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** It's never said what exactly Baslim did that left the Traders so deeply in his debt. It's apparently something so shameful that no one wishes to discuss it. Hints throughout the book seem to indicate that a Trader ship was involved in the slave trade, and Baslim exposed them/brought them to justice.
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** And that 'megabuck' is considered to be an amount of money that Thorby, Leda, and several other young rich scions could all blow through in several weeks of holiday amongst the resorts and sports for the superrich... in other words, about a million dollars.
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The Patrol colonel later on clarifies the incident as Baslim going against orders to do a mass rescue from a slaver depot.
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** The exact reasons behind the debt the People owe Baslim. It's hinted at one point that Baslim discovered that one of the Free Traders was engaged in slave trading, or had been themselves enslaved, and put an end to it, but nothing definite is ever said.
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* FailedASpotCheck: A sergeant of the guard has a conversation with a fortune teller about how he is searching for Thorby, while Thorby is standing mere feet away pretending to be changing the letters on a theater marquee. Though from the nature of the conversation, it's possible the guy knew it was Thorby, and was trying to subtly tell him to run as far and fast as he can.
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* FailedASpotCheck: A sergeant of the guard has a conversation with a fortune teller about how he is searching for Thorby, while Thorby is standing mere feet away pretending to be changing the letters on a theater marquee. Though from marquee (although to be fair, Thorby is currently standing on a ladder with his head masked by the nature glare of the conversation, it's lights, so the only thing the guardsmen could see would be his feet) It's also entirely possible the guy knew it was Thorby, and was trying to subtly tell him to run as far and fast as he can.
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* RidiculousFutureInflation: Thorby at one point is given a book called a "Megabuck," which contains a number of bills or vouchers equivalent to about 1 million dollars. Weembsy intimates that Thorby will burn through it quickly, though whether that's the result of super-inflation, or because a million dollars isn't a lot of money to a rich guy like Weemsby isn't made clear.
** Given that it has enough worth to hire the services of a first-rate lawyer, even if as a down payment, it's probably the latter. Though Heinlein did express an opinion that this trope is inevitable in his several other books.
** Given that it has enough worth to hire the services of a first-rate lawyer, even if as a down payment, it's probably the latter. Though Heinlein did express an opinion that this trope is inevitable in his several other books.
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* RidiculousFutureInflation: Thorby at one point is given a book called a "Megabuck," "megabuck", which contains is a number combination of bills or vouchers equivalent to this and WeWillSpendCreditsInTheFuture. The main Terran denomination is the credit (one credit will buy about five loaves of bread, according to Thorby); 100 dollars is 1 credit, 1,000 credits is 1 supercredit, and 1,000 supercredits is 1 megabuck. In other words, a megabuck is a million dollars. Weembsy intimates that Thorby will burn through it quickly, though whether that's the result of super-inflation, credits, or because a 100 million dollars isn't -- which is still considered a lot of money to a rich guy like Weemsby isn't made clear.
** Given that it has enough worth to hire the services of a first-rate lawyer, even ifmoney, but not nearly as a down payment, it's probably the latter. Though Heinlein did express an opinion that this trope is inevitable in his several other books. much as 100 million would be today.
** Given that it has enough worth to hire the services of a first-rate lawyer, even if
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* TechnologyMarchesOn: Just a single example — computerized aiming systems widespread in that universe are apparently unable to plot and predict the target's behavior, and are only good for generating a firing solution ''here and now'', requiring the presence of a skilled operator who can subconsciously "feel" the target. This largely corresponds to how the naval radar-guided gunnery worked during the WWII[[note]]Even if the WWII analogue radar directors ''already'' could follow the target, despite being primitive to the point of sometimes being ''mechanical'' -- as in, made of rods, cams and gears, not even relays[[/note]], and was already obsolete by the time the novel was published: in 1958 SAGE, the first computerized air defense system capable of automatically plotting and tracking the targets across the whole US, was starting to get online. Heinlein really didn't get computers at all.
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* TechnologyMarchesOn: Just a single example — computerized aiming systems widespread in that universe are apparently unable to plot and predict the target's behavior, and are only good for generating a firing solution ''here and now'', requiring the presence of a skilled operator who can subconsciously "feel" the target. This largely corresponds to how the naval radar-guided gunnery worked during the WWII[[note]]Even if the WWII analogue radar directors ''already'' could follow the target, despite being primitive to the point of sometimes being ''mechanical'' -- as in, made of rods, cams and gears, not even relays[[/note]], and was already obsolete by the time the novel was published: in 1958 SAGE, the first computerized air defense system capable of automatically plotting and tracking the targets across the whole US, was starting to get online. Heinlein really didn't get computers at all.
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''Citizen Of The Galaxy'' is a science fiction novel by Creator/RobertAHeinlein first published as a serial in 1957.
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->''"The inhabitants brag that within a li of the pylon at the spaceport end of the Avenue of Nine anything in the explored universe can be had by a man with cash, from a starship to ten grains of stardust, from the ruin of a reputation to the robes of a senator with the senator inside."''
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*BlackMarket: The spaceport area of the city of Jubbulpore:
->''"The inhabitants brag that within a li of the pylon at the spaceport end of the Avenue of Nine anything in the explored universe can be had by a man with cash, from a starship to ten grains of stardust, from the ruin of a reputation to the robes of a senator with the senator inside."''
->''"The inhabitants brag that within a li of the pylon at the spaceport end of the Avenue of Nine anything in the explored universe can be had by a man with cash, from a starship to ten grains of stardust, from the ruin of a reputation to the robes of a senator with the senator inside."''
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* SlaveLiberation
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* SlaveLiberationSlaveLiberation: In the BackStory, Colonel Baslim stormed a raider's compound and freed the crew of a Free Trader starship who had been captured to be made into slaves.
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* TechnologyMarchesOn: Just a single example — computerized aiming systems widespread in that universe are apparently unable to plot and predict the target's behavior, and are only good for generating a firing solution ''here and now'', requiring the presence of a skilled operator who can subconsciously "feel" the target. This largely corresponds to how the naval radar-guided gunnery worked during the WWII[[note]]Even if the WWII analogue radar directors ''already'' could follow the target, despite being rather primitive to the point of sometimes being ''mechanical'' -- as in, made of rods, cams and gears, not even relays[[/note]], and was already obsolete by the time the novel was published: in 1958 SAGE, the first computerized air defense system capable of automatically plotting and tracking the targets across the whole US, was starting to get online. Heinlein really didn't get computers at all.
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* TechnologyMarchesOn: Just a single example — computerized aiming systems widespread in that universe are apparently unable to plot and predict the target's behavior, and are only good for generating a firing solution ''here and now'', requiring the presence of a skilled operator who can subconsciously "feel" the target. This largely corresponds to how the naval radar-guided gunnery worked during the WWII[[note]]Even if the WWII analogue radar directors ''already'' could follow the target, despite being rather primitive to the point of sometimes being ''mechanical'' -- as in, made of rods, cams and gears, not even relays[[/note]], and was already obsolete by the time the novel was published: in 1958 SAGE, the first computerized air defense system capable of automatically plotting and tracking the targets across the whole US, was starting to get online. Heinlein really didn't get computers at all.
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* TechnologyMarchesOn: Just a single example — computerized aiming systems widespread in that universe are apparently unable to plot and predict the target's behavior, and are only good for generating a firing solution ''here and now'', requiring the presence of a skilled operator who can subconsciously "feel" the target. This largely corresponds to how the naval radar-guided gunnery worked during the WWII, and was already obsolete by the time the novel was published: in 1958 SAGE, the first computerized air defense system capable of automatically plotting and tracking the targets across the whole US, was starting to get online. Heinlein really didn't get computers at all.
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* TechnologyMarchesOn: Just a single example — computerized aiming systems widespread in that universe are apparently unable to plot and predict the target's behavior, and are only good for generating a firing solution ''here and now'', requiring the presence of a skilled operator who can subconsciously "feel" the target. This largely corresponds to how the naval radar-guided gunnery worked during the WWII, WWII[[note]]Even if the WWII analogue radar directors ''already'' could follow the target, despite being rather primitive to the point of sometimes being ''mechanical'' -- as in, made of rods, cams and gears, not even relays[[/note]], and was already obsolete by the time the novel was published: in 1958 SAGE, the first computerized air defense system capable of automatically plotting and tracking the targets across the whole US, was starting to get online. Heinlein really didn't get computers at all.
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** Given that it has enough worth to hire the services of a first-rate lawyer, even if as a down payment, it's probably the latter. Though Heinlein did express an opinion that this trope is inevitable in his several other books.
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* TechnologyMarchesOn
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* TechnologyMarchesOnTechnologyMarchesOn: Just a single example — computerized aiming systems widespread in that universe are apparently unable to plot and predict the target's behavior, and are only good for generating a firing solution ''here and now'', requiring the presence of a skilled operator who can subconsciously "feel" the target. This largely corresponds to how the naval radar-guided gunnery worked during the WWII, and was already obsolete by the time the novel was published: in 1958 SAGE, the first computerized air defense system capable of automatically plotting and tracking the targets across the whole US, was starting to get online. Heinlein really didn't get computers at all.
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* ChasteHero: As usual for a Heinlein juvenile-novel hero, Thorby has a gift for missing other characters' romantic overtures, even after still other characters mention it to him. He's still not above feeling pleasantly embarrased by some engineered romantic moments, and does show symptoms of TheDulcineaEffect when the situation seems to warrant it.
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* ChasteHero: As usual for a Heinlein juvenile-novel hero, Thorby has a gift for missing other characters' romantic overtures, even after still other characters mention it to him. He's still not above feeling pleasantly embarrased embarrassed by some engineered romantic moments, and does show symptoms of TheDulcineaEffect when the situation seems to warrant it.
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Inherent in the nature of the book itself, which is something of a meditation on how the idea of "freedom" can mean different things to different societies.
* FishOutOfWater: Thorby constantly passes from one society to the next and has to learn an entirely new set of social mores each time.
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* NoodleIncident: The exact reasons behind the debt the People owe Baslim. It's hinted at one point that Baslim discovered that one of the Free Traders was engaged in slave trading, or had been themselves enslaved, and put an end to it, but nothing definite is ever said.
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* NoodleIncident: NoodleIncident:
** The exact reasons behind the debt the People owe Baslim. It's hinted at one point that Baslim discovered that one of the Free Traders was engaged in slave trading, or had been themselves enslaved, and put an end to it, but nothing definite is eversaid.said.
** We also never find out the exact details of how Thorby himself became a slave [[spoiler:and how his parents died in the same incident]], although the book drops tantalizing hints that it might have been set up by [[spoiler: profiteers within his parents' company who were benefiting from the slave trade themselves]].
** The exact reasons behind the debt the People owe Baslim. It's hinted at one point that Baslim discovered that one of the Free Traders was engaged in slave trading, or had been themselves enslaved, and put an end to it, but nothing definite is ever
** We also never find out the exact details of how Thorby himself became a slave [[spoiler:and how his parents died in the same incident]], although the book drops tantalizing hints that it might have been set up by [[spoiler: profiteers within his parents' company who were benefiting from the slave trade themselves]].
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** MarsNeedsWomen: The raid happens while ''Sisu'' is on the planet of StarfishAliens where they have to trade by silent auction because of no common language. The ship's supercargo decides to put the confiscated smut out with the rest of their trade goods instead of having it incinerated. The response is immediate, and the aliens eventually work out an exchange rate of one carved jewel per individual page.
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[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/CitizenOfTheGalaxy_6926.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:]]
[[caption-width-right:300:]]
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* AllMenArePerverts: The Executive Officer of ''Sisu'' confiscates pornographic images from the bachelor's quarters, saying that such filth doesn't belong on their ship. In a bit of ValuesDissonance, the images are implied to be no worse than pinup girls, which would have been risque when the novel was written, but tame by today's standards.
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* SelectiveObliviousness: Most citizens of the Terran Hegemony are shocked and horrified when Thorby tells them he used to be a slave, and disbelieve him. His grandparents especially refuse to believe that slavery exists in the Nine Worlds. And when Thorby argues the point with them, they inform him that they know more about the situation than Thorby does, even though he lived through it, and was unambiguously a slave.
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* ActualPacifist: Thorby's grandparents are convinced that there is never any reason to resort to violence, even in self-defense. Within the context of the novel, they are shown to be naively misguided as to the way things work outside the Solar System.
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* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney/ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Weemsby is used to being able to throw money at his problems, and to use the massive influence of his company if that doesn't work. Unfortunately for him, Thorby has money to burn, too.
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* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney/ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney / ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Weemsby is used to being able to throw money at his problems, and to use the massive influence of his company if that doesn't work. Unfortunately for him, Thorby has money to burn, too.too.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Captain Krausa defies the orders of his wife to make sure that Thorby is put on a Hegemony vessel, like Baslim asked him to do.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Captain Krausa defies the orders of his wife to make sure that Thorby is put on a Hegemony vessel, like Baslim asked him to do.
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* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney/ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Weemsby is used to being able to throw money at his problems, and to use the massive influence of his company if that doesn't work. Unfortunately for him, Thorby has money to burn, too.
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* DueToTheDead: Krausa makes sure that Baslim is remembered at the Free Trader ceremony.
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* DeathByOriginStory: Thorby's parents. Getting them declared legally dead provides the main thrust for the last part of the novel.
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* KnowNothingKnowItAll: Decibel, the corporal Thorby serves under when he first joins the Hegemony military. He claims that Free Traders are cowards who run from raiders. When Thorby corrects him, and states that he himself blew up a raider when he was a Free Trader, Decibel takes him down to one of the ship's gunners to put him in his place. He is shocked when the man not only confirms Thorby's story, but thanks Decibel for making him aware of such a valuable asset as Thorby's gunnery experience.
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* NoodleIncident: The exact reasons behind the debt the People owe Baslim. It's hinted at one point that Baslim discovered that one of the Free Traders was engaged in slave trading, and put an end to it, but nothing definite is ever said.
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* NoodleIncident: The exact reasons behind the debt the People owe Baslim. It's hinted at one point that Baslim discovered that one of the Free Traders was engaged in slave trading, or had been themselves enslaved, and put an end to it, but nothing definite is ever said.
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* HandicappedBadass: Baslim the Cripple sees and does a lot for a guy who's missing a leg and an eye. [[spoiler: He has prosthetics, but he only uses them when passing himself off as a wealthy citizen.]]
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* WretchedHive: Jubbalpore, Capitol of the Nine Worlds. Or at least, the area by the spaceport where Thorby spends most of his time.
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* WretchedHive: Jubbalpore, Jubbulpore, Capitol of the Nine Worlds. Or at least, the area by the spaceport where Thorby spends most of his time.
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* NoSuchAgency: X-Corps the elite branch of the military that [[spoiler: Baslim]] belonged to.
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* NoSuchAgency: X-Corps - the elite branch of the military that [[spoiler: Baslim]] belonged to.
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* NoSuchAgency: X-Corps the elite branch of the military that [[spoiler: Baslim]] belonged to.
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* PhotographicMemory: Baslim teaches Thorby this skill through a process he calls "Renshawing," after [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Renshaw Samuel Renshaw]]. This process comes up in a few other Heinlein novels.
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* StarfishAliens: While a member of ''Sisu'', Thorby encounters two alien races. The descriptions of the races make it clear they're not remotely humanoid. Their cultures and philosophies are also very alien, to the point that ''Sisu'' doesn't even interact directly with one race.
