‘The little helper will scan and sample it to determine its authenticity and satisfy Mother’s curiosity. And then Goodwill Saltmire and his family can take possession of their heirloom, and you can return to your usual work in the full and happy knowledge that you have done Mother a great favour that will not be forgotten.’

‘Goodwill can keep the map?’

‘As I said.’

‘Even if it really is a copy of a bear carving, made long before First Contact?’

‘As long as it is not a trick got up by separatists or other malcontents, it’s mostly harmless. If it is a copy of a bear carving, there is no way of proving that it is an accurate copy, that the figure isn’t some obscure bear god or demon, and its superficial resemblance to descriptions of so-called visitors is merely coincidence, or wishful thinking on the part of Goodwill Saltmire’s long-dead uncle. Especially as it was discovered by the uncle when he was obsessed by sightings of the so-called visitors. The visitations we staged as part of the preparations for First Contact. It’s possible, isn’t it,’ Iryn Moonsdaughter said, ‘that he embellished his sketch. Doodled a little copy of a drawing made by one of the witnesses of a sighting, to make his prize seem more important than it really was.’

‘So you aren’t planning to confiscate or destroy it?’

‘What would be the point? Too many natives are aware of its existence, and it would only feed rumours that we have something to hide. Best if Goodwill reclaims it and files it in his tribe’s archives, where it will quickly fade into deserved obscurity. Your transport to Concord has been arranged for tomorrow morning. Before we discuss the details of that, and the finer points of your task, I have a few questions about your recent investigations,’ Iryn said. ‘To begin with, why don’t you tell me how you discovered the location of that bear city?’

7.

‘I think she already knew that you’d helped me,’ Ysbel told Ilan Karasson. ‘But I still feel bad about giving you up.’

‘All she asked me to do was sign a non-disclosure note,’ Ilan said. ‘It’s not as if I’ve been recruited for a secret mission.’

They were strolling along the boardwalk at the edge of the beach on the city’s west side, two giants amongst natives promenading in the blue hour after sunset. Miniature seats, miniature shelters, miniature stalls selling seafood snacks. Electric streetlamps flickering on one by one as the last of the sunset’s conflagration flattened and faded at the sea’s horizon.

‘How did your boss take it, when he was told you were going to be working for them?’ Ilan said.