“In a timestream that doesn’t exist,” said Loaf. “In this reality, Square is obviously older, bigger . . . that might be what Leaky’s afraid of. That by being older, Square will supplant Round, take away his rights as her firstborn child.”

“What I’m thinking,” said Umbo, “if you want to hear it . . .”

“From your tone of voice, I assume I’m going to hate to hear it.”

“The Larfolders’ mantles don’t take over their babies. They join with them, nurture them, protect them, and surrender to their control as they mature.”

“You’re not arguing for giving him a mantle,” said Loaf.

“I’m arguing for giving him a facemask,” said Umbo.

“If Leaky couldn’t even bear a facemask—”

“Leaky is a woman who is already barely capable of controlling her physical impulses,” said Umbo. “How can we be surprised that the facemask took away such control as she has? But Vadesh learned some things from the Larfold mantles, as he designed this batch of facemasks. And maybe the facemasks act differently when they symbionize with a child.”

“And maybe they don’t,” said Loaf. “I’m not going to let my baby be destroyed in some insane experiment.”

“Loaf,” said Umbo. “We can always prevent ourselves from doing it, if it fails. Just as we did with Leaky.”

“Even with a facemask, it hardly solves our problem,” said Loaf. “He’s a baby, he needs care.”

“The mantles take care of everything for the Larfold babies,” said Umbo. “I’m betting that if there was no milk to be had, the facemask could wean him. And if not, it would allow him to suckle from a goat or a sheep or a cow.”

“Or mice?” asked Loaf.

“I have to take an answer to Auntie Wind,” said Umbo. “I made a suggestion, something we could try. And there’s this: If it works, then you’ll have one son with a facemask like yours, and one without.”

“And wouldn’t Leaky wreak havoc about that,” said Loaf. “Always accusing me of having a favorite and it wouldn’t be her favorite.”

“Accuse her first of favoring Round,” said Umbo. “It’ll have the virtue of being the simple truth, long before a facemask was involved.”

“Don’t you know that my being right only makes Leaky more stubborn?”

“For a while,” said Umbo. “But she’s smart and she’s fair, and when the anger calms, the argument will hold. She chose a favorite first.”

“Worth a try,” said Loaf. “Let’s go get the baby, and then see what Vadesh says.”

“I can bring the baby,” said Umbo.

“The Larfolders don’t know about diapers,” said Loaf. “He shits everywhere.”

“I’ve been turded by yahoos,” said Umbo. “I can take it.”

“No, I’ll bring him,” said Loaf. “I’m his father.”

“You’ve already put in a full day,” said Umbo.