Broute was almost done with his introductions. Honored Pedure was to be played by a Xopi Reung. Xopi was a thin little Emergent. Ezr knew her name only from studying rosters and talking to Anne Reynolt.I wonder ifanyone else here knows the woman's name? thought Ezr. Certainly not Jau and Rita. Trud would, just as a livestock herder in primitive times would know his property. Xopi Reung was young; she had been brought out of the freezer to replace what Silipan called "a senility failure." Reung had been on-Watch for about 40Msec. She was responsible for most of the progress in learning other Spider languages, in particular "Tiefic." And she was already the second-best translator of "Standard Accord" speech. Someday, she might very well be better than Trixia. In a sane world, Xopi Reung would have been a premier academic, famous across her solar system. But Xopi Reung had been selected in the Podmaster Lottery. While Xin and Liao and Silipan led fully conscious lives, Xopi Reung was part of the automation in the walls, unseen except for the occasional peculiar circumstance.
Xopi Reung spoke: "Thank you, Master Digby. The Radio of Princeton secures itself proud by giving us this time to talk." During Broute's introduction, Reung's attention had flickered all around, birdlike. Perhaps her huds were out of adjustment, or maybe she preferred to scatter important cues all about her visual field. But when she started talking, something feral came into her eyes.
"Not a very good translation," someone complained.
"She's new, remember," said Trud.
"Or maybe this Pedure really does talk funny. You said she's a foreigner."
Reung-as-Pedure leaned out over the table. Her voice came silky and low. "Twenty days ago, we all discovered a corruption afester in what millions of people had been taking for years into their homes, into their husbands' and children's ears." She continued for several moments, speaking awkward sentences that seemed very self-righteous. Then: "So it is fitting that the Radio of Princeton should now give us opportunity to cleanse the community's air." She paused, "I—I—" It was as though she couldn't think of the right words. For an instant she seemed the ziphead again, fidgeting, her head cocked. Then abruptly she slammed her palm against the surface of the table. She pulled herself down to her chair and shut up.
"I told you, that one's not much of a translator."
TWENTY-FOUR
By leaning hands and forelegs on the wall, Viki and Gokna could keep their main eyes against the glass. It was an awkward pose, and the two skittered back and forth along the base of the window.
"Thank you, Master Digby. The Radio of Princeton secures itself proud by—" blah blah blah.
"She talks funny," said Gokna.
"I already told you that. She's a foreigner." Didire spoke abstractedly. She was busy with some arcane adjustment of her equipment. She didn't seem to be paying much attention to what was actually being said on the soundstage. Brent was watching the show with stolid fascination, while Jirlib alternated between the window and standing as close as he could to Didi. He was well cured of giving her technical advice, but he still liked to stand close. Sometimes he would ask an appropriately naive question. When Didi wasn't busy, that usually got her talking to him.
Gokna grinned at Viki. "No. I meant ‘Honored Pedure' talks like a bad joke."
"Hm." Viki wasn't so sure. Pedure's clothing was strange, of course. She hadn't seen cleric shawls outside of books. It was a shapeless cloak that came down on every side, obscuring all but Pedure's head and maw. But she had an impression of strength under cover. Viki knew what most people thought of children such as herself. Pedure was just a full-time advocate of that view, right? But her speech had a certain menace...."Do you think she really believes what she's saying?"
"Sure she believes it. That's what makes her so funny. See how Daddy's smiling?" Sherkaner Underhill was perched on the other side of the sound-stage, quietly petting his babies. He hadn't said a word yet, but there was a faint smile twitching across him. Two pairs of baby eyes peered fearfully out from his fur. Rhapsa and Hrunk couldn't understand everything that was going on, but they looked frightened.
