On Starkad, John Ridenour, xenologist, tries to make peace between land-dwellers and sea-dwellers. By fishing, the former make inroads on the finite resources of the latter. The seafolk want the fishing to stop. The landfolk, dependent on fishing, refuse. Ridenour wants the seafolk to reject any further Merseian aid but the Terrans have upset the balance of power by helping the landfolk. Withdrawing such help would antagonize the landfolk and the Merseians would exploit any such antagonism. A two-sided phaseout of hostilities seems increasingly unlikely.
Two Imperial attitudes are displayed by Dominic Flandry, who does not want to return to killing the sea-dwellers, and by Ensign Quarles, who says:
"'Grow up. We belong to the Empire, not some barnacle-bitten gang of xenos.'" (p. 89)
With that attitude, oppression will continue indefinitely.
Ridenour comments:
"'You may be out of it anyhow, Flandry...'" (ibid.)
Orders have come for Flandry to report to Commander Abrams at Highport for special duty.
Flandry and Ridenour part but the latter will return.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
If two intelligent races evolve on the same planet, they are both highly likely to need the resources found on that planet. So, yes, there will almost certainly be wars and conflicts between those races.
Ad astra! Sean
"My tribe good, their tribe bad," is pretty well a universal human characteristic. And conflict -will- continue forever.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
As a general rule I agree, with me adding that I don't think all PARTICULAR conflicts have to be permanent.
Ad astra! Sean
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