Yeah.

We'll figure something out.

You have any ideas?

Three. Idea one: Convince Orvaran theologians that magic can clean reds. Idea two: make treating reds decently a condition of planets. Idea three: administer the first planet ourselves instead of giving it to any one government, simultaneously teach clean Amentans the magic necessary to do without you, recolor all the reds' hair and sneak them in with the general population of the new planet.

First one is least likely to be a disaster if you can swing it.

It's our first choice. But it's not guaranteed to work, so having more rather than less backup plans is a good idea.

Second thing probably gets you coverup and third thing gets you panic and maybe violence.

I wasn't thinking "let everyone know any one of their neighbors could be secretly red" I was thinking "collect the reds, let all the non-reds think we were going to kill you, and secretly not do that"

Somebody'd slip.

There's a reason it's at the bottom of the list.

Maybe there could just be a red planet but we don't know how to farm or manufacture things.

It would probably make things easier if we taught you magic first.

The clean folks would flip.

Only if they knew.

Somebody'd slip, if we had any way to get on the internet...

See, this is why I needed to talk to at least one red!

Glad to be of service!

Wish us luck on the Orvaran theologians thing. I might go by myself if Odette takes enough time on the food thing.

Good luck!

Thanks. I don't really understand the pollution thing, can you recommend tacks to take with them?

I dunno how clean people think about it, really, like, I only follow it around the edges. There's nothing wrong with us.

Yeah, that's pretty much obvious if you're not the special brand of crazy clean Amentans seem to be.

You know what? You're not a regular person. You're the incredibly pretty single mother of the most adorable baby ever.

Awwww, thank you! More Katin pictures, chewing on the red-striped uniform hat of her military mama.

Eeeee baby baby baby.

She's so cute.

Should I ask why she hasn't started growing hair yet or is that another landmine?

Oh, she grows hair. It comes in orange so we're legally obliged to shave it till she can hold still enough to be dyed. Had to do the same thing when I was a baby, mine was white till it pinked up.

Legally obliged. Okay. I should really not be surprised by that.