-Poul Anderson, Mirkheim IN Anderson, Rise Of The Terran Empire (Riverdale, NY, March 2011), pp. 1-291 AT XX, p. 274.
We kind of like the idea that an alien, in this case a hairless, green-skinned, gator-tailed Merseian, understands, accepts and uses a human surrender sign. Incidentally, this Merseian does not represent the Roidhunate of Merseia. Instead, he is a mercenary who has been recruited into the Baburite space navy. Still later, other beings of Merseian descent will be loyal citizens of the Terran Empire.
However, I cite the Merseian waving a white flag in order to contrast him with the Rogavikians in Anderson's The Winter Of The World:
"'When my herald finished, they put an arrow through him. Under his flag of truce, sir!'" (XIV, p. 125)
Terrestrials who do not acknowledge a flag of truce! Later, this besieged group is invited to emerge and told that they will be allowed to go free if they carry a message of peace. They agree, emerge, then attack with knives and in return are slaughtered to the last child.
That Merseian sounded more like our kind of guy.
3 comments:
This is an illustration of the implausibility of the Rogavikian mutation.
Humans understand and regularize conflict, most of the time, because they understand it's unavoidable.
The Rogaviki would get themselves exterminated.
Kaor, Paul!
I think that use of a white flag for either surrendering or asking for a parley would be one example of Terrestrial cultural influences affecting Merseians, in this case the laws and customs of war. And it also shows, unlike the Rogaviki, how it's possible different species can make agreements.
Any species behaving as outrageously as the Rogaviki do to heralds will very likely become intolerable neighbors. Esp. since I think they will become more and more unable to deal effectively with humans as the rest of the world regains pre-Ice Age technology.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
We came to the same conclusions.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment