Mayor Uriason makes it possible for Ridenour not only to spy on the outbackers but also to transmit intelligence to the blockading Terran fleet. The mayor retains his physical appearance but its significance changes:
"The round red face was no longer comical. It pleaded. After a while, it commanded." (p. 85)
- like a superhero emerging from behind the disguise of his secret identity.
"'I watched my chance, I made myself ridiculous, and -' Uriason threw out his chest, thereby also throwing out his belly - 'at the appropriate moment, I palmed this [communication converter] from beneath the noses of the wrecking crew.'" (p. 86)
Uriason appeals to Ridenour in the names of Freehold, His Majesty and the entire species. (People always over-dramatize their current crisis.)
"The man was short and fat. His words rose like hot-air balloons..." (p. 87)
I immediately think of comic strip speech speech balloons. Poul Anderson's text continues:
"Nevertheless, had he dared under possible observation, Ridenour would have bowed most deeply. As matters were, the Terran could just say, 'Yes, Citizen Mayor, I'll try to do my best.'" (ibid.)
This is the Ridenour who had suppressed a groan when the puffing Uriason had approached him to initiate this covert conversation.
Next, Ridenour, secretly armed with the communication device, will accompany the outbackers through their forest and, from Karlsarm's point of view, we will read an account of Karlsarm's exposition to Ridenour of outbacker life and society. This is a story of much talk.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
The plot of this story probably made it more necessary than usual for Anderson to use conversation for advancing it. Not quite as much action or "doing" in "Outpost" as in others of Anderson's works.
Ad astra! Sean
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