"Squarely between the two domains, its navy commanding the most direct route and in a position to strike at the heart of either, Betelgeuse would be an invaluable ally." (p. 282)
Betelgeuse as an ally of Merseia would probably presage an all-out attack on Terra. But, if that is the case, then it is surprising that we do not hear more about Betelgeuse. That single sentence quoted above suggests that all-out war is all too probable soon. If not Betelgeuse, then might somewhere else in the Wilderness, unknown to the Terrans, provide a suitable launching pad? According to Aycharaych in "Hunters of the Sky Cave," the Merseian High Command does project what sounds to me like a very early Fall of Terra.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
The Merseians were still feeling cocky, confident, and aggressive in this story, hoping that a firm alliance with Alfzar would be the last step needed before open war with the Empire.
Also, they did try elsewhere to raise up a new enemy of Terra. Recall how they assisted one nation/pack on Ardazir in uniting the planet, teaching it FTL tech, and siccing it on the Empire. That, plus the confrontation with Terra at the Syrax cluster could have led to a very different ending for HUNTERS OF THE SKY CAVE than what we have now.
We see one devilishly clever scheme after another against Terra being thwarted during Flandry's lifetime. Repeated defeats, setbacks, disappointments eventually led to a sense of discouragement among the leaders of the Roidhunate, as we see near the end of THE GAME OF EMPIRE.
Ad astra! Sean
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