Necessary Evils

In which Zanith ven’Albren receives the fruits of his labours.

I remember being somewhat confused the first time I read “Necessary Evils”. It was after I’d read the Agent of Change sequence, but before I read any of the early prequel novels, so I had no context in which to understand this society. Were these people Liadens? There were some recognisable similarities, and yet so many differences. A lot of things fell into place when I got around to reading the Crystal duology.

I’ve read it three times now, and I’m still not sure what the title’s referring to.

4 thoughts on “Necessary Evils

  1. Late to the Party

    The Mothers of the Vine have an interesting correspondence to the three faces or incarnations of The Goddess, being Maiden, Mother and Crone, although none of them seem to be truly aged, but rather described in terms of some characteristics we associate with age. The Old One has gnarled, root-like fingers, and a raspy voice, but is also described as having a corded body with strong feet. And her kiss is just as intoxicating as that of Katauba, the middle sister. In fact, the impression we gain is that all three of these individuals have lived for some length of time – long enough for the culture of those living their human lives around them to change considerably, and even to forget them entirely.

    In addition, they don’t seem to have been created with the same kinds of limits – not to their intelligence, not to their freedom of movement or choices – the ceramic threads that enforce the masters’ will upon such as the kobolds, batchers and human slaves being missing entirely, nor even in the limits imposed by aging and death. Their only limitations are formed by the instincts and purposes that are ingrained in them, to tend the vines. In fact, when Seltin kneels in front of Pinori, Pinori accepts the obeisance as her due, and Pinori and Katauba later discuss the appropriateness of her humble and mannerly actions, thus showing proper respect. Once upon a time, we infer, these three were revered.

  2. Othin

    Compared to kobolds, batchers and slaves the Kapoori are not powerless with their influence over neural processes and their vines. Designet as specialized workers in a partnership and not slaves they pose a thread to and may turn against all who believe themselves to be masters with every right to order, abuse and withhold rather than allies in an agreement. Considering that the design of Kapoori probably predates the design of kobalds and batchers for several centuries this illustrates the shift in society and the resulting emphasis in design of custom biologics.

    Thus we have two evils – a society where the powerfull believe it necessary and rightfull to own, enslave and abuse other beeings (compare this to the Sheriekas) and secondly a designed sentient capable of defending itself in a rather horrifying manner.

  3. Ed8r

    My second time through, I was able to look beyond the horror-story plot resolution and instead watch for the internal hints about the Liaden Universe that the authors include in the short stories.

    Pinori. After her first conversation with Seltin, she finds that Katauba knows of this Zanith, and apparently has some inkling of his nature. Later, in a conversation among the three Kapoori, Katauba mentions that Pinori went with the senior seller on a trip to promote the House’s wines, some many seasons ago and then the Old One says it is why they designed her to look as they do. So apparently Pinori can actually pass for human, unlike the Kapoori we meet at the end of “Strings, Strands, and Vines,” whose description sounds more like the Old One. Could Sartony Tokai of House Tan Jevonese have been one of those earlier biologics who were fatally flawed, perhaps intentionally so (although that was never proven)?

    I note also that Katauba calls Seltin “Little Mother” when she wakes her to provide relief after Zanith’s torture and abuse, and “mother” is how she is referred to again several times. Did the Kapoori make her as they are? Certainly the ending implies that she has become a “Mother of the Vine.”

    The one loose end lies with Garad ven’Albren who sort of floats into the story and back out again without much affect on it one way or the other.

  4. Ed8r

    The third time through. I have a little more perspective on this story. Or rather this story has given me a better perspective on Dulsey’s situation in Crystal Soldier. Seltin is a natural-born human who was forced to sell herself because of debt, but the ceramic threads they both have embedded seem to be for the same purpose.

    Othin: while absolute control over batchers or humans is just another form of “absolute power corrupts absolutely,” at the same time, the story clues us in that perhaps this kind of control is itself a “necessary evil.” Apparently some of the original created biologics turned on their owners/masters with fatal results. We are given no suggestion that they turned because they were mistreated (although that’s certainly possible). So humans may have just thought to protect themselves from what they legitimately viewed as property . . . of course this idea takes us into a whole other philosophical discussion.

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