Philippe Rochefort and Eve Davisson:
"...sat in an intimate restaurant of Fleurville..." (p. 487)
through the window beside their table, they see gardens and stars;
they hear old, sentimental music played by a live sonorist;
their nostrils detect mildly intoxicant vapours;
they taste hors d'oeuvres and champagne;
Eve's grip tightens on her glass as they discuss the impending war.
I quoted Rochefort before as saying that he believed in:
"'...being what you are and standing by your own.'" (p. 488)
He had said this in response to Eve's remark:
"'I get an impression you disapprove of a mixed colony.'" (ibid.)
- to which he replied:
"'Well...in a way, yes.'" (ibid.)
No way, man. If, by "being what you are and standing by your own," he means that human beings and Ythrians should not jointly colonize a planet, then forget it. He objects to the two species influencing each other. But they inhabit the same universe and each is part of the other's environment. Prevention of influence is neither desirable nor even possible.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I think you are being too hard on Lieutenant Rochefort. For one thing I never got the impression he was dogmatic in his preference that only one species should settle different plaets. Indeed, we see later in the Empire's history that planets like Dennitza and Imhotep had residents of multiple species.
Ad astra! Sean
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