“And the worldtrees will enjoy them as well…. Ah, if only I had more time.”

Vao’sh laughed, a tone so friendly it warmed Otema’s heart. “I have had that problem ever since I was born a historian. For a rememberer, the most tragic death is to die young, because one can never read the complete epic, and therefore dies unfulfilled.”

“Fortunately,” the old woman said, “the worldforest is capable of absorbing information by parallel processing. It is not my purpose in life to read the Saga from start to finish, but to ensure that the worldforest acquires the entire epic, by whatever means.”

The rememberer set his documents beside the others on Otema’s study table. “In that respect, I believe the rememberers can offer you assistance, Ambassador. You have told me that large groups of green priests and acolytes recite stories and information to the worldforest on Theroc. Why, then, can we not achieve the same ends here, with other readers and other parts of the Saga?”

Otema brightened. “What is it you suggest?”

“The Mage-Imperator has commanded that I help you in any way. In his name, I could assign other rememberers, singers, even courtiers to read sections of the Saga to the other treelings you have brought. A green priest is not required for direct input, if I understand correctly. Can we not divide the time-consuming labor into numerous shifts?”

Otema caught her breath, delighted. She had been thinking of how she could break down the task for green priests back on Theroc, but it hadn’t occurred to her that Ildirans could just as easily share in the dictation. A reader was not required to be engaged in telink—after all, none of the acolytes on Theroc had yet taken the green.

“That is a perfect idea, Rememberer Vao’sh. Your method would make the reading of the Saga go much faster.”

With a sigh of anticipation, Otema looked at the stack of scrolls and documents Vao’sh had just delivered. She scanned the symbols and was surprised to notice a mention of the mysterious Klikiss robots. She recalled reading another long portion of the epic narrative, searching for more detailed information about the vanished race, but the insect civilization had vanished before the beginnings of Ildiran recorded history.

She turned quickly, glad to see that Vao’sh had not yet disappeared down the corridor. She called him back. “I have a question, Rememberer. I realize that I have read only the smallest fraction of your Saga, but I have found little information about the Klikiss robots. Didn’t Ildirans uncover the first ones on a mining moon somewhere? I have seen several of the robots here in Mijistra, and I know there are others throughout the Ildiran Empire.”

“Klikiss robots have also visited the Hanseatic League,” Vao’sh said, his expressive facial lobes coloring into different shades. Otema did not yet know how to interpret all of the alien skin signals.