The MargaretsSheri S. Tepper
In fond memory of
my friend of sixty-three years,
LAMBERT J. LARSON,
without whose encouragement
I would never have written a word
Contents
What the Gardener Told Me Might Have Happened
I Am Margaret/on Phobos
I Am Wilvia
I Am Margaret/on Mars
I Am Margaret/on Earth
Who Is Margaret?
I Am Gretamara/on Chottem
I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene
I Am Naumi/on Thairy
I Am Wilvia/on B’yurngrad
I Am Gretamara/on Chottem
I Am Margaret/on Earth
I Am Naumi/on Thairy
I Am Margaret/on Earth
I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene
I Am Gretamara/on Chottem
I Am Naumi/on Thairy
I Am Margaret/on Earth
I Am M’urgi/on My Way to B’yurngrad
I Am Mar-agern, Going to Fajnard
I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene
I Am Margaret/on Tercis
I Am Wilvia/on B’yurngrad
I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad
I Am Mar-agern/on Fajnard
I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad
I Am Margaret/on Tercis
I Am Margaret/on Tercis
I Am Naumi, with Fernwold
I Am Mar-agern/on Fajnard
I Am Wilvia/on Hell
I Am Gretamara/on Mars
I Am Margaret, at a Birthday Party on Tercis
I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad
I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene
I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad
I Am Margaret/on Tercis
I Am Margaret, with Hayraiders on Fajnard
I Am M’urgi, with Fernwold on B’yurngrad
I Am Margaret/on Fajnard
I Am M’urgi, with Fernwold on B’yurngrad
I Am Margaret/on Fajnard
I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad
I Am Gretamara/on Chottem
I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad
I Am Margaret and Mar-agern on Fajnard
I Am Gretamara/on Chottem
I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene
I Am Gretamara and Ongamar/on Chottem
We Margarets Assemble/on B’yurngrad
I Am Gretamara/on Tercis
I Am Naumi/on B’yurngrad
We Margarets Walk
About the Author
Other Books by Sheri S. Tepper
Copyright
About the Publisher
THE MARGARETS
PLANETS LOCATIONS INHABITANTS OF
MARS
Human bases on Phobos and in Valles Marineris
Margaret Bain
Louise and Harry Bain, her parents
Chili Mech, a technician
EARTH
The worldwide Urb, occupying the entire planet’s surface
Dr. David Mackey, Margaret’s husband
CHOTTEM (Human colony planet, partly occupied by the Gibbekot)
Perepume, a continent occupied by the Gibbekot
Manland, a continent partially settled by humans
Within Manland: The city of Bray, a sea city
Stentor d’Lorn, Founder and Tycoon
Mariah d’Lornschilde, his daughter
Von Goldereau d’Lornschilde, a cousin
The village of Swylet
The Gardener, a longtime resident
Gretamara, [a Margaret] foster daughter of the Gardener
Benjamin Finesilver, artist and dreamer, husband of Mariah
Sophia, his daughter
Grandma Bergamot, Grandfather Vinegar, and other herbal persons
CANTARDENE (Mercan planet, occupied by the K’Famir)
Om-Bak-Zandig-Shadup (Crossroads of the Worlds) freeport
Bak-Zandig-g’Shadup (Street of Many Worlds) pleasure district
Ongamar, [a Margaret] bondslave, seamstress
Adille, a K’Famira, a pleasure-female, Ongamar’s owner
Bargom, Adille’s patron
Lady Ephedra, K’Famira, owner of House Mouselline
Progzo, Adille’s father
Draug B’lango, Adille’s clan leader
The Hill of Beelshi (site of unspeakable rites)
THAIRY (Human colony planet, also occupied by the Gibbekot)
Town of Bright
Naumi, [a Margaret] foster son of Rastarong
Mr. Wyncamp, school manager
Mr. Weathereye, elderly, odd personage with one eye various citizens and louts
Fort Point Zibit (site of the academy)
Captain Orley, commandant
Sergeant Orson, in charge of first-year cadets
Grangel, cadet and lout
Jaker, Flek, Poul, Caspor and Ferni, cadets and Naumi’s friends
TERCIS (Human colony planet, divided into “Walled-Offs”)
Hostility (a Walled-Off )
Rueful (a Walled-Off ) Contrition City
Repentance (a large town)
Remorseful (a small town, site of the school, also a river)
Deep Shameful (a hamlet)
Crossroads (a village in The Valley)
Grandma Mackey [a Margaret]
Dr. Bryan Mackey, her husband
Maybelle and Mayleen, Margaret’s daughters
James Joseph Judson ( Jimmy Joe), Maybelle’s husband
Til and Jeff, their twin sons
Gloriana, their daughter
Falija, Glory’s fosterling
Billy Ray Judson, Mayleen’s husband
Joe Bob and Billy Wayne (twin sons)
Ella May and Janine Ruth (twin daughters)
Benny Paul, son, twin died at birth
Trish, daughter, twin died at birth
Sue Elaine and Lou Ellen, twin daughters
Orvie John, son, twin died at birth
Little Emmaline, daughter, twin died at birth
[At time of story, Billy Wayne has gone off to the army, Ella May has joined the Siblinghood of Silence, and Janine Ruth has moved to Contrition City.]
Pastor Grievy
Abe Johnson
Bamber Joy, Abe’s foster son
Others mentioned in passing
FAJNARD (formerly Gentheran planet taken over by the Frossians)
The Fastness—where Gentherans still live
The Grasslands—occupied by
The umox farm
Medicines sans Limites. Volunteer doctors, human
Frossians
Mar-agern, [a Margaret] bondslave, herdswoman
Umoxen, wool-bearing animals, or perhaps not
Ghoss, humans, somewhat modified
Deen-agern, a Ghoss
Rei-agern, a Ghoss
Various Frossian slave drivers and overlords
Howkel and Mrs. Howkel, hayraiders
Mirabel and Maniacal, two of their children
Gizzardiles: inimical creatures
HELL (distant, little-known planet with a tragic history)
One buried Gentheran ship
Wilvia [a Margaret]
CRANESROOST (Human colony planet)
EDEN (Human colony planet)
B’YURNGRAD (Human colony planet)
The prairies, temperate zone
The Siblinghood
The Tribes, former bondslaves of violent disposition
Dark Runner, a tribal boy and man
Wolf Mother, a shamaness
M’urgi, [a Margaret] her apprentice
Fernwold, M’urgi’s lover, a member of the Siblinghood
The icelands, an area of severe winters
B’Oag, an oasthouse keeper
Ojlin, his son
G’lil, a young woman rescued at the last moment
Ogric, a worker
AMBIGUOUS INDIVIDUALS OR THINGS OF VARIOUS OR UNCERTAIN LOCATION
Ghyrm, a deadly parasite
Mr. Weathereye
Lady Badness
The Gardener
Dweller in Pain
Flayed One-Drinker of Blood
Whirling Cloud of Darkness-Eater of the Dead
Sysarou, Gentheran Goddess of Abundance and Joy
Ohanja, Gentheran God of Honor, Duty, and Kindness
NONHUMAN RACES
Baswoidin: ancient, secretive, superior
Elos: Omniont race, graceful, sneery, arrogant
Frossian: Mercan race, boneheaded, vaguely humanoid, malign
Garrick: related to the Gentherans
Gentherans: mysterious, beneficent
Gibbekot: humanoid, furry, small
Hrass: Omniont race, tapirlike, unassuming, dirty, cringing
K’Famir: Mercan race, four-legged, four-armed, vicious
K’Vasti: Mercan race, distantly related to K’Famir, less vicious
Pthas: ancient, very wise, now presumed extinct or departed
Quaatar: Mercan race, ancient, prideful, arrogant, vengeful
Thongal: Mercans, hireling spies and killers
Trajians: a very ancient itinerant race, famous as entertainers
ORGANIZATIONS
Siblinghood of Silence: a secret organization including humans and Gentherans
ISTO: Interstellar Trade Organization. A regulatory organization of all races engaging in interstellar trade
IGC: Intergalactic Court. The final arbiter in conflicts among races
Mercan Combine: Confederation of vile races united by proximity, race, language, commerce
Omniont Federation: Similar to the Mercan Combine, but less cutthroat and more concerned with ethics
Dominion Central Authority: Oversight body set up by the Gentherans to represent off-Earth humans
