It is the Lunarians that threaten the "peace." The successful Proserpinan colony inspires the Lunarians in the inner Solar System with the knowledge:
"...that their old wild ways are still alive, still free." (p. 38)
And this is a problem for the cybercosm!
Lirion of Zamok Dragon returns from Proserpina to Luna and is suspected of - something.
An aspect of the central intelligence opines:
"-The temptation is to seize him and brainphase his knowledge out of him, legality or no." (p. 39)
But this temptation will be resisted on moral grounds? Well, no. The aspect continues:
"But he doubtless has emergency means, such as blowing his skull to bits, and we have no idea what his disappearance might trigger." (ibid.)
Venator helpfully adds:
"-Besides, he in himself may provide a spoor to follow into the heart of whatever this conspiracy is. I will seek him out, and then we shall see." (ibid.)
Lirion is not seized only because it is more expedient to follow him. The cybercosm has unequivocally identified itself as the villain of the piece/peace.
Onward with the story after I have been out for the evening.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Exactly, here we see Anderson being hard-headedly about what entities and organic beings are more likely than not to do if they believe themselves to be threatened. Something that can only be managed or limited, not abolished. IWHBD.
Ad astra! Sean
It Does Not Have To Be What Human Beings Do.
Kaor, Paul!
It's vastly more likely than not "It's What Human Beings Will Do." There is zero evidence that all human beings will not be like that. The darkness we all have within ourselves due to being flawed and imperfect is not going to be removed just because you don't like it. The beginning of wisdom for any hope of a not too terribly bad state/society is to accept that. And that was Anderson's view as well.
Ad astra! Sean
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