Dutiful Passage
In which Padi makes connections and Shan receives news from home.
The looper families Shan mentions are among those who have appeared or been mentioned in the Jethri-era stories: the Smiths were the first family to have norbears travelling with them, the Tragers were friendly with Jethri’s family, and the Wildes did that ill-fated bit of experimenting with Old Tech.
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Jelaza Kazone
In which Rys is on his way home.
The scare quotes in the sentence about Emissary Twelve and Scout yo’Bingim each taking a packet of cookies to share with their comrades suggests that the narrator expects them to account for their own packet without any assistance. If that’s the case, I assume it was Scout yo’Bingim who came up with the story about comrades; bending the truth in such a way seems more in character for a Scout than for a Clutch Turtle, and she at least can point to comrades on-world, which Emissary Twelve can’t (unless one counts the Bedel, I suppose).
Scout Commander Val Con yos’Phelium thinks that the consequences of the election are likely to be fascinating. And I still recall what Miri said a few chapters ago about what it means when Val Con judges something to be fascinating.
Jelaza Kazone
In which Korval catches up on the morning news.
There seems to me to be a lot of book left for where we’re at.
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Bechimo
In which Bechimo is free to fly.
As I said at least once before, way back near the beginning of this project, it’s always something when fictional characters have philosophical discussions about whether their life is proceeding according to some pre-ordained plan.
It wouldn’t be at all true to say that Bechimo‘s visit to Surebleak accomplished nothing, of course, but I notice that they’re leaving with the Pathfinders they were planning to drop off, and the cat they were planning to drop off, and the tree they were planning to drop off, and even the ship they were planning to drop off…
Bechimo
In which Aberthaz Ferry has things to do.
I am, naturally, pleased that Bechimo has decided not to be bothered any more by Theo’s decision from earlier, but I don’t really see why it happened now in particular. What has happened to change his mind?
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Jelaza Kazone
The Tree Court
In which Emissary Twelve is making rapid progress.
The authors are playing with the timeline a bit in order to spread characters’ scenes out, I think. It’s unlikely that Miri’s last scene (showing the beginning of a long afternoon at the office) took place after Val Con’s last scene, which ended with him getting the message to come to the Tree Court — unless he took a very relaxed stroll from the outer garden to the Tree. Or perhaps I’m underestimating how long the conversation at the Tree takes; after all, a Turtle is capable of some impressive pauses for thought.
Bechimo
In which there is a free and frank exchange of views.
In all the excitement, I don’t think anyone got around to reading the emergency pinbeam message. It should be okay, though; most likely it was just a heads-up about the thing that happens at the end of the chapter, which went okay anyhow.
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Bechimo
In which the Pathfinders discuss progress.
The cats are making themselves at home. I wonder if they intend to become members of the crew as well.
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Bechimo
In which the Pathfinders join the conversation.
Chernak and Stost are welcomed back with some of Clarence’s baking — more maize buttons?
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Surebleak Port
Portmaster’s Office
In which Miri Robertson calls on the Portmaster.
So, what does it portend that Miri visits in the melant’i of plain “Miri Robertson”? Not entirely that she’s calling as an individual, because when it comes down to it she’s still there to speak for Korval, but perhaps that she’s doing so as an ordinary child of Korval and not as a high Korval official. And perhaps also to underline, a little bit, that she’s also a child of Surebleak and wants what’s good for the planet as well as what’s good for her family.
Also, I’m starting to wonder how it came about that some of the devices decided their orders were irregular. It could just be general cussedness, but I wonder if some of them have been talking to Sye Mon.