Move 2.7 Recap

The Cantata and Sasha

While trading songs with the Cantata, Sasha has learned that it can understand some human speech, though it finds the details confusing; she infers that it can hear conversations anywhere on the ship. She offers, "The grid can convert human speech to text. I can give you access to the text of our public conversations, if you want? And also, I can set things up so the grid will read anything you wish to communicate aloud. But you should say something, if you are paying attention to a particular conversation. Or I can create a visual alert, if you prefer. The grid observes every vocalization and gesture, so I don't think this is very logical, but people do not like having their conversations monitored without warning."

Surprised, the Cantata asks, "You can't hear everything all the time? Is this normal among your people?" Sasha explains the limitations of human hearing, adding, "Of course, I can ask the grid for help, just as it helps me speak to you." She asks, "Are you able to recognize and remember the details of multiple sound-streams simultaneously? Most humans also struggle to follow more than one conversation at once, even when we can physically hear them." The Cantata promises to try to remember, with the caveat, "But it will be very difficult. Your ways are so different from the ways of moths." It finds Sasha's questions about multiple conversations particularly confusing: "Isn't that what harmony is? That's how we hold several conversations at once, if we like. That's not what you do, when all of you talk? Is it because you can only sing one note at a time?" Sasha observes that a bigger factor in the distance limitations of human communication may be "that much of our communication is nonverbal. Based on visual cues, usually, such as facial expressions or the colors someone has chosen to wear." She reflects on the irony inherent in her being the specific human to explain the nuances of nonverbal communication.

Following up on her earlier question, Sasha asks, "You haven't told me yet, do you want transcripts of our conversations?" The Cantata says carefully, "I would be grateful for transcripts of conversations I am permitted to hear," adding, "Do you have very many colors? They are very hard to discern." Sasha promises to set up grid transcripts, along with a visual alert to display when the Cantata is listening. She describes the range of human color perception, adding, "Birds and reptiles often have better color perception, too. I suspect Fluffy and her babies see many more colors than we do."

The Cantata thanks Sasha, adding wistfully, "Can we songshare some more? I like songsharing with you, and it is so much easier than thinking about colors." Sasha agrees: "Would you like a weird song, or a happy song? Or should we practice your song some more? I am still working out my part." The Cantata suggests practice followed by "one of your weird songs": "I am very curious as to what your people consider 'weird.'" After another runthrough of the Cantata's song, Sasha offers a motet in four voices inspired by bee dances: "This is by no means the strangest song I know, but I think you might like it. Let me play it once through from the grid, and then you can choose which parts you want?" Delighted by the grid's rendition, the Cantata says, "I would like the lowest and highest parts! The middle ones are easier for you to manage, perhaps?" Sasha agrees, "I can manage with the grid, yes. Can we practice first with just the lowest and the second-highest voices, and then add the others in?" The Cantata agrees, with a burbling chord: "Of course! This is such a new and interesting way to songshare."

Ione and Sulen; Reshad and Sulen

Ione is in the common room, sipping tea and feeding a silver-flecked pseudo-dragon hatchling. Sulen checks on her, inquiring about the hatchling and sipping their own cup of tea.

Next, Sulen checks on Reshad, who is in her room, arranging elaborate hairpins on a stand. She tells them, "I'm glad you visited. I do have a question or two." Bemused and fascinated by the display of accessories, Sulen says, "I'll do my best to provide answers." Smiling, Reshad tells them, "I'm afraid I'm still trying to get a sense of the group culture. It's one thing to want a chance to rebel, and another to actually do it, mm? But it seems to me that the group is struggling a bit. I'm trying to figure out if I can help at all. I know I've offended Sasha somehow, but as for the rest of the group... There's barely been time. So - can you think of anything that might help?"

With some wryness, Sulen says, "You're not the first to inadvertently offend our leader. I believe there is an impressive degree of cultural confusion at play. If she offers you a drink, take it. There are sometimes foreign rituals involved. You have a better chance of noticing that than I. It... might also help you to know that the person she reports to is a former Andan assassin, and she may be projecting some of that dynamic onto you. As for the others, Alaric is extremely Nirai, despite being a foreigner, and mostly wants an audience. Gerae and Virmad- and myself- are wolves. We appreciate honesty, assistance and opportunities to assist others. Remi is enigmatic, but he cares a great deal about animals. You and Ione seem to be getting along well. I doubt I have any more insight into the Hafn girl than you do. As for Seyli- I'd take it as a personal favor if you were more careful with them."

Gerae and Sulen

Gerae finds Sulen. Nervous, he says, "You wanted to see me? I'm not an exemplary wolf, or even an exemplary corrupt wolf. But I don't want to be dead weight, either." Sulen reflects that he is easier to work with than certain other crew members. They say, "From a certain angle, you're less corrupt than the rest. I'm working on seeing things from that perspective. I actually wanted to know if there was anything I could do for you." Gerae responds, "Fluffy and the babies are doing well, but that's probably not your greatest concern, is it? I would feel better if we had something more in the way of group ritual, although that's the wolf in me speaking. But I don't think I'm the only one who's noticed that this crew has...fault lines. Exploitable fault lines." Sulen says, "I've noticed some of the crew have interest in various kinds of games. Perhaps an official game night might relieve tension. I don't think attempting to institute official meal times would go over well with this group. But no, you're correct, you're not the only one." Amused, Gerae says, "I bet a jeng-zai night with actual betting would have some...interesting results. I'd show up, anyway. I'm good at counting cards, although not any good at bluffing."

Ione, Remi, Seyli, and the mothlings, with accompaniment from the Cantata and the pseudo-dragons

Seyli has printed a small drum. They bring it to the common room and begin playing. The mothlings cluster around, curious; the Cantata hums encouragingly. Remi watches, taking notes; "That got a reaction," he smiles. Seyli says, "I couldn't carry a tune if my life depended on it, so I can't sing to them like everyone else seems to be doing." They offer the drum to a reaching tentacle.

Ione appears, carrying a brightly colored fiddle. She says, "I can. But I prefer to use this and I'm much better at it. May I join in?" Seyli invites her to sit, adding, "I just wanted to see how the little things would react to drums." Ione says, "And this isn't a percussion instrument but they might be able to manage plucking. Or, uh, I suppose you could slap the strings and get interesting sounds ..." Fluffy and the nestlings chirp approvingly; Fluffy adds a tea-kettle sound, which elicits a giggle from Ione. Seyli says, "They're cute, I must have slept through their hatching. We can piss everyone off on the moth by getting them all going at the same time." The mothlings attempt to pluck Ione's fiddle; Fluffy imitates the resulting pizzicato. Seyli laughs, demonstrating the drum again: "It can be Drum and Violin for Moth and Pseudo Dragon to the key of Chaos." Remi watches, amused and affectionate.

Remi, Reshad, and the mothlings, joined by Sasha

Reshad volunteers to help Remi with sensory testing for the mothlings. Remi expresses his appreciation; Reshad tells him she is (genuinely) happy to assist. The mothlings cooperate with the tests, taking occasional breaks for tentacle tag; they demonstrate skill with arithmetic and sensing objects, even through barriers, but cannot distinguish visual patterns such as jeng-zai cards.

Overhearing Remi's summary, Sasha interrupts, "Have you tried just asking the Cantata? They told me they can hear the colors of stars, but struggle to resolve colors from less intense energy sources. Hells, I have no objection to the scientific method. But this seems really roundabout?" She notices Reshad and nods uncomfortably. Cheerfully, Reshad says, "That's useful to know. Does Cantata hear everything the grid hears?" Sasha responds, "Are you asking about what sounds they are physically able to resolve, or what kinds of grid access they have been given, or how much of the high language they understand, or what stimuli they pay attention to? Because those are different questions, and the amount of detail I can give you is going to vary." Remi asks, "Does that mean it can overhear, say, the conversations with the 'guest'? And also, does the Cantata ever talk to other moths, and how would we know, if so?"

Reshad notes that though all of Sasha's questions are interesting, some might be best addressed to the Cantata directly. She observes that "its sound resolution" is likely to be good, if it's comparable to the mothlings' senses, but that her priority is "likely to be language comprehension and grid permissions," though her own permissions "may interfere with that." She listens to Remi's questions with interest, adding, "If unharnessing moths is an option, it'd be a real benefit if someone like them could explain what's happening. Or speak with them ourselves..." She stills for a moment, pondering insurrection, then asks Sasha how to speak to the Cantata, eyes wide.

Sasha tells Remi, "The Cantata sings to the mothlings, and that's also speech for them. I don't know if they sing to other moths. I had assumed the others were too lost in harness dreams to notice, but maybe it's more complex. Alaric might have more data." She thinks of Reshad's wide-eyed look as unfairly beautiful, and feels a little jealous of her possible conversations with the Cantata, but she answers the communication question honestly: "Alaric devised a way to communicate with them, after he broke the harness. Originally it was mostly math and diagrams, but the Cantata has been learning rapidly. They understand a lot of the written high language now, and some of the spoken form as well, though they told me all our consonants are confusing. As long as you're on board, you can send a message to them through the grid the same way you'd contact anyone else." Reshad exclaims, "They can read! Remi was just telling me about the results he'd had with the mothlings; I wonder if it's simply a matter of age, or exposure to the material." She smiles at Remi, then thanks Sasha, adding, "I'd certainly like to get to know them. It's something of a proverb, isn't it? Always know your pilot. I have so much to learn about them. The whole group's partnership with them is fascinating. I never imagined."

Remi observes, "They have proven friendly so far. But we can't guarantee their amicability; and given what I've learned about their future, I couldn't blame them for choosing--otherwise." Reshad says, "Nor I. I've wondered why Cantata still permits us to come aboard." Looking between Remi and Sasha, she continues, "You refused to leave them - I assume you're fighting to keep them unharnessed." Flushing, Remi says, "That was the original source of a misunderstanding between myself and this crew, yes." Shrugging, Sasha says, "We worked it out. The mothlings are children, and are in our care. The Cantata--we are in their debt."

Reshad apologizes to Remi "for the awkward question." She hopes he recognizes Sasha's acceptance of him, while worrying that Sasha still views her as a threat. She agrees with Sasha on the team's debt: "Their tolerance underpins everything we've done. Are they from your time?" Sasha answers, "There was no mothdrive in my time, nor was there any analogous procedure within the heptarchate. Remi knows more about first contact with the moths than I do. But the way that they are bound--I wish I could swear to you that I was not aware of any such technology, but I cannot."

Remi says, "The first contact, if you can call it that, was mostly focused on exploitation. Which is why the mothlings' parents were slaughtered and their eggs stolen, in the hopes of 'harnessing' their astonishing ability to travel through spacetime. And never mind that the moths had opinions of their own. At least the Cantata can guide us as to how it wishes the babies to be reared, in the absence of other contacts with moth society--or societies." Reshad murmurs, "That's good. Or as good as it can be." Pondering moth culture, she adds, "They're the first of their kind raised among humans, aren't they? Are there other free moths?" She asks Sasha, "Harness technology predated the discovery of moths?"

Sasha explains that "with any sufficiently powerful device," such as a train, "there is a risk that a situation will arise where any motion results in the loss of human life." She elaborates, "On Naxarat, where I was born, the jurists had decreed that this responsibility was too great to be borne by a machine. So they bound humans, people whose debt to society was too great to be discharged any other way, into the bodies of the trains. The wires in their minds were finer than silk thread. They slept, until they were called upon to make a choice. I do not know if the technology transferred directly. But Naxarat was--Yehan would call it, liberated--around the time that the harness was invented. I doubt, somehow, the timing is coincidence."

Pale with fury, Remi says, "I wouldn't be surprised if the heptarchate knew of this--technology, and targeted its acquisition accordingly. Is it possible, Sasha?" Shrugging, Sasha tells him, "It's not so far, from Naxarat to Isterov. You could make guesses about what might happen, even in my day. But the technique wasn't secret, either. Even if you didn't care about the details of our legal system, if you spent half an hour trying to understand why our generals bragged about smart weapons, you would have known."

Unhappy, Remi says, "Another reason not to trust the military." Sasha adds, "Or the judges, or the Houses, or any of your factions. Everything is interlaced." She wishes she knew a way to comfort him, but offers a strategy instead: "There is an attack that will work against the mothdrive. It depends on other technology, but I think by the year 800 it is effective, if the moths will work with us. Earlier, we would need cooperation from other elements of the rebellion, as well. And there are questions we should answer about the rifts, before we set this up." Guilty, Remi says, "Yes, I've been busy with the mothlings, but rift research is also something I should be working on..." Smiling at Remi, Reshad says, "You've got your hands full. Six mothlings and your research." She approves the idea of an attack on the mothdrive, adding, "I need to learn to talk with Cantata. Especially if they know more about moth culture... But if collaboration is the way to free them, that's for the best."

An unrestrained prisoner: Jedao, Reshad, and Seyli, joined by Ione

Reshad places her hand on Seyli's arm and murmurs, "A moment." Seyli's eyes sweep the room. Once they have both established there is nothing unexpected in the room besides an unrestrained Jedao, Reshad says, "I am sorry for the wait. But we came in to release you. I see no reason to get all the way back into that. Your leg's all right now?" Carefully holding out the restraints, Jedao answers, "My leg's fine. What now?" Smiling, Reshad takes the restraints, telling Jedao, "We're in motion. And I'd like to begin our work soon, but before that, your room is configurable to a certain extent." She asks the grid to display the options. Shrugging, Jedao says, "As long as there's a shower and commode I'm fine. What work do you have in mind?" Reshad explains that the first task is to get Jedao settled in: "You'll have very basic access to begin with--but we do have a government to topple. Your help would be deeply appreciated." Jedao asks courteously for food and drink, adding, "I assume your government-toppling can wait at least that long." Rubbing his right, gloved wrist, he continues, "I will be of the most help if you are able to give me accurate information regarding your capabilities. It will be impossible for me to advise you honestly, otherwise."

On the team channel, Sasha says, "Ione can deliver food, if you judge it appropriate." Seyli nods at Reshad, approving. Reshad tells Jedao that a meal will arrive shortly, and asks Sasha, subvocalizing, for "anything palatable". Sasha pages Ione via the grid and asks her to deliver a meal: "Let's stick with finger food for now. We have bananas, tangerines, and rice balls, and the walnut-plum ration bars aren't bad. I'll print a paper cup for water." Ione arrives quickly, carrying the food on a tray. She has pinned up her hair and slung a stethoscope around her neck. Looking pointedly at the tray and stethoscope, Jedao smiles and thanks her, saying, "I can listen while I eat, if you want to tell me more about this rebellion of yours."

Placing themself between Jedao and Ione, Seyli says, "Give me the tray back." Jedao does so, saying ironically, "Very good." Seyli tells him, "That's low hanging fruit, condescending praise." Jedao asks, "Would you have trusted anything other? You're not the first Kel to regard a mere fox with skepticism." Seyli says, voice sharp and a little high, "I wouldn't trust a word out of your mouth and it has nothing to do with the fact you're a fox. Skepticism is left for normal foxes, not war criminals." Eyes narrowing, Jedao says, "Yes, Corporal, about that. Why don't you tell me what it is I've done, in your timeline, that dishonored the uniform. Since it's so important to you."

Speaking to the supervisor: Ione, Jedao, Reshad, and Seyli, with comm traffic from Sasha

On the team channel, Sasha says, "Seyli. Stop." They clamp their mouth shut and shift into an alert posture. Interested, Jedao says, "That wasn't a reaction to me, however obnoxious you find me. That was your handler intervening, wasn't it?" More loudly, he continues, "Perhaps it would be more fruitful if we spoke to each other directly, whoever you are. Whatever you want of me, you already have me at a disadvantage. Talk over a comm channel if you have to; I want to hear what your plans are." Nodding at Reshad, Seyli snaps, "She's as much as in charge as anyone else here." Looking at Reshad, Jedao says, "I wouldn't presume to understand your rank hierarchy, but I would rather not have to take your people apart to figure out who's in charge, and what the plan is. We could save a great deal of time if someone besides the corporal here gave me a straight answer." On a private channel, Sasha tells Reshad, "I shall follow your lead." Reshad tells her, "Acknowledged and appreciated." Meanwhile, Ione watches quietly and with evident compassion, her empathy active.

Reshad asks Jedao whether he would like to eat first, or during the conversation. Since he indicates he can eat and listen simultaneously, she signals Sasha and continues, "The leader of this segment of the group is Sasha. As far as assets... She can give you a better assessment than I can; I'm very new to this group. But I can tell you that I find the plan to be credible. The Hexarchate will not succeed without its transport, and my associates have found a method of compromising it. As of yet I'm only aware of proof of concept - not full weaponization. But that, I think, is a matter of time. There are...complicating factors, of course."

Sasha is concerned that Reshad is describing the moths as a means to an end. Activating a voice connection, she introduces herself to Jedao, continuing, "According to the high calendar I was born in the year 201. Our role within this organization is science and intelligence. Our mission has both a scientific and an intelligence-gathering component. We're not conventional military, and this conversation will make a lot more sense if you stop trying to act like a general."

Jedao apologizes to Reshad for eating while talking. Meanwhile, he talks to Sasha, addressing both her and Reshad as equals: "I'm afraid one of the pathologies of conventional military service is that, well--as they say, if you hand someone a gun, everything looks like a target. I understand that you don't owe me answers, or honesty, but I have nothing to lose by asking--Certainly if you can break the stardrive, you will break the heptarchate. But are you prepared for the human consequences that come with disrupting trade and travel?" He further explains that his "sole area of expertise" is "conventional military operations" and he does not know how to "raise an army," nor how to act as a scientist or spy, concluding, "I won't pretend that we trust each other, but what is it that you want me to offer you? Or was it on the strength of my connection to a certain Nirai that you picked me?"

Privately, Sasha tells Reshad, "Hell and stars, I see the shape of this." Reshad answers, "Then it's yours. And I'll put an envoi on it." Sasha tells Jedao, "The heptarchate kills people to maintain the mothdrive, and invents new categories of enemies and heretics so it can go on killing people to maintain the mothdrive, so if you're asking if I understand that my choices have a price, the answer is 'yes'. I started out tracing another agent altogether, though I won't pretend I don't wonder if she's linked to your Nirai." Reshad murmurs, "And that's the simple version."

Sasha points out that Jedao hasn't asked when the destination is, though "I couldn't tell you if I wanted to, because that's the experiment we're running." She explains that the rebellion uses "time is sticky" as a training slogan, meaning that it's difficult to cause major changes, such as erasing oneself from existence: "If you hang around the rifts long enough, you'll meet people from streams that are very different--where the heptarchate is a pentarchate, or never ruled at all--but that's not where the rifts we have mapped ever lead, and those aren't the times we want to influence. The question is, how sticky is time? When we came from, you are a famous traitor. If we're lucky, when we return that won't be true, and we can jump back to a couple hundred years after I was born and prevent the mothdrive from taking hold. If we're not lucky, time is stuck. We'll jump to a time where you are still a traitor, where you took the trade to make yourself undying. We won't be able to act until we get past the sticky bits, to a future even Reshad hasn't seen. And if that's true--if that's the stream that we are stuck in--I need you as an agent against a particular enemy. Not your Nirai, but the undying version of yourself."

Reshad is surprised by Sasha's conclusion, but tries to project calm: "This has been, for me, an exercise in harm reduction. I don't want to see everyone shattered to individual star systems - I want to see a future where we don't eat our own. Including you." Jedao tells Sasha, "Then we are aligned in cause, at least. You're not the only one who dislikes the remembrances. But consider that any immortal version of me would also be that much more experienced, and that much more ruthless. Perhaps, if you have scientists among your number, you can figure out how to kill an immortal. That alone would be worth an alliance." Shrugging at Reshad, he adds, "If you want a better future, you're going to have to show me you know how to build one. Killing people and destroying power structures--those are easy. Reform--that's another kettle of foxes entirely." In a different tone, he says to Ione, "You're no Kel either. Why do you wear gloves?" Alone in her office, Sasha says, "You fucking asshole, she's a medic."

Reshad says, "In my time, the Andan do a lot of consensus formation; we can borrow from them to bring people to work together. It's going to require a lot, and it's something we should not leave to one or two words now. But I dearly hope we do not have to bear the whole burden. But if we had the Liozh intact, if a whole faction hadn't been decreed heretical? Things can go differently than they did. We find the pivot points and try to direct time into a better path. Maybe you can point us to some more." Jedao says, "I haven't always agreed with the Liozh our leaders, but I don't like the thought of them gone."

Taking risks: Ione, Jedao, Reshad, and Seyli, with comm traffic from Sasha and Sulen

Jedao asks Ione, "Are you a Nirai medic, or a Vidona medic, or something else entirely?" As he lunges toward her, apparently planning to tear off her gloves, Ione notices a spike of self-destructive intent. Seyli traps him in a wrist lock, then strikes him on the side of the neck. Jedao staggers, seems to consider moving closer to Seyli, then tries to back up, choking out "My apologies--" Ione presses herself against a wall, out of the way.

Emphasizing her old-fashioned accent, Sasha says, "I find the existence of a universe beyond the heptarchate remarkably controversial. Seyli, please let Jedao apologize to our medic properly." Meanwhile, Seyli twists Jedao's arm behind his back. He complies, telling Ione, "That was uncalled for. I thought for a moment--it doesn't matter what I thought." Ione tells him, "Yes, it does. The answer is that they're for my protection, and if seeing my bare hand will help with the hostility in here I can take one off, but I'd love to know what caused the impulse to steal it." Jedao says, "Something about the way you hold your hands reminded me of Vidona I've known. But you said your protection, not others'. It's not deathtouch, then?" Sasha interjects, "Let us be very clear. You thought that she might have deathtouch, and you wanted to take her gloves off?" Jedao says, flatly, "I must not have been thinking, clearly." Sasha tells him, "You may play what games you like with your own life, but you may not touch my people. Am I understood?" With great seriousness, Jedao says, "You are perfectly clear. Is there anything else you would have me swear to, while I am under your command?"

On the team channel, Reshad says, "Sasha, he means that. Hold a moment." She steps forward, hands open and palms up, telling Jedao, "I'd rather your good will than obedience to the letter." Still holding Jedao, Seyli tells everyone on the team channel, "I don't trust him as far as I could throw him, but I'd bind him for all he's worth. He'd still find a way out of it." Jedao watches Reshad, puzzled: "I cannot prove my good will in so short a span, and I'm aware that I've fucked up. Spurn my oath if you choose, but I will give it anyway. Make what use of me you can." Seyli twitches at the last remark, gripping Jedao more tightly.

Reshad says, "Very well." She asks Seyli to release Jedao. On the team channel, she adds, "Ione, if you want to leave first, now may be your moment." Still on the team channel, Sasha says, "Ione, stay. Reshad, slow the fuck down. This is a measure of whether we keep our word. If you want him to trust us, we have to do this right." Reshad replies, "As if I'd take that sort of responsibility without knowing what it entails. But that's not a discussion to have in an arm lock."

Out loud, Seyli says, "I'm not letting him go until he gives Ione a proper apology." Jedao says, "You are quite correct. Please let me know the proper form, according to your lights." Sasha tells him, "You will use the word 'apologize', and explain how you will guard against a similar reaction in the future. And then when Seyli has released you, you will tell us whether you intend to bind yourself in service to me, or to my superior, or the rebellion as a whole." Reshad adds, "We should understand what that means in obligation to you."

Jedao says, "Properly, I would unglove, but I understand why that is not permissible at the moment." He tells Ione, "I apologize for my attack on you. My behavior was improper. It will not recur. I will not touch you, or those under Sasha's protection, save at her orders and with their consent. If I have a similar misgiving in the future, I will bring it to my superior's attention, or that of an available delegate, rather than acting. I cannot swear it on my sword, so instead I will swear it on the lives of my family." To Reshad, he adds, "Your obligation to me is to use me for your cause, and with honor, and not beyond that."

On the team channel, Ione says, "I think I am the last person who should be leaving. I'm sure he'd like us to kill him, but also means it about the oaths he's making. Which seems unusually dedicated since he's not known us very long." She steps away from the wall, observing, "In my humble opinion, for what that's worth, I believe that an ability called deathtouch and medics should not go hand in hand, and find the association more than a bit concerning." Reshad gestures to Ione, ceding the floor. On the team channel, she observes, "I think this oath is an attempt to get us to hurt him. A severing from his other loyalties. Possibly including to his Nirai. Possibly not."

Seyli reluctantly lets go of Jedao. Sasha asks him, "So, to whom would you swear? And what oaths would you abandon, in so doing?" Jedao rests the fingers of his right hand at the edge of his glove and speaks formally: "I would swear to you as the representative of your cause, and my commander. I would abandon my oath to the Shuos, for the Shuos heptarch has proven unworthy of my oath to her, and my service to the Kel, for Kel Command has betrayed its soldiers. I can be more specific if you require it." Seyli glances sideways at him. Sasha says, "We should do this in person. Seyli, try not to murder anyone before I get there." Glaring at Jedao, Seyli says, "If he behaves himself, I won't have to." Jedao tells Sasha, "I await your convenience," standing very still.

Reshad asks, "And your Nirai?" Very precisely, Jedao says, "I do not consider that I owe him anything, given the coercion involved. Again, I can be more specific if you want me to." Reshad says, "Understood."

Meanwhile, Sulen pings Sasha, on a lower-priority channel. Sasha acknowledges, then messages, "prob. not nec. but 4 next hr codeword PORCELAINOSPREY releases more of I's gas." She grabs her jacket and heads to the printer.

An oath: Ione, Jedao, Reshad, Sasha, and Seyli

Sasha enters the room where Jedao is held and removes her scarf. Her hair is partially restrained with three clips, one rose-blue, one black enamel, and one made of twisted silver and copper wire. She tells Jedao, "I am Zuhrovet Sikandaret, once of Fountain House, now in service to Vestar Ashari, in the cause of the rebellion. My ties are as you see them, nor have I held any back. I will hear your oath now."

Jedao says, "I will submit to your forms, but this is mine--" He removes his gloves and holds them out to Sasha, continuing, "I am Shuos Jedao, formerly the property of Heptarch Shuos Khiaz and seconded to Kel Command. I swear my life and my service to you, Zuhrovet Sikanderet, as the representative of the rebellion, and now my commander. I belong to you now, to use as you judge fit for that cause. I'm your gun."

Sasha accepts Jedao's gloves, then returns them to him along with a black clip in the shape of a feather, explaining, "Here is our symbol. You are not obliged to show it to those you do not trust, but it is yours to wear." She pins two golden gears in her own hair. Still kneeling, Jedao puts his gloves on again and pins his bangs back with the feather. He says, "If I may, it is no longer proper for me to wear this uniform, unless you have a particular need for it. But I realize it is unlikely to be a matter of urgency. What would you have of me now?"

Reshad stands formally, though she is disturbed and saddened by the way Jedao seems to view himself as an object. Looking sharply at Sasha, she says, "We don't do 'property' where I'm from. Nor do we in this rebellion." Sasha says, "Oh, you fucking did. Just not anyone you thought of as 'people'. Jedao, you can stand if you like, and I'm sure Seyli would be delighted to take your jacket. You have a lot of history to learn." Jedao stands and removes his jacket, watching Seyli. Pale and deeply disturbed, Seyli shakes their head. Furious, Reshad uses the team channel to say, "Not. The. Time." Aloud, she says, "Shoo. Out. Let him change." Seyli offers to bring a uniform.

Sasha instructs the grid to display basic icons on one wall, and says, "Jedao, the grid will respond to your basic voice commands. In particular, you can change the light levels, and there's a version of our standard orientation in there. We'll talk in a while." She leaves the room. Standing very still, Jedao thanks Seyli for the offered uniform. They tell him, "I'll be back," and slip out. Reshad says, "Once you're ready, feel free to contact me or Sasha with questions." She watches Jedao for another moment, then also leaves the room. Ione leaves shortly thereafter.

Seyli prints an outfit for Jedao in a non-faction shade of blue, and returns to his room. They find Jedao sitting on the edge of the bed and studying the rebellion's orientation materials. He rises and says, "Yes?" Seyli offers, "Here, ship knits." Jedao thanks them and offers them his gloves: "I would appreciate it if you would deliver these to Sasha. You understand what this means, even if I don't yet know whether she does. But if you would rather I do it myself, I can wait for a better time." Seyli flinches, saying, "I won't be responsible for taking any part of your uniform. You can handle that ritual yourself." Jedao nods, saying, "Understood." He stands as Seyli moves toward the door.

Promises, fears, and team cohesion

During the break between substantive interviews with Jedao, team members make various attempts to relax and improve team cohesion. Sulen works at this most systematically. Though they have misgivings about the Shuos, they have a productive conversation with Reshad. Despite his diffidence, Gerae provides useful insight into team dynamics; games might not be the best choice for a team-building activity, however, given the team members' wildly different approaches to overt competition.

Seyli and Ione connect with the mothlings, and each other, via music. Meanwhile, Sasha has been using music to build a relationship with the Cantata itself. The information exchanged and the emotional bonds created are likely to play a key role in the team's future successes. However, this will require Sasha to learn to manage her emotions around the Cantata, toward which she is inclined to feel both protective and possessive. Remi and Reshad initially approach connection with the mothlings more scientifically, though their conversation engages Sasha as well. As Reshad observes, Remi has lingering concerns about the initial impression he made on the team; Sasha, at least, is not inclined to hold his initial misgivings against him. In conversation, Remi reveals a deep distrust of the military that may affect the types of team ventures he is willing to support.

The interview with Jedao initially proceeds productively, with Sasha keeping her promise to let Reshad lead the way, modulo a miscommunication on the desirability of providing ration bars to prisoners. Seyli does reveal that they consider Reshad and Sasha to be, jointly, "the de facto leaders"; Sasha is likely to challenge Seyli on this characterization when an opportunity presents itself.

The team reacts effectively to Jedao's sudden bout of self-destructiveness, but his subsequent decision to make an oath of loyalty catches the team members off guard and reveals major differences in their assumptions and cultural backgrounds. Jedao and Sasha appear to share an emotional need for structured, oath-mediated relationships that the other team members either mistrust or simply fail to understand. Though Sasha attempts to moderate her immediate protectiveness toward Jedao with an awareness of his potential actions, the difficulties caused by her decision to accept the oath are likely to be ongoing.

Reshad notes, quite accurately, that Jedao does not seem to have respected any of his previous commanders, a criticism which might fairly be applied to Sasha as well. Reshad fails to appreciate, perhaps, the ways in which a formal declaration of loyalty can provide balance and structure in an otherwise competitive or even fractious relationship. But her misgivings are greater. Reshad's background leads her to view Jedao's oath as coercive, an unjust surrender of the self. Jedao's obvious trauma associated with the heptarchs Khiaz and Kujen is not likely to lead Reshad to moderate her opinion.

Reshad makes some of her misgivings evident in her remark that "We don't do 'property' where I'm from." Sasha responds to this remark with hostility for multiple reasons. She views it as dismissive of the oath Jedao has just made, and typical of a heptarchate tendency to be patronizing about differences in cultural norms. She also believes that Reshad is lying by implicitly refusing to recognize the moths as intelligent actors, a bad omen for future working relationships; Sasha has not recognized that Reshad does not view herself as originally from the hexarchate. It is worth noting that the language Sasha uses to counterattack is entirely informal, in a high language mode reserved for equals. Reshad interprets this as a shocking lack of respect; in a different direction, it may lend further credence to Seyli's assessment that the two are equivalent, albeit not entirely allied, powers. However, Sasha tends to use more formal (and less profane) language when she is engaged in a concerted campaign against someone; her decision to retaliate immediately and casually indicates, in a backwards way, that she values her relationships with both Jedao and Reshad. Though it does not allay Reshad's justified wrath, Sasha's decision to leave the room when Reshad asks her to do so may be a more legible sign of her slowly growing alignment with Reshad.

Meanwhile, Jedao's presence forces Seyli to confront some of their feelings about Kel command and their surrender of the Kel uniform. Though they fear and distrust Jedao, they are forced to admit that he may share some of their very mixed emotions.