Aline Chang-Lei, the Lady Marr of Syrtis and a Terran Intelligence agent, tells Dominic Flandry about sorgan, a drug produced on the Betelgeusean planet, Cingetor, which is medicinal for Alfzarians:
"'...but in humans has the odd property of depressing certain brain centers. The victim loses all critical sense. He believes, without question, anything you tell him.'" (p. 280)
Flandry has just met for the first time the telepathic enemy agent, Aycharaych, and now a colleague tells him about the properties of sorgan. We ought to be able to put two and two together. Early in the next story collected in this volume, we will be told that, at Betelgeuse, Flandry had learned how to lie to a telepath.
People say, "Remember that Star Trek where...?" or "Wasn't there a Star Trek where...?" (Fill in the blanks.) I ask the same question within Poul Anderson's works. Was there a short story about international politics involving a way to make another person believe whatever he was told? That rings a very faint bell but I am not about to search through every collection on the shelves upstairs. I expect that someone will know which story I mean and will put me right if it was not by Anderson.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I have to disagree about the "put two plus two together." First, to play fair with his readers, Anderson had to make SOME mention of sorgan, before anyone would know how important a role that drug would play in "Honorable Enemies." Second, something else other than sorgan could have been used tat would have discombobulated Aycharaych and the Merseians.
I've never been a Trekkie, so I would not do well analyzing STAR TREK! I would far rather play that kind of game with the works of Anderson, Tolkien, or Stirling.
I've been trying to remember if any of Anderson's stories fits the synopsis you gave. I can't think of any if it was NOT "Honorable Enemies." Hmmm, "Kings Who Die" or "The Pugilist"? I don't think so.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul and Sean!
There definitely was an Anderson story involving international politics and a way to make people believe whatever they were told. I distinctly remember the story, although I forget the title; it was not “Kings Who Die” or “The Pugilist”, both stories which I remember.
Best Regards,
Nicholas
Kaor, Nicholas!
And I simply can't remember any story by Anderson of the kind you discussed. Maddening!
Regards! Sean
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