Slow Train to Arcturus by Eric Flint

Author:Eric Flint [Flint, Eric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: http://c3jemx2ube5v5zpg.onion
Published: 2008-07-11T16:00:00+00:00

21

“Surface area, not volume, is the key to many biological processes. By layering the inside of a habitat we increase – at approximately four meters per layer – the surface area from roughly 5500 hectares to near on twenty thousand square kilometers. By using vertical surfaces too – by growing plants on the growth medium on the walls we increase that growing area – assuming tightest possible corridors – at about 3 meters to roughly double that. Now that's just not practical and you lose too much space to interstitial support and piping and so on. So the optimum corridor width is about ten meters. Of course that's optimum for materials use. For practicalities and aesthetics – which may be even more important than we realize on longer trips – we need some wider and higher areas. It's a series of trade-offs. It's going to make the inside of these structures into a maze. The biggest maze ever built. More easy to get lost in than any jungle. Capable of carrying – physically – if not sustaining, several million people.”

Transcript of Professor Lucas Teich's presentation to the Interstellar Colonization and Exploration Society, on the bioenvironmental factors in the proposed habitats for the Slowtrain Project. From: A Concise History of Human Space Colonization. P233, Chipattari, H, and Shah, G.D. (Ed)

“He's in jail. I have heard that they want to castrate him. Neuter him,” explained Amber.

The idea didn't seem to horrify her the way it did Kretz. Sterility seemed to be more or less acceptable to these aliens. To a Miran it was social ostracism. To humans – well, to some humans – it seemed a mere fact of life. But then ... the species didn't need nesting territory, either.

They were odd, there was no getting away from it, no matter how used to them you thought you were getting. “I have to save him!”

“You're very loyal,” said Amber. “I thought they tried to kill you?”

Kretz shook his head. “Those were the humans in the first habitat. Howard saved my life. He cared for me – and I brought him here. To face a fate worse than death.” He shuddered.

Amber smiled wryly. “A male might see it like that, I suppose. Well, we'd better spring him then. He's good at making friends. I had a call from his mistress a few minutes ago, which is why I knew where he was. She wanted me to intervene because he has unique genetic material. It's true enough. But she didn't like it when I pointed out that all I could justify was a few cc of cell-sample. Her comments on my suggestion that she collect a sperm sample and freeze it were an education to me. That girl can swear!” she said admiringly.

Kretz doubted that he'd ever get the hang of this language. Transcomp gave him the words, and several subtext guesses as to what they might possibly mean. “I will have to try to get him out,” he repeated. “And then I must try to move as fast as possible to rescue Abret and then we can return to our spacecraft and Selna.

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