"Why."

"To meet the alien."

" - seriously? Yeah, okay, I'm on my way."

Afen calls Aitim fifteen minutes later. 

"Alien wants you back, name your terms."

"I will consent to translate for the alien in a private capacity for as long as I see fit and I'll stop whenever I please, including declining to translate any conversation I don't want translated, and I will face no criminal or civil penalties for so doing. And I want that pompous idiot fired."

"I can do reassigned."

"Fired."

"Kefin's already on the train, I invited him."

"I am coming only because I would be sad not to get proficient with the language."

"You're reassigned," says Aitim blandly, hanging up.

Vashal heads back across the hall to tell Maurabel and Penumbra that Afen is on his way.

"Oh good!"

"They got rid of the people he didn't get along with."

"I appreciate your help in the meantime."

"My pleasure." Sigh. "It will take a while, he lives in Lina. He is on the train."

"That's fine. Why is this spelled like that -"

"- I'm not sure, I can look it up."

"It's not that important." She resumes attempting to read an Anitami children's book.

Childrens' books are meticulous about representation: there is a blue child and a green child and a yellow child and a grey child and an orange child and a purple child.

She doesn't quite understand the significance of castes yet but yes she is now aware of the array of hair colors.

Room service brings lunch.

"Thank you!"

They bow and nod and leave again. They brought food for three this time; Vashal eats with them and names things.

All of which Maurabel writes down.

And after lunch there's a knock at the door!