Monday 9 October 2023

Two Endings

The Day Of Their Return has two endings:

the ending for Ivar Frederiksen - "'Aeneas should outlive Empire.'" (see Looking Forward);

the ending for Jaan - "He had never before known..." (see The End Of A Novel).

Ivar accepts the Empire on a TINA (There Is No Alternative) basis - he says only, "'Probably we will help...'" (21, p. 236) - but looks beyond it.

Jaan will accept:

"'...psychiatric treatment, to rid him of the pseudo-personality...'" (ibid.)

All is not sweetness and light but the deception has been exposed, therefore the immediate crisis has been averted. Aeneas and humanity have stepped back from the abyss. The Technic History can proceed to the Captain Flandry series. Several more abysses will be avoided.

3 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

And Tatiana Thane immediately softened Ivar's offensive comment by saying they (including Aeneans in general) had more reason to thank
Commissioner Desai (and by extension the Empire) than they would ever admit.

Ad astra! Sean

S.M. Stirling said...

The Aeneans are basically butt-hurt because their guy didn't become Emperor.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Mr. Stirling!

Ha! I agree. Many Aeneans were behaving like sore losers.

Ad astra! Sean