"Aria!" shouted Perivar.

Relief sent Aria sprinting across the field before she remembered she was risking a huge fine for disturbance of a wilderness zone.

She skidded to a stop beside the chair, gouging the soil with her heels and doubling her fine. Iyal leaned out the driver's side window and stared along with Perivar.

"What are you doing…" she began, but Perivar had seen the capsule and the Shessel children huddled inside.

"Murderer!" squeaked Ri.

What color he had drained out of Perivar's face. "Where's Kiv? The other kids?"

Aria glanced toward the road. The Vitae had stopped their vehicle, too, and one of them had poked a bald head out the window to get a clearer view of the field.

"No…" breathed Perivar.

"They're dead," said Aria. "The children say the Vitae are responsible. I see no reason to say otherwise."

Perivar hit the door key, scrambling to get out before the door was even halfway open. Iyal touched the override control on her panel and it slid shut again.

"Perivar," Iyal laid a big hand on his arm. "Don't even think about it."

Perivar pressed the key again, and again. "They killed…they took…they…"

"We're in public, Perivar," said Iyal.

"And we need to get these children to their people," said Aria.

"Yeah, yeah." He shook himself. "You're right," he looked at the children. "Gods, I'm so sorry. I didn't know this would happen."

"I know," said Ere. "I don't know about Ri, though."

Perivar insisted on putting himself and the capsule on the luggage rack on the back of the chair. Aria, her arms aching, did not object, and neither did the children.

As soon as Aria strapped herself into the passenger's seat, Iyal touched a series of controls. The chair stood up again. She steered it into the street. The speed of its stride rocked them back and forth. Aria looked behind them. The Vitae transport was still standing in the middle of the street.

"I guess they did not feel ready to explain themselves to the Shessel after all," she murmured to Iyal.

"Well, they'd better be ready to explain themselves to the Diet. A lot of people are not happy." Iyal spoke with a kind of quiet satisfaction and Aria wondered what had been happening to her since she had left the lab, what, four hours ago? Five?

Iyal must have seen the puzzled expression on her face. "Electronic communications, Aria, are wonderful things."

In response to Iyal's prodding, Aria related what had happened since she'd left the labs. In return, Iyal told her how she had woken up the Diet members who knew her family and had gotten enough votes together to call a counterdebate on the Vitae resolution. Then, when Perivar had called her from the docks where the U-Kenai was coming in with still more news, she had gone to meet him.

"Then Eric Born is here," said Aria.

"No, he isn't." Iyal stared out the windscreen. "The Vitae got him."

Aria felt like the ground had dropped away from her. All she could do was hang on to the door handle and listen to her own harsh breathing.

At last, Iyal walked them through the arched gates of the Shessel Embassy. She explained their reason for petitioning entry to the automated security system in a few shockingly blunt words. The gates opened to let them into the inner courtyard and white lines lit up along the pavement to guide them to the squared-off doors reserved for human entrance.

Perivar, his arms wrapped possessively around the capsule led them into the reception chamber and showed Aria and Iyal how how to put on the oxygen tanks. Then he led them through the shimmering membrane that was the real entrance to the Embassy.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, Ere opened the capsule and lifted herself halfway out, sucking great long breaths of air. An inner door folded back and three Shessel flowed into the room, ringing the humans. Perivar set the capsule on the floor. Ri shoved past her sister and swarmed up into the arms of the smooth-skinned, earth-toned Shessel and clung there, shivering and keening.

"Can you help her?" pleaded Ere, climbing all the way out of the capsule.

"We'll sedate her," said the Shessel. "That's all we can do for now."

Ere shivered along the entire length of her body. "I need to talk to somebody. The Emissary Voice. I need…"

"We're here." Three more Shessel entered from one of the corridors and Ere made a beeline for the earth-toned one. He embraced her with all his arms.

"Kiv is with the Sky Fathers now and your sisters are waiting to be reborn," he said. "I feel them. They wait and say how brave their sister is to go on. She will live for us until we can live again."

"I know, I know." Ere burrowed under the crook of his neck.

"Emissary," said Perivar. "Ere says that it was murder, done by the Rhudolant Vitae."

"There are two of their Ambassadors here," said the squat, greenish Shessel. "They will answer." He looked toward the Shessel who held Ri.

"Are you ready to speak with the voice of your family, Ere?" he asked. "The Vitae are already here."

Ere nodded and let herself be put on the floor. She extended her neck to stretch herself as tall as possible.

The greenish one extended his neck toward the cluster of humans. "The Vitae claim property rights over Aria Stone. She will come with us so we can determine the legalities involved here."

Aria swallowed and glanced around her. Nowhere to run. She would simply have to brave this out for now.

"I can add my witness to Ere's," said Perivar.

The greenish one retracted himself until his eyes were level with Perivar's. "That is not permitted. You will be shown where you can wait with Sar fa Maliad."

Aria kept her eyes straight ahead as she followed the Shessel through the domed rooms. The oxygen pack dragged at her sore shoulders and the breathing mask itched where it pressed against her temples, and she wanted to tear the gel off her skin. Ere kept swiveling her eyes back toward Aria in a manner Aria could have sworn was furtive, but she couldn't tell who the child was afraid for, Aria or herself.

They reached the chamber where the Vitae waited. It was Basq again, and Round One from the bus. The webwork of steel and gel that housed the two Vitae made them look for all the world like they were in a cage. The sight gave Aria some slim measure of satisfaction.

Basq stood near the membrane and his eyes glittered as he saw Aria move to stand beside the Shessel.

"Thank you for bringing our artifact, Sar Gov," said Basq. "The Vitae will remember that the Shessel honored and respected the process of reclamation."

"That has not yet been determined," said Gov. "There are conflicting legalities and there is a charge to be leveled." He dropped one of his lower hands and stroked Ere's neck. "There have been numerous developments since your delegation spoke to us this morning."

"This morning?" Basq repeated. "No delegation was sent this morning."

"But we received one," said Gov. "Two Vitae and their children, asking for custody of the parent Aria Stone. Since then, Kivshakadene has died. Ereri claims it was murder and lays responsibility at the door of the Rhudolant Vitae. Our laws are clear. No business can be done with any corporation or individual who endangers or injures the child of a Shessel parent." He paused. "This includes the exchange of property."

Basq stiffened minutely. "No Vitae delegation was sent. I am set to oversee this matter. If members of the Rhudolant Vitae have violated Shessel life or tew, they will be brought to trial and conviction. We will investigate this matter as far as we can. I am sure we both need to contact our voices within the Kethran Diet. What we ask in return is good faith from you, that you return our property."

Ere whistled sharply and grabbed Gov's secondary arm with three of hers. "But how have they laid claim?" she demanded, pointing toward the Vitae with her free hand. "All they say is that their ancestors came from this place. Well, my ancestors came from the Si-Tuk province, yet for three-quarters of a century, they vigorously contested our enclave's right to return there." She extended herself to her fullest height and turned all her eyes towards the Vitae. "I have named Aria Stone my protector, in front of witnesses, and unless you can lay claim to me, too, you cannot have her."