This story broadens our horizons within the parameters of the Polesotechnic League. Five characters discuss the planet Cain in Nicholas van Rijn's penthouse on the Winged Cross in Chicago Integrate. These two contrasting settings are on-stage throughout the narrative. A split screen could show the interior of the penthouse and the outdoors on Cain.
The five characters are:
the anonymous first person narrator;
the narrator's friend, Harry Stenvik;
Stenvik's son, Per;
Per's ensign, Manuel Felipe Gomez y Palomares from the colony planet, Nuevo Mexico;
Per's and Manuel's employer, Nicholas van Rijn.
Hence, multiple viewpoints. Per and Manuel have been on Cain. The others have not. But all can discuss what happened. How will xenos who have no concept of God respond to the concept? This question is addressed in other sf works.
Thus also, this story introduces Nuevo Mexico which will not appear but will be important later. "The Master Key" is an extremely comprehensive Technic History instalment.
2 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Another question should be: how will "naturally wild" Cainites react to other intelligent races, not just humans, who behave like domesticated animals gone "feral"?
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul!
Still another question I've thought of this: what are we to make of the Lugals, the doglike servants of the Cainites? These creatures were at least as intelligent as their masters and humans, but totally subservient to the wills of the Cainites. Are Lugals, nonetheless, BEINGS capable of developing wills of their own, independently of the Cainites? Or merely highly intelligent animals, to be treated and disposed of as their owners wished?
Also, Lugals are important to the Cainites, acting as preservers of information and transmitters of culture for the Cainites. Which was probably one of the reasons why they were able to stay "wild" and "undomesticated." What would happen to them if they lost their Lugals?
Ad astra! Sean
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