In both cases, these are the opening and closing stories of a future history. In neither case would it be possible to recognize any connection between these stories if they were read without reference to the rest of their respective series. In both cases, Poul Anderson's imagination links near and far future scenarios through several intermediate stages.
Valti's equations in "Marius" are eventually fulfilled by the psychotechnical coordination of the Galaxy in "The Chapter Ends". A character in "The Saturn Game" was raised as a Jerusalem Catholic. Flandry's contemporaries include Jerusalem Catholics. Flandry, we infer, was responsible for the exodus which led to the founding of the remote colony that is discovered in "Starfog."
Although references to psychotechnics are absent from the Stellar Union period of the Psychotechnic History, it is clear that the science of man has continued to be developed and applied. It is safe to let Davis explore a planetary system because his "'...psychograph...'" shows that he has "'...a high goodwill quotient...'" and therefore will not "'...rob or murder anybody.'" (Virgin Planet, New York, 1982, p. 17) Also, the people of the Stellar Union can electronically adjust emotional patterns (p. 151). That sounds as if it could be a good period to live in and I would like to know more about why the Union collapsed.
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