Tag Archives: Professor Dochayn

Fledgling – Chapter 35

Efraim Agricultural Zone

In which Jen Sar, Theo, and Kamele pass beyond the gatekeepers.

It’s good that it’s Appletorn who gets to explain to the Chapelia why their course of action is not as desirable as they might have thought; if too much of the work of saving Delgado fell to Jen Sar the outsider, one might start wondering whether it was worth the effort of saving. Looked at another way, it simply makes sense that it’s Appletorn who produces that explanation; after all, he’s the man whose profession is Advertancy, the practice of knowing what you’re getting yourself into.

Incidentally, it’s looking increasingly likely that my question from way back about whether the Chapelia has any male members can be answered in the negative.

Pilot-Instructor Arman’s test of Theo seems rather unforgiving; if she hadn’t known how to handle a bowli ball properly, she could have been seriously injured. Is it that if she had been laying an unearned claim to the bowli ball, it would have cancelled out the testimony of her dancing and left her, in Arman’s eyes, not enough of a pilot to deserve protection?

I’m getting the distinct impression that Hafley knows about Theo being reassigned to the Parole Class, although since they’re now being held incommunicado she has no way of knowing that Theo hasn’t gone. And that makes me wonder: since they are being held incommunicado, there’s no way of using Theo’s situation to exert pressure on Kamele, which makes it look like nothing more productive than spite at Kamele standing up to her about continuing the research.

Fledgling – Chapter 33

Melchiza
City of Treasures

In which the first full day on Melchiza brings some surprises.

What with their native guide suddenly called away, and all the difficulties attendant on studying things at the House of Treasures, and this offer that they all go and have a holiday somewhere nice while the House’s own staff look things up for them, one might almost get the impression that somebody doesn’t want the research team getting near the Beltaire Collection…

Even if one wasn’t getting that impression, though, Kamele’s response is the only correct one. The whole point of coming was to see for themselves; if they left the job to others now, be they never so trustworthy, they might as well not have come.

I don’t think Hafley was specifically targetting Crowley with the comment about muddling the files; I think that was a general remark that Crowley deliberately chose to take personally as a rhetorical trick to put her off-balance. (But the kind of personal he chose to take it as is another reminder of how gender roles are seen on Delgado.)

Fledgling – Chapter 30

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.