“Do I dare Disturb the universe? In a minute there is time For decisions and revisions which a minute will erase.” –T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” “Thank you kindly for agreeing to see us on such short notice, Representatives.” “The pleasure is ours, Representative. Thank you for being willing to meet …
Category: Contact
Chapter Ten: Inextricably Bound Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“Questions are never indiscreet; answers sometimes are.” –Oscar Wilde “And there has been no sign of them?” “No, sir.” “Lovely.” Ziah Solis sighed. “You’re sure they didn’t die on the ship?” “Kir was very clear on that, sir. They haven’t moved it, but they’ve scanned it thoroughly. I can tell you how many bacteria are …
Chapter Nine: The Gracious Favor Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“O God, that I had loved a smaller man! I should have found in him a greater heart.” –Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “Merlin and Vivien” “No signal from Ted?” “No, sir,” Viktor Frieden said. “Hala?” He shook his head. “All right. You’ve got the text message ready to send if we get contact?” “Yes, sir.” “Okay,” …
Chapter Eight: The Fierce Urgency of Now Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“Oh, the comfort — the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person — having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the …
Chapter Seven: What You Can’t Understand Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“The Gods favor the strong.” –Tacitus “Stanisław Lem, this is Hercules Base. Helm answers all stop, we are wheels down on Titan.” “This is the Lem, roger that, Hercules Base. Per actual you are go for whatever recon is practicable.” “Affirm Lem. See you soon, Yelena. Hercules Base out.” “It’s funny,” Ted Martínez said. “This …
Chapter Six: Whirlwinds of Revolt Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“We are more vocal about these issues because we have learned the cost of shutting up, because we constantly have to remind people, because the minute we stop, everything returns to the way it was, the status quo is reestablished, and the real structural and institutional problems that create inequality go, once again, uninterrogated.” –S.E. …
Chapter Five: Keep Your Eyes Wide Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“If life is going to exist in a Universe of this size, then the one thing it cannot afford to have is a sense of proportion.” –Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe “Mr. Secretary! We just received this! Code magenta traffic warning about the Sol System, sir.” “Criminy, Auren, don’t you …
Chapter Four: Lead Me Home Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“Oh, nothing’s impossible. It’s just a question of when it gets too hard to imagine doing.” –Jeff Fecke, The Valkyrie’s Tale “ETA, Colonel?” “One hour, forty minutes. Twenty minutes since I told you we were two hours out, sir.” Tatenda Marechera paced, which took some doing in the cramped cockpit of the Sally Ride. “Can …
Chapter Three: The Dark and Desolate Valley Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“Ill news is wing’d with fate, and flies apace.” –John Dryden, “Threnodia Augustalis” Aertimus Bass simply stared at the viewscreen. There was nothing else he could do. The report from Titan Station was not itself a disaster. Disasters were far less destructive. No, the report Centurium Oden gave was a gorram black hole of awful, …
Chapter Two: Lost But Now Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“It’s a magical world, Hobbes, ol’ buddy….Let’s go exploring!” –Bill Watterson, “Calvin and Hobbes” “Ten unis that we find microbial life there, sir?” “I’m not betting with you, Ted,” Cmdr. Tatenda Marechera chuckled. “Even if I win, what will I spend it on?” “Hala? Viktor?” “No chance, Ted,” Maj. Hala Nejem said. “One, my dad …