However, from that Time Patrol perspective of millions of years, comment is made on the period in which the story was written:
"That Everard had been recruited in New York, 1954 A.D., and Nomura in San Francisco, 1972, ought to make scant difference. The upheavals of that generation were bubble pops against what had happened before and what would happen after."
-Poul Anderson, "Gibraltar Falls" IN Anderson, The Guardians Of Time (New York, 1981), pp. 125-140 AT p. 126.
("Gibraltar Falls" is copyright, 1975.)
No doubt. They were upheavals, nevertheless. I was in a definite "generation gap" with my parents but not with my daughter or granddaughter.
However, Nomura is twenty-five and has only just completed his training whereas Everard has traveled through innumerable periods while benefiting from longevity treatment. Nomura suspects that they are foreigners to each other. To compound the anachronisms, they are in the company of a woman born two millennia later than either of them...
How does the Patrol hang together?
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I should think it was obvious what holds the Time Patrol together: a common belief, ideal, goal, end, etc. A belief that, on balance, preserving a timeline leading to the era of Oneness and the Danellians was worth the toil, pain, agonies of spirit. That common belief would unite the members and agents of the Patrol.
Ad astra! Sean
It's outlined that there are the usual bonding mechanisms that produce esprit d'corps in an organization.
The French Foreign Legion has a saying: "Legio Patria Nostra" -- the Legion is our Fatherland. Legionnaires aren't required to give a damn about France and the French people, and often don't. They care about the Legion and their comrades.
Also, the Time Patrol seems to have people from "compatible" cultures working (and usually taking holidays) together.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Of course the Time Patrol would have a sophisticated understanding of how to use "bonding mechanisms" to promote that esprit d'corps in the organization.
And it does make sense for most Patrol officers to work largely with agents who came from "compatible" cultures.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment