Axor is the first Wodenite on Imhotep and Diana Crowfeather is amazed when she first sees him even though she has learned something of his species and therefore is able to identify him as such. His Anglic is fluent although "...weirdly accented..." (p. 201) but Diana has had practice with Tigeries - not that Wodenites sound like Tigeries but that both species have non-human accents.
However, surely not every Imhotepan can have heard of Wodenites? But they do know that intelligent beings of any size or shape can arrive at the spaceport and seek hospitality at the Sign of the Golden Cockbeetle. Therefore, when Diana's unusual companion enters the inn, a dozen outback miners and two joygirls:
"...gave Axor a lengthy stare, then went back to their talk, dice, and booze." (p. 205)
There is already a Tigery wearing an air helmet in the inn but members of that species are by now a common sight, common enough that a human being is able to distinguish them as individuals and might be friendly with one and not with another. It is very difficult to imagine that degree of inter-species interaction.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Even if Imhotepans of whatever species had never yet seen a Wodenite, the sheer familiarity they had from rubbing elbows with members of many other different intelligent races would soon make them take in stride even such a large and unusual being as Fr. Axor.
Given FTL and a reasonably stable state maintaining law and order over interstellar distances, I would expect many towns and planets to soon become de facto multi-species planets.
Ad astra! Sean
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