2163 AD ૨૧૨૫ MA “This is it, Jimmy,” Elaine Ridgemont said, waving her arms for emphasis. “This is the fuck-up I’ve been waiting for.” Her husband nodded, as he sipped his coffee and read through sports scores. He was aware of the fallout from Lennox McClure’s story; it had landed like a lightning bolt in …
Tag: Robyn Martin
Chapter Thirty-Six: And Before I’d be a Slave Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“The truth is messy. It’s raw and uncomfortable. You can’t blame people for preferring lies.” –Holly Black, Red Glove “We will have order,” the President of the General Assembly said, as the side discussion on the floor grew pitched. “We will have order, or we will adjourn.” “Maybe we should!” the Mandean delegate shouted. “Maybe …
Chapter Thirty-Five: The Considerate Judgment of Mankind Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” –Dr. Marie Skłodowska-Curie As the mutters in the crowd turned to shouts, Xú Mùlán looked back toward her friend. She could feel the crowd turning on Eyrn, or at …
Chapter Thirty-Four: Like Going Home Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time.” –T.S. Eliot, “Little Gidding” “Eight meters…six…four…mooring. Repeat, we have mooring.” “Asimov Station, this is Stanisław Lem actual. We show mooring, please confirm.” “Confirmed, Lem. We have mooring …
Second Intermission Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“We do spend too much time on the telephone, and you know something? We love it.” –Dr. Michio Kaku Admiral James Harwell sat in mission control, Houston, not wanting to leave his workstation. It was very late in Texas. In just an hour or two, he would have to begin calling the loved ones of …
Chapter Twenty-Two: Study War No More Titan: Contact by D.X. Machina
“When you’re getting ready to launch into space, you’re sitting on a big explosion waiting to happen.” –Dr. Sally Ride “My question is, at what point do we attack?” The question seemed to hang in the air; the various world leaders who fielded Admiral Harwell’s question seemed almost taken aback by it. It was Robyn …
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 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 …