Jelaza Kazone
In which Rys returns.
There have been three described cats in these scenes of the Bedel in the Tree Court, and I’ve been trying to match them against Korval cats we already know.
Continue reading
The Bedel
In which the ship welcomes the kompani.
There’s a scene in Necessity’s Child where Alosha and Silain are talking about the ship being late and Alosha says specifically that one of the reasons he doesn’t think it’s going to come for them now is that Surebleak Port has started doing its job properly again and he doesn’t believe the ship will be able to come and go without being noticed. Perhaps that was just the discouragement talking, because now that the ship is actually coming nobody has any doubts on that score.
Continue reading
Jelaza Kazone
In which all cats are Bedel.
The part I like about this chapter is the character interactions: Yulie’s way of showing concern, and Memit’s hunt, and Droi pondering her place in the kompani.
The Bedel
In which the kompani prepares for departure.
Udari defers to Droi as the luthia, which suggests she’s been accepted as the one who will serve that role for the kompani staying on Surebleak. It doesn’t appear that Udari has been chosen as the headman for the kompani; Droi tells him that a decision is the headman’s, not his. The way she says it suggests that the headman is somebody who has not yet had a chance to think and speak on the issue — which I rather think means that it’s Rys.
The Bedel
In which the ship is on its way.
Udari said earlier that he thought Pulka would choose to go when it came to it, but given his frame of mind at the beginning of this chapter the question may be still open.
We know it’s not going to happen this time, since some have already committed to leaving, but I wonder what would happen if all the kompani, aside from the two who have no choice, chose to stay.
Surebleak
The Bedel
In which Rys’s family receive news of his doings.
Here’s an entirely frivolous question: Does the placement of this scene, so many pages after the event Droi Sees, indicate that the authors have monkeyed with the chapter arrangement for dramatic effect, or does it take time for a Seeing to travel over interstellar distances?
Six of Us
Jenarian Station
In which Rys makes a gamble.
I suppose it was too much to hope that the official procedure for disbanding the Department merely meant calling the whole thing off and letting everyone go home.
Continue reading
Port Road
Yulie Shaper’s Place
In which Val Con receives news of his brother’s family.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen someone do the disappear-in-plain-sight trick. I wonder if there’s a reason we’re being reminded of it now.
Dudley Avenue and Farley Lane
Lady Kareen’s House
In which Kareen has a visit from her sister.
Well, that answers some of the questions I had.
Continue reading
The Bedel
In which Udari speaks.
I wonder which kompani Alosha and Silain will choose, if it comes down to it. Silain, as Droi mentions, has her own ties to the people of Surebleak, but she might feel that her duty takes her back to the ship. Alosha doesn’t appear conflicted and doesn’t have any particular ties that we know about.
Continue reading