Tag Archives: Breakfast All Year

Fledgling – Chapter 30

5 Replies

Vashtara
Breakfast All Year

In which the end of the journey is anticipated.

The research team, warned by Captain sig’Radia, are planning ahead for contingencies that might arise on Melchiza, and trying to decide where the line between advertant and overcautious might lie. Professor Crowley’s past experience comes in useful, and he displays a bit more depth in the process.

Theo, on the other hand, isn’t paying much attention to Melchiza yet, and not yet taking the warnings about its potential dangers entirely seriously. Her focus is on enjoying the journey, which despite her initial reluctance she has come to decide is binjali. She does seem to have been having some thoughts about her future beyond Melchiza, though, if her burst of enthusiasm at the thought of a piloting school is an indication.

The first post in this re-read went up one year ago today.

Fledgling – Chapter 21

4 Replies

Vashtara
EdRec Level
Pet Library

In which Cho sig’Radia offers a warning.

It’s interesting that the pet librarian doesn’t attract any norbears. One is tempted to wonder if he was chosen for norbear duty specifically because he doesn’t, and if so what that implies about the pet library’s attitude toward their charges.

The word Win Ton can’t think of a Terran equivalent for, cha’dramliz, is composed of familiar parts: “dramliz” is the Liaden word for people with supernatural abilities, while the “cha'” prefix is usually translated as “heart” when it appears in endearments like cha’leket and cha’trez. (It’s also a component of the word denoting “daring” in Korval’s motto.) That gives us “heart-wizards”, with “heart” having an emotional rather than an anatomical connotation, which suggests that here is the Liaden word which the series usually renders as “Healers”. And that’s obviously a translation convention, rather than a proper equivalent, so it’s not surprising that Win Ton was not able to lay his hand on the word.

Fledgling – Chapter 20

2 Replies

Vashtara
First Class Dining Room

In which Theo and Kamele meet Cho sig’Radia and Win Ton yo’Vala.

One of the pleasures of reading the series in chronological order is the return of old friends, or at least of familiar names. We have met a scout of Line sig’Radia before, in “Phoenix”; that was a century ago, however, so I don’t suppose this is the same scout, though there are some similarities between the two. Senior Scout Cho sig’Radia is established as a person of intelligence and keen observation, but will nevertheless prove subsequently to have had at least one significant failure of insight in this chapter.

It appears that the research expedition has gained some members; in addition to Kamele, Theo, and the two professors emeritus from the forensic team, Chair Hafley has somehow ended up coming along, and a couple of people have brought their onagratas. Hafley’s is named Clyburn Tang — I think. The first time he’s mentioned is with a reference to “Clyburn’s onagrata“, which confused me considerably because up to now the word has only been used of a woman’s partner, but if one accepts that the word can be used in either direction the sentence falls into place and is consistent with various other indications that Clyburn is Hafley’s onagrata (and she, presumably, is Clyburn’s onagrata). Certainly, there doesn’t seem to be any other reason for the expedition including a man with no academic position whose main ability seems to be talking at length about clothes.