~This is and ongoing Q&A. As intriguing questions come in, I’ll post them here. I welcome you to email your questions.~
Q: What was in Chaza’s journals?
A: The vast majority of what she’d written detailed her daily life on Gamma. However, there were some missing pages—which she’d torn out and destroyed while still on Gamma—giving an account of her brief affair with Joseph Arcana (Meg’s father). Those missing pages recounted Chaza’s ‘real’ crux and crucible: her fear that Meg’s conception (that the possible/likely moment of conception occurred when Chaza and Joseph were in their light forms) will lead to Meg’s early death… which is why Joseph died at a young age.
Q: How long do all these people live?!
A: It’s in there, both books, I swear! Short answer: genetic tweaking. Long answer: genetic tweaking… with the help of people from a much older solar system than we could ever imagine possible (even in fiction!)—the Archilochun.
Q: Why didn’t you split GAMMA and DOMUM into two books each? [In other words: Why didn’t I stretch the series out longer?]
A: GAMMA is filled with the events, perspectives, and histories of what took place on Gamma (Earth). The events, perspectives, and histories of what took place on Domum are in DOMUM. (At least the two books aren’t as enormous as the historical texts in Domum’s library… which can be a foot thick!) When ARES is released, it will be titled: ARES – Book 3. It’s more of a side story, and will offer more insight concerning the Dissenters, which are often mentioned in DOMUM. ARES is much shorter than Book 1 & 2… and also takes place in a different world: not Earth, not Domum, but still in this solar system. (Also, there’s another reason why I didn’t split GAMMA and DOMUM, but it’s rather political and not very flattering to capitalism.)
Q: How is there an account of what the gardon did to the soldiers on the ship [if all the soldiers the gardon encountered died]?
A: There were cameras on the ship. Remember Arden said to Eldridge, “I know everything that goes on in my ship.” (Ch. 15: Subjugation) So, there is video footage.
Q: Who/what is Thoth? And specifically, what did Gamus mean when she said to him: “I’ve been waiting for this since long before you expunged yourself.” (Ch. 22: Betimes)
A: This ‘incarnation’ of Thoth (any Thoth-like entity) is John Paul Ellison. He is a temporary fill-in until the next ‘Thoth’ is ready. This J.P. Ellison-Thoth allowed Gamus to ‘know’ he’d been J.P. Ellison. The previous ‘Thoth-like’ entity, who had not assigned herself a moniker like John Paul did [Thoth is an Ancient Egyptian deity], had selected her replacement, but this replacement wasn’t yet old enough to take over the galactic supervisory duties. The scene where she’d made her selection is in GAMMA: the barn scene involving Meg and Alec when they were children (Ch. 1: Shadows). Because her selection was still a child, she chose a temporary, John Paul. However, once you’ve been selected—temporary or not—you’re locked in for however long you choose, and John Paul could be galactic supervisor indefinitely. But, when he does ‘retire’, he’ll have to hand it over to the previously selected next-in-line. And here comes the conundrum: There were two children in that barn—Meg and Alec—so which one was selected?
Q: Did Drake hear Luke reading Alec’s letter?
A: No. Drake wasn’t on Domum when Luke read Alec’s ‘apology’ letter aloud. Drake had left Domum the night Alec coerced him into promising he’d stay away from Meg so she can make a life for herself without either one of them influencing her.
Q: Where did Drake go?
A: To Book 3!
Q: Does Drake ever return to Domum?
A: Yes… at the end of Book 3.
Q: Is GAMMA – Book 1 and DOMUM – Book 2 the historical anthology given to Alec and Matisse?
A: Yes. And there were many clues in both books (some blaring!) hinting this was the case. Meg even said, “Sometimes it’s hard to escape the feeling that we’re all just part of someone else’s reading of history.” (Ch. 5: Across the Lanattis)
Q: Is where Alec and Matisse go, Silentis, heaven/the afterlife?
A: It’s analogous to that concept. Many galaxies have a ‘Silentis-like’ world.
Q: Is Arden Raynor dead?
A: Probably not.
Q: So, the gardon scale did heal him?
A: Probably so.
Q: Are you going to try making him redeemable?
A: I haven’t decided yet. I realize it would be a complex maneuver if attempted.
Q: How many people did Arden kill?
A: Assuming you mean ‘directly’, Arden is directly responsible for two deaths: an aerodrome employee on Domum’s moon, and Natasha Hammond. He did inflict a potentially mortal wound on Alec (the throwing knife to Alec’s chest), but it was the gardon scream which screwed up everyone’s day!
Q: So, he didn’t kill Matisse’s father, Brett Balfor?
A: No. Clunked him over the head, yes, but Arden didn’t shoot Brett.
Q: Why not?
A: Raynors are averse to killing ‘their own’. It’s not unheard of, but extremely uncommon. As Matisse is Arden’s wife (and she’s pregnant with Arden’s child), Arden began to view Brett as family (his unborn son’s grandfather). Also, his intuition told him his control over Matisse would be severely damaged (perhaps even irreversibly destroyed) if he killed her father.
Q: Is Arden a liar?
A: He can tell some whoppers and is a master truth-bender. On occasion, some truths leak out of him.
Arden big lies:
• “After I enjoyed myself with her repeatedly and then took enormous pleasure in slitting her throat and watching her bleed to death on my bedroom floor.” (Ch. 14: The Breach) [Lie: It was suicide; Keenan’s wife slit her wrists with Arden’s antique throwing knife.]
Arden truths, including half-truths:
• “It wasn’t the first time either, but I doubt she ever told you about that.” (Ch. 14: The Breach) [This is true, and it also leaves in question the paternity of Brandt Legare… which no one knows about, yet.]
• Though the words would never pass his lips, Arden considered the expedition among the most beautiful of sceneries he’d ever encountered in his life (Ch. 16: I Prey); “I ordered Captain Lidmann to slow the ship down so I could enjoy the scenery. I’ll admit it, this is a beautiful planet. I can see why the effort was made to hide it so well” (Ch. 17: Altruism); and, “What a curious world this is,” he twice says to himself. (Ch. 16: I Prey, Ch. 23: Axiom of Causality) [This is all true; Arden was quite smitten with Domum.]
• He puzzled over what had just happened and how Meg was flesh one minute, then a brilliant light slipping through his fingers the next. However way she did it, he found it thoroughly impressive and worthy of his admiration. (Ch. 16: I Prey) [This is very true. Meg’s escape from him (rarely achieved by anyone) created an odd sort of respect for her in his mind… plus, the pain she left him in helped solidify it! Basically, it equated to: an adversary worthy of his rare acquiescence.]
• “I can’t. I think I might love you. It’s hard to say for sure, I’ve never loved anyone before.” Arden frowned and reached around Matisse to unzip her dress while he contemplated the matter. “Normally, I would’ve by now, but I can’t seem to bring myself to kill you. I guess you’re a unique little snowflake.” He stood her up to slip the strapless dress down her torso and was struck by primitive desire at seeing her bare skin. “No more tests from me, and no more defiance from you. Just give me what I want.” (Ch. 17: Altruism) [This is true, to the extent Arden is capable of loving, and probably his first glimpse of what love may feel like—though unhealthy for the obvious reasons, it’s also immature because it is his first experience.]
• “If I were of the persuasion, I might consider stealing you away from her.” (Ch. 19: Entropy) [This is a half-truth. Though Arden is heterosexual, he did have a brief relationship with a fellow (male) cadet in his junior year; however, it was more of an experimental thing he wanted to try.]
M. Susanne Wiggins 