Five

Sma arrives at Zakalwe’s island and is greeted warmly. They retreat to a shaded veranda where Zakalwe confirms he owns the place and, without hesitation, agrees to take another job. Skaffen-Amtiskaw requests a firm commitment because a GSV is decelerating to meet them; Zakalwe commits to leaving that afternoon.

Sma outlines the mission: Voerenhutz is polarizing, with Humanists pushing aggressive terraforming, hierarchical sentient rights, and dismissing machine consciousness; brush wars risk a wider conflict. Zakalwe’s task is to bring Tsoldrin Beychae back into influence against them. The drone sends the confirmation signal to the GSV What, and they schedule pickup via the Xenophobe.

They swim, and Sma confronts Zakalwe about his rejuvenation scheme for local elites, warning it has left a dangerous mess that will likely force Culture intervention. Zakalwe downplays the risk, insisting the leaders are not suicidal. Their banter reveals Sma’s frustration and his blithe confidence.

Negotiations follow: minus further rejuvenation, Zakalwe wants the same pay as last time plus ten percent in negotiables. He also asks whether Sma still knows where “she” is, implying a condition to see the woman again. Sma agrees but advises strongly against it; Zakalwe says he’ll remember.

After quiet goodbyes at the huts, they head for the pier under the drone’s watch. Zakalwe jokes that the ten percent is for “inflation,” which Sma pointedly fails to recognize, as they prepare to depart for rendezvous with the GSV.