"I have little appet.i.te," said Shan-lan. "Food doesn't interest me, and besides, I don't even want to be here."

"So why are you here?"

"My father. I must learn the sword, the bow. I must ride with the guards to impress them with my skills, and stand in court all day to hear the whining of the n.o.bles. I'm interested in none of it.""But you'll be Emperor someday. You must learn these things."Shan-lan ignored what she'd said. "Do you know the paG.o.da above the garden, the one called Stork Nest?"

"Yes. I've been there once."

"I go there as often as I can with paper, inks, paints and brushes. I go there to paint and to write."

"You are an artist," said Kati, not surprised.

"Yes. But there is little time for it. My father prepares me for a throne I do not want or care about. My

life is what I do in Stork Nest. It's all I desire."

"I don't have artistic skills," said Kati, "but I admire art, and I read about many things. What do you

write?"

Shan-lan looked at her, finally noticing her interest. "Mostly poetry, but now I'm working on a story about a n.o.ble family involved in the intrigues of the court."

"You draw upon your own experience?"

"Some things I've seen and heard, yes, but the family is fictional."

"I know that a good artist must experience life," said Kati. "It gives authenticity to their work. Are you

aware that w.a.n.g Quing-li, our third Emperor, was also a fine artist?""Yes. I see his paintings everywhere.""He was an artist and an Emperor. It was Quing-li who engineered the dome over our city. He a.s.sumed his duties, yet continued to pursue the real pa.s.sion of his life. There are many hours in the day, Shan-lan.

You can do both things."

"And what about you?" asked Shan-lan. "The troopers comment about the way you ride, and I've just seen and felt what you can do with a sword. You are Moshuguang. What do they prepare you for?"

It was the first time she'd been called that, and somehow she could not deny it at the moment. She thought quickly, and said, "My purpose is not yet defined, so my preparation is broad. Perhaps I will take Juimoshu's place when she's gone. Someday, I might be serving you, Shan-lan."

He smiled. "I will remember a dream for you to interpret sometime, Mengnu. Do you display art in your quarters?"

"Yes. That is how I know about Quing-li. Lady Weimeng is also an artist, and I have some of her work."

"Would you accept a small painting from me?"

"Oh, yes. I would be honored." The movement of her eyelashes was automatic.

"I will bring something to cla.s.s for you," he said. Kati felt his emotion, then, a gentle, loving feeling from a gentle person suddenly in her life.

She recovered herself by changing the subject. "Do you like honey cakes?"

"Yes."

"I have a suggestion. Eat three of them just before you come to cla.s.s each week. If you do this, I think you'll have much more energy for practice. Promise me you'll do this!"

His aura was still weak, but now the red fans had returned. He took her hand from his shoulder, and kissed it, looking into her eyes. Kati was shocked, her heart fluttering.

"You are beautiful and wise, Mengnu. I will do as you say. Ah, my escort returns to take me away to court."

Three troopers were coming towards them. Kati stood up, her hand sliding from his warm grasp. She bowed deeply to Shan-lan, and turned away.

"Mengnu," he said softly, and she turned back to him.

He looked up at her with velvet, brown eyes. "Thank you for being my friend."

Kati smiled, then walked away, trying not to appear rushed. Her heart was still fluttering when she reached her rooms to find Huomeng talking to Sheyue there, waiting for still another tutoring session with the learning machine.

And in the weeks to follow, the honey cakes did their work for Shan-lan, and he gave her three beautiful paintings with paG.o.das, mountains, and birds.

The love poems came later.

Mengmoshu met with Mengyao and Juimoshu over a lunch of rice and vegetables served in his office. They discussed the new tunnel to the eastern slope of the mountain, now half-finished, and the security measures to a.s.sure access only to the n.o.bles and mountain personnel. And then the topic changed to their Tumatsin ward.

"First Mother was correct in saying further progress awaited the chemical changes in Kati. She now sees the aural mappings in the gong-shi-jie and is able to locate large ma.s.ses beyond," said Mengmoshu.

"How far has she gone?" asked Mengyao.

Mengmoshu put down his sticks, and wiped his mouth with a moist towel. "First Mother never leaves her side, of course, but Kati has penetrated real s.p.a.ce out to the gaseous giants. The next step is Tengri-Nayon itself. We are now only six years from closest approach."

"Yes, but has she tried any energy or ma.s.s transfer yet?"

"Not yet. First, she must find her way around."

"But couldn't we perform some short-range tests right here on Shanji? We could give her a small object to move from here to, say, the western plateau she's familiar with, a place by the three peaks."

"I've suggested such a test to First Mother. She tells me that within the gong-shi-jie the aural signature of a large ma.s.s has no resolution within itself. One point on a planet, even a small one, cannot be distinguished from another. Kati might transfer ma.s.s from this office, but it could end up anywhere on Shanji."

Mengyao shook his head. "Yet Kati returns to herself each time, at a small point in s.p.a.ce."

Mengmoshu chuckled. "Even First Mother does not understand the process in herself. Kati goes nowhere in the gong-shi-jie. It is a projection of herself; there is no organ responsible for the phenomena. It is hereditary, Mengyao, from the line of First Mother. A mutation, if you will, somehow related to the tangle of neural networks in these heads of ours."

Mengmoshu put a hand on his own domed forehead and carefully masked his mind. "We are descended from one of First Mother's sons. Kati is somehow descended from both of them. She has the total genetic line of First Mother, but mixed in a new way. She has the powers of First Mother. The only question is, can she go one step further?"

"That is a serious question," said Juimoshu, "and I hope for success, of course. But what if we find that Kati can not transfer even a pebble at infinite speed within the gong-shi-jie? Then we are as isolated as ever, and the problems on our own planet remain. It seems to me we should be talking about Kati's primary task and not something that relies on abilities she might lack. When do you take her to the eastern plains? When do you show her to the people? We only have six years left, Mengmoshu!"

"Within the year," said Mengmoshu. "Kati nags me constantly about it, so her desire is there. But the changes within her are still occurring, and I would like her to mature a bit further before we go everywhere. I'll also be taking her to the Tumatsin, and they must see her as one of their own. She's not yet complete as a Changeling; the fierce countenance of an aroused Tumatsin woman has not appeared on her face."

"She's fifteen, nearly sixteen. It should have happened by now," said Juimoshu.

Mengmoshu shrugged his shoulders. "We must wait for it. But I will take her to Wanchou before then. She is ready to make an impression on the people there. Her healing power could be useful, if she follows her instincts. The people have never met a Tumatsin before, and will see such power as extraordinary."

"They must see her as an emissary from First Mother," said Juimoshu. "They must see her as Empress," said Mengyao, turning to Juimoshu. "How goes the health of The Son of Heaven?"

"The ma.s.s within him grows slowly, at his age," said Juimoshu. "Any treatment would kill him, and the doctors have agreed to keep him from the truth. I give him their medicines to keep up his strength, and there is no pain yet. He could last a year, or five. I cannot predict."

"No matter," said Mengyao. "We can control the boy in the interim. The troopers are in our camp, and many of the n.o.bles as well. They all see the decay of the throne, and will support anything new."

Mengmoshu waved a hand in warning. "I don't agree with you, Mengyao. The n.o.bles will support anyone who gives them all they want. They control commerce, and can shut it down in an instant if they're not satisfied. Kati listens to us, but she has her own mind. She is young, and what she sees in Wanchou will be disturbing to her. If Kati is to be Empress, any reforms she makes must also consider the ambitions and desires of the n.o.bles. When the time for change nears, the n.o.ble families must also meet her and hear her views. They will be biased by her age, and I worry more about this confrontation than any other."

"I think we're getting way ahead of ourselves," said Juimoshu. "The people come first, and then the n.o.bles. She must unite the people, and this is the will of First Mother."

Mengmoshu chuckled. "You have a way of getting back to the basics," he said. "In the meantime, Kati's theoretical preparation continues at a rapid pace. Her mind is nearly as quick as Huomeng's, and he pushes her hard."

"How are they getting along, personally, I mean?" asked Juimoshu.

"They've become friends," said Mengmoshu, "and have mutual respect for each other. The adversarial times seemed to have pa.s.sed."

"Nothing more?" asked Juimoshu, a faint smile showing on her wrinkled face.

"You mean romance? I think not. Kati dreams only about Lui-Pang, and Huomeng has become a man with Sheyue. Both girls are on contraceptives, though Kati doesn't know it. Sheyue and Weimeng make sure it's in her tea each day. They are young, and full of hormones, and if things progress too far we can always restrict their time together."

"Spoken like a man," said Juimoshu. "Keeping them apart will only make matters worse. It is better to allow things to take their natural course. Sheyue is lovely, but somewhat empty-headed. Lui-Pang is handsome, but simple. I believe in natural selection, the mating of the best with the best. It will happen, if we don't interfere."

"Huomeng and Kati?" asked Mengyao, grinning.

"That is my hope," Juimoshu said. "Huomeng is the greatest talent to come along since you, Mengmoshu. I wish his father could have lived to see it."

"He was a great scientist," said Mengmoshu. "We owe the flyers and the mag-rails to him."

"Huomeng and Kati," said Mengyao. "I think they would argue each other into an early grave."

"Better to think of the child they might produce," said Juimoshu.

Weimeng was writing at the desk when Kati came into her chambers. Kati walked up behind the woman, and put her arms around her neck, their cheeks touching. "I came to say goodnight, mother."

"So early?" Weimeng put down her pen, and touched Kati's face.

"Yes. Mandughai waits for me."

"Poor dear. They give you barely enough time for sleep. And I wanted so much for you to attend my party. All the best families will be here, and with their sons, I might add. Everyone wants to meet you."

"Another time. I will be in Wanchou with Mengmoshu for at least a week, mother."

Weimeng turned her head, and kissed Kati's cheek. "How I love that word. Do you remember when you first called me that?""Yes. I remember both of us crying about it."Weimeng laughed, and squeezed Kati's arms tightly to her.There had been a dream, with fire. She was back in the ordu, and her ger was in flames, her family trapped inside. Da and Baber were screaming for help, but the canvas was too heavy, the flames too hot, and she was little again. She threw dirt on the fire, but it did nothing, and the screams of Da and Baber were growing fainter and fainter, until . . .

She must have been screaming in her sleep, and suddenly Weimeng was there, holding her tightly, rocking her like a little child, saying, "Wake up, Mengnu, wake up. It's only a dream. Hush now. Mother is here."

Kati had clung to her, half-awake, said something about the dream, and then, "Oh, mother, I miss them! I miss them so much!"

Weimeng had cried with her for a long time. The word had come out so naturally, for Weimeng was her mother in every way except by blood, loving her, caring for her. Since that night, Kati had not been able to call Weimeng anything but mother, and had felt content with it.

"There will be other parties," said Weimeng, standing up and hugging her, "and many young men to meet. It's not too early to think about suitors, dear. You attract their eyes wherever you go."

"I understand, mother. I will charm them until they cannot eat. I think I charmed Shan-lan after cla.s.s, today. He kissed my hand."

Weimeng laughed. "Naughty girl. Now, go to First Mother, and I will complete my invitation list."

They kissed, and Kati went back to her rooms to perform the ritual for deliberate, planned contact with Mandughai. She no longer lay on her bed for it, but used a simple shrine. A short, square block of black basalt was always against the wall opposite the foot of her bed. She placed a cushion before it, went to a closet and took out the stone dish, candles, dried sweet gra.s.s and incense. She placed the dish on the pedestal, added the gra.s.s and incense. The stub candles went on three sides of the dish. She waved her hand slowly over the shrine, drawing energy from only the room, feeling it cool. Candles, gra.s.s and incense ignited with a single pa.s.s of her hand, the exercise bringing her to a focus deep within herself. She sat down on the cushion, legs crossed, hands folded loosely in her lap. Only after several minutes of staring at the candle-flames did she finally close her eyes.

And was with Mandughai again.

There were no twinkling stars, or purple shimmering curtain, only a flash and Mandughai was there, waiting serenely for her to arrive.

You are prompt.

Yes. You said this was important.

We will be together longer than usual. Today we travel far.