Is this a stand-alone story, or is one supposed to have prior knowledge of the characters? I felt kind of like I'd arrived at a party five minutes after the only person I knew had left; there were hints of motivation that dangled just out of reach that would have made both the conflict more palpable and the resolution more satisfying. It actually was more like reading a teaser than an actual story; it's not bad, I just wish that, if it's stand-alone, there was a bit more of the background, like why Deja is so touchy about being smart. I guess to a reader familiar with the universe, it would be a far more satisfying read.