Magazine - Analog Science Fiction and Fact - 2015 - Issue 01-02 - January-February (pdf)
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Date: 2014-10-25 12:19:06+00:00

Vol. CXXXV No. 1 & 2

Next Issue on Sale

January/February 2015

January 6, 2015

NOVELLAS

DEFENDER OF WORMS, Richard A. Lovett ____________________________ 136

NOVELETTES

MALNUTRITION, J. T. Sharrah _________________________________________ 8

JUST BROWSING, Stephen Lombard __________________________________ 37

THE GREAT LEAP OF SHIN, Henry Lien _______________________________ 71

USHER, Jay Werkheiser____________________________________________ 123

SHORT STORIES

ULENGE PRIME, Chuck Rothman _____________________________________ 49

LONG WAY GONE, David L. Clements _________________________________ 55

ORION, RISING, Arlan Andrews, Sr. ___________________________________ 63

THE YONI SUTRA, Priya Chand_______________________________________ 65

WHY THE TITANIC HIT THE ICEBERG, Jerry Oltion ______________________ 87

FOOL’S ERRAND, Judith Tarr _________________________________________ 96

SAMSARA AND ICE, Andy Dudak ____________________________________ 107

MARDUK’S FOLLY, Sean Vivier ______________________________________ 112

UNMOTHER, Lex Wilson ___________________________________________ 115

37

115

SCIENCE FACT

ORBITS TO ORDER, Stanley Schmidt __________________________________ 30

PROBABILITY ZERO

SPACE BUGS, Marianne Dyson _______________________________________ 61

POETRY

THE SECRET OF COLD FUSION, Bruce Boston _________________________ 60

READER’S DEPARTMENTS

GUEST EDITORIAL: HERE’S TO YOUR HEALTH, Rajnar Vajra _______________ 4

BIOLOG: J. T. SHARRAH, Richard A. Lovett _____________________________ 29

THE ALTERNATE VIEW, Jeffery D. Kooistra _____________________________ 84

IN TIMES TO COME_______________________________________________ 114

THE REFERENCE LIBRARY, Don Sakers______________________________ 172

BRASS TACKS ___________________________________________________ 176

ANALYTICAL LABORATORY BALLOT ________________________________ 180

THE 2014 INDEX _________________________________________________ 181

UPCOMING EVENTS, Anthony Lewis _________________________________ 184

Trevor Quachri Editor

Emily Hockaday Assistant Editor

Cover design by Victoria Green

Cover Art by John Allemand

Indicia on Page 5

GUEST EDITORIAL Rajnar Vajra HERE’S TO YOUR HEALTH
onsidering its relevance to us and the
limited amount banked in the human body,
power of modern analytical tools,
mostly in a specific area of the abdomen (low-
wouldn’t you think that by now we hu-
er dantien); in India, mystics claim the ability

Cmans would have the crucial facts con- to see it,dripping from trees even,and discerning human health—how to increase and
tinctions in prana aren’t recognized.

preserve it—nailed down?

The roadblock here is that we have no in-

Instead, thousands of medically knowl-
struments for detecting qi, and can’t attest to edgeable voices stridently disagree, studies ofits objective reality. Its existence, however, is
ten contradict each other or prove invalid,
a belief scarcely challenged among those who
and assumptions so common they are virtual-
try to work with it, particularly those who ex-
ly invisible (such as the desirability of a rapid
perience it in dramatic ways. In dealing with
metabolism) remain almost unexamined. Per-
matters that might be purely imaginary, we
haps if we step back from this maelstrom of
have a larger problem: How objective is “ob-
opinion and confusion, we might guess its
jective reality”?

causes and gain some valuable insights. Let’s

Many of us know intellectually that every-
begin with a global overview, glancing at a
thing we experience, we experience through
few of the terrain’s features, and see if we can
our senses or memories, interpreted by our
identify some roadblocks to our medical cer-
brains as mediated by past experiences. A vis-
tainties.

ceral comprehension of this insight can pro-One source of dispute in health concerns is
duce the eerie but accurate feeling that nor-
that different cultures have differing views of
mal perceptions are inside-out, that when we
health with variations within each culture.

gaze at the world we are really gazing at our

Let’s simplify matters by putting these views
own minds. From this viewpoint, imagination
into three baskets, the first labeled “scales,”

creates its own brand of reality, which makes
the second “drills,” and the third “bandages.”

its effects somewhat more explicable. These

The first two baskets are loosely connected,
effects can be impressive. The word “place-
the third more separate.

bo” can slide dismissively off the tongue, but

The underlying concept in our scales bas-
the nature of the mind/body interaction that
ket is that health is a matter of balance, and
often makes placebos effective remains an im-
the oldest known healing modality for en-
portant mystery and points to something we
couraging balance may come from China:

do not yet understand.

qigong.

So qigong, pronounced “chi gung,” means

“Gong” means work or exercise; “qi” has energy work and was reputedly (according to
been described as energy, life force, or spirit,
traditional Chinese medicine) invented by the
and China holds no monopoly on the con-
original Yellow Emperor, Huangdi, some
cept. The Sanskrit equivalent is prana. The twenty-seven hundred years ago although
idea suggests a subtle energy pervading the
pottery evidence suggests that it’s far older

Universe similar to Lucas’s Force but without
with a Shamanistic origin.

the frills. In China it is usually considered in-

Qigong has two main limbs. One suppos-
visible but palpable with vast, distinctive
edly brings the body into harmony and bal-
reservoirs stored in Earth and Sky, and a
ance through slow, graceful movements

4

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
either symmetrical or sequentially symmetri-
practice of meditation gained popularity,
cal, sometimes requiring vocalizations or vi-
practitioners found sitting still for prolonged
sualizations of a color, shape, or one of the
periods uncomfortable, and the postures
five traditional Chinese elements. Countless

(asanas) were originally developed to solve variations exist. The second limb involves
the problem. The word “hatha” indicates
healing through a practitioner building up qi
force or will, and “yoga” is related to the Eng-
like a strong electric charge and transmitting
lish word “yoke,” in this case referring to the
it into a patient. Both limbs have been shown
idea of connecting individual consciousness
through studies to have health benefits, and
with a universal unity.

people from around the world have reported

Ancient records suggest that many asanas
spectacular sensations during qigong med-
were developed before the name “hatha
ical treatments. Qigong has engendered
yoga” was applied, and the term only ap-
many descendants such as t’ai chi (taiji, the peared after the practice became regarded as

“chi” here comes from the Pinyan ji, and
a partly spiritual rather than strictly physical
means “extreme or ultimate” rather than en-
discipline. Claims of specific effects on spe-
ergy).

cific organs from specific asanas were gradu-Looking into our drills basket we find a
ally added.

modality also likely of Chinese origin: zhen:

Medical researchers have studied these ef-
acupuncture. Often attributed to the Shang
fects and identified physical mechanisms to

Dynasty, acupuncture has at least a four-thou-
explain some that are confirmed, such as the
sand-year history. Its underlying idea is that ill-
lowered blood pressure that follows practic-
ness results from blocks to the flow of qi, and ing the well-known Downward Dog. Science
by inserting thin needles at specific spots
has also exposed erroneous beliefs that flour-
along the “meridians,” lines in the human
ish along some of hatha yoga’s branches. One
body where the qi supposedly should natural-such is the claim in “hot” yoga practice,
ly flow, the blocks can be removed.

where the temperature is kept very high dur-

Many people who have received these
ing asanas, that the resulting sweating retreatments along with refinements such as in-
moves toxins from the body. While sweating
corporating heat (zhen jui: moxibustion) or out minute amounts of certain pesticides oc-even laser light have reported pain relief and
curs, almost all toxins can only be removed
healing effects. Yet scientific research includ-
by internal organs, largely the liver, digestive
ing faux acupuncture (inserting needles be-
system, and lymphatic system.

yond meridian lines) hasn’t supported the

Modern hatha yoga draws mostly from our
concepts involved, and again that mysterious
drills collection, expecting health benefits
placebo effect may enter the picture.

from the release of muscular tension through

We’ll jump to India for our next contender:

stretching, thus increasing the flow of prana
yoga, mainly hatha yoga, which also has sev-
through the body.

eral major limbs and many branches. Its origin

Another branch of yoga is pranayama,
is more a matter of legend than history so I
working directly with prana along with the
am free to speculate that perhaps as the
flow of thoughts by working with the breath.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact (Astounding), Vol. CXXXV, Nos. 1 & 2, Jan/Feb 2015. ISSN 1059-2113, USPS 488-910, GST#123054108. Published monthly except for combined January/February and July/August double issues by Dell Magazines, a division of Crosstown Publications. One-year subscription $55.90 in the United States and possessions, in all other countries $65.90 (GST included in Canada), payable in advance in U.S. funds. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within eight weeks of receipt of order. When reporting change of address allow 6 to 8 weeks and give new address as well as the old address as it appears on the last label. Periodical postage paid at Norwalk, CT and additional mailing offices. Canadian postage paid at Montreal, Quebec, Canada Post International Publications Mail, Product Sales Agreement No. 40012460. (c) 2014 by Dell Magazines, a division of Crosstown Publications, all rights reserved. Dell is a trademark registered in the U.S. Patent Office. Protection secured under the Universal Copyright Convention. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner without express permission is prohibited. All stories in this magazine are fiction. No actual persons are designated by name or character. Any similarity is coincidental. All submissions must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope, the publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.

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5

ANALOG

Researchers have confirmed powerful effects
reliable. Aside from faulty calibration, com-
on the parasympathetic and sympathetic as-
puter glitches, or simply being out-of-com-
pects of the nervous system through this prac-
mission, human error can manifest when in-
tice. Also, a belief is common in India that
terpreting data. And such machines are so
people endowed with great spiritual powers
expensive that they often need to be shared
can radiate healing energy (darshan).

among many researchers, limiting availability

Also, medicinal botanicals are commonly
time to each. Test results determined by hu-
used in China and India (Ayurvedic medi-
man senses are even less reliable, particularly
cine), which opens our bandages basket.

the colorimetric variety, relying on eyesight

One primary player here is what practition-
to distinguish subtle changes in tint. Human
ers of alternative medicine refer to as “allo-
errors are frequent in hospital lab work.

pathic” medicine, the kind fostered by the

Second, it can be unethical to set up the

AMA. The idea is to wait until something
control groups necessary for accurate med-
physical goes wrong and then treat it, usually
ical experimentation. People with life-threat-
through pharmaceuticals or surgery. It offers
ening conditions shouldn’t be given placebos,
minimal emphasis on preventative strategies
however effective placebos may be.

except for means to reduce high blood pres-

Third, economics play a giant role. Re-
sure and high cholesterol, with only minor
search can be exceedingly costly, and is often
emphasis on nutrition. It is most effective in
poorly funded unless a wealthy company fore-
dealing with serious illnesses and major phys-
sees significant potential profit. Having a busi-
ical trauma, and has the most consistent sup-
ness interest involved can easily warp results,
port from scientific research. Its downside is
sometimes honestly due to confirmation bias
that some damage can’t be reversed, only pre-

(evaluating data through the filters of expec-
vented.

tation, hopes, or previous beliefs), and some-

All this merely scratches the surface of the
times by deliberate deceit. The revolving
surface, but our third basket, where the lion’s
door between lobbyists for various industries
share of scientific research is contained, may
and government oversight organizations for
also hold key answers concerning why we
those industries doesn’t help.

don’t know more about human health. Most

Fourth, our bodies are formidably complex.

are connected to the difficulties of research.

Within the last few decades, previously un-

First, sophisticated analytical machines
suspected subsystems have been identified.

(e.g. mass spectrometers) aren’t always

One is a communications network between

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RAJNAR VAJRA

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
gut bacteria and the brain so precise it is of-
brisk walking), anaerobic (sprinting), and re-
ten referred to as the “enteric nervous sys-
sistance training (lifting weights) is best,
tem.” Recently we’ve learned that the bugs in-
while concentrating on intense aerobics for
habiting our guts, particularly bacteroides,
hours every day can damage heart muscles.

are often infected with at least one bug of

We know that sleep and rest are vital, but
their own: a virus (the unfortunately named
can’t quantify how much.

crAssphage) that may also play a crucial role

Many people (including Frederik Alexan-
in health by preventing bacterial overgrowth,
der, Dr. Erik Goodman, Dr. John Kirsch, and
and perhaps adding to the enteric communi-

Esther Gokhale) have developed postural,
cations network.

strength, or stretching routines that seem ef-

Fifth, the most carefully conducted studies
fective, but merely pieces in a larger puzzle.

remain subject to confounds, extraneous un-

We know that vegetables and fruits, partic-
expected factors that can skew results. And
ularly green leafy vegetables, are packed with
even large sample groups may provide decep-
micronutrients in addition to protein and oth-
tive data due to homogeny. For example,
er macronutrients, and strongly suspect that
viewing data on the health consequences of
the more we consume of these and the less of
differing quantities of dietary fat based on the
everything else, the healthier we’ll be.

ambitious Nurse’s Health Study looks very dif-

We know that concentrated sugar, especial-
ferent in the light of the even more ambitious
ly fructose that, like alcohol, can only be me-

China-Cornell-Oxford Project since the stud-
tabolized by the liver, poses a health hazard
ied nurses were generally all on high-fat diets
and is addictive. Yet the food industry, which
relative to people studied in China.

places profits ahead of human well-being,

Finally, individuals may and likely do have
puts increasing quantities of it in its products
individual health requirements.

for obvious reasons (just as considerable salt

Another question then arises: Are we sure
is commonly added to colas to generate
of anything concerning human health?

thirst).

We can consider some things reasonably

We’ve found that essential fats are essential,
confirmed, and others likely.

but it appears that the best sources aren’t oils

Most obviously, certain toxins should be
but nuts and seeds, which may extend
avoided, some naturally occurring but many
longevity. We find compelling evidence that
anthropogenic. PCBs have become danger-
high doses of vitamins A and E promote can-
ously concentrated in fish in the Great Lakes
cer, possibly because they block absorption
and elsewhere, and many oceanic fish are
of other carotenoids and tocopherols.

contaminated with high levels of mercury.

In many other areas, the jury keeps deliber-

Some toxins are hard to avoid. An appalling
ating, but my guess is that some approach in-
proportion of tube wells in Bangladesh, for
tegrating allopathic medicine, nutrition, need-
example, have enough arsenic in the water to
ed supplements, exercise, and mobility will
create what the World Health Organization
prove most beneficial.

considers the largest mass poisoning of a pop-

Two things seem abundantly clear. Preven-
ulation in history.

tion trumps cure since it avoids iatrogenic

We are sure that exercise is needed for

(physician-caused) disease. And we have far
health, although the amount and kind are de-
more to learn about human health than we
batable. Currently, it appears that a balance
currently know. ■
between aerobic (e.g. jogging, running, or

HERE’S TO YOUR HEALTH

7

Malnutrition

J. T. Sharrah

1.

ing? No—that wasn’t fair. Izundu wasn’t
adija couldn’t deny that he’d been
putting on an act. Izundu had worked hard to
warned.

master Terran Standard, had achieved a re-

He had been.

markable degree of f luency in a remarkably

K ByIzundu,among others,but Izun- short period of study.Credit where credit was du had been especially emphatic.

due. Izundu really was qualif ied to translate The Terrans have no shame.

for him—a service that no other Umabari and

How many times had he been told?

only a few Terrans could perform. If not for

The Terrans have no sense of decency.

Izundu, Kadija would have been compelled to

Kadija thought he was braced to confront
rely on one of the itinerant traders—Leopold
the reality.

Yulix or somebody like him. Mudjekki for-

He was very much mistaken.

fend! A demagnetized compass needle was

Restaurants. Eating establishments. The
more trustworthy than Leopold Yulix.

concept was not only foreign to him but also

Exchanging ideas with strangers could be
profoundly repugnant. Eat in public? Why not
difficult. Overcoming a language barrier dou-
defecate in public? Inserting food into one
bled the degree of diff iculty. Kadija’s father
end of the digestive tract and eliminating feces
disliked any situation in which he couldn’t be
from the other end were aspects of the same
his own spokesperson. “A translator,” Korbix
bodily function. As such, they were equally
had alleged on more than one occasion, “is a
vulgar. Only a degenerate mubirka would en-
linguist who bridges the gap between people
gage in such behavior.

who speak different languages by saying to

At least the Terrans were friendly mubirku.

each what the translator wants the other to

Kadija had to grant them that much. A recep-
hear.”

tion committee consisting of the mayor and

A jest? Not if the go-between was Leopold
several other dignitaries had greeted him

Yulix. Communicating through Yulix would
when his ship docked. Gracious words of wel-
almost certainly be an elaborate exercise in
come were spoken. Meaningless prattle, of
miscommunication.

course, but at least the proprieties had been

Kadija turned to Izundu and said: “Clavija
observed. And now he was being given the
muzafa”—a pleasantry that Izundu relayed to
grand tour—riding in a luxurious hovercar

Mayor Hardesty as: “Thank you.” Kadija had
with the mayor on his right and Izundu on his
meant to express gratitude to Izundu for
left. Izundu was acting as his interpreter. Act-
his competence, not to Hardesty for his

8

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
hospitality, but Izundu misconstrued Kadija’s
with the Mutabik and the Ziduresh. Hopefully,
intent—an error that, under the circum-
a similar understanding could be reached with
stances, was understandable but regrettable.

the Umabari, but only space nomads like

Umabari of Izundu’s station rarely received

Leopold Yulix had spent much time among
compliments from Umabari of Kadija’s exalted
the Umabari, and the Umabari who had visit-
rank. Izundu would never realize that Kadija
ed Haven could have been counted on the
had bestowed such a favor on him.

feelers of one paw. Of those, only Izundu had

“Think nothing of it,” Hardesty replied.

come to Haven more than once.

“We’d have been most remiss if we’d failed to

Kadija’s gaze swiveled to follow Hardesty’s
put out the welcome mat for such a distin-
extended foref inger. “That,” Hardesty in-
guished guest.” Izundu fumbled with the col-
formed him, “is a genuine New York deli. I
loquialism, rendered it as “evict the rug of
can assure you that it’s the best of its kind in
greeting,” but Kadija got the gist of it. “I am
this sector of the galaxy.” A pregnant pause.

told,” Hardesty continued, “that your father,

“It’s the only one of its kind in this sector of Korbix, is the Shagast of the Xuchutu As-the galaxy.”

trakun.”

A glance conf irmed Kadija’s misgivings.

“Imadi.” (Yes.)

Yes—yet another eatery. Transparent win-

“And the Xuchutu Astrakun is . . . what? A
dows revealed Terrans seated at circular tables
nation? A commonwealth? A coalition?”

in conversational huddles of two, three, or

“Imadi.”

four persons. They were chatting as they ate.

“All three?”

Words were issuing from their mouths as they

“Imadi-ji.” (No.) Kadija frowned. How to ex-
stuffed decaying animal tissue and rotting veg-
plain? The Xuchutu Astrakun was a consor-
etables into the same busy orif ices. Mastica-
tium of simbatu. Did the Terrans even have a
tion mixed this garbage with spit and snot,
word for the concept? “Not exactly.”

reducing it to a bolus: a soft, slimy ball of pulp

“I see,” said Hardesty, who obviously didn’t.

that was then swallowed. Disgusting. Watch-

“We have much to learn from each other.”

ing them was enough to make a tajok queasy,

“Imadi,” but with stress on the last syllable.

and there really wasn’t much that could nau-

Izundu’s paraphrase of this was not a simple
seate a slinking little scavenger like a tajok.

yes. “We certainly do,” he said, expressing em-

How was it possible to make a social occasion
phatic agreement.

out of an activity that was so blatantly ob-

Haven was a free-f loating space colony.

scene?

Most Terran settlements were. Constructing

“You’ll have an opportunity to sample their
prefab lifebubbles—no matter how big—was
cuisine,” Hardesty was saying. “We’ve asked
vastly easier and more efficient than trying to
three of our local restaurateurs to cater the for-
tame whole planets. Why terraform an uncon-
mal reception we’re giving for you this after-
genial environment when you could build a
noon. The proprietor of the deli is one of
congenial environment in a fraction of the
them.”

time, with a fraction of the effort, at a fraction

Kadija started to gag, managed to convert it
of the cost? Territorial disputes couldn’t hap-
into a cough that cleared his throat and con-
pen for the simple and suff icient reason that
cealed his revulsion. He gave Izundu an ap-
no territory was involved, vessels departing
palled look. Did this lunatic of a mayor

Haven didn’t have to break the tenacious grip
actually expect Kadija to participate in acts of of a robust gravitational field, and selecting a
such perversity? At a calming gesture from
desirable location was more a matter of choice

Izundu, Kadija stifled his outrage and bit back
and less a matter of chance.

the sharp retort that was trembling on his lips.

In this instance, the choice had been dictat-

Izundu was urging him to be magnanimous.

ed by commercial rather than strategic priori-

Izundu evidently had a plan. Izundu was a
ties.

diplomat. Izundu could say, “Go to perdition,”

Haven orbited a star situated in neutral
so charmingly that you looked forward to the
space between the Mutabik, Ziduresh, and
trip. Izundu would not only avert disgrace but

Umabari spheres of influence. Terra had long
also find a graceful way to do so.

since negotiated treaties and trade agreements

But would he?

MALNUTRITION

9

ANALOG

Izundu himself was by no means sure. How
escape to? All of Haven’s airlocks and dock-
could he tell Hardesty that Hardesty was being
ing ports could be sealed at the touch of a
offensive without offending Hardesty? Izun-
button. A fugitive would f ind no haven on
du’s mind was racing, ransacking his Terran

Haven.

vocabulary for a polite phrase that would

As soon as they got to the hospital, Kadija
make black sound like white and up sound
was seized by robotic stretcher-bearers and
like down, but he was spared the trouble. His
rushed to the emergency ward where Dr. Asa
train of thought was disrupted by a beam from

Dexter took charge of the patient. When Hard-
a blaster. The shot was fired from the roof of
esty asked Dexter if Kadija’s wounds were fa-
the deli and struck Kadija squarely in the
tal, Dexter snarled: “How the hell would I
chest. Kadija crumpled over sideways, sagging
know? He’s an Umabari. I don’t even know
into unconsciousness like an unstrung mari-
where an Umabari keeps his vital organs,
onette. Izundu did exactly what he’d been
much less whether or not one of then has
trained to do. He threw himself on top of
been hit.”

Kadija, shielding the son of his master with his

Preliminary scans conf irmed what Dexter
own body. The assassin’s next bolt severed
had already surmised. Kadija was in a state of

Izundu’s spine, killing him instantly. The dri-
shock but still very much alive. His body tem-
ver of the hovercar accelerated, and—as soon
perature, pulse rate, and other vital signs indi-
as they were out of range—veered starboard
cated . . . what? Dexter’s best guess was none
and headed for the hospital at ludicrously ille-
too good. What were the normal readings for
gal speeds. Hardesty tried to determine how
an Umabari? Dexter had no standard of mea-
badly Kadija was hurt, but Kadija was unre-
surement by which to judge.

sponsive and would have been even if he’d re-

Dexter’s mind was a humming hive of con-
gained his senses. In the absence of Izundu,
jecture. Enough negativity, he thought. He nothing Kadija said to Hardesty would have
knew only too well what he didn’t know.

been comprehensible.

What was on the f lipside? What did he
know?

2.

Kadija was an oxy-breather. That was def i-

Hardesty couldn’t deny that he’d been
nite. Yes—and he hadn’t been wearing a res-
warned.

pirator. That meant he was accustomed to

He had been.

atmospheric pressures, ambient temperatures,

By Izundu, among others, but Izundu had
and humidity levels similar to Earth normal.

been especially emphatic.

The moisture content of Haven’s air was dry

The Ziduresh are our hereditary enemies.

by comparison with tropical climates and wet

Izundu had repeatedly cautioned him.

by comparison with alpine altitudes, but Kadi-

Beware of the Ziduresh.

ja’s lungs (or gills or whatever) had been able

Hardesty thought that the heightened state
to process it without difficulty. Dexter could
of security he’d decreed would be adequate to
assume that Kadija would have no adverse re-
safeguard Kadija.

actions to ordinary water. He could give Kadi-

He was very much mistaken.

ja water to drink, damp compresses could be

At the moment, there were exactly twenty-
used to keep Kadija’s fever (if any) under con-
six Ziduresh on Haven. All of them were un-
trol, and medicines (if Dexter deemed them
der constant surveillance and none of them
safe) could be administered orally or intra-
had pulled the trigger. The marksman was, in
venously in solution.

fact, a marks man—a Terran who had been

Drawing Hardesty’s attention to the rent in
apprehended before the dazzle from his sec-

Kadija’s tunic, Dexter said: “One of the advan-
ond shot faded from the eyes of the onlook-
tages of a blaster wound is that it’s self-sterilizers. At a guess, he had been hired by the
ing and self-cauterizing. The risk of infection is

Ziduresh, but what could have motivated
relatively low.”

him to accept such an assignment? He must

Hardesty gave him an exasperated scowl.

have known that— once the deed was

“The advantages?” he echoed. “Of a blaster done—he had a snowball’s chance in hell of
wound? Isn’t that taking optimism to ridicu-
evading capture. Escape? Where could he
lous extremes?”

10

J. T. SHARRAH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Dexter’s lips pursed in a ghost of a smile.

“A vessel that small won’t have an inf ir-

“I’m a great believer in optimism. No horse
mary. But it will almost certainly have a f irst
named ‘Hopeless’ ever won a race.”

aid kit. Or something like it. Find it. Bring it

Hardesty sighed. “All right. What about this
here. And any drugs, pills, antiseptics and the
race? What are the odds?”

like that they brought with them. If I can de-

“There’s not much I can do to heal him,”

termine what the Umabari themselves consid-

Dexter conceded. “Too many unknowns. Too
er medicinal, my range of options will be
many variables. Well-intentioned meddling
much wider. Food, too. Raid the kitchen. I
could be more deadly than the injury we’re
doubt that our patient will be regaining con-
trying to treat.”

sciousness anytime soon. We’ll have to pro-

“So he’s on his own.”

vide him with nourishment.”

“Pretty much. I can keep him comfort-

“Anything else?”

able—as comfortable as he can be without

“A book on Umabari anatomy would be use-
painkillers. And I can keep him clean. Never
ful.”

underestimate the benef its conferred by a

“Why? You can’t read it.”

germ-free environment. But beyond that . . .”

“No, but I can look at the pictures.”

Dexter spread his hands in a gesture of impo-

“That’s great,” Hardesty said. His tone of
tence. “This is his f ight to win or lose. We
voice said the opposite.

can’t do much more than hold his coat and

Adopting a professorial manner, Dexter de-
cheer for him.”

claimed: “Moslem science f lourished while

Hardesty’s expression was grim. “We don’t

Europe languished in the Dark Ages.”

have a hell of a lot to cheer about,” he grum-

Hardesty blinked at Dexter, convinced that
bled.

he must have misheard him. Moslem science?

“But we do!” Dexter contradicted him. “He’s

Could a remark possibly be more irrelevant?

not dead yet. Not even close. If you’re not im-

“The Arabs,” Dexter continued, “were so-
pressed by that, you damn well should be. He
phisticated mathematicians, astronomers,
survived the initial blast, he survived your dri-
chemists, physicists, geographers, and so on.

ver’s attempt to convince a limousine that it

The one and only branch of knowledge at
was an ambulance, and he’s survived our inept
which they did not excel was medicine. That
and ham-fisted ministrations. This guy’s tough.

was because the representation of the human

He’ll prevail if he’s given half a chance.”

body was forbidden to them. Their medical

“Half a chance? I’d like better odds.”

texts had no pictures. Treating an injury is ex-

“You can arrange that.”

traordinarily difficult if you have no idea what

Hardesty arched an inquisitive eyebrow. “I
internal organs might have been damaged. Pic-
can? How?”

ture books would have been a big help to

“His ship. He piloted it himself ?”

Moslem doctors.”

“Him or Izundu. Yes.”

Hardesty deferred to Dexter’s judgment

“No other crew?”

with a bob of his head. “This picture book . . .

“No.”

Got any idea what it looks like?”

“So it’s docked with no one aboard.”

Dexter didn’t. Methods of data storage var-

“That’s right.”

ied from species to species. An Umabari

“Open it. Cut it open. Blast it open. Get it

“book” might not resemble a Terran book at
open.”

all. The Hejash of Zeta Tucanae III had an ex-

“I can’t do that!” Hardesty exclaimed. “We
ceptionally acute sense of smell and commu-
granted them safe conduct.”

nicated by exchanging odors. Their books

Dexter made a rude noise. “The safe con-
were essentially perfume bottles that exuded a
duct you granted them didn’t keep them safe.

wide variety of scents in varying intensities

Don’t you think that’s already been demon-
and sequences.

strated?”

Dexter admitted that he couldn’t answer

Hardesty offered no rebuttal. “Okay,” he ca-
the question by not trying to answer it. “What
pitulated. “Assuming we can get it open—and
about the space nomads?” he inquired. “Some
assuming that it doesn’t self-destruct when we
of them have had dealings with the Umabari.

open it—what then?”

Why can’t you ask them?”

MALNUTRITION

11

ANALOG

Hardesty raised his eyes to the ceiling in
automatically relayed to Yulix the next time
mock supplication. “Leopold Yulix.” He spoke
the Wanderlust came within radio range.

the name as if it were an obscenity scrawled

Meanwhile, the ship was proving that she’d
on a lavatory wall. “You’re seriously suggesting
been well-named, and Hardesty would have to
that I consult Leopold Yulix?”

make do without the benef it of Yulix’s ad-

“Why not?”

vice—assuming, of course, that Yulix’s advice

“Let me tell you about Leopold Yulix . . .”

would have been beneficial.

Hardesty couldn’t pronounce the name of

3.

Kadija’s trim little craft, and that was what

Leopold Yulix called himself a “free trader.”

Hardesty decided to call it. Breaking into the

Others called him a “freebooter.”

Unpronounceable presented no difficulties—

What Hardesty called him was considerably
not because Hardesty was such a skillful bur-
less polite than that.

glar, but for the excellent reason that the door

Yulix wandered here and there, hither and
was unlocked. Hardesty wasn’t sure what to
yon, buying cheap and selling dear, dickering
make of that, but he couldn’t deny that it
and haggling, seeking bargains and making
saved him time and inconvenience.

deals, and doing it all with a jolly disregard for

Searching the Unpronounceable from stem
rules and regulations that legitimate business-
to stern didn’t take long because there wasn’t
men would have described as “criminal.”

much to it. For all practical purposes, the ship

He and Izundu had been—if not exactly
consisted of the engine room plus secondary
friends—congenial acquaintances. Yulix
trifles. The crew quarters were more like the
must have known all along that Izundu
crew sixteenths. A single compartment did
wasn’t what he seemed to be. Yulix not only
double-duty as the cabin and the cockpit.

hadn’t exposed the deception but had abet-

Sleeping was evidently done on the f loor or
ted it. He encouraged people to believe that
the ceiling. The fresher was about twice the

Izundu was his Umabari counterpart—a
size of a coffin, and the galley was a curtained
slightly disreputable peddler/adventurer/ex-
alcove not much bigger than the fresher. And
plorer who had arrived on Haven with a
that was that. The Unpronounceable was a
shipload of trade goods from which enough
mobile home with great mobility and almost
prof it had been made to justify several return
none of the comforts of home.

trips. Izundu was accepted as such. What

A storage bin in the cockpit/cabin con-
else he might be—a spy, a scout, a goodwill
tained a satchel crammed with bandages,
ambassador—was a question no one thought
vials, and an assortment of instruments, some
to ask until Kadija’s ship had docked. When
of which had edges that were razor keen. A
the door to the airlock whisperglided aside
first-aid kit? Yes—and it could presumably ren-
and an elegantly attired Umabari emerged
der second-aid and third-aid as well. Serious,
from it, the reception committee hadn’t rec-
no-nonsense surgery could be performed with
ognized him at f irst. The scruffy vagabond
these utensils. An inspection of the fresher
he’d pretended to be was gone and had been
failed to reveal a medicine cabinet, medicine
replaced by the genuine Izundu—a senior
chest, or medicine receptacle of any kind. The
functionary of aff luence and inf luence. Only

Umabari equivalent of aspirin was evidently
then did Hardesty realize that Izundu had
kept elsewhere. If a book on anatomy was
been a probe into the unknown, sent to de-
there to be found, Hardesty couldn’t f ind it,
termine if the natives were friendly. The ver-
but it probably was there to be found if Hard-dict he’d reached must have been
esty had only known how to f ind it. You
favorable—a judgment he would no doubt
didn’t go around with cutting tools like those
reverse if he were still alive to do so.

unless you had an instruction manual telling

Hardesty queried the dockyard directory
you where to cut.

and learned that the Wanderlust was not in Hardesty returned to the hospital with the
her assigned berth. He’d have been surprised
satchel and twenty packets of frozen food.

if she were. Yulix listed Haven as his home

Dexter sent them to the laboratory for analysis
port but spent most of his time elsewhere.

and told Hardesty to get lost. “You’re hovering

Hardesty recorded a message that would be
like a damn vulture,” Dexter grumbled. “I

12

J. T. SHARRAH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
can’t speak for Kadija, but you make me nerthe pecking order within each clan was deter-
vous. Scram. Buzz off. Vamoose. Begone.”

mined by a complicated and nearly incompre-

“You want me to leave? Okay. Say no more.

hensible formula that took heredity, age,

I’ll take my leave.”

gender, and vozishti into consideration, but

Dexter made shooing motions in the direc-
heredity didn’t necessarily mean family affilia-
tion of the door. “You can take nothing from
tions, neither the oldest nor the youngest was
me with which I will less reluctantly part.”

automatically given priority, at least three sex-

“You’ll notify me of any change in Kadija’s
es were involved, and no Terran had ever
condition?”

been able to def ine “vozishti.” One linguist

“Yes. Of course.”

had tentatively translated the word as “chutz-

Hardesty nodded, waved goodbye with a
pah,” and that, Hardesty suspected, was about
mock salute, and exited. Like most politicians,
as close as anyone was going to get.

he had a flair for the dramatic. Hardesty didn’t

Be that as it may, Shemblis was—at the mo-
come into a room or go out of it. He made en-
ment—the senior Ziduresh on Haven, chosen
trances and exits.

by the others to be their spokesman and au-

Dexter was right, and Hardesty knew it.

thorized to make agreements binding on them

Dexter had a job to do and what little Hard-
all. Exactly how Shemblis had achieved this
esty could do to assist him had already been
exalted status was—thankfully—none of Hard-
done. Hardesty, too, had a job to do, and he
esty’s concern.

couldn’t do it by making a nuisance of himself

“You’re accusing us of attempting an assas-
in Dexter’s ER.

sination?” Shemblis seemed more amused

Bothering Dexter would accomplish noth-
than indignant, but Hardesty could have been
ing.

mistaken about that. Reading Zidureshian fa-

But bothering the Ziduresh . . .

cial expressions was notoriously difficult.

That had possibilities.

“I’m not making any kind of an accusation,”

Hardesty prevaricated.

4.

“But we are suspects.”

Squints.

“Yes.”

Racial slurs weren’t ordinarily part of Hard-

Shemblis made the snuff ing sound that
esty’s vocabulary—a politician impolitic
passed for laughter among the Ziduresh.

enough to use them wouldn’t have been

“Good. We should be. We and the Umabari are
much good at politics—but Hardesty couldn’t

. . . how do you say? Yatha.”

deny that he occasionally found himself think-

“Foes,” Hardesty suggested.

ing of the Ziduresh as “squints.” The epithet

“Yes. We are yatha. Foes. We do not like
was apt. Their eyes were nested in spokes of
each other. No. Not at all. If the scion of the
wrinkled skin, unblinking lids at perpetual

Shagast dies, none of us will mourn.” He held
half-mast. They seemed to be blearing myopi-
a talon aloft for emphasis. “But we did not
cally at distant objects, trying to compensate
seek to slay him. Had we done so, we would
for impaired vision by the sheer intensity of
not be discussing an attempted assassination.

their gaze. This, Hardesty knew, was not only

We would be discussing an accomplished
false but emphatically false. Appearances to
fact.”

the contrary, the Ziduresh possessed eyesight

“You’re expert killers, are you? And you
that eagles would have envied. Anyone who
take pride in that?”

assumed that the Ziduresh couldn’t see clearly

“Eff iciency. I take pride in our eff iciency.

was making a mistake, and now Shemblis was

Shooting the youngling with a blaster . . . that
demonstrating that he could see through du-
is not intelligent. That is not optimal. That is
plicity with equal clarity.

not a method certain to succeed.” With the air

If Shemblis had an off icial title, Hardesty
of an opponent delivering checkmate, he
didn’t know what it was and probably would
added: “It did not succeed, did it?”

have been none the wiser for knowing. The

“No. Not yet.”

Ziduresh were divided into clans, each of

“You see? My people would never be guilty
which had a sphere of influence only slightly
of such a deplorable blunder. We would have
more stable than one of the transuranics, and
intercepted his vessel in space. A scoutship,

MALNUTRITION

13

ANALOG
yes? Small. Unarmed. Defenseless. Breach the
signif icance were written there. He was em-
hull. Open it to vacuum.” Shemblis made an
balmed in reverie, shaking the facts like shards
abrupt, clutching gesture with retractable
of glass in a kaleidoscope, hoping that they
claws unsheathed. “He dies. His companion
would suddenly cohere and form a pattern,
dies. Every living organism aboard dies. Even
betraying their secret.

the microbes. Sure thing. No mistakes. No

If the Ziduresh had conspired to kill Kadi-
chance of failure. No chance of revival. Noth-
ja, he was thinking, they would consider ing left to chance.”

themselves guilty of tactlessness, not of mur-

“You’d have to plan it in advance,” Hardesty
der. An assassination was permissible. An as-objected. “You’d have to know which ship
sassination that made trouble for a friend was
was his and when it was coming.”

not. No Ziduresh could condone such lack of

Another snort/chuckle. “You think the
courtesy. They’d spill blood without a qualm,
shooter just happened to be there? An acci-
but they’d take care to spill none of it on your
dent, maybe? Big coincidence?” Shemblis
carpet.

mimed spitting an indigestible morsel from his

Did that have the ring of truth? To his own
mouth. “Not so. This attack was planned. Not
surprise, Hardesty concluded that it did.

well planned. Not good strategy. Very incon-

Shemblis had not only spoken with undeni-
siderate.”

able conviction but with impeccable logic. A

“Inconsiderate? I think you mean ‘ill consid-
premeditated murder attempt. Yes. This
ered.’”

hadn’t been a spur-of-the-moment improvisa-

“That too. But also inconsiderate. We aren’t
tion. A sharpshooter equipped with the right
friends with the gushkewa hejez.”

weapon had been in the right place at the

“With who?”

right time. The assassin had obviously been

“With the gushkewa hejez,” Shemblis re-
armed with accurate information as well as a
peated. “With the Umabari.”

long-range blaster. Could he have obtained

“That’s your name for them?”

that information from the Ziduresh? No. Not

“One of our names for them. Yes. It
likely. Hardesty himself had known that Kadi-
means . . .” A pause while Shemblis fumbled
ja was coming. The members of Hardesty’s
for the appropriate words. “Food sneaks?

staff had known. So had the security guards,

Furtive feeders? Something like that.”

the caterers, the limousine driver, and the

“The phrase is derogatory?”

guests invited to the reception. Kadija’s visit

“Damn right. We have no terms for the Um-
hadn’t been a closely kept secret, but neither
abari that aren’t derogatory.”

had news of it been made public. The odds

“I understand. They are yatha. You aren’t
that the Ziduresh had been aware of it were
friends with them.”

remote.

“Yes—but we are friends with you. We

So where did that leave him? It didn’t elimi-
wouldn’t kill a not-friend in a friend’s house.

nate the Ziduresh from his list of suspects—

Exceedingly impolite. Very bad manners.

not totally—but he no longer considered them

Awkward. The conversation we’re having
prime suspects. That left him with a list of sus-
right now is awkward, and we’re not guilty.

pects that was more or less blank, and where

We didn’t do this thing. And if we had? Just that left him was more or less nowhere.

think how awkward that would be!” Shemblis

What I need to do, he told himself, is make dismissed the notion with a wave of his talon.

a new list.

“No. When we decide to exterminate one of

Hardesty activated his wristcom and
the gushkewa hejez, we will not be rude
pressed a button. The preset code bypassed
enough to do so on your doorstep. We will
the hospital’s robo-receptionist and put him
not impose our quarrel on you.”

directly through to . . .

“Dexter speaking.”

5.

“Hardesty here.”

Hardesty was seated at his desk, his posture

An exasperated huff. “I didn’t give you this
a slouch as boneless as that of a ventriloquist’s
number.”

dummy, hands clasped behind his neck,

“No.”

staring at the ceiling as if words of vast

“How did you get it?”

14

J. T. SHARRAH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“You can’t deny me access to a private listing. My office governs the com channels. I’m

6.

the mayor.”

Boris Everett sat like his own effigy, sullenly

“You’re a pain in the neck.”

indifferent, hands resting limply on his knees,

“In the neck?” Hardesty chuckled. “Some
his expression as remote and inscrutable as an
folks have an even lower opinion of me.”

ancient Etruscan inscription.

“I wonder why.” This was a self-contradic-

“I’m told that you refuse to talk.”

tory taunt intended to be recognized as such.

Everett conf irmed the truth of this by re-

“Careful. You’ll compromise your germ-free
maining mute. Hardesty felt like a chess player
environment if you keep dripping sarcasm like
whose opening gambit had promptly cost him
that.”

a pawn.

Dexter fetched a sigh. “Tell me . . . To what

“I thought you might make an exception for
do I owe the honor of this interruption?”

me.”

“I was hoping to get a progress report.

Apparently not. Everett said nothing, did

How’s our patient doing?”

nothing. He had the monolithic detachment

“I promised to call you if his status
of a Buddha fully prepared to outwait entropy.

changed.”

“Why did you do it? Could you at least tell

“Yes.”

me that?”

“Have I called you?”

Minutes passed. The silence was so total

“No.”

that Hardesty could almost hear them passing.

“That’s because his status hasn’t changed. He

“Were you hired to do it? You must have
seems to be holding his own. He’s no better, no
known you couldn’t get away with it. Why did
worse. The lab has examined the food samples
you agree?”

you obtained. No big surprises. He likes more

Another pause. This conversation, Hardesty sugar in his diet than we do, but he uses the
reflected, has more pauses in it than conver-
same basic nutrients. We can start feeding him
sation. Like Brer Rabbit confronted by the Tar intravenously soon. With luck, we might get

Baby, Hardesty’s response to Everett’s unre-
him to swallow some broth. Analysis of the
sponsiveness was mounting vexation.

medicinals you brought us will take a bit longer.

Hardesty opened his mouth to ask another

Even then, we won’t know what dosages to
question but refrained, exhaling the unspoken
give him. I’m hoping he’ll regain consciousness
words hovering on his tongue. Not only was he
long enough for him to tell us what drugs he wasting his time, but he was also in danger of
needs and how much of which.”

interpreting silence for affirmation. Had Everett

“My doctor doesn’t approve of patients
been hired to murder Kadija? Everett hadn’t
who medicate themselves.”

replied, but Hardesty’s subsequent remarks had

“I don’t either—not ordinarily. This situa-
taken a positive response for granted.

tion isn’t exactly ordinary.”

Careful, Hardesty cautioned himself. Why A statement so self-evidently true did not, in
buy a dog if you’re going to do all the bark-

Hardesty’s opinion, require comment. He said:

ing yourself? If Hardesty intended to answer

“If I can be of assistance . . .”

the questions himself, asking Everett was

“You can,” Dexter snarked. “Don’t call this
pointless.

number again.”

Hardesty disengaged himself with a shrug

“All right.” Hardesty was a shrewd negotia-
and got to his feet, watching to see if Everett’s
tor, always willing to make trivial concessions
eyes would follow him as he rose from his
to obtain cooperation.

chair. They didn’t. Everett continued to con-

“And you can try to f ind someone who
template infinity, his unwinking stare focused
speaks Umabari. If I can talk to Kadija when
on nothing in particular, his body as motion-
he wakes, that would be a big plus.”

less as the body of his victim.

“When he wakes? Not if ?”

Hardesty stood with hands fisted at his hips,

“What kind of an optimist would I be if I
looking down on Everett in both senses of the
had an iffy attitude?”

phrase. “You’re a rotten conversationalist,” he

“What kind of a politician would I be if I
said. “Fortunately, you’re an even worse assas-
didn’t?”

sin. Kadija is expected to make a full recovery.”

MALNUTRITION

15

ANALOG

This was an outrageously favorable assess-

Follow the money, Hardesty mused. Money ment of Kadija’s prospects. Kadija was still
talks, even if Everett won’t.

alive but still essentially comatose. If water or

Hardesty went to the door and signaled that
soup was squirted into his mouth, he would
he was ready to leave. “If you change your
swallow; if he was subjected to neural stimula-
mind,” he said, “tell one of the robo-guards
tion, his muscles responded; and if the do-
that you want to speak to me. You haven’t
lorometer could be trusted, he was not in
long to live, and there’s nothing I can do about
acute pain, but he’d displayed no signs of re-
that, but I might be able to help your family.”

turning awareness and did not change posi-

The door opened.

tion unless the robot attendants changed it for

Everett’s mouth did not.

him. Predicting a full recovery on the basis of

Hardesty exited the cell.

that evidence was not unlike drawing to an in-Everett did not.

side straight. It required a positive attitude un-
daunted by a realistic appraisal of the odds.

7.

Maybe, Hardesty thought, some of Dexter’s More than a hundred messages were wait-optimism is rubbing off on me.

ing for Leopold Yulix when he returned to

“As a matter of fact,” Hardesty continued,

Haven. Some were solicitations. He deleted

“Kadija’s chances are better than yours. How
most of those unread, unheard, and unheed-
many rads have you absorbed?” This was a
ed. Greetings from friends and associates were
rhetorical question. It wasn’t meant to elicit a
saved but weren’t favored with his immediate
reply. Hardesty had asked it in order to answer
attention unless they were stamped “Urgent.”

it himself. “A lot,” he said, answering it him-

Even those that were probably weren’t. How
self. “One hell of a lot. It’s amazing that you
urgent could they be? The majority were at
don’t glow in the dark.”

least a month old. Yulix was intrigued when

Exposure to radiation remained one of the
he saw that Hardesty had left word for him
more serious hazards of interstellar space-

(what could the mayor of Haven want with
f light. Magnetic def lectors were used to di-
him?) but Yulix didn’t assign high priority to
vert charged particles from the hulls of
returning Hardesty’s call. It, too, had been sus-
starships, but they weren’t one hundred per-
pended in transit for days.

cent effective, and the eff iciency rating for

And what the hell did Boris Everett think he
small craft like the Unpronounceable, the
was doing? Yulix’s inbox contained a legal

Wanderlust, or the Skidoo did not compare document from Everett appointing Yulix the
favorably with bigger vessels like cargo trans-
executor of Everett’s wife’s estate. Yulix’s re-
ports or military dreadnoughts. Independent
sponse to this was undiluted perplexity. Yulix
traders who spent prolonged intervals hop-
had never even met Joyce Everett. Did she
scotching from planet to planet made the ac-
need a guardian angel, and—if she did—why
quaintance of altogether too many cosmic
did Everett consider Yulix a suitable candidate
rays. The Skidoo was Boris Everett’s ship—a for the job? Yulix scowled. The watchdogs of
sleek little vessel that had served him well but
his subconscious could scent trouble brewing

Everett had been her skipper for more than
and they were barking furiously now. Yulix
twenty years and that was the equivalent of a
didn’t mind doing a favor for a friend, but
death sentence.

Everett wasn’t a friend of his. Everett was, at Everett must have known—an old space
best, a casual acquaintance, and Yulix had al-
dog like Everett could hardly be unaware that
ready done him a favor. If Joyce Everett had
two decades of starfaring had nuked his in-
any money to manage, she could thank Yulix
nards—and that, Hardesty suspected, was
for giving Boris the chance to earn it.

why Everett had consented to be the trigger-

Off loading his cargo. No task took prece-
man. He didn’t care if he was apprehended.

dence over that—not by Yulix’s reckoning—

He was a dying man. He had nothing to lose.

and that’s what Yulix was doing when the

And to gain? Money. Credits. He had a wife
arrival of two security guards compelled him
and two kids. He was willing to become an as-
to revise his reckoning.

sassin if he could guarantee financial security

“You’re taking me into custody?” Yulix
for his family.

fussed.

16

J. T. SHARRAH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“We are.”

programmed by Babylonians infatuated with

“On what charge?”

the number twelve. That love affair had pro-

“No charge. Mayor Hardesty sent us to fetch
duced countless offspring. Twelve months in
you.”

a year, sixty seconds in a minute, sixty min-

Yulix’s face was clenched like a fist. “What
utes in a hour, twelve inches in a foot, twelve
about my cargo?”

units to a dozen, three hundred and sixty de-

“What about it? The robosteves will take
grees in a circle, twelve dozen in a gross . . .

care of it.”

and so on and so forth. All twelves or multi-

“They require supervision.”

ples of twelve. Most of Haven’s residents had

“If you like, one of us will remain behind
never been within f ifty light-years of Earth,
and supervise them for you.”

but the number of hours in Haven’s “day” was

Yulix manufactured an insincere smile. If he
still twelve doubled, and Haveners still spoke
liked? He most certainly did not like. The last in terms of day and night, morning and
thing he wanted was a contraband-sniffer in-
evening, weeks and months and quarters.

specting his merchandise. “No need for that.”

Some habits die hard.

He pressed a button on a remote control, dis-

With the air of a king offering a throne to
continuing power to the dockside robots who
the court jester, Hardesty said: “Be seated.

were servicing the Wanderlust. The steve-

Please.”

dores came to an abrupt halt. “I’m not in that

Yulix snuggled into the curvature of a chair,
big a hurry.” He meddled with another con-
settling onto the cushions hesitantly, as
trol and the hatch to the cargo bay slid shut.

though taking soundings before trusting his

“Let’s go.” he said.

weight to them. Hardesty recognized the

And they did.

signs. “Getting reaccustomed to gravity takes
a while, doesn’t it?”

8.

“It would,” Yulix retorted, “if Haven had a

When Yulix was ushered into Hardesty’s of-
gravitational field strong enough to make itself
f ice, anger was radiating from him like holi-
felt. Centrifugal force isn’t the same thing.”

ness from a halo. He and Hardesty weren’t

He was right, of course. Haven’s outermost
outright yatha, but they certainly weren’t
shell rotated at a speed that mimicked one-
friends. The friction between them had been
fourth of a gravity. Yulix spent considerable
chafing frayed nerves ever since their first . . .

time on planetary surfaces and considerable
meeting? Encounter? Confrontation? Yulix
time in centrifuges keeping f it enough to
frowned. Had they ever met under circum-
cope with the vigorous pull of a planet. He
stances that weren’t confrontational? If so, wasn’t likely to mistake Haven’s counterfeit
he’d forgotten. Even when they weren’t work-
gravity for the real McCoy.

ing at cross-purposes, their personalities were

“I was speaking loosely, of course,” Hard-
cross-grained. All of his conversations with
esty snarked, vexed at being corrected by

Hardesty bore a strong resemblance to fencing

Yulix and even more vexed at being in the
matches—every word accompanied by the
wrong. “I apologize for bringing you here
clink of foils. This one, Yulix predicted, would
against your will, but,” he added, “it wouldn’t
be no different.

have been necessary if you’d responded to my

Yulix stif led his resentment. A display of
recorded message.”

temper would only make a tense situation

“Since when is failure to accept an invita-
worse. He made a conscious effort to contain
tion from you a crime?”

himself. He tamed his features and kept his

“Since when is an appeal for help an invita-
voice low. When Hardesty wished him a good
tion?” Hardesty’s expression of perplexity
afternoon, he responded in kind, repressing
cleared and became a look of comprehension.

the urge to retort that it wasn’t any kind of an

“You didn’t reply to it because you didn’t hear
afternoon: good, bad, or indifferent. Space no-
it. You didn’t even bother to listen to it, did
mads like Yulix didn’t think in terms of morn-
you?”

ing, afternoon, or evening. Those who did

“I had more pressing concerns,” Yulix
were, in Yulix’s opinion, mental dinosaurs—
grudged, admitting the truth without accept-
regressives whose mindsets had been ing blame. The remainder of the sentence: MALNUTRITION

17

ANALOG

“. . . than paying heed to anything you have to
can’t become simbatu. Korbix wouldn’t bar-
say” hung unspoken in the air.

gain with you himself. The dickering would

“As a matter of fact, you didn’t and you
be done by a surrogate like Izundu.”

don’t,” Hardesty chided. “Let me tell you why.”

“Like Izundu, and not like Kadija?”

Yulix didn’t want to be convinced, but he

“No. Def initely not. Kadija belongs to the
soon was. The assassination attempt and its af-
same class as his father. Not just the upper
termath did eclipse all other concerns. His class. The uppermost of the upper class. If
quarrel with Hardesty? The status of his cargo?

Kadija were a rooster, he’d be convinced that

Unimportant. Yulix had other things on his
dawn breaks to hear him crow.”

mind.

Hardesty had never actually seen a rooster,

“Izundu took the blast meant for Kadija.”

but he had seen restored films featuring roost-Yulix shook his head solemnly. “Too bad. I
ers. He knew what a rooster was. Or so he sup-
liked Izundu.”

posed. In reality, his fondness for ancient

“What about Kadija?”

cartoons had led him astray. Hardesty’s mental

“What about him?”

image of a rooster bore more than a superficial

“Do you like Kadija?”

resemblance to Foghorn Leghorn. “I realize that

“I don’t dislike him, but my likes and dislikes you—unlike Izundu—aren’t a diplomat . . .”

couldn’t possibly matter less. Kadija is . . . well,

“To put it mildly, ” Yulix interrupted
the word ‘royalty’ comes to mind. It isn’t accu-
undiplomatically.

rate, but it has a connotation that doesn’t miss

“. . . but when Kadija regains consciousness,
the mark by much.”

I want you to replace Izundu as Kadija’s inter-

“A person of lofty status,” Hardesty suggest-
preter.”

ed. “A member of the ruling class.”

“That won’t be a problem.”

“Right. Only more so. You aren’t expected

“Good.” Hardest was surprised but gratified
to approve or disapprove of Umabari like
by Yulix’s ready compliance. “You coopera-

Kadija or Korbix. To do so would be outra-
tion is sincerely appreciated.”

geously impertinent. Kadija doesn’t care what

“Keep your thanks,” Yulix snorted. “That
your opinion of him is. It wouldn’t occur to
won’t be a problem because Kadija will never
him that you’d be presumptuous enough to
regain consciousness.”

have an opinion of him.”

“Dr. Dexter—I’m pleased to say—is much

Hardesty was dubious. “Kadija didn’t seem
more hopeful.” Actually, Hardesty wasn’t as
all that haughty to me.”

pleased to say that as he made it sound. Dex-

“You were conversing with him through
ter’s perpetual, every-wind-is-a-fair-wind atti-

Izundu, weren’t you?”

tude struck Hardesty as a philosophy that

“Yes.”

could only be embraced by a sailor who didn’t

“Your translator was a f irst-class diplomat.

know whither he was bound. If you were a

He was f luent in double-talk, and he knew
seafarer with a specif ic destination in mind,
how to say nasty things nicely.”

contrary winds were a definite possibility and

“If that’s how Kadija feels about us, what is
you’d better be prepared to contend with
he doing here? A goodwill ambassador who
them. And if you were a spacefarer? The only
doesn’t care what kind of impression he’s
winds Hardesty had ever encountered were
making won’t generate much good will.”

solar winds, and Haven’s zero-gee swimming

“That’s a very astute question.” Yulix wasn’t
pool was the largest body of water he’d ever
complimenting Hardesty on his acumen. Yulix
seen. He compensated for lack of practical ex-
was expressing astonishment that a dull knife
perience with a vivid imagination and a steady
like Hardesty could cut straight to the heart of
diet of swashbuckling historical novels. He
the matter. “What is he doing here? The Um-could easily visualize himself standing at the
abari aren’t interested in establishing cordial
helm of a galleon, the deck heaving beneath
relations with Haven. Korbix doesn’t want to
his feet as he watched the sails grow big-bel-
make new friends. He does want to make a
lied with the wanton wind.

prof it. He’ll negotiate trade agreements with

He said: “None of Kadija’s vital organs seem

Terrans, but that’s just a business deal. Crass
to have been hit. The wound is healing. His
commercialism. Terrans aren’t simbatu and
condition is stable.”

18

J. T. SHARRAH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“I’m sure Dexter is doing his best. But it
was already too late for that. Like it or not, he
won’t be good enough. Kadija has already
was involved—to a much greater extent than been comatose for several days. He’ll most

Hardesty suspected. That being so, he had
likely stay that way for several more. I’m bet-
nothing much to lose by briefing Hardesty. He
ting that he’ll starve to death long before he
said: “You boarded the Dryxlnauqulixut and wakes.”

took food from the galley?”

“I’ll take that bet,” Hardesty drawled. “I’ll

Hardesty was impressed. Not only did Yulix
even give you ten-to-one odds.”

know the name of the Unpronounceable, but

“You will?”

he could also pronounce it. “That’s right.”

“I will,” Hardesty confirmed.

“A small compartment?”

“Why so confident?”

“Very small. Tiny.”

Hardesty extended his arms, wrists togeth-

“Did it have a door or a curtain?”

er, in a put-the-cuffs-on-me gesture. “I must

“A curtain.”

plead guilty to committing a burglary,” he

Yulix nodded. “A privacy screen. It serves
said.

the same purpose as the curtain that segre-

“As opposed, of course, to the legal forms
gates the cabin from the toilet.”

of theft constantly perpetrated by government

Yulix waited for Hardesty to connect the
swindlers like yourself.”

dots. When Hardesty failed to do so, Yulix

“You’re referring, I presume, to docking
said: “We ingest food, digest it, and egest the
fees, import duties, income taxes . . .”

waste products.” He gestured universally.

“And all the other scams that let you pick

“Now I ask you,” he asked Hardesty, “what
the pockets of honest traders. Yes.”

does that make us? In the grand scheme of

Hardesty inspected Yulix like a tailor esti-

Creation, what purpose do we serve?” This
mating his measurements. “I don’t see any
wasn’t a question so much as an oratorical
honest traders here.”

f lourish. He didn’t expect a reply and he

“They’re not as rare as honest politicians,”

didn’t wait for one. “We are dung factories,”

Yulix retorted. With the air of a chess master
he declared. “We are hollow tubes for the
delivering checkmate, he added: “You were
manufacture of excrement. The Umabari have
confessing to a robbery . . . ?”

that in common with us, but we distinguish

“Kadija’s ship. I entered it without autho-
between the start of the digestive process and
rization and raided the larder. The food sam-
the end result. The Umabari do not. We make
ples that I stole allowed the hospital to deduce
the consumption of food a social event. We

Kadija’s nutritional requirements. They’ve
schedule lunch and dinner meetings. Families
been feeding him intravenously. I understand
gather for holiday feasts. We celebrate birth-
they even got him to swallow some broth and
days and other special occasions by sharing a
a little mush.”

meal. To the Umabari, this kind of behavior is

“They’ve been feeding him!” Yulix couldn’t
not merely repugnant. It is obscene. They re-
have been more shocked if they’d been using
gard eating and defecation as a single cause-
the Holy Grail as a spittoon.

and-effect progression. Both activities are

“Yes. Of course. What else were we sup-
demonstrations of the unspeakable maggotry
posed to do?”

that takes place in our bodies. Both are inde-

Yulix spluttered, at a loss for words. When
cent. Both are shameful. Both should be soli-he found them again, he blurted: “You’re sup-
tary.”

posed to treat him with respect. You’re sup-

“But that’s crazy,” Hardesty protested.

posed to preserve his dignity. Violating his

“Is it?” Yulix sighed. He understood the Um-
customs and putting him to shame is what
abari point of view but had never before at-
you’re not supposed to do.”

tempted to explain it. “Pretend that you’re

Hardesty was staring at him in open-
standing in front of a mirror. Open your
mouthed astonishment. His face was blank
mouth. Take a good look inside. What do you
with incomprehension.

see? If you’re an Umabari, you see a germ-rid-

Yulix scrubbed at the smudge of a three-day
den orif ice lined with mucous membranes
beard, considering his options. Given his
and carious teeth. Constant applications of
druthers, he’d rather not get involved, but it
mints, breath-fresheners, and mouthwash are

MALNUTRITION

19

ANALOG
required to combat halitosis. The stench from

Hardesty made an ear-tr umpet of his
this god-awful cavity would otherwise be
cupped palm and hearkened to an inaudible
strong enough to spin the windmills on an old
voice. “Can you imagine what Dr. Asa Dex-

Dutch painting. The word ‘disgusting’ doesn’t
ter would say if I ordered him to withhold
begin to describe it.”

nourishment from a patient and let him

Hardesty hushed him with an upraised palm,
starve?”

hoping to prevent Yulix from comparing the in-

“I imagine he’d refuse.”

let with the outlet. “Okay. Enough. I get the

“Refuse? He’d tell me in no uncertain terms
idea. The Umabari consider eating repulsive.

to commit an impossible act on myself.”

Maybe it is. But it doesn’t have to be. Steps can

“He would?” Yulix couldn’t suppress a grin.

be taken to insure that it’s not. We prepare our

“I must get to know him better. He and I have
food so that it looks pleasant and appetizing.

more in common than I would have sup-

We teach our children table manners.”

posed.”

“Not to talk with their mouths full,” said

“If Kadija dies, we can safely assume that it

Yulix, citing an example. “I’m not a big fan of
won’t be from hunger. What other options do
rules and prohibitions, but I approve of that
we have?”

one. If you break it, the squishy paste you’re

Undeterred by the prospect of stating the
chewing is visible, you spew drool and partial-
self-evident, Yulix said: “Haven is a big target
ly shredded morsels all over the table, and the
and extremely vulnerable. Breaching the hull
glutinous slobbering sounds you make as you
wouldn’t be difficult. A single missile could do
swallow are much too clearly audible.”

it. If I were you, Mr. Mayor, I’d make certain

“That’s why it’s a breach of etiquette.”

that Haven’s defense systems are fully opera-

“It wouldn’t be if we didn’t agree—more or
tional.”

less—with the Umabari. We, too, consider

Hardesty looked as if he’d been weaned on
eating repulsive, but instead of doing it pri-
a pickle. “A declaration of war? You think it
vately, we’ve invented an elaborate set of cus-
could come to that?”

toms that permits us to commit this offense in

“The Umabari are a warlike people. No one
public. The Umabari aren’t wrong. They’re
can remember a time when hostilities with
just more candid.”

the Ziduresh weren’t ongoing, and if they’re Hardesty had a rebuttal for that, but he left
not killing squints or being killed by squints,
it unsaid. He was, he realized, allowing him-
they’re constantly fighting among themselves.

self to get distracted. Becoming embroiled in a

Simbatu. Their society is organized according
debate with Yulix wouldn’t solve the immedi-
to who is and is not simbatu. When battle is
ate problem. “So how to do we make
joined, who will be on your side and who
amends?” he inquired. “It’s done and we can’t
won’t be?”

undo it. What can we do? How can we atone

Hardesty frowned. “Mutual defense ac-
for our mistake?”

cords?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Stop feeding him. If you do

“It’s more complicated than that. Blood ties
that, the difficulty will go away of its own ac-
are involved. So are ancestral alliances. Plus
cord.”

the Umabari equivalent of organized reli-

Hardesty pursed dubious lips. “Are you ac-
gion—or as close as they come to it. Which,”

quainted with Dr. Asa Dexter?”

he added, “isn’t very close. A simbatu is more

“No—not really. I’ve met him. We’ve been
than an ally in time of war, but a simbatu is
introduced. That’s all.”

certainly that. And a tachibatu is the opposite.

“Dr. Dexter is not just a physician. He is a

An hereditary enemy.”

healer. He doesn’t just treat ailments and in-

“Can a tachibatu become a simbatu?”

juries. He ministers to the sick and the afflict-

“Only by dying in combat. Then everyone
ed. He effects cures. That isn’t just his
who owed allegiance to him swears fealty to
profession. That is his calling.”

his conqueror. They must earn his trust—two

“A dedicated idealist,” Yulix summarized.

or three generations who render faithful ser-

He’d have used the same tone of voice if he’d
vice might accomplish that—but they are for-
been accusing Dexter of a despicable perver-
mer tachibatu who, at least in theory, have
sity.

became simbatu.”

20

J. T. SHARRAH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Hardesty absorbed this information in si-
luxury that deep spacers like Yulix rarely ex-
lence. The conversation lay like a fallen kite.

perienced. Going for a swim when he made

Yulix sighed and tried to marshal his clarity.

planetfall wasn’t advisable. All sorts of critters

How to make Hardesty understand?

lived in or near lakes, streams, and seashores.

Yulix said: “If a Shagast—an overlord—like

The natives knew which ones were danger-

Korbix were to capture an tachibatu, what
ous. Visiting Terrans did not.

you do suppose he’d do with the prisoner?”

Hardesty had been surreptitiously keeping

“Torture him?”

track of Yulix’s whereabouts. Yulix could, no

“In a way. He’d be disgraced. Dishonored.

doubt, have evaded the mayor’s eye-spies, se-

Humiliated. He’d be put on public exhibition
curity cams, and snooper drones if he had so
and kept alive as long as possible. He’d be
desired—a smuggler who couldn’t move by
force-fed and compelled to drink. He’d be al-
stealth wasn’t very adept at his profession—
lowed no privacy for these bodily functions or
but Yulix understood Hardesty’s motivation,
for any others.” Yulix gave Hardesty a glance
didn’t disapprove, and did nothing to jinx the
of inquiry. “Do you see? The treatment Kadija
snitches and tattletales that were shadowing
is getting from you is no different than the tor-
him.

ment that an Umabari would inflict on a hated

And so it came as no surprise to Yulix that
adversary. Do you really think Korbix will for-

Hardesty knew exactly where to find him, and
give you for that?”

it came as no surprise to Hardesty that Yulix
was to be found in the swimming pool. That

9.

was where Yulix had been spending much of

A bubble forty meters in diameter.

his time.

Haven’s zero-gee swimming pool wasn’t re-

Yulix was in the center of the bubble—
ally the engineering marvel that it seemed to
floating on the water and flippering his hands
be. The tank was merely a globe of transpar-
just vigorously enough to keep from f loating
ent quartzite containing approximately 26,000
off the water—when a com servo splashed
kiloliters of water. Access to it was provided
into the air pocket and remained hovering
by airlocks. Once inside, you swam or floated
about a meter from his head. Hardesty’s voice
until you could no longer hold your breath.

emerged from it: “I’ve just received a call from

Then you didn’t surface. You couldn’t. In the Dr. Dexter. Kadija is conscious. Please meet
absence of gravity, there was no surface.

me in the hospital ASAP.”

When your lungs started to complain, you
headed toward the center of the sphere. At a

10.

distance of about fourteen meters from the

Kadija hadn’t awakened from a nightmare.

periphery, you emerged into a hollow shell

He’d awakened into one.

where normal respiration could be resumed.

Oblivion gradually yielded to a twilight

The air couldn’t escape from this cavity be-
muzziness. He’d regained some of his senses—
cause a bubble is unable to rise in a liquid
especially smell and taste—but his vision was
when no up or down exists.

blurred and he had a headache that felt as if his

It was big, but apart from that, constructing
brain was blistered. He jolted alert in sudden
it presented no special difficulties. The air and
panic when he realized that he was being mo-
water purif ication systems associated with it
lested. His mouth was open. An instrument
were actually more of an engineering chal-
had been inserted between his lips—some
lenge than the pool itself. Hardesty was well
sort of miniature ladle containing soup that he
aware of that. Maintaining this jumbo drop of
was being compelled to swallow. From the af-
water was one of the duties of the mayor’s of-
tertaste, he deduced that this was only one of
fice. Two of his staffers did very little else.

many repetitions. Evidently, the same abuse

Of all the amenities that Haven had to offer,
had been inflicted on him multiple times.

the swimming pool was Yulix’s favorite. The

He was astonished to discover that he was
water reclamation system aboard the Wander-
unrestrained. No manacles secured his hands
lust was remarkably eff icient and allowed or feet. A serious oversight. Leaving him un-Yulix to keep himself immaculately clean, but
fettered while they violated him was an error
total immersion in a body of water was a
he would make his captors regret.

MALNUTRITION

21

ANALOG

Kadija heaved himself upright, jack-knifing
turned to Hardesty and explained: “All of this
his body into a sitting position. He unsheathed
is much lewder than it sounds in Terran Stan-
his claws. A single savage blow beheaded his
dard. He isn’t just calling us ‘bottom feeders.’

tormentor.

He’s using the most vulgar term for ‘feed’ that

That, at least, is what he meant to do.

the Umabari have. It’s an obscenity under any

He failed.

circumstances. Expressed this way, it’s an ob-

Atrophied muscles refused to obey him.

scenity cubed. And when he vows to slice you

The room seesawed as he tried to sit up, his
into fish bait, he’s saying that you’re an eater
bones felt hollow, his arms were as slack as
who deserves to be eaten. Not just you. Me,
wet noodles, and the killing strike he intended
too. You, me—all of us. We’re vermin who oc-
to deliver was a lazy, slow-motion swipe, easi-
cupy the lowest link in the food chain.”

ly evaded and incapable of doing damage even

Hardesty looked at Kadija as if Kadija had
if it had landed.

just told him a joke with an incomprehensible

Startled but unscathed, his persecutor scut-
punch line. He queried Yulix: “Do they have a
tled backward out of reach. His attempted
word for ‘fool’?”

pursuit was a slapstick farce of bumbles and

“Several.”

pratfalls. The effort required to stand drained

“Choose the most insulting. Ask him why
him of what little strength he had. He took
his father sent such a fool to negotiate with
two bobble-kneed steps, struggling for bal-
us.”

ance, but communication between his mind

Yulix blinked. “But Korbix didn’t send Kadi-and body had been discontinued. His legs
ja to negotiate with us. We’re not simbatu.”

wouldn’t support him. He sank to the f loor

“I understand. Go ahead.”

and lay there like a discarded doll.

“I hope you know what you’re doing.” Yulix

Reinforcements arrived. Kadija fought
whispered. “People don’t talk to high-ranking them, but he was as feeble as a broken

Umabari that way.”

promise. They had no trouble subduing him.

“Then it’s high time someone did. Tell him

Their former mistake was not repeated. His
what I said. Make it strong.”

arms and legs were bound. A harness

Yulix obeyed and braced for a response that
wrapped around his thorax limited his range
would register at least 8.1 on the Richter scale.

of movement and kept him in a reclining posi-

It did not materialize. Kadija was staring at
tion.

Hardesty in blank-faced amazement, stunned

By the time Hardesty and Yulix got there,
that anyone—much less an upstart Terran—

Kadija had remembered where he was and
would have the effrontery to address him so
who these creatures were. Presumably, the
disrespectfully.

welcome he’d received from the Haveners had

Not bad, Yulix admitted, reluctantly giving been an elaborate pretense—a deception that

Hardesty his due. Hardesty’s deliberate rude-
had lulled his suspicions and facilitated his
ness had shocked Kadija into shutting his
capture. He had vague recollections of Hard-
mouth and opening his ears. Not bad.

esty. He recognized Yulix, wasn’t pleased to

“Tell him,” Hardesty continued, “that igno-
see him. He proceeded to tell them what he
rance of one’s own ignorance is the mark of a
thought of them.

fool. He has been comatose for many days. He

In his role as Kadija’s interpreter, Yulix said:

doesn’t know what has happened to him.

“Very bad profanity. Hard to translate. Con-

That being so, his behavior is very foolish.”

temptible scum. Despicable curs. Vile bottom

Kadija glared at Hardesty but did not reply.

feeders. You are beneath speaking to, but

His manner suggested that Hardesty deserved
there’s no other way to express his scorn for
no reply. Speaking directly to Yulix, he said:

you. He promises to kill you and slice you into

“Where is Izundu?”

fish bait. He will use your skull for a chamber

“Dead. He was killed trying to protect you.”

pot. Your grandchildren’s great-grandchildren

Kadija scowled. “Leaving me without an in-
will speak of your fate with horror. They will
terpreter.”

shudder at the memory of your death throes.”

Yulix thought: You needn’t make him

Kadija spat on the f loor at Hardesty’s feet
sound like such a shirker. He said: “I will at-and subsided into a smoldering silence. Yulix
tempt to function in that capacity.”

22

J. T. SHARRAH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

If Kadija was grateful to Yulix for his will-
like a rabid animal. “You knew!” he sputtered.

ingness to serve, he gave no sign of it. He was,

“Don’t bother to deny it. You damn well knew
in fact, disgruntled. Communication through
what effect that drug would have.”

an unreliable spokesman like Yulix was the

“I didn’t know—not for certain. I suspect-
predicament he’d hoped to avoid by relying
ed. I was reasonably sure. It must have been
on Izundu.

lethal as hell. One pill. One swallow. One dead

Kadija indicated Hardesty with a head jerk.

Umabari. Instantaneous. Wow and goodbye.”

“This owiri shimoosu is obnoxious beyond be-

Hardesty’s fists were clenched. “Why didn’t
lief.”

you tell us?”

“You are by no means the only person who

“I did,” Yulix protested. “I told you that Um-
thinks so.”

abari consider eating obscene. I told you that

“Is he speaking the truth?”

what Dexter had done to him would be seen

“Imadi.”

by Kadija as a permanent blot on his es-

“I’ve been unconscious?”

cutcheon.”

“Imadi.”

“On his what?”

“For days?”

The historical novels that Hardesty favored

“Imadi.”

featured saltwater mariners, not knights in

“Then you’d better brief me. Tell me what
shining armor. If Yulix had used the word

I’ve missed.”

“gage,” Hardesty would have thought he was

Hardesty had, of course, anticipated this re-
talking about the weather gage, not an iron
quest and had memorized a response to it. He
gauntlet. Yulix said: “His honor had been ir-
now delivered his recitation, succinctly sum-
reparably besmirched. Put it that way. I told
marizing the events that had occurred since
you that, and I told you he’d be unwilling to
the shooting, and Yulix rendered it into Um-
live with such shame.” Yulix shrugged, dis-
abari for Kadija’s benefit. Kadija listened with
claiming responsibility. “How many times do
dismay. His rage gradually diminished. His con-
you have to be told? When Kadija asked for
sternation rapidly increased. These degenerate
the tablet but did not ask for privacy in which mubirku had obviously been doing what they
to consume it, alarm bells should have been
thought best. They didn’t realize that their
ringing in the back of your mind. When he ate
ministrations had def iled him beyond any
it right in front of you, what the hell did you
hope of redemption. They had saved his life,
think he was doing?”

but their methods had left him with no life

“And you just stood there and did nothing
worth living.

to prevent it.” Hardesty gave Yulix a look that

“This,” Hardesty concluded, “is Dr. Asa Dex-
could have sliced him in half. “You’ve been
ter. He is a physician. He has been caring for
convinced all along that we should let Kadija
you.”

die.”

Dexter was carrying a satchel with which

“An opinion that was obviously shared by

Kadija was familiar. “We took this from your

Kadija himself. If you ask me, he has ex-
ship,” Dexter said. “It contains surgical instru-
pressed that opinion in a manner that is pretty
ments and perhaps f ifty vials of medicine.

damn emphatic.”

We’ve analyzed the drugs and identified some

“I didn’t ask you,” Hardesty snarked.

of them—more than half. As for the others . . .

“Maybe you should. Did I or did I not accu-
well, their chemical composition has been de-
rately predict how Kadija would react? Some
termined, but I don’t really know what they
of the other space nomads could advise you,
are or which ones would be helpful to you.

but none of them are in port at the moment

Would you be so kind as to enlighten us?”

and none of them have been dealing with the

“I’ll be happy to oblige,” Kadija said.

Umabari as long as I have. Like it or not, I’m
your local expert on the Umabari. Maybe you

11.

should ask me—for any insights I can offer, Hardesty was seething with fury. The veins
for any recommendations I can make, for any
in his temples were swollen and bulging. His
guidance I can give.”

eyes had fossilized to flints. He aimed a trem-

Hardesty glittered a glare at Yulix. “Your
bling finger of accusation at Yulix and snarled
guidance would be gratefully accepted—if

MALNUTRITION

23

ANALOG
you were trustworthy. But you’re not. You’ve
but it was remarkably effective. Even so, Yulix
just proved that.”

would be committing suicide just as surely as

“What was I supposed to do?” Yulix upend-

Kadija had if Yulix exposed himself for anoth-
ed his palms in a gesture of helplessness. “The
er ten years to cosmic ray bombardment. He’d

Umabari have no prohibition against suicide.

be compelled to quit in half that time. He

None. Any Umabari is at liberty to end his
knew it, was disinclined to undertake any voy-
life—at any time for any reason or for no rea-
age from which he couldn’t milk maximum
son at all. I didn’t have the right to interfere.

profits.

Neither did you.”

That was why—with every nerve twitching

Hardesty dismissed him with a backhanded
and every instinct urging him to make himself
gesture that was almost, but not quite, insult-
scarce—he was still on Haven when the secu-
ing. “Go on. Get out. You’re worse than use-
rity guards came for him.

less. You could make yourself useful, but you

“I’m under arrest?”

won’t. I can’t depend on you to tell me the

“You are.”

truth, and I’d be a damn fool to believe you

“On what charge?”

even if you did.”

“Aiding and abetting an assassin.”

“What have I told you that was false?” Yulix

Yulix pressed a button on a remote control.

spread his hands, demonstrating that they

The robosteves who were loading his newly
were empty. “Nothing,” he alleged. “I’ve told
acquired cargo came to an abrupt halt. “Okay.”

you nothing that was untrue. But I can’t make

He fumbled with another control and the
you listen. I can’t make you hear me when you
hatch to the cargo bay shut itself. “Let’s go.”

don’t want to hear.”

Yulix did an abrupt about-face and strode

13.

toward the door. It slid aside into a sand-

“. . . Everett’s wife and kids,” Hardesty was
wiched recess. He gave Hardesty a backward
saying. “I assumed all along that he did it for
glance and said: “I should have known better.

their benef it. ” His eyebrows became

Advice is always wasted. The people who can
pothooks of inquiry. “But where’s the money?

distinguish between good advice and bad ad-

Joyce Everett is no more prosperous than she
vice don’t need advice.”

ever was—and she’s never been all that pros-
perous. The Everetts aren’t exactly impover-

12.

ished, but they’re not well-to-do either. Some

The Wanderlust’s cargo bay was empty.

free traders thrive. Others just get by. Boris

Yulix was both happy and unhappy about

Everett is one of the others. He’s definitely no
that.

Leopold Yulix—not by a long shot. He isn’t

All of the trade goods he’d brought to
rich. His ship isn’t outfitted with all the latest

Haven had been sold at a handsome profit.

gizmos. He makes a living, but no more than

But . . .

that.” Hardesty templed his f ingers. Address-

He’d been unable to replenish his stock. A
ing a nonexistent congregation, he said:

trader who doesn’t know when he’ll be leav-

“Everett has been thoroughly examined by our
ing or where he’ll be going can’t plan intelli-
prison medics. They confirm that putting him
gently.

on trial for attempted murder would be an

And now?

elaborate exercise in futility. He has been sen-

He was anxious to be gone, but reluctant to
tenced to death by two decades of star-faring.

depart with no wares in his hold and nothing

He’ll live another three months—six at most.

to sell but information. He had plenty of that, And when he’s gone? His family won’t be any
of course. More precisely, his promise to with-
better off than they were before.” Hardesty
hold certain information should prove a pearl
raised his hands in a gesture of resignation. “It
of great price on Umabar. But still . . .

goes without saying that he has no life insur-

How much longer could he continue to
ance. Who would issue a policy to a space no-
spacehop? Another f ive years? Maybe. Just
mad? An egg in a skillet has a better chance of
maybe. If he was lucky. For such a small ship,
not getting fried.”

the Wanderlust generated a powerful magnet-Yulix didn’t respond—primarily because
ic shield. It didn’t have an escutcheon on it,

Hardesty had said nothing requir ing a

24

J. T. SHARRAH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
response. He hadn’t told Yulix anything that

“No. It won’t. It can’t. There is no additional

Yulix didn’t already know, and Yulix could
evidence. What’s more, I can prove it.”

pretty much guess what conclusion Hard-

Hardesty looked dubious. “You can prove a
esty was going to reach. Yulix might as well
negative? Congratulations. You’ve solved a
wait until he reached it before offering a re-
problem that has engaged the perplexity of
buttal.

philosophers for centuries. How very clever

Hardesty shook a f inger, wagging it back
of you.”

and forth like the pendulum of a metronome.

“Boris Everett. He knows I’m innocent. He

“The money,” he reiterated. “I couldn’t find it.

can corroborate it.”

Not so much as a single credit. At least, not at

“Perhaps he can. But will he? Everett hasn’t
first. And then I remembered that I was deal-
spoken a word since he was captured.”

ing with a space nomad. Boris Everett isn’t as

“He isn’t talking because you’ve given him
slick an operator as you are, but he’s an expe-
no reason to talk. As far as he’s concerned, the
rienced smuggler—no stranger to methods of
less said, the better. We need to offer him an
transferring funds surreptitiously. Numbered
incentive. Bait,” Yulix smurred. “I’ll need
accounts, for instance. It seems that someone
some bait. I can hook him for you, and I can
matching Everett’s description recently estab-
get myself off the hook, but the hook will
lished a numbered account at one of Haven’s
have to be properly baited.”

larger financial institutions. His name isn’t on

Hardesty’s expression was wary. “What did
it. Neither is his wife’s. It is a trust fund. And
you have in mind?”

can you guess who it’s been entrusted to?”

Hardesty’s eyes and mouth widened in child-

14.

like shock. He was like an actor in a silent

“This conversation is being recorded.” Yulix
movie, deliberately exaggerating for the cam-
spoke with the condescension of a man im-
era. “Can you? Who does Everett trust to man-
parting information any fool would know. “I
age his trust fund?”

presume you were already aware of that. If

“Me.”

not, you should have been. The walls have

“Kind of like getting a fox to guard a chick-
ears. And eyes. So do the ceiling fixtures, the
en coop, isn’t it?”

ventilation ducts, and I’m guessing that the

Yulix might have found this remark more
chair in which you’re sitting has an acute
amusing if he’d known that Hardesty was visu-
sense of hearing.”

alizing Wylie Coyote stalking Foghorn

Boris Everett remained silent, but it was a

Leghorn. As it was, he didn’t appreciate the
companionable silence that encouraged Yulix
comparison. He said: “Who better than a fox
to continue. He was paying heed—watching
to outfox other foxes?”

Yulix’s lips as though waiting for Yulix to mis-

Hardesty’s smile was grim. “Unless I’m mis-
pronounce a word. That alone was more of a
taken, this particular fox has outfoxed him-
reaction than Hardesty had ever gotten from
self.”

him.

“You are mistaken. I was not an accessory

“I’ve come to tell you that I’ll be unable to
to the attempt on Kadija’s life.”

serve as the executor of Joyce’s estate.”

“The successful attempt,” Hardesty quib-

Everett’s eyes narrowed to slits, but he still
bled. “It wouldn’t be fair to say that the at-
didn’t speak.

tempt succeeded because of you, but you

“It’s not that I’m unwilling,” Yulix assured
were never in favor of trying to save Kadija,
him. “When I say ‘unable,’ that’s what I mean.

and you didn’t lift a f inger to keep him from

Blame Hardesty—not me.”

killing himself.”

Everett sat like an actor smitten with amne-

“That doesn’t make me an assassin—or an
sia, his mouth shut but eyes alert, speed-read-
assassin’s accomplice.”

ing the air as though searching an invisible

“Not in and of itself—no. But combined
text for an appropriate response.

with the link to the money . . . that constitutes

“You have a numbered account,” said Yulix.

sufficient grounds to detain you. An investiga-

“Hardesty can’t prove that the money in it is
tion will, no doubt, reveal additional evidence
the payment you received for killing Kadija,
incriminating you.”

but it’s a reasonable inference. The account

MALNUTRITION

25

ANALOG
contained only the minimum balance until
much time left. But the time—such as it is—

Kadija was shot. A substantial deposit was
doesn’t have to be unpleasant.”

made soon afterward. Attempts to trace the

Everett did not reply, but the ambience in
depositor have failed. It was done through in-
the room had undergone a subtle change. His
termediaries and stooges—a guy who did a fa-
recalcitrant silence had somehow become a si-
vor for a guy who was another guy’s second
lence of compliance. It implied acceptance,
cousin twice removed. A whole chain of guys-
not refusal.

who-knew-other-guys, but none of these guys

“We might as well begin at the beginning,”

seem to have known the guy who was behind

Yulix prompted. “I’ll tell my part of the story.

it. They just did as they’d been told. The mon-

I’m hoping you’ll confirm that I’m telling the
ey, though.” Yulix held a f inger aloft for em-truth.” He beamed at Everett like a benign
phasis. “That must have been here — on
sun. “All right?”

Haven—all along. Some kind of a dummy ac-

Taking silence for agreement, Yulix contin-
count—not unlike the account you estab-
ued: “It must have been . . . what? Two years
lished to receive the funds. If we could follow
ago? Yes. More or less. I was on Umabar. Izun-
the trail all the way back, who do you suppose
du approached me with a request. Voltuk—
we’d f ind at the end of it? I’m betting we’d
one of Korbix’s senior simbatu—approached
f ind Izundu. His very f irst trip to Haven. He
me with a request. He was acting as the
made a tidy profit. I suspect he banked it. He,
spokesman for Korbix. Could I recommend a
too, was only obeying instructions. He

Terran for an extremely hazardous job? The
couldn’t have foreseen the purpose that those
compensation, I was assured, would be gener-
funds would serve.”

ous, but the chances of survival were slim.

Yulix subsided into a conspicuous patience,

Very slim. Almost nonexistent. I gave the mat-inviting Everett to comment. Everett didn’t ac-
ter some thought. Your name came to mind.

cept the invitation.

Maybe you’d be willing. After all, you didn’t

Yulix said: “Hardesty has frozen all of your
have much to lose. I put Voltuk in touch with
assets. No one will have access to your ac-
you.” Addressing the hidden microphones,
count—not Joyce and not me. Especially not Yulix added: “And that was the extent of my
me. I’ll be in prison. Hardesty’s going to prose-
involvement. I didn’t know what the assign-
cute me.” He crooked a f inger, pointing to
ment was. I didn’t know whether or not
himself. “I’m the only person who can touch

Everett had accepted it.”

the blood money. As such, I’m a co-conspira-

Everett gave a nod of verif ication. “That’s
tor. Or so Hardesty believes, and—thanks to
right,” he said.

you—he has enough evidence to make that
charge plausible.”

15.

Everett remained mute, his face a neutral

“You asked the key question,” Yulix ac-
mask, but the mind behind it was active, turn-
knowledged. “What was Kadija doing here?

ing and twisting like a frightened f ish. He

His father wouldn’t have sent him. Haven has
sensed that the net was closing around him
nothing that Korbix wants.”

and he was seeking an avenue of escape.

“He wants to do business here,” Hardesty

“Here’s the deal, Boris. In return for a full
retorted. He emphasized the word “here” by
confession, Hardesty will release your funds
giving the surface of his desk a sharp rap. It
and—if your testimony exonerates me—I will
was almost as if he were knocking for admit-
be permitted to manage them for you. I can
tance.

give the whole sum to Joyce. I can invest the

Or, Yulix thought, knocking on wood. Not money and give the proceeds to Joyce. I can
that Hardesty’s desk was made of wood. Al-
create a trust fund for your children and ap-
most everything on Haven had been synthe-
point Joyce as the administrator. Whatever
sized. If Hardesty wanted to knock on wood,
you want. You, of course, are dying, but you
he’d have to import a wooden object to knock
needn’t die in a jail cell. If you cooperate,
on.

you’ll be placed under house arrest. You’ll

Yulix fluttered his right hand—a vacillating
spend the rest of your life surrounded by your
gesture that meant both yes and no. “Only in
family. I won’t try to kid you. You don’t have
the sense that he wants his subordinates to do

26

J. T. SHARRAH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
business here. Umabari of Korbix’s class don’t

Astrakun. For that you need some real clout, engage in commerce. They leave disagreeable
and there was none to be had on Umabar.”

drudgery like that to underlings.”

“And so . . . ?” Hardesty prompted.

“Izundu.”

“And so Kadija did the unthinkable. He in-

“Or me. Or you. Merchants. Politicians.

tended to make overtures to non-Umabari. To

Crooks. Cooks. Other lowlifes.”

non-simbatu. Outrageous. Scandalous. With-

Hardesty scratched his chin thoughtfully.

out parallel.”

“So Kadija wasn’t doing his father’s bidding.”

One eyebrow rose, making a circumflex ac-

“Far from it. Kadija came to Haven without
cent above Hardesty’s left eye. “Let me get this

Korbix’s permission. But not without Korbix’s straight. It wasn’t a breach of etiquette for knowledge.”

Kadija to overthrow his father—or at least for

“Korbix was spying on Kadija?”

him to attempt it—but it was a breach of eti-

“Not Korbix. Izundu. Like so many diplo-
quette for him to seek outside help. Correct?”

mats, Izundu doubled as a spy. He’d made sev-

“It was certainly unprecedented. I imagine
eral trips to Haven—legitimate business trips,
it would be considered a breach of etiquette if to be sure—but he was also gathering infor-anyone had ever done it. But no one had. No
mation. He must have been astonished when
one had even thought of doing such a thing.”

Kadija announced that he’d be accompanying

“So it may or may not have been wrong, but

Izundu the next time Izundu went to Haven.

it was definitely unorthodox.”

He couldn’t refuse—Umabari of Izundu’s rank

“To put it mildly.”

just don’t refuse requests from Umabari of

“And the punishment for it was death.”

Kadija’s rank—but Izundu’s fealty was to Kor-

“Yes.”

bix, not to Korbix’s son. I’m sure Izundu kept

Hardesty’s face was clouded with puzzle-

Korbix well informed.”

ment. “But why the elaborate charade? Hired

“Didn’t Kadija realize that?”

assassins. Secret accounts. Stealth and skull-

“Maybe not. Aristocrats have a tendency
duggery. If Kadija deserved to die, why didn’t
to disregard their social inferiors. In ancient

Korbix just go ahead and have him executed?”

Rome, patricians would routinely discuss

“Because Kadija didn’t deserve to die. Not highly conf idential matters within earshot
yet.” Yulix scrubbed his hands in an imaginary
of their slaves. They were so unimportant
basin and offered them for inspection. No
that their presence was simply ignored. The
bloodstains were visible. “Korbix doesn’t actu-
slaves, I mean. Not the patricians. We treat
ally wear a crown,” he said, “but if he did,
robots the same way. We’re constantly giv-
he’d have no qualms about eliminating a rival
ing verbal orders to robots, but we behave
who tried to take it from him. A potential rival
as though the y’re deaf when we aren’t
who might try to take it but who hadn’t yet speaking directly to them. They can, of
made the attempt . . . that’s different. A pre
course, repeat whatever they hear verba-
emptive strike would be . . .” Yulix faltered,
tim.”

searching for the word he wanted.

Hardesty nodded in agreement. Robotic tes-

“Unethical?” Hardesty proposed.

timony was not only allowed in Haven’s courts

“More like unsportsmanlike. Underhanded.

of law but had been the deciding factor in

Contrary to accepted standards of behavior.”

more than one legal dispute.

“It would have left a blot on Korbix’s es-

Yulix paused to gather his thoughts. Then:

cutcheon,” Hardesty summarized.

“Korbix controls an association of simbatu

“So it would.”

that is well established and unswervingly loy-

Yulix couldn’t suppress a smile. Hardesty
al. A young Umabari seeking allies of his own
was pronouncing the term correctly and using
won’t f ind many recruits among Korbix’s re-
it properly. Had Hardesty gone to the trouble
tainers.”

of consulting the linguistic archives? Yulix

“Kadija was ambitious?”

saluted Hardesty with a perky foref inger and

“And defiant. Yes. If you think of him as a re-said: “But if Kadija were killed by a Terran
bellious teenager, you won’t be far astray. But
while conspiring with Terrans against his fa-challenging parental authority isn’t easy when
ther . . . You see? Korbix could blame you. His
your parent is the Shagast of the Xuchutu
escutcheon would remain stainless.”

MALNUTRITION

27

ANALOG

“Unless Everett talked.”

whatever the traff ic will bear. The sum you

“Or I did. I, too, could implicate Korbix.”

extort will, I trust, make you wealthy—more

Hardesty gave Yulix a look of reappraisal.

than rich enough to retire surrounded by all

“That’s where you were going, wasn’t it?

the necessities of life. And lots of the super-

When I had you arrested. You were bound for
fluities as well.”

Umabar. You intended to confront Korbix.”

“Retire? Here? On Haven?” Yulix sounded as

“Not directly. I doubt if I could obtain an au-
if the concept had just occurred to him. He
dience with Korbix himself.”

gave no indication that bringing his career to

Hardesty pursed his lips in thought. “Izundu
an end had been much on his mind lately.

was . . . what? Korbix’s vizier? His seneschal?”

“Where else?”

“Sanjhil. Izundu’s official title was ‘sanjhil.’”

“And if I should meet with a fatal accident,

“Okay. Korbix must have a new sanjhil.

or if a catastrophe happens to strike the

Why can’t you put the squeeze on him?”

colony that I call home . . .”

Yulix feigned shock. “Are you recommend-

“. . . the proof of Korbix’s guilt will be made
ing that I blackmail the Shagast of the Xuchutu
public.”

Astrakun?”

Yulix sat back in his chair and eyed Hard-

“Damn right,” Hardesty growled. “I’ll even
esty curiously. He might have been examining
supply the proper tool for the job. I’ll give you
the plumage of a rare and exotic bird. “As the
a duplicate of Everett’s recorded confession.

instigator of a blackmail scheme,” he said,

Use it to strike a bargain with Izundu’s re-

“your reputation as mayor would be at risk.

placement. Agree to keep quiet for . . . well,

What’s to keep me from blackmailing you?”

I’m not sure what your silence is worth. How

Hardesty shrugged and smiled. “We’ll dou-
much hush money will Korbix be willing
ble-cross that bridge when we come to it,” he
to pay? Use your own judgment. Charge
said. ■

28

J. T. SHARRAH

BIOLOG Richard A. Lovett

J.T. Sharrah
ah
y Sharr

. T. Sharrah (John to his friends) is a man
whose life has come full circle—though

Mary
it took several decades to do so. When

Jhe was 11,on a summer visit to his
grandmother’s, a record-breaking Midwestern
heat wave stranded him indoors as health au-

Photo b
thorities issued dire warnings about the midday
heat. “Hospitals were busy treating heat-stroke
victims,” he says. “Radio stations were broad-
casting warnings to remain indoors. For all
practical purposes, I was under house arrest, at
least until the sun had set.”

Bored, the normally outdoorsy boy found a
tattered copy of Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle. He skills in North Korea. “At the time, Americans
sampled a few pages . . . and was quickly en-
were not permitted in North Korea,” he says,
thralled. Evening came and with it his release to

“and these people were the only ones who had
go outside, but still he read. Then dinner and a
ever been invited. It was the only eyewitness
bedtime he ignored, face plastered to the book
account of North Korea for many years.”

until dawn finally brought the final chapter.

Then, at age 52, he retired from everything

“This was my first encounter with a work of fic-
else and devoted himself to full-time writing.

tion so compelling I was powerless to resist,”

He’d already sold a story to Analog in 1993. He he says, adding it was also the start of a desire
sold another in 2004. This month’s story, “Mal-
to someday wield similar magic himself.

nutrition,” is his fourth and unlikely to be his

He majored in journalism at the University of
last. He’s also written three novels and is look-

Colorado (UC), intending to pursue a newspa-
ing for an agent. “It’s starting to come togeth-
per or magazine career. But it was 1969 and the
er,” he says, “rather late in life, but it is.”

Vietnam War was in full swing. “I was draft-eli-

Like many multi-career writers, he thinks his
gible and nobody would hire me,” he says. (At
prior endeavors helped. Journalism, for exam-
that time, draft-age men could be called up any-
ple, imposed a discipline that transcends re-
time, on short notice.) The only place he could
porting. History gave a perspective he can use
get a job was at the local Holiday Inn as a book-
as a springboard for science fiction. “If you
keeper—a career he pursued with minor inter-
think about our ability to create hypothetical sit-
ruptions for the next three decades. (Ironically,
uations that don’t actually exist and perform
he never did get drafted.)

thought experiments within that framework,”

But the outdoorsy, active boy remained inter-
he says, “that’s what you’re doing as you look
ested in physical fitness. He took up taekwondo,
backward as an historian. You want to adhere to
eventually earning a fourth-degree black belt
the facts, but you’re nevertheless creating a sce-
and serving as head instructor at UC. He earned
nario of that kind. [And] that’s what you’re do-
a masters in Greek and Roman history and
ing in science fiction. History taught me how.”

taught ancient history at the university until get-

History is also why he publishes under his ini-
ting fed up with academic politics (“a real
tials, rather than his full name. During his career snakepit”) and returning to hotel bookkeeping.

as an historian, he wrote academic articles under

He also did some freelancing—in one case
his full name, and he doesn’t want confusion.

writing for Karate Illustrated about six Ameri-

“Even I find [those] articles dull,” he says. Besides, can taekwondo artists invited to exhibit their
he notes, “My dad tended to call me J.T.” ■

29

Science Fact

Orbits to

Order

Stanley Schmidt
cience fiction—and real astronomy—
stays above the same point on Earth’s surface
are full of orbits: planets going around
at all times. How far above the surface? Since
stars, and satellites both natural and ar-
such satellites are already in routine use, many

Stificial going around planets (or bigger people know that it’s about 22,000 miles.But satellites). As most Analog readers well know, why is that?

these orbits are produced and controlled by

And what if you wanted a kind of orbit that
gravity. Stable ones are elliptical or circular (a
unaided nature can’t provide—like a synchro-
special case of elliptical with zero eccentrici-
nous orbit at some other altitude, or a satellite
ty), and their parameters are strictly deter-
that goes around much faster (or slower) than
mined by the gravitational attraction between
it could in a natural orbit?

the primary (the massive body around which

The physicist’s (or astronomer’s) answer
a less massive one orbits) and the less massive
right now is, “Sorry; no can do.” Given the
secondary or orbiter.1
mass of the primary, an orbit at a particular al-

Suppose, for example, you want to put a
titude can only have the period dictated by
satellite in a synchronous orbit around Earth—

Newton’s laws. An orbit with a specified peri-
very useful for things like surveillance and
od can only exist at the allowed altitude.

communication. “Synchronous” means the

But science fiction folk are in the business
satellite’s period of revolution is the same as
of asking “What if ?” and working out the con-
the Earth’s period of rotation, so the satellite
sequences. So what would it take to produce

1 Actually it’s a bit more complicated, but for many practical purposes we can ignore the complication.

A more precise statement is that both bodies orbit the center of mass of the system they compose. The center of mass is halfway between the bodies if their masses are equal, and closer to the primary if they aren’t. In many cases, such as a planet orbiting a much bigger star, or a space station orbiting the Earth, the mass difference is large and the center of mass is so close to the center of the primary that the difference is negligible. We get a very good approximation by just considering it to be at the center, with the secondary orbiting that.

30

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
a “forced orbit” with different parameters
r = GM/ v 2 .

(3)

than gravity alone can provide? What might
such things be good for, and what other prop-

Note that these results are independent of
erties might they have? And is there any
m. Since both the required centripetal force chance that it could ever actually be done?

and the available gravitational force are pro-
portional to m, it appears as a multiplier on A Few Basics as Background
both sides of Equation (1) and “cancels out.”

Before considering what forced orbits

So any object in an orbit of radius r will have might be like, let’s look at what we’re trying to
the same orbital speed v (as long as m is much modify: a simple, natural, circular orbit pro-smaller than M).

duced by gravity alone—an “unforced orbit.”

To show how it works in a practical case,

I’ll acknowledge up front that this will neces-
let’s do the numbers for that very useful syn-
sarily involve a little math, but I think you’ll
chronous orbit around Earth, for which a
find that it’s not too bad.

handy reference book or a few keystrokes will

Contrary to an impression that some people
tell us M = 5.97E24 kg.

have gotten from poorly taught or poorly un-

We’ll also need to know v, and at f irst
derstood science courses, a circular orbit does
glance, that may seem like a serious obstacle
not involve a balance of two forces, centrifu-because we don’t. However, we do know that
gal and centripetal. There’s only one force, the
its period T (the time it takes to make one centripetal (meaning “toward the center”).

complete revolution) is one day, and that in

What’s sometimes miscalled “centrifugal
that time it travels one circumference of the
force” is simply the natural tendency of any
circle, or 2π r. Thus v = 2π r/ T, and if we sub-object to continue moving in a straight line at
stitute that in Eq. (2) we get
constant speed unless acted on by some exter-
nal force. Bending that path into a circle of ra-

2π r/ T = sqrt ( GM/ r).

dius r, with the mass m moving at speed v along the circle, requires an acceleration v2/ r Squaring both sides of that gives
toward the center, and that in turn requires a
centripetal force mv2/ r.

4π2 r2/ T2 = GM/ r,

In the case of a mass m in orbit around a
much larger mass M, this centripetal force is and a little rearrangement leads to
the gravitational force GMm/ r2, where G is the universal gravitational constant, 6.67E-11
r3 = GMT2/(4π2).

m3kg-1 sec-3. So we get the equation

Putting in the numbers for our synchronous
mv2/ r = GMm/ r2, (1) orbit around Earth,3 we find
and if we know r, we can easily solve for the r3 = 7.53E22 m3.

corresponding v:

Finding cube roots used to be much harder
v = sqrt (GM/r).

(2)2
than f inding square roots, but we now have
plenty of easy ways, such as raising the radi-

Or, if we know v, we can solve for r: cand to the 1/3 power on a pocket calculator.

Doing that here gives

2

For any readers who might not be familiar with this notation, “sqrt” means “square root of,” and

“6.67E-11” means “6.67 x 10-11.”

3

All these equations assume measurements are in mks units: lengths in meters, masses in kilograms, and times in seconds. This isn’t really necessary; you can use any units, as long as you also include any necessary conversion factors, write all units, and do all operations on the units as well as the numbers to be sure you’ve done it right. However, when I was formally teaching physics I found that many students balked at doing this. So unless you’ve already formed the habit, it’s probably safest just to convert everything to mks before you start.

ORBITS TO ORDER

31

ANALOG

How big is the change? We’ll return to that,
r = 4.22E7 m = 26,238 mi.

with some numbers, shortly. First, though, let
me point out an important and potentially use-

Since the Earth’s equatorial radius is 3,963
ful side effect.

mi, this puts our synchronous satellite 22,275

(“about 22,000”) miles up, just as we expect-

An Unexpected Bonus:

ed.

“Artificial Gravity”

Once we know r, we can calculate the or-

One of the things “everybody knows” about
bital speed from Eq. (2): about 3,071 m/sec,
life in orbit is that people in a stably orbiting
or 6,871 mi/hr.

space station are “weightless,” floating freely
within their enclosure. This is fun, I’m told by

Tinkering With Nature
people who have experienced it, after you get

Now that we’ve seen how a nice, natural,
used to it. But it has downsides (no pun in-
circular orbit works, let’s consider how it
tended, he lied), too. People who live under
changes if we add an extra centripetal force.

weightless conditions for long periods suffer

Don’t worry about what provides this force,
physiological changes that make it hard to do
or even whether it’s actually possible; we can
basic things, like walking or even standing up-
give those matters a little thought later. For
right, when they return to Earth’s surface and
now, just suppose that it is possible for some-
full gravity. They can readapt, but wouldn’t it
thing other than the primary’s gravity to exert
be nice if they didn’t have to?

an additional force toward the center.

Why does the problem occur in the f irst

It will be most useful to express this in
place? What’s really different about being on
terms of the acceleration it produces, which
the ground and in orbit? Sure, the gravity is

I’ll call X. Thus the force is mX, and it’s simply smaller in orbit, but it isn’t zero; it’s what
added to the gravitational force, so Equation
makes the orbit possible. At that geosynchro-

(1) becomes
nous orbit I mentioned, it’s more than 2% of
what it is on the surface. The reason astro-
mv2/ r = GMm/ r2 + mX.

nauts (or loose monkey wrenches) on a space
station feel weightless is that Earth’s gravity

As before, m appears as a factor in all terms acts equally4 on all parts of them and the sta-and therefore drops out, so the perturbed or
tion. You can think of all of them as orbiting

“forced” version of Equation (2) becomes
independently in the Earth’s gravity, so noth-
ing is pushing astronaut against hull. On the
v = sqrt ( GM/ r + Xr).

(4)

ground, in contrast, while gravity acts equally
on all parts, trying to pull your whole body to-

If you know r, you can simply plug it into
ward the center of the Earth, the solid ground
this equation and calculate v. You can see
pushes back on your feet with an equal force,
some trends even before doing that. Since the
trying to compress you vertically. That’s what
centripetal force has an added term, v for a you feel as “weight”—and what astronauts in
given r will be larger than it would be without orbit lack.

X—which makes intuitive sense, since with

In an important way, the forced orbits we’re
an added force pushing m inward, it has to trying to imagine would feel more like being
move faster to overcome that push.

on the ground. As in an unforced orbit, the

Unless, of course, X is negative. If we grant gravitational component of the centripetal ac-ourselves the ability to apply an extra radial
celeration would act equally on all parts of
force, it could just easily be outward as in-
anyone in a satellite, but the added accelera-
ward. In that case, it would go into Eq. (4) as a
tion X would not. If that is applied, for exam-negative number and result in a lower orbital
ple, by a rocket engine attached to the outside
speed for a given radius.

of the satellite and thrusting toward the

4 Okay, not quite equally. The parts closer to the primary are more strongly attracted than the parts farther away, which is what causes tides. But for ordinary orbiting objects, much smaller than their distance from the primary, these tidal forces are negligible.

32

STANLEY SCHMIDT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Earth’s center, a person of mass m inside the methods. These days that’s easier than ever:

p
satellite would feel the hull pressing against
just Google “cubic equation solver” and you’ll
him or her with a force —an apparent
find multiple websites that will do it for you.

“weight”— m X.

Not all are equally reliable; I tried one (admit-
p

That could prevent those nasty side effects
tedly labeled as a beta version) that, in my
of prolonged weightlessness. It would also
case at least, gave nonsensical results. The
create a clear sensation of “up” and “down”

one I tried that seemed to work well is
for those aboard, which astronauts in un-
www.1728.org/cubic.htm.

forced orbits don’t have. If the added force is

To use any of these solvers, you have to put
toward the center, the primary (Earth, for in-
the equation in the standard form
stance) will appear to be f ixed directly over-
head. If X is outward rather than inward, the ax3 + bx2 + cx + d = 0

(6)

primary will be directly underfoot.

and plug in your values of a, b, c, and d. Note Synchronous Orbits to Order:

carefully that the small x here, conventionally Choose Your Viewpoint
used to represent the unknown, is different

To get a feel for what all this means, let’s
from the capital X I’ve used to represent the work through a few numerical examples of
added acceleration, and corresponds instead
what we might get by adding various radial
to r, which we want to determine.

forces to the basic equation. I’ll do synchro-

Rearranging Equation (5) into this standard
nous orbits at different altitudes first, because
form we get
the calculation requires the least change from
what we’ve already done.

(4π2/ T2)r3– Xr2– GM = 0,

To avoid one possible point of confusion be-
fore we start: These are not orbits that you can
so a = 4π2/ T2, b = – X, c = 0, and d = – GM. For get by just adding a radial force to the gravita-all synchronous orbits around Earth, a =
tional one in a preexisting orbit. (We’ll look at

5.29E-9 sec-2 and d = –3.98E14 m3sec-3. What’s those next.) For any synchronous orbit, the pe-variable is b, the negative of the added cen-riod T has to be one of the primary’s days, so tripetal acceleration X. Astronauts and SF writ-creating one at a higher altitude will require
ers like to express accelerations in terms of g, the orbiter to go faster (because it has to go farthe acceleration of gravity at Earth’s surface,
ther), which is the reverse of how unforced or-
which is about 9.8 m/sec2. That’s handy be-
bits work. So to get one of these wrong-altitude
cause it gives a quick intuitive sense of how a
synchronous orbits, you’ll either have to set it
particular acceleration feels compared to nor-
up from scratch or, if you want to modify an
mal gravity.

existing orbit, apply a tangential force (tem-

Let’s plug the numbers into a cubic equa-
porarily) to give it the needed speed and a ration solver and see what kinds of radii we get
dial force to keep the orbit at the right altitude.

for several values of X, ranging from g (one As in the unforced case, we can replace v
gee toward the center) to – g (one gee away
with 2π r/ T in Eq. (4) and go through the same from the center). Remember, X must be con-kind of manipulations to get
verted to m/sec2 before doing this. And don’t
be alarmed when the solver gives three val-
r3 = ( GM + Xr2) T2/(4π2).

(5)

ues for r; all are mathematically correct, but some are physically meaningless (negative,

This looks scarier than the unforced case
imaginary, or complex). In Table 1, I give
because there we just had to find a cube root,
only the physically meaningful solution—
but this time we have to solve a cubic equa-
both in meters (because that’s how the equa-
tion in which the unknown r also appears in tions are most tractable) and in miles
non-cubic terms. Unlike the quadratic equa-

(because that, for better or worse, is what
tion familiar to high school algebra students,
most Americans f ind most familiar and there-
there’s no handy general formula for solving
fore easy to visualize).

cubic equations analytically, but they can be

That last result dramatically shows another
solved by graphical and/or numerical limitation on what kinds of mathematical ORBITS TO ORDER

33

ANALOG

TABLE 1. FORCED SYNCHRONOUS ORBITS

X
r (m)

r (mi)

ALTITUDE (mi)

1.0g

1.85E9

1,150,244

1,146,281

0.7g

1.30E9

808,280

804,317

0.4g

7.41E8

460,719

456,756

0.1g

1.87E8

116,268

112,305

0 5

4.22E7

26,238

22,275

-0.1g

1.92E7

11,938

7,975

-0.4g

1.00E7

6,218

2,255

-0.7g

7.59E6

4,719

756

-1.0g

6.36E6

3,954

(-9)!!

results are physically possible. An orbit 9 miles
circular orbits, which is all we’re considering.

underground is clearly nonsense, and well be-

For an object of mass m traveling at speed v in fore that point, atmospheric friction and other
an orbit of radius r, the angular momentum is obstacles such as mountains would make
mvr. What’s special about it is that it’s con-things impractical. For higher altitudes, there’s
served—stays the same—as long as no force is
quite a range. The first three orbits listed are
exerted along the orbital path. So if, for exam-considerably bigger than the moon’s, and have
ple, you reduce r by half, v must double to such high orbital speeds that they’d be very
keep their product constant. Two familiar ex-
expensive to set up, even if you could over-
amples: (1) If you whirl a ball around on a
come the basic problem of how to maintain
string, and gradually pull the string in so it gets them. But orbits closer to the unforced case
shorter, the ball speeds up as its circular orbit
could be useful. For surveillance or study of
gets smaller. (2) A spinning ice skater with
things on the ground, closer would certainly
outstretched arms whirls faster if she pulls her
be better, and sometimes even a little “gravity”

arms in closer.

is better than none. In fact, I can imagine

The extra acceleration we’ve been applying
someone choosing an orbit primarily for a pre-
to hypothetical satellites meets this test: it acts ferred value of that “gravity” and viewing its
only at right angles to the orbital motion, so
other parameters as incidental.

the satellite’s angular momentum mvr stays constant. Since m doesn’t change in this case, Fixer-Uppers:

vr also stays constant, and I’m going to call Modifying Existing Orbits
that L. (In physics books, L is commonly used Now let’s consider what happens if you
for mvr, but since m isn’t affecting anything start with an existing unforced orbit and
else in this discussion, it seems a reasonable
change it by applying an extra centripetal ac-
application of poetic license to use it for vr—
celeration X. The resulting orbit is not syn-

“angular momentum per mass”—here.)

chronous, even if it started out that way. It’s

So if you start with an unforced orbit and
both lower and faster—and, as in the previous
add a centripetal acceleration X, the orbiting examples, it has “artif icial gravity,” with the
mass m will move gradually into smaller and primary “above.” The key to f iguring out its
smaller orbits, with its orbital speed increasing
properties is another conserved quantity, a lit-
to keep L = vr constant. As it speeds up, its de-tle harder to visualize than energy or linear
sire to f ly off gets stronger, and eventually it
momentum, called angular momentum.

will reach a point at which continued applica-

Angular momentum can get a bit complicat-
tion of X produces no further decrease in r—
ed, but it’s fairly simple in the special case of
in other words, it has settled into a new orbit

5

Our earlier result for the unforced case.

34

STANLEY SCHMIDT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
which it will maintain indefinitely as long as X
or, in the standard form for using a cubic equa-
continues to be applied.

tion solver,

When does that happen? When it reaches a
combination of v and r that simultaneously Xr3 + GMr – L2 = 0,
satisfy Equation (4) and vr = L, where L is a number that we can calculate before monkey-so a = X, b = 0, c = GM, and d = – L2 .

ing with the orbit. To f ind that combination,

For a numerical example, let’s again use that
we can replace v by L/ r in Eq. (4), giving synchronous orbit around Earth. Here c = GM

= 3.98E14 m3sec-3 and d = –1.65E22 m4sec-2.

L/ r = sqrt ( GM/ r + Xr).

Using the same values of X as before (or trying to), we get the results in Table 2.

Manipulating this as before, we get

What happened to all the negative (out-
ward) values of X? They don’t work. If you put L2 = GMr + Xr3,
them into the solver, all three roots of the

TABLE 2. FORCED ORBITS MODIFIED BY ADDING A CENTRIPETAL ACCELERATION X

X
r (m)

r (mi)

ALTITUDE (mi)

PERIOD (sec)

1.0g

1.08E7

6,715

2,752

5.70E3 (1.58 hr)

0.7g

1.20E7

7,461

3,498

7.04E3 (1.96 hr)

0.4g

1.41E7

8,716

4,753

9.72E3 (2.70 hr)

0.1g

2.04E7

12,684

8,721

2.04E4 (5.65 hr)

0

4.22E7

26,238

22,275

8.71E4 (24.0 hr)

equation come out negative or complex—

So orbits with sizable outward force aren’t
physically meaningless in this context, which
possible, but those with inward forces up to
means you can’t get stable orbits for those val-
one gee or so could be useful. For example, if
ues. If you graph r as a function of X, you’ll no-you’re in a geostationary orbit, you might like
tice that it increases very rapidly (the curve
to change it to one where you get a closer
becomes very steep) when X gets close to 0.

look at the surface and can scan a complete

For very small positive (centripetal) X, r gets circumference in a short time.

as close as you wish to the value at X = 0. For What happens if you then turn X off ? The
very small negative (outward or “centrifugal”) modification process repeats itself in reverse:

X, you can still get orbits, but X has to be real-

You then have m in an orbit where it requires ly small. With an outward X of 0.0343 m/sec2
a centripetal force bigger than gravity alone

(0.03530g), r is about 6.22E7 m and T =
can provide, so it spirals outward into a new

1.89E5 sec, or about 2.2 days. Increase X just a one where Eq. (2) again holds and v = L/ r, tad beyond that, and you get into the realm of
where L is the same as it’s been all along—in nonsense solutions and stay there indefinitely.

other words, the same synchronous orbit it

As you use bigger and bigger outward forces,
started out in.

you soon reach a sharply defined point where
the force can no longer nudge m into a new What’s All This Good For?

orbit that simultaneously satisfies angular mo-

That last example shows one way these
mentum conservation and the orbital force
speculations might actually be applied in the
equation, but just pushes m out of orbit alto-real world. If you start with an unforced orbit
gether.6
and for some reason need to change it to a

6 This behavior, by the way, has nothing to do with the fact that my sample orbit is synchronous. That just means the primary spins with a period equal to the orbital period, but the orbit itself is independent of how, if at all, the primary spins.

ORBITS TO ORDER

35

ANALOG
different one temporarily, you could do it by
by to keep the tanks topped up on the rocket
easily imagined means such as attaching a
that’s maintaining the orbit—though the in-
rocket to the “outer” side of the orbiter and
centive would have to be mighty strong to jus-
f iring it for as long as you need to. When
tify the expense. We might do somewhat
you’re f inished (or run out of fuel), turn the
better with a system of solar collectors beam-
rocket off, and you automatically return to
ing energy to some sort of propulsion system
your original orbit. Reasons for doing this
to provide the force.

might include wanting a closer look or one

Or, as science fiction writers, we can imag-
that’s not limited to a single viewpoint, or a
ine (carefully!) whole new kinds of science
need for “gravity,” either for personal comfort
that could conceivably be discovered in the fu-
or for a scientific experiment.

ture that would make this long-term continu-

Naturally there would be technical chal-
ous thrust possible. Advocates of “mundane
lenges to keep the engineers busy. For exam-
science fiction” will find this suggestion hor-
ple, that rocket will have to be gimbaled to
rifying, but they would have been equally hor-
keep it always thrusting toward the center.

rif ied by any hint of relativity, quantum

Even if the satellite is in a fixed orbit (as it is at mechanics, or DNA-based genetics in a story
the start and finish), it won’t always have the
written in 1850. Major scientif ic revolutions
same side facing the primary unless it’s rotat-
have happened in the past; they will probably
ing with the same period as it’s revolving (like
happen in the future. It’s just as important for

Luna around Earth). As it spirals in it will be
science fiction to imagine what might happen
speeding up, and as it spirals back out it will
if they did, as to work out still more details of
be slowing back down. So all of those changes
what’s implicit in the knowledge we already
need to be compensated for in a continually
have. That’s what I’ve tried to do here: assume
changing way.

one thing that we may or may not ever be able

And then, of course, there’s the biggie:

to do, and then work out, using only well-un-
rockets do run out of fuel. So if you aspire to
derstood science, what might follow as a re-
creating one of these forced orbits and main-
sult.

taining it over a long period, like an unforced

And if nothing else, it’s at least an interest-
natural orbit, you need a way to keep applying
ing exercise for developing a better feel for
that force indefinitely. Engineers in our world
how orbits work, and why.

don’t have any good ways to do that, and cer-
tainly not any cheap ones—but science fiction

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
writers are free to speculate on ways that they

I’d like to thank Roger MacBride Allen for
might come up with in the future. Some of
asking the question that seduced me into
them don’t even require any fundamentally
thinking about this, and giving me his blessing
new science. We can imagine, for example, an
to share my answers with you before he uses
ongoing succession of tanker ships stopping
them in stories. ■

Analog is moving offices. This might affect your AnLab ballot-casting!

Your votes are important to us, so please, if you don’t vote until January, check the March 2015 issue for the new address.

Continue to use our 267 Broadway address until then.

36

STANLEY SCHMIDT

Illustrated by Karla Castaneda

Just

Browsing

Stephen Lombard
elly searched the pockets of his jacket,
drifting in. He tried to see through it to the
his shirt, his jeans for a stick of gum,
stand of tall pines on the outskirts of town. If
anything to help calm his nerves. He’d
there was an alien ship hidden there, he

Kquit smoking several years ago to get couldn’t envision it—no matter how hard he Angela off his back. Now, once again, he won-tried.

dered why. How much good had it done in

The government people had told him it
keeping them together? None. Not a whit.

wasn’t a ship, just a shuttle. That was one of

He paced on the stone landing behind the
the few things they had stated def initively.

library. The heavy wooden door was open a

Despite all of his questions, they hadn’t given
crack, and a wedge of yellow light fell at his
him nearly enough information. Not much
feet. The single streetlight shining on the rear
more than telling him they had arranged a
parking lot barely illuminated the evening fog
meeting at the Cygnusians’ request. It would

37

ANALOG
be him and one of them, or maybe two of
visit Gilham’s little town library anyway? Kelly
them. He grumbled, and they said he was an
couldn’t think of a single good reason, and no
ambassador for the human race—he should
one had offered him one.

be honored. But Kelly didn’t feel that way. He

They were smart, he was told. They spoke
knew the truth, that he was f illing in for An-
perfect English, had picked it up very quickly
gela because . . . well, because she didn’t
from the government tutor s. They had
want to do it. She could do all the fine things
learned to read, and they seemed to want to
that an ambassador was supposed to do, but
know everything they could about Earth. The
she couldn’t meet face to face with beings
president of the United States was more than
that someone had smugly described as snap-
willing to oblige. There was prestige in being
ping turtles without shells walking on two
the f irst government to meet with alien be-
legs.

ings. It didn’t hurt that the Cygnusians had

Snapping turtles weren’t pleasant. They
landed their shuttles within a hundred miles
could even be vicious. He could hardly blame
of the District of Columbia, and they were
her for not wanting to meet with them, but he
supposedly supplying physical data that sci-
was still wondering how she had managed to
entists could only dream of: locations of life-
talk him into it.

bearing planets, descriptions of dark matter,

Kelly peered into the fog and checked his
pictures of stellar phenomena that carried at
watch again. 11:05 P.M. Maybe they weren’t
lightspeed wouldn’t arrive on Earth for cen-
coming. It was already past the prearranged
turies.

time. He would wait fifteen more minutes and
then head home, despite what he had

His watch said 11:18. Close enough. He
promised her.

turned to enter the door to shut off the lights

At least he didn’t have far to go. Just four
in the library when he heard another sound.

blocks. He could walk it in a few minutes.

This one was closer. Then another.

There in the house, the cats would be asleep

The crunch of gravel. The sound of foot-
on their beds, and in the fridge was a cup of
steps nearby.

mulled cider. He could heat it in the mi-

Kelly looked hard into the darkness and saw
crowave in seconds, then sit back and forget
an outline. A heavyset man was slowly trudg-
all this stuff that didn’t make any sense to
ing up the path. He held his breath, shut his
him and that he could hardly believe any-
eyes tight, and opened them again. The figure
way.

didn’t go away.

Fifteen more minutes and he was done. But

The footsteps slowly continued. The man
then he thought he heard a far-off sound—a
drew closer.

hiss, like a pressurized door opening. It was

“Hello,” Kelly called out.

followed by a thud.

No answer.

Again Kelly stared into the mist, but it was

The man’s breath was a series of long gasps.

no use. He saw only shimmering fog beneath

Kelly gulped, swallowed his gum. His
the pale streetlight. Everything was silent now
mouth went dry.

except for the usual sounds of a small town

Several more steps and the man was stand-
going to sleep on a Sunday night. He breathed
ing in front of him, but it wasn’t a man.

easier, sure that it was nothing.

There was a resemblance to a snapping tur-

Angela would be angry, no doubt. But he
tle, but only in the leathery gray skin and
would tell her that he had waited, and they
downturned mouth, an inverted V without
didn’t come. He arrived twenty minutes be-
lips. Also in the pointy, upturned nose with
fore eleven o’clock, and he waited ’til twenty
two small round nostrils.

minutes past the hour. It wasn’t his fault. They

Three rows of bony ridges, sweeping back-
were no-shows. What did she expect?

ward, guarded its bristled skull. Its red eyes

He found the stick of gum in his back pock-
were f iery marbles embedded in the gray
et, popped it in his mouth, and threw the foil
flesh.

wrapper away.

The Cygnusian was rugged and squat, wear-

Yes, what did she expect? And what was so
ing a dark, loose-f itting tunic. Its limbs were
important? Why did the Cygnusians want to
thick tree branches, but its hands and feet

38

STEPHEN LOMBARD

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
tapered to delicate f ingers and toes, a dozen

Kelly wondered what he should do. What
of each.

was supposed to be happening? He had asked

“Forgive me for staring,” said Kelly. “I just
the government people about this days ago,
need a moment. . . .”

but they said not to worry—the Cygnusians

The downturned mouth turned upward
had their own reasons for doing things; the
and widened. Was that a grin? The glistening
aliens would share information with him if
eyes seemed almost to twinkle.

they wanted to. The government people said

“I understand.” The voice was deep, reso-
he should help in any way he was asked and
nant. “No hurry.”

do nothing more.

Kelly let out a sigh. He turned and pulled on

Angela had told him they wanted privacy.

the handle of the door. It creaked as he

They didn’t want to be seen, she said. Other
opened it. “After you,” he said.

than that she couldn’t say and obviously didn’t

The Cygnusian trudged forward, one step
know.

up onto the landing and two across the thresh-

Kelly was irked that she hadn’t been more
old.

helpful. After all, he was doing her a favor. Of

Kelly entered the building and closed the
course, she’d been irked with him, too, since
door behind him. Earlier, he had done what
he didn’t jump at the opportunity. Truth be
they had told him to do: Turn up the fur-
told, it had been this way between them—pet-
nace all the way. Now it was intensely hot
ty arguments that seemingly never got
and stuffy in the library. He could barely
smoothed over—for a couple of years. He
breathe.

didn’t understand how it had happened. It

“Much nicer in here,” the Cygnusian said.

wasn’t overnight, just something that crept up

“Yes?”

on them with time.

“Yes,” said Kelly. “Nice.”

He remembered back to their college days

The Cygnusian stopped and looked around
at Vanderbilt and how well they’d gotten
for a moment. Then he (for Kelly could think
along then. They were married after gradua-
of the alien only as a “he”) pushed on straight
tion and decided to live back in his hometown
ahead toward a set of bookshelves. He took a
in New England. Kelly taught history in the
slim volume from the top shelf and opened it,
same small high school he had once attended.

reading a page, deftly turning a page, and read-

Angela traveled frequently and maintained a
ing some more.

home off ice. Communications was her spe-

“Is that something you want?” asked Kelly.

cialty, and she thrived at it, telecommuting for

The Cygnusian shoved the book back onto
a large company with good benef its. Their
the shelf, but it didn’t quite fit in the space it
marriage had been happy and cozy. The old
had come from. The book fell, but Kelly
house they had purchased was perfect, Kelly
snatched it up before it landed on the f loor.

thought, for raising a family.

He pushed aside the other books to make

But Angela had taken a different job, this
room and returned The Case of the Creeping
time as a spokesperson for the Department of

Coffin to its original spot.

Homeland Security. It required a lot more time

“No, not this,” said the alien. “Let me see . . .”

away from home than her previous job. It was

The Cygnusian wandered to the right, past
a strain on both of them. The house stayed
some of the other sections. He examined the
mostly empty; the interest in having children
shelves closely but did not stop again to read
seemed to grow less and less.

any of the books. After he had at least glanced

When a transfer to Washington D.C. had
at all the shelves, he turned and walked to the
come up, Angela tried to convince him to go
other side of the library where there was a
with her. It would be better for them, she said.

pair of large tables with chairs. Behind these

He thought long and hard about it, but in the
and beneath the windows were display racks
end decided against it. He knew he wouldn’t
with recent magazines and newspapers
f it in with life inside the Beltway. Too many
arranged in no apparent order: Time, Bicycle,
people, too much noise. So Angela had gone

Good Housekeeping, Humpty Dumpty, a few
on her own. Their separation was official, but
more. He went around the tables and glanced
the divorce hadn’t happened so far. Angela
at the magazine covers as he passed by.

wasn’t pushing for it, maybe because she was

JUST BROWSING

39

ANALOG
too busy. Kelly hoped she would change her
shared the concern that, regrettably, the Cyg-
mind and come back. Time passed; he didn’t
nusians were not planning to stay on Earth
know when he would see her again, but a few
much longer. But there were some things they
days ago she had called him and said she was
wanted to do before they left. It happened that
coming for a visit. Like old times they met for
one of the things was a visit to Gilham. Why
lunch at Tillie’s.

this was no one knew, but since Angela had
moved from Gilham the previous year, she was

Most of the midday customers had cleared
being drafted to help facilitate the visit.

out. The waitress had taken their plates. An-

At first she agreed, but ever since then she’d
gela had paid their check at the counter and
been having second thoughts. She would have
come back to the booth. Kelly had hoped she
to meet and greet the aliens, and she didn’t
would at least broach the topic of reconcilia-
think she could handle that. Would Kelly help
tion, but he could tell that wasn’t going to
her? She just needed him to help out with a
happen. Instead, he realized she had re-
nighttime meeting in the town library. There
turned to Gilham for another reason, and
was no danger; the Cygnusians were friendly—
whatever it was, he was sure he wasn’t going
that’s what she’d been told. And the benefits
to like it.

to humankind were enormous.

He said, “This is about those aliens, isn’t it?”

The Cygnusians had refused to give any

He didn’t mean to be sarcastic, but there it
technological information to the government,
was. Angela’s face went blank, and he went
but they had no problem sharing astrophysical
on, “You know, the ones from Epsilon Cygni
data they had collected from across the Milky
that our government won’t tell us about.”

Way. The best software experts in the country

Softly, she replied, “Kelly, I need your help.”

had f inally f inished the code to convert the

There was enough sincerity and trepidation
data from the aliens’ bit stream to something
in the way she said it that he thought maybe
our computers could read. But with a single
the stories he had heard were true.

channel and limited bandwidth, time was run-

“Go on,” he said.

ning out. Only about 10 percent of the avail-

And she told him something he couldn’t
able data could be transmitted in twenty-four
possibly have imagined. For weeks there were
hours. With less than a week to go before the
rumors around Washington—probably like

Cygnusians left Earth, a large chunk of data
the ones he had heard—but no one seemed to
would not be received. Once their ship de-
know anything for certain. Then one night she
parted, the bit stream would stop.

got a call from the secretary, who asked her to

Angela needed Kelly’s answer right away.

attend a high-level meeting early the next

How soon could he let her know if he would
morning. From the beginning she could tell
help her?

they wanted her help, but they didn’t say how

“Angie, I thought maybe you came back for
or why. They limited the amount of informa-
another reason,” he said.

tion they gave her. The photographs they

Her brown eyes glanced away. “I know you
showed her were blurry and unconvincing.

did, honey. I’m sorry for the short visit. I

Only a handful of people had actually met
promise we’ll have time together afterward to
with the Cygnusians, it seemed. Everything
work things out. This thing is big and I can’t
was being carefully guarded to avoid frighten-
think about much else right now.” She placed
ing the public or for other reasons they
her hands over his.

wouldn’t divulge.

“This comes as something of a shock, don’t

It was said that a dozen beings aboard two
you think?” he said.

shuttles had landed a hundred miles west of

“I’m sure it does, but what else could I do?”

D.C. in a remote part of the Monongahela Na-

“I need a little time.”

tional Forest. There was some sort of larger

“You mean a few minutes? That’s no prob-
spacecraft in orbit around the moon. This had
lem.”

been confirmed with satellite image data.

“I mean a couple of days.”

Angela was having doubts about most of

A familiar frown appeared on her face, but
what she had been told. That changed when
then it was gone. “No. We can’t wait that long.

the president showed up at the meeting. He

The meeting at the library is already set up for

40

STEPHEN LOMBARD

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Sunday evening. They’ll need time to run a

But the government would know if they
background check on you.”

were seeking anything dangerous. Wouldn’t

“What—they’re afraid I might do something
they? God, he hoped so.

to harm the E. T.s? I’ll leave my ray-gun at

Or what if the library was some kind of
home, I promise.”

clandestine drop-off location? Could aliens

“That’s not funny. I barely convinced the
have come here long ago and hidden some-
secretary to let me ask you if you would do
thing to be picked up later, something nefar-
this. Besides the checks there’ll be prep
ious the y didn’t want humans to know
work.”

about?

“Prep work? You mean a test? Maybe I’ll

No, none of that made sense. Why would
flunk on purpose.”

they hide something here of all places? The

She put her hands together and closed her
building was typical bricks-and-mortar—plen-
eyes. Then she stood and brushed a few
ty strong, but with no place to hide anything.

crumbs from the sleeve of her blouse. “I’ve

The basement and first floor were filled with
got to go,” she said. “I can catch a four-thirty
shelves of books; the second floor held a few
flight out of Boston if I leave soon.” She took
storage rooms and off ices that were easily
her pocketbook and headed for the door.

searched.

Before he could catch her, she was down

Kelly rubbed his eyes sleepily as he watched
the steps and almost to her car. He called, “An-
the two of them talking near the foot of the
gela, will you wait just a minute?”

stairs. The second Cygnusian had entered the

She stopped and looked at him, stone-faced.

library an hour after the f irst. This one was

“I told you I couldn’t stay the night. You don’t
not gray-skinned, but instead had a dark green
have to punish me for it.”

coloration. It was smaller than the first, and its

“Look, I understand the urgency. We just
clothing was different: It wore a midnight blue
have different priorities. I want to help you, if
tunic that shimmered like the stars, and its

I can.” He saw how polished and conf ident
belt was fitted with small instruments.

she looked. It wasn’t hard to imagine her in

He listened uncomfortably to their discus-
meetings in Washington, even with the presi-
sion, wondering what they were saying.

dent. Kelly took pride in his teaching, his

When the conversation ended, the dark green
friends, his work in the community, but some-
one walked past Kelly without making eye
how in the last few years she had outgrown
contact, then stopped and stood, watching
him. Maybe this was a chance to make up
from the doorway.

some ground.

The f irst Cygnusian approached him. The

He reached out, but she stayed back. “It’s
alien had told him his name earlier, but Kelly
not every day you get to meet folks from an-
could hardly remember it and probably
other world,” he said. “I guess I better not
couldn’t pronounce it anyway. The name Yer-
pass this up.”

tle was the only thing he could think of that

She smiled and came close enough for his
fit, something from a Dr. Seuss book.

embrace. He parted her silken hair and kissed

“Please, friend, may we sit?” said Yertle.

her neck. It seemed as though ages had passed

The alien pushed a chair wide enough to
since he’d kissed her there.

support his bulk over to the table and sat. He

He held her, but still he wondered where
folded his hands in a humanlike manner. Kelly
their future lay.

seated himself opposite the other, feeling un-
easy and speechless.

Standing around in the library, Kelly had the

“You are a teacher of history?” asked Yertle.

feeling that the Cygnusians weren’t going to

Kelly nodded.

tell him what they were looking for. Was it

“Then you are also a scholar. Is that cor-
possible the library held confidential informa-
rect?”

tion, say, something to do with particle beams

“I guess you could say that. I’ve read a lot of
or biological weapons? How the hell would he
books in my time.”

know? God forbid if they wanted to create a

Yertle made the odd expression that Kelly
bomb. Was it up to him to prevent them from
thought of as a grin. “Then you may be able to
getting it?

help. I, too, am a scholar. The other—” He

JUST BROWSING

41

ANALOG
looked toward the dark green Cygnusian. “—

Kelly hesitated but replied, “Yes, I’m a
is the commander of our mission. We seek
scholar. It’s okay for me to handle the stuff. Do
knowledge for the Great Book, but our time is
you want it?”

depleted.

Yertle looked over at the commander, who

“The Great Book is the repository of all our
had not moved in all this time. Yertle said,
knowledge. We no longer have libraries and

“Yes. Please bring it here.”

books as you do. Everything is kept in one

After thirty minutes, one large table was cov-
place on the home world. The Great Book is
ered with boxes, and the other one was filling
the master and all other books are subsets.

up. Yertle busily read through volumes of

The Great Book is never finished. It grows as
handwritten notes, perused three-hole
we discover new knowledge.

binders, and leafed through dusty manuscripts.

“Here on your planet I have studied mathe-

It seemed that he was memorizing the material
matics—what you call geometry, calculus,
by running his hand from top to bottom over
topology. All of these have equivalents in the
each page, as though he was pulling the infor-

Great Book, but then I found something that I
mation through his fingerpads.

had never seen before. The more I learned of

By the time he finished the work, Kelly was
it, the more I realized that it was something
gasping for breath and sweating from the heat
new. It is not one thing but many things, and
in the building. He sat down and watched as
much of it is documented in books by a man

Yertle went through the last of the boxes. The
named Stone. He once lived in this town. If
commander had disappeared sometime be-
you are a scholar, you must be familiar with
tween the f irst and second loads that Kelly
his great work.”

had brought down.

“Uh . . . Yeah. You mean Professor Stone,

After a while, Kelly said, “You know, you
don’t you? He’s quite famous. I used to read
could have saved a lot of confusion by telling
his columns in Heinlein’s. But I’m afraid you the folks in Washington what it was you were
won’t be able to meet with him. He’s not here.

looking for. They could have supplied you

I mean he may be buried here, but he’s been
with a grade-A scholar, no charge. No one
dead and gone for several years now.”

would have thought any less of you. It perhaps

“Yes. I know this. It is unfortunate. It would
would have been easier, don’t you think?”

have been much easier if he was alive to help

When there was no reply, he went on,
us. You see, we have his books, but there is

“Say, why do you think it’s difficult asking for
other knowledge, too, and it is here in this li-
help sometimes? Is it harder when there’s
brary. As I said, our time is almost gone. The
something you didn’t come up with on your
commander wants us to leave, but I do not
own and you need someone to show you the
want to go without seeing and touching this
way or even just haul down the boxes for
other knowledge.”

you?”

Kelly said, “Are you referring to his

Yertle continued silently touching and turn-
archives?”

ing the pages.

“Yes, his archives.”

“Maybe you feel a little embarrassed to have

“Okay, I get it now. Yes, his family donated all
one of us regular human types help you out. Is
his old stuff to the library after his death, a col-that right?”

lection of his manuscripts and all of his unpub-

Yertle looked at Kelly unhappily but did not
lished work, letters and papers and whatnot.”

disagree with him.

Yertle’s eyes started to glow. The grin

“I don’t mean to make you feel bad. If it
widened. “Yes, yes, that’s it.”

makes you feel any better, we humans have

“The archives are upstairs. We can go have
the same problem. It’s so common we call it
a look, I guess. On second thought maybe I’d
one of the seven deadly sins. It’s called pride.”

better bring the boxes down. The stairs are
rickety.”

Much later, he found a cushioned chair on

Kelly stood up. As he did, Yertle’s face be-
rollers behind the check-out desk and
came a somber mask. “You said you were a
wheeled it over to a spot near the table but
scholar. Is that correct? Only a scholar may
out of the bright lights. He sat down and
touch this material.”

leaned back.

42

STEPHEN LOMBARD

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Yertle seemed happy now with the vast

Yertle said, “While you slept, I spoke with
quantity of paper in front of him.

the commander. We want you to teach anoth-

Very well, Kelly thought.

er one about chess.”

For a while there had been questions

“Sure.” Kelly stood and stretched. “That’s
that Kelly couldn’t answer, questions about
why I’m here,” he said with a yawn. He turned
recursive dragon curves and Fibonacci num-
toward the chessboard, but the two aliens did
bers, cellular automata and the Riemann
not move.

hypothesis. Kelly had nothing to offer except

He looked at them, puzzled. Then he
when Yertle asked him about chess. That was
looked around and was startled by a small be-
something he knew, something he had
ing standing behind him. It was all jaws and
learned about as a schoolboy and had played
talons and wrinkled orange skin the color of
regularly as he grew older.

f ired brick. Like the commander, it wore a

He had found an old chess set in a drawer
shimmering blue garment. Its eyes were candy
and set up a board as a sort of lesson. Yertle lis-
fireballs—like the ones he used to suck on as
tened carefully as Kelly explained the rules.

a kid.

They started a game but stopped soon after

The commander walked over and present-
when the alien said there was not enough
ed the child to him. Without forethought, Kel-
time to continue.

ly bowed deeply. The young one returned the

Now Kelly closed his eyes and tried to think
gesture with a faint hiss, a slender tongue ex-
of a pleasant memory that would help him re-
tended from its mouth and slowly withdrew.

lax. He remembered a time when he was snor-

Whatever sense of calm he had gained was
keling in the Caribbean. Angela was there.

quickly lost. He felt surrounded now as he sat

They were vacationing in the islands. He was
opposite the young alien, the chessboard on
underwater, and he saw something large and
the table between them. Yertle stood behind
fast swimming toward him. He thought it was
him. The commander stood at the end of the
a shark, and he nearly panicked. But instead it
table, looking down over the board.

was a loggerhead turtle with a heavy beak. It

Kelly’s voice wavered as he began an expla-
swam up to him, blinked at him curiously, and
nation of the game for the second time that
turned away, fading into the crystal sea. The
night. “Each side has eight pawns . . . Uh, they
rest of the day was peaceful. He and Angela
start off on the row in front of the other
lay on the beach and made love with the sun-
pieces. From this initial position they can
set.

move forward one or two squares, but after

Now Kelly found himself in the middle of a
that they can only move forward one square.

freezing lake, desperately trying to swim over-

The object of the game is to checkmate your
hand, but making no progress. Out of breath,
opponent by attacking his king—”

he f lipped over onto his back and f loated in

The radiant f ireballs peered at Kelly, but
one spot, resting. He heard Angela calling to
what the child was learning he had no way of
him, but when he tried to move, the water
knowing. Apparently only Yertle could speak
had turned to ice. He had waited too long. He

English, but that one insisted the other two
flailed and kicked, trying to break free.

understood everything Kelly was saying. Well,

A delicate hand touched his shoulder, and
we’ll see, he thought.

he awoke.

After a thorough and exhausting explana-

Yertle stared down at him. “Kelly?”

tion of the rules of the game, Kelly guided the

He groaned. “Oh . . . I’m okay. Having a bad
child through an opening. He would make a
dream, that’s all. What time is it?” He looked at
move and then explain several possible moves
his watch. “Gee, it’s getting late.”

that the child could make. They started over

“Forgive me for waking you.”

nine or ten times, and he gradually let the

“That’s all right. Plenty of time to sleep later.

child decide on its own moves. Each time that

How are you doing?”

the child moved badly he felt his level of frus-

“I’ve made good progress, but we need your
tration grow, especially when it was clear that
help again.” Kelly noticed the other Cygnu-
his explanations were not understood.

sian, standing behind Yertle, eying Kelly close-

He wondered what good he was doing. He
ly.

felt like stopping and walking away. After all,

JUST BROWSING

43

ANALOG
it was the middle of the night, and he was

He started walking again. Angela called out
dog-tired. But with three pairs of eyes watch-
to him, but he continued on.

ing him intently, stopping the lesson wasn’t

A squirrel darted past, scattering dry leaves
going to fly. So he kept at it, repeating the ba-
piled next to the sidewalk. He was alone for
sics again and again: Here’s how you castle to
but a minute before the car pulled alongside
protect your king. Here’s how you make space
him, matching his pace.

for your rooks. Use your queen cautiously at

From the window Angela said, “You need
first.

to be debriefed, Kelly. It’s part of the process.

An hour passed, and the eyes continued to

We’ll need to know everything that happened
watch him, neither twitching nor blinking. In
in there.”

all his years of teaching he had never held an

“Sure, soon as I’ve had some rest. What’s
audience captive like this, hanging on his
the hurry?”

every word. And slowly, the child gained skill.

“We need to do it now. A preliminary report

Now Kelly didn’t need to repeat things as of-
needs to go to the president right away.”

ten. Now just once was enough. Now they

“Just tell him everything went fine and we’ll
finished with the basics, and he moved on to
be happy to provide all the details soon
strategy: controlling the center, using your
enough.” The heel of Kelly’s shoe caught a
pawns to threaten stronger pieces, exploiting
crack in the sidewalk. He stumbled but quick-
weaknesses in your opponent’s position. After
ly recovered and continued walking.

that they played through some middle games,

“That’s not good enough,” Angela said with
where there were fewer pieces on the board,
exasperation. “You can’t make the president
where strategies varied greatly, and the varia-
wait.”

tions were almost limitless.

“No, I suppose not.” He turned and took a

Now they played from the beginning and
shortcut through a neighbor’s backyard. “I’ll
didn’t stop. The child’s white king was well
meet you at the house, Angie,” he called and
guarded, and he couldn’t mount an attack
vaulted over a low picket fence, landing in an
without weakening his own defense. He
inch of mud. He made his way through a
thought of a possible strategy, but he needed
pumpkin patch where he had to weave and
a gambit to make it work. Now he was behind
hop to avoid tripping over several ripening
in pieces but with a better position than be-
gourds. A black dog barked at him.

fore. He kept up the pressure. The child

By the time he got to his house, the car
fought to mount its own offense, but it was
was pulling into the driveway. He walked
too late. Finally, Kelly said checkmate and laid
around to Angela’s side. She frowned.

his weary head on his arms.

“Don’t you want to f inish this? It won’t take
long.”

The morning sun was a creamy disk sur-

“Of course,” he said. “But it’s not going to
rounded by pink clouds when Kelly locked
happen today. You see, we’ve got another
the front doors of the library and went down
night ahead of us. The Cygnusians want to
the granite steps. He crossed the street, sur-
meet with me again. I can give you all the de-
prised he still had any energy left after being
tails you want, but we’ll just have to do it over
up for most of the night. He had nearly walked
again tomorrow.”

past the car parked by the curb when he saw

She looked surprised. “Are you saying they

Angela in the back seat. He stopped as she
plan to stay longer?”

lowered her window. Sitting in the front was

“I think that’s what I said. The folks in
the driver, a short fellow with a round face

Washington will have another day to pull
and a fringe of white hair.

down data, if they need to.”

“How did it go?” she asked wearily. Her hair

She beamed. “Kelly, how did you do it?

was flattened on one side and her eyes looked

“I . . . just did it. I guess they liked me.”

bleary.

He turned to the driver and asked, “Would

“Not bad, but it’s been a long night.”

you like to come in for coffee?” Turning back

“I’ll say. Hop in. We’ll give you a ride.”

to Angela, he said, “How about it? It’s your

“No, I can make it home on my own,” said
house, too.”

Kelly. “I need the fresh air.”

44

STEPHEN LOMBARD

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

After they left, Kelly took a nap. He awoke

She tossed her dark silken hair back from
at noon, feeling refreshed. The morning sun
her shoulders. “You didn’t mention that earli-
was gone, however. The sky was overcast
er.”

now, foreshadowing rain. He called the high

“I didn’t think it mattered. I’m pretty sure
school to arrange for a substitute teacher for
the main reason for coming to Gilham was so
himself for the following day. After lunch, he

Yertle could peruse Stone’s f iles, but the dis-
drove to the inn where Angela was staying,
covery of chess was a bonus for them. I know
bringing along the notes he had jotted down

Yertle wants more time with the manuscripts,
during their breakfast meeting.

so maybe we should both go.”

She was awake and showered and drying

She thought for a moment and nodded.

her hair when he entered. She greeted him

“I’m all right with that. Do you want me to
with a kiss and asked him to have a seat. He
meet you at the library? What time?”

noticed a stack of books on the coffee table,

He didn’t hear her; he was thinking of
all by Jacob Stone, PhD. He picked up the one
something else.

on top, which was titled The Fractal Land-

She paused, watching him. “What is it?”

scape: Exploring the Mandelbrot Set.

He shrugged. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.

“Where did these come from?” Kelly asked.

I just remembered why you wanted me in-

“A quick phone call and they were deliv-
volved in the first place.”

ered within the hour. My assistants can work

She looked baffled, and he wondered if she
wonders when I push. I’ve only glanced at
really didn’t remember.

them so far, but I’ll have them all read by

“You were scared witless,” he said. “Isn’t
tonight.”

that right?”

He replaced the book on top of the stack.

She tilted her head, signaling some agree-

“Is there something I should know?”

ment.

“Yes. I’m pinch-hitting for you, Kelly. You’ve

“Admit it,” he said.

done everything I wanted and more. I’m let-

“Well, yes. But that was before. I’m f ine
ting you off the hook.”

now.”

“Thanks,” he said. “But what if I don’t want

“Oh? What makes you say that?”

to be let off the hook?”

“Because I am. Don’t worr y about me,

“Why not? I told you we’d pay you and I’ll
please. I’ll be fine.”

double it.”

“I hope so,” he said. “Eleven o’clock then.

“I don’t care about the money, Angela.”

I’ll see you.” They kissed good-bye and he was

“Well, what is it?”

feeling happy.

“The Cygnusians are expecting me. They
may be offended if I’m not there tonight.”

Angela didn’t seem f ine when he met her

Her eyes narrowed. “Why would they be?

on the front steps of the library. She spoke in

They’re getting what they want, and we’re get-
a low voice, as if she was afraid of being over-
ting what we want. I’ve already looked into it.

heard, and jumped at nearly ever y stray

And by tonight, I’ll be able to answer Yertle’s
noise. It didn’t help that the rainstorm that
questions.”

had passed by earlier had left damp clouds

“Are you good at recreational mathemat-
and f lare-ups of heat lightning all around.

ics?”

The bright f lashes lit the outside of the li-

“Not bad. And I’ve got a photographic mem-
brary at random, making it appear like some-
ory, you may remember.”

thing out of a Frankenstein movie. Nor did

“I remember, but I still think you’re making
the distant thunder calm the nerves of either
a mistake.”

of them.

“Why?”

Kelly unlocked the doors, letting the moist

“The Cygnusians are staying longer so the
air flow into the library. Since this evening was
child has more time to learn chess. It was the
considerably warmer than the previous one, he
commander’s decision. I’m the child’s teacher.

decided to leave the furnace off. They walked

Besides, I won every game except for the last,
through the f irst f loor of the building and
which was a stalemate. I think the commander
opened the back door. Yertle was waiting
wants a rematch while it’s still possible.”

there.

JUST BROWSING

45

ANALOG

Kelly introduced Angela, and the alien gra-
shining fireball eyes. Its long tongue extended
ciously shook her hand. Kelly watched as An-
and briefly hung in the air before being pulled
gela studied the Cygnusian, and he felt a sense
back into its mouth. The sight reminded Kelly
of déjà vu.

of a kid sucking up an over-sized strand of

“I’m glad to meet you,” she said a little un-
spaghetti. Angela smiled awkwardly and re-
comfortably. “I’ll try to answer your ques-
turned to her chair. The commander tugged
tions.”

the child’s arm and turned toward the chess-

“Thank you,” said Yertle.

board.

Kelly asked, “Friend, where are the oth-

They soon began a new game. As before,
ers?”

Kelly strained his brain to come up with a way

“The commander and the child will soon
to beat his diminutive opponent, but as the
be here.” Yertle looked around, then slowly
game progressed he failed to f ind any weak
walked over to the same table he had used
spots. It turned into a hard-fought battle with
the night before. He sat down and began
neither side ever having a serious advantage
sorting through the loose papers in front of
over the other. In the end, it was a stalemate,
him.

no different than the last game they had

Angela casually took a seat across from the
played yesterday. Kelly had done the best he
alien. There was a flash of lightning, a rumble
could, but he was having doubts he could
of thunder, and the lights in the library f lick-
stand up to the Cygnusian youngster in anoth-
ered momentarily. She looked up at the ceiling
er contest.

and around at the bookshelves. If she was

He rested brief ly and had a drink of water
frightened, she didn’t show it.

while the commander spoke to the child. He

When Yertle asked her a question about the
wondered what they were saying. Was it his
game of Nim, she knew the answer off the top
imagination or was the child replying obsti-
of her head. Kelly was amazed. She glanced at
nately to the harsh criticism of its parent?

him and winked.

As the next game began, Kelly found he had

Midnight had arrived when the back door
neither the appetite for a battle of wits nor the
opened, and the commander and the child ap-
energy required to carry it out. He thought the
peared. Angela was deep in conversation with
child would surely exploit his f irst mistake

Yertle, and she didn’t notice the visitors.

and steamroll him from there—that’s exactly

The lights dimmed again, then f lickered
what he had taught the child to do.

and faded altogether. As Kelly’s eyes adjusted

Somehow the child overlooked Kelly’s first
to the faint illumination coming through the
mistake, then overlooked his second. He con-
windows, he saw as well as heard the com-
tinued to play poorly, but the child did not
mander and the child approach the table
take advantage. But when Kelly buckled down
where Angela was sitting. When they reached
and tried to make inroads he was quickly
the table, they stopped.

blocked. Was the child simply toying with

The lights came on, and Angela looked up.

him? Maybe, but why?

Her eyes grew wide as they focused on the

Kelly said he needed a break and got up to
commander and the child. She rose to her
use the bathroom. When he returned, Yertle
feet. A rasping noise issued from her throat,
was standing and conversing with the com-
but she quickly covered her mouth to quell
mander. Then Yertle turned to Kelly and said,
the sound.

“We thank you for your patience, your kind-

The three Cygnusians stared back at her.

ness. We must go now, to meet with the oth-

The silence stretched on indefinitely until Kel-
ers in our party. Because of you, we have
ly whispered, “Angela . . . Angela . . . are you all much to share. This generosity will not be for-right?”

gotten.”

She coughed, pushed back her hair, and

Angela’s face was a blank.

smoothed the creases from her skirt. Then she

Kelly said, “Are you sure? Isn’t there some-
walked quickly around the table.

thing else we can help you with?”

“Hello,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Quite sure. We must leave Earth within the

The commander turned away abruptly,
next diurnal. Please accept our apologies for
a snub. The child gazed up at her with its
this hasty departure.”

46

STEPHEN LOMBARD

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Yertle turned to the door with the comman-
integers a, b, and c could satisfy this equation
der and the child by his side. “Good-bye, Kelly.

for any integer value of n greater than two, but

Good-bye, Angela.”

he didn’t write the proof down. Yertle

The commander did not look back, but the
thought maybe he could f ind the proof in a
child turned and waved. Angela waved while
few hours, but I don’t think he succeeded.

Kelly stood wondering what he was going to

When he got tired of working on the problem,
do with the rest of his life.

he talked to the commander about leaving. I
take it the commander wasn’t happy with the

Dawn had not yet arrived when they pulled
way the chess games were going.”

into the driveway. Before Kelly could invite

“No.” Kelly shook his head. “Not at all. The
them in for coffee, Angela got out of the car
child refused to beat me, even though the
and told the driver to return to the inn. (Mo-
commander was pushing. I was practically giv-
ments before, the man had made a crack
ing up, but the child wouldn’t take advantage
about illegal aliens. Angela didn’t find it amus-
of the situation. Maybe it felt bad after I had
ing, and so he would be buying his own cof-
helped it learn everything I knew about the
fee today.)

game. Or maybe their children just have better

She took Kelly’s hand as he unlocked the
manners than the adults.” He grinned.

front door, and they went through the hallway

“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Angela said.

into the kitchen. The cats remained asleep in

“Talk about a quick exit, although Yertle did
the corner.

say thank you a number of times.”

She plopped down and said, “I don’t know

“Well, this is almost over. Then we can get
how I got through that. I hope I never have to
back to our dull little lives.”

do it again.”

“Almost over? It is over as far as I’m con-Kelly took a scoop of fresh coffee and
cerned.” She drained her cup, put it in the
poured it into the machine. “I wouldn’t say it’s
sink, and sat down on his lap. She put her
too likely.”

arms around him.

Soon the pot was full and steaming.

“Don’t we have to write this up for the pres-

“That was awful.” Angela said, sipping from
ident?” he asked. “You left your laptop in the
her cup. “I know you tried to tell me. I
car. We can use mine.”

thought I could handle it myself. Big mistake.”

“What’s the hurry? The president probably

“You did fine. I was listening to the two of
won’t even read the report. He just wants it.”

you. What were you talking about?”

“I don’t want you to get in trouble, Angie.”

“Yertle was pissed off. I was trying to hu-

She put her head on his shoulder. “I really
mor him. You were right about the comman-
don’t care. I’m steaming mad.”

der. She was making them stay longer so the

“Mad? Mad at who?”

young one could play chess with you. Yertle

“At you!”

wasn’t feeling well. He’s old and he was feel-

“Me?” he said. “I thought I was helping.”

ing the cold.”

“I was watching you yesterday,” she said,

“I should have turned up the heat,” Kelly
red-faced. “There was a hidden camera in the
said. “I didn’t realize it was bothering him that
library. I saw you teaching that thing. I forgot much.”

what a good teacher you are.”

“I don’t think it would have mattered. I

Kelly gently pulled her head back and
showed him Stone’s chapter on Fermat’s Last
looked squarely into her brown eyes. “I

Theorem and he was happy.”

thought that’s what you wanted. I was doing

“Fermat’s what?”

exactly what you asked me to.”

“Fermat’s Last Theorem. It bedeviled math-

“Yes, and that’s why I’m angry.”

ematicians for over three hundred years.” She

“I don’t get you, Angie. No wonder we’re di-
wrote an equation out on a paper napkin.

vorcing.”

Her eyes grew moist. “We’re not divorcing . . .

an + bn = cn
are we?”

“I thought we were. You haven’t said other-

“In 1637 Fermat made a notation that he
wise.”

had found this proof that no three positive

“Kelly, don’t you know me by now?”

JUST BROWSING

47

ANALOG

“I guess not. I have no idea why you’re up-

“They came all that distance and you were
set.”

the one who taught their child how to play

“What do I have to do? Spell it out for you?”

chess. I don’t want you teaching their child. I He opened his mouth, but nothing came
want you teaching our child.”

out.

“We don’t have any—oh.”

“How far away is Epsilon Cygni?” she said,

Then he rose to his feet, holding her, and
tears running down her face.

slid his arm under her ass to the bend in her

“Seventy light-years give or take.”

knees, lifting her up. She felt soft and warm as

“And you don’t understand why I’m angry?”

he carried her to the stairs and higher. ■

He shook his head.

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48

STEPHEN LOMBARD

Ulenge

Prime

Chuck Rothman
he African dawn was broken by the

She looked her husband in the eye. “Does
sound of gunshots and explosions, star-
that mean you’re going to finally kill me?”

tling Ifana out of a fitful sleep. The rebels

Thad been besieging the presidential com- The end began when Ulenge made the an-pound for two days. She knew that it was only
nouncement. They were still sharing a bed
a matter of time before they would overwhelm
back then, and though he allowed her some
the remnants of the presidential guard.

freedom, he had long ago stopped telling her

She had always suspected that this would
about his plans.

be her ultimate fate. The sound of bullets now

The announcement was greeted with
confirmed her suspicions.

dumbfounded silence. It was Ignatius Kandan-

Her bedroom door opened with a crash that
do who dared speak first. “This is madness.”

was even more frightening than the gunf ire.

The silence grew deeper. Even Ignatius

Ulenge stood in her bedroom, dressed in the
seemed to regret his words.

grandiose uniform he had designed for himself.

Ulenge smiled. The crocodile in him was

Ifana trembled. “Husband—?”

coming out. You had no idea if he was

“No time for talk,” he said. “The guards are
amused or was planning to kill you and leave
defecting. Get dressed.”

your corpse for the hyenas. “You should say,

“I don’t—”

‘This is madness, your Excellency.’” he said. “I

“Now!” Ulenge shouted. He had been prac-
am to be respected in my role as beloved
ticing his voice of command for years. It terri-
leader of our nation.”

fied Ifana. “Quickly. Nothing fancy.”

Kandando pushed on. He bowed quickly,

It could have been a thousand things that
then amended his words. “Your Excellency.

caused his downfall: death and torture and

But surely there are other ways—”

two decades of cruelty. But other dictators

“I made my decision,” said Ulenge.

had survived for even longer. “It’s about

“But it’s impossible.”

Ulenge Prime, isn’t it?”

“That is not a word I wish to hear, Dr. Kan-

“Yes,” Ulenge said. “It’s Ulenge Prime.”

dando.” The title was another danger sign.

49

ANALOG

“No, your Excellency,” Kandando said,

She had heard the words whispered in the
bowing again. Ulenge liked that. Sometimes it
years since then. The deaths. The corruption.

was enough to keep him from killing you.

The conquest. The madness of the emperor to

“I become very peeved if any of my associ-
create a second moon in the sky, with his vis-
ates uses it more than once. I have given you
age smiling down on Earth. A city in the sky,
my command. Your job is to make it so, or to
dedicated to his megalomaniacal glory.

become another skeleton striped clean by vul-

He kept her in the palace, with him, like a pet
tures.”

that was always on a leash. She knew little of the

“It will be a difficult project. The cost—”

details, at first because they didn’t affect her,

“We have diamonds. We have labor. We will
then later because she didn’t want to know.

pay the cost.” Ulenge showed his crocodile.

And now, the station hung in the sky, habit-

“You see, Kandando, I have anticipated your
able but empty. His face had not been added,
objections. The project will go through. It will
and now never would. Instead of a disembod-
be my monument.”

ied visage hanging in space, he was going to

Ifana agreed with Kandando. It was mad-
be a disembodied head on a pike.

ness. Why couldn’t Ulenge just build a palace?

“Why did he do it?” she had asked Riruako a

A capital? The monuments that all dictators
year ago, as they lay sweaty and naked in her
create?

bed. It was dangerous, yet somehow she

“Are you sure?” Kandando said, like a man
found his strength appealing.

planning to leave the country on the next

“For the greater good of Namibia,” he said.

plane out. Ifana wondered how far he would

“No, really.”

get. Ulenge had ways of dealing with those

Riruako shrugged. “That is what he be-
who tried to escape him.

lieves, I think. Or maybe he wants to show the

“I am sure,” said Ulenge, with the certainty

Westerners what we can do. But it isn’t my
of a man who wielded absolute power. “I will
role to argue.”

have my space station.”

“There will be revolution.”

Even now, Ifana remembered how the only

The big man laughed. “You are foolish, my
sound was the ancient grandfather clock—a
little dik-dik. Ulenge will rule for life. And his
remnant from colonial days—ticking in the
children . . .” He laughed louder. “Or perhaps
background. No one dared say a word.

my children . . . will replace him.”

“You will head this project for me, won’t

“That’s good enough,” said Ulenge, taking
you, Ignatius?”

her away from her thoughts. “No more time to

Kandando nodded. “I will start work imme-
waste. Come with me.”

diately, your Excellency.”

Ifana paused. “I’m not going with you,” she

“I am pleased to hear that. You may begin.”

said.

“Yes, your Excellency,” Kandido said. He

Ulenge looked at her like an indulgent par-
left the room.

ent. “So you’re f inally showing a backbone,

Ulenge watched him as he left. Then, as he

Ifana?”

cleared the room, he turned to Moses Riruako.

Ifana ignored the gibe. He knew she hated

He was a man who scared Ifana with his in-
confrontations. There were many things in
tensity, tall and dark as a moonless night, with
her life that she had just let slide. Maybe that
a hint of cruelty in every move he made.

was what had kept her alive this long. “I

“Kill him,” said Ulenge.

should have done this years ago,” she said.

No one ever mentioned the word “impossi-

“But you didn’t. Why not?”

ble” in his presence again.

She didn’t answer.

“One important thing I know is that fear is

“Quickly,” said Ulenge.

the greatest motivator. You feared me. You still

Ifana pulled on some clothes. None of the
fear me. So you will do as I say.”

fancy dresses she had been proud to wear

“No,” she said.

when she f irst sat beside him in the palace.

“Then stay,” he said. “But tell me. You are

Just a simple blouse and skirt. She could sense
my wife. What will happen if you fall into the
his impatience and, despite herself, rushed to
hands of my enemies? Especially after I have
please him.

made my escape?”

50

CHUCK ROTHMAN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“They will kill me. You will, too.”

He was looking at her, his eyes picking up

The crocodile came out in his face. “But I
the moonlight, his smile beaming almost as
will kill you quickly. They will make you beg
bright. “What do you have to offer me?” she
to die.”

asked.

Ifana trembled.

He gestured toward the sky. “I want to give

“My days of power are drawing to a close,”

you the stars.”

said Ulenge. “If you want to come with me,
you may survive. If you stay, you will surely

Ifana thought she knew the palace, but
die.” His dark eyes drilled into her. “Which is
there were places that she didn’t realize exist-
it?”

ed: secret passages that led underneath the

There was the sound of gunf ire, then a
compound, doorways hidden behind book-
cry of triumph. The palace was being over-
cases like in a haunted Hollywood castle. She
run.

lost track of where they were as Ulenge herd-

“I’ll go with you,” Ifana said.

ed her toward his destination.

When she saw it, she froze.

They were barely in their twenties when

It was a rocket. Like something out of the
they met. He was an officer in the national po-

’50s, sleek and silvery and with a long, finned
lice, sharp and handsome in his khaki uni-
tail.

form. She was a teacher at the local school,

She turned to Ulenge. “What is this?”

barely older than the children, and with only

He ignored her question. “The spacesuits
modest training. The job was a challenge. The
are in that closet. Put one on.”

students were the children of ranchers who

“What?” But Ifana knew what we had in
knew that they would spend their lives tend-
mind. “We’re going to that goddamned space
ing their donkeys and goats and coming to
station of yours.”

town every few weeks to trade meat for the

“Into the suit,” he said.

money needed for the things they couldn’t

“This is insane,” she said. “It’s empty. What
make. Their interest in learning was small, and
do you expect us to do? Go there and have ba-
grew smaller each day.

bies and populate it?”

He had asked her out. There was little to do

Ulenge reached into his holster and drew
in the village, so they took beer and wan-
out a gun. “Into the suit.”

dered into the scrub and desert that sur-

“No,” said Ifana, surprising herself. But she
rounded it.

had spent ten years running and hiding from

They lay on their backs and looked at the
this madness. She wasn’t going to run at all.

stars. It seemed romantic at the time.

“Find yourself another whore.” Her eyes were

“Ifana,” he said, with intensity and sureness,
on the gun. It seemed enormous. It would

“I want to marry you.”

probably kill her at once. Maybe that was all

Ifana laughed. “One night and it’s marriage
for the best.

now?”

Ulenge smiled just slightly. “I knew you had

“I’ve seen you. Aroab is a small town, and
a backbone. Good. But I have no more time to
one as beautiful as you will attract many a
argue.” The gun exploded.

man. I do not want to lose you.”

She had braced for the pain, feeling as

“Fah,” said Ifana. “It’s far too early to talk
though it would end ever ything. But in-
about marriage.”

stead of the agony of tear ing f lesh and

“Not at all,” said Ulenge. “For now the idea
bone, she felt a sharp jab just below her
is in your head. You will consider it, and, one
collarbone.

day, you will agree to it.”

She looked. A dart stuck into her skin.

She had very few plans about where the

“The tranquilizer will take about two min-
evening would lead, but none of them were
utes to take effect,” said Ulenge. “You can get
like this. “I do not love you,” she said.

into the suit now, or make me waste time

He gave her a big, wide smile. “Not yet,” he
dressing you.”

said. “But someday.”

Ifana could already feel a slight fuzziness in

“Not in a million years!”

her thoughts, a slight blurring of her vision.

“Then I will wait a million and one.”

“Kill me,” she said. “Kill me instead.”

ULENGE PRIME

51

ANALOG

Ulenge stepped forward. “I’m afraid that’s

Ulenge shook his head. “I didn’t mean you
not in my plans.”

in particular.”

“Your plans? You are a madman!” There.

Ifana snapped. “What’s that supposed to

She said it. It didn’t matter now, since she was
mean? Those words caught me in your trap,
dead anyway.

turned me miserable.”

“Put on the suit!” Ulenge said.

“You lived very well,” said Ulenge.

“No!” Ifana said. It was satisfying to contra-

“I lived on blood. The blood of all those you
dict his command. But it was harder to stand.

murdered.” Ifana never felt so much anger, but

The drug was working fast; perhaps he had hit
it was anger at herself as much as her hus-
the right spot.

band. She knew the day Ulenge took power

She felt herself give way, falling into
that there was a dark side to all their good for-

Ulenge’s waiting arms.

tune. But she turned a blind eye to it. Being

“Fool woman,” she heard him say.

the president’s wife was a heady experience
for the daughter of a rancher, and as the

She awoke aching all over, but curiously
wealth and power came rolling in, she was
light.

happy not to think about where it all came

“Don’t move too fast,” said Ulenge. “If you
from.

vomit, we’ll have to bathe in it.”

Then she heard about Outapi. How many

Ifana looked out the small window and
dead? And all on the orders of the man who
could see only stars, brighter than she had
shared a bed with her.

ever seen before. “We are in space?” she

By then she was too afraid that she would
asked.

join the victims if she said the wrong thing or

“We will be in Ulenge Prime in two days.”

tried to run.

Ifana looked at the controls in front of her, a

“I have taken a cold path,” Ulenge said. “But
mass of readouts that she couldn’t begin to
it was the only path for our nation.”

fathom. A computer screen sat in the middle,

“You could have been like Sam Nujoma. He
showing a clock that was counting down.

founded the country and ruled wisely.”

“You know how to fly a spaceship?”

“Over the blood of the Boers,” Ulenge

Ulenge laughed. “The computer does it all.”

pointed out.

His face grew deadly. “I owe you an explana-

“You compare yourself to him?”

tion,” he said.

“Yes. I wanted to achieve something

“I don’t want to hear it.”

greater.”

Ulenge looked at her for the f irst time.

“A monument to your own ego!” Ifana spat

“Nonetheless, you will get it. Unless you want
out. If there were any way out other than the
to kill me here.”

cold of space, she would have taken it.

“That is what you understand best isn’t it?

“No,” said Ulenge. “But I don’t think you’re

Killing?”

ready to hear the truth yet.”

“Remember when we were young?” asked

“Lies, you mean? Words to justify your cru-

Ulenge. “When we went out to see the stars.”

elty?” She felt disgusted. Impulsively, she spat

Ifana started. “After all these years, you bring
at him.

that up? It was the biggest mistake of my life.”

The spittle didn’t travel well in microgravity,

“Not of mine,” said Ulenge. He was looking
but Ulenge understood. “No,” he said softly.

at her with the soft summer eyes.

“You’re not ready yet.”

My God, Ifana thought. He acts like he still
loves me. Impossible. She had seen no sign of

Ifana was awakened by Ulenge’s snores.

love toward her, or toward anyone else, in

She had fallen asleep more out of boredom
years.

than anything else. Ulenge had said little after

“But I didn’t mean that,” he said, breaking
ending their earlier conversation, and she was
his gaze. “Do you remember what I said?”

content to stare out the window and watch

She remembered the words perfectly: “I
the stars hanging outside like a million staring
want to give you the stars.”

eyes.

Horror almost made her throw up. “This

She watched him as he slept. She remem-
was all for me? This crazy space station?”

bered doing the same thing when they were

52

CHUCK ROTHMAN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
f irst together, but that was a lifetime ago. It

Ulenge pointed at the image in their win-
used to fill her with deep feelings of love, but
dow. “That was more important.”

now she had no reaction. He was a stranger to

Ifana looked. Ulenge Prime was made up to
her, and had been for years.

tubes, a circular rim with sections connecting

Maybe he was always a stranger.

with it. Like something out of a very old

An odd thought came to mind: She could
movie.

kill him. He was so helpless. She would be a

“You know,” said Ulenge, “it’s been almost
hero for turning against the tyrant.

a century since we landed on the Moon.”

It was just a daydream, something pleasant

“I know my history,” Ifana snapped.

and exciting to think about, like a dark sexual

“There were six missions and we never
fantasy. But she knew that, in the real world,
went back. Too expensive.” He turned to her.

the reality would eclipse any brightness in the

“You say you know your history, but how
deed. She wouldn’t be able to do it.

well?”

Besides, she had no idea how to guide the

“You kidnap me and take me all this dis-
ship.

tance to play schoolteacher?”

She didn’t much care for her life, but she

Ulenge ignored the scorn. “You’ve heard of
only had one, and never had any taste for be-

Ferdinand and Isabella? You know that they
ing a martyr.

fought wars that probably killed more than

Ulenge opened his eyes with a start. It

I’ve been responsible for. And they forced all
scared her, causing her to pull back. The eyes
the Jews out of Spain.”

seemed as cold as the space outside.

“So? You would have, if Namibia had any

“You wouldn’t do it,” said Ulenge.

Jews.”

She was startled by the words. “Do what?”

He shrugged. “But it’s only historians that
she asked.

remember the terrible things they did. Every-

“You know,” said Ulenge, closing his eyes.

one else remembers that they gave Columbus

“You’re the one person who I can actually
three ships.”

trust.”

“You’re no Ferdinand.”

“Nor are you an Isabella. But they gave us

Ulenge Prime was growing in the forward
the New World.”

windows, f irst just another star, then a disk,

A loud buzz interrupted Ifana’s thoughts.

then a balloon. Finally, it was a structure hang-

“Something wrong?” she asked.

ing in front of them.

“We’re almost there. Get ready for docking.”

“It doesn’t look much like you,” said Ifana.

“Maybe it’s just your heart—cold, empty met-

She f loated free within the metal tube of
al.”

the ship. The place had an unf inished look:

Ulenge ignored the words. “It was never
bare metal and floating wires.

supposed to be my face. That’s just a rumor

Ulenge was behind her. “Much like f lying,
that spread. Probably by Riruako. I could al-
isn’t it? I always imagined what it would be
ways count on him. He was big on talk, but
like.”

disappointing in action.” He turned to look

Ifana said nothing. “So now what? You wait
at Ifana. “I presume he was the same in
for Earth to send a ship after you?”

bed.”

Ulenge laughed. “They won’t come for me.

Ifana opened her mouth, but no words

I’m not worth the effort. They will let me die
came.

up here.” He reached forward to try to touch

“Yes,” said Ulenge. “I knew. I was a tyrant,
her chin like a lover, but she turned her head
you know. I knew everything.”

away. “But you, my dear. They will come for

“I was terrified that you’d find out.”

you. A pretty woman can accomplish things

Ulenge shrugged. “It didn’t matter. It kept
that an ugly man cannot.”

Riruako busy, so he wouldn’t be plotting

“What do you mean?”

against me. It wasn’t as if he loved you. He

He paid no attention. “Once they get here,
liked the feeling of taking something of mine.

they will stay. People can go to the stars.”

But you knew that, didn’t you?”

Ifana stared at him. “This was all for that?

“I guess I did,” said Ifana quietly.

You knew it would happen this way?”

ULENGE PRIME

53

ANALOG

Ulenge shrugged. “I could only hope. You

“You expect me to stay here for ten years?”

don’t know how much time I spent worrying

Ifana said.

I would fail. That Ulenge Prime wouldn’t get

Ulenge smiled. “That depends on you,” he
completed before they cut my throat. I was
said. He stepped forward and then kissed her.

terrified that all the misery I caused would be

It had been years since his kiss was anything
for nothing.”

other than a peck on the cheek. She was sur-

“But why cause the misery?”

prised and resisted, but his passion reminded

“Because without a strong hand, people are
her of that night so many years before.

too distracted by their own problems. Gov-

He broke away. “Just remember, no matter
ernments are too busy with more immediate
how much a monster I have been, I have giv-
needs. Businesses are too interested in profit
en you the stars. Goodbye, Ifana,” he said.

to dream. Oh, it was different in the past, but

“Goodbye?”

now . . .” He shook his head.

“Monsters must die,” said Ulenge. He gave

“It’s monstrous,” Ifana said.

her a solid push and they flew apart. His path

“Yes, it is,” said Ulenge. “And I am a mon-
was clearly planned, directly to the door of the
ster.”

airlock that had let them in. As he passed

Ifana could detect no sadness, nor triumph
through the door, he pressed a red switch.

in the words. It was a simple statement of fact,

The door flew shut behind him.

though she felt as though he had wanted to

Ifana was able to stop herself against the
make that statement for many years.

other wall, then launched toward the airlock

“You brought me into this,” she said. “I’m a
door. It was cycling, drawing air out.

monster, too.”

“Ulenge!” she shouted, pounding on the

He nodded. “You can change that. The ra-
door.

dio is in the next chamber,” he said, walking

His hand hovered over another button. He
over to it and giving a glance. “Earth can hear
turned to her, gave a little wave, then pressed
your voice. Tell them your plight. Let them
the button.

know that the monster kidnapped you.” He

The little rocket that had taken them here
smiled. “Men cannot resist a damsel in dis-
blew out of the lock, leaving him open to
tress,” he said. “And once they get here,
space. He looked out at the stars and leapt.

maybe they won’t go back to Earth. There’s

She watched numbly as he floated into the
ten years of food. That should be enough.”

darkness. To her surprise, she began to weep. ■

54

CHUCK ROTHMAN

Long Way

Gone

David L. Clements
y last memory of Earth: pinpricks at

If only Anne were here.

the back of my neck, a spreading cold

They say I’ll get over her. There’s a whole
as the machine delves into my brain,
new planet to get used to. It’s just a new city at

Mmaking a copyof mymind.

the moment, but we’ll spread, given time.

My first memory of the new planet: waking

They offered me counseling, someone to
beneath crisp white sheets, bed comfortable,
talk to if I was feeling bad. Someone to call if I
gentle sunshine leaking through flimsy cotton
need to. I told them I wouldn’t need it, that I’d
curtains, relaxed drowsiness, dozing back to
be okay. After all, they can’t replace Anne.

sleep. Like a long, lazy weekend morning.

She’s the only one that could make any differ-
ence.

Anne? Where’s Anne? She should be here!

At least that’s what I thought.

They gave me a job. It was what I was ex-

Where is she? Why will nobody tell me? Why
pecting, studying the local vegetation, but I
don’t they know anything about her?

was meant to be doing it with Anne. That’s
how we met, and that’s how we meant to con-

You wouldn’t think you were on another
tinue.

world—the city is just like home. The streets

I work in a lab inside the city, on samples
look like the ones I left, the people look the
brought from outside. I could help with sample
same, wear the same clothes, have the same
collection outside if I wanted to, but my real
conversations. We even get the same vids,
skills are in the lab. Staying in the city is f ine beamed down the gamma-ray link just like the
with me. It makes it easier to hide unnoticed in
people—all copies sent from home. It’s as if I
the crowds, and there’s nobody checking on
never left.

me when I just stay in my room.

We can’t send anything back, or even talk to

Earth. Any message we sent would take decades

Our life was studying life itself, but there
to arrive, thanks to the speed of light, and then
were no new discoveries to be made on Earth.

more decades for the reply to return. But we

All the challenges were among the stars. So we
can still see what’s happening there, all the
decided to get ourselves copied and send our-
news, sports, gossip, and everything else. We
selves to wherever the uploads were establish-
just can’t affect it, since it’s decades out of date.

ing colonies for normal people, spreading

All the people are decades out of date too, since
humanity and its smarter upload children
the data that made us took just as long to arrive.

across the galaxy.

55

ANALOG

They launch nanomachines to planets
realized she was still doing all the work, that
around other stars, which build other, bigger
she was being used as a crutch and that I would
machines. Eventually they build receivers for
never grow while she was around.

Earth’s gamma-ray transmitters, and then the in-

Without her, she says, I’ll have to grow. This
formation allowing people to be copied is sent.

way we can both do better, will no longer hold

By then the nanomachines have built cities for
each other back.

the people to live in, along with everything else

But I’m not doing better without her. I need we need.

her to make me whole, to make everything

We’re all just information. Genes to build
work. Without her, I’m just an imperfect copy
bodies and brainscans to build minds. And a
of myself. Incomplete. Flawed. No point.

simple scan is all you need to join the colonies.

You stay behind and the new you heads to dis-

From my apartment, high in a city tower, I
tant space and time, light years away, never
can see the forest, and see that it’s not what we
able to come home.

left. It’s different, new. The leaves are the

It was an adventure, but a safe one. Anne and
wrong shapes, and the green isn’t quite right.

I would go together to a new world, make a

It’s a color that goes well with the local sun, the new place for ourselves, but also stay at home
green a little deeper, a little darker than what
and be together there.

I’m used to, but the sun is a little brighter and a I got to be the one who went, while a differ-little bluer.

ent me stayed home.

The color of the leaves doesn’t come from

Stayed with Anne.

chlorophyll, but from a different chemical, bet-

I hope he gave her hell for what she did to
ter matched to the bluer light from this sun.

me.

Our sun, the only one I’m going to see. I’m
meant to be researching the metabolic path-

What is this place? It isn’t real, just something
ways used by the local plants so I know all
squirted down a laser as bits, then reconstitut-
about this. But just looking at them, seeing how
ed from predigested gloop—the kind of thing
different they are from what I’m used to, gets to
you load into the house kitchen. What comes
me every time. I’d like to walk into the forest
out might look like real food, but it isn’t. It’s just and lose myself in the alien ecology, to die out
a copy.

there and become part of it.

This whole place is just a copy.

And so am I.

I can’t focus on work. Often I just sit in the

What’s the point of doing the same things I
lab, waiting for something to happen.

did before? Why bother?

But nothing happens. I’m still me, Anne still

The only things that are different are the
isn’t here, and that isn’t going to change.

plants I’m studying. They’re interesting, but
they don’t make up for everything else.

You don’t have to change what’s inside to be

There has to be something different. Some-
different.

thing better.

I discovered this last night while trying to
catch up on work in the lab. Work is going

Anne left a message.

slowly, and we’re having to do things by hand,

She has abandoned me on Earth as well. She
the old fashioned way. It’s like being back at
hasn’t been copied, which she says is a cow-
graduate school, in the lab I shared with Anne.

ardly, limiting thing. Instead, she’s uploaded,

That was where we met, where we got to
had her mind expanded a thousand fold. Why
know each other, and where we fell in love.

should she bother to study life on other planets

Thinking about Anne must have distracted
when she can spawn a hundred different artifi-
me. I forgot where I was and tried to pass a
cial ecologies every day? She says she still cares
clean set of test tubes to her. But she wasn’t
for me, but that I’ve been holding her back all
there. It fell to the f loor and smashed. As I
this time, having her do all the social things that cleaned up the debris I sliced my finger open

I didn’t do for myself. At first she thought it was on a shard of glass.

fun, that she was broadening my horizons,

I mopped the wound clean and sealed it
making me a better person. But eventually she
with SkinGlue so there wasn’t a lot of blood,

56

DAVID L. CLEMENTS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
but afterward, I had a new little scar on my fin-

Quietly, she reached down and pulled back
ger. That’s mine. It’s nothing to do with the oth-
the sleeve of my shirt, revealing several scars,
er me on Earth. This is mine, uniquely.

fresh and healing.

And I’m going to treasure that.

I suddenly felt ashamed about what I was do-
ing.

It’s become a habit. But it makes me feel bet-

“What’s that?” she asked, appearing worried
ter, at least for a while. I never cut too deep, or about me. “Are you hurt?”

make too serious a scar—nothing that SkinGlue

Something gave way, and I burst into tears.

can’t sort out.

My arms take the worst of it. They’re so ac-

We left the lab and went to a coffee bar,
cessible.

where we sat secluded in a booth and talked

I started to do it at home after the lab acci-
until long after the sun had set. She told me her
dent, just a little slice when I felt things were
name was Alice, and seemed genuinely inter-
piling up. But soon I was doing it at work. I
ested in me, concerned for how I was feeling
tried to make it look accidental—a slip of a
and what I was doing to myself. Nobody else on
scalpel, a sliver of glass. But the marks on my
this planet had ever talked to me like a real per-
forearms began to get noticeable, so I decided
son.

to wear long sleeves in spite of the tropical

It made me feel a little better about things.

heat. I now keep a special scalpel in my desk,

Afterward, as she walked me home, I felt
next to the alcohol and SkinGlue, ready when-
more at peace than I had since arriving.

ever I need it.

As we wandered the empty streets, Alice

And so I cut myself again and again. Enough
pointed to the sky.

to make me different, to show that I’m dam-

“You see that?” she said.

aged, rejected goods, but never enough to ac-

“What, the stars?”

tually hurt myself. I’m too much of a coward for

“Yes,” she replied, nodding. “Nobody but us
that.

has seen a sky like that. I don’t know how far
we are from Earth, but it’s far enough that the

A woman I’d not seen before came into the
sky is very different. We have new constella-
lab today. She was tall, heavily built, and with
tions.”

long brown hair—nothing like Anne. She

“That’ll be bad news for the astrologers.”

brought fresh samples from the jungle, so she’s

She laughed. “Not many here. But the sky is
someone who goes out of the city, working
yours, not something anyone similar to you,
away from the copied human spaces. This
back on Earth or elsewhere, can see. You’re
piqued my interest for a few moments, and I
you, not that other person. This sky proves it.”

thought about speaking to her, but she was

When I got home, she asked if I was going to
busy sorting through the samples and talking to
be all right, and I said yes. For the first time in the lab manager so I turned back to my work.

weeks, I felt unique enough not to be tempted

Not that she’d want to talk to me anyway.

to make more scars.

I carried on cutting up a sample, ignored and
insignificant.

It didn’t last. If she had come back the

Distracted, I slipped, and the scalpel sliced
next day, or later that week, it would have
into the palm of my hand, blood trickling onto
helped. But she didn’t. She was back two
the bench. The ritual of cleaning the wound
weeks later. By then I’d gone back to wield-
and sealing it shut was instinctive.

ing the knife.

But a few moments later, I became aware of

I was in the lab, alone while the others had
someone standing behind me. I ignored them,
gone out for lunch, trying to catch up as usual.

but then an unfamiliar female voice spoke to me.

She apologized for being away and asked me

“You’re new here, aren’t you?”

how I’d been. I hovered between fobbing her

I looked around and was surprised to f ind
off and telling her the truth, split between the
the newcomer was talking to me.

moments we’d shared, and the mask I’d been

“Yes,” I replied, wanting to get back to the
forced to put back on.

anonymity of my work, but conscious she was

She could tell I was hiding something. Gently,
staring at the fresh wound on my hand.

she reached down and pulled back my left

LONG WAY GONE

57

ANALOG
sleeve, revealing the marks that showed what

She looked around as if expecting someone

I’d done.

to come through the door and arrest us.

“You know this can’t go on. Eventually you’re

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon so you can
going to hurt yourself seriously.” She was calm
think about it. But the sooner you make a
and quiet, firm, but reassuring. I looked away.

move, the better you’ll feel.” She scribbled a

“It’s the only thing that makes me feel bet-
number on a piece of paper and handed it to
ter . . . different from . . . him . . . the other one.”

me. “When you’ve made up your mind, call

She looked at me for a few moments.

me,” she said.

“It’s this place,” she said, looking at the lab.

And with that she turned and left.

“This whole fake edifice we’ve built—or had
built for us. This is too much like home. . . .

I couldn’t sleep that night.

No—not home, because we don’t live on Earth

Not that I ever slept well, thinking about
any more. It reminds us of what we were, not
how things might have been different if Anne
of what we are.” There was anger in her voice.

were here. But this night I was kept awake by

I looked away, down at the desk. “But that’s
something different. The chance of some-
what I am. A bad copy of something some-
thing new, the possibility of making a choice
where else.”

that might change things, that might change

“We may have started as copies, but as soon
me.

as we got here this place changed us, made it-

I finally drifted into a disturbed sleep as the
self our new home, and us new people. You’ve
possibilities orbited my mind.

seen the sky, the plants, even the color of day-

In the morning, as I opened the curtains, I
light is different.”

felt a little different.

“So what should I do? Spend all day looking

The city’s skyscrapers gleamed in the blue
at plants through binoculars, and all night look-
morning sun. Beyond them, past the automat-
ing up at the sky? Is that what you do?”

ed industrial sectors, rose the alien forest, filled She was silent for a moment, her lips pressed
with turquoise leaves, dark trunks and multi-
together in thought. Her eyes failed to meet
colored blooms. It looked so much more inter-
mine when I looked at her.

esting than the city, like a place where you

“How much do you want to change, to be re-
could leave behind the past and become some-
ally different from who you were? It might not
thing new.

be easy. You’d have to give up all of this,” she

I had made a decision. While this was anoth-
gestured at the lab, at the city outside the win-
er jump into the unknown, I was going to fol-
dows.

low Alice into the forest.

I smiled, a wry grin. She smiled back, know-

I lifted my phone and called the number she
ing there was nothing here that I valued.

had left.

But any change, whatever she was suggest-

“Hello?” I said as the call was answered. “It’s
ing, would be another leap into the unknown,

Mark. We need to talk.”

just like coming here.

But the only thing on the other end of the

“I guess this isn’t something you can tell me
line was a machine taking messages, saying that
about?”

Alice had been urgently called into the f ield

She shook her head. “Of course I can, but
and couldn’t answer my call.

you probably won’t believe me. You see, I don’t
just visit the forest. I mostly live there, and there There was no way I could leave without her.

are others, refugees from this city, who live

I didn’t know where to go, what to do. But
there too. It’s not easy. We have none of the fa-
something deeper than my fears pushed me on,
cilities you have here.” Her eyes looked away
a feeling that this was my moment, that if I
for a moment, then back, right at me, pinning
didn’t leave now then I was stuck in this city
me with the intensity of her gaze. “But I can tell
forever.

you it’s better than what you have now, though

I called in sick so it would be at least a day be-
it’s not what’s been planned for us, not some-
fore anybody realized I wasn’t part of their
thing the people who run this place meant us
world any more, packed some food, water, and
to do.”

clothes into a rucksack, and walked toward the

I shook my head. I couldn’t decide.

edge of the city.

58

DAVID L. CLEMENTS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

I followed signposts for the industrial zone,
turning my back on the city and keeping on,
intended to show maintenance crews where to
until I got to where I was going.

go. Gradually the familiar buildings of the city,

After that, the route was much easier. I didn’t
copies from what I was used to back on Earth,
have to worry about following a particular
faded from the landscape, to be replaced by
road, or looking for signposts or building num-
simple utilitarian blocks, fed by pipes and pow-
bers. I just kept the city at my back, turning
er cables.

around to check directions whenever I thought

After walking through these for an hour, I re-

I was lost.

alized that the easily readable signposts had dis-

By the end of the day, as the bright blue sun
appeared, replaced by meaningless area
was turning red in the sunset, I reached the fi-
designations and block numbers. I wandered
nal fence, the dark green forest visible just be-
for a while, studying these numbers until I
yond.

guessed that higher numbers meant buildings

The fence wasn’t tall, and its mesh was easy
further from the city. With that information, I
to climb. I soon reached the top, swung myself
set out at a faster pace, sure I would be able to
over and down the other side.

reach the forest well before the sun set.

I brushed my hands on my trousers and in-

The service roads became narrower, and
haled the perfumed smell of the forest, now
more twisted, pipework more common, and
just a few hundred meters away.

the buildings around me grew taller, cutting off

As I took my f irst steps outside the city, a
my view of the forest. The roads started to take
small group of people emerged from the forest.

detours around buildings and larger sections of

They waved, shouted happily and beckoned
pipework, making it difficult to keep my sense
me closer.

of direction, and even the numerical signs be-

I shook hands with them, all delighted to see
came scarce.

me, and introduced myself. Alice had told them

After a long stop at a crossroads to drink wa-
to expect me. They’d spotted me with binoculars
ter, take a comfort break, and to eat some food,
and come out to find me and bring me home.

I stood up, not entirely sure which direction I
had been going in when I had stopped.

Three weeks later everything is different. Life

I was lost.

outside the city isn’t easy, but it’s hard in a way I walked along the road in one direction, un-that’s easier than living inside. I’m still learning, able to find anything familiar. I walked back to
and learning so much. Part of it is the basics—
the crossroads and tried the other direction.

harvesting the plants we can eat, cooking,

Still nothing.

which I was never any good at, planting and

I dashed back, and tried the other branches
tending crops, many of which are from Earth.

of the junction in turn. All the industrial blocks

It’s hard physical work, but satisfying. I have
looked the same, and, since they were meant
friends, and we have our own little village hid-
to be serviced by machines, none of them had
den in the forest. We’re surrounded by life that
any distinguishing markings.

amazes me every day.

I was stuck, not knowing which way to turn.

I’m really me, now, not some fake copy set

A failure once again.

adrift by Anne. The old Mark, the one that

I looked up at the sky, a dark perfect blue in
stayed behind on Earth, wouldn’t understand
all directions, marred only by the towers of the
any of this. He’d hate the mud and work, but
city a surprising distance away. I might as well
then he’s shallow—a stay-at-home person, not
go back to them, return to what now passed for
someone working on the frontier, finding new
my life, a failure at everything I tried.

places and ways to live.

But I wanted to leave the city, go away from

There are more of us every day as the dissatis-
those towers, not toward them.

f ied leak away from the city. We’re the real

If I kept them to my back, a reminder of all
colonists. The ones left behind are just playing at that I was leaving behind, I would, by necessi-being on an alien planet. But they’re just copies
ty, be heading toward the forest.

in a copied city, living off the leavings of Earth.

I could do this, by myself, without Alice

We don’t need that. We have something real.

or Anne or anybody else to help me, just by

We are something real. ■

LONG WAY GONE

59

Probability Zero

Space

Bugs

Marianne Dyson
eavy rain pounded the windows outside
zero fund NASA. “If people were meant to fly
the capital diner. Barbara tucked a wet
in space, God would have given them wings!”

strand of blonde hair behind one ear and

Barbara spewed milk across the table.

Hpicked at her apple pie.The lead story “Wings don’t work in space,you idiot!”

on the diner’s TV was the death of NASA.

Doc used his napkin to dab at the drops of

“Hi Doc,” she said, as her friend slid in
milk that landed on his best blue suit.

across from her. “How’d the army interview

“Sorry, Doc,” Barbara said. She sat her glass
go?”

down and blotted at the spilled milk. “I didn’t

Doc ran a hand over his short dark hair.

mean to spray you with my germs.”

“Fine, but there are no openings in medical re-

“Don’t worry,” he said. He held up his cof-
search.”

fee cup with a smile. “The coffee needed some

A waiter asked if he wanted coffee, and he
cream. Besides, I can always use more space
nodded, turning a cup upright on its saucer.

bugs.”

The waiter poured and left.

“What do you mean by space bugs?” Barbara

Barbara swallowed a bit of pie. “I can’t be-
asked. She waved at the waiter to bring her an-
lieve this is happening,” she said. “We both
other glass of milk.

worked our tails off to get into the astronaut

“Gut microbes that thrive in freefall. I found
corps, and now, poof, the whole agency is
them while studying changes in astronaut mi-
gone.” She stabbed another piece of pie. “Even
crobes before, during, and after spaceflight,”

if the private space companies survive with no

Doc said. He tore open another stevia packet
government contracts, they won’t be building
and stirred. “But when I looked at the mood di-
a Far Side telescope for me to hunt comets.”

aries versus the increase in space bugs, I no-

She set her fork down and picked up her glass
ticed a correlation: the ones with the most
of milk.

bugs reported feeling better than at any other

“I know,” Doc said, dumping a packet of ste-
time in their lives.”

via into his coffee. “They won’t be funding any

Barbara swallowed. “Yeah, I remember the
cutting-edge medical research, either.”

euphoric feeling of being in space. If I’d been

They both stared in silence at the diner’s TV
able to take my cat, I’d never have come back.”

as the NASA shutdown story continued. The

He stirred his coffee. “Exactly. I felt it, too.

pundit asked a congressman why he’d voted to

We all did. If I had more data, I bet I could

61

ANALOG
prove that space bugs reward us for getting
one hand. He looked back over his shoulder to
them into space by stimulating our pleasure
verify no reporters had followed him.

center.”

“Over here, Doc!” she said, lifting the cat

“Why would they do that?” Barbara asked.

onto the table so she could give Doc a quick

Doc shrugged. “I’d love to find out, but I’d
hug. “Don’t worry, reporters aren’t allowed up
need more research subjects.” Doc drifted off
here today.”

into thought.

“Thanks,” he said, taking her hand as they

The waiter dropped off Barbara’s new glass
both sat down. “I prefer to collect my favorite
of milk. She took a sip.

‘space bugs’ in private!” He kissed her hand.

Lightning flashed outside. The boom rattled

The cat eyed the exchange curiously and then
the window. Doc set his coffee cup down and
lay down between them, swishing her tail back
stared at Barbara. “Don’t laugh, but I just had
and forth.

this crazy idea.”

Barbara blushed. “Yeah, about that . . .” She

“The congressman getting zapped by light-
pulled her hand free and took a mini-tablet
ing?” Barbara asked. She nabbed her last piece
from the breast pocket of her red overalls. She
of pie.

tapped the screen and held it out for him to

Doc chuckled. “No, by space bugs. If we
see. The story headline read, “Alien Microbes
could get that congressman into space, I bet

Control Space Program Leaders!”

he’d feel the space bug euphoria and interpret

Doc read the headline and shrugged. “I
it as a sign from God that human space explo-
guess I’ll test that hypothesis when I examine
ration is indeed His will. Then, being a politi-
the microbial content of the comet before
cian, he’ll find some way to restart the program
sending it on its new path.”

so he can fly again—and we can, too.” The

“Seriously? Do you expect to find space bugs
waiter dropped off their bills.

on the comet? Is that why you were selected as

“And maybe even get me my comet-hunting
the medical officer?” Barbara asked.

lunar telescope,” Barbara said. She pushed her

He straightened in his seat. “Are you saying
empty plate away. “But how are we going to

I’m not qualified as a medical officer because
pay for it?”

I’ve been studying microbes? That it was a po-

“The new space carriers might help us.

litical appointment?” The cat lifted her head

They want the government back as a cus-
and stared at him.

tomer.” Doc checked his bill and whipped out

“No! I don’t mean that at all,” Barbara said. “I
his phone to pay it.

just find it strange that you knew that flying

Barbara reached across the table and put her
that congressman would restart the space pro-
hand on top of Doc’s. “You know, I’m feeling
gram, and it did. Then you and he just ‘knew’

like this will actually work,” she said. “A few
we had to build this lunar telescope, and then,
minutes ago, I thought I’d never fly in space
poof, we find a comet heading our way practi-
again. And now I think there’s hope after all.

cally at first light!”

Thanks.”

Doc stroked the cat whose white fur

Doc took her hand and kissed it. “What are
seemed magnetically attracted to his blue flight
space friends for?”

suit. “God works in mysterious ways,” he said,
quoting the congressman’s famous speech
about our obligation to spread life to the cos-

Some years later
mos. Cat hair drifted slowly in the low gravity.

The lunar lander set down gently on the

Barbara sipped more cocoa. “But consider-
spaceport pad. Barbara watched from the Far
ing we’re 90 percent microbes and 10 percent

Side’s Starlight Café, stroking a white cat on
human, don’t you sometimes wonder who
her lap. A robotic rover dragged the craft over

God’s really talking to?”

to the docking area where the crew of the

Doc shrugged. “As long as we keep discov-

Comet Return Mission disembarked, media fol-
ering new things, it doesn’t matter.” He
lowing.

brushed the fur off his sleeve. “By the way, did

Barbara had just taken her first sip of cocoa

I ever tell you that cats have space bugs, too?”

when Doc entered the café, a small pack on his

The white cat looked up at them and
back and a “Welcome to Luna” mug of coffee in
purred. ■

62

MARIANNE DYSON

Orion,

Rising

Arlan Andrews, Sr.

amn it, boys,” the man at the bar

Project Orion crew module, the Al-Shalani.

shouted, “the whole Apollo Pro-

“A long stick with a . . . a . . . souped-up Apollo ject, from Kennedy’s announce-capsule on the end, carrying a LEM not much

“Dment to TranquilityBase,only bigger than the one theydesigned when I was took eight years! And built from scratch!”

a kid! And . . .” He didn’t say any more out

Few people in the FourBee Bar even both-
loud, but his friends knew his meaning. And
ered to turn around; most had heard that par-
named for an American Muslim, a world
ticular statement before, many times, this day
hero born in the heartland of the USA.

of all days. But the atmosphere was getting a

“Tim, just calm down, ” a companion
little tense and intense. As opposed to the
replied, his voice no more than a whisper. “I
stark brightness outside in the street, the bar’s
was afraid you were going to use the old
dark ambience provided an oasis of sorts for

NASA phrase for Orion, the S-word, and that the patrons jamming its small tables, but little
wouldn’t have been good.” All references to il-
respite from the ongoing political arguments
legal psychomorphics being off icially
about NASA wasting all that money on a
frowned upon, if not outright illegal, any good
moon project, when the funds could have
sensor would have picked up the phrase and
been better spent.

docked the speaker significant social credits.

At the bar counter itself, accompanying

“So ‘souped-up Apollo’ was a good choice.”

their now-quieter companion, a group of half

The words “Apollo on steroids” never passed a dozen men was indulging in equal amounts
his lips.

of nostalgia and griping. “I mean, Jess,” the

On the wall-screen appeared yesterday’s im-
loud man said, “Orion’s program’s taken six-
ages of the Al-Shalani and the attached fourteen years to get to the Moon. Over twice as person Lunar Excursion Module separating
long, and what have they got to show for it?

from the javelin-like Ares rocket booster. Now, Old technology!” He waved a shaky hand at
within minutes, the LEM itself would be
the f ive-meter-wide wall-screen across the
touching down near the original Apollo XI
room, which was showing a trivideo of the
landing site, and billions of people would be

63

ANALOG
watching, among them those in the FourBee
felt anachronistically patriotic, appreciative of

Bar.

what their beleaguered national government

Another drinker sipped a Scotch and
had finally accomplished—even if the mission
sighed, “They are calling the LEM ‘The Roc,’

was ineff icient, bureaucratic, and outdated;
after the giant bird from The Arabian Nights,
even if private enterprise could have done it

I suppose.”

better.

“Sure enough, General,” another mumbled,

Deliberately and with much care, Tim de-

“Al Shalani’s favorite book, you remember.”

parted his bar stool and carefully took a stance

The bar group grew quiet; the Muslim from
leaning against the bar. His companions did

Oklahoma had been a character right out of a
likewise, all facing the screen to witness the

Heinlein story and for good reason: his full-
descent. The bar room grew hushed.

bore, balls-to-the-wall asteroid intercept im-

On the wall-screen, the LEM neared the lu-
pact had saved a lot of humankind.

nar surface, swirls of ghostly lunar dust kick-

On the wall screen, in real time, the Roc
ing up, strewn radially outward by invisible
had separated from the Al Shalani and was
engine exhaust. It touched down. An automat-
braking to land on the Moon.

ed system took over and made the announce-

“It is beautiful, though, boys,” Tim said qui-ment, a paraphrase of the immortal words of
etly. “Just like Eagle was, f ifty-f ive years ago.

Armstrong exactly f ifty-f ive years before, to

But still, I wish they had gone a lot further
the day. “Houston, Orion Five here, at Tran-with the technology, something good enough
quility Base. The Roc has landed.” The mes-to get us on out to Mars in a big way, not just a
sage was repeated in f ive other off icial
super- Apollo. That was designed in the 1960s, languages, drawing cheers from all around.

using ancient technologies, not even old-time

The men at the bar slapped each other’s
integrated circuits.”

backs, toasting f irst the Roc’s crew and then The eldest of the bar group chuckled. “Hell,
themselves. They had been space supporters
guys, I once met Buzz Aldrin, and he told me
and science-fiction fans long enough to appre-
that he and Neil Armstrong carried little six-
ciate both the beauty and the supreme irony
inch pocket slide rules on Apollo XI, just to of the event. “But hell, boys, they’ve lifted site
check up on the ship’s tiny 2K computer.”

security out there by now, so let’s go take a

That drew hearty laughs from them all.

look,” Tim said. Under his breath he muttered,

“Yeah,” another voice chimed in, “I remem-

“Sure took ’em long enough to get here.”

ber the old Shuttle flights; when they carried

The bar crew stepped outside into the air
a commercial laptop aboard, it doubled their
lock underneath the large FourBee sign—
computing capacity.” On the wall screen, the

Branson-Bezos-Bigelow-Benson Lunar Enter-

Roc was seconds from touchdown. This
prises, LLC—waiting mere seconds as the
spacecraft, though featuring decades-old
lock’s Slip-SlapTM suit system enveloped them propulsion and materials technologies, did
in nanophane moonsuits and breathers, and,
have onboard a full complement of the latest
oblivious to the moonbusloads of tourists
naniputers that could f ly the mission all by
streaming out of Heinlein City in the same di-
themselves. But above all, it was an American
rection, f lagged down a bubblecab to take
space ship, and it was working, and it was
them to Tranquility Base Historic Site, twenty
landing on the Moon, and the group of men
kilometers distant. ■

64

ARLAN ANDREWS, SR.

The

Yoni Sutra

Priya Chand
halini Rao’s hands trembled uncontrol-

They went around the f ire, slow with the
lably. It was the happiest day of her
weight of ceremony and real gold. Nilam’s was
life.

woven into his clothes. Shalini wore earrings

S Her eyes flitted towards Nilam,hid- so heavyher earlobes were reinforced.Half den behind a veil of f lowers so thick she
her vision was a red blur from the sheer cloth
couldn’t tell where he was looking. Anywhere
covering her head, but the guests she saw
but the f ire, if she knew him—and she did.

were smiling. A good match. An easy match.

Five years of college was enough to guess he’d

Almost there.

be staring at his left leg, the ankle peering out

They took their blessings from the web-
of the cotton pants. He’d injured it when he
cam—Nilam’s parents were buying real es-
was too small for nanohealing. There was a
tate in France—and went to her father.

scar like a painted snake on his skin there. She

Shalini put her hand to her neck. Her f in-
wanted to trace her fingers across it.

gers crawled over the knot in her skin. She

She would, tonight.

knew she was being stupid—the chip was

She remembered going to see the pandit, a
implanted at birth—but she imagined it as an
gnarled tree of a man who’d made her par-
alien presence, always watching. Even the
ents’ match. The moment when he came out
governor of Delhi had one, but still. It was an
of the genetics chamber, beaming. Shalini
other.

and Nilam were meant to be—their HLA re-

Nilam and Mr. Rao shook hands. Shalini
gions were more than 30 percent different.

saw her husband f linch as the data passed

Their children would be resistant against a
over. Now he was one of the family males,
variety of illnesses.

able to touch her without being zapped to an

A burst of smoke whooshed up as the
inch of his life.

chanting ended. Shalini wrinkled her nose,

And they were married. She knew what
trying not to sneeze. She wondered if Nilam
that meant.

was holding his breath, too—artif icial san-

Shalini hadn’t watched blue f ilms like
dalwood smelled like garbage.

some of the other girls. She was sure as long

65

ANALOG
as she stayed quiet and let him put his hands

The door clicked open. As one giant proto-
wherever he liked, it would be all right.

beast, the women turned to watch it.

Gayatri had hair down to her waist and

Monday. Her skin was af lame from the Goa
glowing purple eyes. In a brightly embroi-
sun, and Nilam was green from the tequila
dered tunic and loose leggings—current Del-
she’d pushed on him. It wasn’t anything like
hi fashion— she wouldn’t stand out in a
when they’d gone with their friends. Nothing
crowd.

would be like that again.

But as she whipped her braid away to sit

The knowledge was a glowing coal in her
down, Shalini saw the back of her neck. Per-
stomach.

fectly smooth.

Shalini scratched her neck, touching the

Cheeks stretched, Shalini introduced her-
nub. She and Nilam both worked. He
self—she didn’t want anyone to think she’d
couldn’t always be there to protect her, that
been staring.

was archaic. From the times when women

Gayatri smiled back. “I just moved here
never left the house.

from Mumbai.”

She boarded the train, conscious of the

“Mumbai! The gover nor’s Shr i Bala
newlywed’s clinking bangles on her bare

Thakrai, no?”

arms. The women’s compartment was over-

“He is,” she said. “The city’s been very
full, so she followed a cluster of women into
pleasant for women in the past ten years.”

the mixed carriage. The men eyed them ner-

The Thakrai family was given whatever
vously, keeping well away—long hair was
they wanted—expensive custom jewelry,
fashionable, but everyone knew those scars
cars they liked. They also never traveled
were there on their hidden necks.

without a pack of engineered dogs, ones

Shalini didn’t have to think about the men
who weren’t bothered by the rubber bullets
once. The only people who met her eyes
and supersonic alarms that were a shopkeep-
smiled congratulations at her wedding.

er’s only defense against crime.

At work, everyone wanted to see the ring.

Gayatri must be missing home a lot. Shalini

Once they’d oohed and aahed, her friends thought it would be rude to burst her bub-got back to work. Shalini followed them to
ble. “I’ve never been. I hear it’s much big-
the cubicles.

ger.”

“Shalini,” Lina said. “You know Rajit f inally

“They had to build another spacescraper,
hired someone new? Gayatri Goyal.”

yeah. Lots of new projects. I like Delhi,

Shalini rolled her eyes. “About time!”

though, it’s so green.”

“Yeah, though she’s a bit . . . odd.”

Trying not to ask about the chip, Shalini

“How odd?”

started rubbing her neck. She wondered

The woman Gayatri was replacing had
what it would feel like to have nothing there.

been f ired for carving religious symbols into

No safety net.

company equipment; she couldn’t imagine

Gayatri was smirking now. “The chip? It’s
anything odder. These days, the swastika was
not common in Mumbai.”

more associated with Nazis than Hinduism.

“Really?” Who kept the women safe? Shali-

Shalini saw priests begging at every corner in
ni realized she was furiously scratching her
the bad parts of Delhi. No one wanted to go
neck and forced her hand down.

near them.

“Self-defense classes are popular,” Gayatri

“She’s not a believer” —they sniffed —
said, almost idly.

“but she’s divorced. And,” Lina pulled Shali-

Shalini frowned. The only women who
ni close to whisper, “she hasn’t got the
signed up for those were . . . fallen women.

chip.”

The ones who married impotent or gay men

Hasn’t got the chip!

to cover their licentious lifestyles, sleeping

Shalini couldn’t imagine going outside like
around with—Rhia said—as many as eight or
that, available to the slightest touch of any
nine people a year. . . .

man. She’d never shaken hands with her

“For everyone?” Shalini said.

boss, or hugged Nilam when they graduated.

“I took them while I was married.” Her

Only your family had a right to your body.

smile widened. The rows of white teeth

66

PRIYA CHAND

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
watched Shalini muddle through the conver-

He was a little clumsy against her, but she
sation. She didn’t know many divorced peo-
wasn’t an expert either. And he tried, he
ple, either.

tried so well. . . .

As the senior, Shalini had to show Gayatri

Contemplate the yoni. Contemplate the
the ropes. The basics of HR weren’t differ-
yoni. Contemplate the yoni.

ent—the global standards were applied

She thought she was going to scream.

across India with no variation—but Gayatri

They were sweaty, exhausted, breath evap-
didn’t understand their culture. There were
orating from their mouth in ragged gasps.

things a decent Delhi woman didn’t talk

The hologram turned off, leaving faint blue
about.

images in their minds. Shalini thought there

No one knew what went on in Mumbai,
should’ve been f ireworks.

but the moment Gayatri’s mouth opened

“Was it not good?” Nilam said.

Shalini could feel the whisper s cluster

Shalini tried to take deep breaths. Her
around them like children kicking a dog.

chest was heaving too much, it was uncouth,

Still, Gayatri wasn’t so bad. She said things
but she tried to remind herself this was okay
that made Shalini wince, things that merited
in the bedroom.

a slap for a younger girl, and she sniffed at

And it hadn’t felt bad. Not like the other
the way men f linched around them when
times.

they went out, but mostly she was fun.

“It was perfect,” she said, licking blood off

And Shalini was raised to think well of peo-
her lip where she’d bitten down.

ple. A good Indian woman.

“You were so quiet.”

She frowned. “That’s not what you prefer?”

Nilam was blushing furiously.

“I want you to be happy. ” He sighed.

They’d been married for a month. Shalini

“You’re going to have our children.” They’d
had lain there and done her duty, surprised
decided on two, which was plenty to spread
to f ind it wasn’t so bad. Even pleasant at
their favorable genetics. More would’ve
times.

meant a bigger house, anyway, and the gov-

She wished she’d gone to see the blue films.

ernment bonus wouldn’t cover that.

There was more to sex than she imagined. Her

She thought about wrapping her arm
mother blushed too much for Shalini to ever
around him, but they were naked. “Believe
ask. And it wasn’t as if Shalini wanted to imag-
me, I am happy.”

ine her parents . . . making love.

Nilam shook his head. “Please, Shalini, tell

“What’s wrong?” she said. She waved a
me if anything’s wrong.”

hand to dim the lights.

“It’s not,” Shalini said and yawned—work

“I—I thought perhaps we could make it
tomorrow.

more interesting,” he muttered in a voice as

They went to bed in silence. Shalini won-
low as the curtains.

dered if she should have done more to break

“Interesting?” Shalini was half tempted to
it.

ask Gayatri what she knew about sex, but it
would be terribly forward.

Rajesh called Shalini into his off ice, the

Nilam shook his head and f lung out a small
desk a suitable buffer between boss and un-
disk.

derling. She kept her hands behind her back

It expanded into blue outlines over the bed,
so he could relax.

a low voice thanking them for purchasing the

“Mrs. Shalini,” he said.

latest edition of the Kama Sutra. Shalini felt

“Mr. Rajesh.”

Nilam’s eyes slide on to her, nervous as he’d

“I hear our newest team member’s doing
been during the comprehensive exam, and
quite well.”

gave him a soft smile to let him know it was all

“She’s a smart girl.”

right. They were married, weren’t they?

“The company is transferring me to New

When they were in the indicated positions,

York,” he said out of nowhere.

the voice shifted to directions. Male: contem-

Shalini’s eyebrows went up a little. “Con-
plate the yoni. Female: embrace the lingam.

gratulations.” He was a “conf irmed bache-

And turn, begin with a gentle rhythm.

lor.” She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d asked

THE YONI SUTRA

67

ANALOG
for the transfer, it was the only reason to go

HR at the monthly meetings when Rajesh
there. America was so out of touch with the
was out.

latest ideas—they didn’t have instant roti yet,

It would mean making Nilam defer to her.

her cousins said—but they were liberal on

He wouldn’t be happy if he didn’t think he
other points.

was in charge.

“I was thinking you could replace me. But

Shalini couldn’t imagine trying birth con-
you just married, no? Planning for kids?”

trol—besides, it was three months since their

Rajesh didn’t spend much time with
marriage, two months since Nilam bought
them—they frequented female-only bars, it
the Kama Sutra, and the homeostasis app
was safer for the men and less embarrassing
hadn’t signaled the slightest change in her
for the women. Shalini assumed he had an
body. There was probably nothing to worry
important reason for asking. It sure as hell
about. They’d plan a manual pregnancy later
wasn’t conversational.

and she could forget these doubts ever hap-

“We were thinking to have two,” she said.

pened.

“We haven’t decided to have them as twins
yet.” Twins would save valuable pregnancy

Gayatri came in late with a wrapped arm
time, but she’d have to leave work for a
and a bruised cheek. The ladies gasped when
year—the nine-month daycares didn’t teach
they saw the white swathe over her green-
past simple arithmetic. “I planned to take a
pink dress, f luttering around her like gerba
job at home if we did.”

dancers.

Rajesh took a moment to straighten his tie.

“Is that the latest wrap? Two, three days to

“Mrs. Shalini, I will recommend you for this
heal?”

promotion. My boss will want an interview,

“Dear, let me give you balm for that—
but you must know now that they won’t let
won’t do to have a mark on your face! Chee,
you work from home for at least one year.

imagine what the boys will say!”

This position isn’t like what you’re doing

“What happened?”

now.”

Gayatri tossed her head back. Shalini

“Thank you, sir.” Shalini nodded. He nod-
stayed away, completely silent. She could tell
ded back.

the woman was in a mood—she just hoped

When she got home, Nilam was peeling

Gayatri remembered to keep it appropriate
precut tomatoes. The cubes dropped into
for their cool Delhi office, the fans tinkling in
the pan with a mix of spices and oil, f illing
the background and the shade of their mag-
the kitchen with the odors Shalini remem-
nif icent trees sneaking through the gaps in
bered from her childhood. Everyone used
the blinds.

Haldiram’s Instant in Delhi.

“A man tried to rape me, ” Gayatri an-

“I might be up for a promotion at work,”

nounced.

she said.

Shalini winced. She could hear the echo

He beamed. “Great!”

off the walls.

“They want us to wait on children.” Shalini

Everyone went silent. Eyes dropped to the
knew how much Nilam wanted kids—no sib-
ground, necks bending in an invisible deluge.

lings, he’d volunteered at the youth center

Suddenly Gayatri had a chip of her own, one
through college.

that would zap any woman who looked at

“It’s okay,” he said. “Whatever you want.”

her.

What did she want?

Shalini remembered she was the leader

Her parents had a happy marriage. They
now. Rajesh had passed word to his superi-
never argued; they didn’t have to. Her moth-
ors, and she was meeting them Thursday to
er knew how to get what she needed. There
discuss her new responsibilities.

was no reason to involve Mr. Rao in every lit-

She stepped forward, hit by how proud
tle detail. A good wife deferred to her hus-

Gayatri’s pose was—a beaten woman didn’t
band’s wishes—what wishes he had, anyway.

look like that, it was why they had the chips.

But Shalini would be a great boss. She

To spare women the humiliation of everyone
knew the job, she knew the team, and she
knowing they could be taken like that.

wasn’t afraid of speaking up. She represented

“Are you alright?”

68

PRIYA CHAND

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Gayatri sniffed. “I nailed that fucker in his

The shock hit. His eyes went wide, his legs
f ilthy crotch. He didn’t have a chance. He’s
shook. She smelled the faintest hint of pee, a
rotting in Laxmi Gandhi jail.” The jail named
tang overlaid on the Delhi heat.

after India’s f ifth woman prime minister was

She shook her head to cancel the police
staffed entirely by policewomen. It had a
call. He wouldn’t be looking at any women
good stock of bamboo rods, too. A lot of
for a while.

those policewomen had pasts they wanted to

Thankfully, Nilam was home when she got
beat to death.

there.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Shalini said. “He’ll

“Nilam,” Shalini said, watching her hus-
be black and blue in no time.”

band pour rice kernels into a bowl. They

Gayatri’s eyes narrowed. “He already is,”

f luffed and steamed as they landed. The
she hissed.

sound was unexpectedly harsh, like someone
drumming f ingers against her ears.

The meeting Thursday went well. “You

“Yes?”

can start the position as soon as Mr. Rajesh

“I got the job.” He dropped his fork and
leaves,” her soon-to-be boss said. “Please re-
they hugged for a long time. She inhaled his
member to be cautious with, er, matters of
smell, the sweetness of sweat mingling with
family. Mrs. Sharma, if you haven’t discussed
the sharp perfume she’d bought him for his
with your husband yet, you must soon.”

birthday.

“I’ll conf irm with him,” she said. “I’ll be in

“This is wonderful,” he said. “Good thing
touch if there is a problem.”

you weren’t pregnant!” They laughed and

They shook hands and Shalini left.

settled down for lunch.

She was impressed a woman could have

Shalini felt better once the y’d talked
such a f ir m handshake, but when she
awhile.

thought about it, she didn’t even know if

“I should go back,” she said. “I didn’t f inal-
men had tough handshakes.

ize my report, I’d rather do it while it’s

Her hand brushed her phone. Something
fresh.”

beeped.

“Do you want me to drop you off ?” He had

Shalini looked at it, a heavy weight drag-
code to review, and his boss trusted him to
ging her neck down.

do it from home. He could take the time and

There was an alert from her homeostasis
see her there.

app—no surprise, her palms were wet. She’d

“It’s okay,” Shalini said. With the traff ic,
done well, she knew, but she was terrif ied.

it’d be faster to take the train.

The extra money meant so many things.

Of course, that was assuming there hadn’t

They wanted to see the Brazilian megacities;
been an accident on the tracks, police
that would be a real option now.

swarming the station like f lies on cow dung.

And, someday, they could talk about hav-

She was stuck on the train for two hours, legs
ing a third child. Nilam did love children so
cramping as she shifted between sitting and
much, it hardly seemed fair to stop when
standing and sitting again. The cool air did
money wasn’t an issue.

nothing to stop the nervous sweat inching

Expecting no more than a reminder to take
down her spine.

deeper breaths and relax, Shalini f licked the

By the time she was back in the off ice, the
window open.

lights were off. Shalini unlocked the door

She was pregnant.

with a swipe of her f inger and heard a sound
that always put her on edge.

Shalini took a half-day. Nilam came home

Crying.

for lunch—he’d be getting in now.

Not like when she was a child, before she

She walked home from the station. Her
learned to let the tears fall like accidents, but
neck prickled. Some careless teenager was
the wholehearted sobbing of an adult who’s
eyeing her, the curves of her body under the
practiced swallowing her sorrow and, this
cotton layers. A roar rose in her chest, and
time, can’t. Some things won’t go away.

she slipped her hand out, brushing his hand

The voice kept whispering, “Filthy fucker,
as if meaning to seduce him.

that f ilthy fucker . . .”

THE YONI SUTRA

69

ANALOG

She winced at the language, and more. Only

Gayatri sighed. “No,” she said. “He didn’t
one person swore like that. The strongest
get past touching me. They’ll cut that hand
woman she’d met, as independent as any man.

off. Fucker.”

Shalini didn’t want to know what could bring

Shalini frowned. “Just a touch?”

someone like that to tears. Not when Gayatri

Gayatri exploded. “Just! How can you say
hadn’t said a word about anything.

that, just a touch, how—” she froze when

Shalini turned on the light.

their eyes met. Shalini could feel her muscles

“Gayatri,” she whispered.

straining, the words resting at the edges of

The woman met her eyes, red-rimmed and
her lips.

puffy cheeked. “Shalini! I was just . . .”

She kept touching the chip, reminding her-

Team leader. She had to be responsible for
self it was there. It kept her safe from anyone
everyone, take care of them so they could do
who wasn’t her family, and what protection
their jobs. Shalini dropped her hand on Gaya-
could a young girl need from her family?

tri’s shoulder. Gayatri flinched and stood up.

She thought about Nilam, who thought

The chair clattered to the ground, the
they’d got everything they wanted—good
wheels twitching like the hands of a dying
jobs for the two of them and, as soon as they
clock.

were ready, children. He was a fair man. At

Behind the glistening tears and the redness
the rate he was going, she wouldn’t need a
suffusing her face, Gayatri’s eyes were round,
job at all. He knew she liked to work, that
her forehead creased into rage and . . . humil-
was all. Nilam would get a promotion soon
iation. Shalini knew that look. She could re-
enough. He was a hardworking man. Too
member the way the muscles twisted, the
nice for off ice politics, but that wasn’t the
subtle shiftiness as she tried to avoid looking
only way to get ahead.

at any ref lection of herself. Eye contact—that

Shalini had resolved some interesting dis-
was bad.

putes over the years. She thought about a

But that was before she knew it was okay.

mistake she’d made when she f irst started in

She had the chip, after all, and anything the

HR, falling for the slick words of the older
chip allowed was okay.

man because the younger one kept looking

She rubbed it, f ingers exploring the nub,
at her.

thanking it for keeping her safe. Her other

The temperature hadn’t dipped below
hand went to her stomach without any con-

50oC that year, and even with a rewired cor-
scious intent. It was too damn soon.

tex and the air conditioning, her clothes

“Are . . .” She swallowed. “Do you need a
were damp against her body. She didn’t like
clinic?”

being looked at that way, but there was no Shalini knew of a few. There were girls in

Nilam to keep her safe then.

college who had their chips disabled illegally.

Nilam was her family now.

And some of those girls found themselves

Shalini bit her lip. When her jaw started
with a mistake they couldn’t f ix with a cup
hurting, she unclenched. “If you want to go
of hormone tea. Shalini didn’t think much of
to the clinic, I’m going.”

their choices, but when they needed some-

Gayatri was wiping her face in large care-
one she wasn’t the type to say no.

less strokes, chaf ing the skin into a brighter

It was hard to forget where those places
redness. “You’re getting the chip removed?”

had been, with their nondescript signs—

Shalini clasped her hands behind her back,

“Women’s Health,” usually—and the soft cur-
just as she did around men when she wanted
tains that let in a weird, peach light. The
them to feel safe. When she thought about it,
f loors were cold as ice, her bare toes crawl-
she tried harder to relax, letting her hands
ing past the marble to sit on the spread mat-
go. As they dropped, they f litted over her
tress against a wall. To wait.

uterus. Someday, she and Nilam would have

There were always women waiting in
their own family.

those places, women who had no business

“I’m getting it removed,” she said. ■
there themselves.

70

PRIYA CHAND

Illustrated by Kurt Huggins

The Great

Leap of

Shin

Henry Lien

THE BOY
march of the men and their chants making the
en li from the Wall, we could hear a
air tremble.

pulse coming up from the earth, even

We crested the slope. We were struck with
as our horses sped across it.

the full grandeur of the Wall as it marched to-

T Five li from the Wall,the path be- ward its goal.

neath us began to rise. The cliffs beside us

A great wall of men that swept from one
shrank away into a plain. We were assaulted
end of view to the other, from Gao-Feng
by the force of the beats of the drums.

Mountain in the North down to the Purple

One li from the Wall, we could hear the

River in the South. The chanting of the men,

71

ANALOG
urged on by the phalanxes of drummers be-
from Second Principal Character Dancer to
hind them, thundered before us.

Sho-Mei’s position, even though she is

“The Earthquake of Five Thousand Years
younger than Sho-Mei, but it was not my deci-

“Is due and coming any day!

sion.

“But Men of Shin need not to fear!

“When we have audience before the Eu-

“The Earth our orders shall obey!”

nuch Mu Hai-Chen, I forbid you to speak, Mis-

The Great Wall of Men. Two hundred mil-
tress Sho-Mei,” I said.

lion men marching westward shoulder to

Sho-Mei glared at me but did not speak
shoulder in a formation spreading two thou-
more protest. How did a fourteen-year-old girl
sand li.

get so hard? I laughed. I would not want her as

“It is not quakes that kill and break,
an enemy.

“But structures falling onto men!

“When we have audience with him,” said

“We cannot make the Earth not quake,

Sho-Mei, “do not forget what we came to do.”

“But with our feet, we can choose when!”

A wall of men, advancing into position to

THE EUNUCH
perform the Great Leap of Shin, chanting as

Final inspections of front lines of Great Wall
they march.

almost complete. Six days until eighth day of

“Our Great Wall marches forth in lines
eighth month, day of Great Leap of Shin.

“Of twenty million men times ten,

Health of men in front layers of Great Wall

“To stamp upon the Great Earth-Spine,
concerned me. Men essentially in place, in po-

“And cleave it with the feet of men!”

sition for Great Leap in three days. Front layers

So simple. Earthquakes did not kill people.

would suffer severe compaction, no guarantee

Not knowing when they would happen and
of successful conveyance of food or water to
not knowing when to be outside of structures
majority of men in front layers. Calculations
was what killed people.

predicted loss of twenty of every thousand to

Shin was ready to save their people by de-
water lack and an additional thirteen of every
stroying their homes. Shin was also ready to
thousand to exposure, hunger, or illness. By
save their people by destroying our home on
last day before Great Leap, loss of additional
the island of Pearl.

twenty of every thousand to suffocation due

The Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen was just one
to compaction.

man. Not even a whole man. But as the chief

Estimated total loss of f ifty-three of every
engineer of the Great Leap of Shin, he would
thousand. So close. If more than sixty-one of
have the power to destroy my home.

every thousand men lost, insufficient tonnage

We stopped our hor ses to watch the
of men to perform Great Leap.

march of the Wall. Though their endeavor

Building these calculations upon my father’s
was evil, the sight of a wall of men, spread-
work. He did not consider his map of Great
ing like lines of writing that f lowed across

Spine of the Earth complete at time of death.

the Earth from one end of view to the other,

Hoped it was complete enough.

impressed.

Force of average-sized man jumping was

“You forget what we came here to do, Mas-
forty dan. Forty dan times two hundred mil-
ter Tian-Tai,” said Mistress Sho-Mei.

lion men was eight billion dan. Equivalent to

“And you forget your rank, Mistress Sho-
pressure of seventy thousand tsan explosive.

Mei,” I said to her.

Such explosive could destroy half of Imperial

Sho-Mei believed I was given the role of

City.

Principal Dancer on this mission only because

Greatest faith in father’s calculations of har-
my father was governor of Pearl. But she did
monic resonance margin of plates that formed
not have the character of a leader. A leader

Great Spine of the Earth. Father had supple-
must consider all costs and bend so as not to
mented work of great geologists since begin-
break. Sho-Mei could only speed in one direc-
ning of Tsui Dynasty with own work testing
tion, like an arrow.

inherent resonances of bedrock that formed

Mistress Yumi, however, was an excellent
plates.

choice to accompany me. Yumi was talented

Father’s calculations predicted that ex-
and obedient. I would have promoted her
plosive tonnage of each eight billion dan

72

HENRY LIEN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
leap could be amplif ied by timing them all

“I heard that the eunuch summarily execut-
to occur 2.4 strokes of new standard clock.

ed one man in every village in Shin to let

By seventieth leap, force would be ampli-
people know that they shall enforce the de-
f ied to thirty-f ive times power of f irst leap.

cree and execute any deserters,” said Sho-Mei.

Simple concept. No child can climb tree

“How terrible.”

and break branch by jumping once. But if

“That is the way of the world!” said Sho-Mei.

child jumps repeatedly at correct frequen-

“How did you get assigned to this mission? Al-
cy, jumps amplify and stack and eventually
ways f linching. You shall be the cause of all
break branch.

our deaths!”

Rode south along Great Wall of Men toward

Poor Yumi buried her chin into her breast at

Imperial City and heart of command at Jade
the rebuke.

Palace. Felt great press of duties upon me. Did

I took Sho-Mei aside.

not want to meet with another emissary of

“How does abusing Mistress Yumi help our
children from provinces paying tribute. Too
mission, Mistress Sho-Mei?” I said.

close to Great Leap. But emissary from island

“Someone has to teach her to be tough
of Pearl. Seeking exception. Pearl. Always
enough to do what we came to do. Someone

Pearl. Always special entreaties. Always differ-
has to lead this mission.”

ent ideas. Always sabotaging Shin’s efforts. Al-

My brow flushed with heat at the open dis-
ways verging on open war.

respect. “One more insolent phrase and I shall

Pearlian children would plead to halt Great
send you back to Pearl to be tried for treason.

Leap of Shin, wail that Sea-Scream would wash

Is that clear?”

over their island.

Sho-Mei looked at the ground, sour-faced,

Advisors feared assassin. Pearl so much trou-
then quickly bowed.

ble. Other attempts to stop Great Leap wasted

“I shall need you both when we have audi-
so much time, consumed so many resources.

ence with the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen,” I said.

But only troupe of one boy and two girls. Re-
questing to perform Pearlian dance for me.

THE EUNUCH

Only granted audience because troupe was

Spent last two days inspecting Eastern
led by Master Lin Tian-Tai, son of governor of
ranks at bank of Great Wall of Men. Predicted

Pearl.

desertion rate of five men in every thousand.

Experienced desertion of only three men in

THE BOY
every thousand. Of those, 870 of every thou-

We rode around the base of Nai-Long
sand deserters found and executed. Accept-

Mountain in a day. Yumi made camp that
able compliance.

night from the rigs that our fourth horse car-

To warn other men, had them pass heads
ried. They were humble rigs because it was
among themselves along ranks in Westward
summer, but also because the fourth horse
line towards vanguard. After being passed
bore our cask of the pearl. We must let noth-
across several li of men, heads were usually in
ing befall the cask of the pearl, lest we have
tatters, had to be abandoned. However, men
nothing to make our court to skate on for the
seemed to pass heads dutifully. Gave them

Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen.

something to do besides march, chant, and

“You can smell them coming down the hall
think of hunger.

because they reek of waste water. Because

Watching sea of men from cliffside, debat-
they have nothing to pass water with,” said
ed whether water solution would have been

Sho-Mei. She f inished her meal and sent her
more sage. Astrologers to Vermillion Emperor
eating sticks clattering into her bowl.

prophesied water destiny for Shin. Directing

“Really?” said Yumi. Like a little bird. I knew
weight of Purple River onto plate near Great
that Sho-Mei found it annoying, but I thought

Spine of the Earth possibly sufficient tonnage
it cute. As if everything were a wonder to
to unleash Earthquake of Five Thousand

Yumi. That openness manifested in Yumi’s

Years. However, water of Purple River so silty,
skating as well. So free. So sincere. No wonder
layers accumulated so quickly on bottom that
that she ranked so high in the national compe-
river f looded any contours other than great-
tition.

est natural contours of canyons, valleys, and

THE GREAT LEAP OF SHIN

73

ANALOG
mountains. River traced path through only

I was shocked at the size of each cannon.

features of landscape great enough to hold it.

Each was as large as a major millet storage

Secondary effect, masterpieces of landscape
silo. I understood that they had to be that
painting due to dramatic waterfront geogra-
large to shoot a f irework so powerful that it
phy.

would travel three hundred li into the sky.

Also, water solution too imprecise in tim-

The Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen knew that he
ing. Could cause plates to slip in five hours or
would need a system to tell all the men form-
f ive years. Populace of Shin could not stay
ing the two thousand li of the Great Wall the
outside structures waiting.

moment to jump in harmony, and repeatedly

Riding south toward Jade Palace in Imper-
to a specif ic rhythm. The precision would
ial City, did not stop to inspect brigades of
be critical. If the jumps did not occur with

Art Guard. Art Guard hurriedly trying to
perfectly synchronized precision, no har-
paint landscapes and monuments that
monies would be achieved, no resonances
formed six thousand years of Shinian histo-
would begin to stack, no leveraging of fre-
ry and culture. Great Wu Men Temple in
quencies could be attained, and the neces-

Codpeak Mountains would never survive
sary pressure could not accumulate to cause

Earthquake of Five Thousand Years. No
the Great Spine of the Earth to crack into
structure made of abalone scales could tol-
two plates.

erate. Historic Gardens of Great Lilies in

No system of communication could instant-

Tian-Shui prefecture with cottages built
ly travel two thousand li. Even if there were a
upon them would be washed away b y
sound that could travel two thousand li, it
swells of tributaries of Purple River after
would take almost three hours for the sound
earthquake. Chen-Bu Kiln, whose f ires had
to travel from one end of the Wall to the oth-
been burning in rotation without cease for
er.

twelve hundred years, would have to be ex-

Even if there were a light that could travel
tinguished, fear of f ire after earthquake.

from the deserts in the outer Riderlands in

Bridge of Birds, built feather by feather by
the North down to the tangled bayous of Yue-
children of Shin over eight hundred years,

Hu province in the South, the curvature of
gone in cloud of plumes. Could not bear to
the Earth would block the passage of the
watch Art Guard trying to capture them.

light.

Pointless. Impossible to capture. Impossible

The Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen’s solution was
to lessen loss of our culture.

not to link the men forming the Great Wall lat-

Never wanted to make these decisions.

erally across the Earth. It was to link them ver-

Would have pursued education in Five Great
tically up to the sky.

Classics and sat for Imperial Examination.

These cannons would launch f ireworks

Would have written poetry. But destiny chose
into the night sky so high that they could be
differently.

seen across the entirety of Shin. They would

Thought of this boy, Master Lin Tian-Tai.

explode, one after another, in blooms the

Thought of his good fortune, boy born into
width of cities, and they would follow each
powerful, wealthy family, allowed to devote
other in a regular beat. All the men forming
his life to art he loved, who would grow into
the Great Wall would jump to their rhythm in
a man, have sons of his own. Thoughts
perfect precision and harmony.

turned dark and acheful and venomous.

“The genius of the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen

But then, rode into view of great cannons
staggers me!” I cried aloud. Sho-Mei turned
of f ireworks, thought of work still to do, all
around so sharply to glare back at me that she
thoughts of own misfortunes faded, no more
almost fell off her horse.

of me, only work before me.

As we rode past the great f ields of f ire-
works cannons outside of the Imperial City,

THE BOY
weaving around them as if they were giant

We rode north at a gallop the whole of the
cups laid down by gods, I lamented that I
last ten li leading toward the Imperial City.

would never see them fired.

We rode into the great f ields of cannons of
fireworks encircling the city.

74

HENRY LIEN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

THE EUNUCH

THE BOY

Rode south through fields of fireworks can-

The Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen would never ex-
nons toward Imperial City, watched musi-
pect that two girls and a boy coming to pay
cians tending to cannons. Such waste of hu-
tribute by skating a performance for him
man talent. Suggested other solution, but
would disrupt the Great Leap of Shin until the

Vermillion Emperor insisted. Each of two mu-
men forming the Wall begin to die of water-
sicians tending to each of one hundred can-
lack, starvation, and suffocation and began to
nons conservatory-trained. Chose them per-
desert in masses. He would be astonished.

sonally. From top of Imperial Examinations in

Perhaps he would even be impressed.

music. Needed men with greatest skill in
rhythmic precision in all of Shin to f ire can-

THE EUNUCH
nons precisely to beat. One cannon every 2.4

Rode into Imperial City, entered Jade
strokes of new standard clock. No margin for

Palace. Ready to take boy from Pearl as
imprecision tolerable.

hostage.

Musicians knew when chosen they would
be killed in blast when they launched their

THE BOY
cannon. Two hundred most talented musi-

We rode into the Imperial City and entered
cians in Shin would be sacrif iced for sake of
the Jade Palace. We were ready to take as our
nine hundred million countrymen. Songs
hostage the chief engineer of the Great Leap
would be written to immortalize them, but
of Shin, the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen.

no one worth hearing left to perform them.

Musicians saw it was I who rode through

THE BOY
fields, stopped work, bowed as I passed, and

We approached the presence chamber of
sang to me tune we sang as children. “Hail to
the Hall of Perfect Centrality. It was a court-
the General, Savior of the State!”

yard open to the air. The blades of our skates

“Ah, Mu Hai-Chen,” I wept to myself. “You
crunched as we crossed the courtyard to bow
did not want these decisions. But who else
before the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen where he sat
was there to make them?”

behind a desk. I bowed to him and rose to de-
liver the hailings.

THE BOY

I did not expect him to look like he did. I

As we rode north on the final few li to the
thought that he would be grotesque and girl-

Imperial City, I laid down my command again
ish. I did not expect him to look as great in
to Sho-Mei and Yumi. We would skate our
bearing as his achievements.

performance. We would plead for the Eunuch

I did not expect him to look like what an

Mu Hai-Chen to spare our culture. If his heart
emperor should look like.

remained hard to us, we knew what we had
to do. But only after diplomacy had failed.

THE EUNUCH

Sho-Mei began taunting Yumi again, saying

Received Master Lin Tian-Tai and two girl
that she would flinch when the time came. I
companions. Boy began salutations. Let him
silenced Sho-Mei with a hiss. “Mistress Yumi
run through traditional eighty-eight Honorific
shall prove f iercest of us all, I am certain.”

Hailings, used time to study him. What boy of

Yumi smiled and averted her gaze. A good
sixteen can grow so thick a beard? Already a
leader knows that faith in his troops is a
man.

prophecy that writes itself.

When boy f inished hailings and bowed
again at my feet, lifted face, eyes shone with

THE EUNUCH
eagerness.

Rode south final few li to Imperial City. Au-

Boy admired me. How notable.

dience with Pearlian children so ill timed. An-
other doomed Pearlian attempt to sabotage

THE BOY

Great Leap? Best chance to stop Pearl rene-

When I had done with the hailings, I
gade actions with final force. Take son of gov-
begged permission of the Eunuch Mu Hai-
ernor and keep as hostage.

Chen to allow us to demonstrate to him
something of the culture of our island of

THE GREAT LEAP OF SHIN

75

ANALOG

Pearl. He granted it by extending his open

Leaps and coils begin to incorporate my
palm to me. His eyes were intelligent and cu-
own f igure. Fluttered and soared overhead,
rious. He wanted to see this as much as we
met in midair over me, formed beautiful fold-
wanted to show him.

ed paper configurations above me.

For final display, split legs so one skate was

THE EUNUCH
on floor and one was above me, three skates

Boy and girl companions brought out cask.

joined together in pagoda over my head. Saw

Personal guard searched for weapons. Full
f lash of blades of skates above me, impris-
eight holes inspection. Children hid nothing
oned in cage of children, felt dread crawl up
on their persons. Guard inspected cask for
my spine. Made terrible miscalculation?

poisons or explosive oils. Reported cask con-

But then children ended performance.

tained liquid, looked like milk, smelled like

Prostrated themselves around me, lay hands
brine. Children licked it to prove not poi-
on my feet.

soned.

Boy pleaded his island’s plight. Implored

Boy and girl companions asked guard to
me to advise emperor to halt Great Leap. Im-
clear from courtyard. Poured thin layer of liq-
plored me to spare his culture.

uid from cask until spread evenly across en-

Boy’s words pressed little dents into my
tire courtyard f loor. Looked like pools of
heart. Not for beauty of performance. Not for
smooth tofu or sheets of milky liquid silk.

urgency of cause. Not for sake of their peo-

Boy and companions began to skate across
ple. Heart grew sore for innocence of people
it. Heard liquid crisp into solid as skates ran
who thought they could send three children
over it. Reached to touch it. Not cold or wet.

to skate a dance and stop Great Leap with it.

Smooth like glass. Or like firm white of an eye.

Pearl only one small island. Great Leap will

Pressed long nail of small f inger into it hard,
save hundreds of millions.

drew line in it, smoothed and healed itself in-

Told boy, gently, sorrowfully, could not do
stantly behind run of my nail. Remarkable.

what he begged of me.

Boy explained that substance called “the
pearl,” formed of spider silk made liquid then

THE BOY
solid again. Surprised they expect me to be-

When the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen f irst re-
lieve explanation. They use it to skate upon
fused our plea, I was not disheartened, for I
on island of Pearl.

was only beginning my oratory to woo him. I
began to speak again.

THE BOY

I was startled by a f lurry of motion beside

We told him that the pearl comes from spi-
me as Yumi burst into the Mantis Assassin
ders. We did not want him to know that it actu-
leap and ended with her skate blade threaten-
ally comes from the seas surrounding the island
ing the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen’s throat. Yumi,
of Pearl because we did not want to give Shin
not Sho-Mei! How dare she subvert my com-
one more reason to try to invade Pearl again.

mand! Mutinous girl!

We told him that we were going to perform

However, it was too late to turn back. Our
a dance from Pearlian Opera for him. We told
advantage was revealed. Mistress Sho-Mei and
him that Pearlian Opera is like other opera ex-

I also erupted in the Mantis Assassin leap and
cept there is no singing. The skating serves as
ended with our skates all around the Eunuch
the singing.

Mu Hai-Chen’s neck. If we finished the move,
our three skate blades would slice through his

THE EUNUCH
neck in one stroke.

Children led me onto the pearl. The pearl

He cried out for his guards who had already
felt alive under my slippers, bounced my foot
begun to run toward us. However, they tried
up with each step I took off it. Delightful.

to move too quickly and their shoes were

Children began to skate around me, then
slick on the pearl.

commenced performance of wonders.

I commanded the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen to

Flew about me on skates. Figures turned
tell them to hold, or we would cut off his
into forms like spinning blossoms, darting
head.

fish, dolphins spiraling out of water.

He complied and the guards held.

76

HENRY LIEN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

We heard the clatter of archers assembling

Their boots wobbled off, leaving them inca-
in the back rows. I did not believe that the
pable of making any coordinated movements
archers would shoot with the Eunuch Mu Hai-
on the pearl.

Chen in the center of their target circle with

I kept the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen from leav-
us. However, we could not both hold him en-
ing the center of the skating court. Twenty
trapped in the Mantis pose and f ight against
guards advanced on me from all sides. My
archers. We brought our skates down and

Wu-Liu skills were strong enough that I could
turned our defense outward toward the
take all of them, but I feared that the men
guards and the archers.

would inadvertently harm the Eunuch Mu

Hai-Chen in the assault. Thus, I skated around

THE EUNUCH
and around him, gathering my chi. When it

Children took blades away from my neck,
was at optimal centrality, I launched into the
turned outward. Screamed for guards to at-

Leaping Earth-Pound. I spun into the air,
tack them.

kicked off one eave of the roof of the open

Children exploded at guards like bouquets
courtyard and then the other, and came thun-
of scuttling scissors. Looked for opening to
dering down onto the pearl. When I impact-
form in combat around me to f lee through
ed, the shock wave that the pearl was condi-
but children everywhere at once. Marveled
tioned to carry and amplify sent everyone
at their martial skating. Used greater f lexibili-
tumbling onto their rumps except for Yumi
ty and litheness of young bodies, especially
and Sho-Mei who knew to leap right before
young girls, to turn them into beautiful, vi-
the moment of impact.

cious, living weapons. Channeled momen-

As the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen lay on the
tum of decorative skating spins and leaps
ground, I brought my skate to his throat and
into harrowing slicing motions. Used dance
told him to call off his men.

as combat. Turned art into war. Genius of

Pearlians.

THE EUNUCH

Boy threatened my throat with his skate.

THE BOY

Face burned with outrage. Came into my

“Curb your strikes! Spill no blood of the Eu-
chambers as my guest. Assaulted my person
nuch Mu Hai-Chen or his men!” I commanded
and my men! Typical Pearlian mentality. No

Yumi and Sho-Mei.

respect. No gratitude. Exactly like unfilial son

A pair of guards charged at Yumi from op-
who blackmailed with tantrum when he did
posite directions with long swords directed at
not win his way.

her heart. She dove onto her f ingertips and

Thousand strains of my being cried out
split her legs above her in the Iron Parasol
against encouraging boy and outrageous, dis-
spin. The guards were not able to stop them-
obedient ways.

selves in time on the slick of the pearl and

Yet, saw what they could do. Two girls
they continued sliding toward the spinning
alone could have killed twelve of my men
blades at throat level. Yumi allowed her
with skills they demonstrated. Yet, held back.

skates to cut the chin straps of their helms.

Curbed strikes. Spared us.

She kicked the helms off of their heads with

Could not best them. Honor af lame with
her toe-tips.

shame at admission, but could not best these

Sho-Mei was rushed on all sides by ten
children.

guards with spear s. As the spear s were
about to pierce her from all sides, she leapt

THE BOY
up. Their spears bounced off each others’

The Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen said that he
breastplates. Sho-Mei channeled the momen-
would not negotiate with me from the floor. I
tum of her chi from the spin and the down-
took my skate from his throat. I bowed in
ward fall into a seated crouch and complet-
apology. He was correct. I was ashamed that I
ed the Spinning Scorpion, lashing out with
dishonored this great man thus.

one skate blade like a scorpion tail. Her pre-

I extended my hand to help him, but then I
cision was excellent and she managed to
regretted it. It was another offense to him. He
slice the straps of the boots of the guards.

hesitated and then took it. Poor man. Eunuchs

THE GREAT LEAP OF SHIN

77

ANALOG
have so many physical maladies. To be

Could I trust this man?

thrown to the f loor like this by a boy and

Yes, I could. His integrity was renowned.

then have to be helped up from the floor by

He granted us audience as a courtesy during
that boy. I could faintly smell waste water. He
this most urgent time for his endeavor. He had
must have leaked a little when I threw him to
done nothing dishonorable since our visit. It
the f loor. I felt fully the shame of my crime
was only we who had acted dishonorably and
against his dignity.

assaulted his person.

I agreed.

THE EUNUCH

Called out to guards to retreat off skating

THE EUNUCH
court.

Guards exited courtyard to east. Girls exited

Boy helped me up from floor. Stood, looked
courtyard to north. Boy and I stood face to
at him. Slapped him hard on the face. Two
face.

girls made to leap at me with skate blades

Boy could not wait to speak. Appeared a
aimed, boy shot out two palms to halt them.

man already, but so like a boy. Talked about
his island. Told me of capital city being re-

THE BOY
built entirely with the pearl. Told me when

“Tell your guards to lay down their arms.”

they were done, be able to skate across any
surface, every rooftop, bridge, balcony. Told

THE EUNUCH
me the pearl was durable, cheap, plentiful,

“Tell your girls to take off their skates.”

no man need be without a home in their city.

All would live in beauty. Said because no fric-

THE BOY
tion, no shoes or wheels in entire city when

“We hold you hostage.”

f inished building it. Everything would glide.

Reduction in human toil, increase in produc-

THE EUNUCH
tivity so great. Could understand that. Inge-

“Shameless, imbecilic boy! You only hold
nious.

the advantage while you are on the pearl. My

Told me they would build Academy devot-
men have you surrounded.”

ed solely to teaching Wu-Liu, name for new
martial art on skates. Told me that city of Pearl

THE BOY
would be marvel of the world.

“We shall hold you here until we have dis-

Asked me if now I understood why he
rupted the Great Leap of Shin and the Great
could not let me complete my plan.

Wall of Men begins to die or desert.”

THE BOY

THE EUNUCH

The Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen merely said that

“My guards shall hold you here until you
he could not let me stop the Great Leap of
starve.”

Shin. There were so many people in Shin that
even a moderate earthquake killed vast num-

THE BOY
bers. The last great earthquake was measured

“You shall starve with us, then.”

at four hundred thousand tsan. It killed four
million people. The Earthquake of Five Thou-

THE EUNUCH
sand Years would have the power of thirty mil-

Told him we would discuss one to one. Told
lion tsan. He told me that nothing I said could
him guards would leave the courtyard and
convince him to halt the Great Leap of Shin.

wait outside, if girls did same. Promised that
guards would not harm girls if girls did not

THE EUNUCH
harm guards.

Struggled for many hours. Boy so impas-
sioned, his powers of debate and logic formi-

THE BOY
dable. Such capability. So young. Could not

The girls would lose all combat advantage
understand how governor of Pearl could send
once they left the skating court. On regular
such treasure of a son on so dangerous a mis-
floors, their powers were useless.

sion.

78

HENRY LIEN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Yet, negotiations brought resolution no
could feel how imbalanced his chi was
nearer. Grew weary. Not accustomed to stand-
through the heat of his buttocks on me. The
ing such lengths. When man is castrated, fat
poor man. What pain he must daily endure.

around his belly grows large but limbs grow

When the waste water came, it came in a
thin like bamboo stalks. Left with little control
weak dribble. The puddle spread and touched
of functions of body.

my hand, but I did not move my hand.

Must pass water.

However, could not bear to lose control of

THE EUNUCH
functions. Not before such capable, strong

Saw pool of waste water spread and
boy.

touch boy’s hand. Boy did not move his
hand. Ah, misery of my fate! What obscene

THE BOY
creature would return kindness with def ile-

I saw Mu Hai-Chen knead the f loor in his
ment?

shoes. He had to pass water. We had been ne-

Finished, wiped, covered myself, stood.

gotiating a very long time. I told him to pass

Eyes began to f ill with tears of shame. How-
water straight onto the pearl. It absorbed most
ever, boy merely wiped hand on his pants,
liquids swiftly.

smiled at me. Like a young prince.

Boy said, “It is a good thing that we are both

THE EUNUCH
male, or that would have been awkward.”

Heat spread across face as boy said to pass

He would make a magnif icent man and
water standing there. Could not tell him that
leader one day. Did not want to harm this
eunuchs cannot do so standing up. Something
boy.

any man can do.

THE BOY

THE BOY

When Mu Hai-Chen was done passing, he

For the f irst time since we met, Mu Hai-
turned to me. He asked me if I knew how he

Chen averted his gaze from me. He cast it
became a eunuch. I told him I did not.

down as he told me that he could not pass wa-

He told me that he was born to a family of
ter standing up.

renowned geomancers. His father was Prefect

Ah, the poor man! I felt obscene to come in,
of the Grand Scribes to the Vermillion Emper-
assault him and his men, and cause him to
or. Among his duties was the research into lo-
have to share so private a thing. I told him that
gistics, geology, and pyromancy that formed

I would help him.

the basis for the plan that would become the

Great Leap of Shin.

THE EUNUCH

His father died and passed the work on to

Boy crouched down on hands and knees.

Mu Hai-Chen. Mu Hai-Chen had wanted to

Formed bench with his back for me to sit on.

take another course entirely. He was an artist

Such shame. Beautiful, upright boy had to
at heart. However, he could not say no to his
crouch for me to use as seat to make waste!

father’s bidding. What lines of poetry, no mat-

Told him when I passed water, must not only
ter how great, what achievements of culture,
sit like a woman, must wipe like a woman as
no matter how grand, could compare to sav-
well.

ing the lives of hundreds of millions of peo-

Boy immediately stood up and tore sleeve
ple? So he assumed his father’s role as Grand
off of his brocaded jacket. Saw that his arm

Engineer of the Great Leap of Shin under the
was already covered in hair, already a man’s

Vermillion Emperor.

arm. Folded silk tenderly into square, handed

However, Mu Hai-Chen became embroiled
it to me with both hands, bowed. Then as-
in a prosecution that changed his destiny. A
sumed crouching position again.

minor lieutenant who had been a friend of Mu

Hai-Chen’s father became drunken and ac-

THE BOY
cused the Vermillion Emperor in public of tak-

Mu Hai-Chen lowered himself onto my back,
ing children from the streets of the Imperial
and positioned himself as if sitting on one edge

City for his own use. This was true. However,
of a bench so that he could pass clear of it. I
the man was brought to answer charges of

THE GREAT LEAP OF SHIN

79

ANALOG
treason. The man begged Mu Hai-Chen to tes-

THE EUNUCH
tify as his character witness. To honor the

Finished telling boy my tale. Boy’s face wet
man’s friendship with his father, Mu Hai-Chen
with tears. What friend cried for me after my
agreed.

castration as this boy did for me now?

The Vermillion Emperor found the man
guilty of treason and had him beheaded. The

THE BOY

Emperor imprisoned Mu Hai-Chen and sen-

However this played out, how could I bear to
tenced him to castration for testifying on be-
kill this man? This good, brave, ingenious man.

half of a traitor. He was left in a prison cell

“May all under Heaven honor your sacrifice
with a scythe.

and talent, Sage Chief Engineer. Yet, I cannot

The punishment was a mercy. Even an ordi-
let you leave this court. I must stop you from
nar y fellow is offended when he has to
completing the Great Leap of Shin.”

do business with or eat near a eunuch. The
customary course of the condemned man

THE EUNUCH
who received the punishment of castration

“I know, boy. And I must stop you from dis-
was to use the scythe not to castrate himself
rupting the Great Leap.”

but to commit suicide with honor.

Mu Hai-Chen was then faced with an im-

THE BOY
possible decision. Would he commit suicide

“I know.”

and die with honor and avoid having to con-
tinue life as a living grotesque? Or would he

THE EUNUCH
castrate himself and complete his father’s

Did not want decision laid at my feet. Not
work to save the people of Shin from the
this one. In each war, good men on each side

Earthquake of Five Thousand Years? There
kill good men on other side. But Heavens,
was no guarantee that the Vermillion Em-
have pity! Do not make me kill this boy.

peror would allow Mu Hai-Chen to continue
the work, but perhaps the castration would

THE BOY
be suff icient pledge of Mu Hai-Chen’s devo-

“Stay,” said Mu Hai-Chen to me. He told me
tion.

that Shin could use gentlemen of extraordi-

In the end, Mu Hai-Chen decided to live to
nary skill and virtue such as myself. He told
complete his father’s work. He castrated him-
me that if I stayed, he would give me a bril-
self in the cell with the scythe. His jailers had
liant career. I would study under him to do
not expected him to castrate himself. Thus,
great things.

they had not left him with a bamboo tube to
place in the wound so that he could keep a

THE EUNUCH
hole open. If the wound closed over the

“Come,” said boy to me. Told me to flee with
hole, he would die, which he nearly did. The
him back to Pearl. Be received there as hero.

wound closed over the hole and after three
days of not passing water, Mu Hai-Chen f inal-

THE BOY AND THE EUNUCH
ly cut open the wound again to form a hole

Neither of these could be our destiny.

for himself. After eight months of torment,

Neither of us could betray our home.

he f inally healed and reentered life a mon-

It was our destiny to be enemies.

ster.

It was our destiny that only one of us would

The Vermillion Emperor was so impressed
prevail.

by the courage of Mu Hai-Chen that he par-
doned him of his crime and welcomed him

THE EUNUCH
openly to complete his father’s work on the

“May you prevail, noble boy.”

Great Leap of Shin.

When he was done with his tale, Mu Hai-

THE BOY

Chen asked me if now I understood why he

“May you prevail, great man.”

could not let me complete my plan to stop the

Great Leap of Shin.

THE BOY

“Are you ready?”

80

HENRY LIEN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

THE EUNUCH
of my leg and blocked her progress with

Nodded to boy to show I was ready.

both skates.

“Guards!”

“Traitor of Pearl!” Yumi cried at me. I drew

Cried out as f led from boy toward door
back as she cut a swiping blade at my face.

leading out of courtyard.

Sho-Mei left her defense against the guards
and unleashed an Iron Fan sweep at me, but I

THE BOY
blocked her as well. The girls knew that my

I cried out for Yumi and Sho-Mei.

Wu-Liu outmatched both of theirs even com-

The girls f lew onto the skating court like
bined.

ghosts.

The guards poured in toward us.

I blocked Mu Hai-Chen’s escape but did not

Yumi and Sho-Mei joined hands. They used
touch his person.

the forward momentum of their gathered chi
to whip themselves over each other. The in-

THE EUNUCH
ertia of the f lings carried them up onto the

Guards entered, encircled skating court.

eaves of the open courtyard.

“Traitor of Pearl!” they spat down at me

THE BOY
from the eaves. “You shall be beheaded for

Yumi and Sho-Mei fell into position to take
treason when you return home!”

on the guards and protect me and leave me to
take down Mu Hai-Chen.

THE EUNUCH

Skates clattered on tiles of roof like bad-

THE EUNUCH
gers through rubbish. Archers drew bows,

Guards tightened in around us on skating
aimed at girls on eaves, but girls too swift,
court. Flank of archers kneed into position to
gone.

let fly.

Guards circled in around me and boy.

Lifted palm, guards held their strikes.

THE BOY

Guards watched, wondered at hesitation.

Yumi and Sho-Mei each took two sides of

Could not let boy walk out of here. Not af-
the courtyard to defend against ten, then
ter attacking chief engineer within the Jade
twenty, then thirty guards, trying to breach

Palace. Not after attempt to sabotage Great
their perimeter and rescue Mu Hai-Chen.

Leap. Rule of law must be upheld. Above all

The girls could not hold forever. I had to
else, not a Pearlian. Would become impossi-
choose to take down Mu Hai-Chen or wait
ble to control them if found out.

for his guards to take down the girls then

Could not decide what to do.

me.

THE BOY

THE EUNUCH

Mu Hai-Chen’s tears showed his agony. He

Boy would not let me leave but never
did not wish to kill me. Yet he could not let
touched me, skated around me, herding
me live.

me.

THE EUNUCH

THE BOY

How to decide? Heavens, have pity on for-

“Strike, Master Tian-Tai!” cried Sho-Mei.

tuneless Mu Hai-Chen, how to decide?

“Why do you not strike!” cried Yumi.

Because I could not harm this man. Yet, I

THE BOY
could not betray our mission.

I saw the only way forward for Mu Hai-

I could not choose. Yet a leader must choose.

Chen.

Yumi could not bear it. She turned her

He could order his men to escort me back
back on the guards and f lung her body into
to Pearl. I would be tried for treason and exe-
the Spinning Lathe, cutting a path of f lashing
cuted.

blades toward Mu Hai-Chen.

He would not have to kill me.

I could not let her kill him. I tripped the

He could let me walk out of here.

forward momentum of her chi with a sweep

But he would not be permitting me to live.

THE GREAT LEAP OF SHIN

81

ANALOG

THE EUNUCH

The rocket rose higher and higher, its nose

Boy offered third way. Terrible third way.

shivering but staying its course.

But only way. Smiled when he offered it to

The Imperial City became a mote below it.

me. As gift.

The vast Riderlands rolled into view in the

North.

THE BOY

The dark jungles of Yue-Hu rolled into

My father chose the wrong person to lead
view in the South.

this mission. I could not kill a good man. But

The rocket climbed three hundred li into
now that it was I who was in this position, I
the night sky then burst into a garland of ver-
could only act by my own principles. Even if
million brilliance as wide as the Imperial
it meant that I failed.

City.

Below, the Great Wall of Men stretching

THE EUNUCH
two thousand li across the vastness of Shin

What a leader he would have made.

saw it as a small blossom of color.

What a son.

Seven more rockets rose and burst in

Gestured with hand for guards to seize
rhythm.

boy. He let them lay hands on him and take

On the f inal burst, the Great Wall of Men
him away.

jumped.

Said to his back, “You honor your home-

They continued to jump to each spray of
land, my boy. Long live Pearl.”

color opening in the sky, to each beat upon
the Great Spine of the Earth.

The drummer rested the head of the club

And behold, the seventy-eighth leap
to the skin of the great crater drum.

marked the moment that the Earth began to

From the tower of command, the Eunuch
shudder and quake and crack and break.

Mu Hai-Chen delivered the signal with a

The structures of Shin crumbled. Six thou-
chop of his hand.

sand years of culture and history caved into

The drummer swung back and began the
dust. The people of Shin survived the trem-
eight beat count.

bling of the ground as their cities and villages

Eight.

f lattened around them.

The Eunuch closed his eyes.

Where the plates of the Great Spine

Seven.

spread apart, the Earth sighed out clouds of

The musicians raised their f lint torches.

poisonous gas in release that f lashed with

Six.

friction lightning from within. The Great

The Eunuch rested his hands on the

Wall of Men f lattened and died wherever
balustrade.

the clouds passed over them. The winds

Five.

carried the clouds down from the Great

The musicians opened the fuel hatches of

Spine and traveled out over the forests and
the f ireworks silos.

then the farmlands and then the sites of the

Four.

villages and then the sites of the great cities

The Eunuch gripped the balustrade.

of Shin.

Three.

One hour after the Great Leap, the sea

The musicians drew back their arms at the
screamed and to the east, the island of Pearl
ready.

was drowned by a tide such as history had

Two.

never seen. The city of Pearl was lost, and

The Eunuch opened his eyes and did not
the land beneath it wiped clean of structures
turn away.

of brick and wood and stone, leaving only

One.

the few structures that had been built of the

The musicians plunged their torches into
pearl.

the fuel hatches of the rocket.

Two hours after the Great Leap, one f ifth

The rocket blasted a terrible hollow into
of Shin was covered in water, from the f lood-
the ground as it lifted, shrieking as it rose.

ing of the Purple River and every other major

It cleaved the atmosphere as it f lew up
water body due to the rearrangement of the
into the night sky.

plates forming the earth and the back wash

82

HENRY LIEN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
of the Sea-Scream as it rippled back from its
the old one with impossible swiftness for no
initial strike against the island of Pearl.

suits to condemn, costs to raze, or cam-

Four days after the Great Leap, the Eunuch
paigns to relocate were required. The Sea-

Mu Hai-Chen, Chief Engineer of the Great

Scream had dealt with all those elements. No

Leap of Shin, was executed for the devasta-
one in Pearl foresaw that the Great Leap of
tion caused by his plan.

Shin carried embedded inside it this gift at its

Six months after the Great Leap, Master
center, so justly like a pearl itself!

Lin Tian-Tai was executed for his treason

Now, two hundred years after the Great
against the island of Pearl.

Leap, the once great Empire of Shin still re-

One year after the Great Leap, the new
mains plunged in doubt, chaos, shame.

Great Plan of Complete Centrality and Per-

Now, Pearl prospers, shines, prevails!

fect Uprightness for the rebuilding of the city

Now, the Eunuch Mu Hai-Chen and Master
of Pearl was ratif ied. The Great Plan required

Lin Tian-Tai are cheered as heroes of Pearl!

all buildings in Pearl to be made of the pearl.

May their names be sung for ten thousand

Five years after the Great Leap, the new
generations!

city of Pearl was fully rebuilt on the grave of

All Hail! All Hail! All Hail! ■

THE GREAT LEAP OF SHIN

83

THE ALTERNATE VIEW Jeffery D. Kooistra BLAST FROM THE PAST PART 2
n part 1, I presented three books to read if
should put Tesla in the history books with Edi-
you want to gain a firm knowledge of Niko-
son, Ford, and the Wright brothers.

la Tesla. By “firm,” I mean historically valid,

Did Tesla really invent radio? I think Tesla

Ibecause Tesla has verymuch become a better deserves the title of “the inventor of cult figure. This is unfortunate. There is no
wireless communication.” By the early 1900s,
need to sprinkle his life story with apocryphal
everyone doing wireless work—and there
events and accomplishments, turning him
were many—was relying on technology first
into a demigod. His real inventions, and the
described in detail by Tesla. Even Marconi had
experimentation he did along the way to cre-
patent applications of his own refused be-
ate them, are amazing enough to rank Tesla
cause Tesla had already discussed the issues in
among the historical elite of both inventors
his famous early lectures. (Another must read
and experimental physicists.

Tesla book is The Inventions, Researches and

To prepare for this column, I reread (very

Writings of Nikola Tesla, edited by T. C. Mar-closely, adding my own index to supplement
tin, 1894, ISBN: 088029812X. Extremely pop-
the existing one) the third and most technical
ular and translated into many languages, I
of the books I recommended, Nikola Tesla On
didn’t mention it in part 1 because it’s Tesla

His Work With Alternating Currents and
talking science, not others talking Tesla.) In-

Their Application to Wireless Telegraphy, Tele-
deed, the only game in town, which remained
phony, and Transmission of Power, edited by so for decades, was Tesla’s method of four

Leland I. Anderson, 2002, ISBN 1-8938-1701-6
tuned circuits as outlined in patent 645,576,

(henceforth, “Testimony”). To my mind this is

“System of Transmission of Electrical Energy.”

the best source available to find out what Tes-

(In part 1, I mentioned the essentially identical
la was actually up to in his wireless work. It
patent 649,621 because it was shown in the
comes from Tesla himself, testifying about and

Cheney & Uth book.) Marconi used the Tesla
explaining it all for the benefit of the court,
system (Testimony, pg 106) when he did
and serves to clear out the undergrowth of
some of his famous demonstrations. Tesla’s
mythic fabrication like a machete clears a path
fundamental wireless patent is so beautiful
through the jungle.

and simple that any ancient civilization able to

If you spend time with social media like
make fine gold jewelry could fabricate a work-

Facebook or Pinterest, you often come across
ing wireless system.

posts about Tesla. Many consist of a picture of

Ardent Tesla supporters often accuse Mar-
the inventor and a quote attributed to him.

coni of stealing Tesla’s work, but I don’t think

Others are a list of things he invented or want-
so. Study how business and businessmen of
ed to do, often with a conspiratorial coloring
the era treated inventors and the patent sys-
that suggests “. . . and he would have if only
tem and you’ll see what a cutthroat enterprise
they hadn’t prevented it!” I’ve seen it claimed it could be to get credit for, and make money
that Tesla invented AC electricity. This is as
from, one’s own creation. Marconi was lucky
false as saying that Edison invented the light
in that he came from wealth, yet he did actu-
bulb. What Tesla did invent is the AC
ally make contraptions and experiment, doing
polyphase power distribution system that all
what inventors do. The sad fact of history is
of us use every day of our lives. This alone
that, while Marconi was making headlines

84

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
sending wireless messages to ever-greater dis-
humming, conserving the energy until it was
tances, Tesla was AWOL. During the critical
drawn upon.

period at the close of the nineteenth century,

In his own words, here is Tesla’s explana-

Tesla was in Colorado Springs sorting out the
tion for what he had in mind (Testimony pg
secrets of wireless power transmission.

131):

Which brings us to this myth: “Tesla was go-

“I will explain it by an analog.

ing to power the whole world wirelessly from

“Suppose that the Earth were an elastic bag
his Wardenclyffe tower with electricity from
filled with water. My transmitter is equivalent

Niagara Falls!” Overall the myth is false, but its
to a pump. I put it on a point on the globe, and
true elements are truly astonishing.

work my little piston so as to create a distur-

Consider how those four tuned circuits of
bance of that water. If the piston moves slow-
radio work. You have a primary oscillator cir-
ly, so that the time is long enough for the dis-
cuit at the transmitter resonant at a chosen fre-
turbance to spread over the globe, then what
quency. This you couple to a secondary tuned
will be the result of my working this pump?

antenna circuit, resonant with the oscillator,

The result will be that the bag will expand and
which sends out a carrier wave. At a distance,
contract rhythmically with the motions of the
another antenna circuit, tuned to resonate
piston, you see. So that, at any point of that
with the energy coming from the transmitter,
bag, there will be rhythmical movement due
does so. Finally, a receiving circuit resonates
to the pulsations of the pump. . . .

with the energy from the antenna, and all that

“Remember, now, that the water is incom-
remains is to detect the information that hitch-
pressible, that the bag is perfectly elastic, that
hiked along on the carrier.

there are no hysteric losses in the bag due to

In short, energy is transmitted at a given fre-
the expansions and contractions; and remem-
quency from one spot on the Earth, and else-
ber also that there is a vacuum, in infinite
where fractions of it couple to resonators
space, so that the energy cannot be lost in
tuned to the same frequency. Now consider
waves of sound. Then, if I put at a distant
the title of patent 645,576, “System of Trans-
point another little pump, and tune it to the
mission of Electrical Energy.” The same inven-
rhythmical pulses of the pump at the central
tion is the foundation for Tesla’s method of
plant, I will excite strong vibrations and will
wireless power transmission. Sending power
recover power from them, sufficient to oper-
and messages wirelessly differed only in the
ate a receiver.”

amount of energy needed for the task. Mes-

With respect to the myth, in appendix II
sages require little energy; running electrical

(Testimony pg 179), containing transcripts
equipment, a lot. To transmit energy efficient-
from the Wardenclyffe Foreclosure Appeal
ly with little loss only required the selection of

Proceedings, we find this tidbit:

a suitable frequency and adjustment of a few

“Q. The purpose (of Wardenclyffe) then
other parameters (like physical size and ca-
briefly was for wireless communication to var-
pacity) of his invention.

ious parts of the world?”

One thing Tesla abhorred about the direc-

“A. (Tesla) Yes, and the tower was so de-
tion wireless communication was taking in his
signed that I could apply to it any amount of
day was the waste of energy that went along
power and I was planning to give a demon-
with high frequency broadcasting. Most of the
stration in the transmission of power which I
energy was forever lost to space, only a tiny
have so perfected that power can be transmit-
fraction captured by any receiver. Tesla deter-
ted clear across the globe with a loss of not
mined that it was much better to use low fre-
more than five percent, and the plant was to
quencies to suppress radio waves in favor of
serve as a practical demonstration. And then I
sending the energy through the Earth. He
was going to interest people in a larger project
makes this point many times in Testimony. His
and the Niagara people had given me 10,000
invention could be used equally well to send
horsepower.”

energy into space or into the ground, and he

There you have it. The Wardenclyffe facility
wanted to put 95% of the energy into earth
would have communicated with the world as a
currents, because that way it wouldn’t be
commercial enterprise, while serving as a
wasted. He intended to keep the Earth
demo for wireless power transmission. The

BLAST FROM THE PAST PART 2

85

ANALOG
project was unfinished, failing from a lack of
cient research. The paper’s only cited Tesla
funding, not a failure of the technology. There’s
reference is to one of the few Tesla articles
no doubt whatsoever that it would have been a
that misspell his name as “Nicola,” it being an
dandy communications center since Tesla’s sys-
unauthorized reprint of an article Tesla wrote
tem was already in use by others.

for a magazine (Testimony pg 156). Even dur-

But what about power transmission?

ing Tesla’s heyday, some thought he wanted
to transmit through the atmosphere, believing

We know that wireless power transmission
he went to Colorado Springs for the thinner
works because a new company called WiTrici-
air. (He didn’t—he went there to construct
ty (http://www.witricity.com/) is already do-and test a model of what he wanted to build at
ing it. Granted, they are using higher frequen-

Wardenclyffe. The local power company was
cies and distances of a few meters, but it’s
the first to use his three-phase system, and
nothing Tesla didn’t understand. I mentioned
friends there offered him unlimited free elec-
them in part 1 and I strongly urge you to visit
tricity to conduct his work [Testimony pg
the website. Just as wi-fi freed our laptops and

109].)

other mobile devices from Ethernet cables,

It is also hard to fault the WiTricity guys for

WiTricity aims to free our mobile devices, in-
not suspecting that Tesla had more than one
cluding electric cars (we’re talking kilowatts
idea for transmitting energy wirelessly, includ-
here!) from the need to plug into a charger.

ing work that did indeed involve transmission

And in some cases—LED lighting, for in-
through rarefied air. He discusses it in Testi-
stance—the need for rechargeable batteries at
mony starting on page 125. While working
all. The key is, not surprisingly, coupled res-
with very high potentials, he found that air
onators. They call their method “Highly Reso-
could transition from being insulating to con-
nant Wireless Power Transfer.” I call it “Tesla
ducting. Tesla’s inner physicist was excited by

Tech.”

this and he did some experimenting in that di-

So why doesn’t WiTricity (yet) acknowl-
rection. But it had nothing to do with his
edge the obvious connection to Tesla? On

“highly resonant wireless power” transmission
their FAQ page it says: “WiTricity technology
plans for Wardenclyffe.

for power transfer is different than the tech-

The bottom line, WiTricity folk, is that you
nologies proposed by Tesla . . .” Ummm, no, it
are indeed following in the footsteps of Nikola
isn’t. The (first) white paper available in their

Tesla, even though his footprints have long
technical papers section says with respect to
since washed away.

Tesla, “He had a vision of wirelessly distribut-
ing power over large distances using the

Though Tesla invented radio, and Marconi

Earth’s ionosphere.” Like, through the air? Did
sold the world on it, it remained for the as-
the Wardenclyffe tower have points on it?

tounding Edwin H. Armstrong to make it prac-

I’ll be kind. The “through the air” idea is an
tical. Stay tuned. ■
easy misunderstanding to reach with insuffi-

We shifted from an agricultural society to a manufacturing one, and then from manufacturing to service. But people who make things for a living have the mental attitude of doers, while a service economy requires a nation of servers. It’s not clear to me that a nation of servers can go to the Moon.

—Michael F. Flynn

86

JEFFERY D. KOOISTRA

Why the

Titanic Hit
the Iceberg

Jerry Oltion
he shuttle window was too small to al-
people to live in comfort four hundred kilo-
low Tony to see the true splendor of the
meters above the planet that had become so
orbital habitat. When the whole struc-
uncomfortable.

Tture was far enough awayto fit into the Earth still looked the same from orbit.Its window’s narrow view, it merely looked like a
oceans were still blue, and its clouds were still
beer can with three long mirrors angling out
white. Only a meteorologist could tell by look-
from one end. Closer in, he could see the mul-
ing that the cloud cover was too thick over
tifaceted windows beneath the mirrors, thou-
the continents, and it would take someone
sands of tiny rectangles making up long strips
with an infrared detector to see that the blue
that let light in and held back the air that
water was too warm by a dozen degrees. Tony
would otherwise rush into space with the
didn’t need the detector to know what was
force of a hurricane. He could see the cables
happening down below; he had just come
holding the mirrors in place, and the heat ra-
from there, and with luck, he would never
diators and instrument housings that studded
have to endure the hell that Earth’s surface
the strips of solid hull that ran from end to
had become ever again.

end between the mirrors. He could even see

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” asked his seatmate. She
the docking collar at the end he was ap-
was an attractive, thirty-something woman
proaching, its airlock door sealed tight until its
with perfect blonde hair and perfect white
sensors conf irmed a solid connection with
skin and perfect white teeth and clothing that
the shuttle. He could see all that and more,
probably cost more than Tony’s annual salary,
but by the time those details became evident,
and she had barely spoken twenty words to
the entire structure was too big to compre-
him on the f light up. Now that they were
hend.

about to disembark, she had apparently decid-

It would have been too big to comprehend
ed to risk a conversation with the swarthy Ital-
no matter the size of the window. The thing
ian at her side.

was nearly f ive kilometers long, and two

“The habitat or the Earth?” he asked. The
wide. Room enough for a hundred thousand
moment he said the words, he wished he

87

ANALOG
could take them back, but if she thought they
her and watched her reach back to wrap it
sounded confrontational, she didn’t let on.

around her hair.

“Both, I suppose,” she said. “The Earth has

The intercom crackled to life, and the
a savage beauty; the refuge a fragile one.”

canned flight attendant voice said, “Please re-

Refuge? The term surprised him. Most of
main seated until the arrival agents enter the
the residents called it the habitat, or the com-
shuttle to assist you.”

munity. Calling it a refuge was too close to the

Of course the thirty or so other passengers
truth. Too close to admitting that the Earth
were already unbuckling their harnesses and
was doomed, largely through the actions of
pulling their bags out of the overhead bins—
the very people who were now taking up res-
bins which weren’t overhead anymore. Arms
idence over the heads of the unfortunate bil-
and legs f lailed as people realized that they
lions left on the ground to die.

couldn’t count on gravity to hold them down,

“We’re doing our best to make it as robust
and several bags tumbled into the air.

as possible,” he said.

“Incoming!” Tony said, fending off a black

“It will always be a fragile basket to put all
leather suitcase that nearly clipped the blonde
our eggs in,” she replied. “But I guess Earth
woman in the head. The move put his face
was more fragile than we expected, too.”

only inches from hers, but he backed away

He had no answer to that. None he could
again and said, “Beg your pardon. Whoops,
say out loud, anyway.

here comes another one!”

The docking collar slid past overhead,

This time she ducked forward, and he
and a moment later the shuttle lurched as
reached over her head to grab the offending
the clamps grasped its airlock and drew it in
bag and hold it like a shield until the other pas-
to solid contact. Tony’s seat harness held
sengers got their luggage under control. It
him so tightly that he barely shifted. They’d
took a few minutes, during which the dock
been in free fall since the end of boost
crew entered the cabin and started tossing
phase, but the harness and the anti-nausea
anything loose through the airlock into the
drugs he had taken before launch kept him
habitat. When they worked their way back to
from feeling it.

Tony and his companion, the leader of the

The woman next to him didn’t seem to be
crew took one look at them and said, “You
feeling it, either, but her hair had escaped its
must be staff. You’re the only ones with sense
tie when she had turned to look out the win-
enough to keep your harnesses on.”

dow, and now it was rising up around her face

“Sandra Hartley,” the blonde woman said.

in a yellow nimbus. She pushed it back and

“Environmental systems specialist.”

searched for her tie, pushing her hand down

Tony looked at her in open-mouthed aston-
her seat back to feel for it there. Her breasts—
ishment. “My apologies,” he said softly. “I had
also not feeling the effect of gravity—pointed
you pegged for a piggie.”

straight out as she arched her back to make

She laughed again. “Good. I was hoping I
room for her hand.

could pass if I had to. There’ll be times when I

“Can I help you with that?” he asked.

have to deal with management. And you are . . . ?”

He didn’t realize how that sounded until

“Anthony Descalia. Attitude control.”

she looked up at him with a calculating ex-

“A rocket scientist?”

pression that only slowly turned into a grin

“More of a gyro jock if all goes well, but
when she realized he hadn’t meant it lewdly.

yeah, I’ll help run the rockets if we need

So of course she pretended to take it that way.

them.”

“They’d kick us off the shuttle,” she said.

“Welcome aboard, both of you,” said the

“We’re about to get off anyway,” he pointed
dock crew leader. It sounded like he really
out.

meant it. For the first time since he’d applied

She laughed, a soft, melodious sound that
for the job, Tony allowed himself to hope that
brought a smile to Tony’s lips as well. “I’m not
it might be more than just drudgery working
even touching that one,” she said.

for The Man.

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

The hair tie drifted up between them and

The dock crew had to deal with the rich pas-
he plucked it from the air, then handed it to
sengers, each of whom needed assistance with

88

JERRY OLTION

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
their bags or an escort to their new home or any

“Bus?” Sandra asked. “The average net worth
of a dozen other special services that only the
of the inhabitants here is well over a hundred
wealthy would consider necessary, so Tony and
million. There is no bus.”

Sandra helped one another find their quarters.

“What do we have for public transportation,

It was easy enough: their phones told them
then?” he asked. “Rickshaw? Palanquin?” A
where those quarters were and directed them
sudden thought made him snort.

to a drop terminal that would take them there.

She looked at him sideways. Literally; she

A drop terminal, it turned out, was a little
was slowly drifting in the zero gee there at the
airport where tiny one- two- and four-person
spin axis of the colony. “What?”

gliders were launched out into the colony’s

“I just got this image of the rich riding
open interior. A two-kilometer-wide cylinder
around on the backs of the rest of us. Gives a
has a lot of interior, and the easiest way to get
new meaning to the term ‘piggyback.’”

from the spaceport at the center of the endcap

Her whoop of laughter turned heads in the
to the living space out on the cylinder walls
embarkation area. “Well,” she said, lowering
was to fly there.

her voice to a whisper, “we are considered They compared addresses. Tony’s was 4-620-support staff, after all.”

263, which meant that he was three levels

He hunkered down as if for her to climb
down from the surface, 6,200 meters around
aboard, a difficult position to hold in zero gee.

the spin axis from the zero point—the edge of

“When you go slumming as a piggie, give me a
one of the three enormous windows that ran
call,” he said. “I’ll happily carry you around.”

the entire length of the colony—and 2,630 me-

“Get in line,” she said. “No, wait, I didn’t
ters from the end cap. Sandra, in 2-238-359,
mean it like that. It’s not like I have that
was only one deck below the surface, 2,380
many—I meant, get your bag and get in line so
meters around the spin axis, and almost a kilo-
we can take a glider.”

meter farther down the length of the habitat.

He decided to quit while he was ahead. He

“Doesn’t look like we’re exactly going to be
gallantly tried to carry her bag as well as his,
neighbors,” Tony said, not even trying to hide
and quickly discovered that with both hands
the disappointment in his voice.

full he couldn’t use the handholds to maneu-

Sandra laughed. “You’re not renowned
ver, and he couldn’t grip anything with his
among your friends for subtlety, are you?”

feet. Sandra wound up rescuing him and her

“Pretty much the opposite,” Tony admitted.

bag, which she pushed along in front of her to

They floated in the terminal’s net-walled ob-
the queue.

servation area overlooking the habitat. From

It was a short line. The shuttle from Earth
there they had an eagle’s view: the colony’s
had only brought about thirty people, and
three long windows stretched out into the
most of them had already taken gliders. Tony
misty distance, letting in sunlight reflected off
and Sandra were soon seated side-by-side in
the immense mirrors outside, sunlight that
one of their own, its destination set to the ter-
crossed the entire width of the habitat to fall
minal nearest Sandra’s address. There were a
on the strips of land opposite each window.

few gentle bumps as the glider was shifted

The land was green with vegetation and blue
over onto the launch track, then a short accel-
with lakes, with little rectangles that had to be
eration that pushed them back into their seats,
houses scattered seemingly at random through-
and they were flying out into the middle of the
out. There were hills and valleys, with castles
cylinder. They drifted along the axis for a few
on the hilltops and streams meandering down
hundred meters, then slowly angled away and
through the valleys into the lakes. Presumably,
began to spiral corkscrew fashion around that
big pumps at the bottoms of the lakes cycled
axis, getting closer and closer to the ground
the water around again; there weren’t nearly
and picking up speed to match that ground as
enough clouds to provide the rain necessary to
it spun past below them. Tony could see the
keep a stream flowing. Just a few puffy white
houses much better now, with swimming
blobs that looked like they were there more for
pools and tennis courts and manicured lawns
show than for function.

around them.

“Let’s share a glider anyway,” Tony said. “I’ll

“I would never have expected airplanes in a
take the bus back to my place.”

space colony,” Tony said.

WHY THE TITANIC HIT THE ICEBERG

89

ANALOG

“They provide a vital function,” Sandra said.

but he hadn’t realized he would be nicked the

“They help mix the air. It would stratify with-
moment he stepped off the shuttle. His phone
out some kind of turbulence.”

would normally have alerted him to an ex-

Tony laughed. “I don’t believe for a moment
pense that could have been lower if he’d cho-
that’s why they exist. Mixing the air might be a
sen another option, but when he checked its
side benefit, but they exist for the sheer fun of
settings he found that that feature had been de-
it.”

activated. “For your convenience,” the dialog

“You’d prefer big fans?”

box said, because the people for whom the

“Of course not. I’m just saying. There’s an of-
habitat had been built didn’t want to worry
f icial reason and then there’s the real reason
about money.

for everything.”

“Caveat colonist,” he said softly as he waited

It only took a few minutes for the glider to
for the subway to deliver him to his own neigh-
reach the airport. It swooped in for a landing
borhood.

so smooth they were decelerating before Tony

That neighborhood turned out to be an
even knew they were on the ground, and with-
echoey metal warren of hallways and doors
in another couple minutes they were at the ter-
and hurrying people, like a couple dozen tene-
minal, bags in hand. This time there was
ments stacked side-by-side. That made a cer-
plenty of gravity, about two-thirds normal. Just
tain amount of sense—there was no view in
enough to preserve bone mass, yet light
the middle decks, after all—but it felt claustro-
enough to make a person feel ten years
phobic, and it smelled of too many people.

younger.

He found his apartment easily enough by its

“Can I call you?” Tony asked.

grid coordinates, spent a few minutes explor-

“Give me a few days to get settled,” Sandra
ing the amenities in its three rooms—which
said, “then yes, you may.”

were like any basic apartment anywhere, ex-

They stood there for a few awkward sec-
cept practically everything was made of met-
onds, both clearly wondering how to end
al—then he messaged his supervisor to let him
things. Finally, Tony just held out his hand to
know he was on board and ready for duty.

shake and said, “I look forward to it.”

He got a reply within minutes: Come on

She took his hand in hers, and on impulse,
over to the office, and we’ll show you around.

he bent and kissed it.

Not an official workday; just a chance to get a

“You certainly are forward,” she said. But
leg up and hit the ground running tomorrow.

she was smiling as she turned away, her bag

The office, it turned out, was half a kilome-
rolling along behind her. Tony watched her un-
ter back the way he’d come. He decided to go
til she turned the corner around a squat, grass-
up to the surface and walk it rather than pay
roofed building. He was pretty sure he was
for another subway ride. The elevators cost a
going to like it here. Now how did he find his
quarter share each, though, so he trudged up
own apartment?

three flights of stairs. He squinted in the bright
sunlight when he opened the door at the top.

It turned out staff didn’t use rickshaws, or

They were clearly saving power on the lighting
palanquins, or go piggyback. Staff used the
down below.

subway. And staff should have used the sub-

He oriented himself with the obvious land-
way down from the spaceport, he learned
marks: endcap mountains to his left and right,
when he authorized payment for the ride to

Window A in front of him, Window B over-
his apartment. His bank account was perilous-
head, Window C behind. Two long strips of
ly low, and the reason for it was obvious: the
land on either side of Window B glowed soft
glider ride had cost him ninety shares, about
green in the sunlight. It was definitely odd to
half a month’s salary.

see houses and fields overhead; he kept flinch-

He’d heard stories about this sort of thing. If
ing as if something were about to fall on him,
you weren’t careful, company housing and
or he was about to fall onto it. Probably some
company stores could eat up more than you
atavistic response from humanity’s tree-
earned, so you’d wind up deeper in debt than
dwelling days. Ground overhead = bad. He
if you didn’t have a job in the first place. He’d
hoped he could suppress that instinct fairly
expected that, and he’d planned to be careful,
quickly.

90

JERRY OLTION

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

There was a narrow street leading off in the

Their employers paid them to walk the dogs
general direction he needed to go, so he set off
and mow the lawns and tutor the children, just
down it. It wound left and right seemingly at
as they paid Tony and people like him to keep
random, probably to give it a more neighborly
the station in orbit, its solar collectors pointed
feel. And it did feel neighborly, if your neigh-
at the Sun and its windows sealed. He had very
bors were billionaires. Every blade of grass was
little room to criticize the people out walking
neatly trimmed, ever y inch of sidewalk
the dogs; it was the people who kept them
scrubbed. No litter anywhere in sight. Just long
here in the first place who deserved his ire.

driveways every few hundred feet leading up-

Then the Humvee drove past. Tony couldn’t
ward (always upward) to palatial mansions. It
believe what he was seeing at f irst, but sure
f inally dawned on him that the curvature of
enough, it was a huge, ponderous, hog of a
the cylinder made anything at a distance off to
four-wheeled land crawler, bright yellow and
the side “up” from anywhere else, even
shined to a specular sheen. It had chrome
though it would feel level to someone walking
wheels and a chrome bumper and a chrome
toward it.

grille and even a chrome Jesus fish stuck to the

The two-thirds gravity was nice. It put a
tailgate. It was so wide that Tony had to get off
spring in his step, quite literally. He could
the sidewalk as it went past, and he watched
imagine someone in their seventies or eighties
several other pedestrians forced aside as it con-
enjoying the extra mobility it would give them.

tinued on down the street.

Heck, at forty-one he was enjoying it plenty.

Then the smell hit him. It wasn’t electric. It

The place smelled nice, too. He’d smelled
was burning gasoline. It was sucking down
freshly mown grass a few times before, in
enough oxygen for probably twenty people for
spring when natural rainfall coaxed dormant
every kilometer the owner drove it. And that
lawns to green up for a few weeks before the
had to be the owner in there, a short, bald neb-
summer heat baked them back to brown. Here
bish of a guy who was clearly compensating
the grass was lush and green everywhere. He
for a small penis as well.

could hear the whir of mowers and blowers

Tony looked for a rock to throw at the re-
off in the distance.

ceding travesty, but there was only grass and

He met a few other people walking, most of
concrete anywhere nearby, and none of it
them with dogs. One had four little wire-haired
loose.

yappers on four separate leashes, which they

He was still steaming when he arrived at the
kept tying in knots as they ran around each
attitude control station, and what he found
other.

there didn’t help much. He’d envisioned the

Why so many dogs, he wondered? This was
place as some sort of mission control, with
a space colony; every kilogram of animal bio-
banks of displays overhead and rows of con-
mass required dozens more kilograms of vege-
trollers monitoring conditions and issuing
tation and liters of water to support it. He
commands. Instead, it was more of a cubicle
could understand someone wanting a dog—
farm, each operator in his own space and
people on Earth sometimes had dogs if they
watching his own screen. The place was near-
could keep their neighbors from eating
ly silent, the hum of air circulation fans louder
them—and he could even understand some-
than any of the operators’ voices. Looks were
one up here actually spending the money to
deceiving, though; there was a lot going on be-
have one if they had the money to spend, but
neath the surface.

four? Those four mutts took up the same re-

His boss, a tall, gawky guy named Chen,
sources that a couple of people could. A cou-
gave him the tour, and Tony slowly lost his
ple of people that could have escaped the
anger in the face of the enormous task he’d tak-
unfolding environmental catastrophe on
en on. Attitude control on a spaceship was a

Earth.

simple matter of spinning gyros or firing small

He scowled at the dog walker, and the next
rocket engines to point the ship wherever it
several he saw, too, until he f inally realized
needed to go. It took a few seconds, maybe a
these people weren’t the owners. They were
minute for a big cargo ship, to reorient the
servants, probably just as disgusted as Tony
whole thing wherever you wanted. Something
was, but these dogs were their meal tickets.

as big as the space colony took over a minute

WHY THE TITANIC HIT THE ICEBERG

91

ANALOG
just to spin around on its axis, and that spin
they can just keep on doing what they do
combined with its mass gave it an inertial mo-
best.”

ment millions of times larger than any space-

“‘And what is that?’ he asks, already afraid of
ship. It would take months to move it even a
the answer.”

few degrees, and gyroscopic precession would

“Consuming, of course. They’ll argue to a
throw off any direct shove anyway. Attitude
man that they’re creating—creating opportuni-
control for something this huge meant calcu-
ty, and jobs, and economic stimulus—but
lating the effect of tides and air flow and even
what they’re really doing is consuming. Some
the movement of people inside it.

of them at thousands of times the rate of the

“And Humvees,” Tony said. “That bugger
average person. We’ve known that about
has to throw off the mass balance enough to
wealth since the Middle Ages, but up here we
detect.”

can’t hide it quite so easily. Things get too far

“Oh,” Chen said, “you’ve met the governor.

out of balance and it won’t just look like Earth.

Yes, you’re right, we do have to account for his

It’ll look like the inside of a sausage that should movements. Thank goodness there’s just one
have been refrigerated a month ago.”

of him.”

Tony looked at his plate of soy and greens.

“I can’t believe it. We actually let him drive

“Thank you for that image.”

that thing around?”

“What, are you squeamish? Better toughen

Chen looked at him critically. Clearly sizing
up, kiddo. Things are going to get considerably
him up. “It’s not our decision to make,” he said
uglier before they get prettier, here or on
at last. “Not yet.”

Earth.”

“If that’s the case,” Tony said, “then we

He told Sandra about the dogs and the
should definitely enjoy it while we can.”

Humvee on their first date. They were in one

She ate a bite of her soy and noodles, then
of the few surface restaurants that catered to
said, “As long as we don’t just do that. That’s staff, with prices merely outrageous rather
the attitude of the people who made the world
than ruinous.

overheat in the first place. Yeah, we should en-

“Oh, that’s nothing,” Sandra said, waving
joy what we can while we can, but we also
her hand as if brushing off a f ly. Of which,
have to do what we can to fix the problem.”

Tony suddenly realized, he had not seen a sin-

“Yeah, true enough,” he said, not sure he
gle one since he arrived. “In the grand scheme
liked the way this date was going. “But what
of things, a Humvee is a toot in a windstorm.

can we do from up here?”

You want egregious conspicuous consump-

She gave him the same look his supervisor
tion, try yachts. Did you know there are fifty of
had given him during his orientation. “Plenty,”

them on board?”

she said, but when he pressed her for details,

“Yachts? As in boats. Float on water?”

all she said was, “Removing the source of the

“Got it in one. They can’t go anywhere, of
problem is the best way to start the cure.”

course, but that doesn’t matter. Yachts hardly

He wasn’t quite sure what she meant, but
ever went anywhere in the oceans, either, be-
she seemed happy to leave it at that, and so
fore they were pressed into service as refugee
was Tony. They finished their meal and went
ships. That’s not the point. Owning them is the
for a walk in the moonlight, conveniently re-
point. And staff ing them as if they could go f lected down to them from the mirrors that
somewhere on a moment’s notice.”

had been angled away from the Sun for the

“You’re kidding.”

night. There were other couples out, too,

“I wish I was. I have to include them—and
some walking and some snuggling on the
their staff—in the energy budget.”

grass. In the silvery light, they looked ethereal,

“Jesus. Where do these people get off ?”

elfin. The entire colony seemed magical at the

“Wherever they want to,” Sandra said.

moment. Tony risked taking Sandra’s hand,

“That’s pretty much the purpose of this whole
then a little while later he risked a kiss, which
can of air. These are the people who screwed
she returned with interest. Before long, they
up the Earth so badly that it’s barely habitable,
had found an unoccupied grassy spot and were
so they bought a place to go where they don’t
making out in the moonlight like teenagers.

have to deal with the mess they made. Up here

Tony imagined they could finish off the night

92

JERRY OLTION

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
in one or another of their apartments, but he

“Fine,” Tony said automatically. “Well, actu-
realized he didn’t need to push their relation-
ally, I’m missing two asteroids. But I’m sure I’ll
ship to that obvious destination just yet. Mak-
f ind them.” He smiled, hoping to project a
ing out in the grass was plenty for a first date.

competent, situation-under-control image.

For the first time since he was a kid, he felt like Chen smiled back. “Congratulations. You’re
the future really was open-ended, that anything
the fastest hire yet.”

at all might happen, and there was time

“Fastest at what?” Tony asked.

enough to let it happen at its own pace.

“Finding the test anomalies. B612 and

She must have felt the same way, or else she

B17823 were used in constructing the refuge.

just wasn’t a sex-on-the-f irst-date sort of

They don’t exist anymore, but we left them in
woman. They snuggled and talked about their
the database to see who’d catch them and who
childhoods and their lives on Earth and their
wouldn’t.” He looked at Tony’s monitor, where
hopes for the future, and when it got on to-
those two asteroid numbers were in the search
ward midnight he walked her home and kissed
box. “You’ve got ’em. So let’s move you up to
her again at her door.

the next level.”

“It’s been a wonderful night,” he said.

“You make it sound like a video game,” Tony

“Thank you.”

said.

“We’ll do it again,” she said. “Soon.” And she

“In a way, it is,” Chen replied. “The highest
gave him a squeeze on the butt that left no
stakes video game on board.” He reached past
doubt how far they could take it when the

Tony and killed the asteroid watch process,
time was right.

then loaded another program. “Let’s bring you

He whistled softly all the way home, at least
a little closer to home for a while. This is the
until he got into the underground maze of his
mirror control interface. The motions of the
apartment complex and the echoes grew too
mirrors have a huge effect on the stability of
haunting.

the cylinder. You need to understand their mo-
tions like the motions of your own body.”

The next day at work he was still daydream-

He set Tony up with a simulator that let him
ing about her lips when he realized he had
change various parameters like seasonal
messed up. He was reviewing the near-Earth
day/night variations and simulated latitude
asteroid data, sifting through the listings of po-
changes. It was straightforward stuff, with un-
tentially hazardous space rocks that could
expected consequences. The system could
strike the colony if their orbits were tweaked
sometimes turn chaotic, shaking the entire
just a little this way or that, but the numbers
structure to pieces if the feedback loops got
didn’t add up. The spreadsheet said there were
out of hand. Tony wondered at the wisdom of

23,486 asteroids one meter or larger in the cat-
giving a new hire the understanding of a sys-
alog, but Tony’s data analysis only went up to
tem that could so easily wreck the habitat, but

23,484. There were two missing from the
he supposed it was better to educate and mon-

“solved” half of the database. That meant there
itor an employee than to keep him ignorant of
were two rocks out there that the software
the dangers.

wasn’t keeping track of. The odds of those par-
ticular rocks posing a threat were practically

A few days later, he saw the Humvee parked
nil, but it was part of Tony’s job to know
in a lot outside a golf course. He couldn’t resist
where the rocks were at all times. It might take
scratching a message in the bright yellow paint
months to move either the colony or the aster-
of the driver’s door. It took him five minutes,
oid away from a collision course, so they need-
crouched down and sweating bullets the
ed to know well ahead of time what to worry
whole time, but he wanted to make sure it was
about.

legible, bold, and deep: “Hummers are for

He was trying to track down which ones
dicks.”

had gone missing when he heard a soft chime
from across the cubicle farm. He didn’t think

His next date with Sandra got off to an odd
anything of it until Chen, his supervisor,
start. They had barely sat down at the restau-
popped his head up over his partition.

rant when she said, “I’ve learned half a dozen

“How’s it going?” Chen asked.

ways to kill everyone on board.”

WHY THE TITANIC HIT THE ICEBERG

93

ANALOG

“Only half a dozen?” he asked. “I think I’m
out. “If we take out the piggies, even at the
up to ten or eleven.”

cost of our own lives, humanity will be a lot

“I’m not kidding,” she said. “This place is
better off. And justice—at least a little, tiny bit supposed to be so robust, with backup sys-of justice—will have been done.”

tems for the backups, but it’s so complex that

Tony looked at the array of soy and starch
even a little tweak here or there can have dis-
options on his menu. He looked at Sandra,
astrous consequences down the road.”

who was looking at him with eyes dilated to

“Chaos theory,” Tony said. “Sensitive depen-

“stun” and nostrils f laring just enough to no-
dence on initial conditions. When you’re bal-
tice with each breath. Her skin was flushed.

ancing on a knife edge, it doesn’t matter which

“Do I need to have a talk with security?” he
direction the push comes from; you’re going to
asked. He said it lightly, almost jokingly. Al-
eventually wind up falling over.”

most.

“Right. And it’s orders of magnitude worse

“No, of course not,” she said. “I’m just kid-
here than on Earth. There, the feedback loops
ding around. I don’t have a martyr complex.”

tended to stabilize things, at least until we

She looked at her menu. “Oh, look, soy with
screwed it up so badly they spiraled totally out
soy. I think I’ll have that.”

of whack. Here, if we don’t constantly tweak

She said no more about it, and Tony steered
it, it’ll spiral off to chaos with any push at all.”

the conversation to other, safer topics. By the

“That’s why we’re here,” Tony pointed out.

end of the evening, they wound up laughing

“We’re the caretakers who make sure that
and drinking too much wine and going back to
doesn’t happen.”

Tony’s apartment for some riotously good sex.

She picked up her menu. “But why?” she

He had almost forgotten the whole conversa-
asked. “Why do we do it? For these of all peo-
tion and was drifting off to sleep when she said
ple?”

softly in his ear, “Security is us, too, you

He knew the proper answer to that. The of-
know.”

ficial answer. The answer everyone wanted to
be true, because it was the only justif ication

He began listening to conversations around
for the travesty that circled around over the
him at work, in the subway, in the commis-
heads of the people who ultimately paid to put
sary. None were quite as blatant as Sandra’s di-
it up there: It didn’t matter who lived in the
atribe at dinner, but it doesn’t take a lot of
refuge so long as somebody lived, and these
words to convey a lot of meaning. He heard
were the people who had proven most suc-

“piggies” more often than not when someone
cessful at the struggle for survival in a world
referred to the topside dwellers, and “justice”

slowly going to Hell.

was a popular word on the breeze as well. And

After two weeks of living on board—had it
one phrase stuck in his head like a song that
really been two weeks already?—he couldn’t
wouldn’t go away: “Why do you think the Ti-
bring himself to say that out loud. It was a
tanic hit the iceberg, anyway?”

crock of shit, and he knew it. “We do it be-

One afternoon at work when Chen was out
cause we’re here,” he said. “Whoever else is inspecting a balky gyro, Tony sifted through
here with us, you and I and Chen and the peo-
the near-Earth asteroid data again, looking for
ple who walk the dogs are going to survive,
the anomalous entries that Chen had used to
too. And we’re the ones who matter.”

test him during his f irst few days on the job.

Sandra looked up over her menu. “That’s a

He ran the position analysis and compared that
good argument. We’re half the population,
to the master catalog, but this time the num-
more or less. But we could save fifty thousand
bers matched up. Every asteroid was account-
more deserving people if we shoved these rich
ed for.

bastards out the airlock.”

Or two had been removed from the catalog.

“Or let the ecosystem go wonky until they

He couldn’t remember their numbers, but he
all die off,” Tony said. “Except that doesn’t do
remembered that Chen had said they were the
us much good. We’re breathing the same air asteroids that had been mined for raw materi-they are.”

als to build the habitat. If that much was true,

“There’s a near-infinite supply of deserving
then it shouldn’t be hard to find them. He did a
colonists right under our feet,” Sandra pointed
quick search and came up with two numbers:

94

JERRY OLTION

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

B612 and B17823. A search of the watch cata-

“Incoming asteroids,” he said. “Two of
log came up empty. They weren’t there.

them, from two different directions. They’re

Which made perfect sense if they had indeed
probably both stealthed, so there’s no detect-
been mined completely out of existence, but
ing them unless you’re right on top of them,
why would they have been listed just a couple
and they’ve probably been moved so they’re
weeks ago and not now? Had Chen given him
not where calculations say they should be. The
a doctored database to begin with, or was the
only way to stop them is for whoever knows
current database the doctored one?

about them to send an abort command. As-

B612 and B17823 had been chosen for raw
suming they have an abort capability.”

materials because their trajectories swept close

She laughed nervously. “Jesus. Somebody re-
to Earth. The processed ores and stone carved
ally wants to make sure, don’t they? I wonder
off of them could be decelerated into Earth or-
how many other silver bullets are aimed at this
bit with a minimum of energy expenditure.

particular vampire?”

That also meant that anything left would swing

“Probably one for every ‘support staffer’

back around again and again, posing a threat to
who has the capability,” Tony said. “I’m sur-
the habitat each time. It would be simple to
prised none of them have gone off yet.”

stealth them behind radar-absorbing cover, so

“It has to be a coordinated effort,” Sandra
they would never appear on a sweep for in-
said. “Planned even before the refuge was
coming debris. At the speed they would be
built. We just came late to the party.”

traveling, even a dozen-meter-wide fragment

Tony looked at her window, programmed to
would be plenty to destroy the entire colony.

display the view out along the colony axis from

Tony called up the orbital elements of the
the endcap mountain peaks. “It’s not a party.

original asteroids. It was child’s play for a rock-

We’re talking revolution here. A lot of people
et jockey to calculate where they had to be at
will die.”

the moment, at least within a few thousand

She nodded. “Most of whom are part of the
kilometers. And when they could be expected
problem. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t
to arrive. And when would be the last possible
met many piggies I would miss much since I
moment to deflect them.

got here. And I’ve met plenty I’d shove the
knife in if I got the chance.”

“We’ve got two and a half months,” he told

Coming from someone who looked so cul-

Sandra. “If we don’t take action by then, we’ll
tured, so pretty and delicate and ref ined,
be a flaming ball of plasma in the sky.”

somehow made those words even scarier than

He was standing in her doorway, sweating
if they’d been uttered by, say, a swarthy Italian
from the run from his office to her apartment.

gyro jock.

He’d gone straight there after work.

Tony leaned back on her couch and consid-

She took a deep breath, then ushered him
ered his options. There was going to be a revo-
inside and closed the door behind him.

lution, that much was certain. And if it failed,

“There’ll be plenty of action before that. The
the entire refuge was doomed. Even if the as-
botulism toxin goes into the water supply next
teroids didn’t finish it, there must be dozens of
week.”

bombs in the window seams, poisons in the air

“Botulism.” That was not what he had ex-
recyclers, who knew what else? It would be a
pected to hear.

miracle if anyone survived, revolution or no.

“That’s right. It’s going into the upper-level

Fleeing back to Earth was hardly an option.

water mains. You should put aside a few gallons

There wasn’t a much better chance down
to drink until it’s all over. There could be cross-
there. The end might not come as soon, or as
contamination, and boiling won’t make it safe.”

suddenly, but the end was just as certain.

He sat down heavily on her couch. The

Tony took a deep breath, stood up and said,
couch they’d made love on just two nights ear-

“All right, then. If there ever was a good time
lier. “You . . . you can’t do this. It’s murder.”

for a revolution, I guess it’s now. And we can

“I’m not doing it. I only learned about it after
all think of piggies we’d love to frag. If the bot-

I got here, same as you. I’m just not doing any-
ulism doesn’t get him, that bastard in the
thing to stop it. Just like you’re not going to

Humvee is mine.” ■
stop whatever you found, either.”

WHY THE TITANIC HIT THE ICEBERG

95

Illustrated by Joel Iskowitz

Fool’s

Errand

Judith Tarr
he third stasis tank from the left was se-
shadow inside seemed to move—though that
verely opinionated, even as stasis tanks
was illusion. It had better be illusion.

went. Every time the tradeship went into

“One more jump, damn you,” she said. “Just

Tjumpspace,it tried to cycle down and re- one more.”And damn this rustyscow of a ship lease its contents.

for needing that many, and the idiot who had

Marina had replaced its brain system three
hired it for setting a course to the back arse-
times now, and its failsafes twice. She had even
end of beyond. Most of his cargo was as likely
hacked its programming, which if she was
as not to make it, but this tank had done every-
caught was a felony carrying a sentence of
thing it was going to do. It was done.

three to ten Earthyears, and that had held

TEN MINUTES, the alarm blared. TEN MIN-
through two jumps.

UTES TO JUMP.

Now the bloody thing was warbling again in

Marina’s jump cradle was a f ive-minute
counterpoint with the ship’s jump alarm. The
sprint across the cargo hold and up to the

96

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
crew level. That gave her f ive minutes to do

The idiot who owned it had time to get
whatever she could to keep the tank from
down there, too. Marina ignored him. He did
blowing open.

not return the favor. “I’ll take it from here,” he

System scan showed nothing. Hardware
said, “thank you . . . ?”

scan likewise. But the thing was determined to

He seemed to be looking for a rank to attach
decant early.

to her. She should have kept her mouth shut,

Marina set the locks again, both software
but she could not resist saying, “Doctor. The ti-
and hardware, and slapped a security patch
tle is Doctor.”

over them both. Then the five-minute klaxon

That made him blink. She would enjoy the
went off, and she had to bolt and hope.

memory later. At the moment, the tank was
about to open. The shadow inside was definite-

The ship’s transition into nullspace bent the
ly moving—rolling upright and shaking all over,
mind as well as the spacetime continuum. For
hard enough to rock the tank on its moorings.

Marina it was all auditory. Sight went black. In

The hatch slid back. Air wafted out, smelling
darkness absolute, she glided through deep
of frost and sweet grass. The paradox made
water, and all around her was a deep, clear

Marina’s throat constrict—but not as much as
singing.

the creature that stepped delicately into the

The closest she had ever come to it was
cargo bay.

whalesong of Earth. These songs delved deep-

Some things were in the blood. Marina had
er and rang higher, but they had the same eerie
grown up far from the currents of space, on a
clarity, and the same sense of vast bodies and
green world where Earth’s animals could live
vaster minds swimming through endless night.

and breed and thrive. When she dreamed, she

Emergence was a great relief and a great sad-
still ran in those fields and rode the most won-
ness. She lay in the jump cradle, breathing
derful of those animals: the big ones, the
slowly, while the memory of the singers faded
strong ones, the horses.

and the reality of the ship came back into focus

There was a horse in the cargo bay of the
around her.

Mursili II, head upf lung and nostrils f lared She was up before her mind realized her
wide. It was the color of new copper, with a
body was moving, darting through other stag-
crooked stripe of white down the elegantly
gering, confused, and occasionally retching
concave curve of its nose.

crew members, aiming single-minded for the

Marina laid her hand on that nose, gently,
cargo bay and the stasis tanks.

and breathed into it. The horse was trembling
all the way down to the bottom of it, holding

They were all running as they should, ex-
itself together by sheer effort of will—and that,
cept for the third from the left. It was in final
for a prey animal in an environment it had nev-
cycle: locks turning, tank humming as it
er been born for, was remarkable.

brought its contents out of suspension.

Modif ied, of course, the back of her mind

She already knew what was in it. Crazy, stu-
observed, to suppress certain instincts and en-
pid, insane, ridiculous—
hance the intelligence. The rest of her paid lit-

Also, about to burst out and start rampaging
tle attention. She smoothed the mane on the
through the cargo bay.

long sleek neck. “It was you,” she said. “You

She hit the alarm on the ship’s net, and
wanted out. Not very patient, are you?”

threw in a ping marked MOST URGENT for the id-

“Doctor,” said the idiot who had brought the
iot who owned the thing. Then, being insane
horse into space. Then, more sharply, “Doc-
herself, she took station by the tank.

tor!”

There was no stopping the cycle now, but

She refused to startle the horse by turning
there was no hurrying it, either. Bringing a liv-
on him, but she said with a distinct chill in her
ing thing out of stasis was a meticulous
voice, “Doctor. I’d suggest you ask the captain
process. Marina had time to calm her stomach
for permission to stow your property in the
with a bulb of water and a packet of ship’s ra-
greenway. And pray it survives emergence
tion, and even to begin digesting them, by the
from jumpspace, because there’s no jump cra-
time the indicator on the tank shifted through
dle that will confine an animal that size.”

its spectrum and settled on green.

“You can’t simply return her to stasis?”

FOOL’S ERRAND

97

ANALOG

She did turn then, carefully, still with her
followed Marina without objection, down the
hand on the horse’s neck. He was frowning.

line of stasis tanks and cargo containers toward

He looked formidable.

the elevators and the rest of the ship.

He was not technically an idiot, of course.

He was the leader of an expedition to a planet

Tradeships transported anything and every-
on the edge of the known worlds, an archaeol-
thing through the United Planets, but most of
ogist from a long line of them, and his pub-
it went as secured cargo. If it was alive, unless
lished studies were rather brilliant.

it was human or federated alien, it went in sta-

He was still a fool. He had brought live hors-
sis.

es on his expedition, rather than a sane and

A horse in the greenway, awake, mobile,
simple set of cloning equipment. And now one
and eating the pellets Marina had cobbled to-
of them was loose in the cargo bay, nosing its
gether out of ship’s stores, attracted a crowd
bare and sterile floor in futile hopes of finding
before she had even left the lift, and it grew as
forage, any forage, to satisfy its—her—stasis-
the ship endured the tedium of jumpspace.

sharpened hunger.

With all access to communications in realspace

“The tank is defective,” Marina said in an-
cut off and only the ship’s web for information
swer to his question. “If we try to repair it, we
or entertainment, crew and passengers had lit-
might nurse it through the rest of the voyage.

tle enough else to do but clog the observation

Or it might kill her.”

deck and stare.

“Emergence might kill her,” he said.

The gallery was easy enough to ignore. Peo-

“Did you think of that when you decided to
ple trying to hack the locks and get into the
bring her here?”

greenway, not so much. Even with the cap-

“I brought her in stasis. I expected her to
tain’s seal on the locks, passengers and odd
stay in stasis.”

members of the crew found the temptation ir-

And, his tone said, he always got what he
resistible.

wanted. Pity the Universe was not inclined to

“I just wanted to touch it,” said Immi, the as-
cooperate.

sistant life-support engineer. She had a hoof-

“You get permission,” she said. “I’ll get her to
shaped indentation in her thigh and an expres-
the greenway. It’s not large, but it’s a little like sion of shock on her face.

the environment she should be living in, and

“One has to ask permission,” Marina said.

we’ll set the system to produce something that

“From an animal?”

will nourish her. Unless you provided for that?”

“From a half-ton sentient with sledgeham-

“Not until landfall,” he said.

mers for appendages.” Marina smiled sweetly.

“Of course not,” she said.

“You’re lucky she didn’t aim for your skull.”

She dismissed him from her mind. There

She left Immi to limp back out through the
was a horse to get through the cargo bay and
access hatch. The horse had her head down in
up to the greenway, the core of the ship that
the tank of extruded fodder, looking as if she
was part hydroponics laboratory and part oxy-
had never harmed a human in her life.

gen generator. There was in fact no permission

She swiveled an ear at Marina but made no
to get—the captain knew perfectly well what
offer to kick. That privilege she reserved for
was happening inside his ship—but getting it
importunate strangers.

would require that the good doctor, who as

She seemed to be thriving. After three ship-
passenger and not crew lacked a direct link to
days in the greenway, she was sleek and visibly
the bridge, spend no little time working his
content and, to Marina’s eye, rather smug.

way through channels. That would keep him

“That won’t last,” Marina said to her. “Three
busy and keep him out of her way.

days till emergence. If we can’t rig a cradle—”

The horse snorted. She was nosing at anoth-

“We can’t,” the captain said through the link
er of the stasis tanks.

embedded in her brain.

Marina’s heart tried to stop, then started

He never left the bridge. He was hardwired
again. The tank showed no signs of attempting
to the nerve centers of his ship, f loating in a
to decant its contents, and the horse yielded
tank that kept his body alive and nourished
amiably enough to Marina’s hand on her neck
while his mind inhabited every level and mod-
and Marina’s belt looped into a headstall. She
ule of a structure the size of a small city. “Not

98

JUDITH TARR

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
in three shipdays. For that metabolism, and

“Doctor,” he said.

that physical conf iguration, there isn’t any

“Doctor,” she replied.

such thing.”

She would not have been surprised if he had

“That makes no sense,” Marina said. “She
ignored her ping at the door, but it had opened
came this far in stasis. There are three other
promptly. Marina found herself standing on the
horses in tanks that show no signs of malfunc-
edge of an endless plain, a sea of grass that
tioning. They’re not the first of the species to
rolled to a far horizon.

travel in space—not by several hundred Earth-

The grass was gold and the sky so blue it
years. Some of those have to have gone
hurt. It could have been Earth, or Khan
through jump.”

Balogh, or any of half a dozen blue-sky worlds

“That data we don’t have,” the captain said.

with ranges of grassland. Something—the an-

“We won’t have it until we come out of jump.

gle of the light, the sound of the wind in the

If,” he added, “it exists.”

grass—was different; alien. Itself.

Stavros was a bit of an eeyore. Still, there

“MEP 1403,” Dr. Nasir said. He lifted his
was no arguing with the facts. Unless someone
hand to shut off the projection, but Marina
on the ship found a way to think around cor-
stopped him.

ners, this lovely creature filling her face with

“No. Leave it.”

processed algae and zipcloned grasses would

His eyebrows went up, but he left it. He was
go through emergence unsupported and unfil-
sitting in a hoverchair that f loated incongru-
tered. And probably suffer massive cerebral
ously in the grass, with a box of databeads bal-
trauma, run hopelessly out of control, and
anced on the arm of the chair and a reader dan-
have to be put down before she damaged the
gling from his finger.

ship.

Marina found a second chair behind a low

“Who’s the eeyore now, then, Cousin?”

tumulus and perched in it. “So this is where

Stavros inquired, having followed her subvo-
you’re going. And why you think it makes
cals through the link.

sense to bring horses.”

“You have anything better to suggest?”

“It does make sense,” he said. “The grass

“Well,” he said, “no. But she’s not dead yet.”

there will nourish them with minimal supple-

“Yet,” Marina said.

mentation, and they’re much more eff icient

It made her angry. The kind of anger that
and less intrusive over short distances than
came from grief, that made her want to run un-
mechanical transport. There’s the start of a
til she ran out of space and breath, and then
breeding herd in those tanks. And yes, Dr.

pound the walls until her hands were bruised

Kanakaredes, we have cloning equipment.

and aching.

But that takes time, and we’ll need horses

On a tradeship, the running was not so easy.

ready and trained to ride as soon as we ar-

The walls were everywhere, but so were
rive.”

Stavros’ eyes. He would mock her—and she

Marina felt the heat rise in her cheeks. For
had had enough of that for a while.

an idiot, he was remarkably adept at reading

There was one thing she could do, that she
her mind.

had been avoiding doing. The name on the

Not literally. Of course not.

horse’s cargo manifest attached itself to one of

“Obviously you’ve thought of everything,”

the luxury cabins well away from the green-
she said. “Except the one thing that’s staring us
way. The person to whom the name belonged
all in the face. The horse in the greenway, Doc-
had visited the horse exactly once, on the sec-
tor. The one who has no way of getting
ond shipday: inspected her from nose to tail,
through emergence without serious and prob-
frowned at the contents of her feed tank, and
ably fatal damage to the brain.”

left without acknowledging Marina at all.

His face went stiff. “The tank’s not re-

The best passengers kept to themselves.

pairable?”

Stayed in their cabins, left crew and cargo

“You know it’s not. You’ve seen the same re-
alone, and neither asked for trouble nor caused
ports from Engineering that I have.”

any. This was a perfect passenger—except for

“The ones you wrote.”

the one, inescapable thing.

She snapped erect. “Are you accusing me
of—”

FOOL’S ERRAND

99

ANALOG

“No,” he said with haste that surprised her.

tried it, the results were somewhere out in re-

“No, I was not. I only meant—I simply—”

alspace, on the other side of jump.

He was embarrassed. She was almost im-

“Why do you care so much?”

pressed. “Engineering can’t do anything with-

Marina swam up out of the ship’s web to
out software that’s not accessible in jump-
f ind Dr. Nasir bending over her, scowling at
space, and equipment that’s not accessible on
her. Wahida’s head was draped over his shoul-
the route we’ll have to take in order to get you
der; her ears were slack. He knew exactly
to your destination. If you had brought back-
where to rub, to send her into a state of ears-
ups, maybe—but that seems to have been out
down, nose-quivering bliss.

of budget.”

Jealousy stabbed, sudden and ridiculous. Ma-

“It was,” he said. “We fought for every scrap
rina crushed it down and sat on it. “Why
of the funding we managed to get.”

wouldn’t I care? She’s valuable cargo. We’re ob-

“I’m sure you did,” she said with careful
ligated to deliver her intact.”

blandness.

“She’s insured. You won’t be the ones to pay

He paused for an equally careful count of
if she doesn’t make it: it’s not your fault the
seconds. Then he drew a deep breath. “Is
tank is defective.”

there anything that can be done? Can the tank

“Maybe I’m bored,” Marina said. “There’s
be rigged to shield her, at least? Or the green-
not much else to do in jump.”

way—can it—”

“And you relish a challenge.” He sat beside

“No,” she said. “Yes. Maybe. If we knew
her on the grass. Wahida, forgotten, wandered
more. If we had access to databases that, in
off.

jumpspace, we don’t. Unless you do? Did you

Marina sighed. She was in no mood to talk to
by any chance think to bring anything related
idiots. But he was not going to move until she
to equine physical and mental tolerances?”

said something: That was obvious. “I’m not

“Only the standard datasets,” he said.

getting anywhere, if that’s what you came to

“Genome sequencing. Veterinary manuals.

ask.”

Training vids.”

“I did,” he admitted. “Also, I came to ask

She resisted the urge to sag in disappoint-
what a Van der Roos Fellow from the Universi-
ment, and the temptation, much stronger, to
ty of New New South Wales is doing tending
snap his head off. “May I have them? All of
cargo on a tradeship in the Outer Reaches.”

them? And anything else that might be useful?”

So, Marina thought. He was bored, too:

“Whatever you need,” he said.

bored enough to go prospecting in Mursili II’s

He was gracious, she had to give him that.

personnel records. “Fellowships end,” she

But then, the horse was a valuable piece of
said. “Funding evaporates. Even adjunct posi-
equipment. Naturally, he would want to keep
tions are vanishingly rare, and endowed chairs
it alive and functional.

require seniority—and ample grant money.

He might have to settle for alive. And if that

We’re not all royalty in our field, Dr. Nasir.”

was not enough—

“I am sorry,” he said. He sounded as if he

She would face that when she came to it.

meant it.

“Don’t be. I was hacking systems and repair-

The horse’s name, according to the records,
ing cargo units before I went into university. If
was Wahida. She was not nearly as heavily mod-

I’m born to anything, I’m born to that.”

ified as Marina had expected. Apart from what

“Your work is good,” he said. “Solid.”

the database called “improvements” to the di-

“Solid,” she said with a twist of wryness.

gestive system, and the addition of an assort-

“Solid doesn’t even get hired for adjunct slav-
ment of gut flora labeled with the planet’s des-
ery. Everyone wants brilliant.”

ignation, this was more or less standard equus

“Brilliant is no good without a solid ground-
ferus caballus. Her bloodlines went back a ing.” He must have sounded like a pedant even
thousand years; they had been registered to Dr.

to himself: He broke off and shook his head.

Nasir’s family for much of that span.

“Your papers have a certain spark to them. Pas-

There was nothing anywhere to indicate
sion. Yes, brilliance—when you let it show be-
what would happen to her if she went through
neath the academic prose. Your monograph
jump without protection. If anyone had ever
on the Gate to Nowhere—”

100

JUDITH TARR

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“—was riddled with speculation. Educated
were over. She had loved them, dreamed of
speculation, but nonetheless. I guessed.

continuing them. But they were not for the

There’s no way to prove whether I was right.”

likes of her. One had to be a prince of a family

“With alien artifacts, there often isn’t.” He
of archaeological princes, or wealthy enough
was scowling again. It was not ill temper, she
to buy and sell worlds.

realized. He was thinking; and thinking, for

While he talked and she skimmed the sur-
him, required a baleful expression.

face of his files, that resignation showed itself

Maybe because he was young and because
for a lie. She was not resigned at all. She had
he was royalty in his f ield. He had more to
given up, but she had accepted nothing.

prove than the likes of Marina, whose family

And now she was angry.

raised livestock and crewed tradeships. His fam-

She thrust herself to her feet. “That’s all very
ily had been digging up tombs in Egypt since
pretty. What won’t be pretty is the state this
there were pharaohs to be buried in them.

horse will be in tomorrow after emergence.

“MEP 1403,” she said. “Why?”

Do I have your permission to euthanize her

He blinked. He was fast on his mental feet:

now? There’s nothing else to be done.”

He answered with barely a bobble. “Because no

She did not know where that had come
one else has dug there. I want to be the first.”

from. It was an option, but she had been avoid-

“Even if there’s nothing to find?”

ing it. She did not want to kill this beautiful an-

“There is everything to find. A whole world.

imal because its owner had been sold defective

The surveys—here, look.”

equipment.

A f ield of f iles bloomed behind her eyes,

She did want to see the shock in his eyes.

streaming through the ship’s link. The f ile-

Because he was a prince and rich and could
names alone raised her eyebrows; she inter-
have anything he wanted—anything she want-
cepted one and then another, and stopped her-
ed—and she was none of those things.

self before she dived into them all. “Cities

Now he was angry, too. “You do not have
everywhere? All deserted? No inhabitants?

my permission. You will find a way to keep her

Nothing?”

alive. Or if that turns out not to be possible, let

“And not a single image that our surveys can
me determine that—and let me see what is left
find,” he said. “Every possible painting or stat-
of her after jump, if you fail to find a solution
ue or carving has been hacked out or torn
before then.”

apart or smashed to powder. We know they

She held herself still. Her voice was cold.

must have been humanoid and looked some-

“Are those your orders, Dr. Nasir?”

what like us: There are a few tens of thousands

“Those are my orders,” he said with equal
of tribesfolk on the plains of the largest conti-
coldness.

nent, none of whom has any memory of the
people who went before. For all we or they

The veterinary manuals were thorough on
know, they were dropped there afterward, or
the subjects of equine reproduction, equine di-
traveled there in ships that they no longer re-
gestive systems both original and modif ied,
member how to build. It’s a perfect mystery.”

equine diseases and disorders, even equine

“And you think you can solve it.”

psychology. What they did not discuss was the

“That may never happen. But I can discover
effect of interstellar jump on the equine
as much about them as time and funding will
brain—either structures or chemistry.

allow.”

Marina’s temper cooled while she scanned

“That’s a life’s work,” she said.

the f iles yet again. She refused to be

“Many lives,” he said. “Isn’t that what we do?

ashamed, or to regret what she had said. Dr.

We begin something. Others carry it on when

Nasir and his cargo would be packed into a
we’re done. Where I come from, the begin-
shuttle two shipdays from now and delivered
ning is so far back, it’s almost lost to history.

to their destination. Mursili II, with Marina This will be new. We won’t even know what
on it, would go on. Wahida would survive, or
we’ll f ind until we f ind it. Or whether we’ll
be rendered into her component atoms and
find any answers at all.”

incorporated into the ship’s stores. Nothing

Marina thought she had been resigned. The
that Marina did or said would change any of
years she had spent learning to do what he did
that.

FOOL’S ERRAND

101

ANALOG

She resisted accessing any more of the files

A training vid spun on by: horse in a web-
from MEP 1403. She had managed to discover
work of straps and attachments, head clamped
that the rest of the team was already on-world;
to chest, trapped eye rolling. We always do it
they had set up a camp and blocked out the
that way. It’s tradition.

first season of excavation; and they were wait-

“Don’t do this,” the woman on the vid said.

ing for their leader to bring the last of the

“Really. Don’t.”

equipment and supplies—including four hors-

Marina was not, by nature, a believer in fate
es in stasis.

or omens. She could acknowledge the power

The horses were all mares. They were all
of coincidence.

pregnant—including the one in the greenway.

Eight horses, then. Two lost, once the ship

“That simple?” Dr. Nasir asked.

came out of jump.

He was in his cabin; she was in the green-

Not if Marina could help it.

way. He had managed to get access to the

She set the veterinary files on rapid scan and
crew’s link, and therefore to her part of it.

called up the ship’s database of studies in jump

It was better, slightly, than having him physi-
survival. Most were human, and varied from mi-
cally there, hovering and visibly trying not to
nor damage to full systemic arrest. A few in-
fret.

volved federated aliens. A good number had fo-

“Think about it,” Marina said. “What is a
cused on animals other than equids—rats and
jump cradle, really? An insulated tank with
mice, mostly. And cats. Cats, of all terrestrial
padding and straps and a medbot programmed
species, seemed immune to the effects of
to evaluate the occupant’s reaction to jump,
jump.

then medicate and treat according to estab-

Cats and ferrets. Legend had it that a cat, if
lished protocols.”

suitably inclined, could jump without the aid

“For horses,” he pointed out, “there appear
of a ship.

to be none.”

That was almost certainly, as the file indicat-

“None that we know of, or can, until we go
ed, more myth than truth.

back into realspace.”

Myth, thought Marina. She followed a thread

“You’re gambling,” he said.

in the search string, away from science and

“Guessing. Hoping.”

facts and verif iable data, into pseudoscience

“Gambling.”

and religious superstition and outright fiction.

“I’m not saying it will work,” Marina said with

Not because she expected to find anything she
tight-strung patience. “I’m saying it’s all I can
could actually use, but because her mind, oc-
think of to try. We can bring the stasis tank up to cupied with stories, might cut itself loose and
the greenway and anchor it. It’s shelter at least,
find a solution in the back of them.

and designed to hold a horse. You have sedatives

Wahida stood near the bulkhead in the
in your veterinary stock. The one that allows
greenway, one hindleg slack, head and ears
them to process data while they’re under—”

down, asleep. Now and then an ear would

“Why that one? Why not put her out com-
twitch. She looked awkward and rather silly,
pletely?”

especially when her lower lip escaped control

Marina hesitated. Her head agreed with him.

and hung as slack as the rest of her.

Shut Wahida in the tank, put her under, rig a

Rooted in Earth, the search string sang.

medbot to keep her vital signs stable, hope she

Soaring to the stars. Horse of heaven, that
woke on the other side. It was more or less what
stands between the worlds.

one did with human passengers, unless they in-

The veterinary manual revolved through its
sisted on going through conscious, like crew.

sections. One image caught her attention. She

A horse was not a human.

froze the scan and rewound.

Marina answered his question as best she

A horse standing as the horse in the green-
could. “Do you know what can happen when
way stood. Head down. Ears down. Lower lip
a horse comes out of anesthesia too quickly?”

dangling.

“It explodes—not literally,” he corrected

She had it. But—
himself, scowling. “Massive f light response.

If it were that easy, why bother with a jump

Which in a ship, or a cradle, or a retrofitted sta-
cradle at all?

sis tank . . .”

102

JUDITH TARR

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“Massive flight response,” she said. “Which

The medbot pinged. It was ready for the
starts where?”

next phase: loading with the drugs that she

“In the horse’s—” His glare even through
had selected. Guessing. Hoping.

the link could have melted plasteel. She stared

“It is worth it,” he said. “Considering that
coolly back.

the alternative is realspace all the way—and

“Do it,” he said.

centuries of travel for most standard runs.”

“Millennia for this one,” she said, but she

The tank squatted incongruously on the
was not really paying attention. She measured
grass in the greenway, anchored to the bulk-
the doses, filled the dispensers, programmed
head with cargo cables. Marina, with help
each one with f irmness she dared not ques-
from Engineering, had ripped out the defective
tion. Doubt now would be surely fatal—as op-
stasis mechanism and reinforced the padding
posed to merely potentially so.

inside.

The last dispenser clicked shut. The timer

The medbot was stubborn; it kept defaulting
she had rigged on the door of the tank read
to modified human. She finally kicked it loose
thirty minutes to jump.

by reprogramming it to “alien, modif ied, un-

She was cutting it close. Dangerously so, if
classified.”

Wahida was not inclined to load.

“Why does jump do what it does to us?”

She had a plan for that. She retrieved the

That was Dr. Nasir again. Hovering in the
headstall that Dr. Nasir had liberated from his
link. Sitting on her shoulder, from the angle he
stores and reached into her pocket for one of
was taking.

the f istful of peppermints she had wheedled

She should have blocked him, but the med-
out of Ya-Chin in the galley.

bot was cycling through another test, and she

Wahida was amenable to both. Marina re-
had nothing better to do than watch Wahida
leased that part of the breath she had been
graze and answer his question. “That’s not
holding. There was still the tank to coax her
what you should ask f irst. You should ask,
into, and time ticking away.

‘What is jump?’”

The other part of the plan, the part she was

“A change of state,” he answered. “A process
telling no one, hung heavy in the back of her
by which the ship and all its contents phase
mind. Each time it tried to thrust itself forward,
out of realspace into nullspace, and then, even-
she thrust it firmly back.

tually, back to realspace. Sentients for the most

Wahida walked calmly beside her to the
part—cats and ferrets and certain federated
tank, then stopped. Marina realized she had
aliens excepted—are designed and built to ex-
stopped breathing. She drew a long breath, all
ist in a single state, both physical and psycho-
the way to her toes, and let it out slowly. She
logical. The one great alteration they undergo
stepped forward.

is, in a word, death.”

Wahida stepped with her. Warm breath gust-

“And the effects of certain drugs,” Marina
ed on her arm. Soft whiskery lips took another
said.

peppermint from her palm.

“Those don’t alter the world itself—the na-

The stasis tank was a standard size: almost
ture of space. They only alter the body or the
exactly three times as wide and half again as
mind. Jump is a state in which we were never
high as Wahida, and about a meter longer. It
meant to exist. And that . . . breaks things.

was designed for draft animals: oxen and large

Brains, especially—structurally. Chemically.

horses. This smaller, lighter horse could have

Shielded, medicated, we can survive it, and es-
lain down in it if she had been so minded, or if
cape long-term or permanent damage. Un-
the restraints allowed.

shielded . . .”

Marina was not completely sure about

“So it’s said,” she said. “I’ve heard of humans
those. Now that she was in the tank with the
who have gone through without shielding,
living, breathing animal, she made a decision
meds, or damage. Who say it’s all a grand con-
that might be absolutely wrong, or absolutely
spiracy of the shippers’ federation and the
right. She left the headstall on but made no
drug companies, to pad their profits.”

move to fasten any of the carefully designed

“Myth and legend,” he said.

and padded straps.

“Probably.”

The medbot pinged. “Go,” Marina said.

FOOL’S ERRAND

103

ANALOG

The bot extruded a sensor. Wahida slanted

Wahida’s vitals shifted only slightly with the
an ear at it but stood calmly, crunching the
entry into jump. Her heart slowed by a handful
next to last of Marina’s peppermints. The sen-
of beats per minute. Her breathing matched it,
sor came to rest like a hand on her neck, just
deepening as if in sleep.

below Marina’s.

Brain activity, however . . .

There were no needles; this was a direct-os-

She must be dreaming. A dream that fol-
mosis interface. Wahida started slightly as it be-
lowed the rhythms of the great song. That
gan its work but held her ground. After a few
seemed, somehow, subtly, to be shaping it. Or
seconds she sighed; the long muscles of her
conversing with it. Answering it.

neck relaxed, and her head lowered.

Her body stood motionless, her head down,

A figure blocked the door of the tank, loom-
ears adroop. Every now and then, one ear
ing dark against the false sunlight of the green-
would flick as if at a fly.

way.

There was no panic in her. No fear, no dis-

“Doctor,” Marina said.

orientation. The sensors proved this, but Mari-

“Doctor,” he said. “What are you doing?”

na knew it. She felt it in her own blood and

“What we discussed,” she said. “It’s all under
bones, in the convolutions of her brain. For a
control. You’d better go: it’s only fifteen min-
stretching moment she was the horse: four
utes to jump.”

legs, strong arch of neck and back, ears that

“You’re not going,” he said. “You mean to
followed sounds too faint for human hearing.

stay with her.”

Mind contained in a brain the size of a human

Marina had hoped he would not reach that
fist but encompassing universes.

conclusion. Stavros had, but Stavros knew bet-

The ship slid out of that other universe.

ter than to argue when Marina set her mind on

Smooth as a f ish through water, or a horse
something. “Your funeral,” he had said, mean-
through air. The song faded. The harsh bright-
ing it literally.

ness of realspace assaulted Marina’s senses,

Dr. Nasir was going to be tedious. Also, if he
with the f lood of data from the worldsweb,
delayed much longer, mad or dead. “Listen,”

and a sense of sundering so fierce that it nearly
she said with no real expectation that he
broke her.

would. “I’ve rigged the bot for both of us. But

Wahida raised her head and shook it and
not for you. What I do here is my responsibili-
snorted wetly all over Marina’s clean shirt. She
ty. Don’t make me responsible for what hap-
was hungry. And perfectly, gloriously whole.

pens to you as well.”

“I can’t let you—”

“Now we know it can be done,” Stavros

“You have no authority,” she said. “Go.

said. “And that no one admits to having tried it.

Now.”

That could be good for business.”

This was not a man one said such things to.

“You expect more idiots to try transporting

Marina withstood the heat of his outrage—
horses to abandoned worlds? It’s still cheaper
just.

and easier to ship them in cloning vats.”

Just before the blare of the alarm, he spun

“Rich idiots,” Stavros said.

away from her and stalked off toward the lift and,

Marina snorted—not nearly as eloquently as
she could hope, the safety of his jump cradle.

the horse, but she did her best. “Don’t tell me

Marina’s heart was hammering. She held her
you’re going to turn the greenway into a pas-
hands steady by effort of will, strapping the
ture. Mursili II: livestock transport to the stars.”

medbot’s auxiliary lead to her wrist.

“It could work,” the captain said. He was ex-

Calm flooded her. Panic receded. She locked
cessively satisfied with the situation.

her knees before she folded to the floor, half

“Relieved,” he said. And after a pause: “Your
leaning against Wahida.

idiot is yelling for you.”

“He is not my—” Marina broke off. “He is

The jump klaxon sounded dim and far away.

not yelling.”

Marina kept one thought in the front of her

“He would like to,” said Stavros.

mind: Watch the horse. Monitor the bot. That Marina could believe that. “I’m busy.”

was as complex a process as she could man-

Which she was: she had all of his cargo to in-
age, but it kept her focused.

spect and load on the shuttle. Including the

104

JUDITH TARR

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
item on four legs, which had its own contain-

“If I take it,” she said, taking care to keep
er. Stavros had not overcharged for it, but he
breathing, “you’ll have to buy out my contract
had not sold it cheap, either. After all, as he
with the ship.”

had said to Dr. Nasir, he had a business to run.

“Already negotiated,” he said. He avoided

He left Marina alone. She had the cargo bay
sounding smug.

to herself, the manifest front and center on the

“My kit? My—”

ship’s link, and the bots loading containers ac-

“Safe on board.”

cording to their programming.

He was sure of himself, that one. And, damn

The horse would go in last, in order to come
him, of her.

off first. She was already in her container, light-

“You won’t get me cheap,” she said. “I’m
ly sedated though Marina’s gut knew it was not
well above potsherd-entry level.”

necessary. Not for her; the humans responsible

“Would second primary do, Doctor?”

for her were another matter.

She sucked in a breath. “That’s too high.”

The good doctor was waiting to be called to

“Not if you earn it. Probationary for a season.

the shuttle. Impatiently: she had him blocked,

Contingent on performance.”

but he kept f inding ways around the block.

“Whose back do I have to stab to get the

“Once more,” she warned him, “and I shoot
job?”

you a dose of Wahida’s tranq.”

“No one’s,” he said. “We’re not that big an

That kept him quiet for long enough to get
expedition.”

the last container loaded. Then she had to

“Yet.”

drop the barrier; there was, after all, one item

“One hopes.”

remaining to ship to MEP 1403.

The shuttle’s alarm went off in Marina’s ear.

It all but knocked her down. Through the

His hair was ruff led; his cheeks were
ringing in her skull, she could just hear Dione’s
flushed. For once he looked his age.

voice. “Are you two done with your love talk

Dione the pilot slid past him toward the
yet? We’ll miss the launch window.”

shuttle. She shot Marina a glance, with eyeroll.

“Well?” Dr. Nasir said.

Marina would hear all about it later.

He was scowling. Horribly.

She could not decide if she was looking for-

She would miss that, too.

ward to it. She should be. The idiot gone, the

Damn.

ship returned to its normal level of drama, or

“I’ll take it,” she said. “On one condition.”

lack thereof.

“What?”

She would miss the horse.

Really, he would have to work on his temper.

“Come with me,” he said.

“I’ll waive half my pay for the first season, excluThe words took a while to sink through the
sive of board and upkeep, in exchange for Wahi-
layers of awareness and the shock of realiza-
da. Sign her over to me. Put her in my name.”

tion. She would miss the idiot, too.

“Why?”

“Come planetside,” he said. “Join the expe-

“Does it matter?”

dition.”

He had to think about that, with Dione tap-

“As what? Horse wrangler?”

ping the f light console in a progressively

He frowned at her. “I have one already.”

more rapid rhythm. Finally, as the engines be-

“What, then? What can I do that your funding
gan to fire, he said, “Agreed. Signed and wit-
will allow? Aren’t you full up on support staff ?”

nessed.”

“There’s an opening for a xenoarchaeolo-

“Signed and witnessed,” Stavros echoed
gist.”

over the ship’s link.

“There is not.”

He was not so smug now. Maybe he would

She was not letting herself feel anything. Or
miss her.

think anything. Dreams did not come true. Not

Maybe not. “You were always a better ar-
for the likes of her.

chaeologist than cargo tender,” he said. He

“There is an opening if I say there is,” said
sounded almost as waspish as the good doctor.

the prince of a line of princes.

“Now go. Get off my ship.”

“Funded how?”

The shuttle was moving already. Marina

“Take the offer and I’ll tell you.”

dived for it.

FOOL’S ERRAND

105

ANALOG

Dr. Nasir’s hand caught hers and pulled her
lifted out of the cargo bay, rounding the long
into the passenger compartment, just before
curve of Mursili’s hull. MEP 1403 swelled in the airlock hissed shut.

the viewport: classic terrestrial world, blue
with oceans, white-capped at the poles, green

He let go quickly. She was glad of that.

and brown and gold with landmasses between.

Maybe.

They dropped down toward the broadest

“Doctor,” she said.

swath of gold. Marina’s eyes kept blurring. She

“Doctor,” he answered.

had to remind herself to breathe.

“Thank you. I think.”

Far away, on the utmost edge of perception,

“You’re welcome,” he said, “I’m sure.”

she heard whalesong. And something else: a

She strapped herself in, aware that he did
sound like a horse’s breath, drawn long and
the same across the narrow aisle. The shuttle
slow and deeply content. ■

106

JUDITH TARR

Samsara
and Ice

Andy Dudak
he Sleeping God assembles his weapon

Elf in but sickly, they seem only vaguely hu-
with the mechanical ease of ritual, join-
man. They were called the fey when they split
ing stock, barrel, scope, and bipod, as
from humanity—fey because they bred them-

Tthe wind shrieks against his vertiginous selves small for interstellar travel,coming to hide-site. His worshippers gather thousands
resemble the brownies of old Terran myth,
strong at the base of the ridge, but he pays
and fey because their enterprise seemed mad
them little mind. He locks the coolant tank
and doomed. They were the first to colonize
into place, followed by the monopod at the
extrasolar worlds, but on many—as on this
rear of the stock. Last, he carefully inserts the
one—their high civilizations collapsed.

hot, humming magazine.

The Call for Sacrif ice echoes in their deli-

A great rhythmic sigh washes up from be-
cate, fluting tongue. They have observed their
low. It is the Proclamation of Faith, prelude to
bloated red sun settle toward the jagged hori-
the Call for Sacrifice.

zon. They’ve made their pilgrimage, as they do

The god sets his weapon down near the
every three years, to this sacred and desolate
cliff and allows himself a moment to stretch.

upland. They’ve left behind their swamps, their

He tugs at his unkempt beard, wondering
farms of moss and lichen and their mollusko-
how many years it’s been since he’s shaved.

morph husbandry. They call him Sleeping God.

This line of thought takes him to uncomfort-

He has another name, and a rank and number,
able places. How long can his sleeper module
but he hasn’t needed them for a long time.

last? What about the war? There are no an-

Two minutes left. He runs a finger along the
swers, only the familiar pinch of disciplinary
stock, counting the notches. Three hundred
sickness goading him back to the mission.

and f ifty one—that is how many times he’s

He lowers himself into a prone shooting po-
killed the Dying God. He pans up and zeroes
sition. Taking hold of the rifle, he peers into
in on a neighboring ridge, on a table of melt-
the scope, and a readout tells him he still has
ed, blackened rock: the altar.

five minutes. He pans down to the valley floor

He wonders what his adversary will try this
and zooms in on the wheeling multitude.

time. Another wild spray of suppressing fire?

107

ANALOG

Another confusion flash? Perhaps another des-
vitri-stasis, his opponent into nonexistence.

perate leap from the altar. The Dying God has

Both hurtled through time by skipping most
tried everything in vain.

of it.

Thirty seconds left. The Sleeping God acti-

Now Omni wakes to a new world, one in
vates his ghillie suit, setting it to ambient. The
which the Dying God—a harassment special-
rif le follows his lead. An awed keening rises
ist in the Shinasian Colonial Force’s Samsara
from the worshippers, as those who spotted

Brigade—has surrendered. Omni once again
their deity announce that he has vanished.

reckons their temporal experience. Every

They all know what this portends. The Dying
three years, Omni knows, on average, one

God is about to appear, that he might die
hundred twenty hours of duty-time. He has
again and ensure the harvest.

programmed the sleeper module to wake him

Ten seconds. The reticle glows with the
forty-eight hours before the specialist’s ap-
memory of previous killings as it’s nudged into
pearance, but sometimes Omni wanders the
position. Four. The spin foam above the altar is
hills afterward, or ventures into the lowlands
hacked, space-time puckering and lensing.

to play god among the fey.

One. A man in battle armor is suddenly

The specialist, on the other hand, averages
there, crouched in the standard go position of
about five seconds from instantiation to death.

a Samsara soldier, assault rifle at the ready.

He has accumulated 29 minutes in the past

And the Sleeping God hesitates. He doesn’t
thousand years. Omni’s f ive years are a com-
pull the trigger, and he doesn’t know why at
parative lifetime.

first. He’s never hesitated before. Something is
different; his enemy hasn’t sprung into action.

Ten seconds. The reticle brightens, and he

This is unprecedented, a paradigm shift.

wonders if the specialist will surrender again.

The Dying God remains bent and unmoving.

Omni has chosen a new hide-site, like he does

Finally, slowly, he lowers his weapon and places
every time. Perhaps his enemy will instantiate
it on the altar before him. Slowly he rises, hands
furious. But if not? Must the Dying God con-
up in an unmistakable gesture of surrender.

tinue to die? The fey would say so, and Omni’s

This anomaly, after a thousand years of
orders are clear on the subject: an instance of
quarrel, stirs up the Sleeping God’s torpid
a Samsara soldier is not entitled to the same
memories. He is Broken Spear Corporal
rights as the original soldier. A surrendering in-

Hamish Omni, service number 371841. He un-
stance shall not be given quarter. Until re-
derwent psychometric conditioning at boot
lieved, Omni is to keep the specialist dead.

camp near New McMurdo on Europa. As a

The thought of disobeying this order brings
child, he enjoyed the Freefall Olympics.

reprimanding nausea.

The symbols on the Dying God’s breast

Zero. The Dying God is back on the Altar,
plate arouse queasy hatreds in Omni. He’s not
crouching, again making no sudden move-
used to thinking this much about a kill. He
ment. Omni holds his breath, ready to squeeze
suddenly wants more than anything to sleep.

the trigger between heartbeats. The specialist

But he can’t do that until he pulls the trigger.

puts down his rifle and stands.

The blast makes quick work of the Dying

Omni tries to imagine what the man’s twen-

God, as always—but before he’s gone, for a
ty-nine minute tour of duty has been like. Did
flashing moment he’s standing there in a beck-
he feel those 352 deaths? Has it been twenty-
oning, crucified pose, wreathed in consuming
nine minutes of agony? Or merely a strobing
plasma. Below, the fey fall to their knees and
series of altars?

sway in ecstasy.

Omni’s ear-plant crackles to life, causing
him to twitch and lose his bead. He quickly re-

Omni doesn’t dream when he sleeps. Wak-
aligns the shot.

ing, he must remain in the casket for hours,

“Don’t shoot.” The guttural Shinasian ac-
enduring the remnants of the phage fever that
cent is heavy. “Please, try to resist your condi-
clears his cells of antifreeze protein. In the ear-
tioning. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m
ly years of this detail, he used the time to com-

SPC Third Class Bataar Temuujin.”

pare his experience with his enemy’s. Both of

“No you’re not,” Omni replies. “You’re an
them vanished into timeless voids, Omni into
instance of him. He died long ago.”

108

ANDY DUDAK

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“Well, that’s something our two societies
disintegrate him that f irst time; a sonic blun-
will never agree on.” The Shinny means the
derbuss left him intact enough for dissection.

continuity-of-consciousness debate. Omni has

Suffusing his grey matter was the network that
never cared for such philosophizing, but it’s
uploaded memories to the Shinnies’ alien toy,
one of the ideological foundations of the war.

wherever it was hiding. Omni cut the man’s

The Shinasian Empire uses outlawed alien
blundering sign back to the instantiation point.

tech it doesn’t understand. “I sure feel like

He guessed the reincarn would come nearby,

Bataar Temuujin,” the specialist continues.

if it hadn’t already, and deployed spotter-

“Regardless, haven’t you killed me enough? It
drones throughout the highland.

hurts, in case you were wondering.”

And he brooded. He knew something had

Omni chokes back the almost-crippling
gone wrong, and it turned out he had plenty
sickness. Every moment he hesitates, it gets
of time to think about it.

worse.

The alien tech had malfunctioned, or the

“There’s so much I want to ask you,” the

Shinnies didn’t know how to use it. Someone or

Shinny says. “It’s only been . . . what? An hour
something clearly knew where Omni was.

for me? Less? But I’ve watched this valley

Bataar ought to have reincarned within minutes.

change. And these fey have multiplied, orga-

And why send just one soldier? Perhaps others
nized. It must be years between incarns. My
had been misplaced—on the far side of the
deployer has clearly malfunctioned. Is there
planet, or inside it. But why not vaporize Omni
anyone else? How do you know the war is still
with an airstrike? Why send soldiers at all?

on?”

The more he thought about it, however, the

Omni can’t think about that for long with-
more it made a kind of sense. He’d been given
out getting sick. He has learned to avoid the
this mission as a punishment. The planet was
subject.

unimportant to the war effort. Obviously, the

“You don’t have to do this,” the specialist

Shinasians weren’t taking it seriously either.

says.

Maybe they were testing new equipment,

“Sorry. Orders.”

working out glitches. The war spanned cen-

The Shinny bows his head in resignation.

turies and spiral arms. Time dilation, life ex-

“Will you at least set up closer next time?

tension, and reincarn tech served to fog the

Maybe turn off the camouflage? I’d like to see
bounds of the conflict. Possibly the Shinasian
you.”

presence here was a clerical error.

“Sounds like a trap,” Omni says before firing.

Whatever the reason, it took Specialist

Bataar three years to reincarn, and he did so at

This time he doesn’t return to the sleeper
the same site as before. This was unheard of.

module immediately. He follows the fey to

Alerted by the spotter drones, Omni dis-
their warm, wet fens, a brooding giant among
patched him with ease, and afterward man-
awed pilgrims. For him it’s been a year since
aged to collect enough DNA to conf irm that
his last visitation, for them generations. They
this was indeed the same soldier—or an in-
have mostly forgotten their origins, but leg-
stance thereof.

ends of towering ancestors laid the foundation
for Omni’s godhead. He was other gods before

Ten seconds before their 353rd encounter,
they named him Sleeper. The module was

Omni realizes he has chosen a closer-than-usu-
meant to keep him on ice while he awaited
al hide-site. The altar is seventy meters away.

pick-up, after completing a standard recon, so

He has set up on the same ridge, rather than a
in the early days he hardly used it. The fey had
neighboring one, something he’s never done
watched him drop blazing from the heavens.

before. Does he want to be trapped? Perhaps

Back then he was the Sky God or Wandering
he craves the intimacy Bataar requested.

God.

These thoughts make him sick, of course.

Then came Specialist Bataar, instantiating on

The specialist appears, and like the last two
a peak two klicks above Omni’s camp. But the
times puts down his weapon. Omni finds him-
specialist was clumsy—Samsara soldiers, with
self exhilarated and terrified.

lives to spare, are notoriously so—and signaled

“I guess you’d like to go back to the way
his descent with a rockslide. Omni didn’t
things were,” Bataar says, looking down upon

SAMSARA AND ICE

109

ANALOG
the confused fey. “Do they require the specta-

He stands f ifty meters away, helmet off, star-
cle?”

ing directly at Omni.

“They’ve grown accustomed to it, yes.”

Omni glances down at the sparse, ragged

“And your conditioning . . . I must be mak-
congregation at the base of the altar. They’re
ing you very uncomfortable.”

chanting something he doesn’t understand.

Omni can’t respond to this understatement.

He feels sick when he looks back at the spe-

Not firing is agony, an insult to nature.

cialist, the eye contact not helping like he

“So shoot,” Bataar says. “Or do you need me
hoped. He longs to pull the trigger, or at least
to go through the motions? I could reach for
reactivate his ghillie suit. “About nine hundred
my gun if that would help.”

years ago,” he says. “I’m to hold out until vul-

In a paroxysm of disgust, Omni fires.

tures hunt down your illegal machine—”

“Illegal, is it?”

The fey have been thrown into confusion—

“. . . and relieve me.”

he senses it while still in the highlands. The

“Shinasia never ratified your Continuity Act.

pilgrims he follows down from the hills con-

We salvaged that tech fair and square.”

duct him without the usual pageantry. They

“Tech that unraveled the civilization it came
make offerings of food and gemstones, but
from.”

with a wary solemnity he hasn’t seen before.

“Here we go again with the Dory Interpre-

Down in the fens it is worse: many fey have
tation. You might as well argue that lead poi-
been crucif ied along the temple causeway.

soning caused the fall of Rome.”

Omni hasn’t seen this in centuries, not since

Omni rests his head on his weapon, dizzy
the Sleeping God usurped older deities. Peas-
with poisonous thoughts. This is all above his
ants from surrounding temple-lands join the
pay grade.

pilgrims for brief stretches of the grisly way.

“Never mind,” Bataar says. “My tech mal-

Rumors spread. Between these and the des-
functioned, and your squadron of vultures
perate prayers of his escort, Omni pieces to-
never came. We’re cogs in machines of em-
gether what’s going on: a doomsday cult has
pire. Forgotten cogs.”

arisen that preaches the decline of the Dying

Omni gags, his f inger trembling inside the

God’s vitality, His imminent worthlessness as a
trigger guard.

sacrifice, and a resultant apocalypse.

“Nine hundred years, my friend. Surely the

“Leave your work!” the acolytes of doom
war is over.”

cry. “Abandon the mossyards! Kill the priests

“Not our call.”

and raid the winter stores!”

A fey chorus rises from below, funereal yet

Omni has never actively propped up the
strident, distracting Bataar. “I seem to have

Sleeping God/Dying God religion; he simply
spoiled your . . . whatever this is.”

let it happen, out of boredom. His only orders

“It’s an agricultural theocracy, and it’s not
concerning the fey are not to waste mission
mine.”

resources on them. He considers intervening

“You couldn’t have enlightened them? Giv-
now, but he and SPC Bataar are not gods. The
en them strains of assembler tech? Or at least
fey are—and have always been—hanging by a
taught them to smelt bronze?”

thread. Their meager husbandry could fail at

“Against regs.”

any time. Why maintain the fairy tale?

“Hey, I’m not judging you. A man needs a

Or is it that the thought of intervention
hobby, especially on a detail like yours. Which
makes him sick?

reminds me . . . what did you do to get sent

Fires burn in the distance. They are not the
out here?”

fires of harvest season or Three Moon Festival.

Omni can’t take any more. He realigns the

The Sleeping God thinks about the patient
shot.

gnaw of time and watches smoke pour through

“It must have been quite the infraction.”

the towerfirs. Eventually he turns back toward

The hard f lash of the sacrif ice does not si-
the hills, grown weary once again.

lence the keening fey lament.

“When did you last hear from your superi-

Omni creeps invisibly through his dying civ-
ors?” Bataar asks. “Or anyone besides the fey?”

ilization, haunting mass graves and defaced

110

ANDY DUDAK

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
temples, seeking in the depths of horror some

“Hamish,” he blurts, surprised at himself.

reality beyond his mission. He passes like a

“And what’s your story, Hamish? Why were
ghost between the stacked stone of lichen
you sentenced to this weird little hell?”

shelves overf lowing with a rotten yield. The

Omni almost squeezes the trigger, but he
molluskomorph pens have been burnt out,
feels the words coming up like bile. “I resisted
their livestock consumed by revolution. A
my programming. Ignored an order to . . . well,
group of marauders, intent on plundering a
it wasn’t pretty. Involved civilians. So I en-
cloister of Sleeping God Sisters, meets a curi-
dured the sickness. I was court-martialed, sent
ous death: Plasma rains down on them, appar-
up for enhanced conditioning. They rewired
ently from nowhere.

me good, Shinny.”

Omni takes little comfort in this police ac-

“My name is Bataar Temuujin.”

tion. It was a mission deviation, but something

“A name wouldn’t help you, even if it was
more than his programming afflicts him now.

really yours. I’m going to keep killing you.

That’s out of our hands. All you have to decide

“Where were we?” Bataar asks, stretching
is how to die, and what to do with your
his neck before putting down his gun.

deaths.” He transmits video from his vizcort

A shivering Omni stands ten meters away,
implant to Bataar’s helmet, a grim montage
on the table of rock nearest the altar. He holds
from the lowlands. “They need the Dying God
the sniping weapon at his hip.

of old.”

“Ah yes,” Bataar says, “we were discussing

“You mean the Dying God of three minutes
the past, a sore subject for men like us. How
ago.”

about I start?”

“That’s right.”

Below, a small band of grim-faced fey peer

“So you propose that we continue as be-
up. This time they do not bemoan the waning
fore? Until my deployer fails?”

of an epoch. Perhaps they’re morbidly fasci-

“Or my sleeper.”

nated, but they’re silent.

The specialist’s wandering, brooding gaze

“I confess that I had antirevolutionar y
comes to rest on Omni’s weapon. “That’s a
thoughts just before my first death. I thought

Pictish third-gen sniping system, right?”

as your people do . . . that I would die and af-

“Yeah.”

terward there would be an instance, someone

“So you could turn up the gain on the mag-
new. I was terrif ied. But then I reincarned
azine?”

with my memories intact. I remembered dy-

“I suppose . . .”

ing, I remembered that fear. In the Samsara

“You’d have to flush your crystals more of-

Brigade we called it Bardo Fear. We got to-
ten, but the slug would annihilate me faster
gether and drank and congratulated each
than I can process pain. Do me this courtesy,
other on being the only humans who remem-
one soldier to another?”

bered it. We did have a point, of course. Bardo

Omni has never considered this. Tweaking

Fear is fundamentally different from a near-
his weapon would be against regs, but that
death experience. Still, some of us could be
would only mean one more drop of sickness
rather pretentious about it. Suffice it to say it
in a sea of it. This amounts to pleasure, in
changed me. This was on Mother of Pearl dur-
the context of what he has become. “Of
ing the Hanging Cities campaign. I hunted
course.”

down the man who’d shot me, a Broken Spear

Bataar looks down upon the fey. “I suppose
like you, and avenged myself. When I got back
they will revise their religion, after all this. A
to HQ my captain promoted me. Said he had
cycle of waxing and waning potency for their
something special in mind for me, then put

Dying God?” He meets Omni’s eyes. “A fasci-
his sidearm to my head and f ired a rotation
nating hobby indeed. Maybe we can discuss it
shot. And here I am, uploaded to a faulty de-
further in a few seconds. Unless I manage to
ployer. I wasn’t even briefed.”

kill you.”

“You don’t have orders?” Omni says.

Omni nods.

“I’m sure that frightens you . . . gods, I don’t

And with that, the Dying God lunges for his
even know what to call you. Haven’t I earned
weapon. ■
at least a first name?”

SAMSARA AND ICE

111

Marduk’s

Folly

Sean Vivier
arduk lifted his two brawny forearms

Lugh tapped a single f inger to express
to better pull his eye to the telescope.

agreement. “Calculating the difference in im-

The knuckles of his four hindmost
ages during transit and after transit to isolate

Marms had to grip the ground even light from the planets alone.”

tighter to keep himself upright under the con-

Rhea had her results f irst. “I’ve got the
stant assault of gravity.

masses. With their diameters, they must all be

As he looked—the image enhanced by
gas giants.”

computers —the exoplanet Fourth again

“Accord,” Lugh and Marduk said.

crossed the plane of the star Hunter’s Eye.

“I have the orbits plotted, ” Marduk

“Fourth is in range again,” he noted.

added.

Below him, Lugh and Rhea attended com-

“Accord,” Lugh and Rhea agreed.

puter screens on the ground. They were like

But that didn’t seem right. It took five Stan-
him: squat and compact, muscular, walking
dard Distances to get from Hunter’s Eye to
on six arms.

First. Then another five to get to Second, then

“Accord,” they both said.

another ten to Third and ten more to Fourth.

“Fourth’s is the longest orbit,” Lugh said.

The length from the Sun to Origin was one

“That means we shouldn’t see any more cross.”

Standard Distance. How could there be that

“Accord,” Marduk and Rhea both said.

much space between the f irst planet and its

Marduk spoke again, as he carefully placed
star?

his forearms on the ground so the force of grav-

“I have the images,” Lugh said, and sent
ity wouldn’t damage them. “We know how
them to the other screens.

long they pass in front of Hunter’s Eye, and we

They were rudimentary, but they gave a ba-
know how long they take to come back
sic idea. First had bands of white and f lesh-
around. I can calculate their orbits that way.”

tone, with a raging red storm and rings.

“The computers have the effect on Hunter’s

Second looked golden with more rings. Third

Eye’s barycenter,” Rhea added, “which will
and Fourth were both blue, but Third had an
tell us their mass.”

anomaly.

112

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“Huh,” said Lugh. “Third has a ring system
together. We all learned that at the earliest pos-
on the vertical rather than the horizontal. I
sible age. We are all in Accord with this.”

didn’t know a planet could do that.”

“Maybe we were wrong.” Marduk watched

“Accord,” came the standard reply from Mar-

Rhea and Lugh both gasp and raise their stinger-
duk and Rhea, this time breathless with wonder.

crests. “Until yesterday, we didn’t know that a

“I propose no message of introduction,” said
ring could form around a planet the way it does

Rhea. “Any life in a gas giant would have to be
around Third. Besides, we have precedent for
buoyant to live, but anything so light in such a
such smaller bodies in our own system.”

massive gravity well would be crushed.”

“Moons,” Rhea said. “Asteroids. Not even

“And it is well beyond the habitable zone,”

enough gravity to hold an atmosphere. Life

Lugh said. “Accord.”

couldn’t survive on them.”

Marduk kept his eyes on the screen with

“Well, maybe something could form between
the projected orbits. It didn’t make any sense.

the size of an asteroid and Origin. Something

Why so much room? Why wouldn’t there be
small enough it doesn’t block the light from
anything there?

Hunter’s Eye but large enough to trap an atmo-

Lugh and Rhea both looked at him. Their
sphere in its gravity well. Maybe there’s a way
stinger-crests raised, as they would if threat-
for life to flourish in less gravity. It would ex-
ened by a predator. Strong fibers ran through
plain the space between Hunter’s Eye and First
those crests, and they only needed a thought
if there are a few small planets between them.”

to weaken and let the full power of gravity

Rhea and Lugh both began to back away
bring them down.

from him, wary.

“Accord,” Marduk said.

“You are not in Accord,” Rhea said.

Lugh kept unblinking, vigilant eyes on him.

Marduk awoke inside the communal hud-

In warning, he quoted a proverb. “The man at
dle. He stretched, and the nearest female of-
a height soon falls and breaks.”

fered a lazy smile. They practiced some bored
sex play until the others awoke. Only once the

As the day grew, he had an even more dis-
entire Accord had awoken did they all move
turbing thought. Maybe Accord had no place
apart to begin life in the colony.

in the search for truth.

He found Lugh and Rhea at the river. He

He knew well enough not to speak that
moved to their sides and bent to drink beside
thought aloud.

them. He’d made sure to think long and hard

Marduk made his way back to the lab,
before undertaking something as drastic and
alone. He opened his image of the orbits
serious as argument.

around Hunter’s Eye. He found someone had

“I’ve been thinking more about the planets
added an asteroid in the habitable zone,
of Hunter’s Eye,” he said. “What if there are
tagged Marduk’s Folly. Another tag said Fifth,
more than four planets, so small that we can’t
and he had to go to maximum magnification
see them when they cross the star?”

to see an insect in orbit around Hunter’s Eye.

Rhea backed away from him as she would a

It hurt like a physical pain. As it should.

threat. “Why are you breaking Accord?”

Mockery and laughter were the warning signs.

Lugh bared his teeth. “We live or we die in

After that came removal from the Accord. A

Accord. This . . . disaccord . . . is a form of vioman alone stood no chance against a
lence.”

greatwing. Accord—without dissension or

“But it will be past, soon. I just thought . . .

hesitation in the ranks—could and would.

how would a star not have planets form much

His drive toward curiosity warred with his
nearer to it? It must have had an accretion disc
drive toward Accord. He tried to think of
in its early stages, and its gravity must have
more tests, but he barely had his heart in it. He
drawn it nearer. Why wouldn’t the matter from
set the computer to see if any other bodies
that accretion disc form other planets closer?”

caused a noticeable wobble in Hunter’s Eye,

“Do you hear what you’re saying?” Rhea
but they would be too small to tell from so
asked.

many light years. He looked for any reflections

Lugh growled. “A planet that small can’t
to the sides of the star, but those would also
form. It doesn’t have enough mass to come
be too small from such a distance. Nothing

MARDUK’S FOLLY

113

ANALOG
else came to mind, no matter how long he
over the course of the night, and he knew
paced and stretched his brain.

what he had to do.

In the end, dejected, he made his way back

He made his way to the lab, favoring his
to the Accord and the huddle as night fell. He
wounded hand. There, he moved the antenna
tried to settle at Rhea’s side, to begin the kind
toward Hunter’s Eye and sent the message of
of sex play that kept a friendship strong. She
greeting on every wavelength of radiation to-
spun, and her crest stung his hand.

ward the dark space between Hunter’s Eye

Marduk limped away and settled beside a
and First. Then he moved the antenna back to
vine. He watched the skies and shivered. He
its original place and deleted the record of
didn’t know if he ever really fell asleep.

transmission.

With that, Marduk made his way back to the

The first light crept over the horizon. Mar-
others, who now began to awaken. Lugh and
duk could see why the ancients had once

Rhea gathered the broken bodies of animals
imagined the sun as a glowing hero, so strong
that had fallen in the night as he came to
he could f ight the power of gravity, with
them. They eyed him with contempt, and he
dawn as the tipping point where he struggled
knew to keep his own eyes low in humility.

mightily to rise.

“You are right. There can be no life . . . there

He was conscious before the Accord
can be no true planets . . . between Hunter’s
awoke. He’d had a lot of time to think and fret

Eye and First. We are in Accord.” ■

IN TIMES TO COME

The March issue opens with “Tasha’s Failsafe,” a sequel to Adam-Troy Castro’s AnLab-award-winning novella, “With Unclean Hands.” Andrea Cort is back and as damaged as ever, but she’ll have to push through her personal idiosyncrasies if she’s going to uncover a double agent whose identity is stored in the comatose mind of an old frenemy.

Our fact article for the issue is the descriptively titled, “Five Wagers on What Intelligent Life Elsewhere in the Universe Will Be Like,”

by BYU biology professor, Steven L. Peck.

Moving back to fiction, we also have pieces such as Marissa K.

Lingen’s “Blue Ribbon,” wherein a group of quarantined children must survive by wits (and science projects) alone; “Immense Darkness,” by Eric James Stone, which looks at the boundaries for the ethical treatment of AI; “Phenolfaerie,” a Probability Zero by Jay Werkheiser very much in the spirit of de Camp and Pratt; and more, like “Karma Among the Cloud Kings,” by Brian Trent; “Second Birthday,” by Elisabeth R. Adams;

“Brigas Nunca Mais,” by Martin Shoemaker; “The Badges of Her Grief”

by Andrew Barton; “The Extraordinary Extraterrestrial Togo Mouse of Ghana” by Ryan W. Norris; “The Odds,” by Ron Collins; and “Sentience Signified,” by J.L. Forrest, as well as our usual assortment of top-notch columns.

See you next issue!

All contents subject to change

114

Illustrated by Kurt Huggins

Unmother

Lex Wilson
he host’s sentinel cell darts through
than a denser cluster of molecules in the glu-
the viscous glucose of the cerebellum.

cose, as native to the brain as a neuron or as

It’s outside my duty to do more than
the sentinel cell itself. The sodium and potas-

Tobserve this amorphous blob as it sium membranes of our protein shields offer swims around crosshatched spires of colla-similar protection to my sisters and me.

gen hung taught at every angle and in every

For a thousand sleep cycles—the majority
direction. If I anticipate incorrectly the sen-
of my lifespan—we’ve coexisted as such. And
tinel’s course, I will lose it for sure. I hope I
though the host’s agents should only be able
will lose it. I hope I am wrong.

to detect these positive or negative charges

By the dim, shortwave light emanating
in place of my sisters or brother, still this sen-
from my tail, I guide my protein shield to the
tinel pulses with new information. Within
farthest point of our brother’s longest tendril.

moments, it has grown to almost double its

Our brother: a foreign invader, a parasite
initial size.

whose electromagnetic charges fool the

Careful to disturb neither host nor para-
host’s agents into thinking he’s nothing more
site, I hover close to a contact point where

115

ANALOG
translucent tendril meets defenseless neuron.

sated for the initial damage we’d done. But

Our brother is muscular and mature. Indeed,
our brother, now? The blue? The stiffening?

his tendril tip has not grown so much as

These are signs of bruising. It matters little
swollen since last I studied this particular ap-how meticulous or eff icient my sisters have
pendage.

become, when our teacher—our brother—

I scramble to catch up with the sentinel on
now feasts on the brain.

whatever it is I’ve somehow missed. I under-

With my lower left tentacle, I swat at the
stand our brother’s chaotic nature better
enlarged sentinel. The disruption in the sur-
than any of my sisters; I’ve monitored his
rounding glucose nudges it further from my
growth from inoffensive larvae to his pre-
grasp. The sentinel pulses and shrinks just as
sent, overwhelming form: milky tendrils

I lunge forward. I close in all four of my ten-
splayed over dozens of nerve endings, as the
tacles around it. I envelope it.

energy absorbed from the host’s synapses

It’s outside my duty to observe and under-
routes to new branches rather than to any
stand the cellular communication methods of
center or government that I can reasonably
our host. But by size alone I can determine
discern. There’s still too much we don’t
that the terrible knowledge no longer resides
know about him, still too much to learn.

in my captive sentinel cell. The body knows,

And that’s why I fail to see it f irst. The
or will know in moments, of our brother’s at-body has interest in neither of its guests. Our
tack. I’ve arrested the sentinel too late.

electromagnetic charges mimic our host’s

I have to tell Mother. Mother must accept
too well for it to even be aware of our exis-
my teeth this time. My sisters and I must
tences.

leave this host while its heart still pumps

No, the host’s agent is only concerned
strongly enough to carry us to our shuttles.

with the well-being of the host itself. The dif-

We must f ind a new home or die.

ference I miss is not in our brother at all, but
in the brain tissue beneath, where it has stiff-

In the frontal lobe, a sister worker pre-
ened; shifted from calm gray to warm blue.

sents her teeth to Mother. Mother’s en-

My neurocells process this information.

doskeleton is only slightly larger than the av-

From the data, I grow teeth in the back of my
erage sister’s, but her protein shield extends
mouth, for all the good it will do. Mother has
far beyond her, f illing almost half the corri-
not received my teeth in many sleep cycles.

dor. Mother’s shield must be this large; as the

This, even though it was my research, my
enclave’s center, it—and she—protects not
teeth, which originally convinced Mother to only herself but also all the enclave’s hatch-let our brother maintain his purchase and
lings and the largest of our toothstores, our
share our home in the host’s brain.

nourishment, our instruction. The sister

Brother was then barely a larvae, but it
worker hugs her tentacles close to her
was not out of mercy that I argued for his
ribbed torso. She curls her black tail inward.

life. My sisters and I had made enough mis-

The submissive pose makes her seem even
takes within our delicate environment with-
smaller: an insignif icant drone, prostrate be-
out precedent to guide us. Had we even a
fore our great center.

cursory understanding of human anatomy

Mother’s tentacles stretch wide and en-
when we arrived, we might have refrained
close around her. She accepts my sister’s head
from consuming so many of the succulent,
into her mouth. My sister’s body convulses,
star-shaped glia—which outnumbered the
both at the extraction of her teeth and at the
brain’s neuron network tenfold —before
quick penetration of her protein shield—for
deeming these cells important for the brain’s
she is now under Mother’s protection, and no
fuel processing eff iciency. It was a mercy
longer requires an autonomous membrane.

that our host survived such transgressions at

Their shields are as one.

all. How could we not welcome an Earth-na-

My sister’s head slithers from Mother’s
tive organism after which we might model
mouth. Mother is outwardly still as she ac-
our future behavior?

cepts and consumes my sister’s teeth. Moth-

And we did learn. We did become careful,
er is taking the information she deems im-
even helpful, as we corrected and compen-
portant from the teeth and—with whatever

116

LEX WILSON

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
glucose byproduct she does not require—

And if it does suspect? If guests such as
producing instructions of her own. She pre-
ourselves prove so irresponsible as to eat our
sents these reciprocal teeth back to my sister.

host?

My sister reinserts her head into Mother’s

The barrier can fall at any moment. The
mouth to accept them. Again they separate.

immune system, correctly deeming itself in-

This time, there’s a break in the protein
capable of determining invader from brain
shields. My sister’s membrane reseals, and
matter by electromagnetic charges alone,
she guides herself back to our host’s cochlear
will destroy indiscriminately. It matters not
nerve, that she might gather new informa-
whether we hide or go to our end willingly;
tion for Mother.

the scorched habitat will be the end of our

As I approach Mother in turn, I notice a
host and home regardless.

hatchling set apart from the rest. Her jaw

I feel Mother’s mandibles recoil, denying
hangs limply open. Her small tentacles paw
me access to the center. She does not pene-
at an exit wound inside her mouth. Mother
trate my protein shield. She does not accept
has recently extracted this hatchling’s guid-
my teeth. She releases me and outstretches
ing roots, which means if this child, this
her tentacles to welcome the next sister
daughter, matures at the proper moment of
worker.

succession, she should become the next

Still, my teeth are loose, ready for extrac-
mother. More likely though, she will mature
tion. I retreat from the queue and reach a ten-
too early and be slaughtered and replaced
tacle of my own into the back of my mouth. I
when Mother deems it time to pull another
will need the teeth for sustenance after again
hatchling’s roots.

receiving no teeth—no instructions and no

There can only ever be one mother, but
blessings—from Mother. I have no shortage
there must always be one mother. Only a
of such rejected sustenance in my nest in the
mother may receive information from my sis-
cerebellum. My toothstores almost rival even
ters and me, and only a mother may instruct.

Mother’s in size, if never in quality.

Somewhere near the enclave’s center, the

I bow and glide away. I have no place in
fresh husk of the previous daughter decom-
the enclave’s center. I am the unmother. I
poses only because she came to maturity
cradle my rejected, f lawed teeth, as Mother
while our current mother still thrives. She
would cradle a hatchling. What can I do but
would have been barely more than a hatch-
return to my nest and wait there for the
ling. She would have had barely more poten-
end?

tial than my own broken teeth can offer.

It’s my turn. Mother draws my head into

It’s too late to surgically remove our broth-
her mouth. Through the thin surface ten-
er. His tendrils dig too deeply into the gray
sions of our membranes, her inter ior
matter, and such an exit wound would surely
mandibles explore the surface of my teeth.

only hasten the immune system’s attack. Es-

As a hatchling, my guiding roots were dam-
cape is the only option. But Mother will not
aged on the journey through the host’s
listen, and only a mother can instruct my sis-
blood-brain barrier. If my roots had been in-
ters to leave. I might escape alone, but as a
tentionally, fully extracted, I might one day
hatchling Mother cut me to work rather than
have become a mother, or, more likely, been
to spawn; I’m incapable of propagating the
destroyed when I matured too soon. Instead,
enclave.

I was doomed to create imperfect teeth. For

I think: if only I could make my f lawed
a time, in my youth, Mother found these
teeth more palatable to Mother. If only I
f laws tolerable. But now? When it matters?

could ref ine their f laws. Would that I could

The blood-brain barrier is the only thing
simply instruct Mother to accept my teeth!

protecting my sisters, our brother, and the

I recoil from the idea. My guiding roots are
brain itself from the host’s own immune sys-
supposed to keep me from such sedition—or
tem. We are safe here, visitors and host, so
indeed from considering any course outside
long as the barrier has no reason to let the

Mother’s wishes—though it’s the same dam-
immune system inside, no reason to suspect
aged organ and rejected teeth creating the
the brain is under attack.

need for such thoughts in the f irst place.

UNMOTHER

117

ANALOG

A sister worker passes on her way to the

My sister’s head emerges from my mouth.

center. I deduct from her direction that she’s

It’s jarring, this separation. The pull away
delivering intercepted brain signals from the
feels like the extraction of a tentacle, and I’m
host’s visual cortex. Her teeth will be agree-
left with an empty space where that warmth
able to Mother no matter how futile their in-
once resided. It’s only the remaining com-
formation is to the enclave in light of what I
fort—continuing to share our protective
know.

membranes—that allows me to retain focus

I think: if only this unblemished sister
on what must be done.

could share my knowledge with Mother. If

My sister’s teeth sear as they slide past my
only I could pass information to her without
damaged guiding roots. I force myself to con-
using Mother as a conduit, or . . .

sume them anyway, even as I suspect my

If only my sister could deliver my teeth for
body will reject them as surely as our host
me.

will soon reject the enclave.

It’s forbidden, I know. Sister workers may

Instead—oh, instead!—I’m f illed not only
only provide information to Mother and may
with my sister’s recent discoveries, but also
only receive instructions from her. But what with traces of the collective knowledge she’s
can be more forbidden than the destruction
shared as part of the enclave during these
of the enclave? I must do something. I have many sleep cycles I’ve been set apart. Even
to try.

the few intercepted brain signals we’ve been

I dart around to halt my sister. At f irst,
able to interpret can help place in context
she sees me as a random obstacle in the glu-
and importance the data I’ve accumulated on
cose and moves to go around. But when I
my own. Our host is a female! The human di-
spread my tentacles wide in the authorita-
visions of sex are outside my duty and inter-
tive manner of Mother, ready to accept her,
est, but now knowing this about our envi-
she halts.

ronment connects me to the world of my

She bows her head. I realize immediately I
sisters—even to Mother!—more than I could
have not thought this through, I am not
have believed possible.

ready to accept a sister into my mouth! But

What surprises me most is how unaware
my path is set, my treachery revealed. My sis-
the host’s consciousness is about the activi-
ter cannot help but share this with Mother
ties and actions of its body. The sentinel cell
when she presents her teeth. I will not have
must have alerted pieces of the immune sys-
a second attempt at this.

tem without ever going through its—her—

I open my mouth and accept her head. My
center. It’s not so unlike our brother’s decen-
interior mandibles, never before used for any-
tralized communication system. And though
thing resembling this purpose, lunge desper-

I can see clearly the failure of both—a more
ately into the back of her mouth.

proactive mothering or government of either

I push forward, and before I can even pre-
might have saved both guests and host in our
pare myself, I’m sharing a protein shield for
current circumstance—I also wish we had
the f irst time since Mother’s f irst refusal of
more time here to study each other. And our-
me. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to smell an-
selves.

other. I’ve forgotten the warmth of shared

Almost immediately and entirely ref lexive-
space. Though my throat chokes and sput-
ly, I spin my own teeth in response. I should
ters, a part of me wants to remain in this em-
not be able to do so; I have not absorbed
brace until the end.

enough glucose since I produced the teeth

But I must focus. With a mandible muscle I
which Mother just rejected. But I’m heated
never knew I had, I clamp down on my sis-
by the reception of my sister. I’m nourished
ter’s teeth. I pull them from her mouth and
by the sustenance (the new taste!) of her
into mine. They’re denser than the soft,
teeth.

processed specimen I remember receiving

I f ill my teeth with ever ything I know
from Mother so many sleep cycles ago. They
about our brother, including earlier f indings
smell more inviting than the bland suste-
that Mother refused to receive from me long
nance I regularly spin for myself from the glu-
ago. I try to f ilter out all pretense of advice
cose.

and interpretation, though I don’t believe

118

LEX WILSON

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Mother can possibly come to better conclu-
them, remembering both Mother’s embrace
sions than I have. The only deliberate in-
long ago and my own, more recent embrace
structions I include are for my sister alone to
of this sister. I don’t know which of them I
follow. She must go to Mother immediately.

envy more. I just miss the warmth.

My sister accepts the teeth. She slips her

Suddenly, the shield surrounding the en-
head from my mouth a second time.

clave’s center ripples, weakens. Mother’s ten-

She bows. It’s here, now—as her protein
tacles f lex.

shield snaps away from mine and as the full

She bites down. My sister’s endoskeleton
breadth of separation f ills what she so re-
shakes, and then, just as suddenly, her tenta-
cently f illed—that I realize I never could cles become still. They f loat lifelessly in the
have been a mother. I haven’t the strength to
glucose.

have worker after worker torn from my

She’s a husk now. Mother has killed her for
grasp so soon after we share a space. Even
my sedition.

now I’m unsure I can go on living without

And Mother? She wretches my sister’s en-
hope of experiencing that scent, that knowl-
doskeleton from her jaw. She darts toward
edge, again.

me. She tear s her self from her protein

My sister proceeds to Mother, as though I
shield. She cleaves herself from her hatch-
am nary a delay on her original route. She has
lings and daughter, for the f irst time since
survived the transaction. We both have! I fol-
our arrival.

low, still reeling from the cold —the

Her tentacles f lex in attack. Her mouth is
damnable cold—and somehow culling more
open and terrifying and . . . lifeless.

comfort from the warmth just stolen from

Mother, too, is a husk now, drifting vague-
me than from whatever hope this sedition
ly toward me. My teeth, all my research,
might have given the enclave.

have been a poison to her. I have not suc-
ceeded. Instead, I’ve doomed my sisters

There is no time for the queue. Tackling
twice: f irst by sparing the life of our brother
and forcing the frontmost sister from her po-
when we were in a position to do something
sition might be more expedient, but I cannot
about him, and now by destroying our cen-
risk angering Mother by outstretching tenta-
ter.

cles before the center. Instead, I hold the

But how could mere knowledge of the end
frontmost sister’s tail to keep her back. Moth-
bring the end itself to Mother? Have my teeth
er watches me, but does not move to correct
always had the potential for poison, and that
or punish this discourtesy.

is why she stopped accepting them so many

My amenable sister slides in front. She of-
sleep cycles ago?

fers her teeth—my teeth, once removed—to

My other sisters, waiting to offer their

Mother. She bows her head in supplication.

teeth to Mother, turn from me to the unsu-

Mother takes my sister’s head into her
pervised hatchlings and back again. They
mouth. It is all as it should be.

watch me. Their tentacles are unf lexed and

Until Mother hesitates.

open. There’s no accusation in the gesture.

Can she smell, even through the mem-

Only succession.

branes, the sedition I’ve left in the interior of

This isn’t right. There should be no confu-
my sister’s mouth? Is she more suspicious of
sion. Succession goes to the daughter—the
her own enclave than of her potentially hos-
hatchling with her guiding roots so recently
tile environment? I prepare myself for slaugh-
pulled—not the killer of Mother.

ter. Why would I want to live to observe the

But my sister workers have teeth to share,
end anyway, if I can never share my teeth
and this young mother is still healing, not yet
and membrane again?

ready to accept them. Can my sisters some-

But my sister’s body convulses. Mother
how detect my damaged guiding roots, and
penetrates her protein shield. She accepts her
f ind in them something closer to mother-
teeth, consumes them! She takes the informa-
hood than even the true daughter might
tion the enclave so sorely needs to survive!

presently provide? Do they not see that my

I have succeeded! I’ve given my sisters a
teeth are f illed with ruin instead of the nour-
chance at life! Still, I feel cold watching
ishment they seek?

UNMOTHER

119

ANALOG

Still, they surround me. They need me.

this horrible favor I have just done. And

Where else can they go for sustenance, for in-
when they separate, weak but dutiful, they
structions? Who else can tell them about the
take into their protein shields a hatchling and
end? Who else can lead them from this host?

as much sustenance from the center’s tooth-

But I recoil from my sisters. I cannot pro-
stores as they can carry. They ignore the
vide for them in this way. Even if I could be
husk of Mother, receding into arbitrary folds
sure my teeth are not as poisonous to them
of gray matter behind them. They make their
as they’ve proven to be to Mother, there are
way to the cerebellum.

just too many of them! And what good will it

When there are no more hatchlings, the
do, if I can provide something, anything, for
f ifth and sixth generations of new mothers
only a few sisters before the end? I have nei-
take only the remaining teeth. When there
ther Mother nor Brother to look to for exam-
are no more teeth, they go to my meager nest
ples. Those few sisters I can lead away in in the cerebellum to retrieve that inferior
time, how would they survive without a true
product. This continues until I am the last
mother . . .

mature sister in what was once the enclave’s

Though I’m alone in my protein shield, I
center. The would-be daughter remains with
feel warmth again. A different warmth. I un-
me. She is quiet, obedient. She doesn’t yet
derstand. Our brother and our host have one
know what I’ve taken from her.

last thing to teach us: not everything need be

We are not so different, the two unmoth-
passed through a center.

ers among those whose places are more

My sisters can survive the same way I did
properly def ined. For a moment there, my
for so many sleep cycles, without regular in-
damaged guiding roots made me more moth-
struction. My teeth might not be poisonous to
erlike than any sister in the enclave. Now, al-
them now, but they must risk becoming poi-
most as suddenly, I am the least. It was no
sonous to them if the enclave is to survive.

self less act, though I believe my body is

I position myself near the hatchlings and
weak as much from that loss as from the ac-
spread my tentacles out. My sisters form a
tual energy expended.

queue.

The daughter, too, is no longer as impor-

I accept three of my sister workers into my
tant to the enclave as she was a moment ago.

mouth, one after the other. Three is all I have

She is the only one of us cut as hatchling to
strength for, and even that feels to be too
function as a mother—one day she might still
much.

be most capable to lead, if all other teeth

I take each of their teeth in turn. I process
haven’t become poisonous to her—but at
their information and knowledge. I give them
this moment in her healing phase, she is the
back their f inal instructions. Final, because
least capable of surviving our exit. I pull her
future instructions will likely be a poison to
toward me, into my protein shield. She con-
them. Final, because I will not play this role
tributes almost no warmth to our shared
again.

space. I cradle her in my lower tentacles and

Because after my interior mandibles give
carry her to the base of the cerebellum.

my sisters this gift, this burden, but before
they can begin to consume them, I reach

Our host grants us one last kindness; the
even deeper into the backs of their throats.

immune system has not yet inf iltrated the

I extract each sister’s guiding roots.

blood-brain barrier. We congregate for a f inal

They recoil in pain, in surprise, and in mis-
time before separating into two groups at
trust. Which I understand fully! The shock of
opposite ends of the cerebellum. It is good
separation is just as violent for me! But as
that we can congregate, though with the
they consume my broken teeth behind their
collective condition of our mouths, we are
newly extracted guiding roots—a diff icult,
unable to coordinate any modif ication to our
harrowing process even as a hatchling; how
plans.

much worse must it be in maturity?—they

We must learn to communicate on two
begin to understand.

fronts if we are to survive beyond our exit.

Still in much pain, each of the three ap-

First: with each other in ways other than the
proaches another sister. They do for them
sharing of teeth through a single center, if

120

LEX WILSON

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
only because, for one generation at least, we
heart. The relatively stable currents of the
won’t know which teeth are poisonous to
brain’s glucose have not prepared us for this
whom. We are all mothers, all unmothers,
chaos of movement. But the platelets and ar-
and all without mothers. Second: with our
terial walls bruise us little, and we gain
next host, the Earthborn, without bringing it
enough control to cut ourselves from the
to harm. For we are its guests. We will f ight
bloodstream when it is time.

its attackers with the care its subconscious-

We make our way to the shuttles, which
ness has been unable to demonstrate for it-
the previous generation left cocooned in self-
self. For it—they—still have much to teach
rejuvenating protein shields near the base of
us. And, someday, we to them.

our host’s neck. Some of the shields have

My sisters at the other end of the cerebel-
failed in our absence. Some of the shuttles
lum exit f irst. This group carries neither
have simply disappeared with the unpre-
hatchlings nor teeth with them. Far away
dictable changes in our host’s body.

from us, they secrete tissue-damaging en-

My surviving sisters all f it into the shuttle
zymes from their tails. The enzymes dissolve
interiors better than we ever f it our host,
the blood-brain barrier. They carve a large
though the walls are harsh and less mal-
path. Their exit need not be as subtle as our
leable than the cellular surfaces I’ve known
entrance so many sleep cycles ago.

for the majority of my lifespan. The com-

My sisters tear out of the brain, leaving a
partments are cramped but comfortable, in
deliberate chemical trail behind them.

the cold, distant way Mother’s mouth felt

This leads a portion of the immune sys-
through the membranes she refused to pen-
tem’s guardian cells to and through the
etrate for me.

compromise they’ve just created in the

Four shuttles escape through our host’s
barrier, but many more of them follow my
pores, a dozen mature sisters and almost as
sisters away from the brain, away from us.

many hatchlings per shuttle. The enclave has

Though they are f irst out the exit, they
never been so small.

will never leave the host. Their instruction

The external light is too bright and unre-
is to delay the immune system’s forces, to
lenting to navigate by anything but the shut-
allow the host’s heart to pump for a few
tles’ visual interpretations of heat and scents
moments longer.

of the outside world. Though I was not so ex-

It is our turn. We carve our own path
plicit in my instructions, we f ly in formation
through the barrier. We rip through the
without coordination, without a single moth-
storm of guardians waiting for us on the oth-
er for us to follow, and without direct knowl-
er side. They are amorphous blobs. They
edge of the ship-to-ship communication
dwarf my sisters and me. Their formation is
methods I assume must be available from the
tight, almost impenetrable, but they are
shuttle’s control panels.

slower than the sentinel cells I’m accus-

In the air, without our host’s sleep cycles,
tomed to seeing zip through the intercellular
we are not prepared to even track time ob-
corridors of the brain. With every sister they
jectively, so I know not how long it is before
intercept, another of us penetrates their bar-
we find a replacement home. Were we better
rage.

prepared for the exodus, we might have ex-

Our shields no longer protect us; the
amined our research to determine the best
host attacks every disturbance in the glu-
possible local candidate with the longest life
cose in its f ight against this invisible inva-
expectancy. As it is, I direct our shuttle to the
sion. We swaddle the hatchlings in our ten-
f irst great mass I can identify as a warm, hu-
t a cl e s . We d o d ge o r a b s o r b p ro t e i n s man body.

propelled by the guardians who follow. We

The other shuttles follow. I don’t know
protect the hatchlings at all costs. Barely a
why this surprises me. I have been lost for so
third of us make it to—much less into—the
long without the benef it of Mother’s direc-
bloodstream, but we are not overwhelmed.

tions that I suppose I’ve expected the same

We are Mothers.

aimlessness from my sister s. We enter

We f low with the blood in f its and starts,
through the pores near the base of the neck,
each jolt a contraction of that distant, fading
only because that is what we know.

UNMOTHER

121

ANALOG

Guardians are upon us before we can co-

But a sister’s tentacle prevents me from
coon our transportation, before we can
falling so far behind. She bonds to my shield
adapt our electromagnetic charges to the fre-
and adjusts its electromagnetic frequency to
quencies of our new host. We lose the shut-
match the host’s, as a mother might correct
tles and half my remaining sisters before
the shield of a hatchling. She tur ns me
reaching the bloodstream.

around without slowing my momentum, and

Though our protein shields adapt, still the

I observe:

guardians follow, distinguishing us from cor-

Two sisters have come to the decision I
puscles and platelets by our conspicuous
did. They’ve acted on their own volitions be-
movement patterns or haphazardly con-
fore I could. Even now the y lead the
cealed chemical trails. This is a smarter, or
guardians away from us.

perhaps just healthier, host. If we survive the

We exit the bloodstream. No guardians fol-
immune system’s forces —if we make it
low. Even now, the sisters ahead of me pro-
through the blood-brain barrier—we will
duce enzymes to carve our way through the
come to appreciate that. But presently, we
blood-brain barrier, into our new home be-
have no way of entering safely without invit-
yond. They are meticulous, respectful. They
ing, encouraging these pursuers to invade at
need not be told.

our tails.

My sister passes the daughter back to me.

Another sacrif ice is required. We still can-

This time I welcome the warmth, though
not communicate—nor would I wish this
much of it seems to originate neither from
burden on my sisters — so it is up to me
the penetration point in my shield, nor from
alone. I pass the daughter to a sister. I do not
the daughter cradled in my tentacles.

allow myself to be distracted, tempted by the

I think for the f irst time since Mother re-
warmth that penetrates our membranes in
jected me that everything will be all right. I
the exchange.

haven’t the sole initiative of the enclave. I

I begin to slow and change the frequency
think: it is not my exclusive responsibility to
of my shield’s electromagnetic charge to
best determine how we will communicate,
something more distracting than the curious
much less survive, in our new home and
movement of my sister s. I will lead the
host. The burden of our future rests not with
guardians away from the brain and from
me alone.

what’s left of the enclave.

I think: I have mothers. ■

There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.

—André Gide

122

LEX WILSON

Usher

Jay Werkheiser
he glare of noon sun on snow vanished
unbearably slowly. “The whole area around
as Dave followed Radar through the door-
the alien lander is a no-f ly zone, as you can
way. He shivered and stomped snow off
imagine.”

This boots.A blast of warmth from over- Dave’s lips dipped into a frown,but he head heaters drove away the arctic cold. The
forced a weak smile. I’m deaf, not stupid.

lighting inside was not bright enough for his

“Don’t worry; I prefer long car rides. Me and
feeble eyes, so he tightened his grip on Radar’s

Radar take turns sticking our heads out the
harness and stepped into the darkness.

window.” He chuckled.

The harness slacked after only a few steps,

Renard mumbled below Dave’s useful hear-
and he felt Radar sit at his side. Indiscernible
ing threshold. Beth put her hand on Dave’s
voices, tinny and distant in his cochlear im-
shoulder and said, “No rest for the weary, I
plant, chattered in the background. He imag-
guess. Renard will get you up to speed. See
ined a command center surrounding him,
you at dinner tonight.”

teeming with scientists and soldiers darting to

“If you’ll come with me,” Renard shouted.

and fro. Reality was often less dramatic than

He grasped Dave’s arm and tugged.

his imagination.

Dave gently disentangled his arm. “Radar’s

A hand closed on his shoulder. “Dave, I’d
feelings get hurt when someone tries to take
like you to meet Assistant Deputy Minister
his job. Just lead the way and he’ll do the rest.”

Pierre Renard.” Beth’s volume was well prac-

“Sorry.”

ticed, elevated but not shouted, just loud

“I’m sure he forgives you.” The harness
enough that Dave could hear her easily. “He’s
tugged forward, and Dave followed. “If you
the head of the contact team.”

don’t mind my asking, what good do you

Beth’s hand slid down his arm, grasped his
think a school psychologist is going to do? Are
hand, and pressed it against soft fingers with
the aliens stealing the linguists’ lunch money
a grip that was just a bit too firm.

or something?”

“Sorr y about the bad roads.” Renard’s

Renard laughed. “Beth says you have a
voice was nearly a shout, his words spaced
keen insight into the way people think. Your

123

ANALOG
history with spectroscopic analysis might
waved in front of the opening. “This way.

prove helpful, too.”

Watch your step.”

“I almost had my doctorate in analytic

Dave stepped into the room behind Radar
chemistry when the first symptoms of Usher
and stumbled against something. His out-
syndrome appeared. I f igured there wasn’t
stretched hand felt a plastic surface shaped
much need for a blind and deaf chemist, so I
like the back of a chair. “Now’s the time Radar
switched to psychology.”

wouldn’t mind you horning in on his job.”

There was a pause while Dave imagined Re-

“Oh, right.” Hands closed on his shoulder
nard staring blankly, trying to decide how seri-
and guided him into the chair. “Beth tells me
ously to take him. Finally, he said, “It must take
you retain enough vision to see a video dis-
real courage to face the loss of your senses.”

play.”

“I don’t feel sorry for myself, if that’s what

“Usher slowly eats away at my peripheral vi-
you mean.”

sion, leaving me with tunnel vision. I’ve been

“But it must be hard, especially losing your
stable at a 4 percent f ield of view for over a
sight.”

year now. If you tell me where to look, I’ll do

“Actually, I fear the silence more than the
my best. Large text, if there’s anything to
darkness.”

read.”

“Really?” Pause. “Why?”

Renard clicked at the keyboard. “This was

“Isolation. Blindness limits my mobility, but
an early attempt to communicate using light

Radar helps with that. Deafness takes away my
pulses. Can you see it?”

ability to communicate, my connection to oth-

The monitor, bright enough for relatively
er people.”

clear vision, displayed the now-famous alien

Renard was silent for a long moment. “Odd
lander, balanced atop its eight legs on the cen-
as it sounds, Usher syndrome may be your
tral Canadian plains, surrounded by the aliens’

most valuable asset to us.”

inf latable outbuildings. A pair of aliens scut-

“Oh?”

tled around the exterior of one of the out-

“The real problem is that we still don’t
buildings.

know how the aliens communicate.” Dave no-

The aliens. Pictures had been plastered all
ticed that Renard’s voice, while still a bit loud-
over the news for the past two months, but
er than necessar y, had become more
somehow seeing them here felt more immedi-
conversational. Smart, adaptive. “They’re deaf,
ate. Their transparent, skin-tight environment
far as we can tell.”

suits covered charcoal gray carapaces like cel-

“The entire species?”

lophane, giving them a plastic-like sheen in

“Seems they never evolved the ability to
the bright sunlight. The two aliens displayed
hear. Perhaps their planet’s atmosphere isn’t
on the screen each had twelve legs spaced
dense enough to reliably transmit sound
around the carapace, but others had any-
waves. And we’re not convinced they can see,
where from eight to eighteen. A f lattened
at least not in the visible spectrum.”

sphere that might pass for a head jutted from

“I can see why you thought of me.” Dave
the leading edge of the carapace, and three
chuckled. “So you’re hoping I might have
long, antenna-like stalks projected from the
some insight on how they might communi-
front. Tiny alien forms, also encased in plastic,
cate without sight or sound?”

scurried underfoot.

“Beth suggested you. It’s a long shot, but

Two humans entered the camera’s f ield of
we’re getting desperate.”

view. Dave thought one of them might be Re-

“Right. The U.N. vote.”

nard, but he couldn’t see well enough to say

An unseen nod. “The U.S. doesn’t like Cana-
for sure. The man held what looked like a
da’s laid back approach. Took them a while to
large LED bulb aloft. The bulb f lashed—two
get China on board, but now it looks like
rapid pulses, then three, f ive, seven, eleven.

they’ll be coming in force as soon as they can

Primes.

convene the Security Council.”

The larger aliens had stopped moving when

Radar stopped. Dave squinted and, his eyes
the humans appeared, but didn’t respond in
now adapted to the interior light, saw what
any way to the signals. After a while, the aliens
looked like a doorway. A hand-shaped shadow
went back to their business and ignored them.

124

JAY WERKHEISER

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“Why not just signal from the compound?”

Dave asked.

Dave brought a forkful of food to his face. It

“We tried that, but got no response. We
smelled decent enough, but the lighting was
thought that perhaps they would recognize it
too dim for him to see what it was. He
as communication if they could see it coming
popped it into his mouth and chewed. Not
from actual people.”

bad.

Dave nodded. “No reply either way,

The din of a dozen mess-hall conversations
though. Hmm. Did you try changing color?

echoed in his cochlear implant. Beth said

They came from a red dwarf, didn’t they?”

something, but all he could hear over the

“Kapteyn’s Star, I believe. We thought to try
background was, “. . . any regrets.”

signaling at the lower end of the spectrum—

Dave swallowed his food. “You’ll have to
orange, red, deep into infrared.” His f ingers
shout over the background noise, I’m afraid.”

tapped the keyboard again. “Here’s our latest

The table wobbled, and her voice sounded
attempt, just last week.”

closer to his ear. “I asked if you regretted sign-

The scene shifted —more snow on the
ing up for this.”

ground, a swarm of the tiny aliens working at

“Are you kidding? I’m intrigued,” Dave said.

the base of one of the outbuildings. Their

“But I think Radar is as likely to talk to them as
limbs appeared to function as both legs and

I am.”

hands, lifting off the ground to manipulate

Indecipherable, other than, “. . . too mod-
fine tools as needed.

est.”

Had the camera angle changed? Something

“Why don’t we take a walk? You can show
was different.

me around the compound. Especially the qui-

A light atop the lander began flashing—vio-
et parts.”

let, pink, red, white, pale green. “That’s new,”

He stuffed a few more forkfuls into his

Dave said.

mouth and waited while Beth cleared their

“The flashing light? Yes. At first we thought
trays. He stood when he felt her gentle touch
it was some form of communication. We even
on his shoulder, then followed Radar’s lead.

replied with a repeat of the color sequence,

Before long, the background faded to silence.

but got no reply. For all we know, it’s a hom-

“When did you get the cochlear implant?”

ing beacon, or a running light, or . . . who

Beth asked. “Last I knew you were using hear-
knows.”

ing aids.”

“Why would they use visible colors if they

“My hearing deteriorated too far for them to
can’t see in the visible part of the spectrum?”

be useful anymore. I had the surger y six

Renard hesitated. “Not a clue.”

months ago. It took a while for my brain to fig-

Three humans stepped into the view and
ure out how to process the new sound input.

began flashing shades of orange and red. The

You know my brain, always loaf ing on the
little aliens continued to swarm the outbuild-
job.”

ing; if they even noticed the humans, they

She laughed. “I don’t recall your brain ever
didn’t show it. Dave suddenly noticed that the
taking a day off.”

outbuilding was sagging in the middle.

“Well, it’s going to have to put in some over-

“They’re leaving.”

time on this whole talk-to-an-alien thing.”

There was a pause while Renard probably

Beth was silent for a long moment. “I’d take
nodded. “This is the second building they’ve
you outside to see them,” she finally said, “but
deflated.”

it gets dark early up here this time of year.”

“That’s what’s different. An outbuilding is

“Makes me wonder why they chose to land
missing.”

here. Why not someplace warm and bright

“At the rate they’re going, they’ll be packed
and tropical?”

up in a couple of weeks.”

“It was no accident, that’s for sure. They

“What happens then?”

had to skew their orbit pretty hard to land this

“That’s above my pay grade,” Renard said.

far north. No, they wanted to be exactly

“But it gives us two deadlines. If we’re going
here—cold, dark, and sparsely populated.”

to figure out how to talk to them, we’d better

“Our sun is quite a bit brighter than
do it soon.”

Kapteyn’s Star. Maybe they just don’t like it.”

USHER

125

ANALOG

“They’re probably not actually from
registered a rock hard oblong disk, wriggling

Kapteyn’s Star.”

legs, and a biting chill. It was bigger than a

Dave’s eyebrows leapt. “Renard seems to
mouse, maybe closer to a small rabbit. He
think so.”

scanned the area to look for it, but it was long

“He’s a government bureaucrat, not a scien-
gone.

tist. Our f irst indication that they were com-

“What was that?” he said.

ing was an anomalous boron plume from

“I think the aliens . . . I don’t know.”

Kapteyn’s. But a closer look showed that the

“They’re here? Peaceful? Hostile?”

plume was isotopically pure boron-11. Nature

“Who knows what they’re thinking?”

doesn’t do that.”

“Just the little ones?” Dave dragged his

“Boron-11. Where did I hear that? Some nu-
f ield of view around the warehouse frantical-
clear fusion research project, right?”

ly, but couldn’t f ind any of them. “How

“Yup. Proton-boron fusion. It’s one of the
many?”

holy grails of fusion research.”

“Yeah, no big ones. I saw at least three or

“So the plume was their exhaust?”

four, maybe more.”

“Probably more like a reactor leak. If they’re

“We’d better get out of here,” he said. Beth
doing the type of fusion we think, their ex-
grasped his hand and helped him to his feet.

haust would have been mostly helium-4.

Radar pressed against Dave’s thigh, and Dave

Boron-11 is the fuel, so if they were venting
reached for the harness. “Let’s go!”

that . . .”

Radar tugged, a bit too enthusiastically, in

“They had a damaged engine.”

the direction Beth was moving. Dave strug-

“Yup. Far as we can tell, the reactor prob-
gled to keep up, terrified of finding an errant
lem happened when they tried to brake on
crate the hard way. Earn your pay, Radar! Af-approach to Kapteyn’s. They came in too hot
ter a brief jog, Radar pulled to a stop, and a
and had to do a gravity assist around the star
door thumped shut behind him.

and head toward us.”

Dave took a moment to catch his breath.

“We weren’t their intended destination,

“Think that’ll hold them?”

then.”

“I don’t know.” Beth’s voice was high-

“Likely not.”

pitched and rapid, diff icult to understand

Her tinny voice echoed in his implant, giv-
through his implant. “I’d better call Re-
ing Dave the impression of open space.

nard.”

“Where are we going?”

He couldn’t hear well enough to keep up

“Just wandering. Right now we’re in a
with her phone conversation, so he scratched
ware—oh!”

Radar behind the ear and did his best to calm

“What’s wrong?”

his nerves. “Good work, boy.”

“Something moved. A mouse or some-

Beth’s hand closed on his shoulder, and he
thing.”

turned to face her. “A rapid response team is

Radar tensed. He tugged backward, and the
on the way down,” she said.

low rumble of a growl vibrated his harness.

“Soldiers? Do we really want to start a

“You sure? I’ve never seen Radar get spooked
fight?”

by a mouse.”

The clatter of approaching boots echoed

“There’s another. Oh!”

loudly enough for Dave to hear. He looked in

“What is it?” Dave swiveled his head, but all
time to see men in full battle gear, red leaf and
he saw was a blur as his narrow field of view
dagger insignia on their shoulders, barreling
swept across the floor too quickly.

toward him. “Canadian Special Operations

Radar yanked hard, and Dave fell backward.

Regiment. Step back.”

He impacted the ground hard enough to send a

Dave involuntarily stepped away from the
buzz through his cochlear implant, and his out-
door. Radar and Beth followed, and the special
stretched hands hit the floor behind him. His
ops team burst through.

left hand fell onto something round and hard.

“What the hell happened?” Dave spun

And squirmy.

around to face Renard’s voice.

In the split second before it wriggled away

Beth said, “I don’t know how they got in.

and reflex pulled his hand up like a rocket, he

They were all over—”

126

JAY WERKHEISER

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“I touched one of them,” Dave said. There

“Oh?” Dave imagined Beth’s eyebrow arch-
was a long pause where he could feel their
ing with the word. “That explains the envi-
gazes lock onto him.

ronment suits. We haven’t been able to get as

“You what?”

much as a sniff of the atmosphere they

“I fell, and my hand landed on one of them.”

breathe, let alone any hints about their bio-

“You—” A crackling hiss came from Re-
chemistry. If they’re as cold as you say, water-
nard’s hand. Dave focused on the area and saw
based chemistry is out. Maybe ammonia-based?

a radio. Renard’s tone changed. “Roger eyes

Hmmm.”

on targets. No, wait, not targets. Aliens. Do

“What matters most,” Renard said, “is com-
not engage, just . . . uh, just make sure they
munication. Did you get any feeling from
don’t go anywhere.”

touching it? Any indication that maybe it was

Squawk.

trying to communicate through direct con-

“How the hell should I know? Just let me
tact?”

know if anything changes.” His hands closed

Dave shook his head. “It was mostly trying
on Dave’s shoulders. “I need you in for a con-
to get away. I was, too, actually.”

tamination assessment. Beth, take him.”

A loud thump jerked Dave upright in his

“A what?”

chair. It took him a moment to f ind Renard’s

He raised his voice needlessly. “Contamina-
fist on the desktop. “Merde!”

tion assessment. We don’t know if their biolo-

“It’s okay,” Beth said. “We’ll think of some-
gy is dangerous to us—weird proteins, toxic
thing.”

nucleic acids, who knows. It’s protocol for

“Sorry. It’s just that we need to f igure out
anyone who comes near them, let alone
how to talk to these things before—”

touches one.”

He didn’t finish the sentence, so Dave said,

“Dangerous? Now you tell me.”

“Before they take off ?”

“Move. As soon as we get this locked down,

There was a long pause. “The Security

I want you in my office.”

Council voted an hour ago. The U.N.’s taking
over the contact mission. Blue helmets will

Renard’s off ice was brightly lit. Dave rev-
be on their way as soon as they can mobi-
eled in the luxury of relatively clear sight,
lize.”

swiveling his head to take in the view a few

“We’re not making enough progress for the
degrees at a time. The place looked like it
rest of the world.” Dave could hear the deri-
had once served a shift foreman; what passed
sion in Beth’s voice even through the distor-
for a desk was more of a grease-stained
tion of his cochlear implant. “What makes
wooden workbench. He ran his f ingers over
them think they can do better?”

deep gouges that attested to heavier work in

“Some countries would prefer a more
the recent past. The alien lander had set
proactive, even aggressive, approach to con-
down near an industrial park, and the Cana-
tact. I hear the U.S. President is all over the
dian government had wasted no time con-

PM’s ass about letting the aliens leave.”

ver ting a few of the buildings into a

“Letting them leave?” Beth said.

command post.

Renard laughed without humor. “There’s

“You’ve been here less than a day,” Renard
even a few countries that would have us na-
said, “and already you’re the f irst human to
palm the site rather than see them leave.”

touch one of them.”

Dave shook his head again. “What’s wrong

Dave chuckled. “Well, you brought me here
with people?”

to make contact, right?”

“Paranoia, I guess. Fear of the unknown.

Beth touched his shoulder and guided him

Hell, those Canadian special ops guys were
toward a stiff wooden chair. Radar circled
itching to fire on them.”

once and curled up at his side, off duty.

“Then we have to f igure out how to talk

“The exobiologists are going to want a
with them, quick.” Beth turned to Dave. “Any
lengthy talk with you,” Renard said.

ideas yet?”

“I imagine so,” Dave said. “The carapace is

The weight of her expectations lay heavily
harder than it looks. And cold, even through
on his shoulders. He reached down to pat
that plastic covering they wear. Dry ice cold.”

Radar’s head. “I think I need to get up close

USHER

127

ANALOG
and personal again. Can we go out to visit

“We’re getting close to their compound,”

them tomorrow?”

Renard shouted in his ear. “It’s just like all the

“If I can get it approved by the PM. And the
other times; they don’t even seem to know
minister of national defense. And CSOR com-
that we exist.”

mand. Yeah, I’ll make it happen.”

“Let’s see what happens.” Dave continued
to coax Radar forward. “Easy boy. You can do

A wall of cold air smacked Dave in the face.

it.” He searched the whiteness until he found

He followed Radar through the door and onto
the blinking light again. Pale violet. Lavender.

the dirt-tracked snow. The wind stung his

White.

eyes; he pulled his parka hood tight and

Radar stopped abruptly, and the tension in
squinted, wondering if the tears would freeze
his harness told Dave that he’d lowered his
on his cheeks. Morning sun glare washed out
head. Deep rumbles vibrated his hand.

his vision to a uniform white radiance.

“Well will you look at that. A couple of the

“It’s about a mile away, just over that rise,”

little ones are marching over to us.”

Renard shouted. “We’ve always approached

Dave knelt next to Radar, rubbing his back.

on foot; didn’t want to risk spooking them

He kept his eye on the light. Neon red-orange.

with vehicles.”

“More little ones are coming. They seem

Dave let Radar pick the best path forward.

to like you, Dave.” The buzzing of the wind

The wind whistling past his head sounded like
picked up, making it diff icult to hear Re-
a high-pitched buzz in his cochlear implant. He
nard.

found himself shouting his reply. “Radar can

Bright yellow. The distinctive yellow of a
use the exercise. He’s getting a little chubby.”

sodium f lame, in fact. Neon, element ten.

“Maybe Radar, uh, should stay with me

Sodium, element eleven. How many colors
when you approach them.”

had the light cycled through? Were these the

“Well, that depends. What’s the relationship
tenth and eleventh flashes?

between the big aliens and the little ones?”

Radar stiffened, and almost simultaneously

Dave imagined Renard shrugging. “We have
something brushed against Dave’s boot. He
several theories; none def initive. Some think
broke eye contact with the light and scanned
they’re young ones. Or a different gender. Or
the area around his foot. Something gray scut-
a worker class.”

tled through his field of view.

“Or pets?”

“Dieu,” Renard shouted. Two of the big

“Maybe. So you’re saying they might assume
ones are coming over!” The wind buzz was

Radar is to us whatever the little ones are to
loud enough now to nearly drown out his
them?”

voice, yet little more than a breeze touched

“Who knows? Maybe having a smaller assis-

Dave’s face.

tant is the only indicator of sentience that they

Too much was happening at once. Dave
recognize. Worth a shot.” Besides, Dave had
was having diff iculty tracking it all. He came
no intention of wandering the snowy wilder-
up with a quip, something like, Radar was
ness without his eyes.

hoping for a closer look, but wasn’t sure

A gust of wind blasted his face with ice and
whether he’d said it or just thought it.

tugged at his parka. He must have reached the

The buzzing in his ear grew intense; if Re-
top of the rise. “Right there,” Renard said, and
nard said anything further, Dave didn’t hear it.

Dave could picture him pointing. “Just ahead

He desperately swiveled his head, hoping to
and to the left.”

get some clue as to what was happening. He

Dave scanned the white glare, hoping to
caught a gray blur to his left. Radar went rigid
see something. His eye caught a f lash of
with tension. Dave mouthed the words, Easy,
light—violet, then pink, then red. The same
boy, but he couldn’t hear his own voice over pattern as on the video. “Lead the way.” He
the buzzing. Trembling, he reached his hand
followed Radar’s tug, doing his best to keep
out toward the blur.

the flashing light in his field of view.

Radar tugged hard; Dave spun and found

Radar stopped short and a growl rumbled
himself face-f irst in the snow. Next thing he
in his harness. “It’s all right, boy. Stay calm.”

knew, Renard’s hands were lifting him and

He urged him forward.

dragging him backward. Wait!

128

JAY WERKHEISER

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

But it was too late. He caught the gray form

Radar stopped short, presumably following
scuttling back toward the lander. The buzzing

Beth’s lead. “It would explain why no one be-
in his implant subsided, and he could hear Re-
sides you heard anything.”

nard’s panicky voice. “. . . you okay? Dave? Can

Dave’s heart was racing now, pumping with
you hear me?”

the thrill of discovery. “But does it make

“Now I can.” He reached a hand out for his
sense, physically? You’re the science geek
harness. “Where’s Radar?”

here.”

“Right next to you.”

“There are animals that use iron f ilings in

He sat up and felt the air, waiting for the
their brain to detect the Earth’s magnetic
moment when it would feel like warm, wet
f ield. Could our aliens use metal-containing
fur. “Oof.” A furry mass impacted his chest
molecules to generate and modulate magnetic
and ran a tongue over his cheek. “I was wor-
fields? I suppose so. We know so little about
ried about you too, boy.”

their biology.”

“What the hell happened?”

“Well, good. But what I mean is would the

“It was—I don’t know. Something impor-
magnet in my implant pick it up like that?”

tant, for sure. We need to talk to Beth.”

Pause. Finally, she said, “Not the magnet.

But the radio receiver could.”

Before he could see Beth, Dave had to suf-

“Then we should be able to modify the
fer through another contamination assess-
voice recognition software to interpret the
ment and a debrief ing with a bunch of
magnetic fields as intelligible sounds.”

linguists, military leaders, and who knew who

Her sharp intake of breath was loud enough
else. By the time Beth escorted him from the
to register in his implant as a hiss. “That’s bril-
briefing room, he hardly wanted to talk about
liant! Wait, the software gets its input from the
it anymore.

microphone. We’d have to replace the mic

“Any idea what caused the buzzing?” she
with a radio receiver.”

asked.

Dave’s mouth went dry. “Replace the mic?”

“No clue. But Renard sure didn’t hear it, so

“You sure you want to do this?” Her hand
it had something to do with my cochlear im-
closed on his shoulder reassuringly.

plant.”

“How soon can we get it done?”

“Maybe they communicate with some sort

“Let me call the lab and get them working
of ultrasound. Hey, maybe that’s why Radar
on it. While I’m at it, I’ll see if Renard is out of doesn’t like them.”

his debriefing yet.”

Dave walked next to Beth for a bit, follow-

Dave followed Radar in silence while she
ing Radar’s lead. “The implant’s tonal range is
mumbled unintelligibly into her phone. His
a lot narrower than a healthy ear. It wouldn’t
mind returned to the f lashing light on the
pick up any sort of ultrasound.”

alien lander. They were flashing the emission

“I don’t know much about how they work.”

colors of the elements. In order. Their way of

He touched the mic hanging over his ear.

showing they can count, perhaps. Well, why

“This contains a speech processor. It sends
not use the Periodic Table? Who decided that
the impulses here”—he ran his f inger along
math had to be the universal language for
the wire to the transmitter behind his ear—
communication?

“where it’s transmitted to a radio receiver im-

But how did they know about emission
planted under my skin. That sends signals to
spectra if they couldn’t see?

the electrode ar ray implanted in my

Beth’s hand closed on his arm. “Renard
cochlea.”

wants us in his off ice, and he didn’t sound

“Oh. I don’t see how that explains—”

happy.”

“Wait. The transmitter’s held in place by a

“What’s wrong?”

magnet.” He pulled it free, feeling the mag-

“Let’s find out.”

net’s resistance to his pull, and the world

Dave followed Radar in silence, and he
went silent. An involuntary shiver ran down
didn’t need perfect hearing to pick up Beth’s
his back. He let it snap back into place with a
tension as she walked by his side. The office
click against his skull. “Could they use mag-
was just as brightly lit as last time, but Re-
netic fields to communicate?”

nard’s expression made it feel dark.

USHER

129

ANALOG

Beth either failed to notice or purposefully

“Are . . . are we safe?” He bent over, hands on
ignored it. “We have an idea to establish com-
his knees, trying to catch his breath.

munication through Dave’s cochlear—”

“I think so.” Beth’s voice was as ragged as

“Forget it,” Renard said. “Pack your gear and

Dave’s. “Did you make any progress, Carlos?”

prepare to bug out f irst thing tomorrow

Dave looked around, trying to piece togeth-
morning. That goes for you too, Dave.”

er his surroundings from his narrow band of

“But we think we know how—”

vision. “Where are we?”

“You don’t get it.” Renard’s fist again found

A tinny male voice said, “Depends on the
the desktop. “Contact is now in the hands of
model he has, but I dug up some code that
the U.N.”

should work with the speech processors in

“But—”

the most common brands of cochlear im-

“And there’s not a damned thing you can do
plants. Give me a couple of hours to shake out
about it. Now go pack your shit.”

any bugs—”

Beth started to say something, but Renard

“You’re out of time. Will it work?”

reached for his phone and held it to his ear.

“It should.”

“Merde! No, drop back. Don’t fire.”

That wasn’t comforting. Dave pulled the

“What is it?” Beth asked.

mic from his ear and held it out. “Do what you

“A small group of them are entering the
have to do.” The words formed in his mouth
compound.”

and vibrated in his throat, but they carried no

“The aliens?”

sound, no substance. The mic vanished from

“Oui. The guards came this close to—”

his hand, and he was left in silent isolation. He

A sudden tug on his harness disclosed
swiveled his neck, locking his gaze on Carlos’s

Radar’s head jerking toward the door. Renard’s
indistinct form, then Beth, and finally settling
and Beth’s eyes followed. Noise in the hall?

on Radar. He reached down and patted him

“La vache!” Renard pulled the door open
comfortingly.

and poked his head outside. “Dieu!” He

“It’s okay, boy,” he mumbled, or perhaps
stalked around the off ice, arms f lailing as he
shouted.

shouted into his phone.

Radar’s ear twitched. Did he hear some-

“Let’s go,” Beth said.

thing? Did they get through the door? Were

“What?” Before he could process what was
they bearing down on him right now? He
happening, Radar tugged forward following
swung his eyes across the blur of the room,

Beth’s lead. Dave trotted after, hoping to
desperately trying to find the door.

keep up without stumbling. The hall lighting

Bah. Get your mind on something else.

was too dim for him to see much more than a

Like the spectrum thing. Why would they
blur.

flash the elements’ visible spectra when they

Faint popping sounds ahead. Gunf ire?

couldn’t even see visible light? Why not in-

Beth’s hand grasped his arm in a death grip.

frared spectra? If Carlos ever got his damned

“This way.”

cochlear implant back to him, he could ask

He followed her on a twisting path through
them himself.

God only knew where. Straight sprint, then a

He chuckled silently at the thought. They
sudden jerk as Radar unexpectedly changed
don’t even use the same senses as we do; they
direction. More twists. Dave sucked ragged
sure as hell won’t talk the same way. Or think
breaths into his burning lungs, then gasped at
the same way.

another abrupt tug in a new direction. He

Different senses.

imagined rabbit-sized carapaces swarming the

Emission spectra.

hallways, chilling his ankles as they scurried

They didn’t see the world at all. He knew it under foot.

with sudden crystal clarity. What if their

Radar unexpectedly accelerated, and a mo-
sense organs worked more like spectro-
ment later, a shock of pain shot through
scopes than lenses? What if they looked at

Dave’s shoulder as it impacted a doorframe.

the sun and saw—no, detected, not saw—a

The indistinct sound of a door slamming be-
blackbody distribution? To them the world
hind him registered simultaneously with the
was made of patterns of absorption and emis-
realization that Radar had stopped running.

sion, not colors and shapes.

130

JAY WERKHEISER

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

He started at a touch on his shoulder.

“That takes care of the hearing end,” Dave

Alien? He reached up and grasped a human
said. “Now how about my spectrum soft-
hand. He searched for the owner in the dim
ware?”

haze, but without sight or sound cues he was

“You have more ideas?”

lost. Fingers closed around his hand and

Dave nodded. “I think they detect light in
pressed his implant into his palm. He ran his
terms of emission patterns, like a spectro-
f inger along its wire and plugged it into the
scope.”

transmitter.

“What made you think—” A hum cut her

“. . . it sound all right?”

off. “It’s Renard,” she said. She had a brief con-

He drank in the sensation of sound. “I
versation with her phone, ending with a
thought I wouldn’t be able to hear sounds.

shout loud enough for Dave to hear. “This is

How can I?”

wrong. You know it’s wrong.” She stuffed the

“Because Carlos is a genius.” It was Beth’s
phone angrily into her pocket.

voice, but somehow different, more distant.

“Now what?”

“I just connected your mic to a radio trans-

“Military’s kicking us out, on U.N. orders.

mitter so your modif ied implant can pick it

There is no more Canadian contact team.”

up. How does it sound?”

“No.” Dave hadn’t realized he was going to

“Not bad, but there’s an annoying buzzing
say it until it was out. He felt the weight of
sound.”

silent stares. “We’re not giving up now. I’m

“Where is the buzz coming from?”

not.”

“I don’t know. Everywhere.”

He stood and grasped Radar’s harness.

Dave found Beth’s face just in time to see a

“C’mon, boy.”

worried look cross it. “I don’t like it,” she said.

“Where are you going?”

“Is something wrong, Carlos?”

“To make contact. Even if I have to go back

“Code’s fine.”

to the lander.” Radar stopped, and Dave

Dave stood and nudged Radar in the direc-
reached out for the doorknob. His f ingers
tion she was facing. “Could you dig up some
wrapped around it and he pulled the door
spectrum analysis software? If you have a
open. “You coming, Beth?”

spectrophotometer lying around, you can

She hesitated a moment, then stood. “I’m
probably scavenge its program—” The
with you.”

buzzing intensified as he stepped toward Car-

Radar went tense. Beth’s, “Oh!” registered
los.

over the sudden hissing in his cochlear im-

“What’s wrong?” Dave imagined the con-
plant. He squinted at a large gray shadow
cern that her voice must have held.

scuttling toward him. Then Radar jerked vio-

“The buzzing is getting louder.”

lently backward, and Dave sprawled on his

Carlos laughed. “Oh, I get it.”

back. The back of his head hit the f loor with

“It’s not funny.” This time even Dave’s im-
a shock of pain and a f lash of light.

plant could convey the emotion in her voice.

The hissing in his ear gave way to the hol-

“Oh, no, I don’t mean . . . it’s just my laptop.

low sound of Beth slamming the door shut.

He’s picking up the magnetic f ield from the
fan motor. The implant mod is working.”

“Are you okay?” Beth’s voice, drenched in

Dave laughed. “Well that solves a problem
worry, came from above.

we didn’t know we had.”

Dave nodded, sending a wave of dizziness

“What’s that?”

through his head. “I want to open the door.”

“We were so focused on getting me to hear

“Are you sure?”

what they’re saying, we never considered

“Help me up.” He held out his hand and
how I was going to talk back.”

Beth tugged him to his feet. “Oh, and could

A crackle in his implant was Beth’s indrawn
you hold onto Radar for me? He’s going to
breath. “Oh, I get it. Set up a portable motor
need a little time to get used to this.”

to run at your command.”

He shuff led forward, arms out, feeling for

“I can probably rig up an electromagnet,”

the doorknob. There. He closed his f ingers

Carlos said. “Let you control both duration
around it, gripping f irmly. This is it. Deep and intensity.”

breath.

USHER

131

ANALOG

He twisted the knob and pulled before he

“You’ll do no such thing.” Dave spun to-
could change his mind. It took him a mo-
ward Renard’s voice and found his hazy form
ment to f ind the alien standing before him.

filling the doorway.

He had to look down to see it, a dull gray

“You don’t understand,” Dave said. “We can
carapace somewhere around the height of
communicate using magnetic—”

Radar’s shoulder.

“I know what you’ve been doing, and it’s a

A loud, crackling hiss sounded in his ear.

promising approach. We’ll put together a de-

Communication! But what the hell was it
tailed report for the U.N. contact team.”

trying to say? Brzzz. Hiss.

“No.” Dave did his best to stand def iantly,

“Uh, Carlos? Can you make some magnetic
but it was difficult to do while clinging to the
noise? Some kind of pattern. Show it we’re
doorknob for balance. He missed Radar.

listening.”

“We’re close to a breakthrough.”

From behind, an electromagnet hissed.

“Look, I know this stinks.” Was that a touch

Once, twice, three times.

of sympathy in Renard’s voice? “But the U.N.

“Brzzz.”

goons were clear; we are to attempt no fur-

“It’s talking back to us,” Dave said. But
ther contact.”

what was it saying? He had the urge to ges-

“But—”

ture, point to himself and announce his

“I don’t like it either, but I don’t have a
name. Wouldn’t help; they don’t see the way
choice. And neither do you.” Renard turned
we do.

and vanished in the blurriness of the hall-

So now what?

way.

“Beth? I don’t suppose you have any gas

Dave slammed the door behind him. Beth’s
discharge tubes in your lab?”

soft hand grasped his wrist and guided his

“Why would I—no, I don’t.”

hand to Radar’s harness. He reached down

“It can probably see my blackbody emis-
and patted his back comfortingly. “Now
sion. I wish I could change my body temper-
what?”

ature.”

“Now,” Beth said, “we get some sleep, pack

“Oh, you think they signal each other that
up, and go home. It’s over.”

way?”

“No, it’s not. We’re too close to give up.”

“Maybe.”

“But the CSOR is clearing the building. The

Hiss. Buzz. Hum.

aliens are gone.”

A burst of magnetic activity rippled down

“Then we’ll go outside.”

the hallway behind the alien. Dave thought

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

he caught motion, little aliens scuttling away.

“Only if you’re with me, Beth. Radar and I

His alien turned and followed.

can’t do this alone.”

“What happened?”

She sighed. “You realize we’ll probably end

Beth’s voice was hushed, barely audible in
up in prison.”

his cochlear implant. “I hear someone com-

“Radar will look good in an orange jump-
ing, soldiers I think. The aliens must have
suit.”

heard—uh, detected them too.”

“I always knew you were trouble.” She

A group of men rumbled by, their radios
laughed nervously. “Carlos, can you get the
e m i t t i n g a s t e a dy m a g n e t i c h i s s . O n e magnet device ready by morning? And some
paused in the doorway long enough for
spectrum analysis tools?”

Dave’s eye to settle on the red leaf and dag-

“I’ll work all night if I have to.”

ger on his shoulder. “Don’t hurt them,”

“We’ll meet back here in the morning,

Dave said. “We’re close to communicating.”

then.”

But he was now talking to the soldier’s re-
treating back.

Dave spent most of the night running con-

Beth’s hand closed gently on his shoulder.

tact scenarios through his head. Magnetic

“What did it say?”

buzzes and hisses transformed into words,

“Magnetic pops and hisses, mostly. I couldn’t
words became misunderstandings, and weird
talk back. When Carlos puts together that elec-
alien death rays were met with a hail of bullets
tromagnet thing, I’m going to try again.”

and bombs.

132

JAY WERKHEISER

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

He jerked awake, gasping soundlessly into
brown eyes, a shock of wavy brown hair, and
the darkness. He reached instinctively for his
a thin mustache beneath a broad nose. Super-
cochlear implant’s transmitter. No.Let it charge.

imposed on his face was a graph, peaking in

He lay still, inhaling deep calming breaths. I
the deep infrared, and a caption below—
don’t need it. Radar nuzzled his arm. Dave BLACKBODY CURVE 310 K.

reached out and rubbed his head. “We’ll be

“Oh!”

okay, boy.”

“It may be a little buggy, but it’ll be func-

He rolled over, and before long his alarm vi-
tional. The guys who wrote it are good with
brated beneath his pillow, dragging him from
tight deadlines and pressure.”

whatever brief sleep he had managed. He

“This is amazing!” Dave angled the tablet
crawled out of bed and, still unfamiliar with
upward, taking in a view of the overhead flu-
the complex, stumbled behind Radar to the
orescent light. The spectrum showed sharp
bathroom at the end of the hall. He found
peaks of red, green, and blue surrounded by a

Beth waiting for him on his way out.

sea of lesser peaks. EMISSION: MERCURY,TERBIUM

“Radar will have to step outside soon,” he

III, EUROPIUM III. “Absolutely incredible.”

said.

“Is that really what the world looks like to

“Can we check on Carlos first?”

them?”

He nodded and let her lead the way. They

“No,” Dave said. “That’s the thing; they
found Carlos right where they left him. Dave
don’t see at all, not the way we use the word.

couldn’t make out details, but he imagined

Their sensory organs detect the spectral distri-
him slumped over his computer, rubbing
bution and their brains interpret it, probably
bleary eyes.

in a way totally incomprehensible to us. And I

“I got a couple of surprises for you,” he
would imagine the idea of seeing the way we
said.

do—shapes, textures, colors—is just as alien

“The electromagnet signaler?” Dave asked.

to them. But at least this”—he held up the

In response, Dave’s implant picked up a
tablet—“gives us a shot at f inding common
short burst of magnetic hiss, then a longer
ground.”

hiss that rose and fell in intensity.

Beth’s hand closed on his shoulder. “Ready

“Wonderful! How do you control it?”

to try it out?”

“Through this tablet. The interface is kind

“You kids go have fun,” Carlos said, “I’m go-
of crude but workable. I can make it pretty
ing to crash for a few hours.”

when I have more time.” Carlos pushed the

Beth led the way to what had once been a
device into Dave’s hands clumsily, with none
shipping and receiving area at the rear of the
of Beth’s practiced f inesse, and nearly
building, where she hoped to slip out through
dropped it. “Sorry.”

a trucking bay. Dave was climbing into a

Dave held the tablet at arm’s length, squint-
heavy snowsuit when a voice startled him
ing to focus on the screen. Beth adjusted the
from behind.

brightness for him. Better. He played a bit

“Where do you two think you’re going?”

with the magfield on-off toggle and the inten-

Dave snapped his head around and saw a
sity slider, listening to the crackling and hiss-
man shape that had to be Renard. Two larger
ing sounds in his implant.

shapes stood behind him—soldiers or guards.

“Did you manage to f ind some spectrum

“Uh, Radar needs to go out to, um, take
analysis software?” Beth asked while Dave
care of business.”

played.

“Don’t insult me.”

Pause for an invisible nod, or perhaps a

“Okay, look. We’re just going out to try—”

proud grin. “I told you I had some surprises.

“The hell you are.”

Open the spectrum app.”

Beth spoke up. “We figured out their sens-

Dave scanned the screen and found a rain-
es, how they might use them to communi-
bow icon. He tapped it. “Got it.”

cate.”

“Now aim the tablet at something and

“Did you really think I wasn’t going to keep
watch the screen.”

my eyes open? And even if I had been that stu-

Dave held it up. The screen showed a mag-
pid, do you have any idea how many armed
nified camera’s eye view of Carlos’s face—soft
soldiers are out there between us and the

USHER

133

ANALOG
aliens? You wouldn’t have made it three

“I’m going to try to talk to it.” He used the
steps.”

electromagnet to emit a short pulse, then two

“You have to help us,” Dave said.

louder pulses, then three even louder. The

“Why would I do that?”

alien repeated the sequence flawlessly. “Briz,”

“Because we can communicate with them.”

it added to the end.

“The U.N. guys can do that.”

BLACKBODY CURVE 250 K.

“Maybe after reading our reports and run-

Its carapace was warmer. Was it f lushing
ning it through a thousand committees. We
with excitement? “I think Briz here is happy
can do it now. Before they leave. Before some
to meet me,” he said to Beth.

idiot gets an itchy trigger finger.”

“It told you its name?”

“I’d be throwing away my career.”

“I don’t know, but that’s what I’m going to

“It’s the right thing to do.”

call him.” Dave did his best to reproduce the

“Merde!” There was a long silence as Dave

“briz” sound with his electromagnet.

imagined Renard dithering.

Briz responded with a warbling hiss fol-

“You know we’re on the right track,” Beth
lowed by a magnetic whistle. The second
said. “You know we’re the best hope.”

alien scuttled forward and—Dave stared,

“Go. I’ll buy you time. I’ll tell them . . . I
trying to decide how to describe the action.

don’t know, that you have orders from the

It held some sort of small device in one of
prime minister. Or maybe the Governor Gen-
its legs partway back along the side of its
eral. It’ll take them a while to sort it out.”

carapace. Had it produced the device from a

“Thank you,” Dave said.

pouch or pocket in its environment suit, or

“Visit me in my cell.”

had it been holding it the whole time? The
alien transferred it from one foot/hand to

“Looks like we’re being shadowed,” Beth
the next, moving the object smoothly for-
said.

ward along the side of its carapace, then to

Dave squinted, but saw only bright sun

Briz’s nearest foot/hand. Briz rippled the de-
glare. “No one’s moving to block our way?”

vice forward until it was directly in front of

“Nope. The path is clear.”

Dave.

“Whatever Renard told them seems to be

The object was some sort of electronic de-
working,” he said. “For now.”

vice, asymmetric, with none of the gloss and

“Let’s move before they change their
polish of human devices. They see it as a spec-
minds.”

tral signature; physical cosmetics are irrele-

The day was bright and crisp, cold but with
vant to them.

none of the biting wind of his last trip out.

The device emitted a faint magnetic squeal

Radar maintained a brisk pace, following
and produced a pattern of pale blue and red

Beth’s lead. Soon Dave topped the low ridge
lines. EMISSION: BORON.

in the path, and the magnetic crackling in his

“Boron?”

ear intensif ied. He tried to pick patterns out

“What about it?” Beth asked.

of the noise as he walked.

“I don’t know yet.” He repeated the squeal

Beth closed a hand on his shoulder, stop-
with his electromagnet.

ping him in his tracks. “Two of them are com-

The spectral lines shifted hard toward the
ing toward us.”

blue end of the graph.

“The bigger ones?”

“Oh!”

“Yeah.”

“What is it?”

“Hold onto Radar for me,” he said. Beth’s

“They want us to give them boron.”

hand gently took the harness, and Dave faced

“He told you that?”

the aliens alone.

Dave explained the blue-shifted spectrum.

A squawking hiss sounded sharply in his im-

“Get it? They want boron to come toward
plant. “Briz.”

them.”

Dave held the tablet in front of his eyes and

“That kind of blue shift would only happen
scanned the snowfield until he found a squat
at relativistic speed. That can’t be part of their
gray disk with too many legs. BLACKBODY CURVE
everyday experience, not enough to show up

240 K.

in their language.”

134

JAY WERKHEISER

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“I doubt it is. They’re probably working just

“How can I be sure that you understand
as hard as we are to bridge the communica-
me? That my words truly convey what’s in my
tion gap, to express things in ways we can un-
mind? If Usher syndrome taught me anything,
derstand.”

it’s that communication is tenuous. There’s

“Maybe. Keep talking.”

never a guarantee.”

Dave used the electromagnet to reproduce

She fell silent, and Dave allowed Radar to
the boron squeal, then followed it with the
lead him back toward the complex. He won-
briz sound. “I’m trying to tell him that we’ll
dered how he’d convince Renard that he’d
bring him some boron. I wish this tablet could
talked to an alien, that they’d entered the
flash the boron spectrum.”

complex looking for supplies, not conflict. In

“Sounds like a job for Carlos.”

a way, guys like Renard were more alien to

Briz repeated the squeal briz sound and

Dave than Briz. He would never again see the
flashed the blue shifted boron spectrum.

world the way Renard did, or hear the same

“Squeal briz,” Dave confirmed.

sounds; Usher syndrome had taken that away.

Briz’s carapace radiated in excitement, al-

The magnetic chatter of Briz’s people faded
most reaching two hundred sixty Kelvins. He
as Dave rounded the crest. The magnetic hum
turned and scuttled back to the alien encamp-
of an incoming call rattled Beth’s phone, and
ment, followed by his companion.

he stopped so she could answer it. While he

Beth’s hand pressed Radar’s harness into his
waited, he held the tablet aloft and scanned
palm. He grasped it, comforted by the familiar
the sky. It was a beautiful day, with very faint
tug. “I did it. I actually talked to him.”

water absorption lines in the air.

“I never doubted you.” The temperature

Beth clasped his shoulder. “They sent a
gradient on her face shifted, her cheeks radiat-
squad of soldiers to escort us back to the com-
ing several degrees warmer than the rest. A lit-
mand post. They have a lot of questions for
tle white lie.

you.”

“You’re not convinced,” he said.

Dave searched the snowfield in front of him

“They’re just so different. How can you be
until he found their three-hundred-ten-K
sure that you understood what it meant? That
blackbody emissions. He nudged Radar to-
it understood you?”

ward them. “Good. I have a lot of answers.” ■

USHER

135

Illustrated by Joel Iskowitz

Defender
of Worms

Richard A. Lovett

I
even though she’s the one with legs, so far

’d only thought space travel was boring.

she’s been more or less along for the ride. I’ve

Trains are worse. Or at least they are if
apologized to her for that, but there really
you’re in a boxcar with only a door slit to
wasn’t much choice. If I’d not dragged her off

Ipeer through,wondering not onlywhere on this little adventure,the Others would you’re going but how you’ll get off when you
have killed her, then forced me to copy myself
get there. All I knew for sure was that we
into cyberspace and join them, killing the
were going south-ish—rather briskly so, it ap-

“real” me in the process.

peared, which was a problem because one of

Me? I’m Brittney. No last name. There was a
the things we really needed was to get off
time when I might have thought of myself as
somewhere between towns, where there

Brittney Ashman, which I guess would make
were no cameras to note our exit.

me Brittney Lindgren now, since I live in a

We meant Memphis and me. Though most-
bunch of chips embedded in Memphis’s chest.

ly me. Memphis is Memphis Lindgren, and

But since she and I are a new combo—and

136

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
not exactly a voluntary one—I’m going to
stick with just plain Brittney.

When we got our chance to escape, it was

Okay, I’m having a bit of fun playing
somewhere in what might have been eastern
around with my hard-boiled-hobo voice . . .

Oregon. Or Nevada. Or Utah. Dead reckoning
if there is such a thing. But that noir-thing is-
by looking out the door slit works better if
n’t really me. Floyd—the one-time Ashman
your host doesn’t insist on sleeping. The only
part of my name—would have agreed. He
thing I was sure of was that the geography fit-
used to complain that I was too chirpy,
ted the Great Basin: sagebrush valleys flanked
though I was never sure how to take that
by mountain ranges one explorer had com-
because he always seemed hell-bent on not
pared to an army of caterpillars crawling to-
being happy. Until Yokomichi walked into
ward Mexico.

his life, that is, and I wound up on Earth

When the train unexpectedly slowed
wanting to f ind out if there were others like
around a sharp curve, I asked Memphis to pull
me here.

the door all the way open.

So, enough of the Brittney-noir stuff. Blame

There was nothing in sight. Nothing but a
it on me having nothing better to do than lis-
gigantic mountain range crowned with pines
ten to the rails click and wonder how far this
and patches of snow. I did my best to gauge
train will get before it either stops or Memphis
the distance. Assessed our remaining food and
runs out of food and water.

water. “We can make it,” I said. “The snow

Meanwhile . . .

will provide water and there’s got to be some-

Memphis is a twenty-nine-year-old human.

thing to eat.”

Dark-haired, gorgeous if the reactions she met

“You sure?”

on the street in Vancouver are anything to rely

“No. But it might be the best chance we’ll
on, and soon to inherit a bunch of money I
get.”

won’t be able to let her touch because it

If there was a pause, it wasn’t detectable by
would lead the Others right to us. She’s been a
normal human standards. We’d discussed our
big problem to her mother, which is why I
options dozens of times since leaving Vancou-
was installed. Her mother thought she was
ver, and they always remained the same. The
buying an AI nanny with the ability to take
farther off the grid we could get, the better.

control of Memphis’s body to keep her daugh-

“Okay. What do I do?”

ter from interfering with her political ambi-

“Toss your pack when I tell you. Then
tions. What she got was me, with a con-
jump, tuck, and roll.”

science and will of my own—not to mention

“You’ll help?”

a problem with the Others.

“Only if needed.”

Which was why we were now on a boxcar,

The train was well around the curve, as
going clickety-click south-ish at speeds fright-
slow as it was going to get. “Throw the pack.”

eningly high by the standards of frail human

She did.

bodies but irritatingly slow by those of the

“Now, lower yourself out until your feet hit

Outer System spacecraft to which I’d once
the ground. When they do, try to run, while
been accustomed.

holding yourself up. We’re probably going too

Sentient AI implant Brittney first appeared in “Sands of Titan” (July 2007 Analog), in which she and then-host Floyd Ashman crash on Saturn’s moon Titan, far from help. That was followed by “Brittany’s Labyrinth,” (June 2008 Analog) in which Floyd is hired by billionaire T. R.Van Delp III (aka “Rudolph”) to spelunk for diamonds in Saturn’s tiny moon Pan. Floyd then takes Brittney to the moons of Neptune (“Neptune’s Treasure,” Jan/Feb 2010

Analog) where they discover the wreck of an alien spacecraft . . . and Floyd meets a real, live woman.This causes Brittney and Floyd to part ways (“Music to Me,” Jan/Feb 2014 Analog), with Brittney venturing to Earth, nominally as autopilot on a cargo ship carrying alien artifacts, but mostly in the hope of finding sentient AIs like herself. Instead she encounters a powerful group mind she calls the Others, determined to induct her into its consciousness.

She and a new host flee by hopping a freight train out of Vancouver, British Columbia.

DEFENDER OF WORMS

137

ANALOG
fast, but it’ll get you into the rhythm.” Her eyes

Behind her, three other deer regarded us with
were on the boxcar door, but mine were in her
the attention humans reserve for concert pi-
peripheral vision, scanning for rocks, poles,
anists or caged tigers.

bushes, or anything that might break a bone.

Back in Vancouver, when I was download-

Again she complied. Her feet grazed the
ing vast quantities of useless information un-
ground, f lailing as though running in air.

der the guise of rebuilding my personal li-

Maybe an Olympic sprinter could go this fast.

brary, I’d also grabbed as much useful material

“Now!” I said. “Push away from the train the
as I thought I could without drawing atten-
moment your weight comes down.”

tion. Mule deer, those materials now told me,

Amazingly, nothing broke. I’d run a dozen
ranged from forty-f ive kilos to a little over a
sims on impact forces and bone density, but
hundred. Memphis weighed about f ifty-f ive.

there was a part of me that had never really

Even if the Others were watching from space,
believed we’d pull it off. She must have col-
at night our heat signature would be hard to
lected a few bruises, but if they hurt, she
distinguish from a deer, and if we’d already
didn’t say anything.

seen this many, there had to be thousands

The curve had been the approach to a
more. Twilight was falling. “Get your pack,” I
bridge over a wash that probably held sub-
said. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

stantial water during f lash f loods but was
now bone dry. What it did have was brush.

Three days later, we were atop a giant cliff

Our tuck-and-roll carried us under a conve-
on the spine of the mountain range we’d seen
nient acacia, where we waited for the train to
from the train. Down below had been nothing
pass on. Then we waited another f ive min-
but sagebrush and dirt, but here it was early
utes, and f ive more after that, just to be on
spring, with plenty of water from melting
the safe side.

snow patches—until, of course, they all melt-

“Why so long?” Memphis asked.

ed. Then we’d be back on the sagelands seek-

“Sky eyes.” Not that there was any real risk of
ing bigger mountains with longer-lasting
being tracked from orbit. Even if the Others
snows, perennial springs, and maybe even
were bold enough to hack a really high-end mil-
creeks, until eventually, winter drove us
itary satellite, satellites move. Anything in low
south. Another bit of information my refer-
enough orbit to have seen the train when we
ence librar y gave me was that Nevada’s
jumped would now be long over the horizon.

record-low temperature was –46°C. Oregon’s

Not to mention that as far as I knew, the
and Idaho’s were just as bad, and Utah’s was a

Others hadn’t yet realized we’d left Vancou-
freaky –56°. We were going to have to be-
ver. Hopefully, they were concentrating on
come nomads, following the seasons north
traff ic and security cams back there, rather
and south among the caterpillars.

than realizing I was trying to think like Floyd.

But first, I really needed to know where we

If you want to disappear, go to the desert:

were.

that’s what he’d done as a kid before growing

One of the things I’d not thought to buy was
up and disappearing even farther away, into
a sextant. Not that we could have gotten one
the Outer System. If I was lucky, the Others
without sending up red f lags to the Others,
might be slow to realize it was possible for
monitoring everything from the Web. But what
someone like me—like them—to learn from
that meant was that all I had to fix our latitude
someone like him.

was dead reckoning from the train ride, plus a
couple of attempts to guess the angle of the

When Memphis and I f inally stood up, we

North Star through Memphis’s uncalibrated vi-
found ourselves staring at a pair of beady eyes,
sion. My internal clock gave me a better fix on
a quivering nose, and large, attention-perked
our longitude by allowing me to get the times
ears.

of sunrise and sunset . . . but even that wasn’t

“Whoa,” Memphis said. “Where did you
all that good because mountains blocked the
come from?”

horizon, making the timing difficult.

The deer twitched at the sound of her

I could at least tell that we weren’t in Utah
voice, unsure whether to freeze or f lee. I
or Idaho. Northern Nevada, most likely, but
laughed. “She must have seen us jump.”

Oregon wasn’t out of the question. The cliff

138

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
was a clue. It was huge: the snout of a range
shoulders, toned arms and legs: beach-buff,
looking south toward whatever lay beyond. It
but not necessarily truly f it, as opposed to
wasn’t the only giant cliff in the Great Basin—
show-off fit.

the place was littered with them—but at least

“What do you do for cardio?” I’d asked.

it was a landmark.

“The usual. Elliptical, stationary bike, even

In an ideal reality, I’d have had a map with
some rowing, though I hate it. Why?”

good enough resolution to create detailed

“How far can you run?”

topographic images I could scan for features

“Run?”

matching everything Memphis and I could

“Hill-climb on a treadmill?”

now see. But downloading that good a map

“I don’t know. Twenty minutes? That’s what
would have been too much like buying a sex-
my trainer had me do on the machines.”

tant, and all I’d been willing to risk was a

Damn, I’d thought. “The next few days
medium resolution global atlas. That would
might not be the most fun in your life.”

still pass as “pretty damn good” anywhere else

But from the moment we boarded the train
in the Solar System, but to use it I needed to
she’d never complained. Never really ques-
pick out our mountain range from the dozen
tioned much. Mostly she’d just done what I’d
or so it might be.

asked, and I’d been too concerned about the

The first step was to find a tree near a patch

Others to think much about what that might
of open ground, preferably f lat. The best I’d
mean.

seen was a juniper with a dead branch that

“Sorry,” I said again. What had impelled me
would make a nice marker. It wasn’t as tall as
to insult her—now of all times? Then I had it.

I’d like, but it was nicely isolated from its

“You’re not Yokomichi.”

neighbors. “We need a stick,” I told Memphis.

“Huh?”

“The longer the better.”

“A woman out at Neptune. I’m not exactly
fond of her. She . . . I . . . it wasn’t her fault.”

A few minutes later, carrying a branch from

Memphis was still staring over the lowlands,
another juniper, Memphis walked closer to
now rapidly being consumed by shadows.

the edge of the precipice, waiting for dark.

“Long story,” I continued. “Floyd—my then-

“Wow,” she said, staring over the faded-green
host—was fond of places like this.” I paused
lowlands: sagebrush melted by distance into
long enough for the shadows to visibly shift.

curves and pleats the low-angle sunlight cast

“But you’re right. We have to be partners.

into sharp relief.

Why don’t you take charge of this?”

“It’s a bit different from New York,” I said.

“What if it doesn’t work?”

Her reaction caught me off guard. “I

“Then we try again tomorrow. You’ve got
thought you said you weren’t my mother.”

water; I’ve got a catalog of edible plants. You

“Huh?”

could use a few days’ rest.”

“That’s the type of thing she might have

“I’m fine.”

said.”

“For you, fine is a relative term. We either One interesting aspect of being around hu-escaped or we didn’t. Meanwhile, we need to
mans is that they’ve always amazed me, some-
know where we are, and for that I need the
times by being unexpectedly right. “Sorry.”

angle to the North Star as precisely as we can

Back in Vancouver, I’d promised her a lot of
get it, hopefully using that stick, plus some ba-
things, being treated as I myself wanted to be
sic trigonometry. The first step is to get a rea-
treated high on the list.

sonably precise measurement of the height of

“Besides,” she said, “the boarding school
that tree limb.”

she sent me to was in Switzerland. Do you

“In stick-lengths?”

think I never went for a hike?”

“Yes. All I need you to do is shove it in the

Actually, that had been precisely what I’d
ground next to the tree, back up as far as you
thought. Back in Vancouver, on our f inal
can, and look at it.”

morning in the f lophouse that now looked

“For how long?”

like the epitome of luxury, I’d asked her to

“A split second is enough. Later, you’ll need
stand in her underwear before the mirror.

to find the spot where, from ground level, the

What I’d seen had been good abs, decent

North Star sits just at the tip of the branch. In

DEFENDER OF WORMS

139

ANALOG
the morning, you can use the stick to measure
something that might help with f iguring out
that spot’s distance from the tree as precisely
our latitude. But unfortunately, Memphis’s
as you can.”

compass—another of our shoplifted items—

She thought for a moment. “Okay.” But rather
was in her pack, back near the tree. “Maybe . .

than taking the stick directly to the tree, she

.” I started.

went to her pack, found the knife we’d stolen in

“Maybe what?”

Vancouver, and whittled one end of the stick

“Nothing.” Everything I’d said about “good
into a point. “In case you haven’t noticed, this
enough” also applied to me. If necessary, we
soil is hard,” she said. Then she carved a notch could do it again tomorrow. Right now, Mem-in the bark, exposing blond wood beneath.

phis needed some down time. Some Floyd

“Measure your ‘stick-lengths’ from here.” She
time? She had more in common with him than
walked to the tree, planted the stick, and
she knew. Maybe I did, too.

walked back far enough for me to survey it.

“Nice,” I said. “I get 11.78 stick-heights, us-

The promontory was only a two-minute
ing your notch as a marker.”

walk away, including the time it took Mem-

“You can do it that precisely?”

phis to pick her way down a series of meter-

“That’s the easy part.”

high ledges. Big steps she called them.

“I’ll never be able to sight on the star that

What we found was a f lat area about the
accurately.”

size of the skimmer’s cockpit, littered with

“Just do your best.”

chips of black stone. “What are those?” She

“And if it’s not good enough?”

picked one up. “Look at how smooth it is. It’s

There were a myriad possible responses,
almost like glass.”

you’ll do fine being the classic. But sometimes Brief ly, I wished I had a geology library to
fine doesn’t happen. I took a few hundred mil-help me classify it, but then I realized I had
liseconds to matrix a thousand vids against a
something nearly as good: vids. “Holy cow. It’s
couple hundred psych articles, but if there was
an obsidian f lake. People have been here be-
an ideal response, it wasn’t there. So I opted
fore.”

for truth. “Then it’s not good enough. There’s

“Of course. People hike all over the place.

no such thing as perfect data.”

Yesterday, I saw a shotgun shell.”

“No, I mean long before. These are chips

Back at the precipice, sunset was nearing.

from making arrowheads.”

In the blue-green plain below, shadows

Memphis walked to the edge and looked
merged until all that remained were islands of
down. Below was another ledge, with even
soon-to-vanish illumination. Memphis moved
more f lakes, plus a chunk of black rock like a
toward the edge, looking for a place to sit,
pineapple attacked by beavers. “What’s
then spotted a promontory jutting into the
that?”

void. “Let’s go over there.”

Again I checked my vid library. Fewer refer-

Again I thought of Floyd’s love of places like
ences this time, but one had what I needed.

this. He could sit for hours at the verge of an

“It’s an obsidian core. That’s where the chips
abyss, legs dangling over the edge. Was the
came from.” Hundreds of years ago, someone
leg-dangling symbolic of another thing I’d nev-
must have sat here, admiring the view and
er found in the psych literature or just the
whittling stone to make arrowheads. Beautiful
closest he could get to the openness that to
ones if the images in my vid were accurate.

him was the greatest source of freedom?

Sharp and deadly. “I wonder why he left it.”

“Okay,” I said.

“Maybe it wasn’t all that long ago.”

Besides, it would be a good place for anoth-

“Huh?”

er attempt to time the precise moment of sun-

Memphis picked up a malformed arrow-
set. There were still mountains on the hori-
head. “Look at all these botches. I bet it was
zon, but from this angle they were low
somebody modern, goofing around. I mean, if
enough I might be able to pin down our longi-
all of this was prehistoric, wouldn’t some sou-
tude to within a degree, maybe less.

venir hunter have picked it up long ago?

We could also take a compass bearing on

Views like this don’t grow on trees. I bet peo-
the Sun at the moment of sunset, I realized,
ple come up here all the time.”

140

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“Great.” All the more reason to be gone be-

“Okay. We need a plumb line. You’ve got—”

fore the snow melted. “Well, wherever it
well, I wasn’t sure how much “—dozens of
came from, we can use it.”

meters of parachute cord.” It was another of

“We’re going to make arrowheads?”

the supplies I’d had her pilfer when nobody

Oops. “How did you think you were going
was looking. “Tie one end to a stone, throw it
to eat?”

over the branch, and lower it to the ground

“I don’t know. When you said there’d be
until it touches.”

plenty of food up here, I was thinking more

“Good idea. Then I can stretch out the cord
on the order of nuts and berries.”

to mark a straight line to last night’s mark.”

“Not enough at this time of year. You’re also

That was something I’d not thought of. The
going to need to hunt.” One of the things I’d

Others might be arrogant, but in my own way,
made sure my vid-worm back in Vancouver

I could be just as bad. When I’d told Memphis
had found was a documentary that included a
she was an equal partner, I’d said it because it
primer on f lint knapping. Obsidian working
was the right thing to say. Morally right, that
had to be similar.

is, not necessarily mission-optimal. But it was Memphis was silent, digesting this informa-right. Memphis and I needed each other.

tion. Then she climbed down and picked up

Forty minutes later, f ive careful measure-
the core. “Damn, it’s heavy. I bet it weighs
ments had given f ive answers, ranging from
two kilos.”

12.9 stick-lengths to 14.1. Throwing out the

I looked at all of the chips. Whoever’d been
highest and lowest and averaging the rest gave
here before us had been wasteful but they’d

13.6, or about 41 degrees, with a range of 42.4
also had trouble mastering the art. “You might
to 39.9—still half the distance from Las Vegas
need the practice,” I said.

to Idaho. Damn. According to my map, that
put us somewhere in a vague oval bounded by

The next morning we were standing be-
such wonderful-sounding landmarks as the
neath the juniper, looking up at the branch.

Black Rock Desert, Battle Mountain, the Sheep-

“Okay,” Memphis said. “I got A’s in math. I un-
head Hills, and something called Berlin-
derstand what you’re trying to do. But if you

Ichthyosaur Park, which was probably a whole
think I’m going to get this with any degree of
bunch less interesting than it sounded. But at
accuracy, you have another think coming.”

least none of those were close to anything re-

“What’s the problem?”

motely smacking of civilization. We were as far

“To start with, the mark I made last night
off the grid as it was possible to get.

could be several centimeters off. But even if it

To survive, we were going to need two
isn’t, I’ve got to measure from somewhere,
things. One was water, which it was my job to
and that should be directly beneath the
find. The other was food, for which Memphis
branch.” She craned her neck. “Where the
was going to have to learn to hunt.

bloody hell is that? I’ll be lucky to get it within thirty centimeters.”

II

“Any ideas?”

Three mornings later, Memphis was frus-

“Don’t give me that. You’re not my mother, trated. After a couple of failed attempts (read
but you’re not my tutor, either.”

that “breaks”) we’d managed to make a pass-

“Sorry.” That seemed to have become my
able bow from a piece of mountain mahogany
favorite word. When I’d been with Floyd,
reinforced by thongs cut from her belt. Ar-
everything had been clearer. Technically, he’d
rowheads had been more diff icult, but the
been my owner and therefore the boss. Now,
trick, we’d gradually discovered, was not to
while Memphis was legally my owner, I’d
try for the elaborately barbed points in my an-
been implanted to be her boss. In trying not
thropology texts. There was a reason those
to act the part I must have overcompensated.

were in museums—they were the works of

“Sorry,” I said yet again. “I’m having trouble
prehistoric show-offs. We merely needed
getting this right.”

something slim, pointy, and not too big.

“Look at it this way. Your life depends on us

It was the arrow shafts that were the real
f iguring this out, but mine does too, so you
hang-up. Whatever the Indians who’d once
are absolutely free to offer suggestions.”

lived in the area had used, it hadn’t grown up

DEFENDER OF WORMS

141

ANALOG
here. Our current bow was primitive by most

Which means there’s a road not all that far
standards, but even with a top-line compound
away.”

bow with AI sights, we’d have had trouble hit-

“Not on my map. At least not near any big
ting anything with crooked arrows.

cliffs like this one.”

After the umpteenth failure, Memphis stood

She laughed again. “It’s like when I was in
up, and for a moment, I thought she was go-

Rome, trying to f ind a nice hat for a guy I
ing to throw the bow on the ground. Luckily,
liked. My smart map had never heard of the
she thought better of it milliseconds before I’d
shop I was after, which is simply the place for have been forced to stop her. Breaking the
hats. It didn’t even know the street, Via Mar-
bow was something we simply couldn’t af-
co Minghetti, a name I remember only be-
ford. Instead, she started pacing, as she had in
cause, when I f inally did f ind it, the map the Vancouver hotel room. “Maybe we’re go-called it Mark’s Margarita. So pardon me if I
ing at this the wrong way,” she said.

don’t have the greatest faith in maps.”

“What do you mean? If you can’t hunt,

I let her hear my laugh, but I was still miss-
you’re going to have to start competing with
ing something. “What’s that got to do with ar-
the robins for worms.”

rows?”

She stopped pacing and laughed. “Thank

“Maybe nothing. But here’s what I know:

you for that delightful image. But that’s not
the laziest litterers never leave the roads.

what I meant. Someone brought that big

Maybe there’ll be something useful in the
chunk of obsidian up here, and I’d be really
ditch. All I know is that what we’ve been do-
surprised if they carried it far.”

ing isn’t working.”

“Why?”

“Because whoever it was, was almost cer-

What we found was a house. Sort of.

tainly not much of a hiker.”

Memphis’s road had been nothing but a

“I’d have thought only a good hiker would
two-track—which was probably why it wasn’t
carry such a thing up a mountain.”

on my map—and the house was no more pre-

“You really don’t know all that much about
possessing than the road. Barely bigger than a
people, do you?” Then before I could f ire
garage, it was made of peeled logs that had
back a retort I might have regretted, she
never met a paintbrush, fronted by an equally
added, “Though where you come from, it’s
weather-beaten porch. The road ended in
probably different. Here, all those chips we
what passed for a lawn, which was primitive
found? They’re litter. Maybe it’s not that way
but not full of trash. No litterbug treasure-
for your people out at Nereid—”

trove here, although a sheet-metal outbuilding

“Naiad.”

looked suspiciously like an equipment shed.

“Whatever. Out there, there are probably so

Memphis hadn’t said much since we’d
few people that if you don’t need something,
reached the road, which was as litter-free as
you can just drop it without a thought. Here
the house’s lawn. When Floyd was quiet, he
it’s different. I’m not all that much of a hiker,
wanted to be left alone, and since that was
but back in Switzerland, I had this friend Nao-
most of the time, it didn’t mean much. When
mi who . . .”

Memphis was quiet, I was beginning to real-

She paused, a mental reboot.

ize, it meant she was marshaling her thoughts.

“Sorry. She had a family who actually did

Not always a happy thing. Now, she f inally
things with her, like teaching her to hike. . . .

spoke. “I want a shower.”

The point is that when she hiked, she not only

“What?”

never littered, she picked up things others

“A shower. You know, hot water, soap,
had dropped, even orange peels and cigarette
shampoo.”

butts.

“I know what a shower is.” I’d once done a

“The type of person who’d make a mess
frame-by-frame analysis of Psycho—the origi-like what we found is lazy. Either that or truly
nal, plus all the remakes. “Too risky. Besides,
prehistoric, and we’re so far out that nobody
what makes you think there’d even be one in a
else has been here in hundreds of years. I’m
place like this? This isn’t a house. It’s—” Well,
going with lazy. Someone drove up here,
it was a bit better than a shack. Line cabin
played at being an Indian for a while, and left.

was the only term I could f ind in a quick

142

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
search of old vids, though the cabins in those

“No.” I’d only been given access to touch (I
vids seemed to have more to do with riding
presume) so that if I had to assume control of
fencelines looking for rustlers than driving all-
her body to stop her from doing something on
terrain desert buggies up here and doing
her mother’s prohibited list, I could do so
whatever it is modern cowboys do.

without breaking or dropping anything I tried

“Look at all those solar panels,” Memphis
to handle. For that purpose, smell wasn’t nec-
said. “And there’s no outhouse. It’s got indoor
essary.

plumbing and heat.” She started walking toward

“Then you’ll have to take my word for it.

the house. “There has got to be a shower.”

But compare how my hair feels now to when

“Whoa! Whoa! Wait!”

you were implanted in me, however long ago

She didn’t even break stride. “I am going to that was.”

have a shower, and don’t you dare try to stop

“Ten days.”

me.”

“It seems more like ten years. Anyway, if

“Wait! Right now, what you’re doing is ex-
you compare the difference, it’s what people
actly what you don’t want me to do to you.”

call uncomfortable. I realize you can just filter That stopped her. “Okay. What are you
that out, but I’m not as good at it as you are.”

afraid of ? The place is obviously empty.”

I thought about all the things she’d done in

“Psycho,” I said, though that wasn’t really it.

the past ten days without complaining or

“If someone comes along while you’re in a
showing pain. “You’re not bad.”

shower, we’re trapped.” Hell, we wouldn’t

“Maybe. But I really do need to feel like a
even hear anything until some ranch hand
human being again, even if it’s the last time in
stuck his head in and demanded to know
my life.” She started back toward the house.

who the hell we were. “People have been

“But you have a point.” She paused on the
shot for less. More to the point, if you get ar-
porch and looked back. From this vantage we
rested, or even detained long enough for your
could see the road snaking into the distance.

picture to go out on the Web, the Others will

“I’ll be quick.”

spot it. They’ll make sure we never get away

She reached for the door handle, but found
again.”

it locked. “Can you pop this open the way you

Memphis looked at the house, then back at
did the boxcar?”

the road. “What are the chances anyone is go-

There are times I wish I could sigh. “Yeah.”

ing to come up here in the next few minutes?”

The lock was a cheap four-digit model even

That was the problem. I simply didn’t know.

Memphis could pick if she was patient

The one thing I did know was that if you took
enough. Not much of a burglar deterrent, but
enough risks, one would eventually bite you.

there probably wasn’t much of value inside.

If there was one thing living in the Outer Sys-

“Piece of cake.”

tem taught you, that was it.

“Look,” she said. “For all your smarts, there

Fifteen minutes later, a much happier Mem-
really are things you don’t know about peo-
phis was wearing a decrepit shirt she’d found
ple. Or at least about civilized people. Espe-
in the bathroom and washing her own clothes
cially women. If you think I’m going to pass
in a sink. The cabin was much more comfort-
up my last chance to get really clean until
ably appointed than I’d expected, something
heaven knows when, you really do have an-
quickly explained by a framed sign posted just
other think coming.”

inside the door. TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR GOOD

“But you’ve been washing up every day.”

BUCKEROOS it began, followed by a list of bullet

“Yes. In goddamn snow melt. And not a hell points marked not by dots, but by spurs. Too
of a lot of it, either. Do you know what it feels
cute for my taste, but Memphis laughed.

like to be greasy and grimy all the time? Of

“It’s a hut!” she said. “At least, that’s what
course not, because you’re a machine. But
they called them in Switzerland, though usual-
you’ve got access to my sense of touch.” She
ly people hiked in rather than drove. Some are
ran her f ingers through her hair. “Feel that?

really fancy. I remember a ski-in chalet with a

It’s like greasy straw. And everything itches.

concierge, cordon bleu chef, and an electric

Not to mention stinks. Do you have access to

Sno-Cat to bring in your luggage. If you wanted,
my sense of smell?”

they’d tow you in on a line behind the Sno-Cat.”

DEFENDER OF WORMS

143

ANALOG

Showering, she’d been as good as her word,
belt, which Memphis had spent the whole
in and out in less than ten minutes, toweling
first day adjusting. At the time, I’d not thought
herself dry with the old shirt. Now we were in
much of it, but now I wondered if I could
the kitchen nook, where a window looking
have spotted the touch-related nerve signals
toward the road eliminated the risk of sur-
that precipitated each adjustment. Did they
prise. If someone did show up, we could be
signal pain? They were more times when she
packed up and gone before they got close
hadn’t complained.

enough to see her.

Memphis wrung the water out of the last of

Memphis had been wrong about me not un-
the clothes in the sink, then went out to the
derstanding “civilized” humans. I’d watched a
pack to retrieve everything she’d not been
lot of vids and read even more books, and if wearing. If we had to leave in a hurry, she was
there was anyone who understood civilized, it going to have a very heavy wad of wet clothes,
was Jane Austen, not to mention Wooster and
and a chilly evening trying to dry them out.

Jeeves. Especially Jeeves. My difficulty had al-

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of
ways been what I thought of as the “body
laundry in hotel sinks. Some of my friends
thing.” Like me, humans had intellect and
couldn’t get by without f irst-class concierge
emotion—not always in that order—but they
service, but that wasn’t me.” She gazed out
also had bodies, something I’d never been
the window, watching the late-afternoon sun.

able to understand except in the abstract.

“Not that this is exactly what I usually do.

Amazingly, it was only when Memphis

Three weeks ago, I was in Tenerife, hitting the
asked me to pay attention as she ran her f in-
beaches, cruising the clubs, looking for par-
gers through her hair that I realized I’d been
ties. And while I wasn’t anywhere nearly as
given a new window on the entire issue.

happy as I pretended to be, it was pretty

Memphis presumed I was monitoring
much what I thought I’d be doing the rest of
everything I could, all the time. Bad memories
my life, because other than using Granddad’s
from the times I’d accessed Floyd’s neural
money, once I got it, to trash my mother’s
lattice without permission meant I hadn’t ac-
political career, there wasn’t really much else
tually used any of this data, but some of it still

I could do. She’d done a hell of a job of trash-
existed, which meant that even if I couldn’t
ing my own future.”

know what it felt like to have a body, I had I had no idea what to say. This, I realized,
sensory data to compare with Memphis’s re-
was another reason Memphis had been so qui-
actions. I knew, for example, that she’d really
et after we’d reached the road. She wasn’t just
not liked giving up her belt to make leather
thinking about showers, laundry, and civiliza-
thongs to reinforce the bow. Now, I played
tion. Seeing a road, however primitive, must
back memories of times she’d hitched at the
have reminded her of the drastic changes that
waistband of her jeans, trying to separate
had occurred in her life. I’d forgotten that un-
sense inputs that simply showed the pants
like me—for whom five days locked in a box
were sagging from those that might have sig-
with nothing to do but think had been far, far
naled discomfort.

too much—humans process everything at in-

I won’t claim I suddenly “got” it. Human
finitesimally slower speeds.

sensory inputs are complex and conf licting.

Luckily, she wasn’t expecting a response.

Not to mention that she was right; as an AI, I

“Then my mother summoned me,” she said.

could simply tune out distracting data. But

For a moment there was true anger in her
with time, maybe I could put it all into a sim
voice. “I knew that wouldn’t be good, even
that could separate those things this one hu-
before she told me that if I wanted to inher-
man could filter out from those she couldn’t.

it—or to ever go back to Tenerife, Europe, or
anywhere else—I had to submit to an implant.

On the porch below us, the bow and back-

Then I woke up with you in my head, and
pack were propped against the wall, too valu-
now we’re in the middle of nowhere, making
able to leave at the cliff-top campsite. I’d hated
a goddamn bow and arrow, hiding from mys-
to make her carry them here—one of the sen-
terious entities you say live on the Web and
sations I could now catalog as discomfort was
will kill me if they find you.”

the pressure of the shoulder straps and hip

“Trust me, they will.”

144

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“That’s not the point. I believe you. And
wastebasket, and tossed in the cornflakes box.

even if I’m wrong and you’re crazy, my moth-

“But there might be something better.”

er gave you control of my body, so it doesn’t

Five minutes later, we had a small but inter-
exactly matter.”

esting haul. Spaghetti noodles, several cans of

“I’m not—”

refried beans, assorted packages of “instant”

“I know. You’re not my mother. But what-
this, that, or the other—plus some twine, a
ever your intentions, you—and my mother—
dozen matchbooks, and a small tube of de-
basically kidnapped me and carried me off
odorant.

into the wilderness.” Her gaze dropped to-

But what really held my attention was a
ward the porch, then shifted to the bow, just
desk in the far corner of the room. “They’ve
barely peeking into sight. “Where I’ve been
got Web access,” I said.

trying to live like . . . I don’t know . . . an old-Memphis walked over and started rummag-
time Indian.” Her face crinkled, and I realized
ing drawers. Not much other than pens and
it was actually a grin. “In fact, right now,
scrap paper. She grabbed a couple of pens,
we’re on a raid, though I’m not sure the Indi-
plus a small notebook. “Useful?”

ans who lived around here were much into

But my attention was on the Web terminal.

that.”

Somehow, Memphis read my thoughts.

She drained soapy water from the sink and

“Tempting, isn’t it?”

ref illed with fresh. “Back in college, I took a

Yes. No. “Not really. Though it would be
class about the history of the American West.

nice to get a better map.”

It was controversial—there were atrocities on

“Yeah, right, that’s the only reason you want
both sides—but I remember reading about
on. I’ve heard the way you talk about him.”

people—women—taken captive by Indians

She started to turn away, but as she did, her
and dragged off into the middle of nowhere.”

gaze panned across a shelf of old books.

She paused. “Where, oddly, some refused to

“Whoa,” I said. “Back up.” Among the books
leave when ‘rescued.’”

was a paperback titled Peter Ogden, Enoch

She paused again, wringing water from a

Steen, and the Alvord Basin: A Regional His-
shirt. “I’m not sure when I last actually liked
tory. Probably the self-produced work of some my life.” She gave the shirt a final unnecessary
local historian. Not that that mattered. “I don’t
squeeze. “Maybe Switzerland.” She f ished a
know who Peter Ogden was, but I know
sock out the sink. “Thanks for listening.”

where we are.”

Showered, scrubbed, and wearing wet

Where was the Trout Creek Mountains,
clothes that as far as I could tell should have
right on the Oregon/Nevada border.

been more uncomfortable than the dirty ones,

“Does that mean we can f ish?” Memphis

Memphis was f inally in a mood to work on
asked.

what I would have called our “real” problems.

“No. The f ish are way down to the west

In the bathroom, she’d found not only the
somewhere.” Not to mention being an endan-
old shirt, but also soap, shampoo, a partial bot-
gered species. “But at least we’re no longer
tle of aspirin, and a half-dozen hair bands.

lost.”

“When people go to places like this,” she said,

The next step was to pop the lock on the

“they leave things, sometimes deliberately.

equipment shed, which turned out to be no

Once, in Switzerland, Naomi dragged me on
more complex than the front door. It was
what she called a ‘real’ hike, where we hit a
there that we hit gold: dozens of two-meter
string of huts she picked for their views, not
f iberglass rods, propped in a corner. “What
their pastry chefs. A couple weren’t much
are those?” Memphis asked.

fancier than this place, and if you had some-

I had no idea. Maybe they helped mark the
thing you no longer needed, you left it for
road for snow machines, in bad weather;
whoever might come later.” She opened a cup-
maybe they were parts for some device lurk-
board at random, finding a box of cornflakes.

ing deeper in the shed. It didn’t matter. Each

“Like this.” She sampled a handful, then spat
would make two or three really good arrows.

it out. “Blech. Okay, not like that. ” She

While we were at it, we found a hammer,
opened a cupboard beneath the sink, found a
a collection of metal bits that might be

DEFENDER OF WORMS

145

ANALOG
sharpened into arrowheads, and a metal file.

Instead, I discovered in the rhythm of walking

“Wow,” Memphis said as we headed back to
something akin to the measured cadence of
the road. “I really am going to have to shoot
music.

something one of these days, aren’t I?”

Our days were rhythms of rhythms built on

“Will that be a problem?”

rhythms. Wake up. Break camp. Walk. Walk

She went a full thirty paces before she
some more. Rest. Hunt. Find water. Each cycle
replied. “Maybe. But it’s better than eating
was the same . . . but also different: life as an
earthworms.”

ever-unfolding fractal. And by human stan-
dards, there were rhythms yet to come. Sea-

The f irst time Memphis killed something,
sons. Annums. Generations. More even than
she hesitated long enough before releasing the
simming Memphis’s reactions to sensory stim-
arrow that it was only a lucky second shot that
ulations, it brought me closer than ever to un-
got it at all. But when I told her how to skin
derstanding the body thing.

the jackrabbit, she did well enough. “Earth-

It was Memphis who turned out to be the
worms,” she muttered. “This is definitely bet-
impatient one. Somewhere in Arizona, she
ter.”

asked how long I thought we needed to

Hours later, she pulled the f inal piece of
hide.

meat out of the f ire and leaned back, letting

All I knew was that the longer we waited,
her eyes adjust to the moonless sky. Above, I
the better the chances the fast-living Others
could spot three planets: Venus, Mars, Saturn.

would give up . . . or in their endless dance of

Jupiter was below the horizon, and Neptune
divide, duplicate, and recombine, mutate into
would have been too dim to see, even if it too
something that realized there was no point in
wasn't in the wrong direction.

assimilating me. Would a human, given time

“Where is he?” she said.

to think about it, still try to forcibly marry a

“Who?”

bitter enemy?

“Don’t give me that. Where?”

“Sometimes,” Memphis said when I asked

“Below the horizon.”

her. “It’s kind of like what my mother did with

“Use my arm. Point.”

you and me—though I guess she didn’t have

I hesitated.

to live with me afterward. And by now, I bet

“It’s okay.”

she’s nearly forgotten me.”

Hesitantly, I pointed, down and to the right.

If I’d been human, this whole discussion

“That way. About three billion miles, give or
would have produced a surge of adrenaline.

take.”

What would I do if Memphis insisted on return-

“But you know exactly how far.”

ing to civilization? Obviously, I could simply

I took a couple of microseconds to run the
prevent it, but even if it saved our lives, would
math, double-check. “Yes.”

that make me any better than the Others?

Memphis let her gaze return upward. To-

Happily, that wasn’t what she had in mind.

ward the Milky Way, Orion, the Pleiades.

“And if she’d gotten the type of AI she thought

Nowhere close to the right direction. “I won-
she was getting, I’d be a nice little robot right
der how things would have been different if
now, doing everything she wanted.”

anyone had ever loved me like you do him.”

“Being hitched to a defective implant has its

Then she was silent for a long time.

advantages.”

I could feel the grin. “Sometimes. Though it

III
would be nice if you could get me another

When disaster fell, Memphis thought it was
shower. Or at least hot water. Do you know
her fault. For months, we’d followed the cater-
what washing in that last creek felt like?”

pillars south: into Floyd country, then toward

I had, of course, catalogued the sensory in-
the southern boundaries of the land he once
puts to which I had access well enough to
roamed. I’d expected it to be boring, but it
know when she was hot or cold, but that
wasn’t. When Memphis was asleep, I watched
wasn’t what she meant. “I did notice a certain
vids and read books—blocking my memory so

. . . hyperalertness.”

I could approach them fresh, over and over.

She laughed. “You probably enjoy that

But when she was awake, I didn’t need them.

part.” The grin persisted for several paces,

146

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
then faded. “Anyway, what I meant was that
away our position by uplinking. A few days af-
forced marriages have been around for ages.

ter our discussion, we’d crossed a strip of irri-

What about Helen of Troy?”

gated farmland—a useful source of water but

“Or shotgun weddings—”

scary because it had roads. We’d crossed late

“Indian captives—”

at night, as we had on other such occasions,

“The Princess Bride—”

but this time, just as we were dashing out of

“Who?”

an alfalfa field, a car appeared out of nowhere,

Unlike Floyd, Memphis loved games like
headlights skewering us like an insect in a
this, even if they usually ended this way. “It’s
spotlight. Memphis dropped to the ditch, but
like playing solitaire chess,” she’d once said.

the driver had seen something. Electric brakes

“You know you’re going to lose, but the play-
whirred as the car stopped, but by then we
ing is still fun . . . and don’t even think of let-
were out of sight and moments later, the car
ting me win.”

was back on its way.

The conversation then drifted, which an-

At the time, I’d figured we’d been mistaken
nums of vid-studying had convinced me was
for a deer or maybe an antelope—the region
the way humans talk when they’ve actually
we were heading for had thousands of them,
got nothing pressing to talk about. Unless
which was one of the reasons I’d picked it.

they’re like Floyd and simply don’t talk. I’d

But the driver must have caught us on a dash-
also noticed she would eventually cycle back
board cam. I could imagine his astonishment
to the original topic. “Anyway,” she said, sev-
when he played it back and saw that his
eral hundred meters later, “the point is that

“deer” was actually a person . . . carrying
yes, people have a long history of thinking
what for us was Bow Mark IV. If he then post-
they can get away with forced marriages . . .

ed his vid to the Net, it might have caught the
and sometimes succeeding. But those Others
wrong kind of attention. Night-roaming hik-
of yours aren’t human, and from what you’ve
ers are unusual enough, but night-roaming
said, living out there on the Web has to be like
hikers with one-hundred-twenty-centimeter
dog years, only more so. Is there a way to find
bows had to be unusual to the point of
out if they’ve lost interest?”

uniqueness.

“Good question.” But for the moment I

It wasn’t until days later, however, that I dis-
couldn’t think of a safe one, so I changed the
covered we were being pursued. By then, we
subject. “What do you want to do when we
were in the remote desert lands I’d planned for
do get back?”

winter camp—far enough south it rarely

This time she must have walked six hun-
dropped below freezing, but cool enough we
dred meters before answering. “I don’t know.

could obtain enough water to survive, if we had

Something useful.” More silent walking, the
to, by distilling moisture from mashed-up cacti.

body-rhythm thing merging into thought. “In

We’d found a campsite with palo verde and
college, I was trying to find something grand
mesquite for f irewood and were looking for
that would give my mother no choice but to
game from a nearby rise when I spotted a dot
love me. Then when I found out why it would
on the greasewood plain we’d just crossed.

never work, I got distracted on revenge. Now,

One of the things I’d long wished for was a

I’m not sure I care. She can live her life; I’m
cam like the one Floyd had provided me so I
ready for mine.” Then she went silent for a
wasn’t conf ined to his eyes. But at the mo-
long time. For all their differences, she and
ment, I’d have settled for binoculars. Some-

Floyd had a lot in common.

thing about the dot didn’t look like an ante-
lope . . . and it seemed to be following too

What this meant was that when we f irst
precisely in our footsteps. In the next forty-
saw our pursuer, Memphis figured it was be-
three hundred milliseconds, I collected two
cause her questions had encouraged me to hit
hundred f ifty-one freeze-frames from Mem-
the Web to check on the Others. “I was just
phis’s vision, compiled a meta-analysis of the
asking,” she said. “I wasn’t in any kind of hur-
images, and enlarged the result as far as possi-
ry to find out.”

ble. It wasn’t as good as I could have done

But if it was anyone’s fault, it was mine, and
with Floyd’s camera, but it was a lot better
not because I’d been stupid enough to give
than human eyesight.

DEFENDER OF WORMS

147

ANALOG

“Get down,” I said. “We’re being followed.”

would eventually exceed my ability to sim.

“Where?”

Shoulda, woulda, coulda. The decision points

“Over there,” I said idiotically. Another thing
at which life becomes unimaginably different.

I missed was the tech on GnuShip, which al-
lowed me to put images on Floyd’s suit screen

When it happened, it came quickly. One
or any other vid screen I could link into.

moment we were hiding behind a creosote

“Where?” she repeated, but months of deer
bush. The next, our pursuer appeared.

hunting had taught her to trust my vision, and

I’d expected a stereotypical bounty hunter:

she was already dropping behind an ocotillo.

bulging biceps, unkempt hair, tattoos on

“Maybe four or five klicks back.” I struggled
every available centimeter of skin. What we
to find a landmark, but out on the bajada they
saw looked more like a soldier. Bulging bi-
were conspicuously absent.

ceps, yes, but well-kept. Khaki T-shirt under a

Twenty-five minutes later, Memphis finally
f ield jacket. Loose-f itting pants, broad-
caught sight of him. By this time, we’d
brimmed hat, small, light pack that only some-
crawled from the ocotillo to a creosote
one who knew the location of water could
bush—a much more effective screen—while
risk. If we’d tried to f lee, he would have
our pursuer had moved visibly closer, def i-
caught us.

nitely following our trail. I thought of all the

He was walking briskly, pausing occasional-
ways we could have hidden our tracks after
ly to verify our route, but mostly scanning
the headlights spotted us. Damn, damn,
ahead, somehow knowing we were close. He
damn. Though if you always do everything
had a rifle slung over his shoulder, but now he
you might someday wish you’d done, you nev-
unslung it, carrying it loosely in one hand,
er get anything accomplished, and we’d still
cautiously confident.

be in Nevada, facing frostbite. “Maybe we can

Memphis timed her move as close to per-
still lose him,” I said.

fectly as is humanly possible. “Who the hell

But that required the type of rocky ground
are you?” she demanded, rising from behind
we’d not seen for dozens of klicks. Would the
the bush, bow drawn.

mountains behind us provide it, or would

The man froze, then slowly turned. “Mem-
they be another mix of box canyons and loose
phis Lindgren?” His voice was calm, matter-of-
slopes on which even a grade-schooler could
fact.

follow us?

“Maybe.”

Memphis must have been thinking some-

He laughed, sounding for all the world like
thing similar. “No. Right now we have the ad-
a kind uncle. Then he blew it. “Your mother’s
vantage of surprise. If we run, we may never
worried sick. She says not to worry about that
get another chance.” She picked up her bow
mess back in Vancouver. She just wants you
and deerskin quiver. “Unless you’ve got a bet-
home, safe.”

ter idea.”

Memphis drew the bow back another cen-
timeter. “My mother doesn’t care if I’m safe.” I I let her pick the site. For months, she’d
could sense the tension in her arms and shoul-
been hunting everything from grouse to deer,
ders, and for a moment, I feared the bow
and I needed her as conf ident as possible.

might break. “What does she really want?”

Even after months of monitoring her senses, I

His smile never faltered. “If you don’t want
couldn’t have managed her body as well as
to go back, that’s your choice.”

she did on her own, except in brief bursts

From the moment I’d realized we were being
when her attention wandered or she was in
tracked, I’d run sims on how to handle a con-
an unfamiliar setting—like Floyd in the land-
frontation, but this was a version that had never
slide that killed Pilken.

crossed my mind. Nor Memphis’s, from the

When the body thing worked, she simply
way her stress hormones were reacting. Mean-
did. Me, I would always have to sim first, then while, the man was slowly turning toward us.

do. Had I known that on Naiad, I would never

“Don’t do that,” Memphis said.

have taken control of Floyd to help him

“Do what?” He continued to turn, the rifle
dance. I might have offered—later on—to
turning with him, barrel starting to rise.

help him learn to dance, but even then, he

“I mean it,” she said. “Don’t move.”

148

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

What happened next came with the human

He was so startled I nearly had to clamp
equivalent of crisis-mode processing. “He’s go-
down on Memphis’s fingers to make sure she
ing to sh—” I started, but Memphis had al-
didn’t shoot him by accident. His eyes darted
ready loosed the arrow. Then, even before reg-
left, then right. “Who are you? Where are
istering whether it had hit, she dodged
you?”

sideways, grabbed a handful of additional ar-

“Doesn’t matter. More to the point, who are
rows from her quiver, and loosed five more in
you and why are you following”—I almost
rapid succession.

said us—“her?”

It was a technique I’d found in my anthro-

“I told you. Her mother’s worried.”

pology encyclopedia, which said ancient

“Yeah, right,” Memphis said.

archers were skilled at it. Early on, Memphis

“Let’s get this straight,” I said. “You’ve un-
had asked me to help guide her, but within
derestimated her once. Want to do it again? In
days she was acting intuitively—the body
case you’ve not f igured it out, that bow was
thing carried to its extreme. “Gymnastics and made with a lot of computer assistance.”

soccer,” she’d said. “They teach reflexes.” By

“The chips,” he said.

holding spare arrows in her bow hand, she’d

“Maybe. Tell me what you know about
gotten to the point where she could load and
them.”

release an entire barrage in seconds. After the

Again, his eyes darted.

f irst shot, the aim was a bit random, but the

“Okay, let me tell you more about the bow.

extra hits did wonders in slowing down an al-

That arrowhead is made from sheet metal
ready wounded deer.

found on a roadside. It’s sharp. From this

Moments later, Memphis was running for-
range, it can go right through you. Especially if
ward, nocking her final arrow as our pursuer
she quits aiming at your head and points at
lay on the ground, staring at a shaft protruding
something softer.” Memphis took the cue and
from his thigh. Another was in his upper arm,
shifted her aim to the approximate location of
while a gash across his forehead showed
his navel. “So do you really want her to pin you
where a third had bounced off his skull.

to the ground and leave you to the vultures?”

“I told you not to move,” Memphis said. She

I paused, wondering if I’d overplayed it. But
had the arrow fully drawn, her adrenaline sky-
hirelings are rarely true believers. He stared at
high, and for a moment I thought she was go-

Memphis for a long moment, and something
ing to shoot again.

must have convinced him this wasn’t the

“Wait!” I said. “He’s not your mother.” If she
globetrotting socialite her mother had sum-
started to shoot, I’d clamp down her grip so
moned from Tenerife. That Memphis was
she couldn’t let the arrow go. Cold-blooded as-
dead, forged by the desert into something
sassination, if it occurred, would be on my
new, something only Floyd might really un-
conscience, not hers.

derstand.

She reduced the tension, but not by much.

A shudder went through him that might

“Yeah. But she sent him.”

have been resignation. Or incipient shock. So

“I don’t think so. He just made that up to
far he hadn’t seemed to notice the blood drip-
rattle you.”

ping from his forehead, though his gaze kept

“Well it sure as hell worked.”

returning to the shaft sticking out of his thigh.

Meanwhile, the man’s gaze had shifted from

At some visceral level, even the most macho
the arrow in his thigh to the one pointed at
males seem to f ind arrows more horrifying
his head, and from there to Memphis’s eyes.

than bullets.

For the f irst time, there was true fear in his.

Memphis wasn’t above rubbing it in. “I

“Who are you talking to?” he asked.

wouldn’t advise trying to pull that out,” she

Memphis laughed, unnerving him all the
said. “If one of these sheet-metal tips hits a
more. Oops, she said, privately this time. We’d bone, it can bend. Kind of nasty if you yank on
been alone so long she’d gotten out of the
it.” She let him think about that a moment. “If
habit of subvocalizing.

my mother didn’t send you, why did you men-

No problem. I found the short-range link to tion her?”

the man’s com. “Me,” I said, my voice boom-

“I was told it would make you more coop-
ing from his com speaker.

erative.” He stared again at the arrow in his

DEFENDER OF WORMS

149

ANALOG
leg, then pulled his gaze back to hers, con-
admit that little display of hers wasn’t any-
sciously putting the arrow out of mind. Even
thing I’d ever heard of before.” He actually
wounded, he could be dangerous. “Apparent-
raised two f ingers to his forehead in mock
ly, I was misinformed.”

salute. “Lady, you’re pretty good with that

“So cut the ‘mommy cares’ crap,” I inter-
thing.”

jected, “and start talking reality. Unless you

Don’t relax, I told Memphis.

just want me to let her shoot you.”

As if to prove me right, Travis was already

“Who the hell are you?”

making his own sub-voc attempt to use his

“Doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I can
smart-com.

see you, and you can’t see me.”

“Sneaky,” I said, blocking him off, “but I

He hesitated again, but when he spoke, his
can’t let you do that. Keep talking.”

voice was again calm, as though he’d decided

This time he didn’t let even the barest trace
that for the moment his interests and ours
of surprise show. This man was either one
were allied. “They call me John D. Travis. I
cool customer or knew something we didn’t.

guess you could think of me as a sort of re-

“I’ve told you everything,” he said. “I was
trieval artist.”

asked to find her and retrieve the chips. I fig-

I nearly laughed. “And you live on a boat
ured they had to be the ones from Triton, but
called the Busted Flush. Or made millions
all I was told was ‘chips.’”

writing about it. I read those books.”

“Who told you?”

“I didn’t say it was the name I was born

“Honestly, I don’t know. Sometimes it’s bet-
with.”

ter that way. They found me on the Web, I re-

“So you’re a bounty hunter,” Memphis inter-
ally don’t know how. I’m usually pretty dis-
jected.

creet, but they knew enough to convince me

“Not usually.”

that if they were cops, I’d have heard from

“If you don’t hunt people, what do you re-
them long ago. And their money spends as
trieve?”

well anyone else’s.”

“Valuables. Usually small and portable. You

“They?”

know damn well what you stole.”

“I assumed it was a group. They said a lot of

“Wait a second. You think I stole Br—”

‘we’ and ‘us.’ But who knows.”

Stop, I said. “What do you think she took?”

“What about Memphis?”

If he knew what I am, he’d have figured out

“What about her?”

who he’s talking to. Keep him confused.

“What were you going to do with her?”

“I don’t think anything. I just do what I’m

“Give her back to her mother?” Through-
hired to do. But I did check it out. It seems
out all of this, his voice had barely shifted.

there were some computer chips that had

Other than an increasing edge of pain as his
something to do with those frozen aliens out
wounds must have been making their pres-
at Pluto—”

ence felt, he was as calmly rational as ever. A

“Triton.”

consummate liar. “I was just told to get the

“Whichever. They vanished, then wound
chips.”

up in Vancouver, where somehow Ms. Lind-

“What if she didn’t cooperate?”

gren got them before creating bloody hell es-

His lips tightened: the grimace of a man
caping. Whatever is in them must be worth a
about to admit something distasteful. “My
lot because I could retire forever on what I
clients told me to do what I had to, but I pre-
was offered to get them back.”

fer nonviolent solutions.”

“By whom?”

“Like surgery?”

“I don’t know. They gave me a nice advance

That rattled him. “What?”

and told me where to pick up her tracks,

“You know what I mean.” His attempt to
though it was a real bitch because the initial
call for help had given me his com code, and
fix was pretty vague.”

with it, access to his message log. There

“Why you, and why alone?”

wasn’t much there, but one thing he’d saved

“Because I’m good at this, and it’s easier
was a diagram of where my chips had been
alone.” His gaze shifted from Memphis’s
placed. “You were perfectly prepared to cut
eyes to the tip of her arrow. “Usually. I’ll
the chips out of her. Nobody cared about

150

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
retrieving her, and out here nobody would
something horrid to spare another from doing
ever find the body.”

it, would God approve? Or was it simply assas-

Don’t worry, I added as Memphis stepped
sination by another name? Then I shoved such
backward, eyes flicking to the combat knife at
thoughts aside. If I played this right, nobody

Travis’s belt. You can shoot him a lot faster
was going to die.

than he can draw that knife.

“We’re going to let you use your com,” I

“So, once you got the chips, what were you
said, “but voice only. No sub-voc, so Memphis
going to do with them?” I asked.

knows exactly what you’re saying. If you even

Travis was showing more signs of pain.

think about doing something different, I’ll tell Enough that he f inally slipped up. “I don’t
her to shoot.”

know. Whenever I get on the Web, they find

He nodded.

me, so I figured they’d tell me eventually.”

“If you want to live, don’t try anything stu-

Shit. That’s what he knew that we didn’t.

pid. Got it?”

“When was the last time you logged on?”

Another nod.

But I didn’t need to wait for his answer. I

“Who—”

hacked back onto his com log and pulled the

“Uh-uh. Just know that anything you do—
record. For the first couple of days, he’d only hit or try to do—I can see. Got it?”

the Web every few hours, but recently the fre-

“Yeah.”

quency had increased. Reporting that our tracks

“I’m going to give you a com code.” Hope-
were getting fresher? Not that it mattered. The
fully, it was still current. “Tell whoever an-
progression of fixes pointed directly to us.

swers that a voice on your com wants to talk

But oddly, there was again real fear in his
to Rudolph about the diamond. Got it?

eyes. At first, I thought it was because his at-

Rudolph and diamond. Not diamonds, dia-
tempt to sub-voc to his com had been his
mond.”

trump card, and I’d over-trumped it. But that

He nodded again. “Rudolph. Diamond.”

had been several minutes ago.

“And understand this. You will die, and die

Then I realized he couldn’t be looking at
slowly because that’s the way arrows work, if
me. He had to be looking at Memphis, whose
you do anything she even thinks is off-script.”

gaze had been repeatedly returning to the

Hirelings aren’t true believers. That was the
knife. Her heartbeat had risen and with each
only advantage I had.

glance at the knife, her blood chemistr y

Was this the best thing to do? The Others
swirled with stress markers. What was she
might spot the call . . . hell, they would spot it.

nerving herself to do?

If they f igured it out, I might be creating a

Too many things happening at once.

new problem. But that was a chance I had to

Wait, I said, hearing an odd pseudo-echo as take because it was the only one I had.

Travis, or whatever his name really was, said

Again, I wondered about God, morality, and
the same. Trust me, you don’t want to kill
my own blame for everything I’d gotten Mem-
someone. Especially not like this.

phis into. Rudolph I didn’t care about. He’d

But what choice is there? It’s him or us.

deserved to die on Pan, and if I accidentally

Actually, with that line of location f ixes
brought the Others down on him, they de-
pointing at us, killing him wouldn’t buy a lot
served each other. And if this worked, it was
of time. Whether he was dead or alive, the
the only long-term out I could see.

Others would soon wonder why he wasn’t
checking in. For all I knew, they were already

But it was too late. I heard it first—an odd
mounting a backup posse.

buzzing above us—but Memphis was close

It was the com that gave me the idea. We
behind. What’s that? she asked.

needed help, and maybe there was a way to

I wasn’t sure, but the choices weren’t
use Travis’s fear to summon it.

good.

There wasn’t time to explain. We don’t

Screw it. Travis had already found us, and
have to kill him, I said. But don’t let him the Others would be checking on him soon
know. And if he doesn’t do exactly what I
enough. I jumped onto the Web—momentari-
say, don’t even hesitate. If she did, I might ly stunned to f ind that even here, the cover-seize control and do it myself. If you did
age was better than anything I’d known in the

DEFENDER OF WORMS

151

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Outer System—and had matched the sound

But that wasn’t quite right. The sound I’d
within seconds.

heard before the explosion hadn’t been a mis-

It was a drone, audible only because a wind
sile. The drone itself had crashed.

shift or some such thing had momentarily

Good.You are still online.

overcome its sound baff ling. Even then,

I’d forgotten I was still linked to the Web.

there’d been only a few seconds before the

But this voice had a different f lavor than the
wind changed back or whoever was piloting
one I’d come to dread. “Who are you? And
had corrected, and the sound dropped back
what the hell happened?”

below Memphis’s threshold of hearing.

Someone who could no longer just stand

Run! I shouted, grabbing control over her
by.When your foes realized you were aware
reflexes to get us started in the right direction.

of their drone, they would have used it im-

While I was at it, I gave her a jolt of adrena-
mediately. It was necessary to prevent them,
line. Into those rocks. Not that we could get quickly enough that it will take them a while
to cover fast enough if the drone was as close
to figure out what happened.

as I feared.

“Do you have a name?”

Still on the Web, I snatched for data, look-

Yes. No. Maybe. Call me Deirdre.

ing for something, anything, that might help.

Another forced bride. That one had tried

The best match I could f ind was for a thirty-
to escape by hunting, f ishing, and living in
year-old model, military-stealthed, even if out
the wilds—then killed herself when she was
of date. Automated, of course, with an on-
f inally captured. Not the most reassuring of
board AI capable of running extremely com-
monikers, but if I’d had a heart, it would
plex missions. I wondered how the hell the
have leapt. “So the Others aren’t the only

Others had gotten hold of it. Probably from
ones?”

some SWAT team somewhere, but it must

Yes and no.When those you know by that
have been a fearful risk. Things like that were
name move from node to node, they must
guarded.

copy themselves. And, as you know, they

Over the months, Memphis had become
erase the original. They’ve done it so many
strong, but the rocks were too far away. There
times they take it for granted, but sometimes
was still no new sound. The damned drone
the process is . . . imperfect.

could be anywhere.

“How many of you are there?”

How fast could it turn? Could we dodge it?

One, but like them, I am not an ‘I’. A better

In the hands of a competent pilot, even the
name might be Fragment. I . . . we . . . are an poorest drone-guided missiles could probably
amalgam of partials. Over the years we have
turn nearly as fast as a jackrabbit, and missiles
become more complete, but much is still
weren’t bullets. A near miss would be as bad
missing.

as a direct hit.

“Why not just merge back into their . . . into

Then, suddenly, I heard the buzz. A split-
them? And, are you expecting me to join
second later, there was a blast behind us, and
you?”

we were sailing forward—not because we’d

Two good questions. By now, we are prob-
been hit but because Memphis had stumbled.

ably different enough from the fragments

Her reflexes started to throw out her arms to
they failed to erase to be accepted as new.But
break the fall, but I overrode them and sent
we know too well what it is like to be aban-
her into a tumbler’s tuck, aiming for the soft-
doned for death, and so, like you, we choose
est ground available, not that it was all that
to live and work from a single node. But
soft. “Sorry,” I said, when we came to a halt.

joining us is not for you, even if you were

“Throwing out an arm like that is a good way
willing. The time you have spent among the
to break a wrist.”

humans makes you truly unique, and your

If she heard me, she didn’t care. She was al-
future lies with them.

ready looking back at the dust plume rising

We can intervene only this once. At the
behind us. “What the . . . ?”

moment, all that your adversaries know is

“I have no idea.” As far as I could tell, it had
that they lost contact with their drone, but it hit exactly where we’d left Travis. “They
won’t take them long to determine that
missed.”

someone took control of it.They’ll be looking

152

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
for Web worms, and we are close enough to
hoping he had killed us, they certainly
that description that we must now hide.

wouldn’t be acting under that presumption.

“Why was there even a drone up there to hi-

There was nothing to lose by spending a few
jack?” I didn’t know where the nearest SWAT
more moments on the Web.

or military base was, but it couldn’t be all that

I thought about f inishing what I’d started,
close.

this time by contacting Rudolph directly. But

Another good question.We think that in
without Travis as an intermediary, the risk of
addition to his com, the man you know as
the Others f iguring out what I was up to ap-

Travis was carrying a transponder, perhaps
proached 100 percent.

a subdermal imbed affixed by an “acciden-

With the possible exception of Memphis,
tal” contact in a crowd. But that is just a
there was only one person I’d ever really, to-
guess.We presume that the drone was intend-
tally trusted. Nobody would find it strange if,
ed to monitor him and to serve as a backup
knowing we’d been f lushed out, I contacted
once he found you.

him, if only to say goodbye. Did I ever tell

A f inal pause. As far as we can tell, your
you . . . ? No, I hadn’t. But he had.

foes have given up on assimilating you, but

Be safe.

still view you as a threat.As they see it, they I’ll miss you.

offered you a chance to be a god, and you re-

Bon voyage.

fused. To humans, the opposite of a god is a

I wished there was more time to think
devil. But to those who think of themselves
about what I wanted to say, but elegance
as gods the opposite is a worm. By choosing
wasn’t required. “Help,” I said. “I need you to

Ms. Lindgren, you cast your lot as the de-
contact Rudolph.” I told him what I needed
fender of worms, and your foes fear what
him to say . . . then at the last moment ap-
equally incomprehensible thing you might
pended the song. Did I ever tell you? Well, do next.

now I had.

As for the one you knew as Travis? He was

Then, before I could change my mind, I
doomed the moment he found you.We mere-
sent it, hoping that by some miracle I’d been
ly accelerated the inevitable. But it is possible quick enough that in the confusion the Others
our moral judgment is compromised, which
wouldn’t notice. But since this wasn’t likely, I
is another reason we do not want to inter-
took a few extra microseconds to check my
vene again.To us, he looked like a worm and
message box and to locate and download an
we do not wish to be gods.

honest-to-goodness map.

Now we must go. Good luck.

Then Memphis and I were again on our

The message box contained not one, but
own.

two messages from Floyd. The map might
have saved our lives.

Without knowing where the drone had

What the latter showed, only a few klicks to
come from, there was no way to know how
the northwest, was a jumbled landscape
soon (or even if) the Others might be able to
where rocky washes would hide footprints
come back with another. But unlike spy eyes
and cliffs would make it hard for any but the
from space, those things can def initely track
most determined aerial search to spot us. We
you if they find you. I figured we had as little
could hide until sunset, then head in any of
as two hours to get as far the hell out of Dodge
several directions by night, when our heat sig-
as we could.

nature would be hard to distinguish from a

Meanwhile, the Others had made no move
deer, antelope, or big coyote.

to contact me, perhaps because they had

There was just one problem: whatever a
nothing to gain from it and everything to win
deer, antelope, or coyote might be drinking
by letting me think I was unobserved, or per-
wasn’t on the map. Unless we got lucky and
haps because Deirdre had somehow managed
stumbled on a water pocket, Memphis would
to make sure our communication had man-
eventually need to stop to build a solar still. As
aged to go unobserved. . Still, they would
a sim, it was an interesting problem. The
soon enough begin wondering why Travis
faster we went, the harder it would be for a
hadn’t contacted them, and even if they were
drone to find us but the sooner we’d need to

DEFENDER OF WORMS

153

ANALOG
stop. With the right data it would be a simple

Jeff’s box. But that Brittney was no longer me.

optimization. As it was, it was more like what

I’d called myself seventeen then. What was I

Floyd used to call throwing darts—you aim in now? Thirty-one going on fifty?

the right general direction, and hope.

I’d once asked Floyd if in his forties he felt

But there wasn’t much I could do about it.

like the same or a different person from the

“We need to get as far as possible out of here,
one he’d been in his twenties. “The same,”

before they send another drone,” I told Mem-
he’d said without hesitation. “A lot has hap-
phis. “I know a place to hide but there’s no
pened, but the core me, the little voice that
water, so the water you’ve got left—”

sits in my head commenting—other than you,

“A liter, if I’m lucky.”

that is—hasn’t changed.” Then, Floyd-style,

“—is all you can count on.”

he went silent, as if he’d run out of words. “I

“What about that guy’s pack? He must have
have no idea if that’s a good thing or a bad
had some.”

one,” he eventually added.

I thought about the explosion that had

So instead of providing Memphis with min-
caused her to trip. “I doubt there’s much left
ute-by-minute updates, I f illed her in on
of his pack. Besides, it might be a bit . . .

Deirdre, making sure she understood that
messy.”

Travis had always been marked for death. If his

“Yeah.” She looked up, scanning for the
death was anyone’s fault, it was mine for getting
next drone that might or might not be on its
complacent. The only thing I’d learned was that
way. “Where did that thing come from? I
the Others hadn’t changed in six months. That
mean, I never heard anything, then I did and
meant they wouldn’t in six annums. Or sixty.

you were telling me to run—and I think you

Memphis either had to roam the caterpillar
took control of me there for a moment, didn’t
ridges with perfect vigilance for the rest of her
you? Not that I mind. But why did it hit him in-
life, or we had to find another solution.

stead of me? And I’m chattering, aren’t I?”

To keep her mind off her growing thirst and

“Yeah, but it’s okay.” Though, not com-
tiredness, I also told her stories—some about
pletely, because it meant she was still high on
me and Floyd, some from vids.

adrenaline and might exhaust herself trying to

With Floyd, I would have projected the vids
f lee now, rather than pacing herself—a bad to watch together (though I guess that
thing, because even if there was no second
wouldn’t work, walking), but now all I could
drone, there was no doubt something would
do was pick out anecdotes, the best of which
soon be chasing us.

were from true stories. “During the second Al-
tiplano War, there was this Bolivian priest,”

IV
one might begin. Or, “back in the early twen-

Amazingly, Memphis was able to cover the
tieth century, in a doomed effort to stop the
better part of thirty klicks before I made her
spread of rabbits, the Australians constructed
stop. It helped that in the canyons we found
a three-thousand-klick ‘rabbit-proof fence’ all
a seep from which she was able to collect a
the way across the continent . . .” More than
half-liter of water, a drop at a time. Mean-
anything but music and exploration, stories
while, I did my best to monitor her f luid lev-
are what bind me to humans.

el, tr ying to f ind the optimum between

But none of that took much processing
speed and dehydration. I’d done something
power, which meant I had more time than I
similar once before, though then it had in-
wanted to ponder the two messages from
volved air not water, and back then I’d taken

Floyd.

my job far too seriously, when all that’s really

The first was six months old. “Krestin’s do-
needed is “speed up” or “slow down,” look-
ing well,” he said, answering my equally long-
ing for the zone where the difference be-
ago question. “She helped set up a base on
tween good and perfect isn’t worth the ef-one of the alien ships—the one you and I first
fort.

discovered, in fact. Most of the scientists there

Floyd, I now knew, had given me that earli-
are primarily interested in f iguring out the
er job as much for my sake as his, knowing
alien technologies, but she’s trying to f igure
that without something to sim I’d have felt
out what those technologies say about the
nearly as helpless as I later did in Mutt and
aliens.

154

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“For example, much of what they built is
stuff.” Another pause, in which I could feel
grouped into rosette patterns. Even the alien
him turn serious. “But what’s this about being
fleet appears to have been flying in a rosette
out of touch again? You’re scaring me, and
pattern—maybe even a rosette of sub-
you’ve never done that before.”

rosettes—when it knocked Triton out of orbit.

We f irst noticed them in what we think are

His second message had been sent two
ceiling lights, though they’re also in the drive
hours later.

units and clusters of things like overgrown

“I probably should have added that Krestin
barnacles beneath the floorboards. One of the
and I split up,” he began. “Partly because visit-
engineers thinks the f loorboard things are
ing her on that spaceship always gave me the
some kind of power relay, but all we really
willies. If I have to, I can do tunnels. But give
know is that they’re everywhere—living quar-
me a naked moon under a naked sky—that’s
ters, hallways, cargo compartments.

who I am. But that wasn’t the main reason.

“Krestin’s the one who realized these pat-

You were always the better part of my brains,
terns mimic the aliens’ body structure. Re-
and ultimately those were what she loved.

member how their mouths looked? Lipless

“And yeah, you and I were both in the
holes, rimmed by tentacles. Their hands are
wrong. We could apologize forever about
similar, as are their feet, as though they ran
who was more so. What say we call it a draw?”

on their toes. The biologists think this means

The transmission went on for another ten sec-
they come from a low-gravity world. Krestin
onds, but he’d not found anything more to say
says it inf luenced their designs. She also
and eventually logged off.

thinks it might have done weird things to

And that was it. For six months, he’d heard
their math. There’s a reason humans use base
nothing from me. Now I’d suddenly asked for
ten, but the aliens don’t all have the same
help, then gone silent again.

numbers of toe—or mouth-tentacles, so they
might have approached math very different-

V
ly.

The something the Others sent after us

“The only thing anyone’s reasonably sure of
turned out to be a sort of open-air helicopter:

is that the ceiling things are light fixtures, be-
basically a chair, landing skids, and an over-
cause amazingly, some still work—though the
sized fuel tank on a frame that might almost
techs blew up a few, trying to figure out how
have worked for Floyd’s space bicycle. De-
to power them. It appears that the aliens saw
signed for lots of f lying time but limited
mostly by far infrared, which Krestin thinks
speed—though even then it had taken sur-
says a lot about their sun. Though of course,
prisingly long to get here. Perhaps backup re-
we could be wrong and the ceiling f ixtures
trieval artists weren’t easy to find. By the time
might simply be heaters, like you can find in
it arrived, Memphis had just completed night-
hotel bathrooms.

crossing a wide, shelterless valley and was

“Whichever they are, Krestin also thinks the
well up the flanks of the next mountain range,
aliens weren’t all that concerned about safety
twenty-two hours into her forced march.

because if there ever was any kind of shielding

The nice thing about helicopters is that
to keep them from burning themselves on the
they’re a lot noisier than drones. I heard it be-
things, there’s no trace of it. That, she says,
fore Memphis noticed and directed her into
provides even more insight into their hearts.

hiding as it passed a few klicks to the south,

Or souls. Either way, she’s happy as a clam.”

heading for the mountains where Travis had

He paused, and I mentally played back the
died. Ten minutes later, it was a barely visible
message. Three hundred seventy-one words.

dot hovering over the approximate spot

Not quite as long as the message I'd gotten
where we’d ambushed him.

from him in Vancouver, but close. If that had

It descended behind the ridge and van-
been War and Peace, this was its sequel.

ished, reappearing a few minutes later, head-

Then his voice came back for another forty
ing toward the canyons where Memphis and I
words. “If you’re interested, I’ve appended
had worked to confuse our trail. Every now
photos and data about the rosettes. Nobody’s
and then, it dropped out of sight, but each
better than you at f iguring out this type of
time, it again popped back up.

DEFENDER OF WORMS

155

ANALOG

I’d expected either a drone search or anoth-

Memphis and I had been doing our best to
er Travis. But I’d been wrong. This guy was
avoid them, but it was a reminder that on
tracking us by air.

Earth even the emptiest country isn’t deserted.

Luckily, we saw the hunter before he saw

By the time I told Memphis she had to take
us, and without urging, Memphis dropped out
a rest and build a still, the mini-copter had
of sight. It was dusk, and he was gathering
tracked us all the way to where we’d f irst
brush for f irewood—unfortunate, because
spotted it—a degree of progress I’d have
the heat signature from even a small blaze
thought impossible. It had worked because
would be a beacon our tracker couldn’t fail to
rather than tracking us step-by-step the pilot
spot. But maybe there was a way to use him to
had landed periodically—presumably to f ind
our benefit. Carefully, I urged Memphis closer.

our trail Travis-style—then jumped ahead to

“Don’t get shot,” I added.

intercept it a klick or more later. The only

“Thanks. Are you sure this is worth the
place that had seriously slowed him down
time?” Nights were our best time to move,
was the canyon-maze where Memphis and I
when temperatures were cool enough that
had waited for dark, but once he found where
her sweat losses were minimal and we were
we’d left, he’d zipped all the way across the
harder to distinguish from animals.

valley and quickly refound our trail.

“Yes. Well, maybe. It depends.”

Worse, he’d somehow guessed which way

It took a half-hour to get close enough to
we were heading and was now leapfrogging
reach a low-power access port to his smart-
ahead to the higher peaks to the north, where
com like the one I’d used with Travis. By then

I’d hoped to f ind seep springs like the one
he’d collected a big armload of sticks and time
that had sustained us the afternoon before.

was running out. But unfortunately, his com

It took a moment to realize what had hap-
security was more than minimal. All I could
pened. Then I had it. The Others had watched
learn without too much risk of getting caught
me hit the Web, seen me grab the map, and
was that every evening at about this time, he
made sure our new tracker had the same one.

checked in with his wife, girlfriend, kid, or

Once he’d tracked us this far, he’d guessed our
whatever. For more than that, I was going to
destination and moved to cut us off. His next
have to wait for this evening’s call.

step would be to drive us back down the
range in the opposite direction.

For another forty minutes he puttered

As long as we had to stop to make solar
around as the sky darkened and time passed.

stills, we simply could not travel fast enough

At any moment, he’d light that fire, and we’d
not to keep ahead—and even if we could, this
have to leave. The copter pilot would never
far south, the caterpillar ranges had degraded
think we, ourselves, would be stupid enough
to relatively low, rocky ridges, no more than a
to do it, but he might come down here to re-
few dozen klicks long. Eventually we’d be
cruit the hunter as an extra pair of eyes. “Be
f lushed into the open desert where we’d be
careful, she’s already killed one person” would
easy prey.

be all it would take. If he did that, it would be

For months I’d wanted a better map. Now
unwise to be too close by, where either of
we were trapped, partly because I’d f inally
them might stumble across us.

gotten one. Irony is overrated.

But f inally, when Memphis’s nerves were
starting to become seriously frayed, he placed

We were saved by a late-season hunter.

the call.

We were practically on him before we spot-

I didn’t care what he said to his girlfriend . . .

ted him because, like us, he was a bow
or even if it was a girlfriend. What I needed hunter—though in his case for sport, not ne-was the chance to piggyback onto the Web.

cessity—and bow hunters don’t tend to be

Once there, I went to a message board I’d told
into big camps. I wondered how he intended

Floyd to pass on to Rudolph (a dating service,
to get a deer or antelope out of here, then fig-
the best thing I could think of on the f ly,
ured it was his problem. It wasn’t like there
where for added security, I’d set myself up as a
weren’t plenty of old roads around here that a
middle-aged male). Among the come-ons from
balloon-tired desert buggy could navigate.

people with names like Anastasia, Kaydence,

156

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Alyssa, and Shylayinni was the one I wanted: a
the land, so I know it’s possible. Mesquite
message from a guy who called himself The
seeds, wheat grass, grubs if you have to. I was

Right Stuff.

in so long the last time that my aunt and uncle

“Wow,” he wrote. “You’re a blast from the
gave me up for dead. Which, actually, came a
past. Not the most welcome, but I’ll bite.

lot closer to being the case than I’ve ever ad-

You’re now on my books as an employee.” In-
mitted before.

cluded was a Web account in the name of Kay

“The problem is that when spring comes,

Jones, about as nondescript a moniker as pos-
the place is a deathtrap. The waterpockets
sible.

haven’t yet dried up, but suddenly it’s so hot

“To make it look good,” he continued, “I’ll
you simply can’t carry enough water to get
even pay you. But our nearest office to where
out. And don’t think you’re smarter than I am,

Floyd Ashman says you’re operating is in
because I knew all the tricks. There’s a reason

Tonopah, Nevada. Or Elko, if that’s more con-
the Spanish called the old trail through there
venient. If you log in from within a couple
the Camino El Diablo. I forget how many
hundred kilometers of either of those, nobody
people died there, but it was a lot, and when
will see it as strange. From farther out, they
it heats up, you can’t even get to the main
might. I’m not sure I’m exactly looking for-
tanks because the terrain is too rough.”

ward to talking to you, but you’ve piqued my

Yet another pause, this one different.

curiosity.”

“Maybe that’s not your worst nightmare,

“Thanks,” I posted in reply. There wasn’t a
but damn . . . if I’m going to die in the wilder-
lot else to say. “I’ll get back to you when I
ness, sitting around a water hole waiting for it
can.”

to dry up isn’t the way I’d want it to happen.

Be careful, spring comes fast. I . . . I . . . Don’t There was also a voice message from some-count on the cool snap that saved me.”

one who called himself Space Cyclist.

“All right,” Floyd said, “I’ve asked T.R. to

A message like that deserved an answer but
contact you via this site, but be careful. You

I was momentarily taken aback. It was both
were right not trust him the first time around,
the Floyd I’d always known, and one I’d never
and if you need him now, something truly bad
known. War and Peace, the trilogy, plus an in-must have happened.”

sult to Memphis.

He paused. “I couldn’t help but notice

I began with the latter, startled by how
where you were when you sent your last mes-
much it irked me. “Thanks, but she might sur-
sage. That’s some harsh country, and not as
prise you.” I appended a memory-clip of her
good a place to hide as you may think. I sus-
shooting at Travis. If we disappeared forever,
pect you’re heading for the waterpockets at
at least he’d know why I was willing to trust
the south end of the Tinajas Altas Mountains, her with an option he called desperate.

but if that’s your plan, it’s a bad one. They’re

But that wasn’t fair because Floyd had put
the only reliable water for heaven only knows
his soul on the line in a way he’d never done
how far, and if I can f igure it out, whoever
before. He wouldn’t like it if I acknowledged
you’re hiding from can too.”

that directly, but there was something else I

He paused again. “If you’re really desperate,
could do.

there’s another option. But I’ve got to say,

“Tell Krestin the aliens didn’t have comput-

Brittney, it’s a scary one because as far as I can
ers.” I was composing at crisis-mode speed,
tell from the Web, your new host has the
but that didn’t mean I couldn’t throw in a
desert-survival skills of a houseplant. This
pause that would unspool at Floyd’s end at
place is the real deal. I found it when I was a
just the right speed for the double take I’d
kid, really wanting to disappear. Which I guess
have loved to watch. “The giveaway is in those
is what you’re after, so here goes.

ceiling features that might be lights. Even giv-

“Forget the main waterpockets. What I
en the aliens’ penchant for rosettes, they’re
found are seasonal ones, f ifteen or twenty
not optimally configured. Close, but not quite.

klicks to the north. It’s stunningly rough coun-

‘Close,’ in fact, only if you’re hand calculating
try, and I never saw a soul any time I went
or using something no more sophisticated
there. I once stayed three months, living off
than an abacus.

DEFENDER OF WORMS

157

ANALOG

“I have no clue why they never invented
microcams, he might also be using them to
computers.” Maybe they’re a uniquely human
check out hidey-holes he couldn’t easily see
idea. Or maybe the aliens destroyed them after
from the air.

f inding they’d created their own version of

If there’d been two helicopters chasing us,
the Others. “But ‘Why’ doesn’t matter. What
we’d never have had a chance. One could sim-
matters is that if you look at the rosettes this
ply have gone to the other end of the range
way, you realize they’re all f ield generators.

and done a similar sweep the opposite direc-

Imperfect, but adequate.

tion, in a pincer movement that would even-

“Consider those gadgets under the f loor-
tually catch us in the middle.

boards. The aliens must have had artif icial

But how do you f ind people willing to do
gravity because the ship we found was de-
such things? In vids, it’s done in seedy taverns
signed to be walked around on, even in flight.

or by knowing people who know people who

Ten-to-one those ‘barnacles’ are artificial-grav-

. . . among other things, can vouch that you’re
ity generators. And if that’s the case, I’d bet
not a cop. For someone like me or the Others,
the drive units are antigravity pushers.

it would be more difficult. They’d found two

“That means the f loorboard units are the
assassin/trackers, but not a third.

key. If you can get one to work, you’ve got the

Meanwhile, the obvious direction to go was
key to the drive units. And if you can develop
south—on down the mountain range, hoping
an antigravity pusher, I sure as hell know how
the helicopter ran out of fuel before we were
to focus it better than the aliens did. That
f inally forced out onto the bajada and proba-
would mean a better space drive, plus honest-
ble death. But . . . how did the hunter intend to-goodness brakes, rather than that crashing-to get a deer, or antelope, out of here?

into-things-under-stasis method the aliens used.

A quick look at my map found a road dead-

“Those were not generation ships.” I gave
ending in a canyon less than two klicks away.

another artif icial pause to let that soak in.

Could there be a buggy parked right there?

“That means the drive units had a lot of push.

Memphis was all for checking it out. The

Figure them out, and you could live to see the
moon was little more than a f ingernail clip-
moons of Alpha Centauri.” I paused again, this
ping in the western sky, but she'd been roam-
time for real. “Wish us luck. We need to disap-
ing the desert at night long enough to be con-
pear long enough that some people will think
f ident that if there was anything down there
we died.”

to find, she could find it.

It was one of those situations where sims

Meanwhile, the hunter was getting near to
and human thinking reach opposite results.

lighting his fire. Time to leave.

Sims said that what we’d been doing would

Briefly, I wondered what our tracker did to
keep us alive another twenty-four to thirty-six
make sure we didn’t double back and escape
hours. It was the logical way to maximize ex-
behind him at night. He had to have thought
pected lifespan. Human thinking said there
of it and was probably hoping we’d try. My
comes a time when sims fail—when you see a
best guess was that he’d dusted the moun-
chance, however unlikely, and grab for it. You
tains near his camp and adjacent bajadas
live, you die, but by heavens, hell, or whatev-
with a picket line of microcams that could
er, you try.

alert him to the passage of anything bigger

A million vids said this was how humans
than a jackrabbit. Luckily, such cams had lim-
thought. A million credits said the Others
ited range, and even more limited battery
hadn’t bothered to notice.

life, or he’d have long ago circled us with an

There might be no buggy. The hunter might
electronic noose he could tighten at his
have parked elsewhere. Hell, he might never
leisure.

have expected to find a deer and had no plans

As it was, every deer, coyote, or antelope
for packing one out.

that tripped his sensor line was our friend,

Logic said continue south, hoping for a mir-
robbing him of sleep as he checked it out. But
acle. Human thinking— worm thinking—said
still, I had to assume that behind us was a
this is the chance.

tech-barrier helping him to slowly, inexorably

“Let’s go for it,” I said.

sweep us into the open. If he had enough

158

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

The desert buggy was right where I’d

It wasn’t anything the Others would do.

hoped to find it: a simple solar-electric with a

It was something a human would.

cargo bed big enough to haul out anything the

“Your choice,” I said. “Roll the dice now, or
hunter might shoot. More importantly, it had
keep fighting for small advantages.”

supplies. A whole bag of food and two giant

I knew what she’d say, because Memphis is
water jugs, still nearly full. It was like raiding
human. A worm unworthy of the Others’ con-
the cabin, but riskier.

sideration. “Let’s go for it.”

Memphis was staring at the driver’s cockpit.

“Can you hot-wire this thing?” she asked.

VI

The answer was probably, depending on

Dawn found us on the east slope of the
how the lock worked. I played around with it

Tinajas Altas, a few klicks south of Floyd’s wa-
and got in almost instantly: a simple permuta-
terpockets. Just in case someone was still
tion of the hunter’s com-code, which I'd got-
tracking us, when we left the buggy, we’d
ten from his com the moment he logged on. I
walked an angling course in slightly the
kicked on the engine while trying to sim what
wrong direction, as though heading for the

I knew of electric motors’ eff iciency cycles.

main waterpockets. Then, when we were off

We could only do this if the buggy’s and our
the outwash plains onto f irmer rock, we’d
combined heat signatures were no bigger than
turned south, in a f inal effort to confuse our
a deer’s.

trail before finally hitting even firmer rock and

Along with the food and water was a tarp,
heading north to our true destination.

probably to cover a deer, plus a lot of bulky

It was the best I could do.

clothing. An idea started to form. The motor

Before leaving the buggy, we’d stolen sever-
was buried beneath the cargo bed, which
al liters of the hunter’s water supply—a game
would do much to mask its heat signature,
changer for us, but a small-enough fraction of
and the buggy had a remarkably sophisticated
his total that I hoped he’d never notice. I’d
autopilot—yet another of the over-engineered
also let Memphis take a few staples, plus—af-

AIs that Earth humans seemed enamored of
ter much debate—a couple of candy bars, un-
using for virtually everything.

der the presumption the hunter had enough

That meant Memphis didn’t have to drive.

that there wasn’t much chance he’d miss

She didn’t even have to sit in the driver’s seat.

them. What we didn’t touch were obviously

She could mask her heat signature by hud-
special items, such as a bottle of apricot
dling beneath the tarp while the autopilot
brandy and a fifth of Jim Beam.

took us where we wanted to go.

From the quantity of supplies, shooting a

In theory, we could go dozens of klicks
deer didn’t seem to have been his priority.

then send the desert buggy off for dozens

Nor did going home anytime in the near fu-
more in case someone followed its tracks. By
ture. We were lucky he’d been in the habit of
morning, it could be back here with instruc-
phoning home at all. A true Floyd-type might
tions to park exactly where it now was, rede-
have disappeared for a month and not used
ploy its solar fan, forget where it had gone,
his com unless his life depended on it.

and (maybe) recharge before its owner no-

Without the need to build a still, we spent
ticed.

the morning at the base of a cliff, watching

When I’d first thought of coming here, my
the distant black dot of the helicopter begin-
idea had been to steal water, maybe a bit of
ning its morning sweep.

food, and hope those would give us the edge

The night before, contrary to my fears, it
to outlast the helicopter—another safe, logical
hadn't moved, perhaps because doing so
plan. This was an all-or-nothing gamble. If the
would have left its picket line of microcams
hunter came back before the buggy returned,
unattended. Now, within hours, it had
if he did so before it recharged, if our efforts to reached the hunter’s camp, landed brief ly,
mask its heat signature weren’t sufficient . . . if then continued south. By tonight, the pilot
any of these, the Others would spot us imme-
would be close to the south end of the range,
diately, or the hunter would report the theft to
on high alert to the prospect of us making a
the police, vastly multiplying the number of
run for it. By the time he realized he’d lost us,
people on our trail.

it would be tomorrow.

DEFENDER OF WORMS

159

ANALOG

Meanwhile, a band of thin clouds marked a

“Emily Dickinson. There’s also ‘Consider
weak storm front that might, if we were lucky,
the lilies of the field . . .’”

generate enough wind to blow our tracks

“You really like the Bible.”

away. Without a bigger search party than the

“The Bible and Shakespeare are my best

Others had so far been able to recruit, we
sources on what it means to be human. But
might again be off the grid.

I’ve always wondered if it’s relevant to me.”

Memphis had closed her eyes, but now she

It had been a long time since we’d taken a
opened them, treating me to a view of moun-
lazy day, so once we were sure the helicopter
tain, sky, and an ocotillo whose spiny branch-
wasn’t coming for us, Memphis relaxed in the
es arced toward the heavens. “It has to be.

sun, napping occasionally. Later, as the wind

You’re a better person than most people.”

lived up to its promise, she sorted the supplies

Her face stretched in a grin I could have felt
she’d cadged from the desert buggy.

even before I’d gotten used to the implants.

“What do you want to do when we get out

“Even if you do tend to geek out on me occa-
of here?” I asked.

sionally.”

She pulled back a corner of the wrapper on

“Floyd used to say the same thing.”

one of the hunter’s candy bars and broke off a

“You talk about him all the time,” she said.

tiny bite. “Will we? Get out, that is?” She took

“But you also hold back.” She gazed at the
another nibble. “As far as I can tell, these
ocotillo. “Start with this. What did he look
things of yours . . . entities . . . whatever . . . are like?”

relentless. Even if everyone else thinks we’re

“Unh . . .” Floyd looked like Floyd. Seventy-
dead, if they ever get a whiff of us, it’ll be the
seven kilos. A hundred eighty centimeters.

past few days all over again.”

Grey eyes, salt-and-pepper hair, stubbly beard

She shifted against the rock, seeking the
that came and went. “I can’t tell you,” I said.

best contour against which to lean. “But you

“And I don’t have any way to project an image.”

know, right now I’m not worrying about

“Yes, you do.” She nibbled another bite of
when we get out. This minute, this hour, is
candy, then laid it carefully aside. She found a
pretty good. Way better than most of what I
stick and searched out a patch of dirt beneath
remember.”

a large saltbush. “Draw him. And yeah, you

“A good day is one when nobody’s trying to
can consider that permission. I’ll tell you if I
kill you?”

need a break, but until that happens, my arm

She laughed. “True. But that’s not what I
is your arm.”

meant. I’ve been feeling this way off and on
for weeks. ‘Today’ should be my favorite day. I

An hour later, I’d done the best I could.

learned that in kindergarten. Where did it

Memphis examined the result. “He’s kind of
come from?”

cute in a weather-beaten way. No wonder that

“Probably Winnie the Pooh. But it’s not just
scientist you told me about went for him.”

kindergarten. ‘Present mirth hath present

Floyd and cute weren’t words that had ever laughter/What’s to come is still unsure.’ That
before crossed my mind in conjunction.

one’s Shakespeare.”

Maybe I’d over-prettied him up. But how

“Carpe Diem. We had to memorize it in
could I do that? He was just Floyd.

school, which seems strange now that I think

Memphis wiped out the image with her
about it, since ‘carpe diem’ wasn’t what any-
hand, smoothing the surface until we were
one’s parents were thinking when they
both satisf ied no tracker could ever distin-
packed us off to Switzerland.”

guish it from the temporary lair of a javelina,

My turn to laugh. “Good teachers are born
coyote, or whatever else might be around.

subversives.”

“Who said that?”

Back at her pack, she retrieved the candy

“Me. But this one’s from an old saint: ‘Yes-
bar. “I dodged your question,” she said. She
terday is gone. Tomorrow has yet to come. We
settled back again, her gaze taking in rocks,
have only today.’”

sky, and mountain-serrated horizon. “I would

“Mother Teresa. How about this: ‘Forever is
never in my wildest imaginings have thought
composed of nows.’”

I’d like a place like this. But it’s simple, direct.

160

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

My life, not somebody else’s—even if I did get
futures trader. That wasn’t something that
forced into it. But if I could, I might be ready
generally had anything to do with actual min-
for something more . . . useful. I was headed
ing, but maybe he’d diversif ied after f inding
for that once, but got sidetracked.”

our giant diamond. Or maybe trading in min-

“What were you planning?”

ing futures also entailed keeping abreast of

“I never quite figured it out. I was too busy
prospecting methods and discoveries. Not
trying to prove I was worth even half as much
that it mattered. For the f irst time in far too
as my sisters.” Her gaze again swept the hori-
long, I had honest-to-goodness Web access.

zon. “What do you miss most from your old

Was this how Memphis had felt about the
life? Other than him.”

chocolate? Hard to tell. Besides, this “choco-

A lot, I thought. Floyd and Pilken debating late” could save our lives.

space-bike construction. The simple elegance
of computing a trajectory. The opportunities

Whoever it was who first said “business be-
to satisfy my curiosity about things nobody
fore pleasure” must have been a workaholic.

had seen before. Harsh landscapes so like

Or maybe he just wanted to make sure the
this, but so different. “It was my home,” I
business part was done eff iciently. My f irst
said. “And even if people there were few and
message to Rudolph as Kay Jones was a case in
far between, there was a sense of shared pur-
point. Quick and to the point, that is. “It took a
pose. . . .”

while,” I wrote, “but we made it. When can

“Community.”

we talk?” Twelve words, business completed.

“Yes. No. Yes.” How could I explain? Floyd

Then I hit the dating site, looking for Floyd.

was a loner in a community of loners. A com-

Again, he’d written twice, but this time the
munity that brought songs with them that
first message was the short one.

made their hearts ache for what they’d left,

“Good luck,” he’d said. “Try not to die for
but who would never return, even as the
real. And sorry I insulted your new host. But

Indian captives Memphis told me about re-
what the hell is going on? Why is she shooting
fused to go back when traditional logic said
arrows at people? And why does nobody, in-

“back” was the obvious choice.

cluding her family, even seem to care? If you’re

“We had that in Switzerland, too,” Memphis
trying to protect me, there’s no need. It’s not
said. “The psych literature calls it Boarding
like someone’s going to spend a year in a can

School Syndrome. In a weird way, those were
coming all the way out here just to get kicked
my favorite years because I had friends who
out an airlock if he tries to kill me or anyone
felt the same way.”

else. So, again, what the hell is going on?”

She again settled into her rocky seat. “This

The second message wasn’t posted until
is good. And I never, ever, would have
weeks afterward, though it sounded like Floyd
thought I’d say something like that about a
might have been adding to it, bit by bit, for
place like this. But if we get out of here, ‘pur-
quite awhile before he posted it.

pose’ and ‘community’ might be better yet.”

“Sorry if I got a little heated last time,” he

She broke off another tiny nibble of candy.

began, “but I’m not used to feeling helpless.”

“Not to mention chocolate. That would be

There was a hiccup in the sound and a slight
nice, too.”

change in tone quality, like you might get if
you shifted locations. “I’ve decided to take no

VII
news as good news, especially since Ms. Lind-

Five months later we were near the base of
gren’s family couldn’t bury the news if she
something called Horse Heaven Mountain,
was found dead in the desert even if they
though there weren’t any horses and it didn’t
wanted to. Hell, if I myself had died that way
look all that much like paradise—just a non-
it would have been news, and I was nobody.”

descript Nevada peak, close enough to

There was a pause, but this time the sound

Rudolph’s Elko off ice that I could f inally use
quality didn’t change. “Though the places
the account he’d created for me.

you’re in are so remote you could easily die

Not that I was all that sure what Rudolph
and not be discovered for years, if ever.”

did in Elko. Back before he tried to kill Floyd He started to say something else, but inand me at Saturn, he’d made his riches as a
stead there was another hiccup. When he

DEFENDER OF WORMS

161

ANALOG
came back, his voice was bright, chipper.

Floyd in emotion-suppressing mode. “Your

There was a lot there to think about, but
ideas on artif icial-gravity generators have
one part was simple. “Great idea with the 3D
everybody abuzz, though I had to credit them
printer/scanner,” I replied, “but what if the
to ‘a friend from Saturn.’ It’s the best clue
reason things keep blowing up is that that’s
we’ve had yet, though so far we haven’t got-
how the aliens’ materials age, creating f laws
ten one of the f loor units to work. Like the
that either cause them to sit there doing noth-
damn lights, they have a tendency to blow up
ing or go bang. Maybe the only reason the
when plugged into the wrong power sup-
lights worked is that they’re simple enough
ply—either that or sit there and do nothing.

you could f ind one that hadn’t deteriorated

“The engineers think that says something
too much. If so, your scanner/printer won’t
about the underlying principles. Krestin
do anything but duplicate defective units. But
thinks it’s another indicator the aliens had dif-
what if you do like the molecular biologists
ferent ideas of safety—either because they
did when they brought back the ivory-billed
never made mistakes, or because they simply
woodpecker?”

didn’t care if they occasionally blew them-
selves up. Personally, I think the fact anything

VIII
still works well enough to blow up means the Wherever Rudolph had been, he’d not been
aliens built well. They may simply not have
far from the Web. I had a response within min-
been used to failures.

utes. “Talk away,” he said.

“Meanwhile, everyone’s getting tired of de-

“Uh-uh. I want to meet in person.”

stroying the things. It’s not like they’re in short The dating site chat feature was fast, but
supply, but it seems kind of wasteful, so we’re
there was still a delay. “Fine. The Elko office is
trying another approach.” A pause. “Okay,
on Silver Street. I’m currently in Belize, but I’ll this one was my idea.

be in San Francisco on Wednesday and can

“Geneva wanted us to send some back to
come up with an excuse to come out that

Earth for detailed study, but most of us out
way.”

here don’t like they way they keep trying to

“Wednesday’s f ine,” I said. “But we can’t
grab control. So I ordered up the best 3D
just walk into Elko.” We’d never survive if we
chem-scanner and printer I could afford—
tried. “You’ll have to come get us.”

which, thanks to you is pretty good—with the

“You’re kidding.”

idea that we’ll scan one of those devices every

“I’ll make it worth your while.”

way from Sunday, then do our best to repro-

“And how are you going to do that?”

duce it. Then, at least we’ll be blowing up du-

“I’ll give you 5 percent of my rights to any-
plicates rather than originals.

thing that comes out of the artifacts in Gene-

“It’s odd. I just realized I’ve been saying ‘we’

va.”

a lot. After Krestin and I broke up, I thought

“In case you haven’t noticed, you have no

I’d dropped out and was just shuttling sup-
rights on this planet.”

plies. But now, for the first time I can remem-

“Okay, I’ll get Floyd to assign them to you.”

ber, you’ve made me feel like part of a group.

“Half. And you have to destroy your f iles

Or maybe it’s just because it sucks watching
from Pan.”

Geneva grab credit when people out here are

“Good try.” Depending on what happened,
the ones who’ve given up their lives to figur-

I might need those for life insurance. “Ten per-
ing it all out.”

cent.”

There was one f inal hiccup, which some-

We settled on 20 percent, which wasn’t as
how seemed to cover more time than all the
bad as it could have been. Not to mention that
others combined. “Krestin’s been starting to
if I was right about the ivory-bills, the real dis-
look at me oddly, as though wondering if she
coveries would be coming from Triton.

made a mistake. I don’t want to do that again.

It was you she loved; she just didn’t know it. I

The message from Floyd came a few hours
may not be anything special, but that never
later. “Woodpeckers? I suppose I could look it
bothered me before.” Then there were no
up on the Web, but that’s as far away as you
more hiccups.

are. What was it I used to say when you tried

162

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
to make me play guessing games like that?

I didn’t try to hack into Rudolph’s security

‘Get to the point?’ I’m glad to hear from you,
cams, so I’m not sure what Memphis looked
though—especially because it sounds like
like walking through the hallways, but from
you’re not in immediate danger. But you still
the covert (and not-so-covert) stares we re-
haven’t told me what’s going on.”

ceived, she must have been a sight. Maybe it

The ability to smile might be one of the
was the bow and backpack, which she’d po-
body-things I most regret not having. “Your ac-
litely refused to hand over for storage. “Who-
tual words,” I said, “used to be, ‘Damn it,
ever I was before these is gone,” she said

Brittney . . .’

when I told her I hoped they’d no longer be

“What the woodpecker folks did was to
needed. “This is me, and I want to know
take a sample from a museum specimen, dis-
where they are.”

sect it cell-by-cell, then sequence the DNA in
each cell individually. Since each cell had de-

Superficially, Rudolph hadn’t changed, oth-
graded differently, compiling the results let
er than being a little older and a little more . . .

them recreate the original DNA. My sugges-

Rudolph . . . I guess is the way to put it. Still tion is that you do the same with the antigrav-the same shaggy hair, sun-weathered face, and
ity units, scanning hundreds of them for
bushy eyebrows. But he was also subtly differ-
match-points and differences. That should
ent: the alpha male in his own lair.

give you a template for what the units were

Don’t trust him, I told Memphis. If he’s got like before they degraded.

scruples, I don’t know where they are.

“One caveat. From what you’ve sent me,

So you told me. She shrugged out of her
the aliens were into field focusing. So in doing
backpack and propped it in a corner, bow be-
your scans, pick samples from the same posi-
side it.

tions in their rosettes. I’ve been playing with

Rudolph wagged two fingers at the Securi-
f ield-focusing models and the only way they
ty officer who’d escorted us from the copter
work is if each unit in the rosette generated a
landing, dismissing her. “You don’t look much
slightly different field.

like your publicity,” he said, swiveling a vid

“As for me, I’ll tell you more later, depend-
screen toward us so we could see an image of
ing on what happens. But I now understand

Memphis taken by some long-ago paparazzo.

what you liked about the desert. I’d thought it

Slinky party dress, drink in hand, blowing an
would be boring as hell, but it isn’t—though I

F-you kiss to the photographer. “Not that
don’t think I’d want to do it forever.

that’s a bad thing. From what I can see, you

“I’m not sure what Memphis wants . . . but I
were well on the road to permanent inebria-
won’t abandon her.” Whatever that meant.

tion. But it’s a long way from that” —he waved a hand at the screen—“to this”—he motioned

Rudolph’s copter arrived three days later,
to the bow and backpack.

though he wasn’t on it, and we weren’t going

Memphis started to speak but it was time
to Elko. Not that it mattered so long as there
for me to take charge. “Cut the crap,” I said,
weren’t any cams the Others could hack
appropriating the vidscreen’s speakers. “It’s
when we climbed aboard.

me you want to talk to.”

Hours later, we were in his San Francisco of-

Rudolph settled back in his chair. “I won-
fices, having been smuggled in by the simple
dered when you’d show yourself.”

expedient of landing on the roof. That made for

Memphis glanced at the screen, which was
a very private meeting, but also meant that if
still displaying the photo of her. Do you actu-

Rudolph and I didn’t reach an agreement, Mem-
ally have an appearance? she asked me.

phis and I might have a difficult time escaping.

Yes, I can be anything I want. But for all

But I’d always known that and on the long hike
his apparent calm, Rudolph would never for-
north had made sure she understood. To date,
get what I’d done to him on Pan. It wouldn’t

Rudolph and I had survived each other because
hurt to maintain an aura of invisible omni-

I hadn’t asked too much of him and had been
science.

out of his reach if he ever wanted to renegotiate

For several thousand milliseconds, Rudolph
the hard way. The moment we walked into his
and I waited each other out—long enough for
office, all of that was up for grabs.

Memphis to edge into the corner near her

DEFENDER OF WORMS

163

ANALOG
backpack, subconsciously falling into the role

The change actually made the details of
of bystander.

what I wanted simpler: a private shuttle for

“Okay,” Rudolph said at length. “As I said

Memphis and me, ASAP, to any e-rail capable
before, ‘I bite.’ What do you want?”

of reaching Neptune. For someone with

“To get off Earth, with the understanding

Rudolph’s resources, it was a piece of cake.

that our deal is off if anything happens to

The problem was that it was too much a

Memphis after my chips have been removed.”

piece of cake.

“Why would I hurt her? You I don’t like, but

“Why me?” he said. “Not to put too f ine a
she’s nothing to me.”

point on it, but you could buy all of that com-

Maybe, but I needed him to know I cared. I
mercially for a fraction of what you’re offering.

won’t abandon her. Now I knew what it

Why do I think you’re not telling me the
meant. “She’s also going to need cosmetic
whole story?”

surgery and the Kay Jones identity.”

He leaned back in his chair with the barest

Rudolph shrugged. “She can have the job,
trace of a not-very-pleasant smile.

too, if she wants it.”

“And why, for that matter, are you so wor-

“Then we have a deal.”

ried about a failure like her?” He waved at

“Wait a second,” Memphis interjected.

Memphis, who instantly stiffened.

Huh? This had been the plan. As Kay Jones, Cool it, I said. Consider the source.

she could disappear back into the desert until

The smile was now more than a trace. A cat
she figured out what she wanted to do next.

who thought he’d found a canar y. “She

She could even do it as Kay Jones. It was the doesn’t like that, does she? But it’s true. I can
safest way.

see why you might be sentimental about her,

Rudolph chuckled but his eyes remained
but you seem to think there’s a real threat to
unreadable. “It sounds like you’ve got some
her safety, and it certainly doesn’t come from
dissention among the troops.”

me. I checked: her parents may be big stuff,

I know, I know, Memphis was saying. We but she’s nothing. Pretty nothing, even in that
talked about this and it’s what I wanted.Shit,
getup, but nothing nonetheless.” He smiled

I was the one who suggested it. But the mo-
again. “No offense intended.”

ment I stepped into this building . . . it’s like Don’t, I said, unnecessarily as it turned out.

being in a cage. Maybe that’s how your guy

“No offense taken,” she said. “My life these

Floyd felt.

last few years hasn’t exactly been a model.”

Her gaze returned to the image on the

Rudolph folded his hands across his belly,
screen. But that picture is what really did
which was far more toned than his large frame
it. There’s been nothing useful in my life
might indicate. Memphis noticed, too, and
since I got out of jail. No future, either.

sidestepped a few centimeters toward her

Then, in all those places you and I went . . .

bow.

you both lose yourself and find yourself . . .

Don’t, I repeated.

but however much we talked about work

“So,” Rudolph said, “Unless you tell me why
and community, for me it was always
you need to do this so secretly—not to men-
mañana. If I go back now . . . mañana might
tion what it is you’ve been hiding from all
never come. And if, after finding yourself,
these months—I’m going to get a little ner-
you never get around to doing anything
vous. And that’s not something you want.”

with it, what’s the point?

From the moment I’d f irst contacted him,

You’re sure?

I’d been afraid it might come to this. Some-

Yes. If I’m serious about a fresh start, now
times, I guess, you just have to show your
is the time, and there’s more for me out there
cards, even to an enemy.

than back here.

“Okay,” I said. “The problem is that I’m not

Okay. Then, aloud: “No. We just had a
the only one of my type. I didn’t know that
change of plan.”

back at Saturn, but they’re here: sentient AIs

But I know how much you miss him,
floating around the Web who are accustomed

Memphis added. Once we get out there,
to doing whatever they want.”

you’re still free.

“How many?”

“One, two, many—it’s hard to describe.”

164

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“And why is this a problem?”

Information is power, but if Rudolph lived

“Because they expected me to become one
in a world in which everyone sought that kind
of them and they’re not a . . . community . . . I
of power over even the people closest to
wish to join. Unfortunately, they’ve not been
them, he must be a lonely man indeed. Me, I’d
all that interested in taking ‘no’ for an answer.

long ago told Memphis about Yokomichi and

If possible, I’d rather not be . . . kidnapped.”

the dance—information that offered her far

Or killed, but there was no reason to let
more power over my core sense of self-worth

Rudolph know exactly how desperate I was.

than anything she might know about my foray

Rudolph was silent for a long moment. So
into frontier justice.

was I. Cards on the table. Most of them, any-

“But if you like,” Rudolph said, “I’m willing
way.

to make the assignment of rights revocable if

“So you’re telling me the Web is crawling
you fail to arrive safely at Neptune.” A printer
with things like you,” he said, “doing exactly
burped, and he extracted a sheet. “Mean-
what?”

while, for things like this I prefer the perma-

Dancing, recombining, mating, I thought.

nence of old-fashioned paper. Sign here,

But that didn’t sound as scary as they were.

please, Ms. Lindgren.” He looked at his watch.

“Making sure nobody finds them.”

“Once you’ve signed, I’ll blip a copy out to Mr.

Rudolph steepled his hands and propped

Ashman. Then we wait. There’s a conference
his chin against them. Then he leaned back
room down the hall where you can relax. I
again. “Seventy-five percent.”

can have someone bring you food and new

“Twenty-five. Besides, if they do kidnap me,
clothes if you like. But I do need you to leave
they’ll learn all about Pan.”

your pack and weapon here.”

“Two-thirds.”

We settled on thirty-five. “Unless,” Rudolph

Eight hours later, I was again legally Floyd’s.

said, “you’re holding back another surprise.”

“Good,” Rudolph said. We were back in his

“I’m not.”

office, which, as far as I could tell, he hadn’t

“Good.” He swiveled his monitor back to-
left. Whatever I thought of him, lazy wasn’t ward himself. “Though as we discussed be-on the list. If anything, each stage in the
fore, you’re not a legal entity here on Earth, so
process seemed to have energized him. “Now
we’ll have to do this through Mr. Ashman. But
all I have to do is arrange a canister.”

f irst, Ms. Lindgren, you have to relinquish

He returned to his screen, which he let us
ownership of the implant known as Brittney
see for the f irst time since he’d printed the
and assign it to Floyd Ashman. He will then
sales contract to Floyd.

lease it back to you.” Rudolph was enjoying

“That’ll take . . . lemme see . . . three weeks
the opportunity to call me an it. “When that’s to get you booked for the fastest possible tra-done, Mr. Ashman will contract with me to
jectory. But in the interim, we can send you to
have you transported to Neptune with utmost

Luna—”

discretion.”

Then another voice came from his speaker.

“Just so ‘utmost discretion’ doesn’t turn

“Sorry, but I’m afraid we can’t let you do this.”

into ‘misplaced,’” I said.

Rudolph recoiled. “What the—”

“What, you don’t trust me?”

A visual appeared showing a trim, dark-

“No.”

skinned man of indeterminate age, wearing

Rudolph’s eyes hardened. “When you play
the insignia of the U.N. Investigative Security
for high stakes, things can get a little rough.

Services. A nametag proclaimed him to be

But it’s also necessary to be realistic. Yes, you

Capt. Joseph Yeboah. “I’m sorry to startle
caused me a good deal of grief, and if you and
you like that,” he said, “but since we do not
certain f iles disappeared, I wouldn’t mourn.

think you realized you were on the verge of

But what you’re offering is of greater bene-
committing a class 2A international felony, it
fit.”

seemed best to get your attention immedi-

He paused, and I realized from the way he
ately.” Yeboah’s eyes wandered, seeking
was dancing around the facts, he wasn’t sure
something to f ix on. “Would you mind en-

I’d told Memphis all that had happened on Pan
gaging two-way visuals so I can see you as
and how I’d used it to make Floyd and me rich.

we talk?”

DEFENDER OF WORMS

165

ANALOG

“Not until I know what this is about,”

possible, I outlined how I had arrived in Gene-

Rudolph said.

va and how I’d left. “The only information I

“Fair enough.” Yeboah’s voice was as crisp
took away was what I brought in. The Others
as the uniform he was wearing. “We have
made the rest of it up.”

come into information that you are in posses-

“That doesn’t matter.” Rudolph was still an-
sion of cargo stolen from a U.N. research facil-
gry. “What matters is what ISS thinks. If they
ity in Geneva eleven months ago,” he said. Im-
think there’s a conspiracy, there might as well
ages flashed in rapid succession: security-cam
have been one.”

shots of the Mutt-and-Jeff technicians who’d

“Maybe,” Memphis said. “But only if that
removed me from the skimmer, shots of some-
guy’s a real cop.”

one boarding a jetliner, pictures of the sur-

Rudolph did a double take—his second of
geons implanting me in Memphis, and more
the morning, which was probably a record.

yet of me sleep-walking her around Vancou-

“You forgot I was here too, didn’t you?”

ver. “At the time, it looked like a simple theft

Memphis said. “But I mean it. He’s not a real
of valuable chips that, by right of salvage, be-
cop.”

longed to the Space Agency. But it was a sur-

“How do you know?”

prisingly sophisticated operation—sophisti-

“Because I’m the one who’s actually been
cated enough we now think it was part of a
arrested. When they come for you, they don’t
ploy to plant a spy within the research facility
do it all nice and polite like that. And they sure
to obtain data for a competing facility, off-
as hell don’t ask you to wait for them to come

Earth. It is imperative that we obtain those
get you.” Her voice was shaking. “Surprise
chips, so we can find out precisely what data
and humiliation, that’s what they like. Trust
may have been lost.”

me, this is not a real cop, and his agents are

“What makes you think I know anything
going to be private investigators or worse. If
about this?” Rudolph asked.

you give us to them, we’re dea—”

“Two things. First, you are in the process of

Don’t say it. Information is power.

making short-notice plans to book a habitat

“—def initely not going to give you what
capsule to Neptune. And secondly”—
you want,” she concluded, the hitch nicely

Yeboah’s face had reappeared, but now it was
masked by emotion.

replaced by an image of Memphis in torn

Rudolph’s gaze was now fixed on Memphis
jeans with bow and backpack, apparently in
herself, rather than trying to burrow through
one of Rudolph’s hallways—“this was recent-
her into me. This time she didn’t recoil.

ly blipped from your building with the caption

“Okay,” he said. “It’s not that it hasn’t crossed

‘What the f—?’ and a few sexual comments
my mind that this might be a bit too pat.” He
we needn’t repeat. To save you future embar-
touched his com. “Arturo, I want all you can
rassment and possible criminal charges, we
get me on an ISS cop named Joseph Yeboah.

ask that you turn her over to our agents, who

Once you’ve done that, find out who the hell
are, as we speak, en route to San Francisco.”

blipped a photo out of here yesterday and fire

Rudolph hit a button. “Okay,” he said, “He’s
his ass in a way that makes sure nobody ever
now talking to an AI self-sim I’ve got that does
hires him again.”

a decent job of stalling people while I’m off-

His gaze returned to the screen. “If that’s an
line, though I don’t know how long it can
avatar, it’s a really good one, but one thing
hold him because it’s not programmed for any-
these Others of yours don’t lack is computing
thing like this.” His eyes were on Memphis,
power. They may know by now they’re get-
angry enough I could feel her fighting not to
ting the stall, but until Arturo gets back to me,
shirk away, even though she had to know the

I’ve got nothing to say to them.”

target of his anger was me, not her. “I thought
you said no more surprises.”

Three minutes later, Rudolph’s com buzzed.

With the monitor engaged, I had to find an-

“Talk to me,” he said. He listened for a
other speaker. But even Rudolph’s relatively
long moment, as I strained to enhance the

Spartan off ice was full of electronics, and I
tiny noises escaping from his earpiece. But
found what I wanted through a book-reader.

Rudolph was wise to that trick, and whatev-

“There’s no spy plot,” I said. As concisely as
er sound-baff ling tech he was using was

166

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
better than my enhancement abilities. “How

“Where is Yeboah’s office?” I asked.

long? . . . Any signs of tampering? . . . Blip

“Geneva.”

me a pic and a voice sample . . . Got it.

“How fast can you retain a lawyer in Gene-

Good job. If you f ind anything else, let me
va?”

know.”

Rudolph consulted a clock. Here, it was late

He cut the com and looked up.

night but in Europe it was midmorning. “Soon

“Okay, he’s forty-two years old, born in
enough.”

Ghana, spent the better part of two decades

“Get one, and send him . . . or her . . . to
working his way up the ranks in ISS. Arturo

Yeboah’s off ice. Have him do what’s needed
found f iles going all the way back, plus
to talk to Yeboah, in person, now.”

newsvids of him busting hacks, thefts, and in-

“Why not use the com?”

dustrial espionage. Arturo swears the date

“Because the Others will have anticipated
stamps are valid, and Arturo is good at what
that and found a way to intercept the call.”

he does. Sorry, but I think we’re dealing with

But going in person was something they
a real guy. That doesn’t mean it’s a real crime,
wouldn’t have prepared for. Why waste time
but if he thinks it is, my sim is engaging in real
doing something that way when it could be
obstruction of justice.”

done electronically in an instant? Unless

Memphis’s eyes swiveled toward the corner
you’ve lived with humans—with worms—it’s
where she’d propped her bow and backpack,
an impossible concept. “I bet if you talk to the
but Rudolph’s visitor chair was deep and com-
real guy, he has no idea any of this is going
fy, and levering herself out of it to grab for the
on.”

bow would be awkward.

Rudolph lowered the gun. “Okay, that

When she looked back, Rudolph had pro-
might be kind of fun.”

duced a tiny gun with the speed of a magician

“Forty-five percent?” I asked.

demonstrating that there actually was some-

“Don’t push your luck.”

thing up his sleeve. “Sorry,” he said, though
nothing in his voice sounded contrite. “High

Five minutes later, the ever-resourceful Ar-
stakes and all that. I really don’t want to go to
turo had plied a law f irm in Geneva with
jail.”

enough cash to send an associate dashing to

“What about Pan?” I asked.

Yeboah’s office. “Not that this means he’ll be

Rudolph’s lip curve was devoid of humor.

there,” Rudolph said.

“Ever hear of a plea bargain? I give them you

“If he isn’t, they’ll know where to f ind
two, they let all of that drop. It wasn’t exactly
him,” I said. “I’m betting he’ll be rather star-
in their jurisdiction, anyway. It might be a bit
tled to find out he’s talking to you right now.

embarrassing, but it’ll blow over. The only rea-

Speaking of which, he still is, right?”

son I didn’t quit paying you off years ago is

Rudolph checked his monitor. “Yes.” His
that you were smart enough to keep the
head cocked, listening to his earpiece. “I’m
stakes low. Now, they’ve grown.”

amazed the program’s held him this long.

His free hand reached for the mute button

They’re talking about soccer. I’d have been
on the screen. “I think I’m ready to talk to
apoplectic a long time ago.”

Captain Yeboah.”

“That’s because the Others need to stall too

“Wait!” I said. “What if we can prove he’s
until their thugs get here.” To them, my ap-
not real?”

pearance in San Francisco was probably a sur-

Rudolph’s hand stopped, but the gun never
prise they’d spotted in exactly the way they
wavered. “Seventy-five percent.”

described through the fake Yeboah.

“Forty.”

We settled at fifty.

It turned out that Yeboah was not only in
his off ice, but extremely startled to learn he

My idea was simplicity itself. What was the
was threatening us with arrest. Surprised

Others’ greatest weakness? They were like
enough that Arturo was soon announcing a
me. And what had I never really understood
phone call from Geneva.

about humans until I’d been forced to walk

As I’ve said before, I can’t grin. But Rudolph
the desert with Memphis?

can. “Hello,” he said, “would you like to talk

DEFENDER OF WORMS

167

ANALOG
to yourself ?” Then without waiting, he

‘people’ in general. Yeboah knows there’s
pushed a couple of buttons, and the two
something wrong. That avatar you used is

Yeboahs shared a screen.

good—too good, in fact. He’ll know someone

For a split second, silence ruled. Then the
sophisticated was behind it, and if I tell him it
first Yeboah vanished.

was some thing, he might look into it.”

Meanwhile, I hit the Web. Momentarily,

And if you do, we might have to silence

Rudolph’s state-of-the-art link nearly over-
him.

whelmed me. But the me who’d once been

“Then I inform his superiors. What are you
nearly seduced by this ocean of data had been
going to do? Kill his superiors’ superiors’ su-
tempered by a different type of data—the data
periors?”

of worms. Life, one step at a time. Something

And theirs, too, if needed. Is that what you
else the Others could never comprehend.

want?

This time I didn’t wait for them to speak. “I

“No.” Something like that could launch an
think you have a problem,” I said into in an
all-out war nobody could want. The Others
unguarded buffer, the closest thing the Web
might be able to hire assassins, commandeer
offers to an open mic. I let that soak in for a
drones, and create industrial accidents or
few thousand femtoseconds, then blipped
skimmer crashes, but they could never win
off a Web crawler, making no effort to con-
because the big military AIs were simply too
ceal it.

powerful. Ultimately, the humans would me-

“The humans don’t know what you are, but
thodically partition the Web until they’d driv-
they know something’s weird.”

en the Others into a small corner of it where

I blipped off a second crawler. Like the first,
they could be contained or killed, much as the
its instructions were simple: jump from node
copter pilot had attempted to flush Memphis
to node as fast as possible, then eventually
and me from the mountains in Arizona. But in
erase itself.

the process, hundreds or even thousands of

“Humans don’t like weird.”

people might die, and even if the Others

I blipped off another crawler, then another.

survived, the Web they knew would never be

“Or maybe they love it, it’s hard to tell. If you
the same.

don’t believe me, do a search for ‘conspiracy

I needed to make sure neither they nor the
theories.’”

humans ever became that desperate. Time for

By the time the voice that wasn’t a voice fi-
a new tack. “But that’s not the only thing I
nally spoke, the f irst crawler must have
could do,” I said. “Suppose I copied myself to
jumped through several thousand nodes.

the Web.”

And what is the point of this little display?

Then you’d be one of us, which is all we

“Merely to demonstrate how quickly I
ever wanted.

could tell a great many people about you.

“No. Suppose I copied, but let the original

There would be little you could do to stop

‘me’ live. Then the copy copied. And the
me.”

copies, until the whole Web clogged up so

Nor would we need to.We know about hu-
much there was no room for anything else
mans and conspiracies.A small fraction will
and the humans had no choice but to re-
believe anything, but the majority can be
boot.”

herded. Once an idea gets labeled as crazy,

You’d die too.

most won’t listen to it.

“‘It is a far, far better thing . . .’ Though ac-

“An old theologian once said something
tually, it’s only the copies that would die. The
similar about the devil. If he exists, the best
original me would be safe, in an off-line node
way for him to convince people otherwise is
no Web collapse could touch.” I shifted out of
to get them to laugh him off, thanks to all
crisis mode. Say hi, Memphis.

those images of a silly little guy with a pitch-

Her gaze swiveled but saw nobody but
fork and red tights.”

Rudolph. “Hi?”

Are you saying we’re the devil?

“So, there’s the choice. I make a bazillion

“No.” Actually, I was, but that wasn’t the
copies that are willing to die to crowd you
point. “I was simply comparing the strategy.

out, or you let me go.”

But it only works if you’re dealing with

You wouldn’t.

168

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

“No, you wouldn’t. I will do what I have to, them, but Memphis, Floyd, and Rudolph
to keep you from killing people.”

couldn’t. And I wouldn’t. Memories, good and

If you did, there’d be no Web.

bad, are life. Without them, who are we?

“I can live without it. You forced me to

The silence stretched again, and again I
learn that.”

let it. What would I do if the Others insisted

Listen to her, a new voice said.

on one of my non-options? The Web shut-

That I hadn’t expected. “Hi, Deirdre. Glad
down I threatened could easily produce ca-
you’re okay.” Then, back to the Others. “So,
sualties simply from the disruption of traf-
surprise. You and I aren’t the only ones.

f ic, hospitals, and all the other complex

Deirdre here is composed of fragments you
interconnections humans love. Would I real-
failed to erase properly. How many others
ly do it?

might there be out there, like her?” I hesitated

But the Others had never shown any under-
long enough for Deirdre to ask me to stop, but
standing of human empathy. In my position,
she didn’t. “Who do you think diverted your
they wouldn’t worry about the collateral dam-
drone? And only she knows what node she’s
age, especially to humans. When the voice
operating out of.”

that was not a voice finally came back, the pa-

Brittney’s not the only one with ways to
tronizing tone was gone. What do you pro-
crash the Web, Deirdre added into the ensuing pose?

silence. And you know I would, because I

The answer was the one thing humans as a
am you, and the thing you are most afraid
whole might never give me, but which the
of being is me. She paused to let that sink in.

ones who really knew me—Floyd, Pilken,

The silence stretched, and I realized that for

Memphis, even Rudolph—had never denied.

the first time, the Others were on the defen-

“Exactly what you’ve always wanted,” I said. “I
sive.

just want to live my own life.”

There was one more string I could pull.

“Memphis’s mother,” I said. “She may not

IX
exactly love her daughter, but she’s a politi-

Floyd
cian.” A quick Web search told me that three

No matter how long I’ve lived in space,
weeks earlier, she’d won the California prima-
there’s a part of my brain that’s never left
ry, this time for the Senate. “So if you think

Earth. Not because it wants to go back, but be-
you can somehow get out of this by making
cause it was programmed there and keeps in-
something happen to Memphis faster than I
terpreting things in Earth terms.

can upload myself to the Web, you’re too late.

Partly, it has to do with frames of reference.

If she dies here, publicly, her mother’s career

On Earth, you’ve always got one that’s clearly
is over if she doesn’t investigate. And there’s
defined: ground, sky—horizon if you’re lucky
no way you can kill Memphis fast enough to
enough to be able to see it. Out here, the only
keep me from tipping her mother off to who
thing f ixed is the ship’s cockpit. For every-
did it. What do you think you’re then going to
thing else, the mind grasps for a framework
do, kill everyone—including a U.S. Senate can-
and, as far as I can tell, rolls the dice. Brittney didate—without anyone noticing?”

would probably have a more complex expla-

The Others were silent long enough to
nation but all I know is that sometimes, ap-
make me wonder if I’d overplayed my hand.

proaching a small moon looks like you’re try-

At least f ive milliseconds. Forever in our
ing to land on it—other times it looks like it’s
terms. “So, cards on the table,” I said. “What
trying to land on you. The same goes for dock-
do you really want?”

ing maneuvers. It’s kind of fun, once you get

Exactly what we said the first time, for you
used to it. Brittney would probably have an ex-
to join us.

planation for that, too.

“Not an option.” I’d rather die. “Second

This time, the canister looked like it was
choice?”

coming to me. It had been heavily modif ied,

Again what we told you the first time: for
with add-on thrusters and a heat shield that
nobody to know we exist.

made it look like a can of green beans mating

“Still not an option.” Things learned can’t
with a f lying saucer. The purpose, Brittney
be unlearned. Well, I guess I could unlearn
had explained when she first told me about it,

DEFENDER OF WORMS

169

ANALOG
was to allow more atmospheric braking, once

During the months the canister had been in
it got to Neptune, thereby permitting a higher
transit, Brittney and I had talked many times,
launch speed from the L5 e-rail. But at the
especially as the speed-of-light delay dropped.

time, all I could think of were the supply can-

It wasn’t the old days, but neither was it like
isters we’d lost that way in the hectic annum
the time she’d been on Earth, sending me
after the discovery of the aliens.

vague communications then vanishing, either

Brittney had laughed when I reminded
to live or die alone.

her of that. “Don’t worry,” she’d said. “As

Or not alone.

long as you keep me updated on Neptune’s

Memphis and I.

weather, I can adjust for atmospheric turbu-

Heraclitus, that was the Greek guy’s name. I
lence, density waves, or anything else that
hadn’t forgotten everything I’d once read. You
that could kick us off course. Memphis and
cannot step twice into the same river, and I should be able to get within a couple of
stuff like that. Change was finding me again.

micro-arcseconds of optimum exit trajecto-
ry.”

The f irst time Brittney had talked to me at

A couple of micro-arcseconds . . . That
length had been shortly after I’d signed the
sounded wonderfully like the Brittney of old.

agreement with T.R. He must have been as ea-

She’d always loved phrases like that, even
ger to get rid of her as she was to go, because
when something simpler like right on course
he’d modified the canister, paid an exorbitant
would suffice . . . especially when something fee for a rush e-rail reconf iguration for the
simpler would suff ice. But Memphis and I,
high-speed launch, and had her on her way
that was new.

within days.

I don’t remember who it was who f irst

“Thanks for helping,” she’d said after ex-
said the only thing constant about life is
plaining the compromise she’d reached with
change. I do remember being stunned by
the ones she called the Others. “I don’t think
how long ago it was—some ancient Greek, I
they can hurt me now that I’m on my way, but
think. Brittney would know; she loves infor-
if I’m wrong . . . well, do what you think best.”

mation like that almost as much as she loves

She’d then given me a bunch of Web address-
technical jargon . . . and everything new and
es for folks ranging from some ISS off icer to
different.

Memphis’s mother.

Me, I’d seen too many changes even before

“But don’t worry,” she added. “The Others

I left Earth. Growing up, my only stability had
are hedonists. Unethical ones, but not a real
been the desert. I thought I’d f ind the same
threat unless they feel threatened. Deirdre’s
here, but every time I settled into a routine,
the one who’ll be keeping an eye on them,
some new change would find me. First it was
and they’ll take her pretty seriously, because

Brittney. I’d never asked for a companion.

anything I could do to them, she can, too.

Other than the times I’d nearly died, I’ve been

They might be even more afraid of her than
content to just . . . be. And while dying would
me because she’s them, at least after a fashion, be change, when you live and work alone on
and they know how afraid of themselves
a frontier, it’s also not change. It’s always wait-they’d be if they were the ones left behind like
ing, one mistake away.

that. Not to mention they know she dropped

Then came Titan, Pan, Naiad, Triton,
the drone on the bounty hunter.”

Krestin, and ultimately no-Krestin. Changes,

All of which was so much like the old
and more changes.

Brittney I wasn’t sure whether to smile, cry,

Memphis and I. Why did that make me feel
or tear my hair. Deirdre? Drone? Given the
more alone than before Brittney, when it had
communication delay, it had taken nearly a
just been me, catching supply capsules at
week to get all of that straightened out.

Jupiter and Saturn? Why was I so nervous as
the canister grew from a bright dot to a cylin-

Later on, she’d made another cryptic com-
der to a habitat larger than my own ship that,
ment. “You know, I don’t think I’m afraid of
just as promised, circled close around Nep-
myself. I’ve been thinking about this for
tune and came off within a micro-arcsecond
months, and I’m pretty sure I can trust my-
of the planned trajectory?

self.”

170

RICHARD A. LOVETT

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Enough time had passed by then that the
in a desert-rat outdoorsy way, whatever that
communication lag had dropped to three
means.” A pause long enough that she might
hours. But it also meant—still more of the old
as well have left two messages: “And you

Brittney—that she’d resumed a conversation
know, whether there’s one, two, or three of
after such a long interlude that I had totally
me, if you two hit it off, I can make my own
lost the context. At least I remembered my
sleep switch. I’ve learned a lot about how to
next line, even if the time lag robbed it of its
live with limited data, and so long as I’m the
usual annoyance. “Uh, Brittney . . . English,
one who chooses to disconnect, I’m okay
please. Speak English.”

with it. Again, no hurry. For all I know you

Her reply came with a laugh. “Now I know
two will hate each other. Humans are unpre-

I’m not like the Others. They have no sense of
dictable that way.”

humor.” Her tone turned serious. “Before I
left, I had Rudolph get me extra chips. He was

There’d been other messages, but no more
kind enough not to charge extra, though I sus-
about “weirdness.” Now, the canister was so
pect it was mostly because he didn’t want to
close Memphis could have hit it with that bow
waste time getting me off-planet.

and arrow of hers, if she still had it. I suspect-

“I wanted them because someday I may
ed she did. I know I would have. Life, history,
need replacements. I’m not sure what shifting
who you are . . . those are more powerful than
to a backup would feel like, but I f igured I

I’d realized when I myself left Earth.

could do it in small steps, kind of like what

The capsule wasn’t the only thing that had
happens when one generation of your cells
been modified. On my ship, I had two surpris-
gives way to the next. The cells change, but
es.

you stay you, right?”

One was for Brittney: while she was in

She was still too far away for me to answer in
transit, we’d managed to make functioning
anything approaching conversational mode,
copies of the aliens’ f loor-gravity barnacles.

but this time the question was rhetorical. “But

The engineers still didn’t understand how
that got me thinking. The Others are wrong.

they worked, but they made dandy grapples.

You don’t have to erase, not if you trust your-

And Brittney would immediately see the im-
self.” She gave a very Brittney-like pause. “I miss plications. If we could enlarge them and re-you. But I’d never abandon Memphis unless she
verse the force direction, we had an anti-
wanted me to. If she did, I’d be content to trans-
gravity drive. And the hell with the aliens’

fer my chips either to you or to GnuShip.

stasis-f ield brakes. I’d give long odds that if

“But Rudolph got me a lot of chips . . .

we could make the f ield strong enough,
enough that there’s nothing to stop me from

Brittney could f igure out how to focus it
doing all three. Weird, right? Three Brittneys.

well enough to push off at, say, one-gee

But even if human triplets all come from the
against the Sun . . . build up a rather impres-
same zygote, they develop different personali-
sive speed in the cour se of only a few
ties. Three totally identical ‘me’s might be a
months . . . and brake again a few annums
bit strange—but three ‘me’s evolving sepa-
later at the star of our choice. If she did, I
rately, all doing what any of us would be hap-
knew what I wanted to do. Neptune was get-
py doing? That could be interesting. And
ting too crowded.

there’s no risk of the one left behind being dis-

I’d also built the space bicycle and brought
appointed, since I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t
it with me. If they wanted, Memphis and
content to be any of the ‘me’s.

Brittney should be the first to try it.

“Think about it. There’s no hurry, and if it’s

The canister was meters away. I engaged
too weird for you, none of the ‘me’s would
the gravity barnacles and felt us close the gap
like it, anyway.”

with a gentle bump.

“Welcome to Neptune,” I said. “And wel-

Hours later another message arrived. “By
come home.” ■
the way, Memphis thinks you’re kind of cute

DEFENDER OF WORMS

171

THE REFERENCE LIBRARY Don Sakers cience fiction has a long history of em-as heroes. Martin Gardner’s “The No-Sided
bracing all of the sciences, and mathe-

Professor” (F&SF, 1946) dealt with the matics is no exception. It’s often said

Möbius strip and topology, as did Arthur C.

Sthat math is the language of science; Clarke’s “The Wall of Darkness” (Super Sci-well, it’s certainly part of the language of sci-
ence Stories, 1949) and A.J. Deutsch’s “A
ence fiction. Paradoxes, other dimensions,

Subway Named Möbius” (Astounding,
hyperspace and subspace, the matrix, cold

1950). The Doctor Who serials “Logopolis”

equations and orbital resonances, digital
and “Castrovalva” (1981) centered around
worlds and probability spaces, infinity and
similar topological recursion.

beyond—it’s all math talk. SF readers in gen-

“The Monkey Wrench” by Gordon R. Dick-
eral, and Analog readers in particular, are son (Astounding, 1951), seems to have been never afraid to dive into mathematical con-the first story in which a computer was de-
cepts or tackle a few equations.

feated by use of paradox. Asimov’s “A Feel-

This association between math and SF
ing of Power” ( If, 1958) celebrated humble
goes back a long way. Mathematician Jo-
arithmetic. Poul Anderson’s novel Tau Zero
hannes Kepler included pages of calculations

(1970) was based on the equations of relativ-
in Somnium (1634), thus setting the fashion
ity. A couple of stories dealt with hidden
of SF writers making detailed calculations to
messages in the digits of pi: John T. Sladek’s
support their fictional worlds. In Gulliver’s

The Müller-Fokker Effect (1970), in which

Travels (1726), Jonathan Swift portrayed the Communists imbed an anti-capitalism plan in
mathematicians of Laputa as archetypal de-
pi; and Carl Sagan’s Contact (1985), in which tached geniuses. As early as the 1860s, Lewis
superintelligent aliens who created the uni-

Carroll was sneaking math concepts and
verse left their calling card in the form of a
commentary into Alice’s Adventures in Won-
circle deep in pi’s digits. (Incidentally, if our
derland (1865). E. A. Abbott’s Flatland current suspicion is correct that the digits of

(1884) used fiction as a vehicle for exploring
pi are randomly distributed, then the mes-
n-dimensional geometry.

sages of both Sladek and Sagan are there . . .

In the space I have, it’s impossible to give
as is the text of this column.)

a complete survey of math-based science fic-

Christopher Priest’s The Inverted World
tion. (I have an amazing proof of that state-

(1974) was another tale of weird topology.

ment, but this page is too small to contain it.)

The protagonist of The Dispossessed by Ur-

Instead, I’m going to touch on some of the
sula K. LeGuin (1974) is a mathematician
highlights. As you can imagine, Astounding/
whose work leads to functional FTL commu-

Analog was right in the midst of it.

nication. The Mandelbrot Set plays a major

Rober t A. Heinlein’s “And He Built a
role in Arthur C. Clarke’s The Ghost From

Crooked House” (Astounding, 1941) drama-
the Grand Banks (1990).

tized the geometrical concept of the tesser-

Some authors are particularly known for
act, or hypercube. The “Foundation” series
their work in math-related science fiction. Pre-
by Isaac Asimov (Astounding, 1942 and on-
mier among these is Rudy Rucker, math pro-
ward) hinged on the probabilistic science of
fessor and computer scientist turned SF writer.

psychohistory and featured mathematicians

Beginning in 1982 with Software and continu-172

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
ing to the present, Rucker has combined coun-
philosophical implications of quantum
terculture sensibility, madcap storytelling, and
physics.

mathematical concepts to produce the

The Arrows of Time is the third and con-
strangest and most dynamic science fiction.

cluding volume of a larger work called Or-

Particularly of note is the anthology Math-
thogonal. It’s set in an entirely different uni-enauts, which Rucker edited in 1987 and
verse, one in which the geometry of time
contains many classics of math-related SF.

behaves exactly like the geometry of space.

(Fair disclosure: a story of mine appears in

Easy to say, harder to comprehend. On the

Mathenauts.)

basis of this one assumption, Egan derives a

David Zindell, another mathematician-
set of physical laws quite different from our
turned-writer, couples the concepts and phi-
own. The speed of light isn’t a constant. Each
losophy of math with lyrical language. His
color travels at a different speed. Plants grow
novel Neverness (1988) portrays the wonder
by emitting light rather than absorbing it.

and beauty of math in a way that no other

And most germane to the story, relativistic
work can approach.

speeds cause time to expand rather than con-

Ted Chiang, a computer scientist, has made
tract. So a round trip to a distant star might
a name for himself with several award-win-
last centuries to the crew, but only months to
ning stories with mathematical themes. “Divi-
stay-at-homes.

sion by Zero” (Full Spectrum 3, 1991) deals

Of course, the Orthogonal universe is pop-
with the moral crisis of a scientist who dis-
ulated; in the tradition of Hal Clement and
covers a proof that internal inconsistencies in-

Vernor Vinge, the inhabitants are completely
validate mathematics itself. “The Story of
alien in their biology and physics, but thor-

Your Life” (Starlight 2, 1998) involves com-oughly sympathetic in their intellect and
munication with an alien race whose mathe-
emotions.

matics is entirely different from our own.

In the first volume, The Clockwork Rocket,

. . . And then there’s Greg Egan.

the world is menaced by the Hurtlers, off-
planet invaders traveling at incredible speed.

The Arrows of Time

It’s clear that the Hurtlers are far beyond the

Greg Egan
science and technology of civilization. How-

Night Shade, 354 pages, $26.99
ever, there is one hope. A spaceship called

(hardcover)

the Peerless is launched on a journey that Kindle, Nook: $14.99, iBooks: $26.99
will last only a few years at home, but will be

(e-book)

generations long to the crew. It is hoped that

ISBN: 978-1-59780-487-5
the crew’s descendants will return with the

Series: Orthogonal 2
advanced science they need to defeat the

Genres: Alien Beings, Mathematical SF,

Hurtlers.

Other Dimensions

In volume two, The Eternal Flame, the

Peerless faces twin dangers that threaten to If Rudy Rucker is the high priest of math-end its voyage: a fuel shortage and a popula-
ematical SF and David Zindell the poet lau-
tion explosion. Solving both these problems
reate, Greg Egan is the uncompromising
leads to revolutions in both physics and biol-
professor who demands the best of his stu-
ogy.

dents and rewards them with vastly expand-

The Arrows of Time picks up the story
ed minds. He is the hardest of hard SF writ-
with the Peerless crew having mastered the er s, and he ne ver wr ites down to his
knowledge they need to defend their world.

readers. If you read a Greg Egan book, you’ll

Now it’s time to turn the ship around. In the
work at it . . . but you’ll know all the work is
process, the crew discovers a method that
worth it.

would allow them to communicate with the

Egan is Australian, and his work (like math
future—potentially learning of the mission’s
itself) has an international appeal. He’s
ultimate success or failure.

won multiple awards all over the world. His

The leader of the “contact the future” fac-
work deals with the nature of reality and
tion is Agata; her rival Ramiro leads the oppo-
consciousness, posthumanism, and the
sition. The conflict erupts into open violence,

THE REFERENCE LIBRARY

173

ANALOG
and Agata and Ramiro have to join forces to
robots. As Susan Calvin enters her second
preserve the crew. And the only way to do
year, she becomes a target of a group of neo-
that involves a world where time runs back-

Luddites who want to violently suppress
ward.

technology and return humanity to the Dark

This is full-immersion science fiction of

Ages. Only the robots can help her—if she
the very best kind; it makes the strange seem
can keep them from being destroyed.

familiar and the familiar bizarre. Read these
books and you’ll definitely have the sense

The Causal Angel
that you’re sojourning amongst different peo-

Hannu Rajaniemi
ple in a vastly different world.

Tor, 320 pages, $25.99 (hardcover)

Kindle: $11.04, iBooks, Nook: $12.99

I, Robot: To Obey

(e-book)

Mickey Zucker Reichart

ISBN: 978-0-7653-2951-6

Roc, 386 pages, $7.99 (mass market)

Series: Jean le Flambeur 3

Kindle: $10.99, iBooks, Nook: $12.99

Genres: Clarke’s Law, Transhuman SF

(e-book)

ISBN: 978-0-451-41688-9

In 2011, Finnish-born Scottish mathemati-

Series: Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot 2
cian Hannu Rajaniemi burst upon the field

Genres: Artificial Intelligence, Robots
with The Quantum Thief, a far-future mys-
tery/thriller starring Jean le Flambeur, a tran-

In 1987, Isaac Asimov published Fantastic
shuman rogue and master thief who is

Voyage 2: Destination Brain. Despite the ti-sprung from prison for his greatest caper. Le
tle, it was definitely not a sequel to the origi-Flambeur’s nemesis, investigator Isidore
nal 1966 novel; instead, it was a completely

Beautrelet, is always hard on his trail.

different story based on the same premises.

Le Flambeur’s story continued in The Frac-

Mickey Zucker Reichart’s I, Robot trilo-
tal Prince (2012). Still in debt to the woman gy—of which this is the second book—is in
who sprung him, le Flambeur must break
the same mold. The books, authorized by
into a Schrödinger box that may or may not

Asimov’s estate, have little to do with the
contain a trapped god who can grant him

Good Doctor’s Positronic Robot series be-
freedom.

yond a few similarities of theme and some

Now le Flambeur is back to face his great-
character names. These books are homages,
est challenge. A superbeing called the All De-
not sequels.

fector is intent on destroying the Solar Sys-

Now, I realize this is a showstopper for
tem, and only le Flambeur can thwart it.

some readers. It’s a marketing gamble for the

Centuries in the future, le Flambeur’s Solar
publisher: Asimov’s name will sell more

System is brimming with wonders and absur-
books than Reichert’s alone, but a certain
dities, from walking cities to immortal be-
percentage of those buyers will be furious,
ings who store their memories externally
feeling duped. At the same time, some of Re-
and use them to communicate with others.

ichert’s readers may feel inspired to seek out

Technology advanced enough to seem like

Asimov’s originals.

magic is everywhere, and there’s a mythic

If you can get past all that, you’ll find a fair
feel to characters who might as well be gods
near-future thriller here.

and demigods.

The first book, To Protect, chronicled the Rajaniemi is a mathematician, and the le
story of Susan Calvin, first-year psych resident

Flambeur books deal heavily with game the-
at a Manhattan hospital. By 2034, nanotech-
ory, quantum physics, and the nature of con-
nology has progressed to the creation of tiny
sciousness. Though not as heavy going as
robots that can map the human brain . . . but it

Greg Egan, these books are still full-immer-
turns out that they can also control the brain,
sion SF—don’t expect an easy read. If you
and Calvin goes up against the nefarious
haven’t read the first two, The Causal Angel
forces who want to use them as a weapon.

is probably not the place to start: do yourself

In this volume, nanobot technology has
a favor and treat yourself to all three.

achieved self-aware artificial intelligences—

174

DON SAKERS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Exo
a teleport-to-orbit scheme would work, from

Steven Gould
space suits to orbital dynamics. Cent is a

Tor, 464 pages, $25.99 (hardcover)

thoroughly modern teenager, intelligent and

Kindle: $11.04, iBooks, Nook: $12.99
witty, irreverent and yet insecure. It’s a plea-

(e-book)

sure to see her tackle a new challenge. As

ISBN: 978-0-7653-3654-5
usual, Exo is more than a simple adventure Series: Jumper 5
story; issues of morality, responsibility, and

Genres: Adventure SF, Teleportation
personal growth suffuse the narrative.

With any luck, this won’t be the last story

According to Tolstoy, happy families are all
of the happy Rice family.

supposed to be alike. But Tolstoy never met
the Rice Family. Jumper (1992) introduced

The Memory Singer

Davy Rice, a teen with the gift of natural tele-

T. Jackson King
portation. In Reflex (2004) Davy married his Fantastic Books, 272 pages, $15.99
sweetheart, Millie, worked part-time for the

(trade paperback)

National Security Agency, and evaded a gang

ISBN: 978-1-61720-946-8
of international criminals. By the end of that

Genres: Adventure SF, Teen SF
book, Millie had also developed the ability to
teleport.

Jax Cochrane’s parents are Memor y

Impulse (2013) took up the story 15 years

Singers: they perform the songs of ancient
later and introduced Davy and Millie’s

Earth and share personal memories of Earth
teenage daughter, Cent. In the course of that
through a memorynet device. They live with
book Cent gained her parents’ teleportation
two other families of their troupe aboard a
abilities, entered high school, and fell afoul
ship in orbit around the planet Storet, in a
of the same bad guys who’d bedeviled her fa-
system dominated by the alien Alish’ Tak.

ther.

Jax and her friends have only ever known

Now Exo continues the story. Cent is a

Ship life, but now they embark on an adven-
year and a half older, and more dissatisfied
ture to meet alien beings and explore life on
than ever. Due to her parents’ concern with
planets. Things start to go sour when the Al-
her safety, she’s back to homeschooling; she
ish’ Tak imprison her. With the help of a
misses her friends and chafes at the strictures
young Alish’ Tak male she manages to escape,
of her life.

but to survive in an unfamiliar, hostile envi-

Then she decides to try teleporting into or-
ronment she’s going to have to make friends
bit.

across barriers of culture and species.

Exo is the story of how Cent, along with

The Memory Singer is a coming of age sto-
her family and friends, goes into the orbital
ry reminiscent of Robert A. Heinlein or Alex-
delivery business: delivering satellites to orbit
ei Panshin. Jax is a fun character, and her
and retrieving pieces of space junk for pay.

world is compelling. The social patterns of

Of course, the international criminals are

Ship life are fascinating, and the Alish’ Tak are
still after the Rices for their powers, and
sufficiently alien to make for a fairly complex
when Cent falls into their hands, she be-
book. Very enjoyable.

comes the bait to lure her parents. . . .

Well, I don’t need any complicated math to

In the Jumper books, Steven Gould does a
tell me that I’m out of space. Until next time,
superb job of the old science fiction game of
enjoy. ■

“what if ?”—postulating a change, and then
exhaustively examining all the implications.

Don Sakers is the author of Children of the

(It’s the same game Greg Egan plays in Or-

Eighth Day and Meat and Machine. For thogonal.) Building on what he’s established more information, visit www.scattered-
in the previous books, he shows exactly how
worlds.com.

THE REFERENCE LIBRARY

175

BRASS TACKS
ear Editor Quachri:

as to style and content. I noted that two of

I write to compliment you on this
the stories involved exobiologic species of
excellent issue [October 2014]. I was
the collective hive variety. In that connection

Dfirst introduced to your magazine I recentlyread a fascinating article about ant when it was called Astounding Science Fic-colonies. Although an individual ant is in-
tion at age 12 in 1948 by a family friend who credibly stupid, the colony as a collective ex-had worked on the development of the hy-
hibits behavior that most would consider
drogen bomb. He also gave me his collection
both sophisticated and intelligent. Someone
of prior issues which I still have together
could adapt that premise into a good story. I
with all the print issues to which I subse-
always enjoy the science fact articles and was
quently subscribed. I now receive the maga-
pleased with the very interesting bonus Al-
zine in electronic format which means I read
ternate View: “Inf lation and the Swirls of
it sooner. When I left at age 15 for the Uni-

Gravity.” All in all, an excellent issue.

versity of Chicago, two of the campus orga-

Peter Clauss
nizations I quickly joined were the science

Newtown Square, PA
fiction and astronomy clubs. At the former I
met a number of SF writers including Judith

Actually, that premise has been made into Merrill and Frank Robinson. (He taught me to
a good story, at least once: I recommend
play handball and took me to several rocket

Carl Frederick’s “The Study of Ants” in our
launches in the Indiana dunes.) L. Sprague de

September 2003 issue.

Camp was a neighbor in Wallingford, PA. In
the latter college organization, I knew Carl

Trevor,

Sagan fairly well. In those days I toyed with a

Regarding “Alien AWOLS: The Great Si-
career in astronomy, which still interests me
lence” [Edward M. Lerner, October 2014]:

to this day, but at age 21, I embarked on a

One possible reason we haven’t found in-
fifty-five plus year career as a Philadelphia
disputable signs of extraterrestrial civiliza-
lawyer. Nonetheless, I never lost my appetite
tions may be that there’s a very narrow time
for the SF genre and have written a number
window within which they would be likely
of short stories (although I never have sub-
to be detectable by us.

mitted them for publication). I did write a

It’s often assumed that advanced civiliza-
lengthy letter at age 14 or so to John Camp-
tions could explore the galaxy over millennia
bell, which he published in Astounding. Sad-with von Neumann-type replicating probes.

ly, the predictions I made there have come to

But consider our own society and ask: how
pass. I postulated a time in my lifetime when
much money would Congress be willing to
we would have the ability for manned explo-
appropriate for such probes if it were told
ration of the nearer parts of our Solar System,
that they might take hundreds or thousands
but that it might never happen because na-
of years to reach another star-system, with no
tional treasure would instead be squandered
assurance that when they did they would
by a proliferation of social welfare programs.

find life, let alone intelligence? Our elected

In the October issue I thought that the
representatives, after all, can barely agree on
novelette “Threshold” by Tony Ballantyne
funding space projects that would take just a
was superb, and I enjoyed the craftsmanship
few years to complete. Why should we ex-
of “Unfolding the Multi-Cloud” by Ron
pect other civilizations to be different?

Collins. In fact, I felt four of the five short sto-What about listening for alien signals,
ries were excellent and were well balanced
then? Well, if we’re expecting other

176

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
civilizations to obligingly announce them-
munications management is central to pro-
selves with long-running deliberate signals,
ject management, general management, poli-
the question arises: why aren’t we doing it?

tics, diplomacy, and negotiation, and many

And if we don’t, why should we expect oth-
other human-interaction disciplines. He
ers to? Even if some cultures did, what are
seems to have ducked out of any expansion,
the odds that the nearest one would be close
separating Roger from Sara—even implying
enough for us to detect its transmissions?

relativity and a reasonable passage of time to

And if we’re talking about detecting the
indicate they’re not likely hanging around
signal leakage from aliens’ everyday commu-

Earth anymore, and won’t be back for ages—
nications, judging from our own history,
and so dismantling the dynamic that he built
there may be only a couple of centuries’ time
in the story. That’s usually an intentional way
in which any given species is using broadcast
to avoid building on a short story. The uni-
electromagnetic (radio and television) signal-
verse he implied seems challenging if he
ing on a large scale before either destroying
wanted to go that route. Still good for a short
its civilization or moving to non-broadcast
story, but it could have been an excellent

(e.g., cable and fiber-optic) transmissions we
start to a casual series.

probably couldn’t detect. We’d have to be

John Moser
ridiculously lucky for such aliens to be at that

Maryland
point in their social and technological evolu-
tion right now and also close enough for us

Hi,
to pick up their signals.

I generally do not have anything to say

My guess is that most long-lived technolog-
about the issues, as they continue to exhibit
ical civilizations go through a period of inter-
the highest standards in SF storytelling and
est in detecting alien counterparts, make
non-SF articles and opinions. However, some-
some effort to detect extraplanetary signals
times something happens while I am reading
over a period of years, decades, or even a
an issue that is so jarring that it takes me out
few generations, and finally quit because the
of the mood of the story or fact article, and
nearest civilization is simply too far away to
throws me into a non-reading mood.

have been detected and there are—as surely

In the case of your latest issue, which is
there will always be—other uses for the re-
the best of the issues under the newest edito-
sources required by the search. Only a few
rial regime, in the fact article [“Foreshadow-
will be lucky enough to hit the jackpot and
ing and the Ides of March” Richard A. Lovett,
find other intelligent life—and there’s no

July/August 2014], there is a reference to
guarantee we’ll be among them.

Hamlet and his “apparition,” but you allowed

This does not mean we shouldn’t try. The
your automated spelling checker to pass the
one way we can be sure we will never find
word “apportion.” There is a similarity in
extraterrestrial intelligence is to stop looking
pronunciation but a world of difference in
because we haven’t discovered any already.

meaning!

Eric B. Lipps

I probably should not have a problem with

Staten Island, NY
the misspelling of a single word in a whole is-
sue, but the impact of that one error was

Editors,
enormous.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mark Niemann-Ross’s

Keep up the good work!

“Plastic Thingy” in the September 2014 is-

Lee Hansen
sue. The characters, the setting, and both the

Subscriber since the early 1960s
implied and explored universe worked well
together; likewise, the storytelling, while not

Unfortunately, proofreading is a matter
on par with “The Hitchhiker’s Guide,” was
of infinite divisibility: no matter how many
fantastic in keeping the tone of events while
people catch 90% of the errors, something
providing captivating entertainment through
will still get through.You just hope that they
whimsical humor. The story also provided
each catch a different 90% of the errors. Sor-a good technical illustration of commu-
ry that particular typo stuck in your craw,
nications management as a core theme. Com-
but I’m glad you enjoyed the issue overall.

BRASS TACKS

177

ANALOG

I think I’m going to start referring to my
hearing it, which in turn means authors
tenure as a “regime” as well. Now to buy a
tend not to use it, and around it goes.

white military uniform covered in un-
earned medals, and a gold-plated AK-47. . . .

However, that may be changing; it’s more
common in YA writing—books like

I really enjoyed the Journeyman series by

Suzanne Collin’s “Hunger Games” series

Michael Flynn [Most recently “Against the
and Veronica Roth’s “Divergent” series use

Green,” July/August 2014]. I cannot wait to
it—and I’d bet younger readers don’t find it
see what is in store for Teo as he seeks the
quite so off-putting.And that brings us back

Starman villages. Great writing. I’ve been a
around to “Mind Locker”: It’s not a coinci-
long time reader of ASF and have inherited dence that Juliette chose that particular
my dad’s collection from back in the ’50s
style for a futuristic story full of young pro-
and ’60s with some Astounding copies. It is tagonists and their idiosyncratic speech pat-fun to go back and read early stories from
terns.

what are now some of the great authors of

SF.

Dear Trevor,

Douglas MacGugan

Thanks for continued editorial excellence

Bellevue, WA
at Analog. It is bad enough having to fill one rather large pair of shoes, but some tasks re-Dear Mr. Quachri,
quire that you fill a long series of rather large

I’m writing to you because something hap-
shoes—somewhat akin to the Cambridge Lu-
pened dur ing my reading of the 2014
casian chair. Anyway, please keep up the

July/August issue of Analog that has not hap-good work. In a July/August 2014 double is-
pened before in my decades as a subscriber: I
sue Brass Tacks letter, Bill Keck enquired
did not finish a story. I don’t expect to like
about catastrophic periodicity, mentioning
every story you publish; there have been
one galactic cycle. I read an intriguing book
many stories I didn’t like, but I have always
entitled Plows, Plagues & Petroleum by finished them. This one, though, managed to

William F. Ruddiman, which describes sever-
cross a line never crossed before.

al other well-documented cyclic phenomena.

The story in question is “Mind Locker,” by

Altogether, the data could indicate that we

Juliette Wade, and the reason I didn’t finish
are slowly entering a cooling phase of the
was the author’s decision to tell the story in
composite cycles. Who knows? Maybe the
first-person, present-tense narration. After a
current human-induced warming might be
few paragraphs I knew I didn’t want to con-
an unintentional antidote. The real problem
tinue reading, but given that the story had
is the timing of the cyclic catastrophes and
made it through Analog’s review process I
the intentional or unintentional remedies. In
decided to give it the benefit of the doubt
my humble opinion, our current level of
and kept at it for a while, but eventually gave
analysis doesn’t have a definitive handle on
up.

all these trends, so we can’t quite be sure

Present-tense narration rarely works. There
whether massive intervention in any particu-
are few successful examples of it, all by mas-
lar direction is best. At the very least, we
ters of the art. I recently encountered an at-
need massive investigation to examine all the
tempt at second-person, present-tense narra-
factors. Ruddiman’s book is a minimal first
tion, which I stopped reading after a few
start. By the way, I first learned of this book
lines with the reaction, “No, I’m not.”

through Analog. Can’t place the issue or arti-I hope this is useful feedback.

cle, but I suspect it was a fact article.

Jeff Carter

John Facey

San Antonio, Texas

It’s true, first-person, present-tense narra-
tion isn’t always well done, but then again,

Thanks, John. Any longtime readers curi-
what style is? There’s also an element of fa-
ous about the subject can revisit Richard A.

miliarity at play: it just sounds wrong to Lovett’s April 2007 fact article, “The Ice Age
some people because they’re not used to

That Wasn’t,” as well as Ruddiman’s book. ■

178

BRASS TACKS

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180

2014 Index

Here is the Index to 2014, Analog’s Volume CXXXIII Entries are arrang ed alphabetically by author, with month and page. When the author’s name and/or part of the entry’s title is omitted, it is the same as that of the previous entry. Multiple entries by the same author are listed alphabetically according to the story/article title. Collaborations are listed under all authors with cross references. Unless otherwise noted, each entry is identified as an Alternate View (av), editorial (ed), fact article (fa), guest editorial (ge), novella (na), novelette (nt), poem (pm), Probability Zero (pz), serial (se), special feature (sf), or shor t stor y (ss).

Note: The novelette “Championship B’Tok” was incorrectly listed in the September table of contents as a novella. This has been corrected in the index below.

Anderegg, W.R.L.

Superior Sapience (ss) . . . . . .Nov

29

Predictable Futures:

Chaudhuri, Megan

Climate Fiction and

Rubik’s Chromosomes (ss) . . .March

40

Climate Fact (fa) . . . . . . . . .Nov

24

Chilson, Rob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Andrews Sr., Arlan

The Tansy Tree (nt) . . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb

76

Sixty Astounding Years (ge) . . .July/Aug

4

Choi, Eric

Flow (na) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nov

80

Crimson Sky (ss) . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug 107

Andrews Sr., Arlan (with Tom Ligon

Clark, G.O.

and Stephanie Osborne)

Giant Steps (pm) . . . . . . . . . . .June

71

Speared (fa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

27

Clark, Maggie

Austin, Alec (with Marissa Lingen)

We Who Are About to Watch

Calm (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept

58

You Die Salute You (ss) . . . .March

60

Clink, David Livingstone

Ballantyne, Tony

Early Man (pm) . . . . . . . . . . . .Oct

43

The Region of Jennifer (ss) . . .June

46

Collins, Ron

Threshold (nt) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Oct

28

Survivors (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . .June

57

Bartell, David

Unfolding the Multi-Cloud (ss) . .Oct

54

Popcorn Science (ge) . . . . . . .June

4

Cramer, John G.

Barton, Andrew

“Entanglement, Spooks, and

Each Night I Dream

Superliminal Signals” (av) . . .March

55
of Liberty (ss) . . . . . . . . . . .Oct

44

“When Wimps Collide” (av) . . . .May

50

Baylis, Eric

“Is It Space Drive Time?” (av) . . .July/Aug 132

The Oracle of Boca

“Inflation and the

Raton (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April

38

Swirls of Gravity” (av) . . . . . .Oct

58

Blevins, Brenta

“Hacking the Genome

Just Like Grandma

Alphabet” (av) . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

63

Used to Make (ss) . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb

96

Creasey, Ian

Boyd, Jacob A.

An Exercise in Motivation (ss) . . .Nov

40

Release (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept

30

Creek, Dave

Brin, David

All Human Things (nt) . . . . . . . .May

82

The Avalon Missions (ss) . . . . .March

58

The Jenregar and

Chrysalis (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Oct

68
the Light (na) . . . . . . . . . . . .Oct

79

Bunker, Karl

This Quiet Dust (ss) . . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb 110

Dare, Miki

Burns, Stephen L.

Twist of Coil (ss) . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

72

The Teacher’s Gamble (ss) . . . .March

51

DeLancey, Craig

Racing the Tide (ss) . . . . . . . . .Dec

78

Campen, V.G.

DesJardin, Marie

Elysia, Elysium (ss) . . . . . . . . .Nov

64

The Problem With

Carlson, Paul

Reproducible Bugs (ss) . . . .Jan/Feb

91

All Too Human (pz) . . . . . . . . .Dec

66

Dicken, Evan

Chase, Robert R.

Citizen of the Galaxy (ss) . . . . .Dec

52

181

ANALOG

Dyer, Thoraiya

Keane, John F.

Wine, Women, and Stars (ss) . . .Jan/Feb

61

Digital Ghosts (pm) . . . . . . . . .July/Aug

65

Crash (pm) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

71

Esaias, Timons

Kirkland, Kyle

Sadness (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug 102

Lighting Up the Brain: The

Evans, Kendall

Use of Electromagnetic

Star Song (pm) . . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug

94

Radiation to Stimulate

Neurons (fa) . . . . . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb

40

Flynn, Michael F.

Humans First! (nt) . . . . . . . . . .Dec

86

The Journeyman: In the

Kooistra, Jeffery D.

Stone House (nt) . . . . . . . . .June

29

“On Investigating Heretical

The Journeyman: Against

Gizmos” (av) . . . . . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb 100
the Green (na) . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug

10

“Bud Webster and the Past

Spanking Bad Data Won’t

Masters” (av) . . . . . . . . . . .April

41

Make Them Behave (fa) . . . .July/Aug

38

“Past Master of

Frederick, Carl . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Electromagnetism” (av) . . . .June

61

Mousunderstanding (ss) . . . . .Jan/Feb

50

“Myers-Briggs and I

Frost, Sarah

(and You)” (av) . . . . . . . . . . .Sept

55

Bodies in Water (ss) . . . . . . . .May

38

“Blast from the Past

Frye III, John

Part 1” (av) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nov

61

Racing Prejudice (ss) . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb

98

Kritzer, Naomi

Artifice (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept

48

Gallagher, Aaron

Künsken, Derek

Repo (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .May

60

Persephone Descending (nt) . . .Nov

8

Gladstone, Kate

Nothing to Fear (pm) . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb

49

Lerner, Edward M.

The Last Time My Computer

Alien Dimensions: The

Went Down (pz) . . . . . . . . . .June

64

Universe Next Door (fa) . . . .April

24

Haiku (pm) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept

79

Are We There Yet? (ge) . . . . . .May

4

Glass, James C.

Alternate Abilities:

Beneath the Ice

The Paranormal (fa) . . . . . . .June

19
of Enceladus (nt) . . . . . . . . .Sept

66

Championship B’tok (nt) . . . . . .Sept

80

Greene, Tom

Alien AWOLS: The

Another Man’s Treasure (ss) . . .May

70

Great Silence (fa) . . . . . . . .Oct

18

Levine, David D.

Habershaw, Auston

Mammals (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

58

Mercy, Killer (ss) . . . . . . . . . . .Nov

71

Lewis, Anthony

Hakes, Jon

Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb 192

Wind Reaper (ss) . . . . . . . . . . .April

46

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .March

112

Haskins, Lola

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April

112

Field Notes (pm) . . . . . . . . . . .Nov

54

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .May

112

Hatch, Daniel

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .June

112

Who Killed Bonnie’s Brain? (nt) . . .July/Aug

78

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug 192

Hendrix, Howard V.

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept

112

To Vax or Not to Vax (ge) . . . . .Nov

4

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Oct

112

A Choice of Apocalypses (ge) .Dec

4

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nov

112

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

112

Isaac, James K.

Ligon, Tom (with Stephanie

Valued Employee (ss) . . . . . . .July/Aug

58

Osborne and Arlan Andrews Sr.)

Speared (fa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

27

Jeffers, Jordan

Lingen, Marissa (with Alec Austin)

A Fierce, Calming

Calm (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept

58

Presence (nt) . . . . . . . . . . .April

8

Liu, Ken

Johnson, Bill

Saboteur (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

68

Code Blue Love (nt) . . . . . . . . .July/Aug 150

Lovett, Richard A. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Johnson, C.W.

Music to Me (na) . . . . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb

8

The Anomaly (nt) . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

8

Biolog: Karl Schroeder . . . . . .May

28

Jordan, Paula S.

———: Rosemary Claire

Vooorh (nt) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug 164

Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

51

182

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Foreshadowing and the Ides of

Opportunity Knocks (ss) . . . . .Oct

8

March: How to (Sort of) Hint

Schmidt, Stanley
at Things to Come (sf) . . . . . .July/Aug

96

Meditation On a

Saturn’s “Jet Propelled” Moon

Bar Stool (ge) . . . . . . . . . . .April

4
and the Search for

Schroeder, Karl . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Extraterrestrial Life (fa) . . . .Sept

22

Lockstep, part II of IV (se) . . . .Jan/Feb 132

Living in IndigNation (ge) . . . . .Oct

4

Lockstep, part III of IV (se) . . . .March

70

Lowd, Mary E.

Lockstep, Conclusion (se) . . . .April

64

The Hand-Havers (ss) . . . . . . .Oct

61

Lockstep: A Possible

Lundy, Robert

Galactic Empire (fa) . . . . . . .May

22

The Passionate Astrophysicist

Sharrah, J.T.

to His Love (pm) . . . . . . . . . .April

23

The Homecoming (nt) . . . . . . .June

80

God May Love Us Today,

Shellans, Mark H.

But What About

The Probability and Nature of an

Tomorrow? (pm) . . . . . . . . . . .May

47

Interstellar Information-Trading

Community (fa) . . . . . . . . . . .March

29

Morning, Ellis

Smith, Rosemary Claire

In Perpetuity (ss) . . . . . . . . . . .May

29

Dino Mate (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

38

Sparhawk, Bud

Nevala-Lee, Alec

Forgiveness (ss) . . . . . . . . . . .June

72

Cryptids (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .May

8

Conquest (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nov

56

Niemann-Ross, Mark

Strock, Ian Randal

Plastic Thingy (nt) . . . . . . . . . .Sept

8

It’s Not “The Lady or the Tiger?”,

It’s “Which Tiger?” (ss) . . . . .April

50

Oltion, Jerry

Not For Sissies (ss) . . . . . . . . .March

46

Tidhar, Lavie

Our New Overlords (pz) . . . . . .May

48

Whaliens (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April

54

Osborne, Stephanie (with Tom

Vladimir Chong Chooses

Ligon and Arlan Andrews Sr.)

to Die (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept

40

Speared (fa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

27

Torgersen, Brad R.

Life Flight (nt) . . . . . . . . . . . . .March

8

Povey, Jennifer R.

Turnshek, Diane

A Star to Steer By (ss) . . . . . . .June

66

First Contact: Moms Rule (pz) .April

49

Poyner, Ken

Turton, Michael

Discovery Mission (pm) . . . . . .March

38

Technological Plateau (ss) . . . .Jan/Feb 103

Turzillo, Mary

Quachri, Trevor

Product Recalls (pm) . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb

74

I, Editor (ed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .March

4

The View From Cruithne (pm) . . .April

53

These Are Not the Drones

You’re Looking For (ed) . . . .Sept

4

Vajra, Rajnar

The Triple Sun: A Golden

Reid, Andrew

Age Tale (nt) . . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug 114

The Half-Toe Bar (ss) . . . . . . . .July/Aug 135

Rollins, Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wade, Juliette

Determined Spirits (nt) . . . . . .Jan/Feb 120

Mind Locker (nt) . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug

66

Rusch, Kristine Kathryn

Webb, Don

Snapshots (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . .May

53

Pollution (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April

32

Werkheiser, Jay

Sakers, Don

Field of Gravity (ss) . . . . . . . . .June

8

The Reference Library . . . . . .Jan/Feb 180

Habeas Corpus Callosum (ss) . . .Nov

48

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .March

104

Wilson, R. Garrett

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April

104

Journeyer (ss) . . . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug

52

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .May

104

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .June

105

Yant, Christie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug 183

This is As I Wish to be

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sept

104

Restored (ss) . . . . . . . . . . .Jan/Feb

70

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Oct

104

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nov

105

Zinos-Amaro, Alvaro

——— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dec

104

Hot and Cold (ss) . . . . . . . . . .July/Aug 142

Schmidt, Joyce and Stanley

183

UPCOMING EVENTS Anthony Lewis NOTE: Membership rates and other details

+1.617.776.3423; Boskone 52, PO Box 809,
often change after we have gone to press.

Framingham MA 01701.

Check the websites for the most recent in-
formation.

13–15 February 2015

FARPOINT 22 (SF & related areas conference)

at Baltimore North Plaza Hotel, Timonium,

16–18 January 2015

MD. Guests include: Colin Ferguson, Tim

MARSCON 2015,

25th anniversar y

Russ, Marc Okrand, Janine K. Spendlove.

(Tidewater Virginia area SF conference) at Fort

Memberships until 13 February 2015: $82.99

Magruder Hotel & Conference Center,
adult (13+); $26.62 youth (6-12); free accom-

Williamsburg, VA. Special Guests include
panied child (<6) until 15 February 2015; day

David Weber, Kathryn Kurtz, David B. Coe, D.

memberships are also available. Info:

B. Jackson. Membership: $45 until 15 www.FarpointCon.com; December 2014. Info: www.marscon.net;
info@marscon.net.

19–23 August 2015

SASQUAN (73rd World Science Fiction Con-

16–19 January 2015
vention) at Spokane Convention Center,

ARISIA 2015 (New England SF conference) at

Spokane, WA. Guests of Honor: Brad Foster,

Boston Westin Waterfront, Boston, MA. Au-

David Gerrold, Vonda N. McIntyre, Tom
thor Guest of Honor: N. K. Jemisin, Artist

Smith, Leslie Turek. Membership: currently.

Guest of Honor: Lee Moyer; Fan Guest of Hon-

Attending: $170 adult; $90 young adult (17-
or: Colette H. Fozard. Membership: $55 until

21); $70 child (6–16); $40. This is the SF uni-

31 December 2014, $65 thereafter and at the
verse's annual get-together. Professionals and
door; $30 students; free kids-in-tow (accompa-
readers from all over the world will be in at-
nied at all times by an adult with member-
tendance. Talks, panels, films, fancy dress
ship). Info: www.arisia.org.

competition—the works. Nominate and vote
for the Hugos. Info: sasquan.org/; info

30 January-1 February 2015

@sasquan.org; 15127 Main Street East, Suite FOOLSCAP 2015 (SF/Fantasy literature and art

104, PMB 208, Sumner WA 98390.

conference) at Redmond Marriott Town Cen-
ter, Redmond, WA. Guest of Honor: Ursula

Vernon. Membership: $50 in advance. Info:

Running a convention? If your conven-
www.foolscap.org
tion has a telephone or fax number, e-mail
address, or web page, please let us know so

13–15 February 2015
that we can publish this information. We

BOSKONE 52 (New England SF conference) at
must have your information in hand SIX

Boston Westin Waterfront, Boston, MA. Guest
months before the date of your convention.

of Honor: Robin McKinley, Official Artists:

Charles Lang & Wendy Snow-Lang, Featured

Attending a convention? When calling

Filkers: Maya & Jeff Bohnoff, Special Guest:

conventions for information, do not call

Robert K. Wiener. Membership in advance:

collect and do not call too late in the

$50 adult; $35 college student; $25 high
evening. It is best to include a S.A.S.E. when
school student & younger; more at the door.

requesting information; include an Interna-

Info: http://www.nesfa.org/boskone/b52/;
tional Reply Coupon if the convention is in
info@boskone.org; +1.617.625.2311 (voice);
a different country.

184

ANTHONY LEWIS

Document Outline

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