Stars: The Anthology by Janis Ian & Mike Resnick

Author:Janis Ian & Mike Resnick [Ian, Janis & Resnick, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: nancy kress, mercedes lackey, science fiction, anthology, short science fiction, sci fi, short stories, songwriter, kage baker, gregory benford, stephen baxter, sharon lee, steve miller, tanith lee, barry n. malzberg, susan matthews, mike resnick, spider robinson, kristine kathryn rusch, robert j. sawyer, terry bisson, orson scott card, susan casper, diane duane, david gerrold, joe haldeman, janis ian, lucky bat books, kay kenyon, robert sheckley, dean wesley smith, michael swanwick, judith tarr, harry turtledove, john varley, tad williams, jane yolen, howard waldrop
Publisher: Lucky Bat Books & Rude Girl Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

All In A Blaze

Stephen Baxter

Stars, they come and go

They come fast or slow

They go like the last light of the sun

all in a blaze

and all you see is glory

~ from Stars by Janis Ian

It all came to a head on the day of the Halo Dance.

On some level Faya Parz had known the truth about herself. In the background of her life there had always been the bits of family gossip. And then as she grew older, and her friends began to grey, she stayed supple—as if she was charmed, time sliding by her, barely touching her.

But these were subtle things. She had never articulated it to herself, never framed the thought. On some deeper level she hadn’t wanted to know.

She had to meet Luru Parz before she faced it.

The amphitheatre was a great bowl gouged out of the icy surface of Port Sol. Over Faya’s head the sun, seen here at the edge of the solar system, was just a pinprick in a tapestry of stars, its sharpness softened a little by the immense dome that spanned the theatre. Of course the amphitheatre was crowded, as it was every four years for this famous event; there was a great sea of upturned faces, all around Faya. She gazed up at the platforms hovering high above, just under the envelope of the dome itself, where her sister and the other Dancers were preparing for their performance.

"… Excuse me."

Faya glanced down. A small woman faced her, stocky, broad-faced, dressed in a nondescript coverall. Faya couldn’t tell her age, but there was something solid about her, something heavy, despite the micro-gravity of Port Sol. And she looked oddly familiar.

The woman smiled at her.

Faya was staring. "I’m sorry."

"The seat next to you—"

"It’s free."

"I know." With slow care, the woman climbed the couple of steps up to Faya’s row and sat down on the carved and insulated ice. "You’re Faya Parz, aren’t you? I’ve seen your Virtuals. You were one of the best Dancers of all."

"Thank you."

"You wish you were up there now."

Faya was used to fans, but this woman was a little unsettling. "I’m past forty. In the Dance, when you’ve had your day, you must make way."

"But you are ageing well."

It was an odd remark from a stranger. "My sister’s up there."

"Lieta, yes. Ten years younger. But you could still challenge her."

Faya turned to study the woman. "I don’t want to be rude, but—"

"But I seem to know a lot about you. I don’t mean to put you at a disadvantage. My name is Luru Parz."

Faya did a double-take. "I thought I knew all of us Parz on Port Sol."

"We’re relatives. I’m—a great-aunt, dear. Think of me that way."

"Do you live here?"

"No, no. Just a transient, as we all are. Everything passes, you know; everything changes." She waved her hand, indicating the amphitheatre. Her gestures were small, economical in their use of time and space. "Take this place. Do you know its history?"

Faya shrugged. "I never thought about it. Is it natural, a crater?"

Luru shook her head.

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