Raia’s self-control was good; she barely flinched when the helper’s avatar materialised, human-sized and translucent, perching on a tree trunk at the edge of the flickering circle of firelight.

‘Is that what I think it is?’ she said to Ysbel.

‘Second tier of the central cluster,’ Ysbel said.

‘Why is Mother interested?’ Raia said.

‘Have you seen the map?’ Zaquil said.

‘Trina sent me an image.’

‘What do you think it shows?’

‘Bear cities, and what may or may not be a human figure.’

‘Possibly making contact with bears, before bear civilisation collapsed. Before the seedship returned and Mother quickened the First Generation. Hence her interest,’ Zaquil said. His avatar’s smile glimmered in the gathering darkness.

‘Do you know why Hightower bought the map?’ Raia said. ‘Why he was interested in it?’

‘He claims to have exchanged it for something else, but won’t say who has it now,’ Ysbel said. ‘I think he may have been acting as middleman for an outfit I ran into – Damage Limitation. Ever heard of them?’

‘Not until now,’ Raia said. ‘Who are they?’

‘They believe that Mother’s interest in the map could cause all kinds of political problems,’ Ysbel said.

‘Because of what it seems to show.’

‘Exactly.’

‘I still hope to find it, and return it my tribe,’ Goodwill said. ‘And since Joyous Hightower was also involved with the construction of this camp, finding out what happened here may be of some help.’

‘If you can enlighten us, you will have Mother’s eternal gratitude,’ Zaquil said. ‘That is no small thing.’

Raia looked out across the dark running water of the river as she thought about that. ‘I’ll have to talk to someone before I tell you anything else.’

‘To Trina?’ Ysbel said.

‘I can arrange it,’ Zaquil said. ‘Quick as thought.’

‘Not Trina,’ Raia said. ‘The person who told me about the camp.’

‘Someone who worked there?’ Ysbel said.

‘A former inmate,’ Raia said. ‘And that’s all I’m going to say until I’ve told him about you.’

16.

Raia bedded down by the fire, saying that bears mostly avoided the camp and her bots would spot any that strayed too close, but Goodwill and Ysbel preferred to retire to the hopper. Not only for safety, but also because they wanted to discuss what they had learned.