Jelaza Kazone
In which Miri gives thought to the future.
It is a failure of imagination on my part that it hadn’t occurred to me to wonder what might happen to the Tree if Boss Surebleak succeeded in getting the mobile members of Clan Korval thrown off the planet. Or perhaps it’s just a sign of how confident I am that that’s an outcome so unlikely as to not be worth spending imagination on.
Miri might be onto something with the idea that the Department of the Interior is planning on taking Surebleak for itself. (Indeed, we’ve already seen hints in that direction, such as the plot in “Shout of Honor”.) Which would make Boss Surebleak accusing Korval of a hostile takeover another example of someone accusing another of the thing they’d do themselves given half a chance.
Regarding Miri’s vision from the Tree: I found it curious that it ended with a last flash of what might have been black wings against a soot-dark sky. It was Jela who the Tree had identified as a black dragon. Is that what these black wings signify . . . something to do with Jela? And if so, why?
And regarding the conversation with Emissary Twelve: The emissary says: It may…become…more efficient for all to interface with the Elder Tree or its offspring. So instead of communicating with Korval, all the plans and status reports, etc. about repairing the planet will go through the sussdriads, who perhaps will outlive the existence of homo sapiens on Surebleak. One can see why this would provide better continuity for the long-lived Clutch. Maybe the Tree will offer them a sprout to plant at whatever site they settle on.