Rosie Re-reads, Part 1: "On Basilisk Station"

Chapters 17

How bloody buggering dare they.

Yeah, I'm sorry. I had plans to, like, discuss the events of this chapter and everything, and my feelings about it, but.... no. Not happening.

I am just livid on Estelle's and the NPA's behalf and I want to hold her until the end of time and HOW BLOODY BUGGERING DARE THEY!!

Next time: Rose is coherent again. Hopefully.

Recap/impressions/commentary on ch. 18-21 coming tonight

ETA: .....or actually tomorrow because I've been up since 4am ::snore::

Chapters 18-21

But why? Where did it go... and to what end? She was alone in a dark room, groping for shadows, and none of it made any sense. Not any sense at all.

She rose from her chair and walked to her office's huge window, staring unseeingly out over the Government Compound's low wall at the monotonous Medusan countryside. It couldn't be one of her people. It couldn't! Whatever the ultimate objective, whatever the reward, she couldn't—wouldn't—believe that any of her people could feed mekoha to the natives and connive at the cold-blooded murder of their own fellows!

But someone had installed a power tap in the one place neither she nor any of Harrington's people had even considered looking. And if it was built in, not added as an afterthought...

She closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against the tough, plastic window, and gritted her teeth in pain.

Right here.

This, right here, was the moment I lost my heart to Dame Estelle Matsuko for all time. And I have no regrets.

In other news, Klaus Hauptman is a jerk of epic proportions, Alistair and Honor finally sort out their Issues (thank you Tester!), Scotty is still awesome, and boy do I look forward to the fireworks coming up when Dame Estelle finally gets Countess New Kiev's message. ::beatific smile::

Sorry for the delay. Shan't happen again. On with the story.

Next time: Dame Estelle has Principles. Marisa Turner doesn't. The results are amusing.

I've liked the fine dame Estelle, not since On Basilisk Station, but when I read the back story involving her in the anthologies. A redeemed character who shows a conviction for her beliefs that is wonderful.

::clubs Real Life senseless with a baseball bat::

PHEW. There. A sizable number of chapters coming this weekend.

Missed y'all.

Fireflair wrote:I've liked the fine dame Estelle, not since On Basilisk Station, but when I read the back story involving her in the anthologies. A redeemed character who shows a conviction for her beliefs that is wonderful.

Which short story was that? I don't remember an anthology story with her in it.

Theemile wrote:

Fireflair wrote:I've liked the fine dame Estelle, not since On Basilisk Station, but when I read the back story involving her in the anthologies. A redeemed character who shows a conviction for her beliefs that is wonderful.

Which short story was that? I don't remember an anthology story with her in it.

I can't find it in any of the anthologies. Was it possibly one of the web free stories?

That might have been it. I can't find the reference when I looked at home or online. I might have been reading something the fan base instead of cannon. It had been my impression that Dame Estelle was sent to Medusa to be the commissioner because she was under a cloud back on Manticore. She serves well and honorably, believing in her cause, but she ended up there because she didn't agree with the crown.

Fireflair wrote: It had been my impression that Dame Estelle was sent to Medusa to be the commissioner because she was under a cloud back on Manticore. ...

You may be confusing Dame Estelle with Lady Paula Gwinner from Queen's Gambit in Worlds of Honor:

The Queen had turned her attention to Paula Gwinner.

"You are somewhat more difficult to deal with," she said, "as I cannot remove your titles. However, I am also offering you a job on Basilisk as assistant to Daniel Chou."

The wiry old man straightened and gave Gwinner a casual wave. His mustaches flopped.

"Liaison to the natives," he said, "in a really lonely district. We probably won't see another human for months at a time. They don't even trade with humans. They're good folks, though. Smell a bit funny, but they are fiercely honorable."

Darn it - in my researching Weird Harold beat me to it

Fireflair wrote:That might have been it. I can't find the reference when I looked at home or online. I might have been reading something the fan base instead of cannon. It had been my impression that Dame Estelle was sent to Medusa to be the commissioner because she was under a cloud back on Manticore. She serves well and honorably, believing in her cause, but she ended up there because she didn't agree with the crown.

Huh, I don't remember that but it's possible.
I vaguely remembered (and just found the scene in World of Honor) where Marvin Seltman and Paula Gwinner, two of the people involved in arranging King Roger's grav ski 'accident' were exiled to Medusa. (Jean Marrou who provided evidence was allowed to retire to the wilderness of Sphinx)

The only thing I can find in the books about her appointment is part of the mini bio in House of Steel -- "Estelle Matsuko was appointed the Resident Commissioner for Planetary Affairs of Medusa in 1897 PD, where she and the Native Protection Agency fought to preserve the rights and culture of the Medusan natives with limited assistance."

OTOH since she is introduced in OBS (set in in 1901 PD, just 4 years later) as "Dame Estelle Matsuko, Knight of the Order of King Roger and Resident Commissioner for Planetary Affairs on the planet Medusa" it seems unlikely Queen Elizabeth would have awarded her with a knighthood and then had a falling out (and certainly there doesn't seem time to get over a falling out and award the knighthood in those 4 years).
But I suppose not impossible that she was under some kind of cloud -- just wish I knew where that idea came from.