In which a lot of people are going places.
I enjoyed that. And I look forward to seeing Vepal and Ochin again, as Vepal’s plans make it likely we will.
Vepal’s comment about having been to Omenski before is the kind of small detail I really appreciate and would never have noticed if I hadn’t embarked on this project: way back in Agent of Change, when Val Con gets them through a police cordon with a forged ID claiming they’re part of the Yxtrang embassy, Miri asks if they’re going to have the Yxtrang ambassador after them as well and he assures her that the Yxtrang delegation is currently far away, on Omenski. I suppose that settles the lingering question I had about whether there is only one Yxtrang ambassador.
The more we hear about how desperate Perdition Enterprises’ play actually was, the more clear it seems that they weren’t backed by the Department, and it looks like they also weren’t backed by anybody in the Liaden High Houses that wanted Korval crushed after Skyblaze Day. Could it really just have been ter’Menth and pen’Chouka by themselves? If so, I respect their resourcefulness, if not their judgement in the choosing of associates.
If I’ve got this straight, the airlock situation wasn’t part of ter’Menth’s plan, but was a result of Vinkleer’s bunch making a side-play for their own enrichment. Which would explain why ter’Menth got caught out by it.
We never did find out what’s up with Vepal’s friend Firge. Perhaps that’s a seed planted for Vepal’s next appearance.
We also didn’t get to meet Sanchez’s associate who knows all the secrets, which may or may not come up again another time. If this story had been a subplot in Neogenesis, where I’d expected to see Vepal again, I would be suspecting Dosavi Mikelsyn, the knowledge broker Inki and Tocohl visit in that novel.
If this had been a subplot in Neogenesis, Sanchez’s comment about how there aren’t any of the Clutch on Surebleak would have been foreshadowing for the final scene.
Paul: Omenski . . . is the kind of small detail I would never have noticed . . . settles the lingering question I had about whether there is only one Yxtrang ambassador.
Thanks for that! I didn’t even think about checking back for that information.
Paul: We also didn’t get to meet Sanchez’s associate who knows all the secrets
We didn’t? For some reason I had been assuming that this reference either 1) had been a subterfuge to allow her to delay giving an answer,* or 2) had been Lieutenant Commander Cheladin all along.
Paul: Vepal’s friend Firge
I wonder if she is the representative of High Command that is still in contact with him and is the source for his statement to JinJee: at least some of the commanders seem disinclined to continue with our recent floundering. It is not clear to me that she isn’t a past partner or lover of his, although I suppose both of these might be true.
Paul: If this had been a subplot in Neogenesis, Sanchez’s comment about how there aren’t any of the Clutch on Surebleak would have been foreshadowing for the final scene.
Well, it may not be exactly foreshadowing for us, but it certainly is for Vepal, and serves as another reminder for us and link to Accepting the Lance.
We’re also told near the end that High Command had not been sending their regular booster vaccinations…perhaps his hormones and commander-sense were out of kilter. I hope he refuses them when they catch up. I’d hate to see him decide there was no attraction between him and JinJee.
Oh, boy, am I sorry to see this end. Of course I was spoiled…I didn’t even discover the Liaden Universe until just at the right time to be able to read straight through to Neogenesis. That will make the waiting now seem even more difficult . . . not only the wait to read Accepting the Lance, but the wait to rejoin Paul and other frequent commenters, i.e., Othin.
*Example: 50-70 years ago in the US a housewife might say to a door-to-door salesman, “I’ll have to check with my husband.”
I really enjoyed this story and look forward to seeing the characters again, especially Ochin. Since we have 6 months til Accepting the Lance, I’ve decided to re-read the first 4 of 5 in preparation. This will start with Dragon in Exile if I have the order correct. Thanks for your blog, it really helps with my Liaden reading.
(Omenski) I didn’t even think about checking back for that information.
Neither did I, deliberately, but I went to add Omenski to my notes, and there it was, already there.
(an old comrade who makes it her business to know the secrets of others) For some reason I had been assuming that this reference either 1) had been a subterfuge to allow her to delay giving an answer,* or 2) had been Lieutenant Commander Cheladin all along.
I think it’s pretty clear by the end of the story, if it isn’t immediately, that Sanchez’s co-commander is precisely that kind of subterfuge, but I don’t see how her associate who knows secrets could have been, particularly since that would have required telling Perdition about her associate, and thereby admitting that she was only hanging around in order to discover their secrets, which I’m entirely certain that she didn’t do.
I did consider Lieutenant Cheladin when she first turned up, then ended up deciding she was, like Vepal, a comrade Sanchez had joined forces with in the attempt to find out what was going on. But I did that without going back to re-read what Sanchez said about her associate when she first talked to Vepal, and having done that I think you’re right.
(I had, for one thing, misremembered that the associate’s request was “find out for me what’s going on”, which suggested that the associate wasn’t present on the station, when actually it’s “assist me in finding out what’s going on”, which is consistent with her being Lieutenant Cheladin. I had also forgotten that Sanchez had mentioned that her associate was a her, which is another point in favour of Cheladin and a good reason for not pursuing my theory of Dosavi Mikelsyn.)
(Firge) I wonder if she is the representative of High Command that is still in contact with him and is the source for his statement to JinJee: at least some of the commanders seem disinclined to continue with our recent floundering.
I took Vepal’s statement to be an interpretation of the response Erthax got when he passed on Perdition’s offer; Vepal had expected High Command to turn it down out of hand, but they were interested enough to ask for more details.
I don’t think Vepal is in direct contact with anyone in High Command, and if he is I don’t believe it’s Firge; it’s made clear when he’s thinking about her that he hasn’t heard from her recently and also that he doesn’t consider it wise to mention her directly because High Command doesn’t know of their connection and she would be in danger if they did.
Paul: Vepal had expected High Command to turn it down out of hand, but they were interested enough to ask for more details
Duh…of course. I had forgotten that detail.
Omenski – thanks Paul for finding this. I had not noticed that.
Wouldn’t it be funny if Sanchez’s associate was Lizzy? But oh, I seem to have the same problem of misremembering. But I’m still not sure if it’s Lieutenant Cheladin or not.
“The more we hear about how desperate Perdition Enterprises’ play actually was, the more clear it seems that they weren’t backed by the Department, …” – Why?
To me it themed that ter’Menth and pen’Chouka are part of a bigger organization. And since the Lyre Institute has more resources it must either be the Department or a new enemy.
“If I’ve got this straight, the airlock situation wasn’t part of ter’Menth’s plan, but was a result of Vinkleer’s bunch making a side-play for their own enrichment. Which would explain why ter’Menth got caught out by it.” This matches my thinking.
“… Firge … that he doesn’t consider it wise to mention her directly because High Command doesn’t know of their connection and she would be in danger if they did.” Nice reasoning.
There are several reasons why High Command might want more details, besides considering to join in. But I agree, that at least some of those Erthax contacted seem to consider this. Maybe as a way to extinguish the shame the 14th received with their failed invasion on Lytaxin?
I spent most of the story thinking that ter’Menth and pen’Chouka were part of a bigger organisation, but it seems to me that the last couple of chapters rule that out. If there were a larger organisation backing this operation, there would be no reason to fall apart so immediately and so completely just because a few people had died. At the very least, I would expect some mention of somebody trying to hold it together at least until word could be had from someone higher up the Perdition Enterprises food chain. Instead we’re told that all the contracts have expired, there’s no money, and nothing backing them up.
Yes. I agree. But her title is “agent” ter’Menth. Maybe a renegade DOI agent? A vigilante DOI subgroup group. Possibly.
Good story. I look forward to the interactions between dear Diglon and Ochin. Master Rifle ?
But her title is “agent” ter’Menth.
To be precise, her title is Recruiting Agent, same as pen’Chouka. Without additional evidence, I would be cautious about supposing her to be any other kind of agent.
Hey, Skip! So glad to see you back!
True, but nor can we rule it out. Yet. Without evidence.
She’s introduced to Vepal thus: “My associate, Agent ter’Menth, who has been asked to sit in on this interview.”
So I didn’t assume she was a recruiting agent like pen’Chouka. She carried more weight, had more teeth, in my perception. “A killer” was Vepal’s instant impression.
I searched the text and do see that later on she is called a recruiting agent. Yes, you’re correct.
But it’s the word “agent” that triggered DOI for me. They’re called agents — of various kinds.
Plus, consider the blind fear the mercs felt after signing the NDA:
There are many mercs already tangled in this — whatever it is — they having signed the NDA and been recruited. I talked to two commanders who have done so, and I will tell you, Comrade — they are not easily frightened. But I spoke to frightened mercs. Frightened mercs who saw no way out of what they had done…”
What could make tough merc commanders so scared? Smacks of DOI tactics.
But I agree we need more evidence
Hi Ed8r! Thank you!! Had to read all your thoughts on this excellent new story.