The MargaretsSheri S. Tepper In fond memory of my friend of sixty-three years, LAMBERT J. LARSON, without whose encouragement I would never have written a word Contents What the Gardener Told Me Might Have Happened I Am Margaret/on Phobos I Am Wilvia I Am Margaret/on Mars I Am Margaret/on Earth Who Is Margaret? I Am Gretamara/on Chottem I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene I Am Naumi/on Thairy I Am Wilvia/on B’yurngrad I Am Gretamara/on Chottem I Am Margaret/on Earth I Am Naumi/on Thairy I Am Margaret/on Earth I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene I Am Gretamara/on Chottem I Am Naumi/on Thairy I Am Margaret/on Earth I Am M’urgi/on My Way to B’yurngrad I Am Mar-agern, Going to Fajnard I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene I Am Margaret/on Tercis I Am Wilvia/on B’yurngrad I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad I Am Mar-agern/on Fajnard I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad I Am Margaret/on Tercis I Am Margaret/on Tercis I Am Naumi, with Fernwold I Am Mar-agern/on Fajnard I Am Wilvia/on Hell I Am Gretamara/on Mars I Am Margaret, at a Birthday Party on Tercis I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad I Am Margaret/on Tercis I Am Margaret, with Hayraiders on Fajnard I Am M’urgi, with Fernwold on B’yurngrad I Am Margaret/on Fajnard I Am M’urgi, with Fernwold on B’yurngrad I Am Margaret/on Fajnard I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad I Am Gretamara/on Chottem I Am M’urgi/on B’yurngrad I Am Margaret and Mar-agern on Fajnard I Am Gretamara/on Chottem I Am Ongamar/on Cantardene I Am Gretamara and Ongamar/on Chottem We Margarets Assemble/on B’yurngrad I Am Gretamara/on Tercis I Am Naumi/on B’yurngrad We Margarets Walk About the Author Other Books by Sheri S. Tepper Copyright About the Publisher THE MARGARETS PLANETS LOCATIONS INHABITANTS OF MARS Human bases on Phobos and in Valles Marineris Margaret Bain Louise and Harry Bain, her parents Chili Mech, a technician EARTH The worldwide Urb, occupying the entire planet’s surface Dr. David Mackey, Margaret’s husband CHOTTEM (Human colony planet, partly occupied by the Gibbekot) Perepume, a continent occupied by the Gibbekot Manland, a continent partially settled by humans Within Manland: The city of Bray, a sea city Stentor d’Lorn, Founder and Tycoon Mariah d’Lornschilde, his daughter Von Goldereau d’Lornschilde, a cousin The village of Swylet The Gardener, a longtime resident Gretamara, [a Margaret] foster daughter of the Gardener Benjamin Finesilver, artist and dreamer, husband of Mariah Sophia, his daughter Grandma Bergamot, Grandfather Vinegar, and other herbal persons CANTARDENE (Mercan planet, occupied by the K’Famir) Om-Bak-Zandig-Shadup (Crossroads of the Worlds) freeport Bak-Zandig-g’Shadup (Street of Many Worlds) pleasure district Ongamar, [a Margaret] bondslave, seamstress Adille, a K’Famira, a pleasure-female, Ongamar’s owner Bargom, Adille’s patron Lady Ephedra, K’Famira, owner of House Mouselline Progzo, Adille’s father Draug B’lango, Adille’s clan leader The Hill of Beelshi (site of unspeakable rites) THAIRY (Human colony planet, also occupied by the Gibbekot) Town of Bright Naumi, [a Margaret] foster son of Rastarong Mr. Wyncamp, school manager Mr. Weathereye, elderly, odd personage with one eye various citizens and louts Fort Point Zibit (site of the academy) Captain Orley, commandant Sergeant Orson, in charge of first-year cadets Grangel, cadet and lout Jaker, Flek, Poul, Caspor and Ferni, cadets and Naumi’s friends TERCIS (Human colony planet, divided into “Walled-Offs”) Hostility (a Walled-Off ) Rueful (a Walled-Off ) Contrition City Repentance (a large town) Remorseful (a small town, site of the school, also a river) Deep Shameful (a hamlet) Crossroads (a village in The Valley) Grandma Mackey [a Margaret] Dr. Bryan Mackey, her husband Maybelle and Mayleen, Margaret’s daughters James Joseph Judson ( Jimmy Joe), Maybelle’s husband Til and Jeff, their twin sons Gloriana, their daughter Falija, Glory’s fosterling Billy Ray Judson, Mayleen’s husband Joe Bob and Billy Wayne (twin sons) Ella May and Janine Ruth (twin daughters) Benny Paul, son, twin died at birth Trish, daughter, twin died at birth Sue Elaine and Lou Ellen, twin daughters Orvie John, son, twin died at birth Little Emmaline, daughter, twin died at birth [At time of story, Billy Wayne has gone off to the army, Ella May has joined the Siblinghood of Silence, and Janine Ruth has moved to Contrition City.] Pastor Grievy Abe Johnson Bamber Joy, Abe’s foster son Others mentioned in passing FAJNARD (formerly Gentheran planet taken over by the Frossians) The Fastness—where Gentherans still live The Grasslands—occupied by The umox farm Medicines sans Limites. Volunteer doctors, human Frossians Mar-agern, [a Margaret] bondslave, herdswoman Umoxen, wool-bearing animals, or perhaps not Ghoss, humans, somewhat modified Deen-agern, a Ghoss Rei-agern, a Ghoss Various Frossian slave drivers and overlords Howkel and Mrs. Howkel, hayraiders Mirabel and Maniacal, two of their children Gizzardiles: inimical creatures HELL (distant, little-known planet with a tragic history) One buried Gentheran ship Wilvia [a Margaret] CRANESROOST (Human colony planet) EDEN (Human colony planet) B’YURNGRAD (Human colony planet) The prairies, temperate zone The Siblinghood The Tribes, former bondslaves of violent disposition Dark Runner, a tribal boy and man Wolf Mother, a shamaness M’urgi, [a Margaret] her apprentice Fernwold, M’urgi’s lover, a member of the Siblinghood The icelands, an area of severe winters B’Oag, an oasthouse keeper Ojlin, his son G’lil, a young woman rescued at the last moment Ogric, a worker AMBIGUOUS INDIVIDUALS OR THINGS OF VARIOUS OR UNCERTAIN LOCATION Ghyrm, a deadly parasite Mr. Weathereye Lady Badness The Gardener Dweller in Pain Flayed One-Drinker of Blood Whirling Cloud of Darkness-Eater of the Dead Sysarou, Gentheran Goddess of Abundance and Joy Ohanja, Gentheran God of Honor, Duty, and Kindness NONHUMAN RACES Baswoidin: ancient, secretive, superior Elos: Omniont race, graceful, sneery, arrogant Frossian: Mercan race, boneheaded, vaguely humanoid, malign Garrick: related to the Gentherans Gentherans: mysterious, beneficent Gibbekot: humanoid, furry, small Hrass: Omniont race, tapirlike, unassuming, dirty, cringing K’Famir: Mercan race, four-legged, four-armed, vicious K’Vasti: Mercan race, distantly related to K’Famir, less vicious Pthas: ancient, very wise, now presumed extinct or departed Quaatar: Mercan race, ancient, prideful, arrogant, vengeful Thongal: Mercans, hireling spies and killers Trajians: a very ancient itinerant race, famous as entertainers ORGANIZATIONS Siblinghood of Silence: a secret organization including humans and Gentherans ISTO: Interstellar Trade Organization. A regulatory organization of all races engaging in interstellar trade IGC: Intergalactic Court. The final arbiter in conflicts among races Mercan Combine: Confederation of vile races united by proximity, race, language, commerce Omniont Federation: Similar to the Mercan Combine, but less cutthroat and more concerned with ethics Dominion Central Authority: Oversight body set up by the Gentherans to represent off-Earth humans
