That Fancy Talker: A Glib Salesbeing

Poul Anderson's Technic History presents many fast talkers and smooth operators, both in commerce and in intelligence work. The Cynthian Shan U offers to help Axor and Diana. He advises that they travel down the Highroad River to Lulach which holds many merchants and prospectors who have travelled widely over Daedalus and therefore might know of the kind of Ancient ruins that Axor seeks. How should they travel? In Shan U's riverboat! He can carry them back if they discover nothing.

Earlier, the Cynthian Wo Lia was stranded in Aurea where folk were staying home because of the war so Shan U advised her to travel down the river. Beings at ports of call would like to see her show with its performing beast and she should then be able to settle down in the Cynthian town of Lulach.

Wheels within wheels: the "performing beast" is Targovi disguised and it was he that persuaded Wo Lia to persuade Shan U to persuade Diana to persuade Axor to travel down the river.

With beings like this, the Empire has life in it yet.