"Well, thou'rt a golem," says Lev, uncertainly. "Alive, but nu. Made, not born nor hatched. And what I'd like to be called by thee depends on what thou prefer'st in turn." They're not getting annoyed yet, but Vika's reticence in this matter is certainly fouling up their usual scripts.

"So tell me," they say, looking at Vika very seriously. "Dost thou like being a woman?"