Tag Archives: Vin Sin chel’Mara

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 34

In which Aelliana invents a solar system.

There’s a parallel going on here between the situations of Aelliana and Samiv. Neither of them is getting the care they ought to be able to expect from their own clans. Both of them have an opportunity to appeal to Daav for assistance, and impediments to grasping the opportunity. (It’s a sign probably of Samiv’s desperation as much as anything that she has actually taken that step — especially after her delm expressly forbade her to.)

I wonder… if Aelliana had also decided to turn to Daav, would she have ended up waiting in the same room as Samiv? What would they have talked about? Probably not, though; I expect when you have a house as big as Korval does, the standard routine is for the butler to leave each visitor waiting in a different room, and probably not even let them know there are other visitors unless instructed otherwise. (And anyway, if Aelliana had decided to turn to Daav, she’d have phoned instead of turning up on his doorstep, the location of which is still unknown to her.)

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 29

In which Aelliana frames and tries a piloting addendum under stringent field conditions.

I have to admit that the details of Aelliana’s course addendum go straight over my head. But it certainly sounds impressive.

The quote at the beginning of this chapter is the fragment that eventually grew into the short story “The Space at Tinsori Light” (which, chronological order being what it is, we have already had). Here, its purpose is only to add another angle to the introduction of the pilot’s ring.

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 19

In which Ride the Luck and her crew test their capabilities.

Aelliana continues to develop. Daav is pushing her in ways he wouldn’t have when they first met because she wouldn’t have been able to handle them, and she is handling them.

One consequence of this which gives superficial pleasure to the reader, on top of the deeper pleasure at her progress, is that she’s now able to participate in the banter instead of just watching in dismay as it whizzes past.

For my favourite moment in this chapter, I’m torn between “Clonak — Clonak calls you Captain,” she told him, as if this might have someway escaped his notice. and “Thank you, but I — don’t believe I am hungry.” “Yes,” he said placidly, “I know.”

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 18

In which Aelliana and her co-pilot begin their day.

Aelliana continues to show outward signs of her growing inner confidence. By the end of this chapter, she’s not only wearing her hair back, she feels safe enough with Daav to leave off the habitual overgarment that is described with the very word “armor”.

The Scouts’ tendency to want to feed Aelliana may have something to do with the fact that when they do, those are the only times in the book we’ve seen her eat anything at all. When she is shown taking meals with her family, she’s always too stressed to eat.

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 14

In which Hedrede calls upon Korval.

I am suspicious of Delm Hedrede’s attempt to discredit Anne’s scholarship. Certainly, prejudice may be found in all walks of life, but the description of Hedrede as a clan that usually keeps to itself and doesn’t start anything in Council makes me wonder if somebody put her up to it. (If it was the same people who were behind Fil Tor Kinrae and the earlier, more direct attack on Anne and Scholar yo’Kera, one would expect them to know that Daav could invoke Scholar yo’Kera to defeat the implication of Terran duplicity. Perhaps they did, but felt it was worth a try anyhow, as long as they had Hedrede to absorb the consequences if it didn’t work out.)

While Daav is busy defusing ticking social bombs of various kinds, Aelliana is having a much better day. Being around people who give her honest respect for her achievements — and are able to bring her to accept the respect she’s earned, which the Scouts are able to do in a way her students have never had the status for, however much they respected her — has been doing her some lasting good.

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 13

In which Clonak ter’Meulen is in love.

Though why he picks that precise moment, of all the moments in the conversation, to decide this, I am not sure.

The Binjali crew seems to have adopted Aelliana as a comrade. Jon says it clearest, when she tries to thank him and he says that it’s the same as they’d do for any of their own, no gratitude demanded.

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 11

In which Daav and Aelliana meet for the first time.

Daav has part of his wish now: someone who knows him only as himself, without any idea of his rank and status.

Which is probably the only way they could have made a connection; if Aelliana had known he was Delm Korval, it would likely have been a disaster, though for the opposite reason from most of the women he’s had to deal with. She’s not the type to play up to him because of his wealth or rank, but she’d have been even more terrified of him than Syntebra el’Kemin was of Er Thom. And as Delm Korval speaking with one not of his clan, he would have limits on his conversation options that would prevent him from soothing her the way he is able to as just-Daav in the place where everyone speaks Comrade.

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 9

In which the nature of Scouts is a cause for discussion.

There are some remarkable instances of short-sightedness in this mealtime conversation.

One of them is Voni, buying in to the idea that a dress that was a runaway success when worn by one person will necessarily work the same magic whoever wears it. The fact that she defends it from the charge of wantonness by saying it’s a knock-off of a design created for Lady yos’Galan underscores the point for anyone who remembers that in Local Custom at least one person did describe the dress created for Anne as “entirely wanton”, while the more nuanced view was that it would have been unacceptably forward on a Liaden but got away with being charmingly daring because it was Anne wearing it.

The other is Birin Caylon, who comes in on a scene she accurately describes as “Ran Eld the insatiable cat about to eat the unfortunate mouse, portrayed by Aelliana” — and completely fails to grasp, as she apparently always has when it comes to Ran Eld and Aelliana, how serious it is.

Have I mentioned how much I like Sinit?

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 8

In which Vin Sin chel’Mara’s delm has news to share.

I believe this is the only time we meet Delm Aragon. He seems a smart man, and well-equipped with that ironic sense of humor all the best Liadens have. I think I like him — from a safe distance. I should be considerably more wary if I had ever to deal with him in person.

Several chapters in, the authors have finally got around to telling us Var Mon’s family: he is of Line pin’Aker in Clan Midys. Since Trade Secret was published, his friendship with Rema ven’Deelin has retroactively become a nice callback to the friendship between Jethri Gobelyn ven’Deelin and Samay pin’Aker.

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 7

In which Aelliana takes possession of her ship.

I’ve noticed several people referring to Aelliana’s late opponent as “the chel’Mara”. In some places such a distinction might indicate that he was the head of his family Line, but I don’t think I recall any such usage ever being explicitly noted among Liadens, and it seems unlikely in the case of Vin Sin chel’Mara. More likely it is simply an indication that he’s achieved notoriety in a field where no other chel’Mara is to be found.

Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure there’s at least one point in this novel where Aelliana is referred to as “the Caylon”, and that’s definitely in tribute to her distinction as a mathematician and definitely not because of any exalted position in Line Caylon.

Speaking of Aelliana’s distinction as a mathematician, there’s probably something insightful to be said about that, and about Aelliana’s unease at being accorded distinction of any kind, but apparently I’m not the person to say it. (At least not at this time of night and with this head cold.)