The Arzunians carry swords and spears because their telekinesis prevented them from developing mechanics and they are simply uninterested in science. Guns against swords sounds like an easy fight. However, telekinesis enables the Arzunians to deflect missiles or blaster shots unless they are distracted. They have caused a spaceship to crash on their planet and should now be able to dispose of its crew. However, knowing all this, the Earthmen use their blaster flames to forge swords, axes and spears from the scattered plastic and metal of their wrecked ship.
Thus, some of those old pulp covers can make sense after all!
5 comments:
Hi, Paul!
While I agree with what Flandry said about how the fad for archaisms encouraged the study of scientific fencing among many of his contemporaries in the Empire, other causes might well have led him to learning how to use a sword. That is, I can imagine either or both the Naval Flight Academy and the Naval Intelligence Academy training cadets how to use swords, just in case such a skill was ever useful. Also, Chapter 4 of ENSIGN FLANDRY mentions him as having his regulation issue blaster and KNIFE. It's easy to think that training in how to use a knife for up close and personal combat included being taught how to use a sword.
And I'm sure there are fencing enthusiasts in the UK as there are in the US. Which means I don't really find the use of fencing all that implausible more than a thousand years from now in an interstellar setting!
Sean
I do like this little essay on the topic.
http://www.rocketpunk-manifesto.com/2007/09/spaceship-and-sword.html
Lots of good commentary on plausible justifications for swords being used even in a high tech society. The comments also get into why horses might still be used in a society that also has spaceships.
Kaor, Jim!
And my view is horses may well still be useful on newly colonized terrestroid planets because draught animals will be less costly on such planets than machines. Such planets may need a few generations for accumulating the capital for advanced technology.
Ad astra! Sean
If you go well down the comments on that essay, you will find a comment by 'anonymous' who in that case is me, on why a high tech future society on earth might make substantial use of horses (& other pack animals).
Kaor, Jim!
I'm a bit busy, but when I have more time, I will look up that essay on which you gave a comment.
Ad astra! Sean
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