"Housing for officials, that is," Cumbershum pointed out to her. "That’s a bank. Factory over there. That’s why the cray do such business with New Crobuzon: we can help them with steam technology. Very hard to get going underwater. And this is the central council of the Cray Commonwealth of Salkrikaltor."

The building was intricate. Rounded and bulbous like an impossibly huge brain coral, carved with a covering of folds. The towers jutted way up through the water and into the air. Most of its wings-all marked with coiled serpents and hieroglyph romances-had open windows and doorways in traditional Salkrikaltor style, so that small fish entered and exited unhindered. But one section was sealed, with small portholes and thick metal doors. From its vents spewed a constant stream of bubbles.

"That’s where they meet topsiders," the lieutenant said. "That’s where we’re heading."

"There’s a human minority in Salkrikaltor City’s topside," said Bellis slowly. "There are plenty of rooms above water, and the cray can take air without problems for hours at a time. Why do they make us meet them down here?"

"For the same reason we receive the Salkrikaltor ambassador in the reception rooms at Parliament, Miss Coldwine," said the captain, "no matter that it is somewhat hard and inconvenient for him. This is their city; we are mere guests. We -" He turned to her and waved his hand to encompass himself and Lieutenant Commander Cumbershum only. "-that is. We are guests." He turned slowly away.

You son of a pig,Bellis thought furiously, her face set like ice.

The pilot eased his speed down to almost nothing and maneuvered through a large, dark opening into the wing. They sailed over cray, who directed them on with sweeps of their arms, to the dead end of the concrete corridor. A huge door shut ponderously behind them.

From fat stubby pipes that lined the walls burst a massive unceasing explosion of bubbles. The sea was pushed out through valves and sluices. Slowly the water level fell. The sub settled gradually on the concrete floor and listed to one side. The water came down past the porthole and streaked and streamed it with droplets, and Bellis was staring out into air. With the sea pumped out of it, the room looked shabby.

When the pilot finally undid the screws locking them in, the hatch swung open with a merciful cool blast. The concrete floor was puddled with brine. The room itself smelled of kelp and fish. Bellis stepped from the submersible as the officers adjusted their uniforms.

Behind them stood a cray. She carried a spear-too intricate and flimsy to be anything other than ceremonial, Bellis judged-and wore a breastplate of something vivid green that was not metal. She nodded in greeting.

"Thank her for her welcome," said the captain to Bellis. "Tell her to inform the council leader that we have arrived."

Bellis breathed out and tried to relax. She composed herself and brought back to mind the vocabulary, the grammar and syntax and pronunciation and soul of Salkrikaltor Cray: everything she had learned in those intensive weeks with Marikkatch. She offered a quick, cynical, silent prayer.