Silver Elite: Chapter 27
Oct. 21st, 2025 11:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaSo the chapter opens with a note from Wren's file, saying she's too cocky for covert ops. This is, frankly, true
We then shift to Wren asking Kaine to create a distraction for her.
Kaine starts a fight with Anson, aka sexual predator guy, so that Wren can steal a signal jammer from the supply cage. Wren needs it so she can sneak past the cameras and get out of the training facility. She then makes her way across the base to break into the officer's quarters. Now, Wren didn't attempt to circumvent any of the cameras during her escape attempts. Why? No idea.
She arrives at Cross's door, but there's voices from inside, so she goes up to the roof and drops down onto his balcony.
Where does she get this confidence? For all she knows, Cross left the balcony open because he was expecting her. I wish, just once, we would see Wren anticipate failure or show the kind of paranoia I would expect from someone who is the member of a highly marginalized group in a military dystopia.
Cross is, of course, fucking some woman. Wren is upset about this. So she goes forward with her plan, which is to...rush into the room and put her knife to Cross's throat.
Naturally, Cross is unperturbed and dismisses the woman he was having sex with. Wren makes sure to describe her sandals and shiny hair and short skirt, so that we know this woman is an evil whore. Because sex is okay if the protagonist has it, but not any other women.
Wren, shut the fuck up.
Wren tries to convince Cross that she's decided he's right and the only thing she can do with her life now is become a member of Silver Elite.
I hate it here.
We then shift to Wren asking Kaine to create a distraction for her.
Kaine starts a fight with Anson, aka sexual predator guy, so that Wren can steal a signal jammer from the supply cage. Wren needs it so she can sneak past the cameras and get out of the training facility. She then makes her way across the base to break into the officer's quarters. Now, Wren didn't attempt to circumvent any of the cameras during her escape attempts. Why? No idea.
She arrives at Cross's door, but there's voices from inside, so she goes up to the roof and drops down onto his balcony.
My boots barely make a sound as they connect with the balcony. The door’s been left open to let in the night breeze. He’s not worried about intruders, because he knows he’ll be alerted by the alarms hardwired all over this building. Or maybe even earlier, the second a shadow crosses one of his precious cameras. The soldiers staffing the security center probably wake him if a recruit so much as sneezes.
Where does she get this confidence? For all she knows, Cross left the balcony open because he was expecting her. I wish, just once, we would see Wren anticipate failure or show the kind of paranoia I would expect from someone who is the member of a highly marginalized group in a military dystopia.
Cross is, of course, fucking some woman. Wren is upset about this. So she goes forward with her plan, which is to...rush into the room and put her knife to Cross's throat.
Naturally, Cross is unperturbed and dismisses the woman he was having sex with. Wren makes sure to describe her sandals and shiny hair and short skirt, so that we know this woman is an evil whore. Because sex is okay if the protagonist has it, but not any other women.
Why are you in my bedroom, Dove?”You might think that in this critical moment, Wren would take a break from being horny for Cross, but no. She is still horny about him and still reminding us that she is horny about him against her will, and then she pauses to tell us that it bothers her that it is all one-sided because of course Cross couldn't be attracted to her.
“Because you’re sabotaging my chances of passing the Program.”
To my surprise, he throws his head back and laughs. “Oh, that’s rich coming from you. You’ve been sabotaging your own chances since the beginning.”
“And now I’m doing better.” I jut out my chin.
“Yes. Why is that?”
I knew he’d be suspicious. That’s fine. I’m prepared for this.
“I have nothing to go back to.”
The grim confession, spoken in my flat, discouraged tone, hangs in the air between us.
Wren, shut the fuck up.
Wren tries to convince Cross that she's decided he's right and the only thing she can do with her life now is become a member of Silver Elite.
“I know. Your searches are flagged and sent directly to me.” He cocks a brow. “You searched my name, too.”54% into the book, it occurs to Wren that she might benefit from learning something about the enemy. This is the same woman who tells us so confidently how smart she is, how skilled. I cannot stress enough how frustrating it is to be trapped in the head of this passive, ineffective protagonist who does nothing of interest. Just gives us the same beats over and over again--Lyddie is my friend! Cross is sexy! I need to escape! Wah the Uprising won't save me!--until the author feels like the plot needs to advance, at which point she throws in a plot beat so we have the illusion the story is moving along.
No point denying it. “You don’t exist in the Command system. And on Nexus you’re nothing other than the General’s son.”
He shrugs. “That’s all I’ve ever been. The General’s son.”
I suspect he’s right. The moment I found out who his father was, I stopped viewing him as anything but the offspring of Merrick Redden. Maybe that’s a miscalculation on my part. If I’m to destroy this place from within, maybe I need to better understand its players.
I hate it here.
