Exu follows in precise shadowstep. Tiers of vine-hung galleries and arcades surround the court, and though this site has been chosen for its openness, Exu is unhappy being so close to the aboriginals. The musky density of their scent annoys him only slightly less than the vaguely disguised abhorrence with which they regard him and Hannas. To the terrenes, the three-meter-tall martians with their backward-bending heron legs and furry, kangaroo like features do not look human.
'Now, be tolerant, Exu. Remember, there's a strong credit inflow here. Think of it as a little monkey time for that romp studio in Highland Terraces we've always wanted.'
'Let's just get it over with,' he humclicks as they approach and simultaneously says in the glottal language of the aboriginals, 'Solis welcomes you! I am Exu Bowan, and this is my lifebond, Hannas. We are the reception agents chosen at random from the resident population to serve you.'
Hannas humclicks, 'Stop with the facetious tone, Exu. Let's get down to business.' She turns to face the terrenes and says in a precise aboriginal dialect, 'In the spirit of Solis, our highest service of course is to leave you free to express your own lives. We will not take up much of your time, but as you know, freedom must be earned. Solis is an entirely self-sufficient community. As long as you are here, as visitors, residents, or passagers, you must contribute to the maintenance and general good of the whole. Now, let's review your credit status. Grielle Aspect?'
The slender woman who steps forward wears the wimpie and opaline smock of a passager. 'The full credits of all my Outland holdings have already been transferred to an account in Solis. Upon my passing, it reverts to the city. Also, I have contributed twelve crates of psyonic core units. I came on them as an act of rebellion, my last act in the Outlands. I stole them from their manufacturer in Sky-Bowl the night that I left for here. I did it because I want to contribute more than just credit to Soils. I want to give you something tangible-a real piece of the silicon mind, of the world outside of here. Study these, children of the Iight. Know your enemy.'
'Thank you, Grielle,' Exu says with exaggerated gratitude and clicks to
Hannas, 'What a rube!'
'Not at all,' his mate disputes. 'It's a fetish gift. People who want to die need a human place for that. This is her offering to Solis. Be tolerant, Exu. They're human, too.' Hannas shows her teeth as she knows Grielle expects and says, 'Solis welcomes your contribution, Passager Grielle.'
'And we wish you swift passage,' Exu cajoles.
'Show some dignity about this,' Hannas scolds and recites the next name, 'Sitor Ananta-'
The morph looks slender and slick as a newt to Exu, and the martian humclicks, 'He looks as much a lizard as a monkey.'
'Tsk! He's arranged to take the psyonics off our hands for full credit because he wants consideration. Ignore the fact that he's a Commonality agent, and remember his credit is as good as anyone's. Show some sense, Exu.'
Hannas notes with a buzz of alarm the sullen humor in the Commonality agent's face, almost as if he understands their secret language. 'Naturally,' she says
to him, 'your presence is funded in full by the Commonality, so you are welcome to come and go as you please. How long will you be with us?'
'Just long enough to conclude business,' he answers with a knowing nod. 'Then we wish you a satisfying visit. Mei Nili-'
The jumper shoulders past Sitor Ananta. 'I've brought Mr. Charlie. I hope he's okay. There was an explosion-'
'Is she talking about the archaic brain?' Exu asks.
'Pay attention, dear.' Hannas raises her palms to stop the slim, muscular woman in the matte-black flightsuit. 'The archaic brain you've contributed to Solis certainly merits your admittance to our community, Mei Nili, but if you
are to stay among us, you know, you will have to earn credits. Please, listen to the counselors we've assigned to you from the terrene anthro commune. They'll help you make the transition.'
'What about Shau Bandar and Munk?' Mei asks. 'And what has happened to Buddy?' 'Can we go now?' Exu complains.
'Shau Bandar is scheduled for cremation later this morning,' Hannas reads from the display on her mate's shoulder pad. 'His news-clip service claims he left without any protective authorization-'
'That's not true!' Mei interrupts. 'I was at Softcopy with him when Bo Rabana gave him the go-ahead.'
Hannas shakes her head. 'That's not what we've been told. The offices in Terra Tharsis have agreed to fund the installation of the archaic brain in a body clone, and in return the anthro commune here will be sending news clips of the revived man to Softcopy. But they won't pay to revive this reporter. It's too expensive. i'm sorry.'
A blue vein ticks at Mei's temple, and she begins to object. But Grielle cuts her off, saying, 'I will pay for Shau Bandar's revival. Remove the necessary funds from my account at once.'
The wry smile on the Commonality agent's face slips away, and the jumper shoots a surprised look at Grielle.
'Hey, that cuts into the share we get when she passes,' Exu complains. 'It is her credit, Exu. She can spend it as she pleases.
Control yourself.' With a gracious nod, Hannas accepts
Grielle's offer. 'Now, about the androne and the Maat:
You are aware you were traveling in the company of a Maat-possessed anthro?' 'We had no idea,' Grielle states. 'He tagged on with the androne. He had
credits, and the more he paid into the caravan, the more I had left to contribute to Solis. So we accepted him, but we had no idea, dears. No idea at all.'
