Pytheas is en route from Sol to Phaeacia Sun. "Others," exploring Star Three about 359 light-years to port from Pytheas' current position, have detected radio signals from Earth. Knowing that Earth might soon dispatch interstellar spaceships, the Other explorers send robots to intercept any such ship along the route from Sol to the nearest high tech civilization which is at Pegasi and which might also be the Others' home civilization. They also send such robots along the route from Sol to the nearest Sol-like star, Phaeacia Sun. Some of these robots send Pytheas pictures inviting them to detour to Star Three. A majority of the crew want to continue to Phaeacia but Hanno as Captain overrules them and now reveals that Pytheas is programmed to obey only him. First Contact is marred by human conflict.
A Time Patrol story set when Hiram was king in Tyre mentions the progression from seafarers to spacefarers to timefarers. Hanno, born in Tyre when Hiram was king, has been a seafarer and now a spacefarer and believes in the absolute authority of the captain.
4 comments:
As the saying goes, "the Captain is always right. Even when he's wrong." Or as the other saying goes, "A ship without a captain sinks."
Kaor, Paul!
And there will be times when "autocracy" is necessary. In certain high risk situations, such as in times of war or, as here, sea and space captains, there can be no debating once a commander/captain reaches a decision. Only immediate, unhesitating obedience.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: which is why discipline has to be taught.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
That would be drilled into rank and file soldiers and navy personnel in boot camps. Officers got that kind of drilling at military academies and training schools. The good ones, in both cases.
Ad astra! Sean
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