This novella looks at slavery and its impact on enslavers and those who benefit from it, the concept of individuality, and modes of thought. This was unintentionally my 1st Delany read, and I think it was a good pick, since it's on the shorter end and the plot is fairly easy to understand. Empire Star has a wry humor to it as certain events repeat and through Lump's character (who makes literary allusions I don't understand and who thinks he's much stealthier than he actually is). The protagonist of the story is from an isolated community who doesn't know much and is sent on a mission he doesn't understand. So we're learning about his mission and this universe along with him. There's something about this story that feels very retro and pulp, in terms of the world and the questions the story's asking. Which I wasn't expecting because I've heard Delany's work characterized as incredibly dense and literary. I'm wondering in general what makes sci fi feel retro vs modern, genre vs literary, etc. The themes in this story are worth thinking on, and I may re-read since it's super short.