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He looked at Ariana and Sara。 Then he picked up one of the sketches。
〃G…guh。。。 ？〃 He swallowed； and his brow furrowed with intense concentration。
All eyes stared back at him。 The man lifted one of the drawings； showing the starship nestled in a bower of shattered trees。 He stabbed the scene with his index finger。
〃G…g…g…oh！〃
Then he looked into Sara's eyes； pleadingly。 His voice dropped to a whisper。
〃Go。〃
After that； discussion of Sara's plan seemed almost anticlimactic。 I won't be going back to Dolo on the next boat； after all。 I'm on my way to see the aliens。
Poor Father。 All he ever wanted was to raise a gaggle of safe little paper makers。 Now every heir goes rushing into danger's pincers； just as fast as our legs can carry us！
Engril and Bloor； the portraitist； arrived； bearing portable tools of their trades。
Bloor was a short； fair…skinned man with ringlets of yellow hair showering over his shoulders。 His hands were stained blotchy from years creating the delicate emulsions required by his art。 He held up a plate of metal； as wide as his palm； which shimmered with finely etched lines and depressions。 From certain angles； those acid…cut shapes coalesced to form sharp profiles of shadow and light。
〃It's called the Daguerre process；〃 he explained。 〃Actually； it is quite a simple technique for creating permanent images。 One of the first methods of photography ever invented by wolfling humans； back on Old Earth。 Or so say our reference books。 We don't employ the procedure for portraits nowadays； as paper is faster and safer。〃
〃And paper decays；〃 Ariana Foo added； turning the plate over in her hands。 Depicted on the etched metal was an urrish warrior of high rank； with both husbands perched on her back in a formal pose。 The female's sinuous neck was painted with garish； zigzag stripes； and she held a large crossbow； as if cradling a beloved scent…daughter。
〃Indeed。〃 The portraitist conceded。 〃The fine papers produced by Sara's father are guaranteed to corrupt in less than a century； leaving no traces to betray our descendants。 This sample daguerreotype is one of only a few not sent to the dross middens since our strengthened mons started promoting wider respect for the Law。 I have special permission to hold on to this excellent example。 See the fine detail？ It dates from before the third urrish…human war。 The subject is a chieftain of the Sool tribes； I believe。 Note the tattoo scars。 Marvelous。 As crisp and clear as the day it was taken。〃
Sara leaned forward as Ariana passed the slim plate over。 〃Has anyone used this process on Jijo since then？〃
Bloor nodded。 〃All members of my guild create one daguerreotype； as part of our master work。 Nearly all are then sent to the Midden； or given to smiths for remelting； but the capability remains。〃 He lifted a satchel； causing a faint clinking of bottles。 〃There's enough acid and fixative here to treat and develop several dozen plates…but I have only about twenty of the plates themselves。 If we want more； they must be ordered from Ovoom Town； or one of the volcano smithies。〃
Sara felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see the Stranger holding out his hand。 She gave him the small photograph； and he traced the finely etched grooves with his fingertips。
Now that her mind had shifted to enpass Ariana's theory； everything the wounded man did seemed to refract differently。 Was he smiling now over the crudeness of this photographic technology； or expressing enchantment at its cleverness？ Or was the sparkling delight in his eyes a reaction to the depicted image of a savage warrior； whose bow and lance had been such a scourge during that age of heroic struggle； ten generations ago？
Ariana Foo rubbed her chin。 〃Twenty plates。 Let's say you get good pictures with just half…〃
〃A generous estimate； my sage； since the technique requires long exposure times。〃
Ariana grunted。 〃A half…dozen successes； then。 And several must be handed over to the forayers； in order for a threat to be believable。〃
〃Copies can be made；〃 Engril put in。
〃We won't need copies；〃 Sara said。 〃They'll have to assume we have plenty of others。 The crucial point is； can these pictures last a million years？〃
The portraitist blew at a strand of yellow hair。 From his throat； there emerged a soft strangling sound； like a qheuen sigh。 〃Given the right storage conditions； this metal oxidizes a nice protective layer。。。。〃He laughed nervously； looking from Sara to Ariana。 〃You aren't serious； are you？ A bluff is one thing。 We're desperate enough to clutch at straws； but do you really imagine you can store evidence somewhere until the next Galactic survey？〃
The g'Kek doctor twisted two eyestalks to stare in opposite directions。 〃It appears we have entered into entirely new realms of heresy。〃
Asx
IT MAY HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE TO HAVE STRIVEN SO hard to suppress psi powers among the Six。 For most of the long millennia of our exile； it seemed the wisest move。 Was not our greatest goal to remain hidden？ We had only to build modestly； in harmony with nature； and let the inverse square law do the rest。
But psi channels are fey； nonlinear。 Or so say books printed by the humans； who admit that their kind knew little about the subject when their ancestors fled this way。
When the Holy Egg first gave us rewq； some among the Six feared the symbionts worked by psi； which might make our fugitive enclave more detectable。 Despite satisfying proof it is not so； that old slander has now returned； once more stirring friction among us。
Some even contend that the Holy Egg itself may have attracted our ruin！ After all； why do pirates e now； a mere century after the blessed day the Egg emerged？ Others point out that we might by now know much more about our invaders； if only we had bred adepts of our own； instead of the few sensitives and truth…scryers we have today。
Regret is a silly； useless thing； i might as well pine for the rings our ancestors were said to have abandoned； simply because those toroids were tainted with sin。
Oh； how many things the legends say those rings once let us do！ To run before the wind； as fleet as any urs。 To swim like qheuens and walk beneath the sea。 To touch and handle the world at all levels of its grainy texture。 Above all； to face this dire； dread…filled universe with a self…centered confidence that was utterly； biologically serene。 No uncertainty to plague our plex munity of selves。 Only the towering egotism of a central； confident 〃I。〃
Dwer
THE BLUE QHEUENS OF THE MOUNTAINS HAD different traditions than their cousins who lived behind I mighty Dolo Dam。 Molting rituals back home always seemed informal。 Human youngsters from the nearby village ran free with their chitinous friends； while grown…ups shared nectar…beer and celebrated the ing…of…age of a new generation。
In this alpine sanctuary； the chants and hissing rituals felt more solemn。 Guests included the local g'Kek doctor； some traeki gleaners； and a dozen human neighbors； who took turns at a warped window pane； to view events in the larva creche next door。 The hoons who fished the lake behind the dam had sent the usual regrets。 Most hoon felt incurably squeamish toward the qheuen way of reproduction。
Dwer was here out of gratitude。 If not for this kindly hive； he might be flexing stumps instead of a nearly full set of fingers and toes； still tender but recovering。 The occasion also came as a break from tense preparations with Danel Ozawa。 When beckoned to the window by Carving Tongue； the local matriarch； Dwer and Danel bowed to the matriarch； and to the human tutor； Mister Shed。
〃Congratulations to you both；〃 Ozawa said。 〃May you have a fine clutch of graduates。〃
〃Thank you； honored sage。〃 Carving Tongue's breathy sigh seemed edgy。 As head female； she laid more than half the eggs。 Many of the throbbing shapes next door would be her offspring； preparing to emerge at last。 After waiting twenty years or more； some strain was expected。
Mister Shed had no genetic investment in the young qheuens transforming next door； but anxiety wrote across the instructor's gaunt face。
〃Yes； a fine clutch。 Several will make excellent senior students； when their shells harden and they take names。〃
Carving Tongue added…〃Two are already precocious chewers of wood…though I believe our tutor refers to other talents。〃
Mister Shed nodded。 〃There is a school downslope； where local tribes send their brightest kids。 Elmira should qualify； if she makes it through…〃
The matriarch erupted a warning hiss。 〃Tutor！ Keep your private nicknames to yourself。 Do not jinx the larvae on this sacred day！〃
Mister Shed swallowed nervously。 〃Sorry； matron。〃 He rocked side to side； in the manner of a qheuen boy； caught stealing a crayfish from the hatchery ponds。
Fortunately； a traeki caterer arrived then with a cauldron of vel nectar。 Humans and qheuens crowded the table。 But Dwer saw that Ozawa felt as he did。 Neither of them had time for a euphoric high。 Not while preparing for a deadly serious mission。
Too bad； though； Dwer thought； noting how the traeki spiked each goblet with a race…specific spray f