Flandry On Scotha: Sviffash Of Sithafar

"'Gods gave many gifts, but,
Gunli, yours was greatest.'"
-Poul Anderson, Captain Flandry: Defender Of The Terran Empire (New York, 2010), p. 267.

I thought that it was appropriate to quote the concluding lines of Dominic Flandry's alliterative verse to Queen Gunli - but we must move on to Sviffash of Sithafar.

He is a "...herpetoid..." (p. 268) and I cannot find this word anywhere. He has a tail, bowed legs, fanged jaws, lidless black eyes and a flickering tongue. The Scothani treat Sviffash's people badly and Flandry tells him, truthfully for once!, that the Terran Empire treats its subjects decently, if only because the Imperials have learned that the alternative is counterproductive. (We do know of exceptions, of course.) Sithafar might be an ally rather than a client or even just left in its extra-Imperial independence.

Sviffash can contact the Empire and other potential rebels who are known to Flandry but must spare Scotha because the rebellion will have Scothan allies, not only power-seeking nobles but also Ilrian nationalists secretly helped by Queen Gunli. Everything is coming together. Flandry does not mention, because it is not relevant here, rival claimants for the Frithian throne who, if they are fighting among themselves, will not be able to resist the rebellion when it comes from Ilria, from within Frithia and from off-planet - not to mention an approaching Terran fleet, but Flandry has not quite organized that yet when speaking to Sviffash.

Flandry On Scotha

Having learned Frithian, the principle language of Scotha, en route, Flandry begins his subversion as soon as he is presented to King Penda. Based on Imperial experience, he advises the king to respect his subjects, for example by installing radiant heating for the benefit of visiting nobles of non-Scothan species. Glancing around the hall, he sees "...dissatisfaction on many faces..." - and also catches the eye of the queen.
-Poul Anderson, Captain Flandry: Defender Of The Terran Empire (New York, 2010), p. 258.

This is followed by carefully manipulative conversations with:

General Nartheof;
Prince Torric;
Earl Morgaar;
Queen Gunli;
Sviffash of Sithafar;
Duke Asdagar -

- and a concluding sword fight with Prince Cerdic as the Terran Navy easily overpowers the space fleets of a disintegrating realm. It will be instructive to analyze these conversations. However, my present destination is the realm of the Lord Morpheus.

Arrival On Scotha

"Tiger By The Tail."

On pp. 241-255,  Dominic Flandry is taken as a prisoner to the planet, Scotha. On p. 255, they arrive. See Scotha and The Scothani Empire.

Sf writers do different things with fictional planets. Early in an adventure story about planetary exploration, the author might graphically describe the viewpoint character's sensory experiences immediately after arrival on the surface of Mars, Ythri or wherever it is. See At First Sight. However, in this story, Anderson is primarily interested in Scotha not as a newly discovered planet but as a setting for Flandry's Machiavellian manipulations of his gullible enemies. See:

Flandry On Scotha  

Flandry On Scotha: General Nartheof 

Flandry On Scotha: Sviffash Of Sithafar 

Flandry On Scotha: Queen Gunli

Flandry On Scotha: Prince Torric

Flandry On Scotha: Earl Morgaar 

Flandry On Scotha: Duke Asdagaar And Prince Cerdic

 

CS Lewis and Brian Aldiss criticized sf that merely exported Terrestrial issues into space. See Aldiss, Amis, Anderson, Asimov, Lewis. However, in the first place, Anderson exported exceptionally well and, in the second place, he did a lot more than merely export! Genesis transcends.

Flandry's Subversion

"Tiger By The Tail."

Flandry begins subverting the Scothani from the moment he is a prisoner in their spaceship:

he pretends to be slow in learning Frithian so that his captors will continue to speak openly in front of him;

he wins money and clothes by cheating with cards and dice;

in his audience with King Penda, he senses and encourages dissatisfaction among subject species, sets Penda and his son, Cerdic, against each other and initiates what will become an intrigue with Queen Gunli;

he misleads -

General Nartheof

Prince Torric

Earl Morgaar

Sviffash of Sithafar

Duke Asdagaar

They could not have known it in advance but the Scothani would have done better to have left Flandry on Llynathawr.

Dominic Flandry, Salesman

"Tiger By The Tail."

Flandry sells the Terran Empire to a disaffected ally of Scotha:

the Terrans "'...treat their subjects decently...'" (p. 268);

 

Sviffash can verify this by sending a covert commission of inquiry;

 

Terrans have learned that racial prejudice is counterproductive;

 

subject races retain their autonomy except in matters like defense and commerce where uniformity is universally beneficial;

 

as it is well outside the Imperial border, Sithafar is more likely to be an ally than a client;

 

other Scothan allies want to revolt;

 

more will join once a revolt has begun;

 

Flandry can tell Sviffash whom to contact...

 

...and doesn't it all sound too good to be true?