Chapter Summary: Resources are allocated. Loose ends tucked in. Things started.
Chapter Word Count: 5,181
Transformed to her ascended form, Miranda entered the small hut at the edge of the clearing. It contained simple furnishings, a bed, a small table, and a wardrobe. She only briefly wondered who'd chosen them. Ixchel wouldn't have asked for anything of this sort. If she asked, she was sure it would have been either Andrea or Rachel, one of the two kind hearted women. It wasn't that the others were unthoughtful but they would never have asked for themselves and would have never thought anyone else needed anything better than a mattress to lay down on.
"Ixchel?" she called. She could sense the chaotic aura of the Goa'uld clanswoman nearby but preferred to announce her presence instead of suddenly appearing.
"Yes, Lady Miranda?" Ixchel said, slowly rising from her position on the floor next to the bed.
"The bed is there to be used," Miranda said. "I am sure it is much more comfortable than the floor."
"It is too soft," Ixchel said. "It reminds me of the bed I was forced to use by Lord Paxle. I cannot abide in it."
"Ah," Miranda said. Nodding to herself, she glided over to the bed, and transformed it into a simple pallet with a straw mattress. "This should be better," she said.
Ixchel cautiously sat down on the pallet. Nodding to herself, she said, "This is more appropriate. what can I do for the great Lady Miranda?"
"I have come to request your assistance in an important task," Miranda said. "In your memories, do you recall a member of the Clan called Romana?"
"She was a shy little thing," Ixchel said, smiling faintly. "Her mother had been friends with a strange traveler with a name even our most skilled bard could not pronounce. She insisted on being called the shorter Romana. I would have wanted to watch her grow up, she had potential to become a wonderful member of the Clan. The Goa'uld killed them both when they conquered our lands and forced me into servitude."
"The Clan of this place also has someone of that name," Miranda said. "I believe she would benefit from your presence."
"And her mother?" Ixchel asked, a hopeful tone in her voice.
"This Clan's Romana spent a long number of cycles in stasis, after her mother's death. She is still grieving. She is also heartsick following the destruction of her Clan leadership when she tried to save her mother," Miranda said, giving her an abbreviated summary. "She blames herself for failing."
"There is more to this tale," Ixchel said, frowning. "There are no lies in your voice but you are not telling me everything."
"No," Miranda said. "Some of her tale must come from her, though she sees it in a much worse light than the Clan."
"I would come with you to hear this tale," Ixchel said. "But I am bound here."
"I have permission from the Clan Council to take you with me," Miranda said. "You are not a prisoner of the Clan. They are merely concerned about you."
"Then free me from this place to visit this Romana," Ixchel said.
"Place your hand here," Miranda said, holding out her own hand. "She is in a place you may call limbo."
Ixchel placed her hand in Miranda's. There was a brief disorienting flash of light and change in gravity and they appeared in front of the steps.
"Miranda? You have returned. And who is that with you?"
"This is someone I would like you to meet," Miranda said. "This is Ixchel, a former warrior of one of the Clans, from another place."
"How can this be?" Romana said, staring at Ixchel. "She looks remarkably like my mother's beloved of the same name. That is not possible. We buried her on the Moons of Starlight following the Battle of Forbearance."
"I remember the Battle of Forbearance, but in my world I did not die," Ixchel said. "It was a hard fought battle with many losses but there were worse things to come."
Romana gestured for them to sit. "What happened to your Clan?"
"We were conquered by creatures known as the Goa'uld," Ixchel said. "They possessed our leaders and stole us from our homes. We were able to prevent them from taking our tech, but they tortured us relentlessly."
"And you were one of these leaders," Romana said.
"Yes, to my shame. I was forced to watch the destruction of our Clan over many cycles. Until I was rescued by the Lady Miranda and her consort, the Lady Andrea. They brought myself back to their world, where I await the judgement of the Clan Council for my sins," Ixchel said.
"But you were possessed," Romana said. "Why are you guilty of those crimes?"
"I should have resisted. I should have died before allowing the destruction of my Clan. But that past cannot be changed," Ixchel said. "And now I have the memories of one of these Goa'uld in my head and have outlived them all."
"You were possessed," Romana repeated. "I, however attempted to make a deal with the Red Pirates, hoping to use the conflict to bring my Clan together and save my Mother. It did not go as I planned. The Red Pirates destroyed the Clan, killing the Council, including my mother."
"But they have not condemned you for this," Ixchel said. "They had not executed you for such a traitorous act."
"This Clan's Council is not a tradition bound one," Miranda told them. "They come from a very different place. They know Clan traditions but grew up in a different culture. Expecting them to act like one of the old Clan Councils would be a mistake."
"They are not happy with me," Romana said. "The Hands and Air of the Council would rather I were put into stasis forever."
"They are warriors," Miranda said. "They may understand weakness but are not always sympathetic. But their bonded even them out and provide balance."
"The Weaver is also different," Romana said. "She is a true Weaver, able to commune with our gods."
"She has requested that both of you be given a place now, in the Clan," Miranda told them. "What place that may be is currently being debated."
"And what is your role in this, Lady Miranda," Ixchel asked.
"I am merely an observer," Miranda said. "Although my daughters are members of Lady Shadow's birth Clan, I have no stake in your place in the Clan."
"And your beloved is one of the Winter Folk," Romana said. "When are you bringing her here to meet us?"
"Lady Andrea is a Furling?" Ixchel said, turning towards Miranda. "The Goa'uld were terrified of them, though none remembers ever meeting them face to face. They were fierce warriors according to the tales. Your Lady does not seem like one."
"Threaten her family and she becomes unstoppable in our defence," Miranda said. "But we are neutral in this matter. We support the Serpent Clan in its fight against the ancient Clan Foe. This is our world, after all."
"What of us?" Ixchel said. "Will we be allowed to fight for this world, this clan?"
"I do not see them turning you down," Miranda said, "once they believe you are ready."
"How goes the Grand Plan," Santana asked, slipping into Brittany's office in the Clan base in the asteroids.
"What brings you here?" Brittany asked, rising from her chair. With a wide grin, she tackled Santana, placing her in a tight hug.
"I can't drop in on my favorite person?" Santana asked. "I was in the neighborhood and saw you were alone, so I came by."
"You are so much like Sophia," Brittany said. "You'll use the comms but prefer person to person meetings."
"No, I'm not anything like my cousin," Santana said, protesting. "But occasionally I do like to get a Brit hug."
"You're heading back to the Ring," Brittany said, raising an eyebrow. "There wasn't anything there."
"We never looked for the control center," Santana said. "As soon as you found Rach and me, we headed home. What if there is something valuable there? Something we can use to defeat the Bugs?"
"Who are you taking?"
"Q is giving me Black Team, but can't come herself. Rachel is lending me two of her best apprentices. And I was hoping to get one of your Shadow teams for this," Santana said.
"I can give you the appropriately trained team," Brittany said. "I know just the two."
"Thanks, babe," Santana said. "We leave tomorrow. I'd ask you to join us but I know you're busy."
"The first stage of the Overwatch project is almost complete," Brittany said. "Once it's up we will have advanced warning when the Bugs reach this sector. But I need to oversee the last stage."
"I'm sure it will be a great finish," Santana said. "And free up some of my ships from the long range patrols they are currently are on."
"Efficiency is always helpful," Brittany said. "How are the crews coming?"
"Good," Santana said. "You've seen the reports. We should reach full complement in another generation from the pods."
"Good. Quinn is also almost at full troop levels. Just in time," Brittany said. "The Bugs are expected to pass through the Blue Clan sector through the next cycle."
"It's getting close," Santana said. "I can't say I'm looking forward to the war reaching us."
"It's mainly skirmishes along their far border so far," Brittany said. "Artie keeps me updated on the status of the other Clans."
"So, it's going well? For the others?" Santana asked. "It feels like we are on our own out here on the edge of the Confederation."
"Just a holding action," Brittany said. "The Bugs are bouncing off of the other Clans like ping-pong. They are being driven towards our sector."
"That's not friendly," Santana said. "Why?"
"Least damage to the Confederation if the final battle with the Bugs is here," Brittany said.
"So, will we get any help?" Santana said, frowning. "If they're driving them in our direction a little assistance would be helpful."
"The other Clans will get here long after the Bugs," Brittany said. "The Bugs are just moving faster than they can keep up."
"So we're on our own like we thought," Santana said. "Sucks to be us, I guess."
"If we defeat the Bugs, and don't just chase them out of this sector, we'll be in a better bargaining position with the Council of Clans," Brittany said.
"But we have to survive first," Santana said. "What else do you have for me?"
"All of the intel on the ring world has been transfer to your cruiser," Brittany said. "And orders cut for the Shadow team. They have several experimental scanners that should be useful for this trip."
"So, Santana is off on a great adventure?" Rachel asked, speaking over the leadership comm. "When will she be back?"
"She has two months," Brittany said. "Any longer and we'll be pushing against the timeline for final prep for the Bugs. They were sighted in Blue Clan territory, headed this way."
"But we'll be ready for them?" Rachel said. "There's time for Santana to do this?"
"If she finds something we can use against the Bugs, then we will be able to defeat them. Otherwise it might be close, with heavy casualties," Brittany said.
"You don't think we can defeat the Bugs?" Rachel asked, hesitation in her voice.
"Yes, of course," Brittany said, "but I'd like to have a better chance of the Clan surviving. Right now it will take all of our resources to fight them, based on the reports from the other Clans."
"Oh," Rachel said. "What can I do to help?"
"What you are doing now," Brittany said. "Support Quinn. Support the efforts of Andy and her crews. Keep up morale. Do what a good Memory does, prepare her people for a hard fight. Much as Sophia is doing."
"We will need Mother, Romana, won't we?" Rachel said.
"We might, though I'm hoping to do this without her," Brittany said. "She's too unpredictable, even after the work Miranda has done with her."
"But she and Ixchel make a formidable team, I thought you said," Rachel said. "Wouldn't having them out there be a good thing?"
"Give them a ship and point them at the Bugs?" Brittany said. "It isn't that simple."
"Why not?" Rachel asked.
"It's a matter of perception," Brittany said. "I can't forecast their success with a hundred percent reliability. My models fall apart with them."
"What are you going to do?" Rachel asked.
"When Santana comes back, we'll let her find a place for the pair, but first, exposure to Quinn and her operation will give us a better idea of their talents, than we already have seen."
"Does Quinn know you are giving her the pair?" Rachel said. "She prefers to make her own decisions about troopers and teams."
"She owes me one," Brittany said. "More than one, actually. She'll go along with this for now."
"We all owe you something," Rachel said. "Do you want me to tell her?"
"I'll handle it," Britany said. "No reason to put you in the middle."
"You're a good friend and Shadow," Rachel said, giving her an exaggerated bow.
"I know, right?" Brittany said, giggling.
"You want me to what?" Quinn said, grimacing, and not quite shouting.
"Make use of Mother, and Ixchel," Brittany said.
"Both of them? Why? And how?" Quinn said. "It would be hard enough to fit one of them into my trooper teams. Romana has no experience with our battle tech and Ixchel can't wear our current hard suits, because of the Goa'uld merger."
"So, don't put them in hard suits," Brittany said. "They have talents. Put them to use."
"What's the reason?" Quinn asked.
"We know they would be a valuable addition to our defenses against the Bugs," Brittany said. "They make a good team. But how we'll be able to use them when the time comes is still unclear."
"And you want me to find out? Why me?" Quinn asked.
"Because you bring out the best in your people and you have a good eye for finding the talents of those who work for you," Brittany said. "Partly because you are the Hand of the Council and partly because of the things you learned from Coach."
"You know I don't believe any of that Council psychic crap, right"? Quinn said.
"Sophia has something, and Romana has her own psychic gifts," Brittany said. "Whether it is something they had before or it's part of their position on the Council isn't clear."
"So, take them, figure out how to use them, and then what?" Quinn asked.
"Pass them on to Santana for further tempering," Brittany said.
"Huh, so I don't have to keep them?" Quinn said.
"Nope," Brittany said. "Once you figure them out, Santana gets to use them. As you said, they really aren't what you look for or need in troopers."
"What if I want to keep them?" Quinn said.
"You won't," Brittany said. "They won't clash but they just won't fit properly."
"Then why even send them to me?" Quinn asked.
"It's necessary," Brittany said. "I can't explain, really. Just that they will be better after you have worked with them."
"One of your Shadow model things?" Quinn asked.
"Yes," Brittany said. "The model says we'll survive the Bugs, but when I add them as a team, we'll have the potential to soundly defeat the Bugs. It certainly isn't a sure thing, otherwise we wouldn't be taking all of these chances, but it improves our odds."
"You're the modeler," Quinn says. "Any ideas on how I can make use of a former Goa'uld and an untrained Mother? Does your model say?"
"No," Britany said. "If I knew what to do with them, I'd tell you. I just know that something about spending time with you and your troopers will benefit them and us."
"Okay," Quinn said, sighing. "I'll take them. No idea what to do with them but I'll take them."
"I knew you would," Brittany said, winking at her.
"What's the deal, Boss," Pin said, joining Quinn outside Brittany's office. "What impossible thing does Lady Shadow want us to do now?"
"Funny you should say that," Quinn said. "She's lending us two non-troopers. Wants us to turn them into something."
"Into troopers? The best place to start is in the training Pods. And years of training in the arts," Pin said.
"We don't have that kind of time," Quinn said. "And these are special."
"How special?" Pin asked. "Special like Lady Andrea? Special like Lady Sylvester?"
"Special in a whole new way," Quinn said. "The Lady Romana and her partner Ixchel."
"She wants us to turn Mother and her friend into troopers? Is that possible or even advisable?" Pin asked.
"No," Quinn said. "Ixchel cannot wear a hard suit and we don't have the time to outfit Mother with one. The Bugs would be crawling all over us before it and she was ready."
"If not troopers? Then what?" Pin asked, clearly puzzled.
"That was my question," Quinn said. "Got Lady Shadow's usual answer when you don't understand her reason to do something."
"The Model says so, so do it?" Pin said.
"Yes," Quinn said, sighing. "We can't turn them into troopers but we have to do something with them 'because the model says so'."
"I hate when that happens," Pin said. "It's like some special Shadow model magic."
"And this time the magic doesn't even know what to do," Quinn said. "Do something, is all it's telling us to do."
"We can't pass them on to someone else?" Pin asked. "Maybe Lady Black could do something with them. She's good at innovating."
"Lady Black is busy convincing the Chinese to cooperate on their plans for a moon base," Quinn said. "Even I know that's never going to happen," Pin said. "How about Lady Sylvester. She's good at scaring troopers and making them behave. All of her teams used to be bad troopers, the fuck-ups. She knows how to turn those kinds of troopers into useful Clan."
"No, Lady Air is scheduled to get them when she gets back from the ring planet," Quinn said. "But we have to fix them before that happens."
"I'm sure she'll appreciate our efforts," Pin said sarcastically. "When do we get them? And how do you want us to treat them?"
"With respect," Quinn said. "It is Mother after all, or she will be at some point. But they don't know anything about how we work so that should be the first step."
"So, basic familiarity course we give someone who won't become a trooper?" Pin said.
"That'll do it," Quinn said. "Since we aren't sure where to put them, at least make sure they know as much about how a hard suit based troop works as you can."
"As you wish, Boss," Pin said, smirking.
"Do I look like a Buttercup to you?" Quinn said, growling at her XO.
"More like Wesley," Pin said, ducking.
"Good one," Pip said, laughing, as she and Squeak joined them. "I could see you as the Dread Pirate Roberts, Boss," she added.
"We aren't pirates," Quinn said, firmly. "And don't even think about it."
"Not even a pirate flag in the team lounge?" Squeak asked. "I know just the place for it."
"No," Quinn said. "Not even a pirate accent."
"I bet Lady Air would let us do that," Pip said, pouting. "She would get the joke."
"Only if Lady Shadow approved," Squeak said, pointing behind her at Brittany standing in the door to her office. "Right, Lady Shadow?"
"Piracy has its pluses," Brittany said, winking at Quinn. "You never have to deal with post-battle cleanup and reports, and there's always booty."
"And the excitement. They get to go on raids," Pip said. "And swashbuckling."
"We aren't pirates," Quinn said again. "We have goals, and standards."
"And swashbuckling?" Pip asked. "Can we do that anyway?"
"We'll see," Brittany said. "A little flair won't hurt."
"Don't give them ideas," Quinn said. "Send Romana and Ixchel to me."
"Of course," Brittany said. "Expect them shortly." Turning she went back into her office, leaving Quinn with her handmaidens and XO.
"Perfect," Quinn said, grumbling to herself, ignoring the laugh of Brittany in her command comm.
"Time to go Boss?" Pin asked. "We have that troop review on Mars tonight."
"Yes, of course," Quinn said.
With a low hum, the shuttle settled down outside the main gate. There was silence for several minutes, and then the hatch silently opened. A head poked out and glanced around. "Romana, come look at this," she shouted.
"This is not what I expected," she said, looking back into the shuttle. "It looks like something from my dreams." She waved at the large white edifice in the jungle.
"It is the rebuilt city of the Temple of the Serpent Cult," Romana said, joining her at the hatch. "The Clan Council has made its headquarters here since coming to this place."
"Is this where we find our redemption?" Ixchel said, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Or our death?"
"The Lady of the Shadows has promised us a suitable fate," Romana said, leaning back into her.
"Go on, don't be shy, Lady Romana, Lady Ixchel," a voice from inside the shuttle said. "You're expected."
Nodding, Romana stepped out of the shuttle, carrying a small bag. Ixchel followed her and they headed towards the main gate guarded by two hard suit wearing figures.
"We are here to see the Lady of the Hands," Ixchel said, when they reached the gate. The figures didn't reply but gestured towards the opening gate. The two women entered, and stopped. Another hard suited figure stood in front of them blocking the way.
"I'm Pip," the figure said, her voice echoing in the courtyard. "The Boss wants to see you."
"The Boss? Who's the Boss?" Ixchel asked.
"The Boss? Officially she's known as the Hands of the Council of the Clan of the Serpent, or Lady Hands," Pip said. "I am one of her Hand Maidens, so to speak."
"The War Leader of the Clan of the Serpent," Romana said. "We are meeting with her."
"Yes," Pip said. "I'm taking you to her now." She turned and headed deeper into the city. They hurried to follow.
"Here they are, Boss," Pip said, stopping in the door to Quinn's office in the city. "They wanted to see you."
"So, no side trips?" Squeak said, from her position behind Quinn. "I would have shown them around a bit before coming here. We have some interesting things here."
"That's why the boss sent me," Pip said. "I follow directions."
"I follow directions too," Squeak said. "Right, Boss?"
"I haven't fired you yet," Quinn said, leaning back in her chair. "Does that answer your question?"
'You're an old softy," Pip said. "I would have fired her ages ago."
"I'm good in a tight spot," Squeak said. "And the Boss can't fire me, only the Council can do that."
"I can reassign my Handmaidens to a nice cold post on Pluto or Antartica," Quinn said. "You'd still work for me but not be here." "But you won't," Pip said, "because she's going to stop talking."
"Yeah, what she said!" Squeak said. "I'm going to… wait!"
"Hush!" Pip said, waving at her.
"We're here to see you," Ixchel said, sounding confused, "Lady Hands."
"Yes," Quinn said. "Come in."
"Lady Shadow sent us," Romana said.
"And she neglected to tell you why?" Quinn said.
"Yes," Ixchel said. "She gave us no instructions other than to see you as soon as possible."
"She was a bit vague on this end also," Quinn said. "She's lent you to us for experience with Clan troops."
"Your armor does not resemble what Clan troops wore in my world," Ixchel said. "I have no experience with it."
"And it is much more advanced than any I'm familiar with," Romana said. "Will we be given training in its use?"
"Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of time for you to learn to wear our combat hard suits," Quinn said, "Lady Romana. And Ixchel, your Goa'uld possession would not react well with the tech used in our hard suits."
"Then, why are we here?" Romana said. "How can we gain experience if we cannot participate?"
"We'll think of something," Quinn said. "Pip will take you to your rooms. I'll see the two of you in the morning. We should have some idea then of what you'll do while you are here."
"Room?" Romana said. "We can share."
"That is acceptable," Quinn said, nodding. "Pip, make sure to show them were the canteen is."
"Yes, Boss," Pip said. Gesturing at Romana and Ixchel, she led them out of Quinn's office.
"What are you going to do with them, Boss?" Squeak asked. "You can't stick them with any of the teams if they can't wear hard suits. And why did you tell them it would take too long to learn to use them?"
"How long have you been wearing a hard suit?" Quinn asked her.
"We started wearing them when we were teens," Squeak said. "So, ten years?"
"And how long before you could work with a troop?"
"We started learning maneuvers after a couple years. But we were doing other things. So, it takes a couple years to be comfortable in a hard suit in combat," Squeak said. "But I've seen latecomers learn the basics in three months. Longer for actual combat training."
"Yes," Quinn said. "We could stick them in the learning pods and they'd be able to go out with a troop in three months real time but they'd be a danger to everyone, including themselves."
"So what are you going to do with them?" Squeak said.
"We'll think of something," Quinn said. "We don't normally take observers along."
"These troopers eat well," Ixchel said, setting her tray down next to Romana. "We never had it this good."
"The Clan believes in treating its' people well," Romana said. "Well fed people fight better, train better, believe better."
"Also, our troopers are Clan also," Quinn said, joining them. "All Clan are treated equally."
"The Clan of my day believed the same thing but it wasn't always acted upon," said Romana. "The troopers were the first to go hungry in lean times. They remained loyal because they were Clan but they were not always well treated."
"The troopers are our people," Quinn said. "Just like those in the fleet and other Serpent Clan. If we don't treat them well, we should not lead them."
"And we're all related," Pin said, sitting down next to Quinn. "All of the new Clan are related in some way to the Serpent Council."
"Related how?" Romana said. Ixchel frowned.
"Distantly related," Quinn said. "The rejoined Clan are much more distantly related."
"It's said, that when the Confederation came to the Four, there were no Clan other than the Lost. The Confederation created the new Clan from the Four. Hence, all related."
"It's not that simple," Quinn said. "But we do see the entire Clan as family, and you don't mistreat family. It is not honorable."
"They lead us well," Pin said. "We would follow them to the end of the universe because they've earned it. Even the Cultists."
"The Cultists?" Ixchel said. "I have met the Weaver, and Lady Miranda. They do not seem to believe in false gods."
"The Cultists are of no import," Quinn said.
"The Cult of Nine are members of the Clan who believe the Council are divine," Pin said, ignoring Quinn's glare. "Some of them find it embarrassing."
"We are not divine," Quinn said. "They merely misunderstand what it means to be on the Council. It comes with certain responsibilities and changes. You may have noticed that your Council lived an exceedingly long time compared to others in the Clan."
"Yes," Romana said. "But that is because the Council members are given enhanced tech as part of joining the Council. It is not a sign of divinity but of purpose."
"The Cultists don't care," Pin said. "The Four are special."
"But that doesn't matter," Quinn said again. "You aren't here to argue about the Council, but to learn from us."
"I am learning much," Ixchel said. "You are the embodiment of the ideals of your Clan. They are in good hands, the Hands of the Clan."
"But what are we here for?" Romana said.
"We can't put you in the field but you can observe," said Quinn. "And participate in other ways."
"Such as?" Romana said.
"The Shadow believes you would benefit from seeing how we plan and put teams into the field. And more about hard suit tech," Quinn said. "Some hands-on exposure."
Pin nodded. "Troopers are not just warriors in mobile armor. There is a lot that makes them the terror that they are."
"I shall be saying this too often, I suspect," Romana said, laying down next to Ixchel. "But life was very different during my Clan days. I much prefer this new Serpent Clan. All Clan are equal outside of roles and responsibilities. Yes, the Council holds much power, but they do not rule with the iron fist my mother and her Council did."
Ixchel turned towards her. "So they are better, then."
"It remains to be seen if they are better in the field of battle but in all other ways they exceed," Romana said.
"So, no regrets?" Ixchel said. "No desire to go back?"
"I will always have regrets, Ixchel," she said. "I caused the destruction of my Clan. My heart aches with the knowledge that I was the cause of so much death. But this is a worthy successor Clan and I will do all I can to help them succeed. Not just against the ancient enemy but in building a Clan we will all be proud to be members of."
"I see. My clan really does not compare," Ixchel said. "It was destroyed by a stealthy enemy. Our only victory was keeping our tech from them. I too wish to see how this will turn out. But I hope to play a bigger part than watching others fight. I am a trained warrior, though this new hard suit tech is beyond anything in my experience, and I would like to prove my worth."
"We shall go on this great adventure into the future together," said Romana. "You fill a void in my heart I did not know I had."
Ixchel kissed her forehead. "I am not that famous warrior of your childhood," Ixchel warned. "In my world, your mother was not my bonded companion. I will not willingly play parent for you."
"I would not ask that of you," Romana said. "The Ixchel of my childhood was a different person. You share names and Clan but are free from her past."
"Good," Ixchel said. "If we are to be partners, we must know where our hearts lie."