Orange Tactics

 Is Saint Roley coming? asks Louisa.

That's the question, says Porntip.

What's the answer? asks Louisa.

He asked me to see how the land lies, says Porntip.

Like it always lies here, says Louisa. Rare fossil beds with soft tissue preservation.

I know that, says Porntip. But he wants to put something to you. Something personal.

He wants to drop his sainthood, says Arthur.

He does, says Porntip. How did you know?

It's been coming, says Arthur.

I didn't think you'd noticed, says Louisa.

Keeps asking questions, no one likes him, says Arthur. I'm just quoting Terence.

Is Terence the infant? asks Porntip. Where is he? 

Coming later, with friends, says Louisa. Why?

He's the one I'm to ask, says Porntip.

Good luck with that, says Louisa. Will you wait here or what?

I'll wait, says Porntip. Why don't we all look for fossils like that man.

She means Gaius. He is bending over some distance away, looking for fossils.

Not me, says Arthur. I'm thinking of leaving for the burnt regions.

You can't, says Louisa. Not yet. At least wait for Terence.

A brachiopod! shouts Gaius.

Really? says Porntip. Excuse me. I must go and see.

She picks her way over to Gaius.

Fascinating, says Gaius. I don't feel I should remove this. I'll just make a sketch, if I can lay my hands on a pencil...

What's that if it isn't a pencil? says Porntip.

What's what? asks Gaius.

That, says Porntip, pointing with her beak at a pencil protruding from Gaius's pocket.

A defunct pencil, says Gaius.

It looks fine to me, says Porntip. 

She draws it out. It's a good pencil. The one lent to him by Louisa.

Wonderful, says Gaius. He takes out his notebook, and starts sketching.

Porntip brings him more fossils. including some sceleritome-bearing chancelleria.

Meanwhile Louisa is trying to persuade Arthur not to leave early. 

She offers him an orange.

He takes it.