Wendel gazed out the window of their flat while Marikesh cleared the table. He could still see well enough to enjoy the colors of the sunset, if not much of the image of it. Vo's face was just beginning to wax crescent, and truncated by the horizon, appeared as a pyramid of stacked red, orange and emerald jewels. The other worlds crept about, their movement through the sky just perceptible with a calm regard. The Vaalat called this particular arrangement of sun, sky and planets a Fisher's Moon.

"I think we can ignore Dr. Imu's orders for the evening,'' Marikesh said as she set out a bottle and two small glasses on the table. Wendel perked up and twitched his nose excitedly.

"Oh yes! Is this the 17?'' he said.

"No, you finished that, remember?'' Marikesh chuckled as her father waived his paw with irritation.

"Oh yes, of course. So... what do we have?'' Marikesh opened the bottle and poured two small measures, placing one of the tiny cups in her father's outstretched paws. They sipped.

"I don't... where in the hundred thousand islands did you get brandy?'' he said, draining his cup.

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"Compliments of that Angesetti captain, according to the note,'' Marikesh said.

"Really? Ha! This is excellent stuff, truly,'' Wendel said as he held out his cup for a refill. "Of course we'll have to send her something in return. Do we have any of the 22 left?''

"Yes, but it would go rancid on the journey back to Agne. So, instead, I sent a crate of dried bluefruit for her crew, and one of my new radio sets for herself.''

"One of your new ones, eh?''

"She's... well,'' Marikesh said, shrugging. "She's quite attractive." Wendell guffawed and held out his cup again. Marikesh refilled it.

"Besides, she's a sailor. I think she'll appreciate something practical.''

"Are you going to show her your Vo-bounce trick?'' Wendel asked. "That way you could exchange love-notes while she's at sea.''

"Maybe once the treaty is signed,'' Marikesh said, with a little hesitation in her voice as she thought about it.

"If she's still in Taleb. The siege has gone on so long I can hardly believe it's over. It's strange to think about it." Wendel laughed ruefully. The voices of a troupe of singers wafted up from the streets as they marched through the city with the news of the day. Wendel smiled crookedly at the sound of his own name, sung in four-part harmony as though he were still a sitting senator. Marikesh gazed up at the sky, and gasped.

"By the gods,'' she said, pointing. "What is that?''

Then, remembering his blindness, she explained. "There is... a new planet in the sky.''