Red Seas Under Red Skies - Read along week 4

In the 4th week of the Red Seas Under Red Skies read along the questions are provided by nrlymrtl from Dark Cargo: 


1) I was much relieved when Jean and Locke made up, which started with Locke's gesture of a cup full of honesty with Cpt. Drakasha. Do you think that was hard for Locke? Or was he using this bit of honesty like any other weapon in his arsenal to get what he wants in the end?


Although Locke lies as easily as most of us breathe I think this time he was genuine. He does respect Drakasha, and they're kindred spirits of a sort. She's a thief of a different kind and life has kicked her around every bit as much as it has Locke. I don't think being honest comes easily to him, but he is truthful with someone he has gauged as being worthy of respect. That may be why Sabetha rankles so much, he was honest with her and then he felt she betrayed him by running off. Dying to find out the full story behind her departure from Camorr.
2) The Parlor Passage: We still don't know Locke's true name, but whatever was in that mist does. What do you think it is? 


I have no idea of what Locke's real name is, but I think it contains hints of his parentage. Readers don't know who is father is, and I believe there will be a major shock when that is revealed. Having very few people know his real name gives Locke leverage that he otherwise wouldn't have in certain situations.
3) There was an interesting section of the book that started about where Locke assisted Drakasha in selling the Red Messenger; he put on the persona of Leocanto Kosta and used the alias Tavras Callas and then Drakasha was still thinking of him as Ravelle..... Did using all those various aliases in such a short amount of time have your mind spinning a little? Do you think Lynch did this on purpose to give the reader a sense of Locke's mind? 


It can be hard to keep track of all the various aliases Locke and Jean use, and I think we've only seen a few of them. I didn't see it as being something Lynch did to try and show how scattered Locke's mind is, although that's a good point, it's more continuity to me. False facing or changing his name is just something Locke does naturally.
4) That was a sweet little kiss between Cpt. Zamira and Cpt. Jaffrim at the end of the Captains' Council. Do you think they have some history, or is it just innocent flirting that's been going on for some time? 


It's highly likely that at one stage Zaimra and Jaffrim hooked up, after all she still has needs to fill. Maybe he's the children's father. It shows her as just as human as the rest of her crew.
5) Jean and Ezri. Cue dove-cooing and little winged hearts with sparkles. Do you think Jean will stay with the Poison Orchid or that Ezri will leave her ship to pal around with Jean and Locke? 


I KNOW what happens here, but when I first read it I wasn't sure. The only successful resolution to me was for Ezri to leave the Orchid to run with Locke and Jean, because Locke isn't going to stay with the ship and if Locke doesn't stay Jean won't.
6) What is Utgar up to? What are his motivations? 


Almost impossible for me to answer this without spoiling something. The first time I thought Utgar may have been on some secret business for Zamira or he was a plant from Stragos.
7) So last week we hashed over that Merrain killed some of Stragos's guards on Windward Rock. But when Jean and Locke visit him, he doesn't mention it. What is up with that? 


The reason I don't think Stragos mentioned what Merrain did was that he doesn't know. Merrain's playing a whole other game, at least that's what I believe.
8) This week's section left us where the book began - Jean pointing a crossbow at Locke's throat. Do you think Jean knows who sent these crossbowers? Is he on their side? Is it a clever ploy to get him and Locke out of this predicament? Did you find it excruciatingly hard to stop here?


Again I know how it plays out, so don't want to spoil anything. My hat is off to anyone who did stop there, because I couldn't.