Tradedesk
In which Theo is not getting through to people.
I thought at first that the ChivinTrade guy’s repeated emphasis on there being no need for Theo to come down and get planet dust on her boots sounded like some kind of resentful prejudice against spacers, but the information that he’s afraid of something suggests other possibilities. It might be connected to the politics Theo was hoping there wasn’t going to be any of; Chustling is the planet with the procedural, rather than meteorological, landing restrictions.
Compared to the status report at the beginning of the book, when Win Ton first went into the Remastering Unit, there’s been improvement in most measures, with Neurological and Skeletal the same, and Dermal, Reproductive, and Urinary somewhat lower (which might be a sign that the Unit is currently focusing its efforts on the bits Win Ton needs to survive).
@Clarence dressing up for a date
I somehow missed this the first and second time. Nice detail. But Clarence in dress kilt and ruffled shirt – where did he get that kilt from? Ship stores? It certainly shows how much he still is connected to his home-world and the culture of the Gaelic Union, since it takes practice wearing one of those comfortably.
And it says quite another thing for ship stores to have a kilt – as well as Theo recognizing that item of clothing – at least knowing the proper name. The culture drift from this Gaelic Union must be quite influential – and for quite some time.
@Theo questioning the scout motive for trying to save Win Ton
That are quite some serious thoughts. I wonder if Theo is on to something there. Since Neogenesis we know Captain Ing Vie yos’Thadi’s has properly not even thought of this, but his first mate, Lieutenant Menolly vas’Anamac might have, and not only because she is a Healer.
And yep, one shudders to think of that kind of biological warfare – against a big number of people. But by now we are certain that the DoI wouldn’t think twice about it.
I don’t recall any mention of ship stores containing anything other than functional work clothes. When they stock up on ship supplies at Frenzel, there’s a mention of it including personal hygiene items for Clarence; he could have got spare clothes, too, although that might be risky when he didn’t have a chance to go off the ship for a fitting.
Theo recognizing the kilt might be something she learned in the Culture Club.
In, I think, The Gathering Edge, Bechimo is able to come up with first ship clothing and then security uniforms in sizes that were almost certainly not in stock in any ship stores.
It seems likely that there is a machine capable of producing clothing onboard.
On Othin’s other subject, we get a partial answer to why the Scouts went to such lengths for Win Ton in chapter 33, which gets more detailed coverage in The Gathering Edge.