"Darius is the real expert," Indira admits.  "We've had dealings with the others.  Very tentative dealings, you understand.  We are still vulnerable.  Outnumbered.  We must act cautiously."<br/><br/>"Mother is working on that," Adnan nods solemnly.  "You may come home one day to find a new crop of younger siblings running about."<br/><br/>"Just so.  And there are protocols, to be sure, but almost anyone you meet will be seeking whatever advantage they can wring from you--even the knowledge that you exist may be of value to them.  I do not say this to frighten you, but to prepare you for the challenges we will face."<br/><br/>This, for the record, is one of the longest speeches any of you (save Zephyr) have ever heard from Indira.  And she keeps talking!<br/><br/>"It is their nature to plot, to scheme...to compete.  This is their greatest weakness, but it is also a source of strength.  Difficult as they would be to conquer, they would prove impossible to hold."