[Dragaera] Rynend and Dathaani (spoilers for Tiassa, of course)

[Maximilian Wilson]

On Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 12:50 PM, Jerry Friedman
<jerry_friedman at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> From: Maximilian Wilson <wilson.max at gmail.com>
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>> I  don't think the Jhereg were actually expecting a representative of
>> the Empire  to appear instantly--
>
> I can't imagine why not.  It's a crisis.

It's not a "Condition Red" kind of crisis where seconds matter,
though. We see that the Empress is willing to hold off on locating
Vlad, first until the Countess can return to the palace, and then
until after the "false location" ploy has completed. The Jhereg were
probably expecting to be in and out in under a minute, and it's
plausible that they were expecting the Empress's negotiation team in
the throne room to be somewhat slower than a SWAT team. Even if they
did get caught though, the only ones at risk for the hit are hired
thugs. The real risk for the Jhereg as a whole (getting caught faking
a Jenoine invasion) is essentially orthogonal in my mind.

> As Dathaani sees it, what should the Empress do?  She should waste no time, but
> send some representative who Vlad will trust.  Morrolan and Aliera are the
> obvious choices.  If they're too in disgrace, as Louis Eastman speculated, then
> she would send some other Good Guy.  The conversation she wants is, "Vlad, the
> Jenoine are about to break through and we think your silver tiassa might stop
> them."  "Since it's you who's telling me, okay, here it is."

I can see where you're coming from with this but I don't agree on the
necessity of sending a trusted personal friend to do the negotiating,
or that Zerika would see it as a necessity. Nevertheless I admit that
Morrolan and Aliera (if they can be trusted to appear in public
together, which they probably can't) would have even more comic
potential than the scene that actually happened. Especially if the
course of negotiations included Vlad getting eaten by Lady Teldra to
stop him from getting eaten by a Mortanti weapon, and Aliera rolling
her eyes with a "been there, done that" look.

-Max

-- 
Be pretty if you are,
Be witty if you can,
But be cheerful if it kills you.

If you're so evil, eat this kitten!