Her later childhood and adolescence is revealed in her Backstory (.pdf), where she proves to be a free spirit and Tomboy.
To fully understand how precocious, talented, and confident Ræm is, the short chapter about her youth is a must read. Before her thirteenth birthday she has:
- Is highly advanced in the language of the Ancestors.
- Is learning with far older children at the University.
- Has passed Jack and Gary's version of the basic Yachtmaster Ocean examination.
- Joined Gilly's rock band on guitar and vocals; they play gigs at the University.
- Has taken over use of n'Gnung's electric trials bike, and challenges him to obstacle races when he gets another one.
This chapter also gives details about how Gilly changes daily life; for instance, he hears about problems getting around the campus, first brining in bicycles, and later a round-route, electric, open-sided bus.
About Ræm
Zhao Ræm Mooyi, known as Ræm, is named after the Empress that brought the Second to the Island. She embodies the best of the Second and Last, thus recreating the Ancestors in their own form, one suited to life on Earth. She is destined
to marry another of special bloodline. She is a highly gifted child, who grows up in an uncertain world, one desperately trying to survive the aftermath of the Wrath of Gaia.
She learns quickly under Ju Lo, and later at the University, where she proves to be a quick and compulsive learner. John encourages Ræm to excel, permitting her liberties he would not allow others.
Then comes a seven-year hiatus when she goes to study with the Shaman; not as prospective Priestess, but as seeker of knowledge and greater truths.
It is as if a long-term plan is coming together. Ræm is the product of homo sapien and homo erectus genes. She becomes a leading character towards the end of Book 3, when she stands alone to face the Great
Ogre, when all is apparently lost. She wields the Sword of Destiny in this final battle of the first trilogy, using a very unusual tactic, and says, "I will heal you now."
What is the significance of the Shaman in her life?
Having not been seen or heard about for millennia, except for a brief instance with Won Long when she was a little girl, the Shaman suddenly appears at the wedding of Jinnie and Jack. She next apparated at the birth of Ræm,
blessed her, and washed the baby. Why?
It appears the Shaman has been playing a very long and convoluted game. Were we to presume she foresaw that Ræm would defeat the Great Ogre, she had to ensure a lot of apparently unrelated things occurred, even in order for
Ræm to be born. Was her attendance of the birth, and blessing the babe, to ensure this was the child of destiny she had foreseen?
Languages
By an early age, Ræm had learned that leaning was about several different things. Her father taught her theory, and then the practical; learning what to do, practicing, then doing it herself. Being academically
inclined, she also learned that understanding science was only part of the whole, accepting or questioning accepted theory was more suited to her free spirit.
Ræm has a deeply ingrained desire to learn languages. She met many differing peoples when she was young, and determined to be able to speak to each Tribe in their own language. She was partially successful, holding her
own regards introductions and politeness of table. That was until she determined, the root to knowledge lay in understanding Ancestor.
She quickly latched on to the quintessential ether of Peni, who was determined to learn the language of the Ancestors; "Ræm, I must learn this so I know what it means."
The young Ræm picked up on the fact that language meant knowledge, secret knowledge in particular. She practiced Ancestor on everybody, finding Kay, Rambling, and Gangling to be great fun. She was determined to be better
at it than Peni.
The one difference between Ræm, and all others learning the Ancestors language, or Centaurian as it is correctly known, is that she alone, is doing it without use of the Core's language training program.
Rising to the Challenge
Jack and Gary surprised Ræm one day, setting her the task of captaining the boat, and she accomplished a complex set of tasks, including 'man overboard'. She succeeded with only the novice Aroweena to assist. This gave her
great self-confidence, Jack confirming afterwards:
He enquired, “Now you know you can sail a boat all by yourself. Why do you know that?”
“Because I have already done it,” Ræm stated as a matter of fact.
Marriage
One may, or may not presume, that when the Ancestor Idym was reincarnated as living flesh, blood, and bone, she saw an opportunity to learn more; and somewhere along the way, fell in love with him. The thing is, he was bewitched
by her, and the ending of Book Three was not contrived; they fell in love ... a child resulted, end of story. Or is it?
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