Chapters 29-32 Summary

Bruno in 2070-73 picks up new songs in the Kitheri style, whose words the crew cannot understand. Elated at completing a simulated landing and return, Emilio listens to the sumptuously chanted Mozart and isolates a key word, "sohraa." The song may express joy at breaking free. Emilio gives linguistic reasons for supposing that the singers are Jana'ata children rather than Runa, refuses to credit Hlavin with liberating the Runa or to forgive him anything. When colleagues suggest that this would redeem his sufferings, Emilio replies that he had been only able to scream while being raped, not to preach about rights. Nico brings Emilio a prized Genoa salami and asks forgiveness for the beatings. They speculate about what they face on the ground. Nico cannot see how someone who makes such beautiful music can be bad. He kisses Emilio's hand, pledging...