Survival--A Novel Page 27
But they did avert it, Ignatiev thought happily. Of course, with the shielding generators that the Predecessors gave us, they had no fear of the approaching death wave. With that menace removed, cooler heads worked hard to remove the causes of conflict. And prevailed.
Yet a voice in Ignatiev’s mind asked, For how long? Will the pressures leading to conflict arise again?
I’ve got to get back to Earth, he realized. I’ve got to get them pointed toward expansion. That’s been the human race’s solution to population problems since the Stone Age: move outward, climb the next hill, and find new territory.
The partnership between organic and machine intelligences is the new territory that can replace the old pressures of population growth and resource shortages. Together, man and machine can not only survive, but prevail.
He looked to Gita again and saw that she was staring at him, still smiling. Ignatiev suppressed an urge to laugh. The machines aren’t the only ones who can read my mind, he thought.
“Professor Ignatiev?”
Ignatiev realized that Mandabe was speaking to him.
Slightly flustered, he said, “I’m sorry. My mind wandered.”
Mandabe almost smiled. Not quite. “We need to know if you plan to return to Earth or remain here. I understand that you are involved in astronomical studies, together with the machines.”
“I wish to return to Earth.”
“And your research?”
“The other members of my group can continue it perfectly well without me. Even better, I imagine.” Then he added, “Dr. Nawalapitiya will go with me.”
“I see,” said Mandabe.
Gita beamed at Ignatiev.
Captain Thornton said, “My technical staff is working with the machines to construct a new starship. Smaller, but more advanced.”
“Intrepid will remain in orbit here, then,” said Mandabe.
Thornton nodded.
His eyes searching the other department heads sitting around the conference table, Mandabe asked, “Any other business?”
No one spoke.
Breaking into a wide grin, Mandabe said, “In that case, I move that we adjourn and get back to work.”
There were no objections.
EPILOGUE
’Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Ignatiev smiled down at Gita’s sleeping form. So lovely, he thought. So wonderful.
Together with half a dozen other researchers, they were aboard the new starship that the machines had built for them. At Ignatiev’s suggestion, the human passengers had dubbed the ship Homebound.
Mandabe and the rest of Intrepid’s two-thousand-some scientists, engineers, and technicians remained at Oh-Four, carrying on their studies of that planet, its biota, and the machines.
The avatar suddenly appeared, standing next to Ignatiev, alongside Gita’s cryonic capsule.
“All the diagnostics show that her brain patterns have been successfully downloaded into the ship’s computer. She will awaken together with the rest of you, once you establish orbit around Earth.”
“In two thousand years,” Ignatiev murmured.
Gesturing to the empty sleep capsule beside Gita’s, the avatar said, “It is time for you to download and enter cryonic sleep, Professor.”
Ignatiev nodded. With a sigh he patted Gita’s slender hand. Already it felt cold to his touch. Almost reluctantly he climbed into the open capsule and stretched out on his back.
A set of hair-thin sensors wormed through his thick white hair and gently touched his scalp.
Goodnight, sweet prince, Ignatiev thought. And immediately felt foolish.
The avatar bent slightly over him. “You will awake once the ship achieves orbit around Earth.”
“In two thousand years.”
“Slightly more than that,” said the avatar.
“In a new world,” Ignatiev said. “A lot can happen in two thousand years.”
“Yes,” the avatar agreed. “Yet, somehow, we expect that you will be quite capable of dealing with your new world. And all the other worlds you eventually encounter.”
Ignatiev smiled and closed his eyes.
Tor Books by Ben Bova
Able One
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Colony
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The Immortality Factor
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The Multiple Man
New Earth
New Frontiers
Orion
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Orion and the Conqueror
Orion in the Dying Time
Out of the Sun
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Power Play
Powersat
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The Precipice
Privateers
Prometheans
The Return
The Rock Rats
The Sam Gunn Omnibus
Saturn
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, volumes A and B (editor)
The Silent War
Star Peace: Assured Survival
The Starcrossed
Survival
Tales of the Grand Tour
Test of Fire
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To Fear the Light (with A. J. Austin)
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Transhuman
The Trikon Deception (with Bill Pogue)
Triumph
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Venus
Voyagers
Voyagers II: The Alien Within
Voyagers III: Star Brothers
The Winds of Altair
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BEN BOVA is a six-time winner of the Hugo Award, a former editor of Analog, former editorial director of Omni, and a past president of both the National Space Society and the Science Fiction Writers of America. Bova is the author of more than a hundred works of science fact and fiction. He lives in Florida. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Epigraph
Book One
Prologue: Starship Sagan
Book Two
Twenty Years Later: Starship Intrepid
Data Bank
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Book Three
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Book Four
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Book Five
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Epilogue
Tor Books by Ben Bova
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
SURVIVAL
Copyright © 2017 by Ben Bova
All rights reserved.
Cover art by John Harris
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First Edition: December 2017