not equipped to handle this

[middlingalong]

One lovely afternoon Miles gets a rather urgent call from Ivan.

Comments

[thisvorlunatic]

"Where's the fire?"

[middlingalong]

"Miles there is an eight year old girl with a speech impediment and wings sitting in my apartment eating all my chocolate help."

[thisvorlunatic]

"You're serious."

[middlingalong]

"Help. I heard her yelling and there were some - some people, hitting her, and I didn't see the wings until I hauled them off her - she doesn't have a scratch - and so I bundled her into my car and took her home - help me."

[thisvorlunatic]

"...I will be there as soon as humanly possible," says Miles.

[middlingalong]

"Be faster than that," begs Ivan, and he ends the call.

[thisvorlunatic]

Miles hastens to Ivan's apartment, not quite egregiously violating any traffic regulations on the way.

[middlingalong]

When he gets there, Ivan flings the door open, gestures dramatically at the winged child sitting on his sofa with a candy bar, and makes a completely helpless face.

[thisvorlunatic]

Miles proceeds into the apartment and approaches the winged child.

"Hello," he says.

[campanas]

"Hi. You his cousin who knowing how to things?"

[thisvorlunatic]

"That's a pretty accurate description of me, yes. My name's Miles; what's yours?"

[campanas]

"Pen-in-nah. Pen."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Nice to meet you. How'd you end up on Barrayar?"

[campanas]

"Door break. Supposed going home but go place in city here instead. No Jane."

[thisvorlunatic]

"...Could you explain that a little more for me? Which door broke?"

[campanas]

"The door, for bar, nice bar, which going everywhere! Supposed going home. Broke."

[thisvorlunatic]

"...I see," says Miles. "So - sorry, let me check if I have this right - there's a bar, and the bar has a door, and the door goes lots of places, and it was supposed to take you home but instead it took you to where my cousin Ivan found you, and you don't know why?"

[campanas]

"Took me block away and start walking, checking for see if is Jane - no Jane, also no one Mommy no one Daddy no sisters no anyone. Then all those men get very angry! But am safe. I hit them," she adds, as though daring him to chide her for hitting back.

[middlingalong]

"She got them good, too, I wouldn't be surprised if the one fellow had a broken orbit."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Pretty reasonable of you, under the circumstances," says Miles. "Who or what is Jane?"

[campanas]

"Jane a sort of sisteroid only not at all, and she gems but I not having one, and she computers, all of them, especially spaceship computer Jovah, but she break for a long time, now she working again it only door that break, she just not here."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Where are you from, originally? What planet?"

[campanas]

"Samaria."

[thisvorlunatic]

"I don't think I've heard of that one."

[campanas]

"Is not here. World also name Samaria."