Believe it or not, the attached cover image accurately illustrates an action sequence in this story. Kemul, disguised as an initiate, rescues Flandry, disguised as a wealthy civilian, from Biocontrol Central. They have made it as far as the aircar hangar before the alarms sound. Guards storm the hangar entrance. Flandry has got one foot inside the door of Kemul's aircar as it speeds forward and takes off, striking attacking Guards. One Guard grabs Flandry's ankle. Flandry fires his antique revolver but misses, then, when the gun jams, throws it at the Guard's face. He kicks but the Guard hangs on, screaming. Thus, there is indeed an ascending flying vehicle with one (well-dressed, plume-turbaned) man, Flandry, clinging to the side of the vehicle while a second (green-kilted) man, the Guard, clings to a leg of the first. After a short interval, Flandry raises his leg at a right angle, then brings it down hard enough to dash the Guard against the side of the aircar. The Guard falls a hundred meters while Flandry topples into the car.
OK. If we are going to read action sequences, then we might as well read good ones!
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I remember that! Very well done, very dramatic, how Flandry was rescued by his friends from Biocontol Central. AND because he had saved Djuanda from his suicide attempt.
I remember Flandry, in a quick moment of reflection, thinking of how the success of this hastily improvised rescue of him showed how decadent and incompetent Biocontrol had become.
Ad astra! Sean
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