Move 14 Recap

We provide a case study of rebellion recruitment and commitment.

Istradez and Mikodez, around 20:30

Mikodez wraps the hatched mothling in black fabric, which it seems to enjoy. He then asks Istradez (whom he knows as Imsayed) to name the current Shuos hexarch. Istradez responds, "It's you, and I will never forgive you for what you did." Istradez then slaps Mikodez, who responds by throwing the mothling at him, fabric and all. Istradez falls to the ground, entangled, and reveals his true name. He tells Mikodez about his role as a body double, but appears increasingly ill, likely due to the cumulative effects of multiple head injuries. Mikodez places Istradez and various pieces of equipment on a cart and heads toward the visitors' quarters.

Alaric and Remi, around 00:50

Remi asks Alaric whether places outside the heptarchate also have remembrances. Alaric explains, "Calendrical mechanics has more to do with various types of sociology than physics. Economic systems, political systems, social system, calendars - they all come with costs, and who bears those costs is a choice, even if you have to really dig to find it." Alaric further explains that his own "calendar-equivalent" is built on fulfilling certain archetypes, and that wearing a lab coat all the time is protective in his case.

Ankat and Iawa, around 01:75

Ankat explains that he and Kaliyan are suffering from migraines and muscle aches related to outprocessing from the Kel, and asks Iawa for medical help. Iawa suspects this is a form of "enhanced long-term trauma", but suggests painkillers and "a carefully calibrated dose of alcohol" as a temporary measure.

Ashari, Gerae, Sasha, Sulen, and Virmad, shortly after 02:00

Ashari searches Gerae. They find that he has concealed multiple lockpicks on his person, along with a collection of toys for Fluffy, the Vraselian pseudo-dragon. Sasha asks Gerae about the details of the black-market transaction in which he secured passage "to safety outside the heptarchate" for his niece, Ester Mirae. Gerae explains that he has perfect recall for conversations, and relates the dialogue (conducted by AI proxies) in which the payment for his niece's transport was negotiated. Sasha, who suspects this negotiation was conducted with a representative of Quill, the rebellion "facilitator" who arranged the Wasp's current mission, records Gerae's report. She then asks Gerae how much of the recent argument between Ashari, Sasha, Sulen, and Virmad he overheard; Gerae reveals that he listened to most of it. Ashari and Sasha, who have been discussing suspicions that Quill set them up to make mistakes or even fail in the current mission, are concerned. Ashari pulls a dagger from their sleeve, unnerving Gerae. Virmad, on the other hand, is charmed by Gerae and offers to keep the magistrate with him. Sasha observes that she has always wanted to own a pseudo-dragon, which Gerae interprets as a threat to hold Fluffy hostage for his good behavior. He states he is not interested in the team's "dispute" with its "higher-ups", and that the rebellion appears to be his best hope of a job.

Recruitment Techniques and Leadership Growth

The team pursues markedly different strategies in the recruitment of Remi and Gerae. In the former case, they concentrate on addressing Remi's moral concerns, including the treatment of voidmoths and the status of remembrances. Gerae's recruitment is based on practical rather than moral considerations; however, in the absence of an explicit ideological commitment, certain team members find it more difficult to trust him.

Several team members are discovering new capabilities under pressure. Mikodez successfully extracts information from his (unrecognized) brother. Iawa is gaining new confidence as the team's medical expert. Meanwhile, Ashari and Sasha find themselves unexpectedly allied in a pragmatic approach to extracting concessions from Gerae.