Underestimation

Discussing a star as they approach it, one of Dominic Flandry's Merseian captors tells him:

"'We call it Siekh. The planet we are bound for we call Talwin.'

"'Ah.' The man nodded. 'And what more heroes of your Civil Wars have you honored?'

"Tryntaf threw him a sharp glance. Damn, I forgot again, he thought. Always make the opposition underestimate you."

-Poul Anderson, A Circus Of Hells IN Anderson, Young Flandry (Riverdale, NY, 2010), pp. 193-365 AT CHAPTER ELEVEN, p. 269.

(Now I am wondering whether Flandry forgot earlier in this text.)

Another Merseian asks Flandry:

"'Hr-r-r, you have heard of Aycharaych's techniques, then?'

"'Aycharaych? Who? N-n-no...I'll check with Captain Abrams...Damn! I should have played along with you, shouldn't I? All right, I fumbled that one, after you dropped it right into my paws.'"

-ibid., CHAPTER NINETEEN, p. 351.

Frustrating, especially for readers who already know about Aycharaych - although, for anyone who is reading the Technic History for the first time and in chronological order of fictional events in The Technic CIvilization Saga, the earliest references to Aycharaych are in this novel.

We are reminded of Flandry forgetting to make his adversaries underestimate him when Luis Castelar captures Wanda Tamberly and Wanda reflects:

"Make him underestimate you."

-"The Year of the Ransom," p. 706.

Anderson made a point of showing us young Flandry learning his trade whereas he did not have to go through the same procedure with Wanda Tamberly.

In the first passage of dialogue quoted above, Tryntaf continues:

"'I am surprised at your knowledge of our history before the Roidhunate, Lieutenant...'"

-A Circus Of Hells, p. 269.

David Falkayn and his trader team were on Merseia long before planetary unification - the Roidhunate. We imagine that the Civil Wars occurred after Falkayn's visit and we would like to know more Merseian history.

Tryntaf continues again:

"'But then, considering that our pickets were ordered to watch for a Terran scout, the pilot must be of special interest.'

"'Oh, well,' Flandry said modestly."

-ibid.

In fact, Flandry has made Tryntaf not under- but overestimate him. That also might be something that could be turned to advantage.