"Oh, I see."

"Yeah, my father and I are super illegal just for existing."

"What do space cops do about that?"

"I think they would probably kill us and arrest my grandparents but I don't know what getting arrested looks like."

"It seems like it might be bad for the planets surrounding the sun."

"Yeah I don't think humanity likes the consequences at all."

"Is there a reason they forbid amalgamy?"

"Spacism."

"Ha! Word successful."

"It could get a little confusing for general use but I figured it would probably be understood here."

Isabella pats Xander's arm.

"Sadly I do not currently have an angle on making Judgment society suck less."

"Even having known you only this long I can already guess that means it's really hopeless."

"Well, I mean, normally my angle involves being more celestial than most of the people around me. But obviously that won't work there."

"That makes sense."

"Plus I don't know that much about Judgment society that isn't about the ways in which it is terrible, yet, and that's never the best direction from which to approach a culture you wish to overhaul."

"Yeah, that makes sense. Your grandfather doesn't talk about it much?"

"Mostly they'd rather talk about things like how my father and grandmother are doing and also like my entire life so far. They're not taciturn on the subject but I've asked them a lot more questions about Judgment biology than sociology."

"How do you talk to them while being underground? Do you have to go up, is there much transit between the Neath and the surface?"

"Yes and yes. Surface stuff is expensive but it's available. Sadly a lot of cool Neathy stuff can't stand Judgment-light."

"Cool Neathy stuff like what?"

"Moon-Pearls...technically Prisoner's Honey but I've never tried it...Nevercold Brass, anything from Polythreme, some kinds of wax, some kinds of insect, some kinds of fabric, any kind of bottled noise..."

"Wow, forbidden fabrics, tell me all about the forbidden fabrics and maybe Bella can make 'em work and be super snazzy."

"What do all those things do that makes them not work in the sun?"

"Well, Moon-Pearls show the phase of the moon. Prisoner's Honey transports you to Parabola. Nevercold Brass produces infinite heat. Things from Polythreme are alive. Not entirely sure what's up with the wax but there are ways to make candles that burn forever and never get any lower so that's probably related. Frost-moths are made of ice and melt when they get too close to flame and phosphorescent scarabs glow all over, brighter than candles. The kinds of fabric that don't survive on the surface are mostly the kinds made from stuff from Parabola."