News of the tragedy seemed to sweep through the city like a treacherous storm. It had occurred a little after noon; by two P.M., there was no one in the whole city who had not heard the details. Work at the Biolab halted completely, as all the blueskins huddled together in Melina’s office and the guldmen found themselves standing silently in Pakt’s. Violence between races had been a common thing generations ago, but Ariana Bayless and the mayor before her had enacted and maintained strict laws of nonaggression. There were bitter words, sometimes, and quick, hot arguments in the streets; but no guldman had died at the hands of an indigo vigilante in ten years, and certainly no blueskin had been killed by a gulden man in that same length of time.

Response from Ariana Bayless’s office came down within a few hours. Curfew for all gulden males lasting from sunset to dawn every day until further notice. Any gulden male in company with more than one other gulden male would be subject to arrest or interrogation. Any gulden male within two miles of the Carbonnier Extension subject to arrest or interrogation. Conditions to be in force until further notice.

“This is bad,” Melina whispered as, with the other technicians, she watched Ariana make her announcement over a tiny news screen Pakt kept in his office. The albinos and the guldmen had joined them, though they had all unconsciously gathered into groups divided by race. “This is only going to make things worse.”

“This is what you’d expect from lying blueshi women who don’t respect treaties and then blame others for breaking the peace,” Colt said in a hard voice. Varella turned toward him angrily, but Pakt stepped forward, practically shoving Colt aside.

“Don’t,” Pakt said sharply. “If it means we have no conversation between races at all, I don’t want to hear a single insult, not even the smallest joke. Do you all understand me? Colt? Do you understand me?”

Colt stared back at him, defiant and angry, but nodded slowly. Pakt looked over at the indigo women. “Varella? Melina? I want civility in this office, do you hear me?”

“If he doesn’t keep needling everybody,” Varella burst out.

Melina elbowed her in the ribs. “Be quiet,” she said to Varella, and then to Pakt, “We hear you. What do we do if somebody tries to start an argument?”

“Bring it to me. At the first word, bring it to me. All of you. You don’t want trouble to come to Cerisa’s ears no matter who you are.”

“All right,” Melina said.