Interview with Ranar by Mel.

Q: Ranar the Reetion anthropologist is here with us today to answer a few questions. So, fun questions first. What's your favorite colour, smell, music, etc.?

A: Green has always been my favorite colour, ever since I began studying Gelackology, because it is the colour of House Monitum. I consider them the most civilized. I don't notice scents very much. I suppose I would say the smell of leather bound books and old paper in Gelack libraries fascinates me, since we don't have such artifacts on Rire except in museums or as modern conveniences, and certainly not leather-bound items. I consider it a little perverse to like leather as it is an animal product, but it makes sense in context on Gelion. Ethnic music of all kinds is very enlightening. You can learn a lot from people by the music they prefer. The Red Vrellish, for example, stick to simple rythmic pieces that are largely improvised; Blue Demish are addicted to ballads and narrative, popular music, while the Golden Demish have a formidible musical tradition based on complexity and multiple layers of meaning.

Q: Do you think you can maintain your Reetion objectivity while having an affair with a Gelack?

A: Hypothetically speaking, I agree this would be a challenging situation. But people do and can adhere to their beliefs and do their job despite personal relationships. It would be a concern. (pause). Without a specific situation to refer to, I don't know if I could say for certain if personal feelings would interfere with my professional judgement. (Thinks guiltily about not reading his recall notice at the end of Throne Price, and excuses himself on the grounds this was not about Di Mon.)

Q: Would you appreciate it if Di Mon was a little more affectionate and actually said "I love you" every once in a while?

A: Um. (Thinks.) Well, yes. I admit I would like to have liked that. (Pauses.) But sometimes unspoken feelings can be even more poignant than those we are prepared to discuss.

Q: [Interviewer goes forward in time to fourth book] Why did you pick an idiot like Evert to fill Di Mon's place of awesomeness?

A: Please don't say things that around Evert. He feels overshadowed by Di Mon. I try not to have this come between us, but it is difficult. For my part, I view them as very different people who do not overlap in my affections. I care for them both. In different ways. Evert was indispensible to me when I was raising Erien, and I am grateful that he puts up with my eccentricities.

Q: What is your favorite book?

A: The Monatese logs. The whole set. But especially those written during the period of Di Mon's time as liege of Monitum, and that of the contemporary Liege Monitum during Ameron's first reign as Ava.

Q: And on that note, what statement do you have as the interview draws to a close?

A: Only this - that while it is hard for people living in enlighted societies to understand the challenges faced by someone like Di Mon, growing up and functioning in a culture like that of Gelion, we should not belittle his accomplishment in coming to accept his sexual orientation. He was a great man in more ways than one.