“Good, good, everybody,” said Ceian. She was the First Named. Her pouch-sister had died of lung chills and plague. “But there'll be nothing else to see until the lights come on. So, it's back to the books. Good?” She also was going to be taken to one of the father-houses to be made a mother next week, and had excitement wafting around her like a perfume.
A general groan went up, but no real argument. They all trooped back into the house and resumed their places around the tables in the main room with open books: math, history, language, geography.
That was the weirdest part, learning at home, and Ancestors! what they learned! There seemed to be three categories: basic, boring, and stuff Res and she had finished up five years ago, except for the history and geography. Those were completely new. Ceian had been appalled at how little they knew. She set them copying information out of big, elaborately printed books. Two for one learning, she called it, because she was not happy with their writing either. It was deadly dull, but it felt good to be part of the studious atmosphere that permeated the house.
Mother was over at the Home of Queens with Neys and Silv, who were almost as good as blood family. She had made Theia and Res stay behind, explaining her day would be spent organizing drafts of essays, speeches, and appropriation requests, and that their time would be better spent becoming closer to their cousins. So, there was no way out of it. It was books until Ceian said otherwise.
Outside, a wheezy engine coughed and sputtered up to the gate and fell silent. All the cousins raised ears and heads.
The door opened and the aunts came in. The cousins surrounded them, hugging and laughing and tussling. Res nodded to Theia when she felt it was all right for them to get up and join in. They both loved the boisterous greetings, but Theia agreed with Res. Since the aunts had turned away from Mother, it was not right that they should be as enthusiastic with them as they were with her.
They joined the swirl of cousins and were happily shoved to the front so they could receive their hugs from the aunts.
When the loudest part of the ritual was over with, Theia and Res had learned, they were supposed to stand around and wait for some pronouncement, good or bad, about the state of the house, their general industry, or some errand that needed doing.
“Important news today, daughters.” Aunt Senejess laid a hand on Res's shoulder and one on tight-skinned Jaiu's. “The relocation schedule has been changed.”
The cousins eyed one another, and Theia eyed Res. Were they leaving early? Nobody'd even started packing yet.
“Not for us,” said Senejess. “For the ‘Esaph. They want to be relocated right away. The Humans have agreed. Their coordinator is going to the Hundred Isles to work with them.”
A ripple of anger tinged with fear ran around the room. Theia squirmed uncomfortably. Res squeezed her hand to remind her it would probably be gone in a minute.
“What we do not know,” Armetrethe went on, “is why this is being done. Mother Senejess and I are agreed that we must find out.”
Senejess drew herself up straight and proud. “I am leaving for the Hundred Isles as soon as I have packed.”
“Alone?” Ciean seized her mother's hands. “You can't, Mother, it's not possible! You wouldn't…”
“I won't be alone,” said Senejess. “If your Cousin Res or Theia agrees to go with me.”
“WHAT?” Theia and Res chorused. Confusion pressed them together.
“Why us?” asked Res, while Theia's head was still swimming.
Aunt Senejess turned both ears to Res. “Because to facilitate my movements, I will be traveling under your mother's name.”
“Why would you do …” Theia let the sentence die. “You're going to spy on them.” She felt her eyes and nostrils open very wide. “You want us to help.”
“We need one of you to come with me for two reasons,” Senejess said gently. “First to complete the illusion that it is your mother traveling. Second, because you understand Humans and the way Human technology works far better man we do. We will be beginning our work at the spaceport; it will be filled with Human machinery, and I will need help finding my way around.”
Theia could feel Res's excitement. It ran up her arm like an electrical current and set her heart beating fast. But could Res feel her fear? Could she make that swim upstream against all this eagerness?
Res shivered. Remember, Theia willed her. Remember what Mother said to Neys and Silv. The aunts think the Humans are conspiring with the Getesaph. They want to prove it. This is wrong. Res! This is a Jupiter-sized bad idea!
“Our mother doesn't know about this, does she?” Res's ears dipped toward her scalp.