Tag Archives: Practical Dance

Plan B – Chapter 20

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Erob’s Hold
Practice Grounds

In which Val Con and Nelirikk speak of Jela.

The news that the entire 14th Conquest Corps is acting out of turn suggests the possibility that the Yxtrang we’ve encountered so far, who value prestige over effective action, are atypical, and most Yxtrang are more sensible. On the other hand, there’s still the decision High Command made about Nelirikk, and if Yxtrang High Command doesn’t behave typically of Yxtrang, who does? Perhaps these Yxtrang are atypical not in the sense that they behave unlike Yxtrang, but only in taking typical Yxtrang qualities to an unusual extreme.

The bit about what “the Troop did not know — or did not tell” is interesting, in light of the prequels. The Troop does know how Jela died, or at least did at the time, since Cantra told them; indeed, Jela’s Troop was named in his honour only after he died. Perhaps the story was lost to memory because it contained too many things that the Yxtrang would not wish to remember: Cantra herself, for one.

Fledgling – Chapter 17

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Leisure and Recreation Studies: Practical Dance
Professor Stephen M. Richardson Secondary School
University of Delgado

In which Theo dances.

It occurs to me on this re-reading that Professor Noni’s remark about moving apart and coming back together being a normal part of life has particular relevance to Theo’s life these days. She showed a similar reluctance to encompass the moving-apart that was the shift to the Wall (though that’s perhaps understandable, since it was not and still is not accompanied by any assurance that there will be a coming-back-together to follow); it remains to be seen whether she will do better at accommodating herself to the moving-apart that is the trip to Melchiza — which Kamele apparently hasn’t told her about yet, if she’s making plans to go to the Saltation during Interval.

“Saltation” comes from the Latin verb meaning “to leap”, and has a variety of meanings, some more literal and some more metaphorical, in dance, biology, and geology. Even if Theo doesn’t make it to the dance festival, she has a saltation of some form in her future: Saltation is the title of the next book in the series. (What’s more, I seem to recall that we already knew that when this came out, suggesting that this chapter is a deliberate tease.)

Another bit of Delgado gender-role reversal: Theo’s conversation with Bek suggests that it’s not considered polite for a boy to ask a girl out, or directly issue any similar invitation; he’s limited to dropping hints and hoping that she will both recognize the hint and choose to act on it.

Fledgling – Chapter 15

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University of Delgado
Faculty Residence Wall
Quadrant Eight, Building Two

In which Kamele and Jen Sar make plans for the future.

If Theo was unhappy about moving from the suburb to the Wall, how much less is she going to like leaving the planet entirely? Even if it does solve a lot of problems.

I don’t think Jen Sar is unhappy with the idea of looking after Theo, as far as his own preferences go. But there is also to be considered how it would look to outsiders, if Kamele left her daughter in the care of a man — and not only a man she doesn’t have an ongoing relationship with, as far as the world knows, but a man with whom she recently broke off a relationship — rather than, say, her close friend Ella. And particularly at this point in time, when she’s moving in deep political waters and any deviation from customary behaviour may become a weapon against her. And Kamele knows all this as well as he does, which is why, I think, he’s surprised at her even making the suggestion.