Dutiful Passage
In which Priscilla receives a history lesson.
Shan’s coaster that was a gift from Ambassador Valeking was introduced in Alliance of Equals and has appeared a couple of times, in that book and then in this one, during scenes where Padi has been meeting her father in his office.
When Shan is asking Padi about the development of her aura, he asks about her sessions with Lina and Priscilla, but not about her sessions with Lady Selph, which I suspect would be more relevant. I don’t know if contacting somebody on a distant planet counts as a “larger move”, but it seems likely.
If Shan’s coaster really is no longer on board ship, my suspicion is that it’s going to show up next somewhere in the vicinity of Tekelia.
Ama ven’Tyrlit is the captain of Korval’s other major tradeships, and has been mentioned a few times in the context of the Department’s attacks on Korval’s trading network. I believe this is the first time we’ve heard about the extent of her vocabulary.
Since reading the Moonhawk and Lute short stories, I’ve always expected that sooner or later Priscilla’s path is going to take her and Moonhawk back home to clean house. Well, as we’ve been told that Moonhawk’s final departure is not imminent, I suppose there’s still time for that later. Looked at another way, the story of back home remains on the cards at least as long as the authors still remember, and wish us to remember, that Lomar Fasholt’s fate is yet unknown.
In the meantime, I wonder if part of the reason we’ve been reminded of Moonhawk and Lute’s history is that some aspect of it is going to be relevant to the Redlands and its inhabitants’ relationship with the ambient.
(A more worrying possibility is raised by the fact that Moonhawk’s discourse also includes a reminder about the dramliza who aspired to overthrow and replace the Iloheen. Moonhawk might have just mentioned her for completeness’ sake, but there’s also the possibility of foreshadowing that she somehow made it into the new universe before Ren Zel sealed the door. I’m pretty sure by now that the mysterious condescending voice in the prologue wasn’t Tarona, which leaves it open to be someone else…)
As the question of Dyoli’s identity is technically still open, though I’ve explained why it’s already settled in my mind, I’ll note that the Dyoli who is lying in Dutiful Passage‘s sickbay has the same specific hair colour as the Dyoli who Mar Tyn met in “Fortune’s Favors”.
I thought Shan and Priscilla had that same counter back in Plan B. Didn’t Priscilla hold it to comfort herself when Shan’s cruiser went down to Lytaxin?
You’re right! That evil voice in the prologue could very well be the vile and ambitious dramliz who stayed behind in the old universe. Ye gods, I hope not. I’d rather deal with the Lyre Institute than an egomaniacal goddess.
Prologue Excerpt
“The voice paused; there was a sense, as of attention sharpening. Geritsi made herself as small and insignificant as possible, curling up inside her own shadow; shivering as she felt the cold regard pass over her—and linger . . . . . . on Dosent. Geritsi gritted her teeth even as the cat’s growl deepened. There came a flutter of what might have been—amusement. An animalΩ. The words were quite clear—and quite clearly dismissive. Contemptuous. Then, the sense of another presence was gone…”
The red wooden counter that symbolizes Shan’s connection to Lute dates back to his trip to Weapons Hall in Plan B. The green and blue stone coaster that Padi just accidentally made to disappear first appeared in Alliance of Equals.
Yes, right you are!
Paul: Moonhawk’s discourse also includes a reminder about the dramliza who aspired to overthrow and replace the Iloheen
My antennae were quivering at this point. I’ve been wondering about “her” for a long time.
Ed8r, I hope she’s long dead. I like my enemies to be less powerful.