"Because he really had no time for exchanging salutes according to rank and clan with every officer, technician, and guard, he seldom passed that way." (p. 93)
How many blamed salutes are there? Three ranks are mentioned here. Most salutes would have to be invented for any film to feature Merseians. The kin-salute was described earlier.
"...he saw clearly over Ardaig.
"It was not a Terran city and knew nothing of hectic many-colored blaze after dark." (ibid.)
Brechdan would not reflect that his planet's capital city was not a Terran city. Thus, this observation is an aside by the omniscient narrator for the benefit of the Terrestrial reader. This omniscient narrator comes on stage now and again like a voice-over in a film.
Although his aircar has a robopilot, Brechdan retains an old gaffer as his driver because that gaffer's:
"...family had always served the Ynvorys." (ibid.)
Again I ask whether the gaffer had to be an Ynvory or whether Brechdan might employ members of other Vachs. In Ardaig, small shops, as opposed to large mercantile centers:
"...had been in the same house and the same family for generations." (ibid.)
It seems that Merseians know their place despite their planet's meteoric rise onto the interstellar stage. I expect that an eldest son would run the shop whereas his younger brothers would join the Navy? Or, rather, they would all serve their term but the younger brothers would remain in the Navy?
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Careful! You are missing TRIDAIG, the co-capital of Merseia on the other side of the planet. In many ways, it was a much newer, more "advanced" city than Ardaig. Anderson described it in terms which makes it quite similar to Archopolis itself, on Terra. I recall Tridaig being called a very busy, hustling, bustling city which "shouted" while Ardaig "murmured."
By the time of ENSIGN FLANDRY Ardaig had become the "Eternal City" of Merseia, revered and venerated, conserving and remembering what Mersians considered what was best fron their past. True, it was the primary seat of the Roidhun and Brechdan insisted that the new Naval HQ tower be built there. His belief was that the instrument of Merseia's destiny should have its seat in Merseia's holy city.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I had not forgotten Tridaig which is also a capital city. The fact that it is more Terran-like maybe would explain Brechdan reflecting that Ardaig is not a Terran city.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Exactly! Ardaig is more "contemplative," and past oriented. And Tridaig the opposite of that.
Ad astra! Sean
Rather like Tokyo and Edo. Or London and WInchester. (I really like Winchester, btw.)
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
The Merseian co-capitals were like Tokyo and Kyoto? The Shoguns ruled in the Tennos name from Tokyo, while the Emperors reigned from Kyoto.
I've been to Winchester myself, and I understand your point. It was once the captital of Wessex and then England, before London morphed into becoming the de facto capital by at least Edward the Confessor's time.
But I think Ravenna, in Italy, also gives you a feeling for the past, because of the many well preserved monuments from Roman and Gothic/Byzantine times to be found there. And I've been to that city as well.
Ad astra!
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