Podkayne of Mars - Heinlein Concordance

A Heinlein Concordance

created by M. E. Cowan

Robert A Heinlein

From the stories: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ
From the real world: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w xyz

A Heinlein Concordance presented by the Heinlein Society

Podkayne of Mars

Aasvogel Lodge

[mentioned in passing] Local unit of the Martian Legion. Tom Fries was a member.

ancestry

Marsmen were another group proud of their mixed ancestry. Podkayne Fries described herself as having dominant Swedish features, but also Polynesian and Asiatic ancestors. Her uncle Tom Fries was more obviously Polynesian.

(also in other stories)

Aphrodite

Fashion magazine on Venus, from which Podkayne Fries copied makeup styles.

(also in other stories)

Ares University

Located in Marsopolis; Podkayne Fries' father taught there.

Ariel

Name that Podkayne Fries gave to the baby fairy whose parent guarded her when she was kidnapped.

(also in other stories)

Beaux Arts Hall

Concert hall on Mars that owned one of four real pianos on the planet. [French beaux arts, "beautiful arts"; or less literally, "fine arts"]

Bergitta (no last name)

Stewardess in the Tricorn, whom Podkayne Fries helped care for babies during the radiation storm.

Brasilia Room

Roof-garden restaurant atop the Dom Pedro Casino, to which Dexter Cunha took Podkayne Fries, along with Girdie Fitz-Snugglie and Clark Fries.

Captain and Mrs. Breeze (no first names)

They had received permission for three children and had them early in their marriage, to be cryonically preserved until they had time and money to raise them. Unfortunately, the Marsopolis Creche thawed out the Fries babies instead of theirs.

Bureau of Planetary Engineering

[mentioned in passing] Podkayne Fries' mother held a desk job there while she was having babies.

Ceres

Mars month, analogous to March/April on Earth.

(also in other stories)

Clancy (no first name)

Junior third officer on the Tricorn; he helped Podkayne Fries study astrogation and escorted her to dances.

creche

On Mars, couples normally had their children in rapid succession while still young, then had them stored cryogenically to be raised when it was socially and financially more convenient. Some parents left their recently revived children at the creche for a few months to spare the mother those months of intensive work.

Dexter Kurt Cunha

Son of Venus Corporation's Chairman of the Board. He took an interest in Podkayne Fries, perhaps at his father's instigation, and escorted her all over Venusberg.

Kurt Cunha

Chairman of the Board of Venus Corporation. He tried to persuade Tom Fries to vote according to Venus' interests in the upcoming triplanetary conference.

Daily Merchandiser

Venusberg newspaper.

Daily War Whoop

Mars colonies' newspaper.

Barrington Babcock Darling

Captain of the Tricorn. He took a liking to Podkayne Fries and gave her the run of the control room; she promptly took advantage of the opportunity to learn as much as she could about piloting.

Davis Drive

[mentioned in passing] Propulsion system for spaceships. How it worked was not described.

Deimos

Free port on Mars' moon under the Three-Planets Treaty; as such, it was not subject to Mars law. The port structure was designed by Podkayne Fries' mother, while her father fought to have construction delayed until excavation of an ancient Martian site was completed.

(also in other stories)

Mrs. Dirkson (no first name)

Terran emigrant to Venus who gave birth in the Tricorn during the radiation storm. She named the baby girl "Radiant."

Dom Pedro Casino

Establishment in Venusberg. Podkayne Fries visited it with Girdie Fitz-Snuggly, and Clark Fries won a small fortune gambling there. Girdie got a job there after her money ran out, progressing rapidly from cigarette girl to blackjack dealer.

Earth

In Podkayne Fries' opinion, Earth was not truly suited to human habitation, and the human race probably didn't really originate there. Although the human colonies on other planets were politically independent, Earth still dominated them.

(also in other stories)

Eleven Years Old: The Pre-Adolescent Adjustment Crisis in the Male

Podkayne Fries read this book hoping it would help her cope with her brother Clark Fries (it didn't). The "years" are Terran reckoning.

Elks Club

Social organization established on Mars; it was closed to women. Tom Fries was a member.

fairies

Native Venerian lifeform resembling the mythical Earth creatures, wings and all. They are apparently carnivorous, and both sexes "nurse" the young.

Farbenindustrie

[mentioned in passing] Earth corporation mentioned by Tom Fries.

(also in other stories)

Federation

The Terran Federation dominated system politics even though not all planets were members.

(also in other stories)

Arthur Finnegan

Current Ambassador from Mars to the Three Planets Summit, who believed that Mars should give in and join the Terran Federation.

Girdle (Girdie) Fitz-Snugglie (real name not given)

Podkayne Fries' pseudonym for the only other non-geriatric passenger on the Tricorn besides her and her brother Clark. A notorious society girl, she travelled to Venus to find work after she lost her wealth (possibly to a fortune-hunting husband). On the Tricorn, Clark became madly infatuated with her. When they reached Venus, Girdie got work first as a cigarette girl, then as a blackjack dealer, in a Venusberg casino; Podkayne predicted she'd soon be a stockholder.

Clark Fries

Podkayne Fries' brother, six Martian/eleven Terran years old, a genius with definite antisocial tendencies and a wide mercenary streak. He journeyed with his sister and uncle Tom Fries to Venus, on their way to Earth. He smuggled a bomb aboard the Tricorn after being bribed by a stranger, but dismantled the bomb and later used it in escaping from kidnappers.

Duncan, Elspeth, and Grace Fries

Infants accidentally revived from cryogenic suspension and presented to Podkayne Fries' family just before their scheduled trip to Earth. They were called "Delta," "Epsilon," and "Gamma" while in suspension.

Podkayne Fries

1. And adolescent girl (eight Martian/fifteen Terran years old) who was a citizen of Mars and had ambitions of becoming captain of a space liner. She journeyed to Venus on her way to Earth, with her brother and uncle Tom Fries. While on Venus she was kidnapped by her uncle's political opponents and was seriously injured in a bomb blast following her escape. She was called "Poddy" by nearly everyone, and "Flicka" by her uncle. She was named Podkayne after a Martian saint.

Podkayne's father (no first name given): Van Loon Professor of Terrestrial History with Ares University, a Guggenheim fellow. His true love was Martian history. He was a veteran of the Mars Revolution, in which he lost an arm.
Podkayne's mother (no first name given): A master engineer for heavy construction, surface or freefall. She was awarded the Hoover Medal and the Christiana Order, Knight Commander, for rebuilding Deimos and Phobos. She has received many honorary degrees for her work. She worked at the Bureau of Planetary Engineering at a desk job while having her five babies in rapid succession, then resumed field work, and was frequently away from home while Podkayne and Clark were growing up. Design Criteria With Respect to the Effects of Radiation on the Banding of Pressure-Loaded Sandwich Structures is a paper published by Podkayne's mother; it was typical of her work.

Tom Fries

Podkayne Fries' great-uncle and favorite relative. Originally a transportee, he was a Revolutionary veteran, a member of the Elks club, Past Grand Commander of the Martian Legion, and Senator-at-Large of the Martian Republic. He was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary and Ambassador Extraordinary to the Three Planets Summit, travelling with Podkayne and Clark to give the impression he was only on a pleasure trip. He opposed the idea of Mars joining the Terran Federation because it would most likely become dominated by Terran interests. His political enemies kidnapped Podkayne and Clark to force him to vote their way.

Mrs. Garcia

Gossipy old woman in the Tricorn. Podkayne Fries overheard her insults about Marsmen in general and the Fries family in particular, and reported them to Clark Fries. Mrs. Garcia was later seen with photographic chemical stains covering her face, which were at first taken for radiation burns.

(also in other stories)

General Motors

[mentioned in passing] In existence during Podkayne of Mars.

(also in other stories)

Mrs. Grew (no first name)

The pleasantest of the elderly widows on the Tricorn. She befriended Podkayne and Clark Fries but turned out to be a Terran agent and political enemy of Tom Fries. She kidnapped and threatened to torture Podkayne and Clark to persuade Tom to vote according to Terran interests. She was killed by Clark when he and Podkayne escaped. She was sometimes called "Madame Grew."

H-Bomb

Clark Fries was given a small atomic bomb to smuggle aboard the Tricorn. He disarmed it, but later used it against Mrs. Grew.

(also in other stories)

Hermes Solar Weather Station

Underground outpost on the darkside of Mercury. One of its functions was to warn ships of solar storms.

Hi-Ho

[mentioned in passing] Beverage advertised in Venusberg.

Hilton Tannhauser

Hotel where Podkayne, Clark, and Tom Fries stayed in Venusberg.

Hoover Medal

Order of merit awarded to Podkayne Fries' mother for the rebuilding of Phobos and Deimos.

Hospitality Room

Misleadingly named room where travellers to and from Mars waited to go through customs.

James Joyce Fogarty Express Tunnel

[mentioned in passing] Beltway between Podkayne Fries' home and the Marsopolis Creche.

Jojo

Clark Fries' name for Mrs. Grew's Venerian flunky.

Kiddie Kapers

[mentioned in passing] Magazine in the waiting room of the Marsopolis Creche.

Knight Commander

Title awarded to Mrs. Fries for rebuilding Deimos and Phobos.

Ladies' Society for Moral Rectitude

Podkayne Fries' name for the elderly women aboard the Tricorn.

Lowell Academy

[mentioned in passing] School on Mars.

Maria (no last name)

Name to which both of Podkayne Fries' Venusian maids answered. Portuguese by ancestry, they claimed to speak no other language except Portuguese, but Podkayne overheard them speak in System Ortho.

Mars

Human settlements were independent of Earth, but there was great pressure to join the Earth-dominated Federation. Mars was also inhabited by intelligent natives.

(also in other stories)

Marsmen

Correct term for human inhabitants of Mars; "Martians" refers to the natives.

Marsopolis

Podkayne Fries' hometown.

(also in other stories)

Marsopolis Creche Foundation, Ltd.

Institution that "stored" babies cryonically between the time that their parents gave birth to them and they were prepared to raise them. Under this system, women could give birth when they were young and optimally healthy, then the families could raise the children when they were more affluent and settled.

Martha (no last name)

Worker in the Marsopolis Creche nursery.

(also in other stories)

Martian Legion

Honorary society for veterans of the revolution that achieved independence from Earth government.

Martian Oldscript

Extinct, or nearly so, writing system that Podkayne Fries claimed to use for her journal, in an unsuccessful attempt to keep her brother from reading it.

Martian Republic

Human government on Mars after the colony won its independence from Earth.

Martian

It was implied that Martians had no heads, but were so advanced that they took little interest in things other than philosophy.

(also in other stories)

Joe Mendoza

Venus Corporation employee leased to Clark Fries as a bodyguard after Clark won a fortune in the casino.

Miles M. Milo

Customs agent in Deimos Port who weighed in the Fries' luggage for their trip to Earth. He was a member of the Martian Legion.

Miss Polka Dot Ma'am

Podkayne Fries' cat, also known as Miss Pokie. Podkayne commented that her mother's behavior with the triplets reminded her of the cat with her first litter.

Missing Planet

Podkayne Fries proposes this as the original home of humankind; probably the Asteroid Belt. (See also Lucifer.)

Modern Homemaker

[mentioned in passing] Magazine available in the waiting room of the Marsopolis Creche.

Other Paths Than Ours

Book on Martian history written by Podkayne Fries' father.

Owner's Cabin

Deluxe suite in the Tricorn that was assigned to the Fries family.

Mrs. Peal (no first name)

Chief Stewardess aboard the Tricorn.

PEG (Population, Ecology and Genetics) Board

Government agency that issued licenses for parenthood. It authorized Podkayne Fries' parents to have five children, and would have licensed seven had they wanted them.

Phobos

[mentioned in passing] Legally part of Mars; Podkayne Fries once made a class trip there, the farthest she had been off-planet before her trip to Earth.

(also in other stories)

"Pinhead"

Name used by Podkayne Fries for her Venerian guard (Clark Fries called him "Jojo").

Pioneers Club

Posh restaurant where Tom Fries took Podkayne Fries before visiting the Marsopolis Creche to discuss their "error". It was noted for having human waiters.

"The Poddy Story"

Podkayne Fries' favorite bedtime story, told to her by her uncle Tom Fries. It was probably made-up stories about Podkayne herself.

Podkayne

Martian saint from whom many living Martians claim descent. Podkayne Fries was named after it.

Poon Kwai Yau

The Marsopolis Creche's lawyer.

Portuguese

One of Venus' two official languages, the other being System Ortho.

purple itch

Mythical disease that Podkayne Fries predicted her brother Clark would die from for avoiding the inoculations required on Venus.

Mrs. Rimski (no first name)

Crony of Mrs. Royer and Mrs. Garcia aboard the Tricorn.

Rolls

The car owned by Dexter Cunha had automatic controls.

(also in other stories)

Romany Rose

Singer in the floor show in the Brasilia Room who sang a tribute to Podkayne Fries. (She'd probably been tipped in advance by Dexter Cunha.)

Rose House

The President's official residence on Mars.

Flossie Royer

Gossipy old woman aboard the Tricorn. She showed an initial interest in Podkayne Fries, quizzing her about her home and family, but soon started treating her as a personal servant in the belief that she was "teaching her how to behave around her betters". Podkayne reported to her brother Clark insulting remarks Mrs. Royer had made about Marsmen in general and the Fries family in particular. Mrs. Royer showed up shortly after with photographic chemical stains on her face. ("Someone" had soaked her washcloth in the chemicals and then carefully dried it in total darkness, so that wetting the washcloth and using it in a lighted room activated the chemicals.)

Sand Gator

Perhaps a denizen of Mars; Tom Fries compared Clark Fries' self-interest to its rapacity.

Savvonavong

Second officer in the Tricorn; he showed Podkayne Fries how to program a ballistic computer.

(also in other stories)

Hyman Schoenstein

Director of the Marsopolis Creche. He was persuaded by Tom Fries to pay for a trip to Earth for Podkayne and Clark Fries after the creche's error in thawing out their younger siblings cancelled the original planned trip.

Judith Schoenstein

[mentioned in passing] Wife of Hyman Schoenstein.

snel-frockey

Unspecified unpleasantness; Podkayne Fries used it as a curse.

sollies

[mentioned in passing] Entertainment equivalent to motion pictures or TV shows. The exact technology was not specified.

South Gate

Entrance to Venusberg.

Star Rover

Model of explorer space ships.

(also in other stories)

Suslov (no first name)

Former ambassador from Mars to the Three Planets Summit.

Syrtis Major

[mentioned in passing] Settlement on Mars.

(also in other stories)

System Ortho

Lingua franca for the Earth, Venus, and Mars.

Tannhauser

See Hilton Tannhauser.

(also in other stories)

Three Planets Summit

A diplomatic summit that involved Mars, Venus, and Earth. It addressed the issue of whether Mars should join the Terran Federation.

Three-Cornered Hat

Podkayne Fries's nickname for the Tricorn.

Three-Planets Treaty

Treaty organization among Earth, Venus and Mars, and including Luna.

(also in other stories)

Titan

From the context in which it is mentioned, it was probably a penal colony.

(also in other stories)

Titania

Name bestowed by Podkayne Fries on the Venerian "fairy" guarding here while she was held hostage by Mrs. Grew.

Torland (no first name)

Ship's surgeon in the Tricorn.

Triangle Line

Company that provided commercial spaceship travel among Earth, Venus, and Mars. Its ships included Triad, Triangulum, Trice, Tricolor, and Tricorn.

Tricorn

Triangle Line ship in which the Marsopolis Creche provided Podkayne and Clark Fries with first-class fares to Venus and Earth.

Venerian

The term for nonhuman natives of Venus; the term for human colonists is "Venusian". One life-form is vaguely human-looking, somewhat less intelligent than humans, and easily addicted to "happy dust", which causes them to become violent. Another resembles mythical Earth fairies; their intelligence level was unknown but they could follow simple commands.

(also in other stories)

Venus

Human settlements were controlled by stockholders of the Venus Corporation.

(also in other stories)

Venus Corporation

Company that owned most of the human developments on Venus.

Venusberg

City very similar to Las Vegas. It existed largely for the tourist trade.

(also in other stories)

Wanderlust

Space freighter on which Podkayne Fries' family originally planned to travel to Earth.

Who's Who on Mars

[mentioned in passing] Tom Fries had a listing in it.

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