Remember that an Avalonian rotation period is just under half Terrestrial. Arinnian has spent a day at a conference, part of an evening with Tabitha and some time with another woman and wakes up "...about the following sunset." (p. 511) The air is hot. The conditioner has stopped. This would happen if raised force screens had drained power. Raised force screens would mean expected hostilities. Jumping from bed, he notices a shimmering outside. The holovid in the dusty, cluttered room plays a repeated recording announcing that:
"'A courier from Ythri has delivered the news in Gray, that Terra has served notice of war.'" (p. 511)
Gray is the main city on Avalon, a planet in the Domain of Ythri, and Arinnian hears the news in the second and only other Avalonian city, Centauri.
We knew that a courier had carried to Esperance in Sector Pacis of the Terran Empire "...an Imperial rescript declaring war on Ythri...," (III, p. 477) for the governor and the admiral to activate when they saw fit. Now we know that a courier has gone from Esperance to Ythri which has sent couriers to every inhabited planet in its Domain. After diverse preparations on both sides, the war anticipated in the opening paragraph of the novel begins.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
What I first thought of was how Terra was being gentlemanly in how war began: no sneak or surprise attacks. Rather, the Imperial rescript declaring war on the Domain was formally served to the Ythrian envoys at Esperance, and they were given time to send the news to Ythri--which in turn alerted the planets of the Domain.
Unan Besar also has short rotation periods. And the human colonists adapted by having several short sleeps thru two or three Unan Besarian days.
Ad astra! Sean
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