same time without potentially needing to land," explains the blue. "All right, we'll email."

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I see. I could probably manage it if I had to, but I am going to memorize the location.

Anything else before I overfly some national parks?

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"I don't think so."

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-I should get your email address. Asonde be-Lorkea de-Nivo, correct? We met when I was first here almost two seasons ago.

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"That's right." He gives his email.

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And then he goes and composes an email to Moav Labs asking about their progress. Maybe a deal could be worked out for the Seeker to come consult if it looks like he could help.

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They have so much progress. It is documented so shinily. They'd love to have him if he sees a gap.

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He wants to make a lot of money, but facilitating future fuel supplies would be nice too. Where is their facility? Maybe he will show up to talk about it.

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Here it is!

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He visits a national park for a while first, but shows up at the lab the next morning, carrying a Draak-sized necklace with big metal cylinders hanging from it.

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Purples and a green meet him! "Good morning!"

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Good morning. I won't be giving out any substantial advice on technical things today - perhaps a few general comments - unless we work out a deal, but I would be glad to discuss the business side of things.

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They can do that! The green runs in to get a yellow.

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He has numbers for how much fuel the existing Draak ships consume to go from place to place! Presumably the yellow can make projections for demand based on this. If Amentans can industrialize this like they've done with computers that will be a boon to both species. Draak don't do industry, generally speaking.

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They can do a back of the envelope estimate. They think it's amenable to industry.

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The fusion powerplants are also good for electrical power but he can't guess whether they will beat geothermal. Maybe the moons can benefit from it.

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They will see about spinning off a division to look into that.

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I would be willing to work directly with your researchers to improve what you have already done for the right consideration. As one of the inventors of fusion power, I hope my credentials don't need to be established. I would want either very steep consulting fees or a stake in the profits your technology will eventually make.

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"How much stake? We don't leave a lot of capital lying around..."

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He can definitely negotiate a business deal. He's aiming for somewhere between a twentieth and a fifth, depending on some of the details.

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That's kind of a lot and he's leaked enough that they can probably get off the ground on their own.

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Sure, but not as quickly. Well, he has lots of other things to do with his time if they can manage it on their own.

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They'd cut him in at two percent, or five percent of their extant division with the option to spin off other divisions later that he's not cut into.

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At those percentages he can give them lots of data and spend a solid week or two working with greens and hand over some machinery from his ship, but whether he wants to take the deal depends how much of his time they want him to devote to helping them out in the long run.

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Just enough for a good head start.

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He was imagining much more of an ongoing commitment, that's where the high initial offer came from... Yeah, he'll take the two percent deal. He doesn't have any instincts about how corporations work and what spinning off new divisions would look like, so he mistrusts the five percent deal. Maybe it's a bit irrational, but there it is.

He'll just go get some more things from his ship while a contract is written up, and they should summon whoever is in charge of actual development so he can get to work with them.

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They can take care of that for him.

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He comes back with more stuff and figures out how to collaborate. He knows this particular kind of thing very well, he seems to know every field of physics tolerably well, and has been studying manufacturability so he is fairly good at pointing out what they're doing right and what they're doing wrong, and translating the principles behind his one-of-a-kind-masterpiece fuel collectors into something Amentans can make. It will take a lot of compromising and figuring alternate methods out, though, because he can do all sorts of magic to cheat at making things.

He'll gladly keep this up for 16 hours a day until whenever someblue tells him the school is ready.

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The school is ready now!

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-Excellent. Where should he go, and is he going to meet blues in the capital first? He kind of forgot about that when he set down to engineering.

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He can land in the designated river spot whenever but the blues would like a day's notice.

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He'll give warning. For now, let's see what they've arranged for a school.

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They have rented a place that is an outdoor skating performance rink in the winter but was in the middle of being renovated; he will fit on the place that's usually a rink and there are seats for lots of greens.

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He flies to the place and looks around for the nearest green.

Hello.

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There are lots of them! There are more filing in, too. "Hello!" says the one he addressed.

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Teaching so many is going to be strange... I am not a professor. I am not going to make exams or grade work. I don't even have a curriculum, I have to see what you all know already. Does teaching at the most advanced level still typically involve those things?

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"At the most advanced, no. By then the teacher's usually supervising original research."

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I am letting whatever blue has fallen into the job track attendance and choose students, involving myself in that is probably a waste of time. It will be impossible to properly get to know everyone. I shouldn't even try! ...There should perhaps be some purples here, though.

He sniffs and addresses a ring of the closest greens. How much nuclear physics do you all already know?

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They can start talking about that in a rather disorganized fashion. Someone else calls a purple colleague.

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...I think I have an approximate knowledge level to start with, he says at length.

He glances to gauge how full the place is. Oh wait, he has a schedule. He checks the time.

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Four minutes to go. The stragglers are fewer.

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He starts the lecture exactly on-time with a short introduction. For now he is going to teach a relatively narrow topic: The general theory behind nuclear weapons and anti-nuclear-weapons-devices, and how to build the latter. Whether he will teach fusion power after that is not certain yet. He will be moving through material fast. He will be supplementing the usual telepathy with mental images because that's faster, if this is uncomfortable you can leave. He usually teaches one other person at a time and is unsure how well this will work, since he'll have almost no time for individual attention for anyone, but is confident that Voa's best are here, and the discussion and office hours will probably help.

Any questions before I bite into the meat of the first lecture?

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"Do you object to us talking to each other during the lesson?"

"Do you have a syllabus or lesson plan?"

"Or any kind of written material."

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No, but if you are distracted it is on your own heads. No lesson plan, I'll move on as people seem to understand. I'll make a syllabus. Written material - I will generate some each day in local formats - if anyone volunteers to set up a way to share it that will be appreciated.

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They can use standard classroom software this one green expects she can expense if she buys it now.

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He gives a wavey sort of tail-gesture that means agreement/approval to anyone who has read about tail body language.

Good initiative. If you want to set it up right now, I will cover anything you missed afterwards. And be irked at important people for you if you can't actually expense it. What's your name?

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"Nonmai be-Finda de-Zon."

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He nods.

And then: He starts lecturing about particle physics at a level vaguely calibrated to the least-advanced front row greens! One of his shiny gadgets unfolds into a huge screen, on which diagrams and math and his email address go. He stops for questions every few minutes and answers a lot of questions with 'Ask again in office hours or discussion'.

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The greens write down the questions as they go, and take notes using various idiosyncratic notetaking schemas.

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Discussion sections are twenty minutes long in the same place, just a lot smaller. He's utterly tireless but clearly finding teaching so many people somewhat frustrating.

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They're doing their best not to go to him if the answer can be found amongst themselves but there are lots of them.

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He teaches every single day - weekends have no lectures but loads of discussions and office hours. He ends up picking a clawful of favorites, Nonmai be-Finda de-Zon included, and using them as a litmus for everyone else.

After two weeks he starts bringing in pieces of lab gear and asks his favorites for contacts to get this lab or that university to provide some more. Also, evening office hours in three days is cancelled for the day. (He would like to meet blues at the capital on that evening, he emails the person arranging that).

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This can all be arranged as he likes it! Blues are waiting when he arrives.

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He lands in the river surprisingly gently, for being bigger than a bus.

Hello! I just want to be clear that while I am a political figure of the Draak, I certainly don't want to make any promises or negotiations that aren't on my own behalf today.

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"Understood," says Asonde. And he introduces a bunch of blues with titles like Secretary and Ambassador and Representative and Governor.

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Thank you for coming to see me, he tells everyone. I'm interested in hearing about what the Voan central government does, day to day. I'm interested in hearing how laws are decided upon from a non-textbook perspective as well. Perhaps there are some subtleties my kin in our Senate could stand to hear.

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The oldest blue present says, "We handle problems that the lower layers of government escalate to us and solve federal level coordination issues. For example, yesterday a suspected voting fraud case made it to my desk because the person reporting it suspected provincial level involvement and I assigned an internal affairs agent to it; tomorrow I'll be in a meeting about intellectual property law."

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...I should probably concern myself with intellectual property law. But I can do that with a textbook. What makes one suspect voting fraud?

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"Statistical irregularities and motive."

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My kin aren't likely to trust anonymous voting any time soon, for the reason that it makes voting fraud possible in principle. When there are so many of us that counting votes becomes plainly impossible, perhaps.

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"The idea is that mandatory secret ballots prevent pressured voting."

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I can see the appeal of that from a certain perspective. Has that historically been a problem?

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"Some times and places, yes."

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In Voa? Oahk? Or did they not bother to even put up a pretense of democracy?

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"Oahk in the modern day is a democracy; in Imperial times it was not. Voa has had local democracy for longer and some instructive episodes of vote manipulation."

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My impression is that most Draak won't think it's a major concern, and will probably stick to public voting for now.

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"That may well work for your psychological setup."

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He speaks with all the blues present, asking questions about everything from environmental regulations to recent court cases to how the internet spanning countries works and what they have to do about it to the kinds of things that go into treaty negotiation to how transfer of power and maintenance of knowledge works when they have old age to deal with.

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They have regulations intended to protect air, water, and soil quality, but only incidentally protect from habitat fragmentation or destruction. Voa doesn't have many capital crimes but aggravated rape is one of 'em. They have treaties about complying with foreign censorship requests. Treaties usually depend on a lot of implicit considerations on top of the explicit ones; here is a good book on it. They have succession rules of various kinds if someone dies; a number of positions are elected, sorted by seniority while in office, and follow the seniority order if someone must suddenly leave office for any reason including dying.

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He already knows they don't preserve habitats per se, he tries not to show his vague disappointment at that.

...I would guess it's a capital crime because it can lead to a child, and thus is particularly damaging or distressing to the victim. Is that correct?

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"That's one of the possible aggravations but there are others."

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The Seeker is glad to talk with interested blues about governance for a while. He comments that it's valuable perspective on Amentan countries, even though he's probably not internalizing it all correctly.

Eventually, I've been so focused on teaching I haven't looked at what you organized for a school closely. Is someone here the best person to talk about the continuation of my teaching beyond anti-nuclear-weapon devices, or is there a blue in charge of that who isn't here? Should I make an appointment about it some other time?

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"I'm here," says one of the blues. "I've been working for Governor Avalor's office on that."

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He swims a bit closer and sits mostly underwater.

I estimate two months until I have taught what I intend to teach for free, the theory and foundational construction of the anti-nuke devices. And seeing greens in action, I estimate a season and a half until you're able to build passable fusion power plants, or three seasons to teach everything I can reasonably quickly teach about the subject, if I kept to the same pace with the same students. No offense to Voa, but I think I'm likely to ask several countries for bids to teach the latter things, with various factors offsetting bids.

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"No offense taken," the blue assures him.

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Well, it seems he's about done here, then. He thanks everyone for their time and heads back to the makeshift lecture hall.

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At the ongoing conference in Tapa, a Draak with a particularly long neck muses to a Tapai diplomat, Secrets come in many forms and have different value to different people. Things cannot be un-said, so in many cases, you can sell them only once. There is a secret I know that I think all of Amenta would like to know, but I am somewhat reluctant to say anything more than 'I think you would like to know this', lest I give it away for free.

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"...you could ask someone to sign a nondisclosure agreement," suggests the diplomat. "Though there's some risk they'll break it if it's something they'd urgently think everyone needed to know at the expense of their reputation and whatever penalties the agreement carried."

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I find it difficult to predict your Minds. Perhaps. Of course, it is difficult to find buyers when you cannot say what you are trying to sell without ruining it. 

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"Can you remark on the general topic?"

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I suppose it is necessary to garner interest. The topic is the exploration of space.

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"That's definitely interesting. Uh, can you say if it's good news or bad? Or why it's secret?"

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It is good news. I will be happy to explain why it is secret to whoever I speak the secret to. I swear by the Onesong that I am not trying to deceive, but I will be conservative in this. Any information I give risks allowing inference of the whole.

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"Is anyone going to be angry with you for selling the secret, or your recipients for buying it?"

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Any further information I give may risk allowing inference of the whole.

...I will rephrase what I said earlier and say that I sincerely believe any Amentan country would rather know than not know.

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"I'm trying to estimate the value of the information, which is hard; obviously you don't have to answer any question you think gives too much away," says the diplomat. "It could be worth very little if there'll be a public announcement tomorrow, or if there's no way to act on it; or a lot if it's time-sensitive, or there's no other way to find out."

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She seems reluctant, but she says, I do think you would find out at SOME point without me. I am not entirely sure when.

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"Okay - in that case you'll probably make the most money talking to a news outlet instead of a government. Assuming money's what you're after. The National Gazette sometimes buys stories for large sums, I know that."

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Thank you for the advice. I don't suppose you could point me to some media yellows?

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"My press contact is probably not the same one you want for whatever you have but she'll know who is." She provides an email.

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Hmmmm. This is not going how I had pictured. I'm still not really sure how email works...

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"...I can invite her here?"

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That takes your friend out of the daily routine of their life, does it not? I'm unsure whether travelling great distances is easier or harder for you, having trains instead of wings.

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"She's a reporter and travels a lot, but admittedly wasn't planning to come here and would just wind up referring you to some co-worker of hers anyway."

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It would be easier for me, but that's no reason to be quite so rude. I'll figure email out with someone else if you have better things to do, and then send one.

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"I'm not busy. ...if you make a habit of selling secrets then you might find the people around you, uh, become busier."

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They would think I seek to prize kernels of truth from them, and act cautiously in return? A reasonable suspicion, if you have such a reputation. Perhaps I should keep silent after all, hmm? The rewards a media outlet can produce are less than those a government can.

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"No, actually, I mean - doing someone a favor to help them navigate a system is friendly and we're interested in being friendly. Specifically doing you favors for free because you want to make money when you aren't specifically hoping to put the money toward projects we share an interest in would make people begin to feel a little used. I'm happy to get you in touch with my press contact or with other people in my government this once but I do think it might begin to be a point of friction if you did it much."

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Headtilt.

...I see. A humbling reminder to examine one's own assumptions. I knew that the Tapai here are being helpful to be friendly, but of course that has limits. The nature of trade is that if a fair price is reached, nobody resents the other and both are better off, even if the thing being traded is exciting information -- But a mediator does not see any benefit from helping two other parties trade.

I would not object to paying for favors done. Such is the usual way among Draak - if in Shiny Things, not tap. And yet, this interest of mine is likely a one-time deal. I have seen an opportunity and I am trying to bite down upon it. I don't expect similar opportunities to come up.

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"I can see if my contact can guess off the Gazette who'd be authorized to buy and invite them. I think the government would be worried that trying to get information they can't necessarily act on - and you haven't said they can - would look pointlessly antagonistic to other countries, even if in isolation they'd like to know; that. and I'm not sure they'll be confident in your assessment of whether they would like to."

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I don't actually know if you'd be able to act on it. I don't know enough about the relevant Amentan things to tell. Not looking antagonistic seems like an almost overriding concern at times. Our Senate is probably not very good at it. I don't think they even properly realize it might be something we might want to prioritize.

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"I think Seeker understands it, at least when someone reminds him, and we're doing our best to remember that aliens will need reminders about how things will come off."

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The Seeker is the face of our kin on this world to some extent... Hmm. I'm not sure I like that. I don't like him. 

Perhaps there is some favor I can do in return for your assistance? I doubt I offer much unique compared to other Draak, but I must offer now that the full context is clear to me.

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"I'm actually not supposed to accept personal favors in my professional capacity beyond things like dinner invitations, which I don't think would work out. - what is it you don't like about Seeker? Bloom's about as famous, though for different reasons..."

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Indeed, eating is not a social activity for Draak.

...It is hard to put it clearly. He is arrogant, which is sometimes good but sometimes bad. He is adamant that his vision of the future is the one true, correct, good, and best path forward, so while the other Elders watch and wait and consider and work on long-term projects he is running around doing things. I am perhaps a bit of a hypocrite there. I am doing things, too. But Elders are supposed to be different.

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"If he weren't doing things at all no one on Amenta would know about Draak at all."

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Hmmm. This is true.

He has great deeds of magic and technical wonder to his name, but brilliance in one thing does not lead to brilliance in all things. We were neighbors for about half a century a long time ago. He has gotten more confident and hasn't gotten less... Energetic. I worry he thinks he's wiser than he truly is. That's why I don't like him.

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"We're not wedded to having him as our main point of contact."

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It's not like I can shoo him away. I'm just an environmentals technician for Shining Truth. We did pick some diplomats of our own, they're just not entirely sure what to do with themselves yet, I think.

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"I wonder if any of them will wind up attending blue school like Wire is attending green school."

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I personally doubt it, just as I doubt one would attend an orange or purple or yellow or grey school. The things where you are obviously better than us and that we most want to adapt something from are largely green.

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"Hm, if you think so."

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Well, maybe a yellow school. Programming sounds powerful.

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"It is! It's driven much of our development of the last thirty-some-odd years."

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I've tried to explain the concept to others but it's very much outside most Draak's concept-space! ...Should I leave you be now, or is this conversation interesting?

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"This is interesting!" she assures him. "I think it takes some adjustment for us too, and it was rumored to have been a lot more when computers were new and people weren't introduced to them from a functional background on what they could accomplish."

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But when I try to explain it - I have been making gadgets for over a century, I have actually made primitive computers simply out of my own imagination. Think... Calculators and thermostats. But even that's rare. For many Draak, the closest available metaphor is training animals, or perhaps something with sluice gates and clever things with water flow and interlocking gears or something.

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"I'm sure with more exposure to the ranges of things we can do with them, and especially to writing, more Draak will pick it up in time."

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I believe our minds comprehend things in different ways on a deep level. I think we have better senses of complex interactions. I spoke to a green about electrical engineering yesterday and she would do some math or use an app to calculate some circuitry properties, but I simply knew what they would be without having to take that step. It's not that I didn't do any calculation - it's that I leapt straight into and through the calculation without pausing to think about it, much like how you can unlock your pocket everything and select a notification without pausing to think about it. You have 'muscle memory', which extends to tool use such as driving or writing or using pocket everythings, yes? Draak do not memorize complex procedures like that to the point of not even having to think about it. Or we do it less easily, at least.

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"That's interesting. Some people do develop calculative skills to that level with enough practice, but it's rare and relying on tools is more comfortable, considered more reliable."

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She gives an uncertain tail-wave. Oh, that makes me anxious! 'The only thing that cannot be taken by foe or accident or calamity or the march of time, is yourself.' A common saying, as far as we have them.

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"Oh, sure. We do live shorter lifespans than Draak do, though. So perhaps there's fewer calamities and less time to prepare for."

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The fact that you have such little time, comparatively, seems a terrible pity to me...

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"We'd need more space before addressing that would be a remotely defensible priority."

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Or the ability to choose weaker springs, or both?

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"I don't think many would want such weak springs as to prefer to have a below-replacement number of children."

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...Hmm. I shouldn't talk about this, I probably have nothing new to contribute on the matter.

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"All right. You're more of a gadgets person?"

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I could talk about it but I'm thinking about not offending, now. Yes, as much as I am defined by one line of work or hobby, I am a gadgets person. Heating and cooling systems especially.

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"What got you interested in those?"

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I'm not actually sure! It was so very long ago, you see. I've had cold and hot stones and cold and hot baths in my home as a luxury for as long as I can remember, and occasionally I repair or improve them, that may be it.

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"Are the stones magic, or no?"

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Assuming you mean 'magic' as Music that defies the ordinary physical world (there's fuzzy edges to these things sometimes)... Not ongoingly. They're acting according to ordinary physical laws most of the time, but they're predisposed to being hurried along by magic if they're not at the right temperature at the moment.

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"Ooh, I don't think I'd heard about - primed objects before."

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'Priming' like that is a magical property, but not actively ongoing magic. If I somehow got another rock whose atoms were all identical, I think it would not be primed. Though there are mundane materials that better accept this or that Music. You can build echo chambers and tuned instruments, but it's not a common practice. Gold and silver are pretty good for this.

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"Why gold and silver?"

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I don't know, really. We don't have a thorough theoretical understanding of magic.

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"Maybe someone'll figure it out sooner or later."

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Maybe. What you have all done with theoretical understanding of other things is fairly amazing.

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"I'm glad you think so! Personally I find it rather amazing how much individual Draak are able to figure out without building on infrastructure and formal education."

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Hmm. Well, we have plenty of time. We have an extra sense and more natural ways to manipulate the world. We have informal education and a culture that prizes knowledge, inherited from the four hundred seventy eight who thought they could trust their lives to a golden egg/seed cast into the great black sea between the stars. Also, not all of us are equals of each other. Bloom knows not the music of thermodynamics, I would suspect the one called Sunwind who is such a physical champion has not learned calculus...

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"It does make sense but is no less impressive for that."

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Then I will accept the compliment.

...I am not thinking of anything else to talk about immediately. If you also aren't, I suppose now is when I ask if you could contact someone at the Gazette after all. I feel compelled to say again that I'd pay back a favor, if I had one you wanted and your job allowed it.

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"It doesn't allow it but thank you anyway."

She emails, and some time later a yellow comes by.

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Hello! Are you from the Gazette?

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"I am! I hear you've got interesting news."

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Good news, about space exploration. I find myself in a position to tell you all about it if paid. It will be very exciting! I have pictures. I'm not entirely sure how one converts exciting stories into money, but evidently you do, so it works, yes?

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"Ooh, pictures. I'm going to up my initial offer if you throw in the pictures -" He names a figure.

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Tail-swish...

...I can't truly tell if that is a good deal or not, but see no easy way to remedy that. Simply know that if I find it was a bad one later, I will tell other Draak about it. Also, please set aside half of the extra from the pictures to go to the photographer.

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"The pictures aren't yours? All right, if that's your deal with them."

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The one called River finds 'half split' to be a fair deal in almost all cases.

The starship Black Sea Dreamer found an uninhabited habitable planet. It has a functional hydrosphere, ten month seasons, breathable air, lots of non-equatorial non-polar land. It's comparatively warm. It's also dreadfully boring by Draak standards, with little life more complex than algae, moss, and lichens, so we don't really want it and the Senate is likely to give it to Amenta in some form.

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"- that's amazing. How good are the pictures?"

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She sends a mental image. The side of a barren mountain, sharp with scree, vast empty plain marked with dull splotches of green, ocean with breaking waves in the distance-

That is one. There are hundreds. I don't know what makes pictures good. I'll fetch the camera that has them in a bit.

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"Marvelous. What else can you tell me?"

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I'm not sure what you would want to know. One of the species of lichen produces chemicals that are toxic to Draak? This planet is closer to yours than ours, sort of - off to the side? The star is younger and brighter than yours? It'd be a twenty-two hour trip from here in Shining Truth, a bit longer in most other ships?

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"Oh, I want to know everything, I can edit it down later. Are the lichen likely dangerous to Amentans?"

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I didn't get a clear answer to that. We can tolerate a lot of things you can't and I haven't heard the reverse being true...

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"Are they likely to give it to us for the asking, or -"

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I am pretty sure someone will be willing to give you samples now that I've broken the news. I think the Senate wanted to decide whether to try to sell the planet or just go 'we don't want it' or what before they told any Amentans, but I don't work for them.

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"How'd you find out?"

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The Black Sea Dreamer had a minor breakdown, leaving the ship to limp along at a very slow pace. I was on the rescue crew and talked with the crew while fixing it. River, the one who did concerts in Tapa, was on that ship too - that's where I got the photos.

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"Who should I ask about samples?"

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Tail-flick.

...I would have to figure that out. You will probably have to wait a few days for them. Glimmer, over there with the shiny blue scales, probably knows what the chemical in question is in enough detail to guess if it'll hurt you. Yes, I suppose he would be the one to ask.

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"If I ask, does that make it likely the news will break before we publish?"

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With apologies, but how am I supposed to know that? I do not.

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"Thought you might have a guess. Can I get the photos sent along now, so the editors can pick some -"

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She goes and retrieves a somewhat beat-up medium-high-end Amentan camera and hands it over.

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He exports the photos onto his everything. "Thanks so much. Is there anything else you can tell me -"

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It's got slightly lower gravity and one large moon, there's a gas giant with pretty rings in the system - one of the photos is of that - the oceans are saltier than yours are and the freshwater systems on land are laden with calcium and other things, nothing that can't be purified away they tell me. They did take on water from the planet and use it in the ship, so that seems correct. Also, there is a starship by the name of Gleaming Feather soon to be completed that is explicitly designed to allow as many Amentan shuttles using the protocol Seeker gave Tapa and Voa as possible, and haul them around to places. I believe it will be able to ferry twenty at a time and up to about thirty thousand tons.

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"Wow, that's so exciting - how's the temperature?"

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Hot. We don't have years of climate data but it seems to average about five to ten degrees centigrade hotter than your planet or ours at any given season and latitude.

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"Is it a good candidate for geothermal power?"

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I don't know. Draak are powering all our things with fusion reactors, wind turbines, or photovoltaics these days. Geothermal's very niche... It has any volcanoes?

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"Great. Pictures include shots from space and the surface?"

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Yes, and some aerial shots, though only a few sites on the surface. Particularly interesting landforms, mostly.

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"Aerial's good too. Are the Draak calling the place anything in particular?"

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She sends a complicated multicolored shape.

...That is in our writing system, it's sort of a pun. It's deliberately sloppy in a way that it says 'Boring Rock' but if you look at it upside down - it means 'Good Empty Land'. Someone who thinks they are very clever came up with that, given the two different ways our two species will see the place. I can probably write that out and take a proper picture of it if you'd like.

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"I'd really appreciate that."

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I'll do that when we're done talking. Getting the ink out now would be annoying.

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"Any word on how it'll be allocated between countries?"

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I don't think we want to be too involved in that. Pure speculation: Either we say 'figure it out yourselves', or we auction it, or it comes down to Seeker's favorite countries somehow.

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"Wow, an auction would really be something."

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There would be so much speculation about how many MORE planets we will find, and how soon, and how good they will be, and whether the Seeker will tell the deep secret he discovered to your kind...

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"Yes - how much effort and time does this discovery represent?"

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It seems liable to inflame things, putting something like that to auction - I'm not sure what you mean? In what way?

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"How hard were they looking? It'll matter for how many more planets like this we can hope for, and how fast."

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Black Sea Dreamer was not specifically looking for habitable planets, I think. There's a few others out exploring including Shining Truth, not really centrally controlled and not totally dedicated to exploration. There's a lot more ships being built or undergoing trials, but not enough fuel to have them all exploring constantly - plus, careful preventative maintenance takes a while.

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"How long have they been out and about? Will a high price on the planet motivate more exploration?"

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Shining Truth's shakedown cruise was about a year ago - twenty two days before it came to Amenta the first time, I'm sure you can look up the date for that. Since then it's spent about a quarter of the time going between Amenta and Newhome, a quarter of the time exploring space, and half the time undergoing maintenance, repairs, and upgrades. Black Sea Dreamer was completed seven months ago and has mostly been exploring, and the others that may or may not be exploring (I don't know for sure) - Stellar Lens, Golden Beak, Comet, Silver Maw, and Eye of Avarice - were all completed between six and one months ago.

And money? Oh, yes. The Seeker and River are unusually conservative about Treasure, and they're the only Draak who have significant quantities of Amentan money right now, I think... Well, I don't know Bloom personally. But just imagining such a bounty of treasure--! It's a massive rush. It's better than a delicious fresh buffalo, or sex. I don't have an Amentan's experience of having a child but the experience of suddenly gaining lots of new Treasure must be at least a little comparable in terms of emotional experience. You spend your youth dreaming of the gems and trophies and rare trinkets you will one day have. I am definitely going to buy many shiny things with my money and be very happy about it! And it's reasonably well known at home that Amentan money can be converted into piles of perfect delicious glittering shiny, thanks to Seeker and Bloom's efforts to that end.

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"Is anyone actively looking for planets for us?"

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I'm not sure. I don't know what every ship is up to... I remember hearing something about collecting guesses for stars that might have habitable planets from Amentan astronomers to speed things up, but I don't think that ever actually happened.

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"Can I have your name for the article?"

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Head-tilt. I don't see why not. Short name, I presume. Ember.

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"I'd take the long one too, it'll be a big splashy article, lots of room for detail."

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Slow-Burning Ember of Heat and Chill, Overseer of Scarps and Crags, an Embodiment of Earth-And-Fire - Magma

I can point out the exact star in question, it's visible at night - I don't know if there is a star chart app or something...

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"Ooh, let me get one -" Here it is!

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Aaaand there it is, one otherwise unremarkable tiny dot with an alphanumeric name amid a dozen others. It should be visible year-round from most of the world.

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"Is there anything else you can tell me?"

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She has the names of the co-owners and crew members of the starship and snippets about their reputations (one of the co-owners is a technical whiz, the other one is just old and rich), but no pictures. She has the news that someone's pet goat-thing found the moss edible. She has more miscellaneous data about the planet like day length and axial tilt and crust composition and estimated age and so on. It's got bigger tides than Amenta.

I can maybe get River to come see you, I gather she's moderately famous here and she's the photographer who took all those photos, but she's very distractable.

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"I'd love a word with her anyway, if it can be quick enough not to delay the article."

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It'd be a few days at the very least. She's not on this planet.

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"Then we'll have to save it for the followup."

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What else would be interesting to put in the story?

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"How prevalent is that likely-poison lichen? Are there likely to be conditions on the purchase, or is it boring enough that no one will mind if we cover it in farms and cities? You said it had extreme tides; what are the moons like?"

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The lichen in question lives on tide-washed rocks and was observed in the equatorial area. They think the toxin might help with high-temperature tolerance. It seems to only live in the hottest places. There's a really big moon that orbits pretty closely, and a small captured asteroid with a highly elliptical orbit. They saw fifteen-meter tides in one location and think they could get even bigger!

I am speculating again. They might want to keep parts of it as natural reserves, or maybe keep this one island and some surrounding ocean near the equator as Draak territory. They might ban enclosed animal farms there if anyone realizes that's an option, or they might figure the meat-tree thing will take care of that sooner or later. And it's not nearly as popular a cause for us, but several prominent Draak are fretting about reds. I think everyone important realizes demands related to reds are super touchy so they probably won't make any.

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"Huh. Probably won't put that last in, doesn't really hit an encouraging tone even if it probably won't be an issue."

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Of course not. We don't like the idea that anyone can be inherently polluted, especially if it's not a choice they made that caused it. But I will say no more about it.

Depending on what latitudes turn out to be seasonable and comfortable, we estimate there is one to one-and-three-fifths as much seasonable land as Amenta. Ocean covers about half of this planet. The deep interiors of the continents are kind of dry, though. Lots of desert, as much as 'desert' is even a thing with such a minimal ecology.

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"Irrigable?"

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A green would have a better guess than me.

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He's got more questions till he's wrung every detail out of the story and then wants to know how Ember would care to be paid.

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...I will have to get an email address and a bank account, I suppose. I've been putting it off because the internet's very confusing.

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"...okay, I can give you my email address and when you've got that sorted out you can let me know?"

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Is there any other way to move money around?

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"People ever use physical cash but I'm not sure where I'd get this much physical cash. I could order you a giftcode, or I guess about six of them since I think they have an amount ceiling."

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...Mmm, online banking seems suspicious but if I don't do anything to make it easy to pay me I can't complain if you don't pay me. One who does that is not exactly a great trade partner. Can you write down the email address? I'll figure it out.

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"Sure." He has a slip of paper in his pocket and can write on the back of it.

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She calls in a favor to enlist the help of an aspiring climatologist Draak who's been talking with any green who will talk to him, and sets these things up, and emails him in terrible barely-comprehensible Tapai with some details from their conversation to prove it's her.

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Do you want to double check that for typos since you're new to writing? Once I send the money I can't get it back and re-send it to a different address!
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Will do it.

 

 

It is this number. Have good luck.

She repeats the account number three times. No typos, apparently.

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And she gets a tidy sum and an email asking where to send the photographer's cut.

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...Can Amseli or someblue tell her who helped out River when she did all those concerts a while ago? Ember is not sure how to get her paid correctly, and whoever organized things for her when she did the concerts seems the correct person to ask.

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Amseli can get ahold of River's helper and sort that out.

The article goes live as soon as the money's where it goes. The Gazette rakes in advertising impact.

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Ember has no way to tell how much money they're making or how small a proportion of it went to her and River. Instead, she is attempting to hire a shopping assistant.

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She can get a shopping assistant! He's a cheery purple.

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Hello! I want to spend as much as possible of what I just got paid - she gives the number - on jewelry and shiny things, or maybe gadgets, less your pay. I want to spend all of it. I don't know how to navigate this, so it's good there are people who do this kind of thing.

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"Wow, okay. Do you want to have any input on what exactly I buy for you, or shall I just pick out things that seem suitable?"

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Draak really really like having Treasure! It seems like a natural and obvious category to us but Amentans don't have that. Maybe I should go with you to stores and see things - Maybe I should show you mental images of some of my favorite things I already have - I know there aren't stores aimed at Draak because none of us have money really. There are a lot of things Amentans have that I would never know I might want if I don't realize they exist, maybe you should tell me things like that?

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"Sure, I can show you pictures of things and bring you to stores. Knowing what your existing taste is like would be great too."

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Pictures on small screens are not very easy to see. But I can show you the kinds of things I have and like...

Her taste is shiny bits of metal, various crystals and gemstones and geodes, long feathers and animal skins, fossils, polished stone, and sculptures made of all the previous things.

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"So, things that make things more expensive in Amentan markets might not be the same things that make things more valuable to you. Do you care if things are mass-produced? Artificial or natural, with the gems and such? I've heard Draak don't like how we farm animals, do you only want wild-harvested? Should I look for big-name artists, or obscurer ones earlier in their careers who don't appeal as much to the Amentan art world?"

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...Maybe avoid animals entirely. Artificial gemstones? Are they indistinguishable from natural ones? Being mass-produced makes something somewhat less good. I don't think anything I get on Amenta will be primarily Treasure-like for its uniqueness, though, so only somewhat. I don't think an artist being famous in the Amentan world will be worth the extra cost unless big name artists are much better at it than obscure ones. And I might want a very durable computer and TV and a camera like River's with big buttons and some solar panels, if that's not terribly expensive.

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"I can make that happen. Artificial gems are often bigger and less flawed. Otherwise no difference. How do you feel about reproductions of artworks - not mass produced like prints, but handmade copies?"

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I think I like the idea of artificial gems. Reproducing another's art is kind of rude, but it doesn't really make them worth less, or less pleasingly shiny. I don't think I want anything on canvas or paper though.

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"People do them of sculptures too, I can stick to artist-authorized if you like."

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I get the impression that there are so many artists that it won't meaningfully limit the selection either way. Oh, this is exciting!

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"Do you want to go visit stores now, or schedule a time later?"

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Now! ...I might have trouble following you on a train.

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"It might be hard to fit in a lot of stores, too, but I can think of some places if you can get to my city."

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I think I could follow train tracks if I know the path ahead of time.

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"Let me show you the train route on my map app." Here's the path the train takes to this interchange over here, and then to Shapto.

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It's still hard to see anything on screens that small but she gets the idea. And if she gets terribly lost she will land in a park somewhere and ask for directions to Shapto.

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And once in Shapto there's this bridge she can land on, she isn't bigger than a couple loaded trucks.

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If you threw a truck so it landed on the bridge, it might be messy. Landing gently is a skill you have to master when you get big though. I will meet you there.

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"If you're not sure about it you can land on the riverbank and climb over the wall."

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It will be okay one way or another. Time to go?

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"Mm-hm, see you there!"

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She flies low, a bit faster than road traffic but much slower than intercity high-speed trains. She chooses the correct path at the rail junction, the interchange wasn't that complicated. Her target is a bridge, it'll be on a river...

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Here's her shopper waving at her!

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Things get rather gusty, but she lands easily, back talons and tail touching down first, light as a fridge. 

Hello again. It's rather loud around here.

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"The river's pretty noisy, everybody's got to talk over it," he says, realizing partway through this sentence that speaking aloud is for his own benefit and not that of his telepathic client so he doesn't have to speak up. "There's an open air arts and crafts market which isn't crowded this time of day, you'll be able to cruise through without inconveniencing too many people weaving around the aisles and see what you like."

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Interesting! A good recommendation.

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The open air market is on the river, not far from the bridge. It has jewelry and tapestries and pottery and glass art and wooden furniture and mechanical clocks and leatherwork and sculpture and clothes and decorative lamps and paintings and china knicknacks.

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It's all very foreign and even un-crowded, kind of makes her tense. Going into a building would be worse. But the interesting things on offer here...! She practically radiates excited greed.

Leatherwork is strangely appealing... Does leather rot? Probably eventually. Hmm... Material things are temporary anyway. She buys a nice leather bag to hold some of the many marbles with swirling patterns and brooches and pendants and china knicknacks and glass art pieces. The one particularly appealing mechanical clock with clear sides to show all the inner bits probably won't fit in a bag, though.

...I have decided that I want to commission a leather hat, she informs the helpful purple. It was definitely the right choice to hire him. ...Possibly several hats, or something vaguely shawl-like? My crest has never been the prettiest. It covers half my neck and it's ORANGE. Terrible. Clothes aren't in fashion at home but it will go well with all the other foreign things I am buying. None of what's on offer is sized for me, obviously. And I don't have a feel for when my money will run out - about how much of it have I eaten with all the little treasures I've picked so far?

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"About a fifth of it. I can get you a leather hat-cape-thing made bespoke, that'll run you about a tenth of the original sum at a guess."

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I think I want it. Whatever they can do to make it tough and not rot should be done too. I suppose it will be a while as whoever you choose actually makes it...? I want design input on something so significant. Maybe I should keep some of it for lessons in all these new kinds of craft... No, I've already specialized. Could you figure out about how much weight of raw gold would have paid for what I've chosen so far, if I sold it here? I have a lot, I make freezers and saunas and hot tubs and starship radiators, and many kin want those. So maybe I will sell unworked gold to get yet more of these delightful crafts.

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The purple can look up the commodity price of gold.

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I think I will arrange that, some other time.

She finishes her shopping spree through the outdoor market after three hours and assumes her helper can get everything sent to the conference site, but carefully ties a few necklaces around her foreclaws. She's clearly pretty ridiculously happy about all this.

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He can totally have everything boxed up and delivered. "I have more ideas for places to bring you along with, or I can just run with what I know now about your taste for the rest of the shopping."

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I'm enjoying this, let's keep going!

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Here's a modern art museum! They don't display all their pieces and some of them are really big so their basement is huge and he can get her permission to go in there to look for ones to buy.

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Hmm!

...It was a very interesting tour and she asks questions about art history, but most of this isn't really to her taste especially given the comparative expense relative to the knickknacks and small crafts. This one swoopy metal sculpture that vaguely suggests clouds has potential as a fountain centerpiece, and this other one almost seems like a burning tree from the right angle so it might look good in her sauna, if they're not too expensive.

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They're pretty expensive! But he can contact those two artists and ask after smaller pieces or replicas, which are much less so.

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Can he look for sculptures that are about as big and have the same overall look? (...maybe slightly more realistic? Maybe put some options on a big TV somewhere so she can pick properly?) And give the museum a little bit of money just for letting her look around.

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He can do that too. Soon she has a couple dozen options to flip through.

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She wants these two!

This is an excellent day so far. Do you know any other interesting places to see?

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"There's a jeweler's you won't fit in but you may like their website, and they do bespoke work."

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Hmm... A very big piece of jewelry would probably take most of what I have left not reserved for electronics, yes?

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"Yes."

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I think not, then. I know a Draak jeweler who I can pay with things I have a lot of, I only have so much tap. -Hmm. Perhaps I should buy a lot of electronics and try to resell them. Your electronics are much cheaper than ours since we make them all bespoke.

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"Sure! Do you have an idea of what kind would have a market, given none of them are mass-produced for Draak appendages to use?"

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Motion sensors and pressure sensors and surveillance cameras and other security devices. Photography cameras - River chose a model with big buttons, kin thirty and under shouldn't have too much difficulty using them. Lights could be good but are somewhat bulky... There's something in the works for a Draak internet, I didn't understand the details, and there are murmurs of wanting to build a huge subway line but those aren't things I could import... Things to record and play back sound, maybe? Digital calculators with big buttons? Air conditioners or space heaters, maybe - but I make those already.

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He can help her find large-buttoned objects.

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Eventually the shopping frenzy is done. She still wants that bespoke hat/cape thing and has the following aesthetic considerations about it. She decides the remainder of her money should be spent on surprises at her shopper's choice, he has a pretty clear idea of her taste at this point. If she know the concept of reviews he'd be getting five stars.

Other Draak at the conference site look jealously at her pile of purchases, which she partially unboxes to show off. Almost like one might look at someone with a one-year-old.

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The shopper gets her stuff! He picks out a kinetic sculpture with a lot of gears and water features and chrome, and a fancy orrery, and a machine that makes artificial diamonds.

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Oooh. This might even be a better fountain centerpiece than the other one. The orrery is interesting, she's going to have to have one made of the Draak's solar system. That last one doesn't have the immediate 'wow' factor of the other two, but it's an excellent inclusion. She might want to hire someone who knows how the diamond-making machine works for an hour or two of teaching if there's any money left.

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There's a little, enough to get somebody who knows how they work and also wants her footprint in a book and some selfies.

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That's slightly annoying but it's best not to offend your teachers, so she accepts pictures and footprinting without complaint. She wants to focus on maintenance and safe use, rather than finer points of making diamonds. She has plenty of time to experiment with it, but not if she breaks it.

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Ice the diplomat finds a time to speak to Amseli.

Given the recent revelation, us diplomats are going to be returning home for a while soon. This is not because we expect conflict and are protecting ourselves, it's because we lack interstellar communications and our instructions include returning home in the event of discovery of a habitable planet. Before I go I want to get an idea of how Amentan countries might respond to various proposals about what to do about the planet.

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"All right. What's on the table right now?"

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We don't have plans for this at all. It's all but certain that Amentans will build cities and farms and settle this planet. We have very few reasons to not want that, and many to want that. But from which country? All of them? Some of them? Only one? Who will be in charge?

There's no technology for interstellar communications and I'm unsure if there are prospects for changing that, so any organization will need to be reasonably independent. I'm aware of a ship nearing completion called Gleaming Feather which is specifically designed for carrying Amentan shuttles. It has a private owner and they will almost certainly auction or otherwise sell trips to this new place.

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"This would be an opportune time to give us the ability to independently travel the stars."

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I definitely can't promise that.

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"I understand, but I did want to remind you that we'd enormously appreciate bringing it up. The article suggested the planet might be sold, but you could command dramatically more of the economy of Amenta for the wherewithal to travel on our own than you can for a planet we need to separately rely on you to shuttle to. If that's out of the question you'll still certainly be able to interest people.

My advice about distributing the planet amongst countries depends a lot on how many more like this you are likely to find."

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I'll bring it up. We have reactionaries who would rather the Seeker had never left home...

I don't have all the relevant information but the general consensus is that we will find more habitable planets, if not necessarily ones in the intersection of habitable but boring to Draak, reasonably quickly.

Some demands aside from money I could see being asked in exchange for that great secret are environment and habitat protection rules, a small portion of land on each Amentan-discovered planet set aside for Draak observers, access to the oceans of new planets or possibly Amenta's oceans (or at least the most isolated bits), agreement to keep population controls with a much higher but not arbitrarily high growth rate in place on the new planets - I've already been told we can agree to start limiting our population growth rate if it looks like we are catching up to your species, a mutual defense agreement in the case of discovery of hostile aliens...

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"Catching up to us in numbers of individuals or in carrying capacity burden?"

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It wasn't clear. I can ask for clarification. I could see some potential resentment in the latter depending on how 'carrying capacity burden' is decided on, if it's decided that one Draak counts for ten thousand Amentans or something of similar scale.

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"You're bigger and live less densely but not by that large a factor."

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We estimated two seasons ago that our planet has a carrying capacity of approximately two to five million Draak under current living conditions where territory sizes are very large, and that we could manage fifteen million without too much hardship, and thirty to fifty million before crowding becomes a major issue. With the advent of meat-bearing plants we expect all those numbers to double, at least.

To go back to my original topic, can I get your impressions on how to approach this assuming we will find more planets within another season or two, and another set assuming we won't?

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"If there will be more, you can use almost any allocation method and iterate from there. My inclination would be to auction it, because that gently encourages coalition - at a guess we'd put together a winning bid with some other countries we get along well with, and expect other countries to come up with winning bids for later planets. Uh, this isn't the approach to go with if you won't tolerate any collusion on the price, but it'd still be an enormous sum even if you do. If there won't be more, that's still a solid option, but it becomes more important to make sure that the overwhelming majority of Amentans are served in one fell swoop. A new country could be founded, or several, and take immigrants from anywhere. You could take bids from every country and allocate a number and desirability of parcels by how much they pay. We would probably settle on a coordinative strategy of our own if all you did was set a price."

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I see. I'll plainly state that the Senate wants money so they can softly interfere in Amentan affairs - perhaps by paying factory farm owners to close and not re-open, or subsidizing non-factory meat until it's almost free, perhaps by buying jungle or arctic land and then maintaining it in its current state, perhaps other things. Or maybe they'll just want to buy huge amounts of refined metal and fuel. I've tried to learn what money will and will not do and educate them on it.

There is also a notion that we could simply relinquish all claim to the planet - pay off the discoverers who will want some reward with the Senate's Treasure, and let Amentans figure out what to do with the planet. A gift to Amenta - even if not being able to get there yourselves is a point of tension. I think the Senate would like the notion of a new country that takes immigrants from wherever or however it chooses to do so, if it decides to go that route. Though, foregoing payment probably makes things politically harder for pro-Amentan factions in the future.

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"I do think the fact that the money would mostly be plowed back into the Amentan economy, in whatever form, is an argument in favor of denominating the planet's price in money. There would be political will to collect a lot of it, it would circulate back in, founding a colony would be an incredible stimulus, almost no one winds up poorer in a way that matters. A gift we can't reach would be... not a strict improvement."

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The money might be held for a while and not spent immediately.

 

Would some kind of treaty promising passage at however-much a frequency for the next however-many years with penalties like forfeiting all our money if the Draak fail to meet it help at all? I suppose it would be difficult to impose meaningful penalties on us.

 

...Giving you starships is the single most contentious political issue we have. It may take another Grand Moot to resolve it, and it occurs to me that two of the four Elders have not even seen an Amentan in person.

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"If seeing us in person is likely to help I'm sure there's someone who's willing to make the trip even given what happened last time. The trouble with relying on you, even with such a penalty, is that then if you ever decide to incur that penalty our colony is cut off until we manage the invention ourselves. The greens are throwing themselves at it with everything they've got but it could be a while yet and it's hard to put in purely monetary terms what it would mean to be unable to even communicate with the colony."

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I cannot arrange that now, though I would like to if I could. Neither Darktooth the Ancient nor the Guardian of the Green have been seen in over a season. They announced they were doing a joint project of deep magic before vanishing.

I don't think we're suited to doing politics, even with ourselves. Some of what has been happening is attributable to inexperience, but...

I suppose the best way to put it is that many of us are worried what the galaxy will look like in one thousand years. Your resemblance to Humans makes everyone fearful. Your standards of pollution coming to a head undid whatever softening had occurred in that mindset. It's most prevalent in the oldest, especially those who saw Earth - some three hundred fifty of which are still alive, and they're all ancient and powerful by our standards.

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"It's difficult to think on thousand-year timescales. A thousand years ago we had recently invented - not the wheel, I think the wheel was longstanding by then, but that might be when we first came up with writing. Our cultures remake themselves very fast. But some things do last. We've kept count of the years for nearly three and a half thousand now, and we've gotten better at remembering since the tally mark was first put to use. I think our understanding of how we get to finally touch the sky, who we owe for that, will stick."

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And if we looked upon you and said 'no, you are a threat, stay on your planet'... You'd remember that, too.

Sigh.

Afraid people are not reasonable people.

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"All too often."

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I shall discuss the matter of history in the making with the Seeker.

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The Seeker has a private meeting with another dragon. He skips a half a day of class, it goes on for a while.

He's been teaching nuclear physics to Voan greens and a few purples. The kind of nuclear physics needed to make, most importantly, the weird and expensive devices that prevent nuclear explosions from happening. But also big reactors for ship power, and fuel- And directly working with a startup to get them started in exchange for a small share, still occasionally tossing something their way on the logic that if they do better his share does better too.

How much of this is also being spread to other countries? Is there much progress on the anti-nuclear-explosion devices?

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Voa is adhering scrupulously to their agreements with Seeker about making sure things get where they ought to be. They have sufficiently little nuclear technology background that they aren't very insightful in their own right about anti-nuclear-explosion devices but they see the merit in the project for sure and are working hard.

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He finds the blue who manages the impromptu school.

I've decided in favor of attempting to teach the FTL. If the arc of history proves me a fool in three hundred years so be it.

Probably this will require laboratories to observe me using it and other such things since you don't have magic and I use magic. I want other nations involved too, possibly with those I like or get favors from overrepresented, but fundamentally this is for everyone.

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"- thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you - what kind of conditions do you need for the laboratories, which countries do you particularly want to have access -"

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Laboratory conditions seem like something to discuss with greens aside from 'big enough for him'. Might be easier to take equipment to him than vice versa in some cases. In descending order: Voa, Tapa, Tuviri, other Voan permissions model countries. All the other countries should probably have roughly size-apportioned presence and access, he doesn't want to exclude Cene or formerly-Oahk states, for example. Oh, and a small gesture to Doet and Baravi.

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They can build a lab around him, more or less, and invite people from all over the world.

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Better get started, then.

He brings, to the already-existing auditorium an hour later (having told everygreen who can borrow or steal nice detection equipment on short notice to do so), his spare FTL engine. It's about the size of a microwave, and requires fairly fiendish power input. Operating it requires what the Draak would call a Song of Air - a feat of magic that is complex and multifaceted, but still a single clearly defined procedure will often be declared a Song, like that. What it does, essentially, is take the small disturbances in reality and focus and magnify them until you can actually go somewhere. Like something between a power regulator, a lens, and an amplification chamber.

You have to sort of clearly visualize where you are and where you're going, while really feeling the utter vastness of interstellar space - the rest of the pattern is described by this minified algorithm paired with musical notes but involves a bunch of different small magic mental motions that have to be automatic and algorithmic based on what the magic feedback is like, sort of like flying. Or learning to ride a bicycle, perhaps, not that he's ridden a bicycle.

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Okay. So, since they can't do magic, this is going to want - a computer program, presumably? They should get some yellows?

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They're going to want to invent devices that do the same tiny-distortions magic does, and then lots of fancy work with computers, it looks like.

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Okay. They can try to work on that in parallel, insofar as that's possible.

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It takes a while. Seeker is as singlemindedly focused on it as any of the rest of the lessons, though his prickly attitude towards unconstructive interruptions gets worse. It's also very complicated, very expensive work.

The other dragons visiting Amenta in various places hear about the project and make a huge fuss, it's clearly controversial- Seeker takes a weekend off to go beat many them to near-death and then heal them up and lecture them about presuming to dictate who he shares HIS INVENTION with. Three of them refuse to yield and die outright. He incinerates the bodies. Bloom, at least, continues her slow progress on de-springing with nothing more than a comment about fools rushing to their doom.

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Bloom and Seeker are both incredibly popular all across Amenta, if that matters to either of them.

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After a season they hit a pair of nice, announcable milestones with work on the pseudomagic effectors and sensors and the unique chip architecture that's needed to run them fast enough. Seeker commissions looots of abstract and semiabstract art about space exploration and the power of learning and Two Species Working Together and generally tries to push the idea that Amentans would come help out the Draak if they get invaded some time, right?

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Yeah, of course! If somebody invaded the Draak then helping defend them would be both just recompense for PLANETS AND FTL AND GENETIC ENGINEERING and also just good sense, nobody wants invasively inclined space-neighbors who might turn their eyes on the Amentans next.

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Dragons that aren't the Seeker have gotten to importing more things, paying with magic doodads or money gotten from other dragons or sometimes precious metals at the commodity price. Lots of art and shiny trinkets, but aside from that computers, the equipment and expertise to build a giant subway, various light industry. The meat-producing plants get better and a bunch of dragons do their best to push them as a replacement for livestock. Bloom heritably desprings more people and her students manage it too, with a small smattering of side effects.

An Amentan made FTL physics demonstrator goes into orbit and the readings look good, though it doesn't go anywhere. It's a testbed. The dragons' ships ferry surveyors and groundbreakers to that one desert-y planet they've already found. They find some more nice candidates.

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It's really convenient that the dragons will buy art, it fixes some of the crazy skew in the green labor economy caused by FTL-related developments. Giant subways are a fun engineering problem, and people are excited about how clean and efficient meat plants will be once they're ready to scale up and fully replace the animal species Amentans eat. The desprung people are, ironically, popular gamete donors.

The desert-y planet is exciting even though - or perhaps because - there is nothing on it, though it would be nicer if there were local water available in quantity. What are the other candidates like?

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The deserty planet has oceans and, like, algae, just not much of a water cycle. Other candidates found so far include a thin-but-viable atmosphere iceball, a planet mostly covered in ecologically simple swamp that averages 50 degrees Celsius, one that has really really big mountains everywhere and kind of low gravity and a 39 hour day but is otherwise pretty good.

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Ah, it's much easier to set up desalination than to haul enough water for everybody through space. None of these are wish-fulfillment perfect but all of them are livable with some work and Amentans are nothing if not eager to put in all that work. They're not sure how the 39 hour day will interact with seasoning but some people can be rustled up to try it out.

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Terraforming is interesting work! Dragons are pretty fascinated with the idea of using engineered organisms to do it.

The pair of hatchlings that were adopted out- A girl to a green pair of ecologists in a national park, and a boy to a blue couple- Grow up more slowly than an Amentan, but they are growing. The boy is introspective and quiet and interested in music and philosophy, the girl is fascinated by ecology and has a bit of a bad habit of hunting things.

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Well, hunting isn't illegal, but they'd prefer she stick to certain species.

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These arguments go a lot better when - phrased as not threats but just as 'this is what will happen' - like that they're rare and will be gone forever if we're not careful, or she will lose privileges for doing this, or that her parents and maybe the entire country of Tapa will be mad and sad at her. The two hatchlings occasionally receive dragon visitors who are mostly extremely weirded out and kind of rude but not actually inclined to step in or mess with the situation. Gawking that varies from curious to vaguely disgusted, mostly.

(Dragons who are allowed to visit Amenta are still being pretty heavily filtered for 'not likely to actually hurt Amentans' and 'very sternly impressed that if they go rogue and mess with Amentans Bad Things Will Happen', but there's been a few incidents. Most dragons are vulnerable enough to guns. It's not clear if they would work on really big old ones. Thankfully, those are pretty sparse and also tend to be a lot calmer and more deliberate.)

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Sunwind is still here! He did have to go hibernate, but he's back! After the whole cannibalism thing he's been visibly scrupulous and scrupulously visible about being polite and reasonable and definitely complying with all the pollution stuff. He gives people dragonback rides, admittedly mostly the stunt greys, and pretty patiently goes along with whatever various directors or producers or handlers or whoever they are have him do. The colony planet sci-fi movie is going to be so cool! Maybe they can bug engineers for realism checks on the shiny tech part of the story.

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They do bring in engineers for realism checks, and then ignore some of them, and once the whole thing is shot and in post, they start tossing around ideas for a sequel about exploring another continent on the same planet.

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The first real prototype is ready for a short hop to another planet in the same star system and back. Draak ships stand ready to rescue them if anything goes wrong.

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They go to Katme! And throw a quick party and send lots of messages and go back!

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And now... The Seeker thinks they can handle the rest. He's been powering through the need for a long hibernation for a while now and there's politics to deal with at home. Amenta is, apologies, kind of exhausting. Any last business before he leaves for at least a whole season, probably more like a year or two?

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They think they will be okay. They are so so so grateful for all he has done for them! They would love if he would swing by again when he wakes up to see how they're coming along!

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May They Be Blessed, may they explore and exult, and may light and hope and new creation shine on the future forever more.

The Seeker departs.

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The Draak learn enough diplomatic tact to, a year later, warn Tapa and Voa with the proper channels and in advance that the Great Elder, Guardian of the Green is coming to discuss a possible solution to the red caste. The Guardian's ship is a fairly ridiculously large white sphere - it would be easily visible from the ground, if it could get to low orbit without being at risk of collissions, which it can't - with abstract minimalist artsy patterns all around the outside. Its name is Egg Carrier. Tapa and Voa were chosen for this proposal based on the Seeker's recommendation, but the initial talk would of course be just a proposal.

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They'll hear them out, though if it's going to be about reds they might not televise it.

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That's probably a good idea. Also, the Guardian is a bit ... Different than most dragons, having taken a much different path in life than the Seeker, diving into the world of spirits and dreams. They may want to the meeting to have unusually telepathy-tolerant people.

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There are plenty of telepathy-tolerant Amentans; it's been a nice-to-have in sensitive positions for a while now.

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The Guardian of the Green is, to all appearances, made out of wood with a palpable telepathic presence even when not saying anything. That this is the deep wilds, something Old and strong and more alien than usual.

 

 

Gratitude that my audience is received. I offer sincerity in this approach. A promise: I will not do anything rash; I will only discuss today, and the topic at hand is perilous.

Reds - a niche that formed once but is awkward and tense - the web is strained and it sours the pure joy of the new age. I have heard much of the pollution urge and the eddies it casts. They are a thorn in the collective consciousness, an ugly scab that must be carefully avoided and carries the potential to bloom into various disasters. An issue that could be a long, drawn-out tragedy unless carefully excised. We observe that the Draak-Kin are not proponents of leaving nature completely alone, but of guiding it, and correcting imbalance. We observe also that this one, deeply meshed in the Great Green, does not know what it is to be you, what thoughts flow naturally and which stick and shudder.

What do you know of spirits?

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They don't know much about spirits; they haven't come up much.

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Amentans are beings of flesh alone; Dragons beings of flesh and magic; Spirits beings of magic alone. Spirits are fundamentally entities of concepts, patterns, or ideas. They are capable of memory and thought, but are more alien than we are to each other. The largest spirits have bodies that stretch across the whole planet. I know this because I carried a seed of the Great Green to salvation, and nurtured it in all the years since, growing from a fragile ember to the great web of life it has become again.

The great project which we two Elders have been working on ever since Amenta was discovered is a ... Focus for the Great Green. With it I am capable of extremely powerful magic within a limited domain, by calling its attention and imploring action. To give some examples: Bloom's efforts, magnified- With sufficient examples of the work to draw from, I could cast it over hundreds of thousands. I could greatly accelerate plant growth even in hostile conditions. I could undo grievous injuries and eradicate diseases across cities. I could give dreams to every sleeping Amentan at once. I could call forth great storms, fires, floods- or dismiss them. 

I could call upon the concept of creation-destruction-cycle to both create a new body and destroy the old utterly simultaneously, moving the mind in the process. An extreme and dramatic effort, easier than actually curing the worst-off because of the great similarity to the True Song of Healing, a well-established pattern that responds easily and almost never fails. I have done this to animals already, as a method of particularly extreme healing of parasites and diseases. This is what I would propose offering the reds.

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They consult some theologians about this. The theologians agree that if it were performed under sanitary conditions it would work, though nobody's sure what they'd do with the reds afterwards. In theory they could drop them off on a planet but none of the planets are livable without a fair amount of technological support.

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Putting them on the Draak planet would be a bigger disaster-waiting-to-happen. Could they not just be other castes? They'd be clean. Though if push comes to shove, she knows Bloom is disconcerted about reds and also getting rich.

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There are a lot of jobs now, so maybe they'd be capable of some lower-skill purple work...

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It's not like there's a terrible hurry. Maybe Doet can try it, the Seeker said they like experiments and dragons don't really get it in a lot of ways? She will also be consulting with Bloom to look into mass-despringing, which should be possible.

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Doet will put together a cohort of experimental reds to reembody and try them out on purple work.

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The tool for this is a titanic emerald with flickers of internal light, several feet across. She tries to explain the whole process to the reds and says it is almost entirely certain to work and she's sorry if there was a better way and they didn't find it and asks the reds if they want to be re-bodied.

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They want to know if it will work on their kids, and if it will work for pregnant ones later on, and if it will hurt, and how long it will take, and whether they'll be allowed to visit their families who aren't in the experiment, and if it will change their hair color, and if it will make them mesosensitive.

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It will work on kids and pregnant people. It will feel strange at first but shouldn't hurt. The transfer takes mere seconds but they will be tired and off balance for an hour or so afterwards. She has another dragon bother the blues about their families; Surely if they decontaminate each time that will be fine? It won't affect pollution sensitivity but can change hair color if desired.

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Many of them would like their hair color changed, is there a form they should fill out?

They will be allowed to visit red districts; they're going to be housed in social service buildings to start out with, the kind where you can't buy a credit till you pay off your stay, till they've made decent money at purple jobs, by way of incentivizing compliance with the experiment.

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They should ... Have a paper or a card that is the same color as their desired hair color. Her assistant tells the reds what they've been told about the housing and visitation arrangements (He doesn't really know himself whether this is good enough or not).

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They will get some paper cards and their experimenters will procure a selection of purple hair dyes to dip the cards in.

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Once everyone is satisfied with the arrangements she'll have the first red stand in a designated spot, and the giant emerald glows brighter for a moment and everything falls away, and then they're staring at the ceiling from a curtained-off and cordoned away cot, feeling like they've been jerked out of a deep sleep and completely naked. There's hospital gowns right nearby and if they put them on and walk out all the waiting reds will see them through a glass divider.

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The waiting reds want to interview the first one in pretty thorough depth first. The experimenter greens apologize to Guardian for the delay.

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She's not in a hurry.

The red will feel very tired and as if they had a strange dream they can't remember. They don't seem otherwise different. Their hair is the specified color.

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Once the reds are satisfied and willing to proceed cooperatively with the rest of the reembodiments the experimenters get to interviewing the purpled red themselves.

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They are so so so scared. But you can't force people to accept things, and this is a deep trauma.

...She hopes this turns out well. It takes about ten seconds each once things are going smoothly.

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They spend slightly less time interviewing each purpled red as they get used to the process. At ten seconds per she can get through the experimental group of a hundred and fifty in less than an hour even with all the double-checking.

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She can go do the same thing for Baravi's spring-normalizing program while everyone sees if something goes wrong with the new purples. They don't even need to vanish and reappear, she just needs a reference person who's been de-springed standing around. She'll charge money for that one, with a royalty to Bloom. Money seems useful to have. (Bloom is extremely deferential and respectful to the Guardian. Hero-worshippy, even.)

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The town where Bloom is set up is growing noticeably in response to the tourism boom from people coming through to get de-sprung.

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The place seems weirdly verdant after a while. All the plants are growing better including weeds and everything and everyone seem healthier including pests. How's the red experiment going?

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The reds seem able to do the purple work that was carved out as probably doable by reds - janitorial stuff, some manufacturing, driving trucks. Some of them have saved enough money from these jobs to plan to move out of the social service housing, which is good because Doet doesn't have enough for the entire red population to live there all at the same time.

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...People learn to do new things sometimes? Why isn't that happening. She will use some of the money to let them learn to do new things. One of the other dragons who can interact with Amentans better is recruited to help navigate this.

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So the three problems with purpled reds doing arbitrary purple work are educational (fixable with money), innate aptitude (probably variable but not fixable, this generation), and people not wanting purpled reds to touch them out of an abundance of non-theologically-validated-but-still-compelling caution, whereas they can tolerate a purpled red sewing a garment that then gets washed before being sold.

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There isn't much she can do about the third thing. The heart wants what the heart wants, and is disgusted by what it's disgusted by. Her strategy of trying to send the reds inspiring dreams doesn't appear to have actually resulted in any dreams, either. Maybe they can migrate. What do other countries think of all this? Does it make "not having reds, and also not exterminating them" seem possible?

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Apparently purple voting blocs hate it but it seems likely to go through anyway.

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...Is that because they're only letting reds be purple. Well, she's obviously not an Amentan politician or anything, but she's one of the four effective heads of state of the Draak and is very politely confused at people about this. What about the reds, do they like the idea?

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They have some mixed feelings but are firmly instructing each other to be cooperative model citizens because it's way better than it could have been.

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She's very reluctant to poke too deep into societal interpersonal stuff. Money for red and former-red education. Gently poking Doet to do it for more reds, or for Voa or someone to give it a try and maybe let them be other colors if they'd fit. She's not going to force anything but this seems better for everyone right? And it's just not fair otherwise.

And much more public and time-consuming than those gentle pokes, lots of de-springing people. She'll talk to blues if any want to talk to her, though she often speaks in inscrutable metaphor.

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Voa's actually less willing to let them be other colors because they don't have a way to downregulate their impact on the gene pool the way credit countries and permissions countries do. Doet will let some test into yellow and orange and grey educational programs once the scholarships are there to fund it, though, and Yvalta will let them be any color but blue if they can find a contract for it, and most other places are doing wait-and-see.

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Well, she is patient and magical.

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Seeker turns up again and tours spaceyards and laboratories checking on the Amentan space program progress. It's been a year and a half at this point.

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Various Amentan coalitions have set up colony projects on the various rocks! Tapa and friends have the deeserty one, Cene and the 'lees are going in together on the mountain one, a few Oahksphere countries plus Tuviri are splitting the swamp, and Voa plus a few hangers-on are settling the iceball.

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A new age is well and truly upon both species now. The future seems bright, even if the new neighbors are kind of concerning, even if a substantial fraction of the Kin hate him now. It all started with his curiosity...

Enough of that. There's new worlds to explore, and soon even more!