Far Frontiers Part 1

FAR FRONTIERS.

Edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Larry Segriff.

INTRODUCTION

Frontiers. There's something magical about that word. Something stirring in its echoes.

Something that calls to us, that sets our blood singing, our pulse pounding, and our souls soaring.

Frontiers are more than just that, however, more than just stirring action, compelling characters, and lives lived on the edge.

I've long believed that what our modem society needs most is a new frontier-something that would reignite a sense of patriotism and community, something that would help to channel our aggressions, something that would give us, as a nation and as a world, a sense of pride, a sense of productivity, a sense of progress. That's why I've been such a fan of the s.p.a.ce program.

It's also why, for the past twenty years or so, I've been so disappointed in our s.p.a.ce program.

But s.p.a.ce isn't the only frontier left open to us. It may not even truly be the final frontier.

Some of my favorites include cities on the ocean floor, virtual reality, and perhaps the greatest frontier of all: death itself.

Come with us now as we invite some of today's top writers to take us on a personal tour of their own favorite frontiers.

TRACES

by Kathleen M. Ma.s.sie-Ferch

Kathleen M. Ma.s.sie-Ferch was born and raised in Wisconsin. She's there still, with a wonderful husband, two Scottie dogs, several telescopes, numerous rocks, and more books than she cares to count. She worked her way through college, earning degrees in astronomy, physics, and geology-geophysics. For the past twenty years she has worked for the University of Wisconsin as a research geologist. Ma.s.sie-Ferch has made short fiction sales to a variety of places, such as Marian Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine, Sword and Sorceress, Warrior Princesses, and New Altars. She has coedited two historical fantasy anthologies for DAW Books; An-dent Enchantresses and Warrior Enchantresses.

"Which one?" I asked, but it was obvious which TV sample he wanted-my office wasn't that big.

His dark eyes were wide with excitement.

"That pretty blue rock." Angshu pointed to the Seven-inch-long a.s.semblage of crystals.

The five-year-old's dark and wild curls reinforced the determined set of his jaw.

"Of course." My arms strained under his weight, I had to set him down. "You're heavy, even in three-quarters G." I picked up the aggregate of beautiful blue crystals and pointed out several prominent marks. "See the lines that cross each side? Kyamte crystals break easily along these cleavage planes. I think your cla.s.s will find this other rock much more interesting." I set the kyanite back on its padded resting place, despite Angshu's outstretched hand, and reached toward the dark brown rock from lower on the shelves. The intercom's chime resounded through my office.

My private code. Blast. Three swift steps brought me to my desk. Toggling the answer b.u.t.ton silenced the incessant chime. "Geology section," I said.

"Dr. Sehkar?"

"Matt! Are you back already?" I glanced back around at Angshu, who watched the kyanite crystal as if it'd leap into his eager grasp.

"No, ma'ani. We're still on the surface." Matt's labored breathing echoed off his EVAhelmet and into the open comm link. His voice suddenly sounded older than his twenty-two years. "I'm still checking out this outcrop for you, but it's-well, the lava tubes aren't all that remarkable after all. The lava flows are in fact older than the cyan.o.bacteria colonies offsh.o.r.e, as you suspected. But the beach is interesting. I think you should see it."

I suppressed a groan. Angshu tried to grab for the kyanite-well beyond his reach. I snapped my fingers. He stopped, although he refused to look at me. "Matt, I've got that prelim report staring me in the face. That's why I sent you instead of going myself, remember?"

"I know," Matt said. "I need your advice!"

I couldn't stop the groan. How I wanted to say no and finish my blasted report-but then nothing about Delta Pavoms Two went fast. "Aren't you even going to give me more of a hint?"

"No, it'll be more fun as a surprise. Remember, that's why you get paid the big bucks."

I almost didn't catch it. The keying phrase sent a shock through me. I could read a lot between those few words, and I played my part. "Watch your mouth, Matt." I checked my desk clock. "With travel time, mark it two hours from now. An hour, if possible."

'Thanks, boss." Relief eased Mall's voice back to its normal tone, although he was still breathing heavily. "I know it's your rec time-"

Tune to change the subject.

"You sound out of breath." I punched in the proper code and my computer brought up his bio-vits and those of his team members. The stats looked reasonable; still, they could be wrong.

"Have you checked your oxygen mixture recently?"

"It's fine. Just rough terrain."

"All right. Careful, Matt. I don't want any accidents."

"I know," he said, "no time for the paperwork."

"You've got that right!" I closed the channel and was about to call transport when I caught some move-'Dent at the edge of vision.

"No!" I yelled, too late. I lunged forward and grabbed Angshu in mid-fall. The chair he had been climbing on crashed against the shelves. The harsh sound of colliding chair and rocks echoed through the plastic and metal office and sent shivers through me. The lowest six of the ten shelves unhinged themselves and quickly dumped their contents.

"Oh-oh," Angshu said as he clung to me in dismay in the now silent room.

"Oh-oh is right. Look at this mess."'They break pretty easy."

I sighed and hugged him. My heart thumped in my chest. The shelves weren't broken, only collapsible.

"If you had fallen among that-?"

"I'm sorry, Mommy."

I surveyed the pile of rocks and poliglas. 'This will have to be cleaned up before we leave orbit. I don't have the hour it'll take just now." I squeezed him again before setting him down. I returned the chair back to its normal placement and snapped it into the floor locks, its secure position, then turned to my son. "As I said, you can take one rock to school today." I searched through the pile on my floor, setting aside several limestones sporting new scratches. My prized tholeiite from my very first planetfall-scuffed! I pulled out a fist-sized metallic rock.

"Fortunately for you, most rocks are durable. Here, you can take this one, and only this one rock."

He wrinkled his nose at the dark-brown, irregular lump. "It's ugly!"

I forced it into his small hands. 'True, but I've been to lots of solar systems and this is one of the oldest rocks ever found, anywhere. A meteoroid from Luyten 97-12. It's 5.8 billion years old."

"Wow!" Angshu examined the rock in awe.

"From an asteroid belt."

"Great-o!" He turned it over and over in his hands. 'It's heavy! Did they find any dinosaurs there? Can we go there next instead of Beta Hidee?"

"Beta Hydri. No, we found only very simple life-forms, like we find everywhere. I keep telling you," I widened my eyes and pitched my voice lower, "we're the only s.p.a.cemen."

The boy's smile vanished quickly. "But Airy told everyone at school you found s.p.a.cemen. Where'd you find them? I want to see them, too."

I stiffened, the words stung. "Your friend, Airy, is wrong. When I served on the JFK-"

"Before I was born, right?"

"Yes~ My a.s.sociate and I thought we had found some fossils of a smart animal. Maybe smarter than a chimp. But the Theologians proved me wrong." I stooped to look him directly in the eye. 'There is only one G.o.d and one intelligent species, just like they teach you in biology cla.s.s. It's very important you remember that. Be sure to tell Airy I said so." This conversationwould require more attention, between planets. Now I had to get planetside, and soon. I toggled the flight hangar and asked for a landing pod.

"Sorry, ma' am," Flight Chief Nolan answered. 'The physical science department already has all my one-pa.s.senger pods out. Most everyone else is finished by now. Are all your people loners today?"

"No, it's just a big watery planet with widely s.p.a.ced outcrops of dry land."

"You've got to settle for a four-pod. I've one left." I waited, hoping for another answer; Nolan's chuckling filled the silence. "Dr. Sehkar, they're not that much bigger, but if you want, I'll round up a pilot for you."

"No, thanks, Chief. You do realize what happens whenever I have extra room?"

A hearty laugh answered me. "Yes, ma'am. Just try to contain yourself this time and leave some rocks for the next survey team." He paused briefly. "Hmm. You'd better hurry, Doctor. XO just made a request for a four-pod for some last minute underwater bug hunting. The next smallest is a ten-pod-"

I interrupted him. "I'm on my way. I want that four-pod. Don't you dare give it to Exobiology!" I was up, grabbing my field pack and rushing out of my office, with Angshu in tow, before the echo of the hangar chief's voice faded.

We were immediately a.s.saulted by the noise of the crowded corridors. The buzz of tense conversation- even some arguments-and hurried footfalls bounced off the brightly painted walls of the T.C. Chamberlin. The sounds hugged me like a scratchy wool sweater. The only time more people moved about was the day before the ship set orbit. Then there was an air of an- tic.i.p.ation and excitement. Now people simply rushed from labs and offices, comparing survey results and hastily finishing their preliminary planetary reports. I dodged a distracted crewman and in the process b.u.mped into old man Greg Greely from Astrophysics.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"It's always a pleasure seeing you and your handsome son. Hi, Angshu."

"Hi, Dr. Greg. See my rock!"

"And a nice meteoroid it is."

"Can I look through your telescope again, Dr. Greg?"

"Of course, anytime. Praise be, Angshu, you've grown since I last saw you. Can it only have been a week?" He patted the boy's head, then looked at me. "Dr. Sehkar, perhaps we threecan have dinner again soon?"

"After we leave orbit," I answered. "I'll make dinner and then you men can go look through your telescope. Let's plan later. Now I'm going planetside one more time."

"Oh? That' 11 get Ops excited," he stated dryly. "Why so late?"

"Later," I dismissed his many unspoken questions. His hand on my arm stopped me.

"Will this upset the Theology Council?" His words were soft and meant only for my ears.

I hesitated, remembering Matt's voice. "I don't think so. Just an outcrop my tech can't explain away."

"Good."

I grabbed my son's hand again as Greely moved away. Angshu and I hurried through the crowded hall. It took barely a minute to get him settled in school; half-destroying my office still had him intimidated-a small blessing-then I made for the hangar access tube.

"Dr. Sehkar!"

I ignored the first attempted distraction-maybe he'd go away-but the insistent voice edged closer.

"Dr. Sehkar!"

I continued walking, partially turned, and waved. Commander Nichols, Ops Chief, increased his stride to catch up. It took too few steps.

"What's on your mind, Commander?" I asked when his steps finally matched mine. He was so tall that I never got used to his size. He seemed twice my own height of 158 centimeters.

Maybe if I saw him more often, I'd get used to his towering form. I'm glad I didn't have to. His water-blue eyes, long nose, and angular chin were all perfect, but when summed together they gave his face too strong and brutal a look for a man of the cloth, and that left him with an anger which never diminished. You could feel it like a cold wind.

"My last status report shows you still have five people down below."

I stopped at this corridor's connecting access hatch and punched in the code. The latch circuit clicked open. "Actually, I think you'll find I have seven people planetside, and I'm on my way down to supervise the last sampling." I pulled on the large door so perfectly balanced even a child could open it.

Commander Nichols followed me through the hatch into the air lock and secured the door latch behind us. We both started removing the outer soles of our boots, exposing the magnetic,inner soles. The latch cycled closed with a comforting click. We went through the next hatch.

"I'd like to see things wrapped up soon. Do you antic.i.p.ate a delay, Dr. Sehkar?" He paused ever so slightly before using my t.i.tle.

I opened the next seal, and kept my voice neutral. "You sound as if I typically cause delays. On the contrary, since I've been on the Chamberlin, I've always finished my reports on time, if not early."

"You mistake my concern for criticism. Your work is theologically sound."

"Thank you."

"If only your husband had been so meticulous."

"I don't have a husband," I replied evenly, despite the chill in my chest.

"Excuse me, your son's father. Martin Tilton."

"Dr. Tilton is not a part of my life anymore," I whispered tartly, even though no one would have heard us if I had screamed the words.

"He isn't? Are you sure?" Nichols' voice had just a hint of disbelief in it.

"According to the Council's ruling, Dr. Tilton does not exist and never has. You'll find no evidence of him in any school yearbook or scientific journal. I was never married. He is not part of Angshu's life either. And I'd thank you not to bring any hint of disgrace into my life or my son's, or I'll report you to the Theological Family Council."

"Of course." He was all smiles and sweetness, as if he could be trusted.