In "The Big Rain," both sides use psychodynamics. Hollister's implanted memories got him through the narcoquiz but the Guardians have conditioned his new Venusian wife, Barbara, to ask him leading questions, like whether he would conspire to revolt. She is an unwitting spy whose collected intelligence will be extracted later. However, Hollister, recognizing the signs, deconditions her with drugs and hypnotherapy so that she now remembers what has been done to her. Now Hollister has no alternative but to lead a rebellion on Venus and I am out of here until (hopefully) some time tomorrow after a long walk.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
What happened to Barbara brought to mind how Merseians agents implanted false memories into Kossara Vymezal's mind, designed to make her hate the Empire in A KNIGHT OF GHOSTS AND SHADOWS. In actuality, she did not hate the Empire.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I should have made the comparison with Kossara. Her case is midway between those of Hollister and Barbara.
Paul.
Karo, Paul!
And Kossara's "conditioning" was, deliberately, far more painful than the milder cases of Hollister and Barbara.
Ad astra! Sean
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