Monday 3 June 2019

The Black Planet

"Sargasso of Lost Starships."

"The Arzunians charged in a wedge to gather momentum." (p. 422)

Afterwards, Donovan:

"...estimated that half the little Terran force was slain or out of action. But they must have taken three or four times their number of Arzunians to the Black Planet with them. The stony ground was pooled and steaming with blood. Carrion birds stooped low, screaming." (p. 423)

A remembered phrase forges yet another link between prequel and sequel. Kathryn told Reeves:

"'If we get [the Baldics] mad enough,...they'll call for the artillery or send a boat overhead to blow us to the Black Planet.'"
-"The Star Plunderer," p. 328.

These might be the only two literary references to the Black Planet. We imagine that the Planet is a legend that grew during the Time of Troubles. It is where you go if you are killed by raiders from space and might have originated in the mythology of one of the barbarian races.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I can easily believe that an interstellar society would soon have its own legends and superstition, analogous to our stories about the Bermuda Triangle and the Flying Dutchman. Or the rumors I've seen abut exactly what happened aboard the "Marie Celeste." And such tales are esp. likely to arise during a time of upheaval like the Troubles.

Sean