Six of Us
Daglyte Seam
In which the new Commander speaks to her section heads.
There are, I note, several things that “off the board” could mean, apart from the obvious.
Given how much the narrative has been reminding us about the makeshift holding Claidyne together, and that she depends on Master Healer vay’Elin for guidance and support, it’s concerning that she’s going into what’s likely to be a stressful meeting without the Master Healer near. I suppose we’ll just have to hope that Isahra will be able to assist if something does go wrong.
Even though it’s been put off for now and will have to be decided in committee, it sounds as if they still expect to exact some kind of Balance with Clan Korval.
Was “the pale young man” the person who had been responsible for “escorting” the original Commander off the docks and tracking her on her journey to “perfection”?
The loyalists, of course, assume that they are in the right and that achieving Balance will mean gaining revenge on their enemies. Claidyne’s response is very carefully worded so that it sounds to the loyalists like she’s agreeing with them, but what she’s actually committing the Department to is whatever Balance is judged appropriate by the legitimate authorities, which she knows if they don’t is unlikely to fall in the Department’s favour. Allowing the loyalists to form a committee to write up their grievances will keep them happily occupied while Claidyne and the Healers figure out what to do with them, and may provide useful information.
Your understanding of the pale young man is the same as mine.
Korval is certainly not to blame. I hope and expect that Paul’s inference about Claidyne’s intentions toward Korval is correct.
We’ll have to watch out for trouble from the deluded Kin Jal vas’Tezin. I wonder how many DOI members share those feelings of enmity. Maybe they are still brainwashed.
Rereading it, Id love to see Korval get a little Balance on the Council of Clans and the Dept of Interior. This bit still bugs me:
“What shall be the disposition of Clan Korval,” asked Kin Jal vas’Tezin.
“That,” Claidyne answered, “is for the Scouts and other authorities to decide. If crimes have been committed, if Clan Korval is found to be involved in past wrongdoing or present crime, those things will be addressed appropriately and in the fullness of time. This Department will certainly present to the Scouts a list of our grievances against Clan Korval. A committee will be formed to document these matters.
If everyone in the DOI was brainwashed, why aren’t they all glad to be free? why blame Korval? I guess some are just nasty.