# Cortwright Burr — Short Fiction character guide

> Cortwright Burr in Short Fiction by Algis Budrys.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Burr, Cortwright

**First appearance:** 0000-riya-s-foundling

## Snapshot

A defeated businessman who arrives at the ball dressed as his own corpse, wearing Martian invulnerability like a taunt no one can answer.

## Who they are

Burr has lost his commercial war with Sollenar and comes to the revel in black and crimson robes, gray-powdered and hooded, a pasteboard imitation of himself that silences the room. When he lifts a corner of his fleshed mask, what shows underneath is worse than death — something Sollenar cannot stand up to. His presence forces Ermine to intervene, and the By-Laws to start moving.

## Relationships

### [Mr. Sollenar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/characters/mr_sollenar)

_professional_

Cortwright Burr and Mr. Sollenar share a working relationship, possibly as employer and employee or partners.

### [Mr. Sollenar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/characters/mr_sollenar)

_professional_

Cortwright Burr and Mr. Sollenar share a working relationship, possibly as employer and employee or partners.

### [Mr. Sollenar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/characters/mr_sollenar)

_professional_

Cortwright Burr and Mr. Sollenar share a working relationship, possibly as employer and employee or partners.

## In the story

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/chapters/i)

Sollenar's long-standing competitor, who has been consulting with Martian engineers and may have obtained a device that threatens Sollenar's EmpaVid system.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/chapters/ii)

The victim of Sollenar's attack, who miraculously survives multiple gunshots and climbs the building to confront Sollenar before being thrown to his death.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/chapters/iii)

Appears at the Ball in grim costume, implied to have gained Martian immortality and invulnerability.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/chapters/iv)

Observed by Sollenar and Ermine on the Mars rocket; Sollenar claims to have shot him.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/chapters/v)

Burr is mentioned as having previously dealt with the Martians, acquiring a similar device and providing drawings for its adaptation.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/characters/cortwright_burr
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_2_se/characters