Challenge 354 Response

“The Hades Connection”

by Gary Inbinder and Don Webb

In “The Hades Connection,” part 1, the Prime Minister is introduced to George, Esther, and Mike and then turns to their bodyguards and dismisses them. Why can he not possibly do that? Where are the bodyguards?

[Gary Inbinder] “Our escorts peeled off at the door.” If that’s so, then the P.M. can’t dismiss them later. It’s easy to lose track of characters’ comings and goings, especially when there are so many of them.

[Don Webb] The bodyguards are assigned to escort the George-Esther-Horn trio. But I have to wonder: could a head of government dismiss his own bodyguards? Would he? I wouldn’t think so, especially under the circumstances depicted.

[Gary] Moreover, security believes that they’re escorting Captain and Mrs. Vardy from St. John’s, so I think the RCMP would be very surprised and maybe a bit alarmed to learn that the visitors are from the planet Khomu.

What other question does the Prime Minister fail to ask? It’s one that would occur immediately to any politician.

[Gary] I’m not sure I get this one, but I’ll attempt an answer. Would the Canadian P.M. circumvent his cabinet and Parliament in dealing with an extra-terrestrial? Would he take responsibility for the destruction of public property in a test?

[Don] A prime minister would certainly not bother to consult Parliament, and he’d consult his cabinet only if he felt the need to. Your point about his destroying public or even private property for the sake of a test is certainly valid.

However, the P.M. in the story obviously thinks he can get away with it and pin the blame on George Pike, if he has to. And that should be easy; Pike has made rather cynical statements about being willing to destroy life and property. Now we know he was serious about property, but it remains to be seen whether he’s been bluffing about mass murder. Maybe that’s an element of suspense at this point.

The question remains open why Earth astronomers haven’t noticed any orbital drift. Rather, the prime minister has to know that Pike has omitted an important part of the reason for his mission. The question the prime minister fails to ask is the title of the Challenge: “What’s in it for you?” It’s hard to imagine a politician assuming that anyone acts out of pure altruism.

What is the function of casual sex in the story?

[Gary] I think the casual sex is an attempt at a James Bond imitation.

[Don] Possibly; it’s hard to tell. James Bond is easily swayed, shall we say, by feminine pulchritude, and yet he retains at least the veneer of a gentleman.

Be that as it may, the problem is the characterization of the women: they’re fantasies. That’s why Challenge 353 asks: “In chapter 17, what might seem implausible in the account of Esther’s role in the air hijacking?”

My answer is: “In the middle of a mutually satisfying encounter, she saw Dolly sneaking into the galley, lifting the gun of the other hijacker and firing.” That “mutually satisfying” is worrisome; it does not apply to what amounts to rape. If it does, then Esther, at least, has more problems than dealing with a hijacker.