Lafayette KindlesFlame

A portrait of the character

A Tam-illee healer, mentor to Jahir Seni Galare. Variously spelled as Lafeyette and Lefeyette.

Appearance and Personality

Gray eyes. A distinguished, self-contained air, a thoughtful face, shrewd eyes that did not quite conceal their kindness. A middle-aged Tam-illee, confident and easy in his own skin. Also has a commanding rather than retiring personality, but doesn't make close friends easily. Not a physically demonstrative man; the first time he and Jahir hugged was after Haladir's surgery, and he surprised Armin Palland by embracing him when the Seersa came to Escutcheon.

Smells like pine duff. Probably because "loves hiking." Enjoys outdoor sports: hiking, horseback riding (though he last rode horses in his twenties, they're rarer in the Alliance), did some archery. Eats heartily ("I've got a chop for you, Professor Palland said you like them.")

Interestingly, he has consented to mind-melded surgery, and will operate that way with Eldritch.

Biography

Was not born on Tam-ley and does not have family there.

Former Dean of the Seersana University medical college, and former head of its student clinic. Also a professor. Healer-surgeon: first license was acute visceral, second was reconstructive. Did time in crisis care. Also has been friends for 'time out of mind' with the residency program director (Grace Levine) at Mercy Hospital on Selnor.

Attended a professional conference on Tam-ley at the end of Dreamhearth, which allowed him to stop over to visit Starbase Veta.

At the opening of Dreamstorm, we see that he has gone on sabbatical after being at the university for 'three decades'. At this time he's been single again for 'a good two decades', which would put his divorce (I think) before the events of Mindtouch. Interviewed for the Head of Staff at the civilian hospital at Veta, but didn't accept. Went on conference circuit instead, did some lectures.

After the Battle of Selnor, "shut everyone out," volunteered to go to Tam-ley (and was rejected--too many people asking to help, not enough space). Went to the Seersana orbitals, hoping to find a ship, ended up working on the welcome station, because so many of the casualties were shipped to Seersana and Karaka'Ana from Selnor: did triage there for most of a year before everyone was stood down. Worked himself "to a ghost", according to Kandara. Came home, when they were sent away, and couldn't handle doing nothing... then went on sabbatical to a remote mountain town on Seersana. Vasiht'h invited him to Jahir's wedding, during which he decided to stay and take on the surgical unit at Shield General. By late autumn, after the birth of Vasiht'h's children, Lafayette is whole enough, spiritually, to register as well to Armin Palland when the Seersa arrives to Escutcheon: "It was good to see how clearly Lafayette had healed from the blow he'd taken with Tam-ley's wounds."

Friends and Family

• Ex-wife; they parted over their childlessness.
• Long-time friends with Kandara, Grace Levine (at the time of Jahir's residency, they'd been friends for for twelve years).
• More recently, friends with Palland

Quotes

• "The most effective medicine is often the least invasive."
• "Medicine is ninety percent indigestion, lifestyle adjustments, and head colds and ten percent heroic measures. Don't lose sight of that."
• "Keep going. If there's no map, there will always be people who assume you're lost. Prove them wrong."
• "It's a long game, arii. And in the long game, courage gets us home."
• "I like it here. I like the people, both native and immigrant. I like the energy of it. I like the knotted up politics and cultural issues, because when you’ve got issues, you’re alive. Only corpses are problem-free."

Trivia

• learned to use eyesight, hearing, smell as diagnostic tools, along with the technological ones
• prefers black coffee, sweetens it with honey; also drinks it iced; rarely dilutes it
• appears to prefer savories to sweets (likes cheese but has eaten caramels) and hearty meals
• but likes sweets as well (saw you drinking cider there, buddy)
• Also drinks alcohol
• Mentioned Iley ("Iley's tears", "Iley Everlasting, "laughing god", "Everlaughing God") but I don't think he's devout, does use 'hell' (singular); also curses (not often, but 'damn' and 'rhack' once in a while)
• likes big open floor plans and clean uncluttered spaces in his living areas, and big windows on preferably pristine wilderness
• likes 1940s-style singing: torch singers and crooners (male and female both)

Body Language

KindlesFlame appears to have the reserved-but-casual body language of an early film star heartthrob. Lots of crossed arms, leaning on doors, leaning back. He also has the long-legged guy habit of sitting with his legs folded (ankle on opposite knee). On top of that, some learned professorial hand gesturing: mid-air finger counting ('point one... point two'), finger wagging, and hand up to stop students from interrupting him. Lifting hand palm up to underscore points.

Jahir observes in Mindtouch that the Tam-illee's control over his ears, expression and shoulders is flawless. And again in Dreamhearth: "Few expressions crossed the Tam-illee's face that he did not allow." He rarely shows unease (as with flicked back ears).

Most of his subconscious/uncontrolled body language is related to thinking: He taps tables or desks while thinking, does the 'mmm' thing. Laughter tends to come out as barks, but he does a lot of less animated laughing: chuckles, guffaws. Grins easily, often wry.

Related Fiction

• Mindtouch
• Mindline
• Dreamhearth