the leading independent in the Polesotechnic League;
the employer and mentor of David Falkayn;
struggled to delay the decline of the League after its first civil war;
a legendary figure, with a planet named after him, in Flandry's time.
There is much more to each of these men than is listed here but perhaps these are the historically most memorable points.
When van Rijn is captain and Torres is mate in the Mercury, van Rijn spends some time in his cabin:
"'...in conference with Freelady Gherardini.'"
-"Margin of Profit," p. 160.
Torres wishes that he could run his commands in the same way and van Rijn replies that he can provided that he makes money and no trouble for SSL. So why do we think that Torres does not install a mistress in his next ship? Because most of us cannot combine work and pleasure to the extent that van Rijn regularly does. He is always drinking and, in "Lodestar," has to inform Captain Hirharouk that he can handle it and will be ready for action when necessary.
Apart from the fact that, while they are at work, van Rijn is the boss, in every other respect van Rijn and Torres are social equals. Van Rijn gives Torres a hard look when the latter acknowledges that he, van Rijn, does not lack guts... A humorous exchange that would be considered inappropriate if there were any idea of social inequality between the two men.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
It was not quite a planet which was named after Nicholas van Rijn. Rather, the "vanrijns" we see mentioned centuries later in THE REBEL WORLDS belongs to the "two bodied" intelligent race Old Nick figured out were hiding among the animals in the zoo ship he and his men searched in "Hiding Place."
As for the free and easy behavior between Old Nick and Torres, I would put that down to several factors: one being being van Rijn's exuberant self-confidence was so strong that he felt no nee to "stand on his dignity" the way most of us might have. Another would be the libertarian spirit of mood of his times.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Also, van Rijn rose from the ranks both socially and economically and encourages others to do likewise. He is focused on who and what works and on enjoying life and has no time for unnecessary social barriers or divisions.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, Nicholas van Rijn took a meritocratic to problems that needed solving. As for "social barriers or divisions," humans being what they are, such things are going to happen. The trick would be to make sure they are not too rigid.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment