I am reading (in most cases, re-reading) all the works in the Liaden Universe of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. After each story, or each chapter of a longer work, I post a few thoughts about what I’ve just read. (Not necessarily a review, or any kind of attempt to sum up, just whatever comes to mind.)
You are welcomed to read along, and share any thoughts you have in the comments of each post.
A comment hearkening back to early in your rereading, from someone who’se just read the whole series of posts: I had thought Eleutherios was closer to the present-day timeline which you address in your phase 3, as it appears related to Necessity’s Child, mostly because those are the only two places where I remember the kompani playing a part. Now, this kompani may be as much a centuries-old tradition as the ‘gypsies’ they remind me of, but I didn’t get any clear clues that it might be set centuries ago.
I thought the hints of regression of cultures and falling apart of things seemed to indicate it might be contemporary with some of the trends happening in Shan’s and Theo’s time, when he goes out, and sends her out, to try and warn different worlds, and some have slipped away from the accepted wider culture and/or under the influence of the DoI enough to become dangerous.
The DoI was already starting in Jethri’s time, but it wasn’t nearly as powerful and influential yet, and the pervasive sense of breakdown even on remote planets which I got from Eleutherios seems too entrenched for that earlier time, when so many people were instead building up the contacts in the wider galaxy.
That’s just my impression, maybe I’m wrong?
You may well be right. As I said in my post about Eleutherios, my own placement of the story is just my own impression, and I’m not certain it’s correct. I don’t suppose we’ll know for sure unless the authors choose to make a definite statement.