Flandry was chosen for the mission to Alfzar:
"...primarily for his experience with nonhumans..." (p. 282)
He has had a lot of experience with nonhumans:
two intelligent species on Starkad;
Merseians on Merseia and Talwin;
natives and visitors on Irumclaw;
two native intelligent species on Talwin;
a Ferran exec on his first command;
a visit to Shalmu;
a multi-species lodging house on Llynathawr;
Didonians;
Scothanians and their various subject species.
Paradoxically, Aline has been chosen:
"...for her talents with her own species..." (ibid.)
- because Alfzarian citizens include human beings, some of them in important positions. Aline has distracting skills.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
And Flandry must have worked with or interacted with non-humans on Terra itself. I recall how Chapter II of THE REBEL WORLDS mentions non-humans were among those working and living at Admiralty Center.
Lady Aline's role in "Honorable Enemies" would be analogous to that played by John Ridenour in "Outpost of Empire." A xenologist whose speciality was the study of non-humans, it might have seemed odd that he was chosen to study the problems of Freehold. But, the methods for studying aliens would logically apply to humans as well. Also, it was mentioned that those xenologists who did study humans were too busy with other problems just as urgent. So Ridenour was chosen.
Ad astra and Happy New Year! Sean
Post a Comment