In which two negotiate.
The Six are going for a multi-pronged effort: one remaining in sight as a decoy, two making the preparations described in this chapter, and the final three preparing to attack from a different direction that will presumbly be described in the next chapter.
On one level, this confirms that stealing some of the Department’s hoarded Old Tech war machines is part of the Six’s battle plan, but on another level it’s made me less confident that they’re who took the Old Tech war machines mentioned in the prologue. This seems to be Sye Mon’s first attempt, and seems less successful than the outcome described in the prologue, which might mean that somebody else tried it first and more successfully. Or it could be that the authors are fiddling with the timeline and the prologue is set after this chapter, and after Sye Mon’s efforts have matured.
Well, I’m still a little fuzzy about this question, although I *think* I finally “got it.”
It’s interesting to see Sye Mon communicating with the Old Tech through manipulating tiles in their frames. Wouldn’t this equipment be at least couple thousand years old? Wow! Maybe these fractins are the ones the Scouts stole from Jethri!
I infer from this excerpt that Commander assigned the old tech to destroy Korval and possibly Surebleak:
“What’s amiss?” Bon Vit demanded. “Will they not be recalled?”
Sye Mon opened his eyes. “Cannot be recalled,” he said. “The Commander is before us, and has a mission locked in.”
“You said that not all obey,” Bon Vit said after a moment.
Sye Mon opened his eyes. “That is true. Finding those who are not inclined will take time, but…But the effort will have to be made. My correspondent—” He waved a hand in the direction of the two wire frames. “My correspondent did not feel able to share the coordinates of the target with me, but I believe we may make an educated guess.”
As did I.
I assumed that went without saying. Who else would they be sending Old Tech war machines against at this point?
I must have misunderstood your post. I made it explicit because of your query: “ it’s made me less confident that they’re who took the Old Tech war machines mentioned in the prologue. ”
In the prologue, the Commander of Agents summons the Old Tech war machines, and some of them fail to respond to the summons, with further investigation suggesting they’ve been cunningly stolen. That produces two questions: Why did the Commander of Agents summon the war machines? and What happened to the ones who have gone missing?
On the first question, I have never been less than entirely confident: the obvious inference is that she summoned them in order to send them against Korval.
The thing that puzzles me is the answer to the second question. Sye Mon is trying to divert the war machines, but he’s talking to them after they’ve received their orders from the Commander, and he hasn’t successfully lured any away yet. Thus it would seem that he’s not responsible for the ones that have already gone missing — so who is?
And that is the question I was responding to, in that it took me several readings to put all the detail pieces together rather than merely following the broad strokes of the plot. From my observation of Paul’s level of logical extrapolation, I have no doubt the answer will become clear as we progress.
Okay. Yes, now I follow that. I do not think we are supposed to know yet. The authors often like to keep readers guessing a while. Sometimes I’m not sure if the authors didn’t yet reveal it, or if it’s my “fault” — as in, I’m supposed to understand or remember something that escapes me. In this case, I think the authors are keeping that card close to chest.
@ missing ships,
Even after several rereads I still don’t see where they have gone or by whom they have been claimed. So for me your second question is still unanswered, Paul. It points to a mysterious other group with some skill and knowledge or some event that simply destroyed or relocated those ships without leaving any hint.
So we learn something more about Fratcins
Fratcins and frames technology is not only computing but also communication – properly instant communication with little regarding of location or distance.
Using Fratcin Communications there is also little chance of being overheard that way by other humans, since very few have learned the skill and one also would have to look at a specifically set up fratcin frame at the right moment.
This also gives Seignur Veeoni use of modern Fratcins some new dimentions.
And something about Old Tech and how the DoI utilizes it
With little regard for their own preferences the DoI grouped the old Tech together in groups of six and appointed leaders giving them modern Comms to receive their orders and transmit them to the other group members.
That resulted in some resentment against the tech operators who didn’t bother to learn the old techs preferred and more precise communication method as well as against the DoI leader structure. Therefore, while pods tent to remain together, being linked together with their native protocol, they don’t always obey and don’t remain wholly within DoI care.
Othin: Even after several rereads I still don’t see where they have gone or by whom they have been claimed.
I may be mistaken, but I thought it became—maybe not explicitly clear, but at least implied—that some of them stopped responding (were “stolen”) simply because they woke up to their own wills and personalities once the Old Universe was destroyed or sealed away. I believe this information comes across from both Bechimo and Theo’s and separately Sye Mon’s comments about how the devices have behaved, and what they’ve said to account for their actions.