Tag Archives: Daelmere

Crystal Dragon – Chapter 18

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Vanehald

In which the luck continues to run with Jela and Cantra.

One of the fun bits of this duology is finding out about what Solcintra was like and comparing it to the way the Liadens remember it. Apparently dividing the wide universe into us-and-them was a trait even before the Migration.

I notice that when Dulsey’s colleagues are introduced, we get descriptions of Arin and Jakoby, but not of Fern. We don’t even get told whether Fern takes masculine or feminine pronouns, the authors apparently being willing to leave it entirely up to the reader (at least for now) what kind of person’s waist Jakoby might put her arm around.

The mention of Jela’s logbook, which he’s asked Cantra to deliver to his troop, reminds me that I don’t think we’ve seen Cantra keep a logbook of her own, although we know that she left one to her descendants. I wonder if that’s just because it’s never been important to mention, or if it’s something she only started doing as Delm Korval (or perhaps as Captain of the Migration, to the extent that that’s a distinction with a difference). If it was something she only started doing later, it would explain why all the recorded mentions in her logbook of Jela are in the past tense.

Crystal Soldier – Chapter 20

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On Port
Scohecan

In which the name of Commander Ro Gayda is mentioned again, and we get some idea what Jela’s been up to since we heard it last.

And so we finally get to see what Jela’s mission is, when he’s not being sidetracked. He’s “assessing local unit response readiness”, as the Commander put it, not only in the case of the Enemy attacking but in the case of the High Command deciding to throw the Outer galaxy to the wolves. Which is apparently something they’re planning to do, for whatever good it’ll do them. And the “consolidated commanders”, of whom Jela’s Commander is one, intend to keep the fight going, despite High Command if necessary. All of which means that the secrecy surrounding Jela’s mission is not just directed at the Enemy, it’s also directed at a not-insignificant whack of people who are officially on Jela’s own side.

Meantime, Jela is also asking seemingly-casual questions about left-over tech from the old war. He gives the impression that this is just a side project of his own, out of general (or Generalist) interest, but the narration helpfully points out that he’s giving this impression in a way that makes me suspect that this, too, is part of his mission. Wheels within wheels.

I’ve got an odd feeling that the old tech he asks about is not actually the old tech he’s looking for, if that makes sense. (The danger of asking about a thing directly, of course, is that then people know you’re looking for it.) But I don’t consciously remember where this is going, so I don’t know if this is just a feeling or if there’s anything to it.

I’m also feeling a mite distrustful about the learning toys Cantra picks up, but again I don’t remember whether there’s anything to it.

Before she gets to the learning toys, a bit more of Cantra’s past is filled in. We find out what happened to Garen — as far as Cantra knows. (This, I do remember what comes of it.)