Edits

content/read/040.md

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ True Name stood quickly enough to knock her chair back and, with a decisive wash
 
 The rest of the delegation pressed away from her with a shout. The firstracers rose up to their full height and Iska blurred quickly to stand atop their stool, shouting, "*Iha!*"
 
-"To his exclusion who prepare by process of Size...of..." Answers Will Not Help continued, unfazed. She was phasing in and out of common time now, despite the promise of unison. Her words jittering now fast, now slow. "I cannot feel em here. We are so far away from home. I cannot...I miss em, I miss em. I miss...was that eir prophecy? Was that why ey wrote me? Is this AwDae's words come true?"
+"To his exclusion who prepare by process of Size...of..." Answers Will Not Help continued, unfazed. She was phasing in and out of common time now, despite the promise of unison. Her words jittering now fast, now slow. She turned to True Name, eyes pleading. "I cannot feel em here. We are so far away from home. I cannot...I miss em, I miss em. I miss...was that eir prophecy? Was that why ey wrote me? Is this AwDae's words come true?"
 
 "Stop!" True Name shouted. She swiped out at her cocladist, managing to grab a fistful of her blouse, roughly yanking her closer.
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ True Name bared her teeth, tackling the blurring, crumbling form of Answers Will
 
 After a moment's tussle, Answers Will Not Help sprawled flat the ground, limp and laughing, retching, crying. "For the Stupendous Vision of eir diameters---" she said, and then quit, leaving True Name to fall to the ground, weeping.
 
-There was a shocked silence around the table, and when no one moved, Codrin slid out of eir chair to kneel by True Name's side. Her form had begun to waver once more, and, remembering the aversion to touch that came with that, ey simply knelt beside her, waiting until she calmed down.
+There was a stunned silence around the table, and when no one moved, Codrin slid out of eir chair to kneel by True Name's side. Her form had begun to waver once more, and, remembering the aversion to touch that came with that, ey simply knelt beside her, waiting until she calmed down.
 
 It was Sarah who broke the silence. "What just happened?"
 
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ Codrin spoke carefully. "As mentioned, True Name and, uh...Why Ask Questions ---
 
 Tycho frowned, nodded. "We had guessed."
 
-"She should not have been able to do that," Iska said, nearly growling. "She should not have been able to do any of that. No skew, no exit. What was she? Who are you?"
+"She should not have been able to do that," Iska said, nearly growling. "She should not have been able to do *any* of that. No skew, no exit. What was she? Who *are* you?"
 
-"Leader True Name," Turun Ko said. "Please explain 'lost' in this context."
+"Leader True Name," Turun Ko said. "Please explain the connection to 'lost' in this context."
 
 She did not move from her spot on the floor. "You have heard about what it means to get lost, but there is no possible way that I can explain the way it has warped us. To get lost is to go mad."
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ The skunk wilted, her ears splaying to the sides. "Of course, leader Turun Ka."
 
 She nodded. "Yes, that would be fine. It is uncomfortable, but I can sleep through the discomfort."
 
-"*Aën*," it said. "We shall return here in half an hour. The other participants shall meet in the central courtyard."
+"*Aën*," it said. "We shall return here in half an hour common time. The other participants shall meet in the central courtyard."
 
 "I will join shortly," Iska said. "I must contact a technician, first."
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ Ey guided her into her room and helped her to sit down on the edge of her bed, a
 
 Ey took a half step back from the skunk. So hoarse and clouded was her voice that ey couldn't piece together her mood. "I...is that a suggestion or a threat? I'm sorry, True Name. I know how much it means, I just--"
 
-She smiled weakly and shook her head before laying out on her side, rubbing her arm and wincing. "It is a request from me to you, Codrin, from my clade to yours. Across our two entangled clades." The smile faded as she added, "Not...a request. A plea."
+She smiled weakly and shook her head before laying out on her side, rubbing her arm and wincing. "I am sorry. It is a request from me to you, Codrin, from my clade to yours. Across our two entangled clades." The smile faded as she added, "Not...a request. A plea."
 
 Ey nodded, struck silent by the sincerity in her voice. Real, actual sincerity. It made em feel bashful. Ey bowed and started to turn back toward the door.