Tamara
Names: TamaraTamara Sakhvadzelittle TamaradevushkaMamenka
First appears in Book 1: Intervention, chapter 9 (8)
Appearances
What you know
Book 1: Intervention
- Ch 9Five-year-old child prodigy with uncanny mental powers; she foresaw her mother's death and knew places and people she had never seen.
- Ch 9Villagers say she is destined to announce the old ones' ancient secret to the world and open the door to peace.
- Ch 9Tamara is a little girl whom Seliac calls a mental titan, possessing great psychic gifts.
- Ch 14Tamara is an eleven-year-old redheaded girl from Sochi, taken to the institute to work and attend school; she is a telepathic 'inductor'.
- Ch 14Tamara refuses to transmit the order 'FIRE MISSILES', secretly sending back 'nyet' instead, showing she grasps the military purpose of her work.
- Ch 25Tamara is Yuri's mate, raised with gentleness; the Lylmik expect she will still resort to violence to defend her children.
- Ch 27Pyotr's daughter, a 26-year-old telepath and mother of three; she is to lead and protect the psychic group after Yuri.
- Ch 27Wants no more terminations and hopes to find peaceful ways, but promises to act as Yuri taught her if they fail.
- Ch 37Tamara is an operant conservative who favors delay; she had remote-viewed KGB and GRU files and found no operant agents.
- Ch 41Tamara controls the Russian EE program, deceived the Politburo about its readiness, so Russia has not emplaced its Psi-Eye.
- Ch 43She called for a World Congress on Metapsychology, which the U.S. President endorsed.
- Ch 47Tamara gave the keynote speech at the 1992 Alma-Ata congress foreshadowing the principle of operant service, and seconded Denis's testing resolution.
- Ch 53Tamara is a Soviet Neo-Marxist colleague who urged Denis to reproduce for the good of society.
- Ch 60Peace Prize laureate in 2002 with Jamie MacGregor; projects understanding and comfort to Lucille.
- Ch 63Tamara and her family were safe, having stopped in Edinburgh with Jamie after the Montréal Congress.
- Ch 72Tamara, called the mother of the operants, sided at Oslo with those who say operants must defend their countries with mental force.
- Ch 75Tamara leads operants in Russia, where a struggle with the Red Army and Party survivors is under way; Denis plans to check with her late at night.
Book 3: Diamond Mask
- Ch 12Tamara is a 105-year-old unrejuvenated metapsychic pioneer from the former Soviet Union, who doubts that the Galactic Milieu can avoid failure like her Soviet Union.
- Ch 12Tamara and her late husband Yuri fought for survival when Soviet operants had to choose between fighting and martyrdom.
- Ch 16Masha's grandmother is dying, has refused rejuvenation, and says she has had enough of war; she believes Rebels will have to fight for freedom.
Connections
- family ofPyotr Sergeyevich Sakhvadzedaughter
- family ofVeradaughter
- family ofDariya Abshiligreat-great-aunt
- family ofValeryan Abshiligrand-uncle
- led byDanilovscientist running her experiments
- related toJerzy Gawrystelepathic receiver paired with her as inductor
- partner ofYuri Gawrysmates
- family ofPyotr Sakhvadzefather and daughter
- family ofYuri Gawryshusband and wife
- family ofValeryson
- family ofIlyason
- family ofAnnadaughter
- partner ofDenisimplied by kiss image
- friend ofDeniscolleague
- family ofKatharine MacGregormarried Tamara's son Ilya
- family ofAlan Sakhvadzegrandson
- family ofGael Sakhvadzegrandchild
- family ofGrannygranddaughter
Key moments
- Book 1 · Ch 9Vera's deathbed promise
Dying in a car crash, Vera makes Pyotr promise to take Tamara to the old ones in Upper Bzyb for four years. Tamara senses her mother's death and has packed her bags.
- Book 1 · Ch 9Journey to Verkhnyaya Bzyb
Pyotr drives Tamara south and into the mountains. Despite his doubts, the car restarts and Tamara guides them to the hidden village, where Seliac Eshba welcomes them.
- Book 1 · Ch 9Welcome feast and Seliac's revelations
The villagers toast Tamara as destined to announce their secret and bring peace. Seliac tells Pyotr about Vera's flight and his own ancestry, while Pyotr plans to leave that night.
- Book 1 · Ch 9Seliac recruits Pyotr
By a brook near the walnut grove, Seliac uses a walnut analogy and talk of humanity's mental evolution to persuade a skeptical Pyotr to help prepare Tamara. He holds out his hand and waits.
- Book 1 · Ch 14Telepathy demonstration for Admiral Kolinsky
Tamara successfully transmits shapes and words to Jerzy Gawrys underwater, impressing Kolinsky, who sees potential for submarine communication.
- Book 1 · Ch 14Tamara refuses 'FIRE MISSILES'
Kolinsky tests her with the message FIRE MISSILES; Tamara is shocked and nothing is relayed. After the experiment ends, Jerzy sends 'nyet' and Tamara nods.
- Book 1 · Ch 27Yuri explains the political situation
Over brandy, Yuri tells Pyotr that Andropov is dying, the Institute has been purged, and the KGB's grip will end. Tamara confirms the tremor via the Geophysical Observatory.
- Book 1 · Ch 27Yuri charges Tamara with the group's future
Privately, Yuri tells Tamara he is dying and she must protect the psychic children and eventually unite with other groups; she accepts reluctantly.
- Book 3 · Ch 12Debate over Unity
Paul, Davy, Tamara, Alan, Patricia, Fred and Minnie discuss whether Unity threatens human identity and whether the Milieu would let humanity secede.