In Centauri

The People Of The Wind, VI.

Perhaps my favorite passage in the whole of Poul Anderson's Technic History is this chapter, filling thirteen pages in Rise Of The Terran Empire.

The mighty Sagittarius River flows into the Gulf of Centaurs on the continent of Corona on the planet Avalon in the Domain of Ythri during the Imperial period of Technic civilization - although Domain and Empire are distinct realms and indeed on the verge of war. At the Sagittarius rivermouth, Centauri is:

"...riverport, seaport, spaceport, industrial center, and mart." (p. 499)

Gray and Centauri are the only two Avalonian cities and mostly human since Ythrian society is not urban. Arinnian of Stormgate Choth must usually function as Christopher Holm when he travels from Gray to Centauri. He has become a top officer in the West Coronan home guard which must cooperate both with similar organizations elsewhere and with the Seamen's Brotherhood so a conference is held in Centauri. In particular, western Corona and northern Oronesia must defend the Hesperian Sea.

After the conference, Arinnian and Hrill of Highsky Choth, whose human name is Tabitha Falkayn and who represents her part of the Oronesian archipelago, walk down Livewell Street. He addresses her as "Hrill" and speaks Planha whereas she addresses him as "Chris" and speaks Anglic. He makes an issue of it. 

It gets better.