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ystems。 Indeed； it was said in Patashoqua that you knew a native of Yzordderrex because he looked like you did yesterday and believed what you'd believed the day before。 As with most cities in love with the modern； however； Patashoqua had deeply conservative roots。 Whereas Yzordderrex was a sinful city； notorious for the excesses of its darker Kesparates； the streets of Patashoqua were quiet after nightfall； its occupants in their own beds with their own spouses； plotting vogues。 This mingling of chic and conservatism was nowhere more apparent than in architecture。 Built as it was in a temperate region； unlike the semi…tropical Yzordderrex； the buildings did not have to be designed with any climatic extreme in mind。 They were either elegantly classical； and built to remain standing until Doomsday； or else functions of some current craze； and likely to be demolished within a week。
But it was on the borders of the city where the most extraordinary sights were to be seen； because it was here that a second； parasitical city had been created； peopled by inhabitants of the Four Dominions who had fled persecution and had looked to Patashoqua as a place where h'berty of thought and action were still possible。 How much longer this would remain the case was a debate that dominated every social gathering in the city。 The Autarch had moved against other towns； cities； and states which he and his councils judged hotbeds of revolutionary thought。 Some of those cities had been razed； others had e under Yzordderrexian edict and all sign of independent thought crushed。 The university city of Hezoir； for instance； had been reduced to rubble； the brains of its students literally scooped out of their skulls and heaped up in the streets。 In the Azzimulto the inhabitants of an entire province had been decimated； so rumor went； by a disease introduced into that region by the Autarch's representatives。 There were tales of atrocity from so many sources that people became almost blase about the newest horror； until； of course； somebody asked how long it would be until the Autarch turned his unforgiving eyes on the hive of hives。 Then their faces drained of color； and people talked in whispers of how they planned to escape or defend themselves if that day ever came； and they looked around at their exquisite city； built to stand until Doomsday； and wondered just how near that day was。
Though Pie 'oh' pah had briefly described the forces that haunted the In Ovo； Gentle had only the vaguest impression of the dark protean state between the Dominions； occupied as he was by a spectacle much closer to his heart； that of the change that overtook both travelers as their bodies were translated into the mon currency of passage。
Dizzied by lack of oxygen； he wasn't certain whether these were real phenomena or not。 Could bodies open like flowers； and the seeds of an essential self fly from them the way his mind told him they did？ And could those same bodies be remade at the other end of the journey； arriving whole despite the trauma they'd undergone？ So it seemed。 The world Pie had called the Fifth folded up before the travelers' eyes； and they went like transported dreams into another place entirely。 As soon as he saw the light； Gentle fell to his knees on the hard rock； drinking the air of this Dominion with gratitude。
〃Not bad at all；〃 he heard Pie say。 〃We did it； Gentle。 I didn't think we were going to make it for a moment； but we did it！〃
Gentle raised his head； as Pie pulled him to his feet by the strap that joined them。
〃Up！ Up！〃 the mystif said。 〃It's not good to start a journey on your knees。〃
It was a bright day here； Gentle saw； the sky above his head cloudless； and brilliant as the green…gold sheen of a peacock's tail。 There was neither sun nor moon in it； but the very air seemed lucid； and by it Gentle had his first true sight of Pie since they'd met in the fire。 Perhaps out of remembrance for those it had lost； the mystif was still wearing the clothes it had worn that night； scorched and bloodied though they were。 But it had washed the dirt from its face； and its skin gleamed in the clear light。
〃Good to see you；〃 Gentle said。
〃You too。〃
Pie started to untie the belt that bound them； while Gentle turned his gaze on the Dominion。 They were standing close to the summit of a hill； a quarter of a mile from the perimeters of a sprawling shantytown； from which a din of activity rose。 It spread beyond the foot of the hill and halfway across a flat and treeless plain of ocher earth； crossed by a thronged highway that led his eye to the domes and spires of a glittering city。
〃Patashoqua？〃 he said。
〃Where else？〃
〃You were accurate； then。〃
〃More than I dared hope。 The hill we're standing on is supposed to be the place where Hapexamendios first rested when He came through from the Fifth。 It's called the Mount of Upper Bayak。 Don't ask me why。〃
〃Is the city under siege？〃 Gentle said。
〃I don't think so。 The gates look open to me。〃
Gentle scanned the distant walls； and indeed the gates were open wide。 〃So who are all these people？ Refugees？〃
〃We'll ask in a while；〃 Pie said。
The knot had e undone。 Gentle rubbed his wrist； which was indented by the belt； staring down the hill as he did so。 Moving between the makeshift dwellings below he glimpsed forms of being that didn't much resemble humanity。 And； mingling freely with them； many who did。 It wouldn't be difficult to pass as a local； at least。
〃You're going to have to teach me； Pie；〃 he said。 〃I need to know who's who and what's what。 Do they speak English here？〃
〃It used to be quite a popular language；〃 Pie replied。 〃I can't believe it's fallen out of fashion。 But before we go any farther； I think you should know what you're traveling with。 The way people respond to me may confound you otherwise。〃
〃Tell me as we go；〃 Gentle said； eager to see the strangers below up close。
〃As you wish。〃 They began to descend。 〃I'm a mystif； my name's Pie 'oh' pah。 That much you know。 My gender you don't。〃
〃I've made a guess；〃 Gentle said。
〃Oh？〃 said Pie； smiling。 〃And what's your guess？〃
〃You're an androgyne。 Am I right？〃
〃That's part of it； certainly。〃
〃But you've got a talent for illusion。 I saw that in New York。〃
〃I don't like the word illusion。 It makes me a guiser； and I'm not that〃
〃What then？〃
〃In New York you wanted Judith； and that's what you saw。 It was your invention； not mine。〃
〃But you played along。〃
〃Because I wanted to be with you。〃
〃And are you playing along now？〃
〃I'm not deceiving you； if that's what you mean。 What you see is what I am； to you。〃
〃But to other people？〃
〃I may be something different。 A man sometimes。 A woman others。〃
〃Could you be white？〃
〃I might manage it for a moment or two。 But if I'd tried to e to your bed in daylight； you'd have known I wasn't Judith。 Or if you'd been in love with an eight…year…old； or a dog。 I couldn't have acmodated that； except。。；〃…the creature glanced around at him…〃。 。 。 under very particular circumstances。〃
Gentle wrestled with this notion； questions biological； philosophical； and libidinous filling his head。 He stopped walking for a moment and turned to Pi