Off-Grid
Ribbon Dance Village
There were musicians in the village green, and a few dancers, but more people with plates and cups sitting on benches or blankets. Someone began to sing. One of the musicians laughed, and shook the stick she was holding, waking a sound like pelting rain. Another brought his mandola to a knee and began to strum, as other voices took up the song.
Blays, who was slightly ahead of Padi and Tekelia, danced a few steps, and executed a spin that took her quite off the ground. Someone called her name and she turned in that direction, laughing.
“When’s the next Ribbon Dance?” Padi asked, watching as Blays vanished into the crowd.
“Three months, local,” Tekelia replied, pausing on the threshold of the meeting hall to bow her in.
* * *
“Tekelia— Padi!” Geritsi slentAlin joined them at the buffet. “I need to talk with you after you’ve had something to eat.”
“We can eat and you can talk,” Tekelia suggested. “Or we’ll find you after—”
“Simultaneous talking and eating sounds perfect,” Geritsi said. “I’m in the front corner.”
“Not if you’re here, you aren’t,” Tekelia said, eyeing the room, which was crowded, though it was still early, in village potluck terms.
“Dosent is asleep under the table,” Geritsi said, and Padi laughed.
“Well-played,” she said. She finished filling her plate, turned—
“You must have some of Vayeen’s goulash!” Geritsi said. “If you wait until seconds, it will be gone. I’ll bring you both a bowl.”
Padi poured herself a glass of cider, and thought the question to Tekelia.
The front corner?
To your left as you put the buffet behind you, Tekelia answered. Follow me.
* * *
“So,” Geritsi said, once they had all sat down, admired Dosent, and sampled the goulash—which really was, Padi noted, very good. Perhaps Vayeen could be persuaded to trade for the recipe.
“You said I might be hearing from Dyoli ven’Deelin—and I have, just an hour ago. She told me immediately that she had been given my comm code by Tekelia vesterGranz. She represents herself as a member of the Tree-and-Dragon Trade Mission, and also a—” Geritsi closed her eyes, as if she was lining the phrase up in her mind’s eye—“a classically trained Healer in the Liaden style.”
“She is,” Padi said, “all of those things.”
“She’s also tutoring Padi and me in the—more subtle arts of Healing,” Tekelia said.
“Someone ought,” Geritsi said, without visible irony.
Tekelia smiled. “Exactly.”
Geritsi pushed her plate aside and leaned her elbows on the table.
“Healer ven’Deelin asked particularly after the twins. She said that you agreed to her examining them—formally, is the word she used—in hope of finding some method of disentangling them from each other before active harm is done.”
“Yes,” Tekelia said, putting the bowl aside, quite empty. “Do you think Vayeen can be persuaded to part with the recipe for that?”
Padi laughed. “I was just thinking the same thing.”
“As was everyone in this room,” Geritsi said. “No one’s been quite brave enough to ask, yet.”
“Maybe I’ll try my luck,” Tekelia said. “I need a word with him, in any case. But, first let’s finish with Dyoli. I think she’s absolutely trustworthy, and far better than we’re likely to get from under-Grid.”
“Which so far has been exactly nothing,” Geritsi said, picking up her glass. “I wonder if you also know Mar Tyn pai’Fortana?”
“Mar Tyn is Dyoli’s partner,” Padi said. “He’s quite gentle.”
“I would add protective,” Tekelia said. “It was wonderful to see him draw Vaiza out.”
“Vaiza has written to him, apparently by prearrangement, and was over the Ribbons when he received an answer. Torin, on the other hand, informs me that Healer ven’Deelin is a ‘Liad cousin,’ which she seems to think is…interesting.”
“Healer ven’Deelin is a member of Clan Ixin,” Padi said, “which, with my own clan, Korval, brought the Small Talents from Liad to Colemeno when they were being persecuted.”
“The old records do indicate that the ‘xin’ prefix originally derives from Ixin,” Tekelia said, giving Geritsi an earnest look. “I admit, after all this time the connection is…thin, but—”
“But it’s far better than any other connection they have,” Geritsi finished, “excepting Eet.”
“And yourself,” Padi said, “and Dosent, and the whole of the village—aren’t they Ribbon Dance’s children?”
“Yes, but you see, that was something decided by the village, and not by the twins,” Geritsi said.
“Oh,” Padi said. “I do see, yes.”
“Healer ven’Deelin proposes tomorrow morning for a meeting and examination,” Geritsi said. “Does that seem to you rather quick?”
The question was perhaps directed to Tekelia, but Padi put herself forward to answer.
“Dyoli has been part of the team most concerned with compiling the whole port inventory, which was sent to the master trader only today. Tomorrow, she can be certain that she will be free; after that”—she turned her palms up—“the master trader may have questions.”
“Oh. It’s good of her to come to us on what ought to be a day of rest,” Geritsi said, and looked to Tekelia. “Will you be coming with us?”
“Padi and I will be lifting early tomorrow,” Tekelia said.
Geritsi blinked.
“I hadn’t realized it was that soon. And Blays will be standing up as Speaker?”
“She’s agreed to a week. After that, who knows what might happen?”
Geritsi laughed.
Tekelia leaned forward.
“Geritsi. You need to know that—we don’t know what will happen, once I’m inside the ship’s field. It might feel as though I’m—absent.”
Geritsi frowned, and looked at Padi. “Absent?”
“We don’t know,” Padi said. “Which is what Tekelia wants to establish. You may notice no change in your connection.”
“After all, Padi and I first met when she was traveling on the ship,” Tekelia said. “Only, if you should find me gone, don’t despair.”
The ambient reflected, if not despair, then something like distress. Dosent sat up and put a large paw on Geritsi’s knee. She laughed softly, and rubbed the big cat’s ears.
Padi smiled, retrieved a card from her sleeve and offered it.
“This is my comm code on-ship. If you need to speak with Tekelia—about anything—call me and I will make sure you are connected.”
Geritsi blinked, looked at Tekelia, then took the card with a slight bow of her head. “Thank you, Padi.”
“There’s Vayeen and Kencia,” Tekelia said, rising. “I need to talk with both of them. Padi, I swear I will be no longer than half an hour and then we will leave.”
“I will hold you to that,” Padi said. Tekelia laughed, and vanished into the crowd.
“Do you know why Tekelia needs to talk to Kencia and Vayeen?” Geritsi asked.
Padi raised a shoulder. “I assume to tell them about the possible change in their connection—they both dance with Tekelia.” She smiled at Geritsi. “As you do.”
“And you do,” Geritsi said, putting the card into her pocket. “You must allow me to thank you, Padi yos’Galan.”
“Thank me? The card is nothing. I—”
“Not for the card, though I’m grateful for it. No, I want particularly to thank you for being…a positive influence on Tekelia.”
“I—” Padi began, but Geritsi held up a hand.
“Please, let me finish. There had been a…darkness in Tekelia. Not cruelty, or despondency. Maybe it was only loneliness, for a touch. Even linked to Tekelia, I can’t quite imagine what it must be like, never to even press the hand of a friend. Your connection has cast that shadow out, and increased the joy in Tekelia’s life. I’m grateful to you for the happiness you’ve brought to one who is very dear to me.”
Padi inclined her head.
“I hear you and understand you,” she said carefully. “But—you do know that all of this is the veriest accident?”
Geritsi grinned, and leaned forward to touch Padi’s hand with light fingertips.
“There are no accidents,” she whispered, “only gifts from the ambient.”
* * *
Geritsi and Dosent left to pick the twins up from their time helping behind the buffet, and Padi began gathering together the dishes, thinking that she would clear the table, then step outside, where it would possibly be quieter.
She had everything in a pile and was about to rise when someone sat in the chair Geritsi had recently vacated.
“Padi yos’Galan!” exclaimed Tekelia’s Aunt Asta. “Just the person I wanted to see. I hear that you and Tekelia are bound for the master trader’s ship, beyond the Ribbons—in mere hours!”
“That is correct,” Padi said, having some idea of what might be coming. “It’s a very select group—myself, Tekelia, and Dil Nem, who is a member of the Tree-and-Dragon team.”
“Isn’t there room for one more?” Aunt Asta asked, not quite wheedling, for that would surely be unworthy of a woman of her years.
“Did you think Padi would give you a different answer?” Tekelia asked, arriving at the side of the table with two companions.
Aunt Asta lifted her chin.
“It does no harm to ask,” she said.
“Indeed, it does not, but I’m afraid there is no room,” Padi said. “And you know, it is a little risky to surprise the master trader. One never knows what he might do.”
Aunt Asta laughed.
“Oh, I must meet him!”
“I did relay your invitation, ma’am,” Padi said, and took out another card. “This is my direct comm-code on the ship. If you wish to reach me, or Tekelia, for any reason, please use it.”
“Thank you, my dear,” Aunt Asta said, and rose. Tekelia fell back to give her room to pass. “Do be careful, Tekelia, dear.”
“As careful as may be, Aunt Asta,” Tekelia said, and watched her slip away into the crowd.
“Padi, you recall Vayeen and Kencia.”
“I do.” She smiled at them, and produced two more cards. “As you heard me tell Aunt Asta—if you need to speak to Tekelia for any reason while we are with the ship, use that code and I will be sure to connect you.”
They took the cards with murmured thanks, even as Kencia looked at Tekelia.
“Do you think the ambient will forget you?”
“I don’t,” Tekelia said firmly. “But a friend posits that the ship is its own Grid, and therefore the ambient may have trouble seeing me while I’m aboard.”
Kencia looked at Vayeen; Vayeen looked at Tekelia, and turned his hands palm up.
“Aunt Asta is ahead of us. Be careful, Tekelia.” He turned and bowed. “And you, too, Padi.”
“We will do our best,” Padi said.
“Exactly our best,” Tekelia said, and looked at Padi. “I promised to remove you early so you can rest before tomorrow’s labors. Shall we leave now?”
“Now does seems auspicious,” Padi said.
Tekelia pointed at the dishes Padi had gathered. “Kenny, cope with these, will you?”
“Why me?” Kencia demanded.
“You’re not leaving now,” Tekelia said, and caught Padi’s hand.
Mist swirled, brief and energetic. When it cleared Tekelia and Padi were gone.
Kencia and Vayeen exchanged a glance.
“You balance,” Vayeen said. “I’ll break trail.”