Dialogue With Darkness by Poul Anderson

Author:Poul Anderson [Anderson, Poul]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, General
ISBN: 9780812530834
Google: DcrIGwAACAAJ
Amazon: 0812530837
Publisher: Tom Doherty Assoc Llc
Published: 1985-02-02T07:00:00+00:00

SOS

MOSCOW, 1 June 1966—Dr. Bruce C. Heezen . . . at the second International Oceanographic Congress . . . said studies of ocean bottom samples showed that in the last 23 million years a number of magnetic field reversals had occurred. Magnetic strength dropped to zero and then returned with an opposite orientation . . . “The result of the increased cosmic radiation reaching the earth apparently was the complete killing of some species and the mutation of others” . . . Magnetic measurements made of the earth for the past 120 years show a decrease that, if continued steadily, would lead to zero magnetism and a reversal in about 2,000 years. . . .

—Associated Press (Archives of the Awaiian Historical Museum)

AUSTRALAO COMMAND, 13 Heros 4127—General order . . . to . . . Space Force of the Autarchy of Great Asia. . . . With due regard to the requirements for achieving surprise, you will occupy the station and promptly deploy ground and ground-to-space defenses. They should not be needed except in case of failure. For success, it is absolutely essential that your presence remain unsuspected by the Kinhouse units until the moment of your missile strike . . . Immediately afterward, you will assume Earth orbits according to pattern . . . The importance of your mission cannot be overemphasized. On you may rest responsibility for the survival of civilization, quite possibly of the human race. You are reminded of the recent, unexpected acceleration of the decrease in field strength . . .

—Archives of the Astromilitary Institute

I

Ing Jans was the first to see them.

He had gone out after work to be alone. His need did not arise from any physical crowding. Chandrasekhar Research Station in its best days could spaciously and graciously house fifty scientists, their assistants, any family they cared to bring along and a large service staff. Of course, in the past two or three centuries, as things worsened on Earth, there had been too few personnel or resources to maintain everything. Meteoroids, moon-quakes, thermal stress had caused damage that was not repaired. But most of the big rooms, tunnels, domes and blockhouses were intact. The score of people who now inhabited them rattled around

Thus the pressure on Jans was not material—nothing he could name. Suspicion? Ostracism?

Suppose he went to the chief, Rani Danlandris, and exclaimed: Yes, my mother was bom in Great Asia—she was fifteen before she came to Normerica. My father’s a native Kinsman, all right, but yes, he does sympathize with the Asians. He isn’t disloyal to the Westrealm but he does think—and say—Autarchism’s egalitarian and collectivist philosophy gives more hope for saving Earth than our own neofeudal timocracy, as he calls it. And I haven’t disowned my parents. Can’t you see, though, I’ve broken with most of their ideas? I support the Westrealm. I prefer its way of life and think it can cope better with the crisis than Autarchism. I’ve only said that the Asians may have something to teach us. Besides, we aren’t at war with them.

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