Wednesday, 8 January 2020

Dwyr II

Ensign Flandry.

Dwyr does not dream. He does not remember what fear or courage felt like. He wants to experience emotions again. He does experience cerebral pleasure in workmanship and a cold hate and fury which might be mental habits.

When his arm is shot off, he is not alive enough to go into shock but feels pain until his prostheses compensate.

Damaged by energy beams, he flies as shadows close in. He experiences "Darkness and great rushing waters...." (CHAPTER TWELVE, p. 124)

When, with great difficulty, he has delivered his message to Flandry, he says:

"'I was Dwyr of Tanis, once called the Merry.'" (CHAPTER THIRTEEN, p. 132)

He is now called "the Hook." He asks to be remembered and to be switched off while he can still remember his wife.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

And this has to be one of the most pathetic incidents to be found in the works of Anderson! And I recall how Flandry honored the dead Dwyr with a Naval salute.

Ad astra! Sean