Greenberg, Martin H & Segriff, Larry - Far Frontiers (SS).pdf

(625 KB) Pobierz
167826303 UNPDF
[scanned at Myhouse 01-01-04 ver 1.0]
[Try Textaloud-mp3 to turn any book into an audio book it is so cool -
www.nextup.com]
FAR
FRONTI ERS
Edited by
Martin H. Greenberg
and Larry Segriff
DAW BOOKS, INC.
DONALD A. WOLLHEIM FOUNDER
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
ELIZABETH 1. WOLLHEIM
SHEILA E. GiLBERT
PUBLISHERS
[from the back cover]
KATHLEEN M. MASSIE-FERCH
ROBERT J. SAWYER * ALAN DEAN FOSTER
TERRY D. ENGLAND * JANET PACK * MARC BILGREY
KRISTINE KATHRYN RUSCH * LAWRENCE WAlT-EVANS
PETER SCHWEIGHOFER * JULIE E. CZERNEDA
ANDRE NORTON * JANE LINDSKOLD
ROBIN WAYNE BAILEY
Exploration lies at the very heart of science fiction. From Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to the
earliest sf pulp magazines, to the most current science fiction best sellers, protagonists have
always sought to learn about new territories, concepts, and technologies, imaginatively reaching
out to distant worlds and galaxies, to uncharted regions of Earth itself, to the next step in
evolution, to the many futures that may await us as we strive to discover all we can about the
universe.
Now thirteen of todays top authors blaze new pathways to worlds beyond imagination from: a
civilization of humans living in a Dyson sphere to whom the idea of living on a planet is pure
mythology...to an ancient man so obsessed with an alien legend that he will risk ship and crew in
the Void in the hopes of proving it true...to the story of the last free segments of “humanity,”
forced to retreat to the very edge of the galaxy in the hope of finding a way to save themselves
when there is nowhere left to run....
CONTENTS
INT
by Larry Segriff
TRA
by Kathleen M. Massie-Ferch
STA
by Robert J. Sawyer
CH
by Alan Dean Foster
OUT
by Terry D. England
THE
by Janet Pack
HO
by Marc Bilgrey
DRE
by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
THE LAST BASTION.
by Lawrence Watt-Evans
FORGOTTEN
by Peter Schweighofer
DOWN ON THE FARM
by Julie E. Czerneda
SET IN STONE
by Andre Norton
RUiNS OF THE PAST
by Jane Lindskold
ANGEL ON THE OUTWARD SIDE
by Robin Wayne Bailey
INTRODUCTION
Frontiers. There’s something magical about that word. Something stirring in its echoes.
Something that calls to us, that sets our blood singing, our pulse pounding, and our souls soaring.
Frontiers are more than just that, however, more than just stirring action, compelling characters,
and lives lived on the edge.
I’ve long believed that what our modem society needs most is a new frontier—something
that would reignite a sense of patriotism and community, something that would help to channel
our aggressions, something that would give us, as a nation and as a world, a sense of pride, a
sense of productivity, a sense of progress. That’s why I’ve been such a fan of the space program.
It’s also why, for the past twenty years or so, I’ve been so disappointed in our space program.
But space isn’t the only frontier left open to us. It may not even truly be the final frontier.
Some of my favorites include cities on the ocean floor, virtual reality, and perhaps the greatest
frontier of all: death itself.
Come with us now as we invite some of today’s top writers to take us on a personal tour
of their own favorite frontiers.
TRACES
by Kathleen M. Massie-Ferch
Kathleen M. Massie-Ferch was born and raised in Wisconsin. She’s there still, with a
wonderful husband, two Scottie dogs, several telescopes, numerous rocks, and more books than
she cares to count. She worked her way through college, earning degrees in astronomy, physics,
and geology-geophysics. For the past twenty years she has worked for the University of
Wisconsin as a research geologist. Massie-Ferch has made short fiction sales to a variety of
places, such as Marian Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine, Sword and Sorceress, Warrior
Princesses, and New Altars. She has coedited two historical fantasy anthologies for DAW Books;
An-dent Enchantresses and Warrior Enchantresses.
“Which one?” I asked, but it was obvious which TV sample he wanted—my office wasn’t
that big.
His dark eyes were wide with excitement.
"That pretty blue rock.” Angshu pointed to the Seven-inch-long assemblage of crystals.
The five-year-old’s dark and wild curls reinforced the determined set of his jaw.
“Of course.” My arms strained under his weight, I had to set him down. “You’re heavy,
even in three-quarters G.” I picked up the aggregate of beautiful blue crystals and pointed out
several prominent marks. “See the lines that cross each side? Kyamte crystals break easily along
these cleavage planes. I think your class will find this other rock much more interesting.” I set the
kyanite back on its padded resting place, despite Angshu’s outstretched hand, and reached toward
the dark brown rock from lower on the shelves. The intercom’s chime resounded through my
office.
My private code. Blast. Three swift steps brought me to my desk. Toggling the answer
button silenced the incessant chime. “Geology section,” I said.
“Dr. Sehkar?”
“Matt! Are you back already?” I glanced back around at Angshu, who watched the
kyanite crystal as if it’d leap into his eager grasp.
“No, ma’ani. We’re still on the surface.” Matt’s labored breathing echoed off his EVA
helmet and into the open comm link. His voice suddenly sounded older than his twenty-two
years. “I’m still checking out this outcrop for you, but it’s—well, the lava tubes aren’t all that
remarkable after all. The lava flows are in fact older than the cyanobacteria colonies offshore, as
you suspected. But the beach is interesting. I think you should see it.”
I suppressed a groan. Angshu tried to grab for the kyanite—well beyond his reach. I
snapped my fingers. He stopped, although he refused to look at me. “Matt, I’ve got that prelim
report staring me in the face. That’s why I sent you instead of going myself, remember?”
“I know,” Matt said. “I need your advice!”
I couldn’t stop the groan. How I wanted to say no and finish my blasted report—but then
nothing about Delta Pavoms Two went fast. “Aren’t you even going to give me more of a hint?”
“No, it’ll be more fun as a surprise. Remember, that’s why you get paid the big bucks.”
I almost didn’t catch it. The keying phrase sent a shock through me. I could read a lot
between those few words, and I played my part. “Watch your mouth, Matt.” I checked my desk
clock. “With travel time, mark it two hours from now. An hour, if possible.”
‘Thanks, boss.” Relief eased Mall’s voice back to its normal tone, although he was still
breathing heavily. “I know it’s your rec time—”
Tune to change the subject.
“You sound out of breath.” I punched in the proper code and my computer brought up his
bio-vits and those of his team members. The stats looked reasonable; still, they could be wrong.
“Have you checked your oxygen mixture recently?”
“It’s fine. Just rough terrain.”
“All right. Careful, Matt. I don’t want any accidents.”
“I know,” he said, “no time for the paperwork.”
“You’ve got that right!” I closed the channel and was about to call transport when I
caught some move-‘Dent at the edge of vision.
“No!” I yelled, too late. I lunged forward and grabbed Angshu in mid-fall. The chair he
had been climbing on crashed against the shelves. The harsh sound of colliding chair and rocks
echoed through the plastic and metal office and sent shivers through me. The lowest six of the ten
shelves unhinged themselves and quickly dumped their contents.
“Oh-oh,” Angshu said as he clung to me in dismay in the now silent room.
“Oh-oh is right. Look at this mess.”

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika:

Zgłoś jeśli naruszono regulamin