Rasheeka is a young Khatta girl from Tizhar who was once a member of a noble family, but was sold into slavery when her family's fortunes collapsed. Now, she is a slave on a merchant ship called The Laughing Mercat, trained by an aging Eeee in the language (a variant of Olympian) of the isolationist people of Laos Enosi. They approach the territory of Sychi, and are confronted by two warships.