Translation State

On Rurusk Station in the Sovereign Territory of Zeosen, Reet Hluid meets with Heroth Nadkal. Mr. Nadkal tells Reet that Reet is obviously a Schan, a member of an ancient ruling family from the Lovehate Station in the Keroxane System. The Schans belonged to an ethnic group called the Hikipi, who were oppressed by a group called the Phen. When the Phen destroyed Lovehate Station, the Schan family was thought to have been killed. Reet arrived on Rurusk 30 years ago as an infant, and his DNA scans say he is not related to anybody. The Schans genetically altered themselves; Reet’s unusual genetics lead Mr. Nadkal to believe that he must be a Schan. As Reet vividly imagines peeling off Mr. Nadkal’s skin, Mr. Nadkal invites Reet to a Hikipi meeting to learn about his heritage.

At home, Reet tries to eat dumplings but finds he is too nauseated. When he was a child, he once confessed to a deep desire to vivisect people. His adoptive parents assumed he was joking, and he has never been violent except once when he bit another child. Reet learned to keep violent thoughts to himself and now works a boring job repairing the station’s pipeways. Reet wonders if Mr. Nadkal is right about him and resolves to look into his connection to the Hikipi. 

Qven, a Presger Translator juvenile, has always known they were important. The Presger Translators grow up in stages: Tiny, Little, Small, and then Middle. Qven once tore open another Middle, which they found fascinating and enjoyable. The Middle was taken away; when they came back, Qven and others removed their leg. Several other Middles received the same treatment over the years, but never Qven. Eventually, Qven became one of the Edges—“the last layer of childish existence” (36), which lasts for decades. Qven learned about the outside world, how to sit on furniture, how to wear clothes, and how to eat with utensils. They also learned human language. An older Edge told them not to eat their Teachers, because doing so would jeopardize their ability to become an adult Translator. Qven was frustrated by all the rules for Edges, especially the new prohibition on vivisection. Despite the rules, Edges do sometimes attack and eat each other. Juveniles remain Edges for years, until they start displaying signs that they are ready to become adults.

Enae learns about hir new job. The Radchaai ambassador overseeing the search for the fugitive is Ambassador Seimet Mianaai, the emissary to the alien Presger and a distant relative of the Radchaai Emperor Anaander Mianaai. Enae’s mission is low priority because the Radch is currently embroiled in a civil war between two factions of the many-bodied emperor. During this war, the artificial intelligences that the Radch use to control their spaceships declared themselves a Significant Species and petitioned to join the Presger Treaty, an agreement that ensures that the Presger do not kill Significant Species, such as humans. A conclave is currently debating the AI issue, keeping Seimet busy. Given Seimet’s involvement, Enae assumes the fugitive is either Radchaai or a Presger Translator.

A few days later, Enae meets Caphing, Zemil’s cousin and Enae’s job supervisor. The two bond over coffee. Although nobody really cares if Enae solves the case, sie is diligent, so sie decides to travel to the Treaty Administration Facility, where the AI conclave is being held, in hopes of finding leads on the fugitive.

Reet visits his three adoptive parents, Mom, Nana, and Maman. He tells them about Mr. Nadkal. His parents are skeptical that Reet is Hikipi, and Reet is also unsure how to feel. Some historical sources say the Schans were benevolent leaders, while others say they were violent cannibals. Nana jokes that Reet must be a Schan after all; Mom admonishes Nana, who apologizes.

Later, Reet’s Mom tells him that he does not have to claim the Schan family if he does not want to. However, he might want a new family name, since Reet’s adoptive parents, the Hluid family, are Chirra, a marginalized ethnic group. Reet dismisses this possibility; he does not always feel like he belongs, but he knows the Hluids are his family. Mom tells Reet that he should try to get some answers from Mr. Nadkal’s group, the Siblings of Hikipu, but warns him not to get mixed up with the Hikipi if they want him to be some revolutionary leader.

As an Edge, Qven gets a name for the first time. Adult Translators visit the Edges but keep their distance, as juveniles are dangerous. One day, a Translator named Dlar tells Qven that they are doing well and are living up to their clade’s expectations. Edges will eventually match with each other or with an Adult. Qven’s Teacher tells them that Dlar is already thinking of matches for Qven. The Teacher assures Qven of an excellent match and warns that other Edges’ prospects may be less prestigious. The other Edges might be jealous and might try to “attach themselves to [Qven] in a way that would make it possible for them to share [Qven’s] prospects” (61). Qven does not fully understand what the Teacher means by this.

Qven wonders if matching will be like being eaten. Teachers say no, nor is it like sex. Once, Qven sees two Edges in the process of matching. They become a “big, pulsing mound of flesh, streaked and wrapped with blood vessels” (64). Qven is horrified. Another Edge, Tzam, tells Qven that Qven is destined to match with Translator Dlar. Tzam claims that this will keep Dlar alive for a few more centuries while for Qven, the experience will be akin to being eaten. Tzam proposes that they both try to escape.

Enae is on a passenger liner headed to the first stop on hir mission. Leisure is boring, but it is freeing not to worry about Grandmaman’s opinions and insults. When the ship makes its first stop, sie sends a message to Caphing with an update on hir progress, then books passage to Keroxane. Phen-controlled Keroxane has intense military security. On hir way to a meeting with the Deputy Envoy, Enae passes protestors lying in the road and then gets approached by a soldier. The soldier assumes Enae is speaking Hikipi, which is illegal, and arrests hir. Sie spends a day in a holding cell before the Deputy Envoy secures Enae’s release. The Deputy Envoy apologetically explains that the activists in the street were protesting a recent massacre of Hikipi people. Tensions are high because of the AI conclave: Many Hikipi believe the Presger are a Phenish hoax; they assume that the Presger Treaty is a way for the Phen to reify their control. Enae, who has seen images of human ships after Presger attacks, finds this hard to believe. Enae asks about the fugitive, and the Deputy Envoy says that Hikipi smugglers often come through Keroxane on their way to the Zeosen system. The fugitive could have done something similar. Enae decides to travel to Zeosen to learn more.

Reet attends a Siblings of Hikipu meeting, where he tries traditional Hikipi food and drink and learns the Hymn of Hikipu. The song is in Hikipi, which Reet does not understand, but he is intrigued when he translates the lyrics, which describe ripping people apart. A member of the group promises to get Reet a better job.

Reet starts learning Hikipi. He continues to attend and enjoy the meetings and finds that his violent urges have subsided. Mr. Nadkal eventually gets him a job as a Foreign Relations liaison for a visiting Hikipi singer. During their conversation, Reet learns that Mr. Nadkal does not believe that the Presger exist, which shocks him. Reet takes the job, which is better than his current work, even though he worries that his parents will come under scrutiny if he works for Foreign Affairs. That night, Reet wakes from a dream covered in thick, sticky sweat. He tells nobody.

Qven has more and more questions about the outside world. One day in a lesson, they are overwhelmed with the desire to lick the neck of another Edge. They realize, to their horror, that their body is ready to match. Just then, another Edge vomits white fluid and the Teacher sounds the alarm. The vomiting Edge is also ready to match but is further along in the process than Qven and can no longer hide the signs. During the chaos, Tzam leads Qven to a wall, where a door materializes. Qven is surprised that Tzam can open doors like this; usually, only adults can. Tzam leads Qven down a corridor and then asks for help. They put their hands on Qven’s neck and begin to lick and suck at their skin. Qven starts to sweat and tells Tzam to stop, but Tzam does not listen. Their skin starts to melt together, which is both pleasurable and terrifying. Unwilling to match, Qven finds a knife and stabs Tzam repeatedly. Tzam collapses, but their hand is still stuck to Qven’s neck. Teachers find Qven trying to cut Tzam’s hand off.