Governments and populations mobilize for war. The powerful meet in secret. Emergency measures are taken and announcements made. Events move quickly, also rumors and ideas about social change. In A Knight..., human agents of Merseia turn out to have infiltrated Terran and Dennitzan Intelligence to an extent that makes paranoia the only safe response. On Dennitza, an armed force is ready to intervene in Parliament as soon as disinformation and provocation are seen to have failed. Flandry and his fiancee are smuggled into the Chamber in a zmayi (Merseian) demonstration.
That degree of infiltration is unusual, I hope, although on one famous occasion British Intelligence had a Russian agent running its Russian section. Years ago, a social campaigner interviewed on British television claimed that "the Communists" had infiltrated every aspect of British society. What she meant, of course, was that ideas, values and attitudes had changed in ways of which she disapproved. No amount of "infiltration" could explain that. In fact, the cause was the dynamic economy that she probably supported.
5 comments:
Hi, Paul!
No disrespect, but I think you were too dismissive of the very real danger that can be caused by tratiors working in secret for hostile powers. An actual real world case was the infamous Kim Philby case. That hideous man rose high in UK Intelligence and had an entire ring working for him (and the USSR), such as Burgess and McLean. They did REAL harm to the UK (AND allies of the UK, such as the US), and people DIED because of their treachery.
Let me say at once that this kind of vileness was not limited to the UK. The US also had its share of traitors working like Merseian stooges for the USSR, such as Alger Hiss.
Sean
Dear Sean,
No disrespect, but I don't think that Paul dismissed the very real danger that can be caused by traitors working in secret for hostile powers. It's a fair point that most of the changes in ideas, values, and attitudes in Western societies over the past couple of generations, whether or not you approve of them, are not primarily due to infiltration by enemy agents or outright Communists, but to economic dynamism, freedom of speech, and so forth.
Best Regards,
Nicholas Rosen
Hi, Nicholas!
Many thanks for your comments! I concede I may have been too sharp with Paul. However, I was not denying that changes of the kind you and Paul listed have occurred. I was feeling a bit angry when I thought of the sheer amount of HARM wretches like Philby and Hiss have done to our countries. Whatever the faults and vices of the UK and US, those countries were still vastly better than the unspeakably vicious USSR.
Paul, if I was too sharp, I apologize.
Sean
Sean,
Not at all! BTW, I did mention Philby although not by name.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
Many thanks! And, yes, a second reading of this piece of yours here caused me to realize you did have in mind the traitor Philby.
Sean
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