Avishraa Reloaded

Some vigils passed as Einriss settled into his new quarters. Dlyss had not yet put in another appearance, though the quartermaster - who seemed far more willing to talk to either Einriss or Puugwol than most of the other inhabitants of Oghiras were - mentioned that she had important business in the Citadel.

The gently rotting wood that Einriss had helped Puugwol collect had been placed in an alcove that had been built into the latter's quarters, where she had seeded it with spores from her bilaak-tesh fungus. Though it was still rather early, the emergence of tiny gray half-circles from the bark seemed to be a relief to Puugwol - at least they were growing, even if it was not yet possible to say that they would have the properties she intended.

When the set of rooms that was to be the laboratory had been substantially finished, both of them went to have a look around at the results. They were spacious, certainly; there were holding pens, tables with restraints, bins and other storage for various materials, though these last had yet to be filled.

“It is not the kind of environment in which I am used to working,” Puugwol felt moved to comment as they looked around, “but I feel that we could accomplish much here.”

Einriss was wandering slowly around the lab, opening some cupboards and empty containers to inspect how much space they could contain. He found himself verifying the ventilation - it would be important that air could come and go very freely if they wanted to keep live creatures in here in any number, and it would be desirable that this same circulation could be stopped if they were ever going to work on biological weapons that might disperse through the air. He nodded a little to himself, then, as if afterthought, extended it to be a nod to Puugwol. “I won't be able to spend all of my time here, either,” he observed, for the first time in a long time showing something like empathy rather than a purely literal understanding of Puugwol's words. “But it's remarkably well-equipped.”

Puugwol nodded agreeably. It was far beyond anything she'd ever had access to; she'd been lucky, before leaving home, to even have enough room indoors to host a patient without having to sleep outside her own hut, and that was usually when it was a child. Not that people had been eager to bring their children to her, by the end.

“I wonder how busy Dlyss will want to keep us,” she mused. “It could be convenient to use this space for other experiments of our own, if there is the time for them.”

At this, Einriss tilted his head with some curiosity. It wasn't that he hadn't had personal projects before - his wing was a perfect example of it - but he'd so taken to his recent work that he'd practically forgotten that it was an option. What would it even mean to use this space for personal experiments? It was so far from his mind right now that he had to stop and think about it. And yet, his curiosity was kindled. “Did you have any in mind?” he asked.

“Oh, I don't know,” she replied absently. “The Paagdil-shennai are more concerned that changes are made than what the changes are.” By this point, Einriss had heard her use the term several times; he was under the impression that they were deities of some kind. “Maybe if I could capture another one of those bright local beasts, I could modify its intelligence to the point of being able to communicate. It might be interesting to learn the perspective of an alien being.”

Puugwol mused on the subject, and added, “Or I suppose I would greatly like the chance to continue my developmental studies on the takma body, but I do not think that the people around here would be any more willing to provide me with an egg than those back home were.”

Einriss was considering her first comment when her second punctured through it. He glanced across at her, for a moment not sure he heard right - markedly less because of what she was proposing, and more because she was speaking of logistical problems, and it made no sense to him. And so he asked the kind of question only Einriss would ever ask: “Couldn't you use your own?”

Puugwol felt her train of thought hit a rock, and blinked. “…er.”

She considered the question for a moment, with an uncharacteristically awkward look on her face. “I, er. I suppose I could,” she responded, appearing to pick her words cautiously. “Dlyss has told me that lifegivers are… fruitful, so I assume I would not have a shortage of experimental material. But I have no mate, and it has seemed to me that learning how to acquire one would be more difficult than persuading someone else to provide an egg.”

For Puugwol even to mention the necessity of a mate in the process was somewhat surprising - not so much for its factual nature, because lifegivers of any sex tended to become aware of how reproduction worked whether someone explained it or not, but most still would not discuss it in polite company.

Einriss's stare just continued to anchor on her with mild incomprehension at her hurdles. When that didn't yield any response, though, he said: “It doesn't need to be a permanent arrangement for this purpose, surely you can find someone you find non-repulsive for this project who would be happy to indulge in the associated pleasure, if nothing else? I for one would certainly not object.” He said it with such a tonal shrug that it was mercifully clear that he wasn't being lewd or lecherous about it, but it was still a very crass sequence of words to come out of anyone's mouth in this context, regardless.

Puugwol's mouth hung slightly open for a moment, while various mild expressions of shock, mistrust, and intrigue battled for control of her face. At least, it settled into something like curiosity; there was a faint noise as her mouth clapped shut, and then she said, with a kind of exaggerated casualness, “If I may ask: have you often made such… spontaneous offers of reproductive assistance?”

Einriss tilted his muzzle mildly, expressing a soft confusion. “There's never been a project like the one you describe,” he pointed out. “By corollary, never?” So it was tied to the project for him. That wasn't really surprising, given everything Puugwol knew about him so far. He was excited by the science. Figured.

Puugwol nodded. It all made sense now. She knew perfectly well that, in terms of interpersonal relationships, she lacked not merely experience but a great deal of understanding, but by observation of the behavior of other women, she had the suspicion that, if Einriss had made such an offer before - worded like that, at least - he would, at the very least, currently be missing several teeth.

Aloud, she said, “While you are correct that the requirements for a reproductive partner are, in and of themselves, not complex, I would put it to you that the requirements for allowing someone to have what is, after all, a very thorough form of access to one's person are not necessarily the same, even though the former presupposes the latter.

She paused, and added, “Having some method for determining who should be allowed so near and who should not is helpful. As I have found, this is especially true when one, not giving the impression of being able to put up a resistance, encounters someone who is… not welcome.”

Einriss was beginning to look at her with something like a very mild annoyance. “Yes?” he said, fishing for some kind of conclusion or verdict on a line of thought he considered blithely obvious. Of course one didn't just let anyone close to vulnerable parts of oneself - but to Einriss, it was rather more of an intellectual exercise than something steeped in instinct. If one wanted to make eggs, it was comparatively easy to find a male eager to help, and it didn't need a degree in psychology to know whether the male wanted a family or it could be left at a one-time affair. That 'one-time affairs' were not a thing that women generally pursued was not his problem, after all; as far as he was concerned, that might as well be politics, and he wasn't interested in letting that get in the way of science. It didn't help that he could not imagine Puugwol, while fairly short as far as women went, somehow failing to defend herself if someone mistook her quest for promiscuity.

Puugwol sighed. “I suppose the point I was trying to make was that if were so simple to find a partner that met those standards, I would have already begun my studies before you got here. Or possibly before I got here.”

Outside in the hall, positioned where she could not easily be seen, Dlyss listened to the conversation and, somewhat uncharacteristically, let out a very faint sigh and passed a hand over her face. She was not, by most standards, very romantic, but she knew in a mechanical sort of way how courtship was supposed to go, and she was quite disturbed at how badly the two lifegivers seemed to be doing at achieving even a straightforward, utilitarian one.

She glanced down at her companion, who had also been listening, and who bore a look of vast amusement. He, in turn, looked up at her. In her future vision, she saw him say: “Well, dear, it might have gone as badly between us, had you not had the foresight to bring it about,” yet the words remained unspoken; long ago, they had determined that a sufficiently strong intention to speak could be used to pass messages to her even if nothing was ultimately said. She could not respond to him in kind, but merely shook her head: No, I don't think it would have. Not quite like this.

Regardless, perhaps it would be opportune to enter now, before they got too much more annoyed with each other. With a quick jerk of her muzzle, she motioned for her companion to follow, and then stepped into the doorway. “Do excuse me,” she murmured. “There were some things I wished to discuss, if you would be amenable.”

Behind Dlyss and to one side, peeking in past her, was a bronze male. He looked thin and travel-worn, and his feet and the end of his tail were wrapped up in the fashion of someone who, at the very least, had had a near brush with frostbite, but despite appearing to still be recovering from whatever he had experienced, his expression was determinedly good-humored; he appeared keenly interested in the contents of the lab, both objects and people.

If the conversation had been any closer to traditional courtship, Einriss might have been embarrassed at the timing. As it were, it was merely the inconvenience of any interrupted conversation about work, one which he naturally forgave Dlyss automatically, given that she was his main source of interesting projects, not to mention finances. Interpersonally, he liked her - despite her baffling proficiency at politics, she was mostly no-nonsense and straight-forward around him. It was really quite welcome - and so he smiled alertly. To the stranger Dlyss had brought along, he gave a non-verbal greeting, dipping his muzzle with respect, and with his silence on the matter invited Dlyss to continue as she pleased.

Puugwol's greeting was similar, if somewhat less enthusiastic. She was grateful to Dlyss - she had helped locate and assist her after the lifegiver had stumbled, exhausted and sick, out of the mountains into the upper valleys of the Citadel, had brought her here to this wonderfully interesting world, and had introduced her to Einriss, who, despite being a bit dense right at the moment, made more sense to her than nearly anyone else she'd ever run into - but she often found the oracle to scrape across her nerves.

“I have been considering the idea,” Dlyss continued, “of… manipulating the Chosen body. This is not something I do lightly; the gods made us as we are for a reason. However-” A faint twitch of expression crossed her face, like a grimace. “-it is becoming clear that a confrontation with the Unchosen is approaching. It will not be immediate, but it will be difficult. If we intend for events to go in our favor, some niceties cannot be indulged, and our preparations must be underway. So,” she continued, to Puugwol's immense glee, “I am inclined to permit this course of study.

“However,” she added, “In the near term I foresee… difficulties in acquiring test subjects. Volunteers are likely to be scarce, at least at such an early stage, and the use of pre-existing prisoners would raise undesirable questions in certain quarters. I have been hesitant to proceed for that reason as well. Fortunately, my husband Zadireth-” she indicated the bronze beside her ”-may have inadvertently assisted in that respect.

“He has been outside the Citadel, seeking Chosen to rescue and bring home. And he has - but, as it happens, he found someone else as well while in the mountains. A criminal, in fact, who has long escaped the justice of the Council. Rather than turn him in for sentencing, I have arranged for him to be brought here; it seemed that he might pay for his crime by assisting with your research.”

'Manipulate' was a vague term, but even Einriss, who liked taking things as literally as possible, realised that it stood for improvements. Privately, Einriss found the notion of punishing someone with research meant to improve Chosen physiologically a little quaint, but as long as no one was asking him to deliberately and actively harm the test subject, he supposed it would do.

He allowed himself the curiosity, mostly in hope of better calibrating himself for how sorry he should feel if he did cause harm, but also in hope of better understanding what precautions they might need to take, of asking, quite innocently: “What crime did they commit?”

“He is a mentalist, as well as a stone elementalist. Ten cycles ago, he attacked a member of the Council in the street, in apparent retaliation for a legal decision involving one of his parents. The Councillor was not permanently injured physically, but the mental damage could not be entirely repaired. The criminal was briefly detained, but managed to escape and subsequently departed the Citadel without authorization - which, at the time, was itself also a crime.” Dlyss gestured toward the door. “If you would like to see him, he is currently contained, though we are still considering efficient ways to neutralize his powers outside of containment.”

It was enough to convince Einriss that the prisoner was dangerous. It was possible he was repentantly dangerous, of course, but it was always best not to expect that. Einriss had never really flirted with the notion that 'people change over time', so the passing of time itself did not change his position, but he was entirely familiar with the idea that people sometimes did things they regretted. He had a whole batch of his own, after all, even if they were certainly much, much milder.

He did not, in fact, want to see someone who was dangerous and could potentially damage his mind. So he smiled in appreciation and asked: “Should we be taking any preparatory precautions on our end, given his history of violence, or do you expect he will make little trouble after he can no longer throw rocks at people and mess with their minds?”

Dlyss considered this question, and said, “While he is not unwaveringly aggressive, he will not hesitate to cause trouble if he feels justified. Though at the moment the bulk of his feelings are directed at myself, I regret to say that he will likely be greatly displeased at his role in your research. He will almost certainly require restraints when outside his containment.

She turned and led them down a corridor. “That said, he is of a somewhat advanced age - fourteen cycles or so - and he no longer has the agility or stamina he once did, and we shall take care to minimize his ability to cause injury - blunting claws and teeth and so on. In the nearer term, he is almost no threat at all; he was caught in a snowstorm in the mountains when Zadireth found him, and will take some time to recover from his ordeal.”

“He's not the only one,” Zadireth commented, with a flick of his bandaged tail and a wry grin. “If we hadn't had the energists with us, we would've been in much deeper trouble, and so would he.”

Puugwol craned her neck to look at the bandages. “Did you need one of us to look at those?”

Zadireth shook his head. “Thank you, no. I've had some preliminary treatment already, and we have a healer at home who can take care of anything else.”

Einriss nodded amiably, already setting some part of his mind to work - with reluctance, as it wasn't an activity he cherished in any way - to thinking about the logistics of how someone might be restrained and remain useful to science. Then he asked: “Is there a particular direction we should preferentially be exploring this project into?” He was frankly puzzled how an adult takma might be useful, especially one of such advanced age, but given Puugwol's abilities, perhaps modifications would provide a useful biochemical template from which once could derive the essence of. If Dlyss thought it was a useful methodology, then it would almost surely prove to be just that. It wouldn't be the first time he simply had a lack of sufficient imagination, after all easily losing himself in the minutiae of his current projects. One more way in which Dlyss was a blessing.

Dlyss appeared to think this over, and then said, “Between Chosen and Unchosen, there are two points at which the Chosen are at great disadvantage. The larger is one of numerical inferiority; even if all the Chosen in the world could be collected together and made to fight for the Citadel, they could be outnumbered by even a quite modest army of Unchosen. The other is that of physical capability; even the largest and strongest Chosen would be hard put to compare with average adult Unchosen.

“Although the matter of population is the greater, it also poses challenges for a prompt solution. Increasing fertility in some way would be a method of addressing the problem, and a desirable long-term goal in any event, but short of some path I do not yet see, would take centuries to have any statistical impact - time we do not have. Devising instead a method of drastically reducing the Unchosen population seems more promising, but would require… careful implementation, to avoid a scenario in which the Chosen are not also affected.”

Puugwol's expression, as they followed Dlyss, became pained. Though she understood Dlyss' reasoning, she was not fond of the idea of killing people to achieve a goal. Dead people couldn't change or learn anything from their mistakes. But before she could raise an objection along these lines, Dlyss continued, “That, therefore, may be a secondary line of research. Enhancing Chosen to the size and strength of Unchosen seems to me a more straightforward, if still delicate, task.”

“Increasing the growth period, and improving the density of muscle fibre,” Einriss translated, largely for his own sake of thinking aloud. “Some of the latter may come with the former,” he contemplated. “But it all comes at a biochemical cost and it might - most likely will - disrupt pathways for healthy living that will also need to be repaired. But it should be surmountable.

A Chosen who is already an adult will not be a good subject for this kind of modification, since the growth phase is over… not to mention it would be somewhat unwise to increase the capabilities of someone known to be violent. That said, yes, I do think the template will be useful in other ways.”

“I shall proceed to the reason for an adult test subject in a moment,” Dlyss said smoothly. “But Puugwol has a theory regarding the cost of such development. She is one of the few Chosen currently available to us who has had an opportunity to repeatedly, and at relatively close range, observe the development process of both Chosen and Unchosen in their early years - Puugwol, if you would…”

Puugwol spoke up. “Chosen and Unchosen children experience essentially identical phenotypical development up to the age of one cycle,” she said, “at which point the Chosen child's growth rate begins to diverge from that of an Unchosen counterpart. My ability to detect the relevant changes is limited, but I believe that there is… something about the state of being Chosen that interferes with the production, or possibly the use, of the hormones that regulate growth. If it is possible to determine what is happening, and prevent the interference, or compensate for it in some way-” -excitement crept into her voice- “-it might be that a Chosen could be put onto the same developmental path as an Unchosen. The biochemical cost, surely, should not be much different.”

To Einriss, the things that Puugwol had said felt so much like a restatement of what he'd been saying that he spent a moment staring, waiting for the elaboration to continue. Then he picked up on what she was saying. “No,” he said, simply. “I'm not talking about it costing more in energy and resources for a Chosen to grow more. I am talking about that changing the growth phase comes with other changes to the organism that are not desirable - if we get it wrong, bones will be brittle, the immune system may be overstimulated, eyes may not fit correctly in their sockets, or any number of other, subtler issues. The cost is in functionality.”

“If one is merely removing the barriers to development occurring that Unchosen evidently have no problems with,” Puugwol replied, “then surely-”

“But removing the barriers,” Dlyss interrupted, “is the uncertain part. The future hints that it may be possible,” she added, “and would be the path of least resistance if so. But we do not know yet in what ways the Chosen body already compensates for the presence of mana. And should it instead come about that the barriers must be compensated for, the situation will likely be even more complicated.”

Puugwol mulled this over, and appeared to reluctantly concede the point. “But why, then, this criminal as an adult test subject? Surely any intervention would be best applied before the one-cycle point of divergence?”

“Firstly,” Dlyss replied solemnly, “because we currently have no subjects of the appropriate age to proceed with that line of inquiry. For which reason,” she added, “I am inclined to encourage the… the scientifically, motivated reproductive efforts you were discussing before my arrival - on which subject, I must say, I wish to speak to each of you separately and in private after we view the criminal.

“Secondly,” she continued, ignoring Puugwol's expression of surprise, “because even an adult specimen will provide data points on how the restrictions on Chosen growth may be overcome - a brute-force solution, so to speak, but possibly useful in streamlining future research. And thirdly… because, should an attack from outside come sooner than I would hope, the ability to force growth in adult specimens may itself prove useful.”

“The risk of cancers alone would be astronomical,” Einriss observed. “I would not be surprised if Puugwol could do it as a temporary change, but to make it stick would require some biochemically dangerous tampering - by which I mean, I don't think it will work, and it may just kill any subjects you give us if we were to pursue it.” He shook his head. “But I agree the template will be useful and we can explore some incremental gains. It would perhaps be more useful if there were also an Unchosen we could analyse the same way, should one make themselves available.” Not that their Chosen subject had 'made themselves available' in any active way, but Einriss reckoned it was the best phrase to cover a variety of circumstances and convey what would be useful.

“Should we be at the point where adults have to be transformed to provide suitable soldiers for the Citadel's defense,” Dlyss replied, a hint of sharpness in her voice, “our civilization as a whole will be experiencing such a level of existential risk that individuals will need to be called upon to make unusual sacrifices.” More calmly, she added, “As for Unchosen… we shall see. I am attempting to have some brought in, but as you likely know, the presence of Unchosen is forbidden within the Citadel. Having specimens transported here without drawing unwanted attention will be… difficult.”

They had come to what appeared to be a newly-shaped area. The floor had been smoothed flat, but the walls showed the distinctive scooped-out shapes of stone that had just recently been hollowed out by elementalists. Toward the further end of the chamber, the stone abruptly ended and became metal, though it maintained its shape, indicating that alchemists had been at work transforming the material from one to the other. In the far wall, a door made of thick metal bars blocked a doorway.

The cell on the other side was lined with… something on its inner surfaces, a matte dark gray mineral. None of them had ever seen so much of it, but it was voidstone, clearly voidstone; even in a room full of empathically shielded takmar, there was always a little background feeling, but close to the cell, there was nothing - it was the difference between being in a room that was merely silent and one that was acoustically anechoic.

Inside, on a flat table, was a green Chosen, an elderly male, covered in bandages and plasters and looking very hard-used; his eyes were closed. Puugwol, still considering the possibility of transforming an adult Chosen, eyed him critically from as close to the voidstone-lined cell as she dared to get. “This is not an optimal test subject,” she commented.

“No,” Dlyss said placidly. “Even brought back up to strength, there is a high likelihood of death should your studies become intensive. I have made my peace with this possibility.”

Einriss would not have said that he had 'made peace with this possibility', but as it was in his hands and Puugwol's, he didn't even bother to raise the subject. A Lifegiver, after all, was not there to make death, and he would certainly avoid it. All living things, regrettably, died in one way or another, though, so if despite his greatest precautions this one did die, he would deeply mourn the failure in his chosen task… but certainly not the individual.

Puugwol, in the silence of her own mind, felt similarly. She was determined to keep the subject alive to the best of her ability. No doubt his suffering would be alleviated by the knowledge.

Dlyss appeared to be about to say something else, but then paused, cocked her head, and then smoothly swung her gaze back at the prisoner. “You are awake,” she said.

A quivering breath was expelled from his nostrils; a crusted eye opened a sliver. A rusty, wheezing voice whispered, “It appears that… the subject of my death… has some power to rouse.” His one-eyed gaze fixed on Dlyss, before wandering to the others. “So at last… I meet the woman in white… and her bronze companion… as described. And… these others?…”

Einriss did not find the notion of introducing himself to a prisoner any different than the notion of introducing himself to any other person, and so he went about it with a polite tone, getting right to the point: “I am Einriss, Lifegiver-Alchemist.”

“I am Puugwol, Lifegiver-shapeshifter,” Puugwol replied in kind, though she added, “You know of the Oracle?”

The prisoner emitted a faint, rhythmic wheeze, a tortured laugh, that transitioned into coughing. At last, he replied, “Of more than one Oracle… but I know more… of this one than you… poor fools.”

Zadireth leaned in, and asked politely, “Are you enjoying your accommodations?”

The prisoner groaned. “My mind is blind… this is voidstone?… where did you get so much?…”

Dlyss commented, “Alchemy applied at scale can be quite useful. Voidstone to dampen your mentalist abilities, and an extremely thick layer of metal to put the nearest stone from your reach.” She moved closer to the door, doing her best to ignore the empathic suction around her, and asked, almost tenderly, “You escaped, and spend many cycles away. You could have died in peace. Why did you come back, Shyriath?”

“For you,” he murmured, with a bitter smile. “We knew… roughly when you would be here… just a matter of waiting. And I knew the way in. Just…” He coughed again. “…overestimated my endurance.” Another faint laugh. “Just my luck… your companion found me.”

“Husband, now, actually,” Zadireth corrected.

“Married?… Hah. Congratulations… I suppose.”

Puugwol, at least, found the exchange rather baffling. That Dlyss knew about the prisoner was not so surprising, but the prisoner seemed quite familiar with her as well, though she gathered that they had not met.

The 'poor fools' insult ricocheted right off Einriss, barely even registering. It was, after all, some irony for someone who had gotten themselves into jail to speak of others who had not done anything criminal of foolishness. But the whole tangent about another Oracle was interesting to him. It was of course conceivable that there was another, but they were so rare that he reckoned he would have heard of them. A question to ask Dlyss some other time, perhaps, if the curiosity resurged. “You do look rather battered. I assume you've already been patched up as best as possible, given the circumstances?” Einriss asked; but it was clearly a question out of polite professionalism as a Lifegiver, not one of empathy.

“Mm,” Shyriath mused. “Imagine so… for a half-frozen old man… could be worse.”

“He is attended regularly by one of our lifegivers,” Dlyss added. “I do wish his utility for study to be maximized, all things considered.

“Your concern,” Shyriath croaked, “is touching.”

Dlyss turned away as if to leave, paused, and then turned back. “I sense that An-uxhwi is not involved in this.”

“What… could a xtauh manage… in the Citadel?” Shyriath nearly sneered. “I, at least, might have… blended in-”

Puugwol had stiffened, excited. “You know a xtauh? What were they like - did they give any impression of interesting worldview deviations? How did they compare phys-”

“There will be plenty of time,” Dlyss interrupted in a soothing voice, “to ask him as many questions as you like. But for now he should regain his strength.” Addressing Shyriath, she added, “I have considered visiting An-uxhwi, but rarely had an opportune time. Perhaps,” she continued, as a look of anguished horror appeared on his face, “I should apprise him of your arrival here.” She motioned to Zadireth, Einriss, and Puugwol, and began leading them away.

“Wait,” Shyriath croaked, and then managed a shout: “Wait!” Dlyss neither answered nor looked back.

After they were far enough for the yelling to be less intrusive, she said, “Zadireth, you should lie down for a time. Einriss, please come with me, if you have a moment. Puugwol, I will send for you after I have spoken to Einriss.” Zadireth nodded agreeably and peeled off; Puugwol hesitated, then wandered away in the direction of their labs and quarters. Dlyss led Einriss to an area that, he knew by now, contained meeting spaces.

“An interesting encounter,” she said.

To Einriss, it was all mostly more politics, which he had no inclination toward, so he largely simply nodded at the comment, although he let himself remark one thing: “Sad, but perhaps not unsurprising given his inclination toward criminal behaviour, that he would have such resentment for you.”

“In this case,” Dlyss replied, opening the door to a room, “although his personal opinions play a role in his attitude, they do not account for his actions. He has been… led astray regarding me, by a well-meaning but misguided colleague.” She closed the door behing them and sat down, indicating that he should do the same.

“I would like to speak to you,” she said, slightly hesitantly, “about this notion of… assisting Puugwol in producing her own test subjects. Not so much about whether it is a good idea,” she added, “because I believe that it is - indeed, if you know of my feelings on natalism, I would say so regardless of what the purpose was. Rather, I wish to caution you that, should the subject come up between you again, you should be rather… more cautious than you have been.”

Einriss looked at her blankly. 'More cautious' was about as actionable to him as asking him to learn to levitate - in theory it might be possible, some sequence of actions could lead to that result, but it meant nothing to him. And so, after a moment's awkward silence, he said: “Meaning?”

Dlyss, rather unusually, sighed. “I should tell you, first, that while I appreciate that offering yourself as a sexual partner is, in this context, a logical and straightforward approach, the thought processes surrounding sex are, for most, not logical or straightforward. As it is, had you spoken in that manner to nearly any other woman, it would have been found mortally insulting.

“For her part, I do not believe that Puugwol was offended. She has little concern for her reputation, which is fortunate, as she has little reputation to protect. Her issues are different. Having reviewed events in her early life, I believe that she experienced… numerous adverse events… which left strong marks on her psychology.” Dlyss struggled slightly. She did not like either the word or the concept of 'trauma'. “Among these were a number of attempts by Unchosen males to impose sex upon her at a time of vulnerability.

“To be clear, I do not believe that she considers your suggestion to actually be a prelude to such an invasion; rather, I suspect that it strongly reminds her of such a prelude that was similarly phrased, and invoked an association with accompanying feelings. To avoid this from happening again, you may find it helpful to phrase the suggestion in a form that emphasizes her agency in the matter.”

Again, that blank look. Einriss was hardly stupid, so he could, in fact, turn that specific advice into actual words, but now he was quite perplexed at the insinuation. The whole conversation had been precisely about Puugwol's agency and her ability to make choices. The phrasing struck him as absurd. In his minimalist manner, he simply said nothing.

Dlyss began to acquire an edge to her features that suggested some vast irritation trying to make itself known to her. She said, “Perhaps I should phrase it differently: there is an enormous contextual difference between a woman suggesting that a man be her partner, and a man suggesting to a woman that he be her partner.”

“I think you're overestimating that difference,” Einriss said, bluntly. “But it hardly matters. This doesn't pertain to my work or Puugwol's work. It is her prerogative to bring the subject up, as she did the first time. If she does, I will respond honestly, as I did this time, because anything else is absurd, but you have given me more information that may be useful. Or it might not be. I'd like to get back to work.”

Dlyss closed her eyes, breathed out slowly, and said, in a milder tone, “Please understand,” she said, “that Puugwol's ability to work with you is very relevant to both things, or I would not have attempted to intervene. I am attempting to avoid precisely that kind of rupture. But I shall not detain you further.”