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while Hal walked over to Angelsin Yagan, not forgetting courtesy but not intimidated by her massive presence. Ders jigged about behind Hart (who stood stolid and disapproving, his arms folded, his eyelids drooping, the corners of his mouth tucked into the deep creases slanting from his nostrils and dropping under his jawline) and Domi (who merely looked impatient).
    â€œMamam Kai, by your kindness tell us where we can find the Aggitj Slukra. We’re hunting work by day or week.”
    Angelsin leaned forward, moving her face out of shadow, her deep-set eyes dark and unreadable, her gaze uncomfortably searching. Hal kept his smile though it took more effort than he was happy about. Ders stopped whistling and moved closer to Domi, shivering now and then in a way he had when particularly nervous. Domi put his hand on his cousin’s shoulder, closed it tight. Ders calmed, leaned against his taller relation and watched from slitted eyes. Domi draped his arm over the boy’s shoulder and waited for the woman to speak. He’d argued a good half hour with Hal about approaching her. She gave him chills in the belly whenever he was in the same room with her. We can live here and pay her for the privilege, he’d told Hal, but no more; we should keep as far away from her as we can manage.
    â€œWhy?” she said. Her voice was warm and creamy, her mouth soft, smiling. “I’ll give you work if you want. There is more than enough lifting and carrying about this chek and I will pay better than anything the Slukra can find for you.”
    Hal forced a smile. Domi saw the muscles in his neck tighten and knew Hal the always-right had a flood of second thoughts. “Most kind, Mamam Kai.” His voice sounded stiff though he was trying to speak naturally. “It’s not just work, we want to greet our kind and see if kin have come this far. There’s news to pass from Boot and Backland.”
    Angelsin Yagan settled back, her broad face once more in shadow. “That is natural,” she said, the warmth gone from her voice. “But they’re a nosy lot at the Slukra. My business is none of theirs; be sure you leave me out of your news passing. My offer is withdrawn. I would wish you fair going, but if you continue to ignore the blessings of fortune, you’ll land in the slop and deserve what you get.”
    â€œAh, Mamam Kai, don’t ill wish us. We don’t mean to offend, but we’re a long way from home and blood means a lot. Where will we find the Slukra?”
    She gave directions in a die-away exhausted voice and they left as quickly as they could without offending her further.
    Ders trotted ahead, waited for them to catch up and skipped backward in front of his cousins. “If that one ever had children, I bet she ate ’em raw soon as they popped out.”
    Domi scowled. “Eat you if she hears you saying things like that, flea brain.”
    â€œEh, Domi, who knows Aggitchan here?” He flapped his arms in wide awkward sweeps that almost decapitated a smallish Pallah whore who jumped aside just in time and sent a gush of curses after them, then went on her way muttering unfriendly things under her breath.
    â€œCould be anyone, you chump. This is a trade port and a big ’un. Take the wheels off your tongue. We can’t scoot for cover this time, not till, well, you know.” He looked warily about, but no one was paying them undue attention. “Watch your mouth, cousin, or you could get us all skinned.”
    Ders dropped his arms and he pouted for a while, but his sulks never lasted very long; in a few paces his buoyancy had returned and he bounced along, whistling under his breath.
    Within the hour they had work as day laborers along the wharves with the promise of plenty of jobs ahead, as much as they wanted as long as they wanted it. Here too, Aggitj extras were preferred workers. The Aggitj in the Slukra looked wary when they mentioned where they