Tag Archives: Fortune’s Reward

I Dare – Chapter 2

Day 283
Standard Year 1392

McGee Spaceport
Fortune’s Reward

In which Cheever has a few words on the importance of backup.

It’s not long after we last saw Pat Rin and Cheever, back near the end of Carpe Diem — they’re still on the same planet they were just arriving at then — but a bit of time has passed, enough for Cheever to go on leave and come off, and for Pat Rin to make several unsuccessful attempts to cut him loose.

It occurs to me to wonder where Pat Rin was planning to go to ground if he had succeeded in cutting Cheever loose. Since, as we are reminded, he is not a qualified pilot himself, that would have dramatically limited his options.

Carpe Diem – Chapter 58

McGee Orbit

In which an honorable man offers an honorable man the means to avoid possible unpleasantness.

In this chapter we learn — and it would appear from his thoughtful expression that Pat Rin learns — that Cheever wasn’t just offered a job to keep him out of trouble, but also because Shan thought he might be helpful keeping Pat Rin out of trouble if things got nasty. Which suggests that Shan was already considering the possibility that the situation with the Department might get nasty. It also suggests that in the short time of their acquaintance, Shan gained quite a bit of respect for and trust in Cheever.

This is a very short chapter; I considered bundling it with one of the chapters on either side of it, but they don’t really go together.

Carpe Diem – Chapter 38

The Wide Universe

In which it is lovely to have a Clutch Turtle with one’s interests at heart.

I wonder: is the fact that Nev’lorn is included in the Juntavas message run a sign that the Juntavas have established interests there, under the noses of the Scouts, or are they just splashing the message around to make sure anyone it might apply to will hear it? Or, for a possibility somewhere between those two, perhaps they’re also targetting places where Scouts congregate, so that if Val Con has gone to ground in one of those places he may learn of their change of policy.

Shan seems uncertain that this is good news, and well he might, for several reasons. There might still be Juntavas who try to take advantage of the situation to Val Con and Miri’s detriment, despite the clearness of the message. Even if the Juntavas behave, the fact that they’ve so clearly and publicly expressed approval of Miri and Val Con might result in them being disapproved of in more law-abiding places. And then of course there’s the fact that, with the Department after Val Con and Miri, even surrounded by helpful Juntavas they might not be considered safe.