"Fair enough!"

Down the stairs, across the courtyard, pat the tree...

"So, do you have a name?"

"Is that a joke, Mistress? Robots do not have names."

"Would you like one?"

"I believe I would."

Sable grins.

"Well, let's see. There's historical figures, or characters from games I played as a child... or you could pick something yourself, if you'd like."

"I cannot speculate, Mistress. Robots, as I said, do not have names."

"Characters it is, then. What do you think of Birch?"

"I shall remember that, Mistress."

"Good!"

And here they are at the boat. It's a lovely little thing, with plenty of room for the both of them.

"Maersi, was it?" she says as they lift off. "Got a route for me or am I finding my own way?"

"Maersi is in the Iox Protectorate, Mistress, and I can provide a standard shipping route if you like."

"That'll do nicely, thank you!"

Shortly, the boat's sails catch the Iox River, and they're sped on their way.

The rivers of the nebula are beautiful.

If Birch recalls ever having sailed before, it might be obvious pretty quick that Sable is an unusual pilot. For one thing, she has a remarkably delicate touch with the sails, and the ride is smoother than it has any right to be. For another, she flies with her eyes closed.

Birch does not recall having sailed before! This is the most normal piloting that it can recall. This is how piloting always is.

"If I may say so, Mistress Sable, I am delighted to be accompanying you."

"Glad to hear it! I do like to think I have more fun than the Professor."

A quick spin of the port sail crank diverts them towards the Verdant Pass. Mossy boulders surround the river here, increasing in size up to the tunnel of the Pass itself.

"I see the force of the river is fastest in the middle, Mistress. On the surface it appears the same, but there are deeper currents below."

"Mm-hmm," she agrees, opening her eyes to take in the sight of the Pass as they approach. "Isn't it lovely? I like to sail just to watch the currents sometimes."

"The flows are indeed quite satisfying to watch, Mistress. At first they appear chaotic, but close study shows clues to deeper patterns."

And beyond the Pass, it's an almost straight descent to Maersi.

Maersi. Fifth moon to join the Iox Protectorate. Sixteenth largest by area, twenty-fourth by population. Principal imports and exports: tools and grain. What else is there to say?

Maersi? That's a style of rice, right?

Touching down from the brisk flows of the Nebula, one's first impression of Maersi is the quiet. Flapping sails and roaring winds settle to a gentle drifting breeze, the silence broken chiefly by droning insects and the occasional cry of a bird.

The air hits you next. Cool and heavy with mist, and so much oxygen you can smell it, even through the earthy muck scent.

Every single thing is green or brown, from the trees to the moss to the mud to the wooden landing pad.

Somewhere nearby, a pig snorts.

What an alive place. She takes a few steps out onto the rich dirt and pauses there and closes her eyes and stands very still for a moment, appreciating all that aliveness.

Then it's a deep breath and onward to see if she can find anyone to talk to.

The first person she'll encounter is more of a towering statue really, made of stone roughly carved.

"Oh, what a beautiful lady!"

She examines the base of the statue for Ancient writing; it's the sort of thing that would have some. Probably it would be disrespectful to climb it. And anyway she's never found writing on the body of a piece like this before. But then again, she's never found a piece like this as big as this one before... no. No climbing.