To Engel, still. Even filtered through a screen, the image left me with a feeling running up and down my arms that made me feel like I was smelling a hothouse’s worth of exotic flowers. A caress at the face, a taste at the back of the mouth, like Anelace’s sweat had tasted.

I shivered.

“That’s really distracting.” It took me a second to recognize the voice coming over the earbud. Amy.

“Sorry,” Engel said. The sound didn’t quite match her lip movements. Kenzie cameras, but not Kenzie sound.

“Is it a problem?” Sveta asked. “You said you were in control.”

“It’s not a question of control,” Amy retorted, sounding exceptionally annoyed.

Go, Sveta. Keep her off balance.

“Why did you tell me to be quiet when you were working before, then?” a small voice, high. Dot. “You said it would slow you down.”

“It’s fine,” Amy said, terse. Sveta looked at her, and I winced. Amy was touching a kneeling giant, a tall and slender woman slick with the juices of its recent birth from the ‘tree’. A flap of what looked like loose skin was draped over her shoulder, but it wasn’t skin. Something from the amniotic sac that had encased her.

The woman stood. Amy stepped back while the woman joined the procession line and a male giant knelt beside her.

“If it’s fine, can I talk then?”

“I—sure. I guess.” Amy had trapped herself in a corner.

“Great! Oh gosh! You! You’re so pretty and amazing! I can taste offal and candy by looking at you!”

“Thank you, I think!” Engel exclaimed. “I love your colors!”

Dot leaped over to Engel’s arms, clutching onto cloth, and then practically melted into Engel’s arms. Her leg kicked and her ears twitched as Engel scratched her belly through her clothes.

“Yoo!” Dot cried out. She got enough control over her leg to point it at Sveta. Her tone became accusatory, “You!”

“Me,” Sveta said. She sounded so unimpressed. A lot of these people weren’t her favorites.

“I have to say—!” Dot was adrift in a sea of what had to be wonderful sensations, and sounded almost drunk with it. She came out with a reluctant, “Nice coat.”

Almost an aside. Like she’d been planning to say something, but she’d had to make the concession to the very cool coat I’d shopped for with Sveta.

“Thank you,” Sveta said.

“But!” Dot exclaimed again, “Your arms! When I saw your arms before they were boring!”

“They’re still a bit boring.”

“But you were so pretty before! You were so unique, and then you had colorful arms! I’ve seen pictures! On her computer!” Dot indicated Amy.

“Did you now?” Sveta asked, dry. “Researching the opposition?”

“Making sure I knew who Shin was dealing with, in case they asked,” Amy said, not looking over at Sveta.