“We are not going to have a feud over this,” Father said, firmly. “If Klymene has wronged anyone it’s me, and I refuse to have this be the cause of trouble.” Again I thought this was like something from Aeschylus, except that it was also my family. There was an awkward silence.

“The problem is what we’re going to do about the Lucians now,” Maecenas said.

“If all the Lucians were treacherous and prepared to break guest friendship we’d all be dead. It was just a minority of them. Many of them fought beside us in the colosseum,” Phaedrus said.

“Auge and Timon restored order,” I said.

Maecenas shook his head. “We’ll have to take a mission home with us, and then at the very least bring them back. This will have to be discussed in Chamber, and voted on in the Assembly. It’s too much for us.” He looked at Nikias. “You can come with us. We’ve never stopped anyone coming back to the Remnant, there’s clear precedent for that. And if you’re a Christian, you can mix in with the New Concordance lot. They have a little temple down on the street of Hermes.”

“I’m not bothered about religion,” Nikias said. “I have useful skills. I’m a glassblower.”

“You were a poet and a philosopher when you left us,” Pytheas said.

“We’ve all grown up a lot since then,” Nikias said, smiling.

“And you’re not abandoning a family here?” Klymene asked, familiarly. I realized as she spoke that of course she knew him, even though they hadn’t seen each other for longer than my entire lifetime. All the Children knew each other. Whatever city they lived in now, they had long complex histories of growing up together in the original Republic.

“No. I did, but we’re separated. She went to Hieronymos.” He looked down.

“You might like to know that as well as Neleus here you have a daughter in Psyche. Andromeda was pregnant when you left.”

“I’m going ashore,” Maecenas grunted. “I’ll talk to Timon and try to sort things out.”

“Is it safe ashore?” Klymene asked.

“Armor, and an armed escort.” Maecenas sighed. “I’ll take Dion and—no, by Hekate, not Phaenarete. Klymene, find me half a dozen trained unwounded Young Ones for a shore mission.”

She nodded.

“I’m going to swim some more,” Father said.

“Not alone you’re not,” Maecenas said. “Arete, Kallikles, stay with your father. Swimming is all right, but you’re not going ashore, none of you. You’re a provocation.”

“And me?” Phaedrus asked.

“Keep helping the doctors, you’re good at that.”