Sometimes the Merseians remain off-stage but are a powerful background presence, nevertheless. In
The Rebel Worlds, they attempt to take over Jihannath: a planet or a cluster? Most of the Terran fleet and Intelligence Corps must be diverted to that border. Meanwhile, Admiral Hugh McCormac rebels in Sector Alpha Crucis on the other side of the Empire. Undercover agents and inspectors are sent. Vice Admiral Sir Ilya Kheraskov also sends a warship whose captain, with special sealed orders, will be able to investigate informally but openly and will have to be received by the Sector Governor who is known to have acted in ways that have provoked McCormac's revolt. A dozen operatives are considered and Flandry is selected. Sometimes trouble on the other side of the Empire has been instigated by the Merseians. In this case, it has not. But the coincidence of the Jihannath and Sector Alpha Crucis crises means that Flandry has to defeat the rebellion urgently - and an agent of Merseia will attempt to foment further unrest in the aftermath.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I would argue from what Djana said in A CIRCUS OF HELLS that Jihannath was a planet. See Appendix I of my FUTURISTIC SEX article.
How contingent human affairs are! What might have happened if Admiral Kheraskov had chosen another man, not Flandry, from the dozen files he studied?
Ad astra! Sean
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