Ribbon Dance Hill

In which Tekelia has an urgent question for Shan, and an important answer.

One consequence of Padi and Shan being teleported directly to Ribbon Dance Hill is that it bypasses questions of geography, so my guess about whether the Hill is related to the ridge Padi read about is unlikely to be answered until it’s all over, if then. I think it’s a good guess, though; a hill that may be literally from another world seems like a good place for these kinds of goings-on.

It’s interesting that Tekelia spots Tarona Rusk’s pattern in Shan and nobody in Civilization did, when the idea of checking the visitors for the pattern was explicitly raised at the Council meeting. Perhaps they decided it was too much bother for something they didn’t really believe was a risk, or perhaps somebody was scanning and just hadn’t got to Shan yet.

The impression I get is that Shan reads as having the pattern because of his active links to Tarona, which is a hopeful sign for Mar Tyn and Dyoli, who have just gone off to be thoroughly examined. It seems like a good chance that either the pattern won’t still be present in them, or will in some way be discernable as no longer active.

I was wrong about Tarona’s intentions, but it looks like the conversation with Shan that I predicted is going to happen regardless. May it do them both some good.