City Life

Poul Anderson, For Love And Glory (New York, 2003), Chapter X.

Asborg's largest "free city" (p.56) is Inga - "free" meaning that it is neither owned nor controlled by any of the landholding Houses? (maybe).

Inga has towers, slipways and a harbor with walls along the docks. Although the harbor is quiet at night, traffic, light and life continue in the city center.

The opening paragraph of Chapter X addresses three senses:

(i) because the dock walls block the city lights, some stars are visible and a rising moon lights the waves -

(ii) - which lap audibly against the piers despite the urban throb;

(iii) there are smells of salt, engines and cargo.

Thus, ancient human life continues on an extrasolar planet despite the changed conditions on Earth.