18

Alexius and Cyril turn to regard the red-jacketed woman nearest them.

"Does Dr. Sabbatine just grab pretty brunettes from all over the empire and give them the same haircut?" Alexius asks.

It takes the woman a moment to realize she is being addressed. "Of course not," the woman says. "Dr. Sabbatine constructed me to maintain and pilot the Specular."

Cyril, violating all norms of civilized behavior, pokes the woman in the cheek. She does not respond.

"She's a golem," the soldier reports.

More and more people are starting to notice the women.

"An antiquated term," the woman says. "I am a robot. I am Control."

"Are your, um, sisters robots, too?" Cyril asks.

"I am Control," the woman says, and walks away to join her duplicates—or her other appendages?—in preparing the Specular.

You, Alexius, and Cyril look at one another. Obviously the others are as unfamiliar as you with "Control." Just as the merchant opens his mouth, you feel a presence behind you.

"What," Stralchus says, staring down at you, "is this?"

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