Skyblaze

In which Vertu dea’San decides that somebody ought to do something.

This story is, among other things, a valuable reminder that while Korval were happy enough to be thrown off Liad for their part in the Battle of Solcintra, there are others served similarly for whom it might not be so pleasant.

Reading a story featuring “galan’ranubiet” (Treasure of the House) and “galandaria” (compatriot), I find myself wondering after the meaning of “yos’Galan”.

I said a few days ago I was going to have something more to say about taxis. The bulk of this story takes place at a time when there’s only one licensed taxi driver in Surebleak Port City, and even at the end of the story the number has only grown to three, with some consideration being given to a fourth. That sets it before the climactic sequence of Necessity’s Child, which contains at least three active taxis and likely more.

(So why have I scheduled it after? We’ll come back to that.)

Now let us consider the other major indicator of when it’s set: the passing of the seasons. The main section of the story takes place in local winter, at some point after Korval came to settle on Surebleak, with the last section taking place early in the following spring. That’s straightforward enough.

Now we have two choices:

Ghost Ship tells us that Korval settled on Surebleak before winter turned to spring, that Theo’s visit occurred during late spring (this point is made on multiple occasions), and that the event which kicks off the plot of Necessity’s Child occurred a few weeks before the onset of summer. This seems to fit: Vertu arrives during Korval’s first winter, joins Jemie in the taxi business, and they spend the spring building up the business to a point that will account for the flock of taxis bringing people to the new school when it opens in early summer. The bit near the end of this story, with Vertu and Jemie in early spring considering diversifying into the ground-courier business, meshes nicely with Jemie’s cameo in Ghost Ship, in late spring, delivering a courier message.

However. Necessity’s Child itself claims to begin in late winter, which would put the school opening in early spring, and allow little if any time for the building of the taxi fleet.

After due consideration, I have decided I prefer the timeline suggested by Ghost Ship, and not just because it’s more insistent about it. (Ghost Ship, as I said, mentions the season repeatedly, while the beginning of Necessity’s Child does so only once – and, for that matter, the school opening scene has a mention of how warm the day is, which might be taken to mean that even the end of Necessity’s Child disagrees with the beginning about what time of year it is.)

There are still a couple of more short stories and a novel set on Surebleak which I haven’t read yet because they all came out after I began the re-read; I’ll be interested to see when they claim to be set.

(When I was scheduling the re-read, the one detail I remembered from all this confusion was that Ghost Ship was set in spring, but I forgot that it said Korval had been there since winter, so I thought Vertu’s first winter on Surebleak must be after both Ghost Ship and Necessity’s Child, and scheduled “Skyblaze” accordingly. If I were doing it now, I would definitely put “Skyblaze” before Necessity’s Child.)


Tomorrow: “Roving Gambler”, one of those stories set on Surebleak that I haven’t read yet.

18 thoughts on “Skyblaze

  1. Jami

    I have also wondered about ‘yos’Galan, so seeing your comment, I decided something ought to be done about it. (Vertu would be pleased.) A coincidence, do you think, that the common element in these words (Gal) denotes Tree or Leaf?

    From Tolkien dictionary:
    Galadrim S; Tree People; alda tree, S galadh [Sil]; rim great number, host [Sil]; Elves of Lórien
    Galathilion S; the White Tree of the Eldar, lesser cousin of the Silver Tree of Valinor – Telperion
    galenas S; bright (green) leaf; kal- (gal-) shine, S calen (galen) green [Sil]; LAS¹- leaf [Etym]; CS –
    pipeweed; a plant with an aromatic flower that became the equivalent in Middle Earth of tobacco

    As for dating the books, Skyblaze, Ghost Ship, and Necessity’s Child is a puzzler. When Lord of the Dance was published, it was totally confusing. I think the authors flubbed up with the seasons. I have come to the conclusion that they don’t always tend closely to small details.

    Necessity’s Child (NC) may SAY it begins in winter, but one of the earliest events is Syl Vor helping Yulie Shaper plant seedlings in the ground (not in his growing rooms). NC’s epilogue marks the birth of Talizea (Syl Vor goes to “make the acquaintance of his new cousin Talizea”). Val Con returning home from Vandar just in time for her birth dovetails with the Ghost Ship birth scene. Val Con coincidentally also arrives in time to adopt Rys as brother.

    Keep in mind that Vertu says she has been on Surebleak for 70 days already before Skyblaze begins. That’s how baker Granita knew what she drank, and she had her own cup. Vertu was already a regular at Brickoff Flourpower and she already knew The Hooper. So…she arrived two months before winter — and Granita says it really isn’t winter yet (just getting started) — so Vertu arrived in summer. (But if she arrived in summer, then she arrived 6 months after Korval arrived, so baby Talizia would already be born (placing Skyblaze before Ghost Ship and NC)

    If indeed a whole year has passed, then Talizea needs to be a toddler by Dragon in Exile. She should be walking and talking, baby style.

    Ghost Ship. If Korval arrived in winter, and Theo came in spring…the baby MUST have been born shortly after, in the summer. Miri got preggies on Lytaxin. Then off to Liad. Then the clan used 141 of their 144 days to pack up and move. (Subtracted the days in I DARE chapter headings). Miri arrived on Surebleak at least 4.5 months pregnant. Baby was born at the end of Necessity’s Child and Ghost Ship. So, baby was born in Spring….

    It’s a headache, trying to figure it out.

    And the taxis…Necessity’s Child scene at the new school depicted a “line of cabs” in ch 37, not even counting the two cabs that just dropped off first Syl Vor and then Pat Rin’s group.

    I just give up.

  2. Jami

    Ps. Dates aside, I’d like to see more of Vertu dea’San. I liked her characterization a lot. And Hooper is interesting. With so many characters having musical ability (Hooper, Val Con omnichira, Miri sings and harmonica, Kamele Waitley sings) I wouldn’t mind a scene with a sing-a-long under the tree.

    What is a casket bottle? A gift for the dead in the funeral casket?

  3. Jami

    Routing from Brickoff Bakery to Port Repair shop, in Skyblaze. They routed up Fuller to get to the Andy Mack at the port because Vine was blocked. Then, a page or two later, they turned off Port Road onto Fuller. Then a page or two later, they turned off Fuller onto Port Road. Driving in circles??

  4. Paul A. Post author

    The way I always pictured it, Vertu suggests rerouting via Fuller to avoid the obstruction on the Port Road, which Jemie agrees with but doesn’t immediately act on, then a page or two later Jemie gets off the Port Road onto Fuller, drives down Fuller until they’re past the obstruction, and then gets back onto the Port Road.

    Now that you point it out, though, it is odd that they were apparently able to turn immediately from the Port Road into Fuller Avenue, and vice versa, instead of having to go a ways along a cross street to get from one to the other. That suggests that Fuller is built in some kind of curve and intersects the Port Road twice.

    (Or that the authors were paying attention to other things than the geography, like they were with the seasons. Incidentally, these days I’ve pretty much thrown up my hands and given up on trying to make any sense of the seasons.)

  5. Jami

    Fuller would have to curve or slant to cross Port Road twice. It is possible, of course.
    Yeah, it’s not a big deal, the seasons and the street map. My mind wants to map out the story, and some parts won’t quite fit, but in the scheme of things, it’s small fry.

    I liked the Tolkien thing. Gal = shining, tree, green

  6. Skip

    This comment could go in several different books, but I will put it here.

    There are four bakeries in Surebleak. In this book, BrickOff Flourpower. In Necessity Child and Neogenesis, Joan’s Bakery. In Dragon in Exile, Quill’s Bakery, which caught arson and was rebuilt (home fresh bread delivery) and in Block Party, the unnamed bakery near the Wayhouse, where the baker is named Againa, or something similar.

  7. Othin

    @ timeline – allways assuming a Surebleak year eaquals a Standart year.
    The way I understood the second and third part of the storry Vertu may have arrived on Surebleak before Korval – their intend to go there must have been known quite well on Liad. So she arrived there in late summer – early autom. (Remember the scene when she bows to the Tree as was her habit on Liad) Vertu wouldn’t have been able to bow to the Tree when she arrived, since Tree and Korval weren’t on Surebleak yet. That also fits nicely with her having trouble to find work until Korval’s offical arrival – which generated work.

    1939 day 31 – High Summer on Surebleak
    1393 day 50 -53 Miri getting pregnant (for sperm to reach and fertilize the eg may take a few hours up to 3 days – and for baby to be a girl it might be the later fertilization)
    1393 day 54 – Miri and Val Con depart Lytaxin, Pat Rin’s task force departs Surebleak
    1393 day 55 – Day of scyblaze – still High Summer on Surebleak – Miri is just a few days (less than 5 days) pregnant
    1393 day 202 – Day Tree leaves Liad – Miri is pregnant for 5 month – Surbleak season early winter

    Pat Rin is supriesed of how early the Tree arrivs on Surebleak and Daav and than the rest of Korval’s adults arrive one or two days after. – Since it did take Pat Rin’s task force to travel form Surebleak to Liad in just one day (or at least less than 2 days) it is reasonalble to conclude that Dutifull Passage traveld not that much longer. And the Clutch utilised the Quick Drive. All this makes the arivel of Korval and Tree about day 204 or so. – Surebleak Season Early winter – or not yet winter – just getting started.

    Another 4 Month later – year 1393 about day 324 Talizea born – Early Spring – High Spring (depending on how long Spring lasts on Surebleak

    One might guess that seasons are not all 3 month but more or less short autems and springs (about 2 moth each), with longer summers and winters (about 2 month each)

  8. Ed8r

    Othin: short autems and springs (about 2 moth each), with longer summers and winters (about 2 month each)

    Othin, if you see this, could you sort out your statement above? Are you counting a 12-month year? If so, then did you intend to write that the longer summers and winters are 4 months each? (I’m just trying to do the arithmetic)

    I liked this story for the glimpse it gives into other people/characters, who might be in Korval’s wake but are not dealing with them directly.

    I do wish I had better understood, once I decided to read all the Liaden Universe books, how closely interwoven (most) of the stories are. I missed out on so much, and going back to fill in the blanks is not very satisfactory when I’ve already forgotten exactly what surrounded those blanks!

  9. Othin

    @ Ed8r
    You are correct, it should be longer summers and winters of 3 1/2 or 4 month each.
    I also wonder where the habitable landmasses are on the planet. Is port city the only place habitable for humans or just where the Timonium has been nearest the surface?

    @ Timonium
    How much Timonium is left and how easy/difficult is it to get at it? What quality and concentration? And how important is Timonium? Without the sherika’s using Timonium tech – is it only Struven units and the Uncle using it?

  10. Paul A. Post author

    At the time the Gilmour Agency abandoned Surebleak, the planet still had plenty of timonium and there was still a demand for it; the Agency moved on because they’d found another place they could get timonium cheaper, not for either of those reasons. The timonium is presumably still there; the demand may have changed more, though there’s always going to be a need for new Struven units.

  11. Skip

    Neogenesis says “Surebleak is the largest, and indeed the only, city on the planet”
    Skyblaze, part 2, is titled Port City, Surebleak
    In Moon on the Hills short story, Yulie Shaper refers to Port City

    Othin, I have also wondered about the rest of the planet Surebleak. It feels muzzy. We know there are oceans, seas, or Great Lakes, because Shan is buying an island, and because Pat Rin told Yulie Shaper that the Road Boss committed to building the road “all the way out to the coast” (Moon on the Hills)

    In I Dare, Melina Sherton says: “A safe road out to the coast and back! another one up into the hills and back!” …”I got an interest in the border farms and some trade further in.” (My question is, what does “further in” refer to? This suggests people do live elsewhere on the planet, and she wants to trade with them. Or does she mean further into the city??)

    In I Dare, a reference is made to The Center-land. I thought it could be farm country. We never hear about the Center-lands again. Pat Rin says: “I intend to have it open from the Center-land to the Spaceport” (Day 345 Jolie’s House of Joy)

    Oceans. Hills (which implies valleys) So, I would say the geography could be habitable and the land arable. There could be fishing industry, too.

  12. Ed8r

    Skip: the geography could be habitable and the land arable

    In “Rifle’s First Wife” we have a quick thought by Diglon Rifle about the conditions on the planet Surebleak: after their [the original colonists] hard work Surebleak had breathable air, drinkable water, and land that could support farms and a spaceport.

    To me, this quote seems to imply that the work of terraforming had not created arable land anywhere in general, but only near the spaceport to support the mining colony.

  13. Skip

    I noticed that statement in RFW, too. Glad you reminded me of it. It struck me at the time as a misfit.
    Doesn’t it seed unlikely, that the planet would have rivers, swamps, coastline, islands, hills, valleys — sleet! — even real weather with rain and snow — but no drinkable water or breathable air?

    From Skyblaze, weather report by Brunner:
    “The weather had been unrelenting, windy and cold, for the past seven-day now, and the forecast for the morrow was much the same. The night winds would move over the seacoast, pushing moisture into the swamp-regions, where it would gather energy from the barely frozen rivers, then push to and over the bowl of the city as the winds changed.”

  14. Ed8r

    So does breathable air and drinkable water prove that there’s lots of arable land available? That is the point I wasn’t sure about.

  15. Skip

    I’m uncertain about it all. It’s a puzzle. But in a quote I posted above, Melina talks of building a road — to the coast and to the hills and back. Hills. So that sounds like land to me. Is all land arable? Doubtful, but this land gets water (rain, snow, sleet). And they wouldn’t build a road where there is no air or water. And rain is H2O, so we know those elements are already on the planet. Along with SNOW. Cold H2O. And people aren’t afraid the rain or snow will give them an acid burn…only freeze them.

    I think I read in Moon on the Hills about native pigs. ??

  16. Paul A. Post author

    “Moon in the Hill” mentions “feral Cachura pigs”; I don’t read them as being native. If “Cachura” is a place of origin, I don’t think it’s on Surebleak, and “feral” suggests that they were domesticated first, which makes it likely they came with the settlers.

  17. Skip

    Thanks for looking that up, Paul. Now here’s a thought: do the wild pigs wander away into a land that isn’t habitable for them, with nothing growing? No arable land, breathable air, drinkable water. No mushrooms to snout into? There would need to be a dome or something around the city and surrounding farms, but we’ve never heard that mentioned.

    I still find that statement in RFW a bit jarring. I want to interpret it to mean that the colonists built sewer systems and water treatment plants and tilled the soil with big trucks so crops could be more easily planted. But breathable air has me stymied.

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