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lips parted, revealing a row of small, even, and brilliantly white teeth, each curved like a rose petal. “Most pleasing.”
    Emily, not one to miss a cue, spoke up. “Emily Mamani Sarmiento is all my name.”
    Tie pointedly leaned back against the skim. Mac presumed he planned to stay out of this. Wise man.
    â€œI have the name Emily Mamani Sarmiento in my keeping,” Brymn acknowledged with another hearty multiple clap. “Most impressive. You are very accomplished for one so young.”
    Emily smiled. Mac wrinkled her nose at her. The clouds were sinking into the treetops and a return to heavier rain was only moments away. They had no time for this —but Brymn had turned to her expectantly. She sighed. “Fine. You can call me—” The bureaucrat with the mouthful of names caught her eye and shook his head very slightly, as if he guessed she planned to say “Mac” and be done with it.
    Mac weighed her impatience against what was probably informed advice, given the bureaucrat had come with the alien and knew about this ceremonial exchange of names. “Mackenzie—” she hid a wince, “—Winifred Elizabeth Wright Connor is all my name.” From the choked sounds coming from Emily, the “Winifred” would soon be all around Base.
    â€œMagnificent!” The Dhryn clapped, then reared almost vertically, its tiny mouth stretching in what looked like a human smile—or a reasonable facsimile. “I most proudly take the name Mackenzie Winifred Elizabeth Wright Connor into my keeping. An honor, as I expected it would be. Please, accept my invitation to dine together this evening. We have much to share with one another.”
    Mac scrubbed her bare toes against wet granite, just to verify her surroundings. A line of four eagles flew by, barely visible among the clouds, and she wondered what they thought of this intrusion into their world. She was, she decided, quite sure what she thought.
    â€œThank you, Mr. Brymn—”
    â€œBrymn.”
    â€œBrymn. A kind offer, but I can’t leave this field station. Dr. Mamani and I are in the midst of the most important phase of our work. By the end of the month, I should have time to—”
    The Dhryn let out a plaintive wail, not loud but certainly piercing. At the same time, he closed his eyes tightly and began rocking back and forth. There seemed little doubt of his suffering.
    â€œExcuse us,” Mac told the decidedly inattentive alien. She grabbed the bureaucrat by one arm and hauled him as far away from Brymn as the rock outcrop allowed.
    â€œWhat the hell is going on here, Mr. Trojanowski?”
    â€œTo quote Brymn, I’m most impressed.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “Most people have trouble with my name.”
    â€œI’ve heard all I want about names for one day,” Mac warned. “What I want is to hear how quickly you’re going to get this—this—intruder off my river! And you, too,” she added, just to be clear. “We’ll be damned fortunate if we can reinstall the Tracer before the rain hits.”
    â€œIsn’t it raining now?” He glanced upward with almost comic dismay.
    â€œThis?” Mac snorted. “Not hardly.”
    He used a finger to wipe the drops from his glasses; they were immediately replaced. “I’ll take your word for it, Dr. Connor. As for leaving—believe me, I’d like nothing better. The IU’s going to rake me over the coals as it is. Our distinguished guest is supposed to be attending a state dinner in his honor at the Consulate, not snorkeling with fish in the middle of—” He broke off and looked around as if startled by a sudden thought. “Where are we, anyway?”
    Obviously not deep enough in the bush to save her from desk jockeys, Mac thought with disgust. “Where you shouldn’t be, Mr. Trojanowski. Just shut him up and take him away.” The