Crystal Dragon – Chapter 3

Light Wing
Doing the Math

In which is introduced Scholar Maelyn tay’Nordif.

(Because it would have been unkind to Tor An, however tempting, to call it “In which no one really wants to go to the Ringstars.”)

Tor An continues to be dogged by irony. A fabric-of-space problem, indeed.

I feel like I ought to say something about the advent of Maelyn tay’Nordif, which was a striking event the first time I read it. I’ve had enough time to get used to it since then, though, that nothing’s really coming to mind.

(If Cantra yos’Phelium is Daav yos’Phelium’s Grandma, is Maelyn tay’Nordif Jen Sar Kiladi’s?)

8 thoughts on “Crystal Dragon – Chapter 3

  1. H in W

    “If Cantra yos’Phelium is Daav yos’Phelium’s Grandma, is Maelyn tay’Nordif Jen Sar Kiladi’s?”

    Ha! I think that’s fair. 🙂

    I like the “fabric-of-space problem” excuse. Newbie programmers blame their woes on “compiler problems” in much the same way.

    Tor An can certainly be described as diligent. I guess no hint of disappearing planets has reached general knowledge? Maybe he just refuses to allow himself to think that?

  2. Paul A. Post author

    Back when Jela was learning about the problem, it was mentioned that not all of the places that had disappeared were inhabited, and those that were inhabited were somewhat out of the way. So perhaps until now the news hasn’t spread to the more significant parts of the galaxy. (The spread of the news might be slower because people have trouble believing it, though on the other hand there would also be people who’d consider “An entire solar system vanished overnight” to be too good a story not to pass around.)

    Add to that, Tor An’s been pulling extra shifts to get his licence, so it might be he hasn’t had time lately to keep caught up on what’s been occurring in the wide universe.

  3. Jelala Alone

    Cantra was afraid. Nicely portrayed. Loved how Tree took care of Cantra, so that she could safely transform into the Scholar, and how Tree tried to reassure.

    After eating Tree’s gift: “The last thing she felt before the change overtook her was a sensation of utter safety and respect, not at all unlike the sensation of being curled against Jela’s chest.”

  4. Ed8r

    Jelala Alone: could safely transform into the Scholar

    Yes, and I think…noting the concerns she expresses about transforming back into herself…that it’s really to prepare her brain to be able to “decondition” itself later.

    Regarding Tor An: I think it’s more likely that the military is involved in a vast coverup. They don’t want to acknowledge that the war is lost and the news can’t spread if there’s no one to spread it…and if even though they spread it, it just becomes more pilot lore and myth like Cantra’s world eater.

  5. Ed8r

    One point from this chapter that is never really explained is how Cantra already knows so much about Landomist? Could this have been one of her assignments while she was in training for Tanyalyre? I suggest training because somewhere didn’t she say that these constructs (like her) were designed to be purchased outright? In any case, she seems already to know all they need to know about Landomist, so I wondered if she might once have done a stint there as aelantaza before Garen rescued her.

  6. Skip

    I wondered about that, too. As an aelantaza, she is a scholar. So, she’d probably learn about the intellectual centers of the Galaxy.

  7. Ed8r

    Responding to self: It seems from memories that leak through Maelyn’s persona as it breaks down later that Cantra had previous unpleasant experience on Landomist…that Garen had died here, with Cantra required to identify her “mother’s” body.

    (more on this later)

  8. Dr. Dredd

    @ H in W

    Reminds me of the joke:
    “How many computer programmers does it take to change a lightbulb?”
    Answer: “None. It’s a hardware problem.”

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