I recently sent a few friends over to Amazon to check out Quarter Share and peeked into the 'low star' ratings.  We share recommendations all the time and tend to use the 'haters' as a good gauge of a book.  Heck, what I love in much fiction *is* often what others dislike anyway and everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Sometimes I'm simply heartened to see the people still actually read.

The claim of 'nothing ever happens' isn't new and in some ways valid in that there's there's no zombies, no evil aliens, no pirates (although it would be entertaining if High Tortuga is really out there) to kick up the body count. In this world of entertainment at video game speed, I hope there is always a profitable place for Nate's brand of lush storytelling.

I think we've all read enough fiction to know [article 37], in some shape or form had to happen, but the structural scaffolding of the story is so well layered with characters we care about that we still gasp, maybe shed a tear when it hits.  

I'm know the final 2 chapters will leave me wanting for more resolution than I get, but what higher praise for an author!  I'm glad there's a good chance we'll get a look into Ishmael's world from time-to-time in the future.  It will be like catching up with an old friend.          

Are you suggesting he needs a bodyguard?

Me too, waiting to see if the "Ames Jarvis" Ish met on Breakall is the same Ames Jarvis who's sitting in DST HQ (and what they said!)

That being said, I hope Greta really did go over that engine room with a fine-toothed comb.  I'm still curious what Chief Bailey had in that second bag. Ish was surprised he had unpacked so little, when he was escorted to pack and go.

Sheesh.  I keep aiming for that nail and my thumb is getting aufully sore from being hit!  

But Ish seems to be collecting the things inportant to him and letting the rest take care of itself.  Good Man!

In the Galley with the Spanner?  
 
So many possible tiny little hints - such a full barrel of red fishies.
 
Mr. Pall - a rich kid with more opportunities than brains?  He also seemed a little more affected by the news of Mr. Maloney's death than the others.
 
Ms. Arrellone - knows what its was like growing up with a target on her forehead?
 
Roni - been following Ish's career since the Academy?
 
Frank - Why was he completely untracable?  
 
So much 'off camera' intrigue!  

Jarvis meeting with Ish in Breakall
 
Haveral Kimble from the breakers yard relying on the Chief's assessment of the Jezebel (and cutting the price by $5M?)
 
Greta/Kirsten on the Jezebel.  They got pretty friendly by the time Ish caught back up with them.
 

Stuff we just don't know

The Higbee 9500 - Why aren't there more around?  The Chief laughs when Ish comments that the model was "retired".  Its almost like the cargo hauling was added as an afterthought, or just so that the ship could qualify for some CPJCT spec.
 
What prompted Geoff to add the codicil to his will.
 
Where's Curt?

Couple of things that just nag at me    

There's no way to test the space-worthiness of the Burlson drives except to actually jump?  Really?

The prices in the Chandlry are constant - even in non-confederation ports?

No update yet, so time for idle speculation and deconstruction...

What if Simpson were to simply extend Ish's note for an additional 30 days?  He hasn't even asked Simpson to find him a solution to his timing problem.  That is the kind of thing a financial advisor is supposed to do.  At the same rate (2% on $8.48M) that would leave Ish with about 500K creds cash, after the repayment and 25% to the taxman.  Its not like its a risky short term investment.  I'm sure the winning bidder was financially vetted before being allowed to bid.  And there was a conversation about 'making a good living going broke each year'.    


Thinking back to Ish's conversation with Simpson on 'what he wanted to do if he grows up'  , his perceived benefits and drawbacks between the power differential in the chain of command vs "selection" of a shipmate with whom he also has a personal attachment seems to have flipped, in execution.  

On the Lois, Ish learned how it works, when it works well.  Each subsequent ship is smaller and more thinly crewed.  His experiences highlight how much more he has to rely on his crewmates and here on the Iris, he has no mentor, no peer and no soundboard (Christine could be, but she's still a quarter share and has no background).  How strong is a 'chain', if it only has 2 links?  There's no engineering second, to fall back on here.  The Chief has no allegiance to Ish, so what good is the protection of 'chain of command' doing for Ish now?  The Chief has the power.  No engineer, no leaving dock.  


      

Well I found the first time the Chief does the "see if I don't" thing - late in ep 17, when asked about topping the tanks in Welliver. Unfortunately, it's before he leaves the ship so I still have no idea what triggers the change in him.

I do wonder what he brought on board in his second trunk

I almost forgot!  Thanks Nate, for "good gods and tiny fishes" 

I actually tried a bit of relistening to see if I could spot that transition, but it wasn't really clear to me.  I was looking for changes in Chief's behavior after he splits from the group when the rest go to pick shipsuits, and after his first outing to stretch his legs, but he was still offering suggestions and directly asking Ish for direction, even after failing to acknowledge the first request to fix the shower door the first time.  All those "see if I don't"s feel rather creepy, in review!  This kind of thread-pulling is much easier when I have actual paper pages to flip

I can't believe that the Chief has a death wish, so I'm guessing he's actually an absolute master at his trade, to keep things on the edge of catastrophe without crossing over the line.  That or he and his handlers are cold blooded killers who are waiting to slavage the Iris after engineering Christine's death.  Maybe the leaks to the newsies are foiling their plans to engineer a fatal accident on the fast packet she's supposed to be on.  

Poor Ish.  He is so out of his comfort zone here and its making him cranky and unfocused.  Trusting Iris might work as a 'game plan' in the deep dark, but with this zippy little ship, he doesn't spend enough time out there to achieve whatever "zen" he requires for clear thought to prioritize.  And not even a treadmill on board?  Ish has been reduced to 'relaxing' with paperwork and astrogation updates.  Tick, tick, tick....boom?

So, has anyone thought about DST as a company?

I thought about that too, but Maloney knew he had a problem on the Tinker when he offered Ish the slot.  He may not have known (or wanted to acknowledge) how bad it was, but he wasn't unaware.  As for Agamemnon, I really think they wanted a 'punishment berth to hold over ratings and weren't that motivated to improve it.  I think Maloney may have been surprised at how fast Ish cleaned that up.

When Fredi was running through the ships in the fleet with Ish after he made captain, there were some 'cherry' ships, although without suitable openings.     

but then I remembered that Kirsten Kingsley was in charge of fleet ops

Kirsten is a bit of a mystery to me.  I wonder just what the "director of fleet ops" does and what her relationship really is with the "inner circle".  Her understanding of Larks, Simpson and Green was a bit off.  The same with her summary of Christine Maloney as a spoiled rich kid.  Plus, I get the feeling that she really went outside her reach, setting Ish up with the Jez, although she had Roni's support. 

I'm now wondering if this is a power struggle between Roni and Ames Jarvis.
   

So many possibilities, so few chapters to go! 

I can appreciate why the published versions will differ in content from the podcasts.  Those of us who "hear" Nate narrating, even when we read, can't gauge the impact of the words alone.  I respect Ridan for recognizing the value of the fan base created by the podcast format.  As for those mainstream big publishing houses, complacency is dangerous.  There is a lesson to be learned from the Encyclopedia Britannica model.  That being said, I'm kind of glad I grew up with the Hammond World Atlas, Will & Ariel Durant's History of Civilization and the local librarian instead of Wikipedia. 

As for idle hopes and musings -     

I hope Ish takes his father out for a spin, with all that armor glass. 

Where's the ship key these days and what, if anything is in the on-board safe that was never opened?

I'm guessing (hoping?) that Gramps is preoccupied or conflicted, rather than willingly acting maliciously.  Is he reporting back to someone when he goes to 'stretch his legs'?  Was that hangover was the result of drinking with purpose, rather than just a night out with the boys.  Letting the scrubbers go smelly is beyond lazy or forgetful - its dangerous.  Plus, didn't Gramps go ashore before Liberty was declared?  He's got some 'splainin' to do!

Can't decide if Kirsten is a really good actress of just traipsing down that road paved with good intentions.  I'm leaning towards her being a pawn in Roni and Simpson's chess game, but who knows.

Wondering what happened 5 yrs ago to prompt Geoff to add the codicil to his will?  Stuff we can't pinpoint:  When Geoff and his wife split.  What Christine was doing after high school, cooking school and E & D (31 now, maybe 24 after E & D) that coincided with the change in the will.   

What the heck was the Jezebel doing before she was up for sale?  Stacey had drinks with a crew member who was miffed at being beached - but why would she want to stay on that bucket?  Can't be the shares, if ship was losing money for DST. 

I will miss the speculation almost as much as the story itself, when this plays out.  Thanks, Nate.
   
Jane