Miles is still a little bit stuck on the 'talking cat' aspect of this development, even if the cat is not quite exactly talking.

"I'm glad nobody but me understands my cat, but that's more of a 'my cat' thing. Anyway. Jane, any more of her?"

[None where I've got nodes.]

"Do you have one in my world? That being a logical place to look for more of someone who's close with Milo, I'd think. Although I'm not at all sure how the part where she's a cat factors into it."

"Cats are people in Chronicle. And Syntropy, but a whole lot of things are people in Syntropy. They do not have this property in other worlds, except the ones from Alethia who are not really cats."

"I didn't drop a gem in your world. If you can suggest someplace that will remain undisturbed and advise us on whether it's safe for Jane to eat your computer network, I can do that now."

"...I would strongly prefer that Jane not eat our computer network," he says. "The house where Pen was staying should be suitable."

[Why can't I eat your computer network?]

"I'll go put a preliminary node down while you discuss that." Shell Bell's been to the world now; she opens the door to the room Pen was sleeping in and tosses a half-ansible onto the bed, then the other half vanishes out of her hand.

"I'm generally reluctant to agree that people may do things to my planet's computer network without knowing exactly what they entail, first of all," he says. "And duty obliges me to pass the decision on to interested parties such as the Emperor, who is a good friend of mine, and the head of Imperial Security, who is my boss, rather than make the call myself."

[I don't hurt networks. I don't eat computers which are also people, but it doesn't sound like you have those.]

"I'm sure the admin will make you another layer of processors if you ask her nicely, Jane."

[They won't have anything on them.]

"I'm sure Gregor will make time in his schedule to discuss the matter," says Miles. "Although I think it's about two in the morning right now in his time zone, so you'll have to wait a while to ask him."

[People who sleep are so tiresome.]

Giggle.

He smiles.

"And what are the results for his universe?"

[Yeah, there's one of your cat. Plus a Libby and a Kingfisher and a Rayne. Should I call in a Libby and a Kingfisher about that?]

"Probably the Libby, maybe a Kingfisher."

"I wonder what the likelihood is that I know any of these people," says Miles. "Is there a good way to check that without going and pestering them? Many of the people I know are similarly a bad idea to pester."

"Well, we can call in another Libby and a Kingfisher and get them to look in on their alts and see whether they've just broken anything, or whatever. The Rayne we probably don't want to talk to except through his Kingfisher anyway."

"Seems reasonable, I suppose."

"Yeah. Who's not busy, Jane?"

Well?