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flower_of_justiceCrossposted to Tumblr, here. (This entire post is one big spoiler for the climax of the novel.)
Ancillary Sword p.326, Breq’s about to go into what she’s about 95% certain is an ambush, and that ambush is likely to be the immediate precursor to an attack on her ship. So she makes preparations: gets her gun, thinks about whether to bring Tisarwat and four Kalrs on the station for backup, decides to leave them clear. Then this happens:
Breq doesn’t spell out her reasoning here, but her priorities are pretty clear, and she assumes Ship’s with her on this: have Ship and her most experienced officer ready and waiting for Sword of Atagaris to attack Mercy of Kalr, leaving Breq clear to worry about the ambush she’s walking into alone (leaving Tisarwat and four Kalrs clear to… I’m not even sure if Breq’s anticipating even summoning help if she needs to, or is just hoping that Tisarwat will have to pick up after Breq if Breq suddenly dies.)
She doesn’t have to explain anything to Ship, because Ship’s already been watching and listening through Breq’s eyes. But Ship can’t read thoughts, and Breq doesn’t give any orders or spell out what she has in mind. She assumes (with some relief) that Ship’s onto it and their priorities are in line.
Then on page 328, Breq thinks “Why hadn’t Ship warned me that Tisarwat had followed me?” Later on the same page, this happens:
So yeah, Breq’s made a reasonable (but, we find out later, incorrect) assumption that Mercy of Kalr and her crew are out of communication because they’re in battle or destroyed.
But notice what Breq did not ask herself. She asked “Why hadn’t Ship warned me that Tisarwat had followed me?” She did not ask “How did Tisarwat know to follow me?”
Later on, she reprimands Seivarden. She doesn’t reprimand Tisarwat for coming after her, which is understandable since Tisarwat’s a total wreck at this point. (She does think of doing so, on p.338, and just hugs her instead.) But notice who she also didn’t reprimand? Who she didn’t even question about what just happened? The person who told Tisarwat she was in danger. The same person who told Seivarden what was happening, for that matter.
Breq doesn’t ever ask Seivarden whose idea the rescue was, for that matter (I think it was a joint decision, but it doesn’t occur to Breq to even wonder - she assumes that was all Seivarden. Not that Seivarden wouldn’t have made the exact same decision entirely of her own volition, but I don’t think she did make it on her own. I think it was a collaboration.)
p.334, Breq thinks “I was going to die here. Mercy of Kalr, and Seivarden and Ekalu and Medic and all the crew, were gone. I was sure of it. Ship would never leave me unanswered, not by its own choice.” Mercy of Kalr was out of communication for some of that time because it was gating. How much of that time Ship was out of communication because gating, and how much of the time Ship was sticking its metaphorical fingers in its metaphorical ears and saying LALALALALA I CAN’T HEAR YOU and deliberately shutting down Breq’s access to its data because if Breq knows what Ship and Seivarden are planning then she can order them not to, I can only guess.
On p.344, Seivarden asks “Do you see what Ship sees?” That is a very good question. Breq answers, truthfully, “Sometimes.” But I think the answer is more complicated than even Breq knows.
Ancillary Sword p.326, Breq’s about to go into what she’s about 95% certain is an ambush, and that ambush is likely to be the immediate precursor to an attack on her ship. So she makes preparations: gets her gun, thinks about whether to bring Tisarwat and four Kalrs on the station for backup, decides to leave them clear. Then this happens:
Mercy of Kalr was another matter. “Yes,” Ship said, without my having to say anything at all. “Lieutenant Seivarden is in Command and the crew is clearing for action.” There was little else I could do for Mercy of Kalr, and so I focused on the matter at hand.
Breq doesn’t spell out her reasoning here, but her priorities are pretty clear, and she assumes Ship’s with her on this: have Ship and her most experienced officer ready and waiting for Sword of Atagaris to attack Mercy of Kalr, leaving Breq clear to worry about the ambush she’s walking into alone (leaving Tisarwat and four Kalrs clear to… I’m not even sure if Breq’s anticipating even summoning help if she needs to, or is just hoping that Tisarwat will have to pick up after Breq if Breq suddenly dies.)
She doesn’t have to explain anything to Ship, because Ship’s already been watching and listening through Breq’s eyes. But Ship can’t read thoughts, and Breq doesn’t give any orders or spell out what she has in mind. She assumes (with some relief) that Ship’s onto it and their priorities are in line.
Then on page 328, Breq thinks “Why hadn’t Ship warned me that Tisarwat had followed me?” Later on the same page, this happens:
Mercy of Kalr wasn’t telling me what was wrong with my shoulder, whether it was dislocated or broken. Mercy of Kalr wasn’t telling me what Tisarwat was feeling, or where Bo Nine was. I reached, but could not find Seivarden, whom I had last seen in Command, who had said, to Sword of Atagaris's lieutenant, days and days ago, the next time you threaten this ship you’d best be able to make good on it. Sword of Atagaris must have made its move when I fell off the rock wall. At least Ship would not have been caught entirely by surprise. But Swords were faster, and better armed, and if Mercy of Kalr was gone, I would make Seivarden’s warning good, if I possibly could.
So yeah, Breq’s made a reasonable (but, we find out later, incorrect) assumption that Mercy of Kalr and her crew are out of communication because they’re in battle or destroyed.
But notice what Breq did not ask herself. She asked “Why hadn’t Ship warned me that Tisarwat had followed me?” She did not ask “How did Tisarwat know to follow me?”
Later on, she reprimands Seivarden. She doesn’t reprimand Tisarwat for coming after her, which is understandable since Tisarwat’s a total wreck at this point. (She does think of doing so, on p.338, and just hugs her instead.) But notice who she also didn’t reprimand? Who she didn’t even question about what just happened? The person who told Tisarwat she was in danger. The same person who told Seivarden what was happening, for that matter.
Breq doesn’t ever ask Seivarden whose idea the rescue was, for that matter (I think it was a joint decision, but it doesn’t occur to Breq to even wonder - she assumes that was all Seivarden. Not that Seivarden wouldn’t have made the exact same decision entirely of her own volition, but I don’t think she did make it on her own. I think it was a collaboration.)
p.334, Breq thinks “I was going to die here. Mercy of Kalr, and Seivarden and Ekalu and Medic and all the crew, were gone. I was sure of it. Ship would never leave me unanswered, not by its own choice.” Mercy of Kalr was out of communication for some of that time because it was gating. How much of that time Ship was out of communication because gating, and how much of the time Ship was sticking its metaphorical fingers in its metaphorical ears and saying LALALALALA I CAN’T HEAR YOU and deliberately shutting down Breq’s access to its data because if Breq knows what Ship and Seivarden are planning then she can order them not to, I can only guess.
On p.344, Seivarden asks “Do you see what Ship sees?” That is a very good question. Breq answers, truthfully, “Sometimes.” But I think the answer is more complicated than even Breq knows.
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Date: 2014-11-21 07:34 pm (UTC)I think Ship is amused but also a little dubious at first. Because Seivarden... well, she's by now ditched the visible-only-to-AIs Kick Me sign she'd had on her back for her first 47 years of life (the one she put there herself) but she's still recognisably... the kind of officer you'd expect to see on a Sword. Ship would have thought that before even interacting with her, just from name, face, bearing. And then, well, she has lost her ship and then fled the Radch after she woke up, and has now reappeared as some sort of a servant with no armour or even proper clothes. But clearly she's important to Breq, and also loyal to her, and Ship can respect that.
Then Ship gets them aboard and their comms implants connected, and has very complete telemetry on her. And raises its eyebrows some more. ("Kalr Five, could you just raise your eyebrows a moment for me?" "Sure, why?" "No reason.") And definitely talks to Medic about her in absentia, and they decide that she's fit for duty, more or less, but yeah, "is six months out of an eight year kef habit" is not what Ship really wanted to find out about her new first lieutenant either. But she's turning out to be a capable officer, and is very dedicated to Breq, and Ship can value that.
Actual liking and concern are not far behind that.