The Best of All Possible Worlds

by Karen Lord

She told me that we’re not to interfere, that it’s not our job.”

You have a global government, apparently, and accusations of illegal business, but no interfering...

we’re not doing anything so stupid just because your head’s all tied up by a pretty Zhinuvian!”

Are you fucking kidding me with this, why are you so awful. Surely he's just got the hots for a girl, couldn't be that he morally objects to fucking slavery

now I had to consider it as truth.

Sweet fuck are you a fucking see saw of a human being...

“I’m sorry we didn’t do our research more thoroughly before coming here.

You researched enough to know about the stupid fucking rank thing, how did this slip through the cracks? I love how conveniently bits of information are gained or not based on what will make the plot work, rather than what makes sense

“Such proof is admissible once the crime is sufficiently severe and the officer who obtained the proof is suitably reprimanded.

So your legal system is a fucking joke then...do whatever you want as long as you're right. They live in TV cop show world

our mission protocols but of the General Code and the Science Code.”

I feel like you maybe don't understand what code means...

this was no time to act like a delinquent adolescent.

You have for the whole book, why change now?

cold.”

Oh good more forced chemistry! And a fairly forced conflict with no build up that I'm positive could have gone differently if everyone wasn't idiots. What is the point of this book. I don't get it. There's no consistency, no sense of time or space, I don't care about anyone, our narrator is a childish moron...ugh.

Today we will go shopping.”

OH BOY SHOPPING MONTAGE. You seriously had NO civvies? You've multiple times been out not on duty, are you just in uniform anyway?

ducking my face into my mug

How big is that mug or how small is your face

Nasiha had been taking an interest in my reproductive capabilities. Sadiri pregnancy hormones must be fierce.

This whole book has baby fever

“Ah, Nasiha, I can’t exactly splurge.

Maybe don't go shopping then?

Women who can be sisters, aunts, grandmothers.

But not individuals

You are already quite attached to each other, in more ways than one.”

No matter how much you say it, it doesn't make it true. Also how many ways can you have this conversation, good god

banished the image and tried to act like an adult.

Good fucking luck

“You’re leaving?” She seemed stunned.

You fired her. Why are you shocked

Besides, appeals take forever, and I’d rather get on with my life.

She's very okay with this whole thing.

(Yes, I know, and no, I’m not telling! If you want to know so badly, you can go ask Lian yourself!)

OR DON'T BECAUSE THAT'S SUPER SHITTY. Nonbinary means nonbinary not "I'm a a binary man/woman it's just a secret".

I’m beginning to think I’m just an idiot.”

FINALLY WE AGREE

On several occasions you have proved your insightfulness concerning Sadiri society.

And her total lack of basic knowledge, simultaneously

It was too good to be true.

Glad that conflict lasted a whole half a chapter

that we might take the morning shuttle to Karaganda,

What, this city doesn't have a phone?

“I have the highest regard for you, Grace.

I'm glad someone does

I’d work with them even if Sadira hadn’t been destroyed—but then of course they’d hardly have any reason to put up with me.”

This fucking dialogue

“So here I am, back where I started, working with you again.”

MAKES IT EASY

I stretched up on tiptoe, careful not to touch any part of him, half closed my eyes, and deeply inhaled the scent of him at the join of his neck and jaw.

Fucking weirdo

Lian was perfectly professional and mostly kept to the Commissioner’s side, with Delarua and Fergus being the only social exceptions.

Earlier Narrator was warning Lian against being too friendly with Joral. CONSISTENCY

Lian, talking to Joral, asking questions, showing interest for the first time,

They were being friendly at the beginning of the mission, fuck this fucking trainwreck

“A kind gesture, no doubt connected to our managing to retain Delarua as a colleague.

So not worth a valuable bottle of booze...

two solid months

No more wacky adventures in that two months?

Suddenly, I caught sight of Nasiha and Tarik walking a tightrope between a tree and our t’bren—walking away from us.

I guess we're back in the fairy place now???

I jolted awake,

This trick doesn't work with this narration style. Unsurprisingly, the style is also inconsistent and can't decide what it wants

When I opened my eyes,

Hey if it didn't work the first time, do it again!

One of the side effects of the stimulant patches was odd, trippy dreams, but that was plain weird.

I've had dreams about exploring the ocean floor and aliens and people creating magical children and making them evil, but sure, you kissing your co-worker is SO WEIRD.

“I’ve got a job to do, too. Where I’m going, you can’t follow.

*SIGH*

“Don’t you remember? The Traveling Clans issue?” I replied, puzzled.

This so does not work with first person narration

“But that doesn’t explain why I’m remembering all my dreams.”

So unusual, remembering dreams

“Last night we saw the earliest Cygnian adaptation of Casablanca. The night before that, we watched the 3-D remake of Superman, which is famous for its interactive special effects. If you would like to join us tonight, we are thinking of viewing the original E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.”

*SIGH*

I could try to tell you what the detailed explanation was, but why bother when you can access for yourself the paper coauthored by Qeturah, Nasiha, and Tarik.

"Why bother actually explaining anything or putting any thought into it? It was just an excuse for a dumb gag instantly resolved, just like everything else!"

I had become a subconscious telepath.

I find it hard to believe this is a thing that's NEVER happened.

five meters.

I mean...That's not a short fall...

His hand loosely gripping mine, chest rising and falling slightly, Dllenahkh was asleep.

Well that chapter was fucking pointless

purely professional setting,

HAHAHAHA

I wanted to get things right, and I had no idea how to go about it.

So we've gone instantly from "we're just friends" to looking up courting rituals. Such rich characterization!

That was a few months back.

And fucking nothing has happened in the interim

“that your ships, unlike the Zhinuvian ships, are alive, not crafted.”

Can I just go watch Farscape

as far-fetched as the tales of the Caretakers sound to some non-Cygnians,

Pretty sure she earlier said disparaging things about people believing in Caretakers, don't care enough to check

“In short, we had the technology to send a pilot back to a time before the disaster.

Fucking what

It made me realize that for all I pretended otherwise, I did care what they thought about me.

OH you haven't pretended that for a second

It did matter to me that even if they saw me as talkative, emotional, and half out of control most of the time,

Well you are