13

Crowchar!" she cries. She tries to run toward you and almost falls over. A worker helps her balance.

"Sorry," Vecla says as controllers walk around her. "The body is new. They didn't have time to grow wings, but I don't think they'd be a good idea anyway. I'm still a bit clumsy."

Alexius seems ready to offer an inappropriate comment when Control says, "Let's go! We need to organize our equipment for the return journey. Vecla, I hope you're not planning to stay."

"Oh, I'm not actually part of their collective intelligence," Vecla says. "Which reminds me…Control, how—?"

Control makes a hasty departure, clearly unwilling to discuss her mind's resemblance to Queen Acma's hive. Alexius and Therko follow.

"So," Vecla says, managing a clumsy pirouette, "what do you think?"