Snippet #2757689

While Gardeners did a lot of practice to make a normal voice heard they often entirely missed vocal subtext upon hearing it. Their own language didn't support anything of the kind so any such notions often ended abruptly in their brain as rather alien things indeed. The lesser Matriarch was inquisitive which sounded right to Earthrend whom considered answers with slightly less irritation.

All of those off-world got a crash-course in anatomy and human-related issues so he knew most of her questions, "We're triploid, false matriarch, most humanoids are diploid so we breed with little in creation but our own Matriarchs. Our Matriarchs that have entered in the brood mother phase of their life all live on Sopitos."

He momentarily entertained proving the point but then remembered human customs, "I'm Male, yes. The Matriarchs all lay eggs on Sopitos. They will only tithe eggs to barren Gardener Matriarchs not offworlders. You could pay other Gardeners to serve as we are off-world to make money to fix Sopitos."

It limply waggled its digging arms in their sort of shrugging gesture, "I'm between jobs now so I will work for you if you pay but I need to stay on-planet so my Matriarch can come get my things. You can buy breeding rights from my Matriarch but you are too small to fit a High Shaper. The Matriarchs are very large and we are suitably equipped."