Translation State

Enae’s attacker is arrested. She had been waiting for Enae’s arrival because she heard someone was coming to investigate the Hikipi and assumed Enae was working for the Phen. The attacker has said nothing besides “Death to the Phen oppressors” (109). Enae admits that sie is trying to contact the Hikipi community to see whether the fugitive arrived on a Hikipi refugee ship. Reet offers to introduce Enae to the Siblings of Hikipu, who might have some answers. Reet does not want to give up the feeling of belonging he gets from the Siblings of Hikipu, but he worries that Mr. Nadkal may have been connected to the woman who attacked Enae. At the meeting, Enae tells the Siblings of Hikipu about the fugitive and hears stories of people whose ancestors came to Rurusk as refugees. Sie asks if anyone knows of any unusual arrivals on the ships, and someone asks if sie is looking for a Schan, like Reet. Reet protests that he is too young to be the person Enae is looking for, but Enae is intrigued and asks about Reet’s history.

Qven awakes on a flat surface. Translator Dlar is there, and they are disappointed in Qven. Tzam is claiming that Qven forced a match between them; Qven says it was the other way around, and Dlar believes them. Their throat where Tzam melted into them feels strange, as part of Tzam is still in them. Now, Qven’s intended match with Dlar cannot go ahead, and Dlar is angry that Qven hid their readiness to match from their Teachers. Qven’s clade does not want a failure, but a prestigious match is now impossible. They have given Qven medicine to temporarily prevent them from matching, but they will have to match eventually or they will die. Dlar warns that Qven must behave optimally from now on or they will be killed. Qven is not allowed to leave their rooms. They are assigned a new Teacher to watch over them. Their days follow a strict regimen. Teacher gives Qven a radish seed to plant and tend. They realize they can hear it growing but decide not to tell their Teacher about this ability.

Enae is intrigued by Reet’s story, especially the detail about his unusual DNA. Sie asks Mr. Nadkal to share how he found Reet. Mr. Nadkal’s research indicates that Reet’s mitochondrial genes do “not fit into any known phylogeny” (131), which may be the result of genemodding. As Enae looks at the route that Reet would have taken as a baby, sie becomes more and more convinced that Reet is not a Schan, but rather the Presger Translator, or the offspring of the Presger Translator, that sie has been looking for. Enae is deeply conflicted about whether to tell Reet about hir suspicions. Sie learns that under treaty law, it is possible for people to choose their legal species designation, so Reet should be able to choose to be considered human. Not sure what to do, Enae waits a few days, then sends a message to Caphing and the Treaty Administration Facility, explaining that sie has found the fugitive. Sie asks Reet to meet hir.

Reet is angry with Enae. He insists that sie is wrong about him; he is human, not a Presger Translator. Enae is deeply apologetic. Reet does not want to lose his sense of belonging among the Siblings of Hikipu. Enae insists that genetics do not dictate belonging: Love is more important, and Reet’s parents obviously love him. Sie questions why Mr. Nadkal is so set on Reet being a Schan, as his evidence is flimsy. Reet realizes that Mr. Nadkal is using him for political gain. He is still angry, but believes that “it would explain some things if [he] really [was] an alien” (139). On his way home, Reet starts to sweat again and feels the urge to melt into the people around him. He becomes nauseous and wonders if he is dying. He spends several days in his apartment, watching his favorite show, Pirate Exiles of the Death Moons, and ignoring messages from Enae. He is afraid to tell his parents that he might not be human in case they reject him. He falls asleep and wakes to find intruders in his rooms: He is under arrest.

Qven grows four radishes before Translator Dlar visits. Qven makes them tea, and Dlar praises their progress. Tzam has admitted their guilt and will either be matched to someone in their own clade or die. Dlar has found a match for Qven, so they will be leaving for the Treaty Administration Facility shortly. Two hundred years ago, someone from Qven’s clade fled to human space. They produced offspring, which is not normal for Presger Translators. The offspring has been found and is being taken to the Treaty Administration Facility to match with Qven. Qven refuses, but Dlar insists that they have no choice. Qven decides to try and escape. They receive new rooms at the Treaty Administration Facility and try to surreptitiously gather information about how the fugitive escaped. To soothe Qven’s fears about matching, Dlar promises that matching is not like being eaten, and that Adults never eat juveniles; their physiology forbids it. They demonstrate this by crushing and eating Qven’s radish before vomiting it up onto the table, whole and undamaged. When Qven is an Adult, they will gain this ability.

Enae contacts Reet’s parents and tries to visit him, but hir attempts are unsuccessful. Mr. Nadkal is also trying to help Reet, though he expresses his distaste for Reet’s Chirra family. Enae meets with a jurist about Reet’s case. The jurist is reluctant to involve the Siblings of Hikipu, but admits that they are good at fundraising. Enae learns that Reet is being held with no communication. This is illegal, but it often happens to Chirra people in Zeosen. Two of Reet’s parents, Istver (Mom) and Echemin (Nana), arrive. Ambassador Seimet is also on her way to Rurusk, to oversee Reet’s case. Istver believes that Reet being a Presger Translator would explain a lot about him. When Ambassador Seimet arrives, Enae makes several attempts to speak with her. When they finally meet, Seimet says she cannot help Reet because he is not human, which means he is not a Zeoseni citizen and has no rights. Furthermore, he is dangerous. Enae objects that Reet has not harmed anyone, but Seimet is unmoved. Reet will be taken to the Treaty Administration Facility. Enae is determined to follow him.

Reet is taken to an isolation ward in the Health Facility. He is kept in solitary confinement for some time. When he asks to contact his parents, he is met with silence. Eventually, a voice asks if he has a jurist; Reet knows that if he says no, they can claim that he refused legal help. His parents have taught him his rights. He responds that he is “not required to answer any questions without [his] jurist present” (166). He realizes that Enae must be trying to help him and must have contacted his parents. Eventually, Reet is given an isolation suit and told to put it on. He agrees to put it on if he can talk to his jurist first. He is told that his legal rights have been suspended. He is sedated and wakes in a different room wearing the suit. A voice speaking Radchaai tells him that he is now on his way to the Treaty Administration Facility. Reet will be kept in isolation because he is dangerous. He protests that he has never hurt anyone, but is told that he will soon start hurting people whether he wants to or not.

Translator Dlar brings Qven new seeds to plant. As the seeds grow, Qven can hear them singing. Their Teacher tells them about plant biology and then about their own genes. They, like all Presger Translators, were created by the Presger. Matching is an inescapable reality of their lives; if they do not match, they will die. Juveniles are not supposed to be able to hear plants. Qven realizes they can also sense “colors and contours that [suggest] doors and corridors” (175). Dlar visits and tells Qven that Tzam’s clade has chosen to leave them in a sealed container without a match until they die. Qven can choose whether or not to watch Tzam die. They ask for some time to think about their choice. Qven’s Teacher encourages them to watch Tzam die so that they can get closure after Tzam’s attack. They also warn Qven that Tzam’s death will be long, cruel, and difficult to watch. Qven is unsure; their Teacher says that even a small choice can have big consequences. They advise Qven to be patient.