...It seems surprisingly tight.  Giving Thellim English hugely increased her freedom of action, hugely increased the probability that Thellim would talk to somebody else and find out about any plots that Isabella had, created the possibility that she would ask somebody on the plane what doms and subs were.

Even as a cunning plot to create trust through apparently offering trust first, it's way too much risk from Putatively Malevolent Isabella's perspective.

Isabella doesn't - didn't - expect Thellim to end up opposed to her.  Giving Thellim English that quickly was an act of unambiguous initiation-of-cooperation or just plain friendship.

...It seems surprisingly tight.  Giving Thellim English hugely increased her freedom of action, created the probability that Thellim would talk to somebody else and find out about any plots that Isabella had, created the probability that she would ask somebody on the plane what doms and subs were.

Even as a cunning plot to create trust through apparently offering trust first, it's way too much risk from Putatively Malevolent Isabella's perspective.

Isabella doesn't - didn't - expect Thellim to end up opposed to her.  Giving Thellim English that quickly was an act of unambiguous initiation-of-cooperation or just plain friendship.

...It seems surprisingly tight.  Giving Thellim English hugely increased her freedom of action, created the probability that Thellim would talk to somebody else and find out about any plots that Isabella had, created the probability that she would ask somebody on the plane what doms and subs were.

Even as a cunning plot to create trust through apparently offering trust first, it's way too much risk from Putatively Malevolent Isabella's perspective.

Isabella doesn't - didn't - expect Thellim to end up opposed to her.  Giving Thellim English that quickly was an act of unambiguous initiation-of-cooperation or just plain friendship.