The Altaian introduces himself:
"'This person is named Pyotr Gutchluk, of the Kha Khan's sworn men.'" (II, p. 346) (For full reference, see here.)
Gutchluk:
tells the Betelgueseans to go to the yamen;
calls Flandry a great "orluk" (ibid.);
persuades him to travel on a varyak.
There is an ERBian "orluk" (see here) but this cannot be what Gutchluk means.
Varyak:
a large, two-wheeled vehicle;
powered by energy capacitors;
baggage rack aft;
machine-gun at front;
steered by the knees touching a crossbar;
manual controls on a panel behind the windscreen;
outrigger wheel for support when slow or stationary;
goggled crash helmet;
up to 200 kph.
Poul Anderson's account of the Technic History universe is endlessly detailed.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I still remember with smiles the comedy of this part of the story, when Flandry incautiously agreed to use an unfamiliar vehicle like the "varyak." He very nearly came to a heavily face losing fiasco the first time he used it!
Sean
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