The Decline Of The Roidhunate

We understand that, in Dominic Flandry's lifetime, the Terran Empire is in terminal decline, having lost the will to fight. The most that Flandry can do is, first, to prolong the life of the Empire and, secondly, to strengthen certain colony planets so that they will be better equipped to endure the ensuing Long Night. But does he do something else? Does he also cause the decline of the Merseian Roidhunate?

The Roidhunate, far from unwilling to fight, is expanding, not declining, but what might change that? Chunderban Desai says that:

"'...the Merseians too must have their private demons...'"

-Poul Anderson, A Knight Of Ghosts And Shadows IN Anderson, Sir Dominic Flandry: The Last Knight Of Terra (Riverdale, NY, 2012), pp. 339-606 AT III, p. 390.

Flandry, surprised, asks whether Desai implies that the Mereians are already decadent but Desai replies by asking:

"'...what is decadence to a nonhuman?'" (ibid.)

He intends to continue studying such questions even in retirement.

I think that a succession of major defeats and disappointments within a single generation would be enough to destroy Merseian morale.

Tachwyr reminds the Grand Council that:

"'The great Brechdan Ironrede fashioned a scheme that would have ruined the Terrans utterly, and saw it crumble in his grasp.'"

-The Game Of Empire, CHAPTER SIX, p. 265.

 

Tachwyr reflects that the bombardment of Chereion left the Roidhunate:

 

"...half blinded, hideously vulnerable, impotent..." (p. 267)

 

He describes that period as:

 

"...years of our misery..." (p. 268)

 

Finally, the defeat of the Magnusson Rebellion makes him realize that he will not live to behold victory over the Empire.