Episode 9

Credits
Written by: Paul Witcover

Cover Illustration by: Kathleen Jennings

Art Director: Charles Orr

Lead Writer: Ellen Kushner

Editor: Delia Sherman

Producers: Racheline Maltese and Julian Yap

Tremontaine original concept by Ellen Kushner

Synopsis
Annoyed by the noise in the rooms she shares with Rafe and his friends, and frustrated by the problems she keeps having with her calculations, Micah departs for the Ink Pot, taking her papers with her, as well as the turnips Rafe purchased from Reuben, as she hopes to remind him again to bring them to Tremontaine House.

As she walks outside, Micah considers the movement of people in the City and of music and of the mathematics of both. As she loses her train of thought, she starts to collide into people, dropping papers and turnips. Watching them fly through the air, Micah has an epiphany, knowing with certainty that the world is a sphere, not an ellipsoid, as Kaab claimed, and that Rafe's heliocentric theory is correct.

Realizing that this means that the Kinwiinik ships are in danger and only luck has prevented disaster thus far, Micah writes her proof on a butcher's window.

Rafe pays off his debts to Master Brooks, a bookseller, and realizes that he is both dissatisfied with his current position and in love with William. He finds Micah trying to convince a crowd to close the port. He pretends that Micah's actions are part of a student prank and gets her away from the crowd.

Micah gives Rafe the turnips and explains what she has figured out about the shape of the world and its implications for the Kinwiinik ships. Rafe is first excited about the implications for his own theories, then worried about the ships. However, he quickly realizes that the Kinwiinik ships are in no danger, for, as he explains to Micah, the Kinwiinik are well aware that the world is a sphere. He points out that the chart Kaab gave her came from Tess, who is a forger, and explains that Kaab lied to them.

Rafe looks forward to giving William the news, but he sees that Micah is upset. He tells her that Kaab is still their friend, but that she had to lie to protect her family and her people. Micah absorbs this information, and Rafe says that she needs to write her proof down on paper. He cautions her not to tell Kaab that they know the truth.

Unfortunately, Kaab joins them, having been sent away by Vincent, who ended their practice early because she was too distracted to focus properly. She accompanies Rafe and Micah to the Ink Pot.

There, she figures out that Rafe and Micah have learned the secrets of navigation. She spills drinks on Micah's papers, but Micah says that she can always write her calculations down again. Rafe takes some of the papers, putting them into the turnip sack, and leaves, relieved when Kaab goes with him so that Micah can get safely back to their rooms and write down her proofs.

Kaab tries to get to the papers under pretext of being curious about the turnips, but Rafe fends her off until he reaches his father's house. From there, he slips out and goes to Tremontaine House to talk to William, unaware that Kaab is following him.

Kaab returns home and tells Saabim and Chuleb of Rafe's and Micah's discovery of the secrets of navigation, although she leaves out her own role in this (as well as Tess's). While Chuleb thinks Kaab should have killed Rafe to protect the Kinwiinik secrets, even at the cost of her own life, Saabim points out that Kaab could not have prevented Rafe and Micah from splitting up, and one that happened, killing either of them would have been pointless. She praises Kaab for learning restraint.

Kaab tells them that Rafe did not tell his merchant father what he knows, but went to Tremontaine House. She considers this a better outcome for the Balam, as a merchant would have moved at once to use Rafe's knowledge, but Diane is more subtle than that. She intends to learn Diane's secret, the one that Ben was killed to protect, so that her family will have some leverage.

Diane watches Gregory in her bed, mentally writing a letter to Chuleb and looking forward to paying of the mortgage on Highcombe. She is beginning to tire of Gregory, but realizes that she still needs him.

After Gregory leaves, Diane considers Kaab and wonders what she knows and what she intends. Diane sends her letter to the Balam compound and waits for William to join her for dinner. He does not.

Timeline
It's been "weeks" since the Swan Ball in Episode 7. But, the turnips aren't yet too old to deliver to Tremontaine House, in Micah's opinion.

There's been a party in Rafe's room since the return of chocolate and Rafe passing his exams in Episode 8.

Micah leaves for the Ink Pot and has her breakthrough while Kaab is practicing with Vincent until he makes her stop for the day and Rafe is soul searching. Rafe has time to learn what Micah knows and figure out what it means before Kaab intercepts them. All three go to the Ink Pot.

Rafe leads Kaab to Fenton House while Micah returns to Rafe's rooms. From Fenton House, Rafe goes to Tremontaine House to tell William what he has learned. Kaab follows him, then returns to her family to warn them of what happened and to plan as best she can.

Gregory is with Diane, but leaves her before dinner. Diane writes to Chuleb and gives the letter to Lucinda to deliver, then goes down to dinner. She waits for William for some time before beginning without him.

Arc / Plot Points
Diane has secured her alliance with the Balam by making sure that the tax breaks on chocolate will go through.

Micah was originally sleeping under the table, but now sometimes sleeps on the chaise.T

She has reminded Rafe several times to bring the turnips he bought from Reuben to Tremontaine House. They travel at least as far as Fenton House this episode, but their fate after that is unknown.

Micah has a breakthrough and realizes that the world is a sphere, not an ellipsoid, and that it does indeed rotate around the sun.

She shares the information with Rafe, who realizes that Kaab knew all along.

Rafe explains to Micah that sometimes, one lies to protect those one loves. He realizes how high the financial stakes are, even though he lacks the cultural context to know what else is at stake.

Kaab realizes that Rafe and Micah now know the secrets of navigation, despite her best efforts. She cannot stop them from splitting up, so she goes to her family. However, while she tells Saabim and Chuleb about the problem, she leaves out her role in creating it.

Rafe went to William, not to his father, with the news.

This gives the Balam some room within which to maneuver, and Kaab intends to use it to learn Diane's secret. She has never really met William, even at the Swan Ball, and she may not yet realize that William is interested in scholarship in general and what that means for the Kinwiinik.

Diane has secured the reduction in the chocolate tax, but has not yet paid off the mortgage on Highcomb.

She is tiring of Gregory (though she seems to have mixed feelings), but does not intend to break off her affair with him while she still needs him.

Diane has prepared chocolate for Gregory, who does not like the Kinwiinik spices, but not for William.

Diane writes to Chuleb. She considers telling him about Kaab and Tess, but decides against it. She has heard rumor of the scandal around Kaab's disgrace, but knows nothing of the details.

Whatever secret Ben knew, the consequences of it being revealed are worse than bankruptcy for Diane.

Reynald is too familiar with Diane for her taste.

Reynald's instructions where Kaab is concerned are to watch and report, nothing more.

Luncinda summoned to see the letter to the Balaam is delivered "in the usual manner". What that is is not revealed. Reynald delivered the letter in Episode 8 via a boy on the street. Apparently, Diane isn't using him to deliver more letters to the Balam.

Diane believes that she is not jealous that Rafe has William's heart and mind, but she wants to be the one in control of his will.

Cultural and World Information
University students indulge in experimental drug use and student pranks, some of which involve setting a student strange tasks in order to join student clubs.

Some booksellers are used to students running up tabs, and hope that they will pay when they become masters. The booksellers may not expect quite such rapid repayment as Rafe gives Master Brooks.

The Ink Pot has mirrors behind the bar. We aren't told how common that is.

Miscellany
Episode Summaries

Tremontaine Home