Editing Crucible of Gold

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== Book 7 ==
[[Image:Crucible_cover.JPG|center|350px|''The front cover of the U.S. version'']]

The seventh volume of the Temeraire series by [[Naomi Novik]], released March 6, 2012. 

== Story ==
A while after the events of [[Tongues of Serpents]], [[Laurence]] rescues [[Arthur Hammond]] from a pack of [[bunyip]]s. Shortly afterwards, [[Hammond]] reveals the reason for his visit; he has been carried from [[China]] by [[Lung Shen Li]] on the orders of the British Government to reinstate [[Laurence]] in the [[Aerial Corps]]. [[Laurence]] initially refuses this, believing that he will be ordered to attack [[John MacArthur]] and his rebels, but later finds that he is to travel to [[South America]] and attempt to form an alliance with the [[Incan Empire]] to protect their allies in [[Brazil]] who are being attacked by the [[Tswana Kingdom]] with the aid of [[Napoleon]]. 

Travelling to [[Sydney]] with [[Hammond]], [[Laurence]] and [[Temeraire]] reunite with [[Granby]] & [[Iskierka]], and the crew of the [[Allegiance]]; recently returned from [[India]], and [[Laurence]] begins organising [[Temeraire]]'s crew. Several unlikely additions are made; [[Laurence]] also decides to bring [[Demane]] & [[Kulingile]], as [[Rankin]] will not recognise [[Demane]] as a Captain, Laurence's former lieutenant [[Ferris]] also joins them; having followed them to [[New South Wales]] when he had no other hope of prospect. Following an incident after the farewell dinner in which [[Roland]] is approached by a [[Paster|soldier of the New South Wales Corps]], [[Laurence]] hires Mrs [[Pemberton]] - a recent widower - to act as her chaperone.

The voyage is uneventful at first, until the [[Allegiance]] runs into a five day storm; during which time the dragons are chained to the deck - [[Temeraire]] and [[Kulingile]] using their weight to aid in keeping [[Iskierka]] chained down. Not long afterwards, a fire breaks out - caused by a number of drunken sailors - and ultimately destroys the [[Allegiance]]; many are killed, including Captain [[Riley]]. 
With no land in sight, the dragons are forced to remain aloft for many hours, until they come upon another ship; the French dragon-transport [[Triomphe]] - carrying four dragons; [[Genevieve]] - whose captain is revealed to be none other than [[De Guignes]] - [[Ardentuse]], [[Piccolo]], and the Incan ambassador [[Maila Yupanqui]]. With no other choice, they land on the dragondeck and surrender. 

The [[Triomphe]] treats the survivors of the [[Allegiance]] and carries them north for a short while, during which time [[Laurence]] learns that the ship is carrying a number of French noblewomen, and [[Temeraire]] begins learning the Incan language from [[Hammond]]; in turn, [[Maila]] listens in to these lessons and begins learning English. Ultimately, they are marooned - save for Mrs [[Pemberton]] - on an island by [[Thibaux]]; the ship's captain, and forced to ration their supplies as they try to survive long enough to escape. 

The sailors gradually become disgruntled at the lack of food; and after becoming intoxicated one night, a number of them plan to abduct [[Laurence]], [[Granby]] and [[Demane]], to force their dragons to obey them. The aviators succeed in repelling them, and [[Kulingile]] attacks the sailors when they capture [[Demane]] - emerging from the forest with [[Roland]]. The next day, [[Laurence]] and several others go hunting - during which time he discusses with [[Roland]] her relationship with [[Demane]] - eventually emerging at a cove where they discover a wrecked pirate ship; inside which is enough rope for makeshift harnesses, and a map of the area; which will allow them to safely fly to shore. 

After two weeks travel, the aviators reach the [[Incan Empire]], however, the [[Quitalén|first settlement]] they find is uninhabited; decimated by plague. At the second settlement, they meet [[Palta]]; a dragon - who at first attempts to flee with the villagers; having mistaken [[Temeraire]] for Supay, the Incan God of Death - who tells them to travel to [[Talcahuano]] and meet [[Hualpa Uturuncu]]; the governor. At the same time, [[Iskierka]] abducts [[Taruca]], a blind man - with the intention of getting him to guide them - and they offer to take him with them on their trip, so he can go back to his family. 

At [[Talcahuano]], Governor [[Hualpa]] - a dragon - informs them that they have inadvertantly committed theft by taking [[Taruca]] with them; he is technically part of the dragon [[Cuarla]]'s [[ayullu]] - a sort of tribe. [[Cuarla]] demands a challenge, which [[Iskierka]] accepts, and thus she is to fight the "champion of the state"; [[Manca Copacati]]. [[Iskierka]] ultimately wins the battle when her [[fire breather|flame]] proves stronger than [[Manca]]'s [[acid spitter|acid]]. 

Following this, [[Hualpa]] grants them the authority to travel to [[Cuzco]], and they begin preparing for their journey. During this time, [[Handes]] - the sailor behind the attempted abduction - joins the [[ayullu]] of the dragon [[Magaya]] - two others are tempted to join, but [[Temeraire]] demands their return - who compensates for this by gifting [[Temeraire]] with clothing and food for his crew.

During their journey north, [[Laurence]] discovers that there are few people alive in the [[Incan Empire]]; many died from the diseases brought by colonists, and as such the dragons now keep watchful eyes on those in their [[ayullu]]s, as they are often kidnapped by other dragons. Eventually, they arrive at [[Taruca]]'s original [[ayullu]], and are thanked by the dragon [[Curicuillor]] and [[Taruca]]'s family; who report this to the [[Sapa Inca]] on their behalf. After a brief stay, [[Curicuillor]]'s daughter [[Churki]] - who takes an interest in [[Hammond]] - leads them to [[Cuzco]]. As they near the city, they encounter a French baggage-train, which they prevent from plunging into a ravine; realising afterwards that these must be gifts for the [[Sapa Inca]] from [[De Guignes]].

In [[Cuzco]], they are greeted by [[Maila Yupanqui]] - revealed to be a member of the [[Sapa Inca]]'s [[ayullu]] - who ignores [[Hammond]], but invites [[Iskierka]] to visit the royal court due to her victory against [[Manca Copacati]]. At the same time, [[Laurence]] meets again with [[De Guignes]] and Mrs [[Pemberton]], who reveals that she has access to the royal court - also revealing the [[Sapa Inca]] is female - with the other noblewomen brought by [[De Guignes]], and she offers to take [[Roland]] with her. 

After a number of meetings with [[Maila]], [[Iskierka]] announces she has arranged for them to meet the [[Sapa Inca]]; [[Anhuarque Inca]], who [[Granby]] ends up talking with. While watching their conversations, [[Laurence]] notes that [[Anhuarque]] is intentionally playing the English and French parties against each other so she won't be pressured to pick a consort from them - including [[Napoleon]], who Mrs [[Pemberton]] reveals has recently divorced his wife [[Josephine]]. This is of no concern to [[Iskierka]], who manages to arrange a possible marriage between [[Anhuarque]] and [[Granby]] several days later - although [[Temeraire]] notes they are really seeking [[Iskierka]] so she will breed for them; in addition to this, she has suggested that [[Britain]] will send men to live in the depleted [[ayullu]]s. [[Granby]] vehemently refuses; eventually revealing to [[Laurence]] that he is homosexual - and in a relationship with Captain [[Little]] of [[Immortalis]]. 

Despite this, [[Granby]] is sent to meet with [[Anhuarque]], only for [[Napoleon]]  to unexpectedly arrive with [[Lung Tien Lien]] and two Flamme-de-Gloire]]s. [[Napoleon]] is welcomed by [[Anhuarque]], and it is revealed that the [[Flamme-de-Gloire]]s are to remain in the [[Incan Empire]] as a sign of goodwill - and to breed in [[Lien]]'s place; she claims [[Celestial]]s cannot be crossbred - but [[Maila]] asks [[Temeraire]] to try to persuade [[Anhuarque]] to reject [[Napoleon]]. 

In the evening, [[Iskierka]] convinces [[Temeraire]] to mate with her - she is angry at no longer being the subject of [[Maila]]'s attention, and [[Temeraire]] is alarmed by [[Lien]]'s words; suggesting he will not be able to breed - and they do so, before discovering Incan forces heading towards their camp; [[Napoleon]] has won over [[Anhuarque]], and they are now the enemies of the [[Incan Empire]]. 

[[Temeraire]], [[Iskierka]] and [[Kulingile]] - joined by [[Churki]], who intends to protect [[Hammond]] and his extended family in [[Britain]] - manage to retrieve their crews and flee from the Incans to [[Brazil]]. On the way, they are attacked by a patrol, who grievously injure [[Granby]] and [[Iskierka]] before [[Kulingile]] and [[Temeraire]] - who kills at least three dragons with the [[Divine Wind]] - manage to drive them off. 

Their injuries become clear the next day; [[Iskierka]] becomes feverish, and [[Granby]]'s arm - originally injured in the sinking of the [[Allegiance]]; now worsened - has to be amputated. They travel through the forest - [[Temeraire]] and [[Kulingile]] briefly abandon the group and fly to the coast to hunt; returning with a young Blue Whale - eventually arriving at Belém, where [[Granby]]'s injuries are properly tended. 

Not long afterwards, [[Iskierka]] takes the remains of the whale and sells the blubber to traders, in return for a golden hook for [[Granby]] to wear. However, [[Granby]] refuses to wear it, and informs [[Iskierka]] that he will no longer tolerate her erratic behaviour; she will either stop or leave him. [[Iskierka]] submits, and [[Granby]] arranges for the money from the whale blubber to be put into Funds in [[Britain]].

Two days later, they continue on to Rio De Janiero - having obtained fresh supplies and crew in Belém - where they find [[Lethabo]], [[Kefentse]] and a number of Tswana dragons in the ruins of the city - which they discover was burnt by the Portugese, not the Tswana, when they fled the city - going over slave ledgers to track down their missing family members - [[Lethabo]] reveals that they are at a standstill; many slave owners are holding their slaves hostage to prevent the dragons from attacking them. 

[[Laurence]] and [[Hammond]] journey to Paraty, where the Portugese government is hiding and planning an assault against the Tswana with dragon reinforcements from [[Mexico]]; however, the dragons are all small [[feral]] breeds. During a meeting with Prince Regent [[João VI of Portugal|João]], [[Laurence]] suggests they invite the [[Tswana]] to colonise alongside them - having realised that [[Napoleon]] intended for [[Brazil]] to be sieged for a long time while the Tswana tracked down every slave and returned each to [[Africa]]. 

[[Lily's Formation]] arrives shortly afterwards in [[Brazil]] on the transport [[Potentate]], and [[Laurence]] and [[Temeraire]] reunite with their old comrades - during which time [[Laurence]] reveals to [[Catherine Harcourt]] that [[Riley]] is dead. The Prince Regent eventually agrees to a meeting between his representatives and the Tswana leaders. The Portugese agree to release the slaves, but argue they should remain on their estates. While [[Laurence]] is sure this is a ruse to make them slaves again once the war is over, the [[Tswana]] agree; on the condition that the families of the slaves are allowed to join them. The Portugese agree, not realising that this includes dragons. 

Once this is announced, a number of the Tswana dragons begin making homes for themselves, but many wish to return to [[Africa]]. Since there are not enough transports to carry them all, they decide to attack and capture the French transports; [[Polonaise]] and [[Maréchal]], and conduct a successful raid with reinforcements from the crew of a nearby British vessel. 

In the aftermath, as they sail for [[Britain]] on the [[Potentate]], [[Hammond]] worries about his future as a diplomat following the recent events. [[Gong Su]] reveals he is in fact an agent for Prince [[Mianning]], and requests that they all accompany him to [[China]]. [[Hammond]] concludes the Chinese wish to form an alliance, and [[Temeraire]] eagerly looks forwards to his friends getting to see [[China]]; although [[Laurence]] notes that the [[Blaise|captain]] of the [[Potentate]] isn't likely to divert the ship's course for them; meaning they will have to travel "overland and far to the north, at the Bering strait".

== Trivia ==
*The name was revealed by Naomi Novik in an [[Naomi Novik Facebook Interview - 28th July 2010|interview on Facebook.]]
== Deviations From History ==
Aside from the obvious additions of dragons, the events in Temeraire follow the history of our own world quite closely. However, several differences do occur throughout the series. In "Crucible of Gold", the following differences occur: 


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