In Storm And War, I wrote:
"Valland leads a planetary revolution."
However, he explains further:
"'Our side'll be content to hold this territory, maybe get back some of what was stolen before; but the Packs aren't about to try conquerin' the world. If the downdevils aren't hopelessly stupid, they'll make terms, once we've rubbed their noses a bit. Then we five can really buckle down to business.'" (p. 118)
However, the changes already initiated, particularly in Pack military organization, are already revolutionary. The downdevils are fairly stupid and at the same time are also canny enough to know the possible consequences of the human beings getting off planet - and maybe coming back. Therefore, revolution, or a reaction that will provoke revolution, is still on the cards.
Valland says:
"'...the Packs...'ll go with us through a supernova...'" (p. 117)
Dominic Flandry thinks, of the men of his first command:
"They'd ship out for hell if I were the skipper."
-Poul Anderson, The Rebel Worlds IN Anderson, Young Flandry (Riverdale, NY, 2010), pp. 367-520 AT p. 497.
Valland inhabits not only a different timeline but also a different kind of period when science has replaced supernaturalism as a source of metaphors.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Some kind of revolution or even a successful Ai Chun counter revolution might have occurred, AFTER the stranded space men were able to leave the planet. We don't really know what happened after the forty years they were marooned there.
Sean
Sean,
The concluding chapter gives us some information as I will soon post.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I do recall mention of academic institutions preparing an expedition to send to this intergalactic planet to study the unique Ai Chun culture before it died from that race resignedly accepting they were not gods.
Sean
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