Annotated 28-15
You already have all the clues you need to figure out who the third Champion Harky has in mind is. This, uh, isn’t a hard one, especially when you realize it’s got to be someone other than that “potential successor.”
“Oh, I know.” ;-)
In the short term, a team with Harky and Gondolessa taking the places of Penk and Rana might’ve been even deadlier to the Peacemakers. Harky would’ve been no less effective than Penk as leader or fighter, and Gondolessa wouldn’t have Rana’s psychological baggage. But Gondolessa also wouldn’t have Rana’s strength, accuracy of eyesight, or endurance for a long campaign, and since Harky is not HR as we once thought he might be, he’s not so obsessed with the Peacemakers that he forgets his many other duties.
PS: Shakespeare’s Trump, Act I, Scene IV is now available!
Gondolessa is probably also thinking back to how Harky lost a couple of fingers. While no Byron’s best moment, the Berserker nearly ended the warchief at the dawn of his great rebellion.
Gondolessa referring to his own age and responsibilities may have been a very tactful way of suggesting to Harky to stop leading from the front.
That’s exactly the way I read Gondolessa’s comment.
Top form for a diplomat.
I had to read this dialog five times to get what’s being said in panel one. I took “shall we join them” to mean “let’s go over to where that third champion is now.” I don’t know how you could fix it, but it’s really confusing…