Bel wilted under the gazes of the unfamiliar gorgons. Her feet shuffled awkwardly as she turned to look for Cress and Orseis and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that they were both unharmed. Orseis was shouting at the air, but, after a moment of consideration, Bel decided that it was more likely she was yelling at her translator than she had actually gone mad. Cress grabbed her by a pair of tentacles and began dragging the stubborn cuttle-girl along behind her.

Bel took a step towards them, anxious to be surrounded by familiar faces. Before they were close enough to call out, the undersecretary of discipline made an announcement through her webs that caused everyone to stop and look up at her.

“The air ship to the city will be departing in a single rotation. Citizens should board quickly. Non-citizens must apply for access at the processing station near the sky anchor.”

The undersecretary plucked a strand of her silken web, sending a shimmer of colors along its length to guide listeners to the processing station. “The processing time for applications is currently thirty cycles.”

“Madam Undersecretary,” the silk-dressed gorgon called out. She pointed directly at Bel. “She has recently donated blood. Has the rule allowing visitation rights been suspended?”

The spider woman laughed, first by emitting a chattering noise from her mouth and then by plucking her web to produce a more human sound. “You have taken her blood already? I thought that the egg-women were supposed to be careful and discerning.”

“We are also quick-witted, Madam Undersecretary,” the gorgon replied with a smile.

The Undersecretary waved her legs carelessly. “The daughter of Lempo was already going to be admitted into the city. Stion does not want to tempt her mother into any calamitous acts in our vicinity, but turning her away will only lead to unwanted surprises. He has decided that it will be safest for us to keep an eye on her and send her on her way quickly.”

The gorgon bowed. “Magistrate Stion is already showing his wisdom.”

“Yes, yes, and he’ll appreciate your vote when ballots are next collected.” The undersecretary turned her eyes onto Bel. “You’ll be riding with me, lest you cause even more trouble,” she said sternly.

Bel quickly held up her hands to hold the woman off. “What about my companions? Can they come too?” Bel pointed at Cress and Orseis.

The undersecretary glanced at them. “Yes, I suppose that I had better take them as well. Who knows what kinds of trouble you are bringing along for the ride.”

“I’m not causing any trouble,” Bel quickly rebutted.

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The undersecretary gestured to the gory remains of the people who had come to kill Bel. Bel shrugged helplessly. “They started it.”

The spider woman snorted before gracefully lowering herself to the ground. “The three of you, please follow me,” she declared, waving them along. “We need to talk.”

“I would like–” the silk-robed gorgon began, but the undersecretary quickly cut her off.

“You will be able to find her in the city center later, after Magistrate Stion is done with them,” she said, not allowing room for disagreement.

Cress fluttered to Bel’s side, but Orseis zipped past her to address the undersecretary. “I’m glad to finally meet someone with a respectable number of limbs,” she cheerfully greeted the dangerous woman. “How do your people say hello? Hug? Bow? Shake limbs?” Orseis’ tentacled rippled through the air expectantly.

The spider-woman looked Orseis up and down. “Not immediately attacking and devouring someone is considered friendly enough for my people.” She gestured to the airship. “We’ll be riding in a cabin at the top, safely separated from the rest of the excitable passengers.”

Bel gave Orseis a consoling pat on the back and frowned at the undersecretary. “I’m really not here to cause trouble,” she insisted.

The undersecretary shrugged slightly. “Who would say otherwise?”

While Bel pondered that, Cress clapped her hands with exuberance and said something in her native tongue.

After a brief pause, the translate came out of the metal sphere: “We can finally talk about all the plans Lempo has for us gorgons!”

“The plans,” Bel repeated, “you know, my mother doesn’t actually tell me much.”

Cress’ face creased with concern, but before she could respond the undersecretary tossed loops of silk around Bel and her companions. With a quick tug from her eight legs, Bel was quickly jerked into the air by a silken line that was anchored at a flat area on the top of the ship with a small, box-like cabin. Cress flared her wings before they touched down on the deck, but Orseis and Bel needed a few stumbling steps to dissipate their momentum. By the time Bel had her feet under her, the undersecretary had already yanked the cabin door open and was gesturing them inside.

“Come one, come on, before some sky sharks get a whiff of all that blood on you,” she hurried them impatiently.

“Sky–” Bel began, but Orseis tugged her into the cabin.

“If it has shark in its name,” the cuttle-girl hissed, “then I don’t want to meet it.”

Bel found herself in a small, but nicely appointed space. There were plush chairs of different sizes, a pen filled with sand, and a small pond with something flowering at its edges.

The undersecretary made a noise like a deflating bellows and tossed herself into a long, narrow day bed. She hung one arm over the back of the furniture and waved at them with the other. Her legs plucked at a few threads that ran across the cabin to generate her speaking voice. “Make yourselves comfortable. There are drinks in the bar, but Stion he wanted to dine with you Bel, so don’t load up too much.”

While Bel hesitated over the woman’s sudden change in demeanor, Cress skipped to the bar and Orseis rushed over to the pool. She dipped a tentacle into the still surface and grinned. “Is this for lounging too?”

The spider woman nodded. “Sure.” Then her eyes narrowed. “But don’t drip on my carpet when you get out.”

Orseis turned a pale white at the suddenly threatening tone, but she still shamelessly kicked off her fuzzy clothes and slipped into the water. A moment later she slipped under the surface.

“What’s with the sudden change?” Bel asked, her courage and curiosity finally restoring her voice.

The undersecretary pointed at them. “You three aren’t citizens. That means you can’t vote. And that means that I don’t have to keep up appearances.”