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content/read/031.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ It was Jonas's time to pick the location for their meeting, but as he had schedu
 
 Her first drink was a total wash. Someone had decided to explore the utility of sulfurous odors in drinks by combining the smoke of a newly lit match, a slice of preserved egg, and some smokey mezcal, sweetened by a few squirts of over-ripe apricot puree.
 
-There was, True Name discovered, essentially no place for sulfur in a cocktail. It was a drink that was *almost* good, so long as one didn't breathe in the scent. The first heady whiff that she got had burnt her nostrils and she only managed a few sips after that.
+There was, True Name discovered, essentially no place for sulfur in a cocktail. It was a drink that was *almost* good, so long as one did not breathe in the scent. The first heady whiff that she got had burnt her nostrils and she only managed a few sips after that.
 
-Her next drink was some bracingly strong lime-and-bitters-and-liquor deal with a float of foam made of egg whites and pork fat. There was a dusting of star anise and cinnamon on top. Her final assessment: pleasantly disgusting. The lime, egg whites, and spices all worked quite well together, she imagined, but the added porky fat clashed with it in such a savory way that she suspected it would've gone better with some brown spirit.
+Her next drink was some bracingly strong lime-and-bitters-and-liquor deal with a float of foam made of egg whites and pork fat. There was a dusting of star anise and cinnamon on top. Her final assessment: pleasantly disgusting. The lime, egg whites, and spices all worked quite well together, she imagined, but the added porky fat clashed with it in such a savory way that she suspected it would have gone better with some brown spirit.
 
 Still, she drank it all.
 
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ What, then was the difference?
 
 She picked at a coin that had cemented itself to the rim of the fountain in a layer of slimy algae, winced at the unpleasant sensation, and then flicked it into the murky-green water that still stained the basin of the fountain.
 
-There was a part of her mind that was tempted to consider those who lived sys-side as some how more perfect beings than those who remained phys-side. But no, that wasn't quite correct. They were different, yes, but they weren't some greater form of perfection --- or perhaps not entirely.
+There was a part of her mind that was tempted to consider those who lived sys-side as somehow more perfect beings than those who remained phys-side. But no, that was not quite correct. They were different, yes, but they were not some greater form of perfection --- or perhaps not entirely.
 
 Were there perhaps some core difference in ideals? Obviously, given the cost of uploading, there was a natural barrier, but even among the upper-middle and higher classes, there were some who simply chose not to upload. What was the difference? Was it aspirational? Were those who uploaded on some different wavelength from those who stayed behind? There were certainly many who found the whole process abhorrent on a physical level, yes. Of those who found it distasteful on intellectual, emotional, and spiritual levels, what did the prospect of continuing to live phys-side provide that living sys-side did not?
 
-She couldn't decide, but there was the logical fallout of that situation, that the two should be treated on a fundamentally different level, when it came to politics.
+She could not decide, but there was the logical fallout of that situation, that the two should be treated on a fundamentally different level, when it came to politics.
 
 There was a slight twinge of a sensory alarm, and she knew that it was time for the meeting with Jonas.
 
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ True Name laughed. After a moment's concentration, two additional versions of he
 
 Once more, she resisted the urge to bridle at his comment. Instead she smiled sweetly. "Why Ask Questions, Here At The End Of All Things and Why Ask Questions When The Answers Will Not Help." After a pause, she added, "Why Ask Questions and Answers Will Not Help."
 
-The man froze, the last of his cocktail sausages halfway between plate and mouth. That mouth now slowly formed into a devious grin. "You continue to surprise and amaze, my dear."
+Jonas froze, the last of his cocktail sausages halfway between plate and mouth. That mouth now slowly formed into a devious grin. "You continue to surprise and amaze."
 
 After they had both finished their plates of appetizers and enjoyed a moment of silence, they each began pushing around a few chess pieces off the map.
 
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ True Name noticed the lack of names for each of the figures, but said nothing. *
 
 Jonas shrugged. "The council, of course, plus the owners of some higher-profile sims, and a few perisystem architects."
 
-"Alright. I suppose that on my end I don't have anyone other than the council," she lied. "And all of my various selves, of course."
+"Alright. I suppose that on my end I do not have anyone other than the council," she lied. "And all of my various selves, of course."
 
 "Right, you have Debarre in your pocket, and Zeke likes you plenty."
 
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ He kept throwing her all these little comments that seemed to tempt her to respo
 
 Not the best tactic for someone who taught theatre to teenagers.
 
-"I think we've got the council mostly locked down when it comes to the idea of independence," she said, setting down her stick.
+"I think we have got the council mostly locked down when it comes to the idea of independence," she said, setting down her stick.
 
 "And your clade?"
 
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ Jonas laughed. "He arguably looks better. Just different. On that note, will you
 
 She waved the question away. "I will work it out. For now, do you have any more news on Yared and his handler?"
 
-"Not too much more. Demma has been heard to mention the System as a country, but so far hasn't mentioned the word secession. Yared's latest post is along similar lines as his last. Fluffy, if you'll forgive the metaphor. The little bit of us teasing each other went over well, and there were a few comments elsewhere on the 'net that others caught talking about the fact that at least the System still seemed to have fun in it."
+"Not too much more. Demma has been heard to mention the System as a country, but so far hasn't mentioned the word secession. Yared's latest post is along similar lines as his last. Fluffy, if you'll forgive the metaphor. The little bit of us teasing each other went over well, and there were a few comments elsewhere on the 'net that others caught talking about the fact that at least those in the System still seemed to have fun in it."
 
 "Any other comments about secession that you have seen?"
 
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ He shook his head. "Same little blips from some of the crazier people. More of t
 
 "Not except between us," she lied again.
 
-Jonas needn't know all of her plans, nor that the propaganda work had already begun. Nor, for that matter, that she was still in contact with Dr. Carter Ramirez, phys-side, who still had reputation of her own, her own knight in the British Isles. After all, if he was going to continue to maintain some of his leverage of the situation, oughtn't she do the same?
+Jonas need not know all of her plans, nor that the propaganda work had already begun. Nor, for that matter, that she was still in contact with Dr. Carter Ramirez, phys-side, who still had reputation of her own, her own knight in the British Isles. After all, if he was going to continue to maintain some of his leverage of the situation, should she not do the same?
 
 "Alright, well." Jonas frisbeed his plate into a trash can by the buffet tables. "I guess we're in a holding pattern on that front until the news breaks elsewhere. Until then, keep kissing babies and shaking hands. Or shaking babies and kissing hands. Or whatever it is that not-a-politicians do."