On Wed, 29 May 2002 19:40:46 -0400 "Miller, Bert" <Bert.Miller@unisys.com> wrote:
passing by that pair of a blonde and a rouge who are usually
joined at the hip whenever she sees them.
Nice way to characterize Lara, that she thinks of these
other women in slang terms for their hair-colors. Also,
the "joined at the hip" implies that Lara is either making
some assumptions about Sam and Mary, or doesn't mind the
casting of groundless aspersions (or both).
Or she may just be noticing that they are always together. I don't get
the feeling that Sam or Mary were anywhere on Lara's radar at this time.
Meet me there in sixth period, and I'll give you what
you really want."
She IS cold, isn't she...
And very limited in her social interactions. It's a bit odd that someone
hadn't done more to help her. The school and the state both appear to be
more intrusive than we expect in our USA.
An interesting name... a quick web search says it belonged
to several Jewish savants of the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries. This would appear to mean that this America is
not terribly prejudiced against Jews, whatever the prevalent
mood might be against certain other minorities.
It could be a matter of geography. There usually isn't much opression
against minorities that are very lightly represented.
Sam frowns, and starts to speak slowly. "Well, it's a
Russian name, so she's probably descended from the Whites ...
from that I can probably safely conclude that her family's
pretty wealthy
Ah, more details on the alternate history. Let's see...
White Russians in Japan... most probably, the Reds were
still successful in the revolution, then, but why is it
"safe" to conclude that White Russians must be wealthy?
I'm drawing a blank on any scenario where nearly ALL
noblemen fleeing in 1917 would have successfully taken
their wealth with them, or still have it. I hope you'll
expand.
If I recall, most White Russians that escaped the USSR in our world ended
up being stateless in places like China. Any that managed to reach
American Japan would have been very well off or would have good connections
or both.
"Do you remember about two, maybe two and a half
years ago, when I ... when people were saying that I had ...
I was ..."
"A tribade?" Mary supplies.
The old term? Hmm. Nice touch, in one way, though I'm
not quite sure Sam and Mary should know any word at all
for it, given the way you've portrayed this society and
their age. But then you couldn't have them talk about
it at all, could you?
I don't recall seeing either triblade or beard before in this context. I
expect to figure them out later.
After all, I didn't know that Darren was ... that he
was just using me as ..."
"His beard?"
"Right." Her teeth were clenched on that one, folks.
Interesting way to introduce new slang; "beard" presumably
meaning "badge of manliness".
Or possibly a "front" as in providing cover or performing services that the
principle can not.
"Especially since she's supposed to be one of your
allies," says Rune.
Heh. Rune is more perceptive than Luna, too: she got it
right the first time.
We still haven't heard anything about a Moon Kingdom or a Silver Millenium,
so Rune probably has a complete memory. Her agenda is rather different as
well.
"Dame," he says. "Dame."
"Dame you!" the girl snaps, and slams her elbow into
Given that everything else is in English, if Ken is saying
"bad" in Japanese here, suggest spelling it "da-may", as
neither Sam nor Lara should understand it.
Sam recognized Rune as a result of Japanese pronounciation, so I'd expect
her at least to recognize da-may. Also, if Ken is passing, his english is
probably better than that. Lara recognized him as at least half-breed, so
if there is discrimination against natives it must not be as strict against
half-breeds. It might be mostly social stigma by this time.
By the time the guards are finished questioning them,
"Once is happenstance; twice is coincidence; three times..."
One hopes that Sam doesn't get into this more than one
more time with the guards.
Sam has interacted with the guard before. She's only recently stopped
chasing down pickpockets and the like. As a result, they are likely to
have a file on her.
I find I care more about what happens to Lara than I do
about what happens to Sam at this point, which strikes me
as odd in some ways. Lara, after all, hasn't really done
anything to make me sympathize with her; so why do I care?
Because I see her as a victim. Well, she is, of course,
but you are also correct in that it is her OWN actions
(or, rather, lack thereof) which have placed her in this
hell. For three years she has been free to assign different
meanings to her life and relationships; she has chosen,
consciously or not, to assign the horrible ones she has.
Lara definitely has more issues to work through now than Sam does. Their
emotional, philosophical, and social frameworks are also significantly
different. That should make their shaking down into a team very interesting.
Since Lara will (if possible) be spending a lot more time in her Mercury
form, any side effects or benefits should show up to her first. If
practice makes the form more sustainable, she should discover that first as
well. I wonder if Rune knows about the tiring effects Sam has experienced.