(ii) Abrams tells Flandry that he has a direct pipeline to Brechdan Ironrede's ultrasecret file;
Flandry deduces that this pipeline had not been developed in advance because, if it had, then Abrams would not have had to come to Merseia;
it can only be a contact that he acquired on Starkad and has not yet been able to pass on to anyone else;
such a good source would have given Abrams advance warning of the Seatroll submarine attack on Ujanka (see Battle On Golden Bay) yet Abrams did nothing in advance to defend Ujanka.
While commending Flandry's deductive skills, Abrams must instruct him in the principles of not compromising sources and of saving more lives - on all sides - in the long run.
Next, Flandry must accept Abrams' plan to use the affair with Persis as a cover for smuggling intelligence off Merseia:
"'No!' Flandry raged."
-Poul Anderson, Ensign Flandry IN Anderson, Young Flandry (Riverdale, NY, 2010), pp. 1-192 AT Chapter Eleven, p. 114.
Young Flandry is becoming mature Flandry.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I remember that! About Flandry realizing Abrams must have had advance warning of the Merseian/Sea People attack on Ujanka. Flandry was commendably distressed at how nothing was done beforehand to thwart that attack but did realize Abrams was right in what he said about the need for protecting sources and using such info to save even more lives, on all sides, by using such sources for the longer term good. A harsh lesson for anyone to learn.
Not that Abrams was heartless about the attack on Ujanka. He was GLAD the accident of Flandry being present and his quick wits and ability to act decisively saved the city.
Sean
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