As Related by Prince Ari, Lord Eden, Minister of K’ntasari Affairs
« I don’t believe this. We know where the Staff of the Matriarch is. Why doesn’t Tielo follow that sapling and get it back? Why doesn’t the Mover emanate someone more capable of dealing with the situation? »
Chase rests his hand on my shoulder. « Right now, Tielo’s got the power, dude. With anyone else, it’s a risk. Yeah, that D’noe kid is green, but he’s hooked up. »
« But Tielo is useless. I’m useless. I’ve done nothing for the past day and a half except stare at a non-functional robot. »
I know Chase means well, but the futility of the situation is eating at me. I pull away from him and head off down the ravine, following the course of a stream. The unrecognized ones are starting to get hungry again, and I’ll wager there’s some emergency rations left near here. At least I can accomplish that much.
There’s someone following me. I can tell from the scent that it’s Tommy. My senses register him, but I can’t sense that feeling of parallel experience converging whenever another branch is near. Hs approach is a strangely hollow feeling. I have always felt isolated from the others. Apparently, I’m more connected than I believed.
« I thought you were gonna stop doing this, » he says.
« Doing what? »
« Y’know, cutting yourself off. »
Am I? Probably. It’s a habit.
« Look Ari, » he says. « I’ve been wanting to say this since Suibhne’s party, but I never got the chance. You and me, we’re the same in that it’s hard for us to imagine ever loving anyone but Tara. But we do. We’re branches. It’s how we are. And I dunno what the story is with Cillian. It’s hard for me to believe that he’s gone, y’know? But what me and him had was always easygoing. He was preoccupied with Ailann recently anyhow. »
I remain silent to mask my utter confusion.
« Geez, Louise, I guess I’m not saying this well. I mean that you’re a big guy, and I like big guys. »
« I’m the tallest emanation. I’m not sure why that would be in any way meritorious. »
« That’s not what I meant…fuck, it was a really shallow thing to say, and it’s not about that, not really. Not all of it. You saved my brother from that frostbeast, and I’m really grateful. I just thought that maybe…maybe you wanted a friend or a pollen partner or something. »
« I…I hadn’t really considered…»
« I really want you to fuck me, » Tommy blurts out.
“Tommy Duffy, Sublime Bartender to Her Eminence the Matriarch. 6th to emanate, 4 in the color scale, resonates to 7. 1.715 meters tall, cock size 15.54 cm when erect, apparent age 36. Nightclub proprietor and entertainer. Totem is Phoenix dactylifera , the date palm, fixed star is Castor, the beaver, one of the Gemini twins. Esoteric symbol is the Platonic solid dodecahedron. Dessert is chocumber-chili cookie with nau’gsh wine jam. Function is facilitative stabilization, proto-conscious tendency is ardor, designated Lover. Blazon is midnight blue, on a barre argent, a cocktail glass, proper.”
« That was #70: “Confess,” » says Ace.
I’m speechless. I’m…
“Owen Carrick, Proconsul and Supreme Engineer of the Skarsian Matriarchy. 14th to emanate, 3 in the color scale, resonates to 5. 1.838 meters tall, cock size 18.29 cm when erect, apparent age 36. Mining engineer. Totem is Platanus orientalis, the Oriental plane tree or chinar, fixed star is Capella Ab, second twin of the she-goat. Esoteric symbol is the Platonic solid octahedron. Dessert is nau’gsh kolacky. Function is exegetic stabilization, proto-conscious tendency is love, designated Synthesize. Blazon is per pale argent and blue-black, a heart, countercharged.”
« Yes! » says Ace. « The mecha is fixed. That means only Rand needs to be recognized. »
« Weird, » says Thomas. « Lugh and Owen have the same proto-conscious tendency and their blazon is identical except for the colors. Tommy and I have a slightly different tendency, and our blazon is completely different. »
« You and Tommy came from the same wood, » says Dermot, « but Owen and Lugh came from the same spark. »
Tommy is tomato-red. This is an awkward moment.
« Don’t you like my brother? » asks Thomas.
« Thomas, don’t, » says Tommy miserably.
« It isn’t that. I’m just… I’m not opposed to…»
« Join the club, » says Dermot. « I’m seriously thinking of signing up for one of Tarlach’s seminars when things get back to normal. But you don’t have to second-guess. You can just look in Tommy’s branch. »
Easier said than done. I’m uncomfortable looking in other people’s branches. I had gotten to the point where I could ride along with the emanated one, and then all of these strange things with Manan and Tielo started happening.
« You can look in my branch if you want, » says Tommy. « You don’t have to, though. »
« Hey guys! » Owen shouts triumphantly. « This mecha is one of the kind where there’s a central pilot in the head, but each limb can detach and convert into its own flyer. How cool is that? »
« That means it can take six pilots, » says Lugh. « Wynne and Ace should do it, obviously. Probably Owen and me since we’ll be handy if we need repairs. »
« Patrick, » says Ace, « in case we need him to…in case. And Ari since he’s been in actual combat before. Tommy and Chase can stay with Rand and help him get an achievement. »
« This sucks, » says Rand.
« You’re telling me, » says Tommy.