Stasis II

"The Children's Hour."

Sometimes a text conveys the content of a dialogue but leaves it to the reader to keep track of which character says what. Occasionally, this is confusing. In the previous post, I quoted a reason for being scared:

"'...because we will start this mission...,'" etc

- and attributed it to Jonah. However, I now realize that it is spoken by Ingrid.

First, "she" (p. 168) tells him that he is bored. Then he thinks that he is not bored but scared. Then one of them speaks, ending with:

"'You were right, I'm bored.'" (ibid.)

So that is him. The next remark, "'And scared.'" (ibid.) has to be her. There is then a short paragraph without dialogue in which he turns and sees her grinning. Then comes the stated reason for being scared:

"'Okay, I'm scared, too. Among other reasons because we will start this mission...,'" etc.

This is replied to:

"'The designers were pretty sure it'd work.'" (p. 169)

And the rejoinder to that is:

"'I'm sure of only two things, Jonah.'" (ibid.)

Since that last rejoinder is addressed to Jonah, it must be spoken by Ingrid. Working backwards, it follows that the reason for being scared is spoken by her.

What the designers were pretty sure would work was the stasis field. So it will switch on and back off again at preordained times? This happens in the following chapter, on on p. 184 and off on p. 188. When they consider using the stasis field a second time, Ingrid asks the computer:

"'What's the status of our stasis-controller.'"
-Chapter II, p. 190.

(I have realized only when quoting it that this question is printed without a question mark.)

Presumably, by the "stasis-controller," she means that exterior offswitch. See the previous post. Indeed, since the switch is not protected by the stasis field, how does it survive the friction and the other forces that are mentioned? There is an answer to that question:

"'The field switch will probably continue to function, Lieutenant Raines.'
"'It should, it's covered in neutronium.'" (ibid.)