The Loyal Left Hand (short story)

The Loyal Left Hand
Main character(s):	Bernice Summerfield
Featuring:	Isaac, Adrian, Peter, Jason
Key crew
Writer:	Jonathan Blum
Release details
Part of:	Nobody's Children
Release date:	3 August 2007
Bernice Summerfield short stories
← Previous	All Mimsy Were the Borogoves
Next →	Nursery Politics

The Loyal Left Hand was the second story in the Bernice Summerfield anthology Nobody's Children. It was written by Jonathan Blum.

This story was notable for heavily expanding on Draconian mythology and first introduced the idea that the Draconian women were the true power behind the species. These themes were later expanded upon by regular Bernice Summerfield contributor Gary Russell in Cold Blooded War!.

Summary

Still in the midst of political talks surrounding the Mim borogoves following Lwpha's assassination, Bernice Summerfield agrees to accompany Ithva Kothar on a traditional Draconian retreat to prove her worth as the Mim's appointed guardian.

Plot

to be added

Characters

• Bernice Summerfield
• Lwpha
• Isaac Summerfield II
• Adrian Wall
• Peter Summerfield
• Mahalia
• Jason Kane
• Werther
• Kothar
• Ithva Kothar
• Sharintha Kothar
• George (Korenthai/Salthmanika)
• Joseph
• Lashenkavaar
• Draconian driver
• Draconian receptionist
• Marthaleka
• Riskilvar
• Rathklin
• Misilvar
• Riskyva

Worldbuilding

• Isaac reads from the Mim Book of the Unshiftable.
• Benny's Mood music is designed to pick up on the telepathic atmosphere and filter her playlist accordingly. She listens to Charles Mingus and Michael Stipe, Jason was able to manipulate the mood filter to play the chorus of I Should Be So Lucky. Later the music plays Bellinood's Pur ti miro and Benny considers trying to change it to Brahms' lullaby.
• Benny mentions Dr Skilx'vran and Dr Vreeaaa, and Draconians Mullyns, Bilalis and Kissinger.
• Ithva orders Craxatonian chardonnay.
• A Draconian won Best Actress at the Galactacadmey awards.
• Benny mentions the news outlet Freeworld Weekly News.
• Benny compares Ithva to Livia the Tattooed Lady.
• Vrakiya All-Knowing was a former Draconian Empress.
• Ithva invites Benny and Peter to a Nikhol Vakarshta retreat on Montavadros. They visit the city of Nishkala before heading to the camp in the Tembleth desert.
• Benny mentions the Deep Galleries
• Peter's friends on the Collection were Maeve Kitishvaris, Zack, |Maxx and |Wajiwaj.
• The Draconian driver's son is called Meshkinkla.
• A Draconian artist Marthaleka once went to Postine 5 and drew sketches of the Lord High Generalissimo. Due to the comedic depiction the General's attempted coup collapsed as he lost respect.
• Benny encounters mothroaches.

Notes

• Lwpha was previously stated to be asexual and without gender throughout All Mimsy Were the Borogoves. However, this story repeatedly identifies the character as male.

Continuity

• Benny scatters Lwpha's remains following their death. (PROSE: All Mimsy Were the Borogoves)
• Benny recalls her kiss with Bev Tarrant. (AUDIO: Summer of Love)
• Benny says that her misreadings of body language cost a girl from the Quire her sanity, (PROSE: Future Relations) that people she had righteously hated since her youth turned out not to have betrayed her after all (PROSE: The Soul's Prism) and people she had relied on revealed themselves as monsters. (AUDIO: Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Crystal of Cantus)