Shadowplay

WATCHER 8

Irritated, Ginbiryol Seyirshi frowned at the blank prime cell, then shifted to 4 as the girl sprang across the table. He sucked at his teeth and cuddled the Pet as he watched her take command of the room, watched Rohant race for the alcove and the skipcom. I knew better, he thought, I knew it was fatal to break the schema, but I panicked, yes, that is the truth naked. And there they are, carried will-they nill-they directly to that corn.

Luck was taking his hide off inch by inch and he was not enjoying the process; when Puk got back he would have to stop putting off the Praisesong. Too involved, he thought. I am neglecting the Lady. She punishes neglect, oh yes. A quick sidelook at the Pilot. Yes.,Soon. For more than one reason. "Ajeri tiszteh, you had best find another three EYEs and sensitize them to our Avatars. It looks like they will be with us for a while."

"All the EYEs are deployed, Ginny. I don't have to tell you, a world's a big place, even a world like this with just one major landmass. You got any preference where I lift them?"

Stroking the head of the simi, he considered the question. "Take three from Iril's streetscene Bank, use those. Replace them as soon as you can by shifting EYEs off the Pilgrim Road. It has settled to a rather placid mass; there is little useful in that march and a lot that is tedious. Start with the westernmost EYEs, shift them east, thin out the ones on the Road, move them closer, cluster them in Wapaskwen. You need not rush unduly, Ajeri tiszteh, we should have another two months before the Culmination." He stopped talking, stared at Cell 4 as chaos broke out in Makwahkik's office.