2010: Odyssey Two

Arthur C. Clarke

Copyright
2010: Odyssey Two Copyright © 1982 by Serendib BV Foreword and Postscript copyright © 1997 by Arthur C. Clarke Cover art to the electronic edition copyright © 2012 by RosettaBooks, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Electronic edition published 2012 by RosettaBooks, LLC, New York. ISBN e-Pub edition: 9780795324826

Dedicated, with respectful admiration, to two great Russians, both depicted herein: General Alexei Leonov—Cosmonaut, Hero of the Soviet Union, Artist and Academician Andrei Sakharov—Scientist, Nobel Laureate, Humanist

TSIEN 6. BIG B ROTHER 23. RESURRECTION IV. GUILLOTINE 21. THE H OUSE OF THE DOLPHINS II. RENDEZVOUS 24. TRANSIT OF J UPITER 9. RECONNAISSANCE 26. AWAKENING 7. THE W ORLDS OF GALILEO 14. A CRY FROM EUROPA 11. THE V IEW FROM LAGRANGE . SAL 9000 4. SALVAGE 15. BOARDING PARTY 19. PROBATION 25. MISSION PROFILE 5. LAGRANGE 22. OPERATION WINDMILL 20. LEONOV 2. ESCAPE F ROM THE GIANT 17. DISCOVERY 12. PRIVATE LINE 18.CONTENTS FOREWORD AUTHOR’S N OTE I. ICE AND V ACUUM III. T SIEN 8. DOWNHILL RUN 13. THE ICE OF THE GRAND CANAL 10. DOUBLE ENCOUNTER 16. LEONOV 1. MEETING AT THE F OCUS 3.

A CHILD OF THE STARS 30. FRUSTRATION 29. EMERGENCE V. FAREWELL TO J UPITER 51. REHABILITATION 37. LUCIFER RISING 50.001 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS POSTSCRIPT . THOUGHT EXPERIMENT 44. BETTY 32. VANISHING T RICK 46. GRAVEYARD SHIFT VI.26. COUNTDOWN 45. HOMECOMING 31. DEVOURER OF WORLDS 42. INTERLUDE: TRUE CONFESSIONS 28. P 27. DEVOURER OF W ORLDS VII. BETWEEN SUNS 55. A GIFT OF W ORLDS 54. FINAL F LYBY 48. VALEDICTION 35. DISNEYVILLE 33. FIRE IN THE DEEP 39. THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE 43. IN THE POD B AY 40. FOAMSCAPE 36. OVER THE N IGHTSIDE 49. IGNITION 53. THE GREAT GAME 52. ESCAPE MANEUVER 47. LUCIFER RISING EPILOG: 20. DAISY…” 41. CRYSTAL SPRING 34. “DAISY. ESTRANGEMENT 38.

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”) So there is no avoiding the fact that some elements of a Space Trilogy conceived in 1964. AND COUNTING… 2010: The View from 1996 Once again. 1964. on April 22. (When. by pressing a few keys. as I write these words. completely unaltered—but have added a 1996 Postscript commenting on the truly astonishing changes that have taken place in technology—and politics—since Stanley Kubrick and I lunched together in Trader Vicks’. Even more amazing. at any moment I can view them here in my own o ce. and even 1987 may now have a quaint Jane Austenish charm.FOREWORD FOURTEEN YEARS. Dave—I can’t do that. and the moons of Jupiter were dimensionless points of light. I hear a familiar voice saying “I’m sorry. G. Wells’ The First Men in the Moon. including the various Author’s Notes and Acknowledgments. the Galileo space probe is showing us details only a few meters across. I hope. Neil Armstrong’s “One small step” was still ve years in the future. What I have done. When I started writing 2001: A Space Odyssey (on a typewriter—have you seen one lately?). is to leave the existing text. 1982. I press the wrong ones. their landscapes as unknown as America to the pre-Columbian mapmakers. Yet now. will take care of matters—at least until 2010… well. as frequently happens. And this. 2001… . therefore. the time has come to survey an enterprise begun more than thirty years ago. before a whole series of scienti c discoveries and technological revolutions changed our world almost beyond recognition. Yet no revision could or should attempt to eliminate them—any more than one should try to “update” H.

had been christened Odyssey. discretion prevailed. the crew had been playing Richard Strauss’ Zarathustra theme. 1968. Io. with feedback in each direction. told me that they had been tempted to radio back the discovery of a large black monolith: alas. became the rst men ever to set eyes upon the Lunar Farside. the Command Module. Silent Running. Ganymede. both projects proceeded simultaneously. there is a much closer parallel between book and movie than is usually the case. when they made the first detailed reconnaissance of the outer giants. 1968. more subtle. As a good opening. As I have described in The Lost Worlds of 2001. now universally identi ed with the movie. not in the next century. In the novel.ction movie” (his phrase). but there are also major di erences. and Callisto were mere pinpoints of light in even the most powerful telescope. though Douglas Trumbull later used the expertise he had acquired to film the ringed planet in his own production. Strangest of all was the saga of Apollo 13 in 1970. and it is fascinating to compare the Jupiter sequences in the lm with the actual movies from the Voyager cameras. Nor had anyone dreamed of the wonders that would be found there—although we can be quite certain that the discoveries of the twin Voyagers will one day be surpassed by even more unexpected nds. we are sundered from it forever by the moment when Neil Armstrong set foot upon the Moon. both movie and book stand up quite well in the light of these discoveries. which houses the crew. and one of them—Io—is the most volcanically active body in the Solar System. shortly after release of the movie. But clearly. but rather expensive. Jack Swigert radioed back . And there were later. that the exploration of the moons of Jupiter lay. Europa. Stanley Kubrick wisely avoided confusion by setting the third confrontation between Man and Monolith among the moons of Jupiter. July 20. psychological factor to be taken into consideration. And there is another. When 2001 was written. Saturn was dropped from the script entirely. Now history and fiction have become inextricably intertwined. The Saturnian system was reached via Jupiter: Discovery made a close approach to the giant planet. Yet. Thus I often had the strange experience of revising the manuscript after viewing rushes based upon an earlier version of the story—a stimulating. using its enormous gravitational eld to produce a “slingshot” e ect and to accelerate it along the second lap of its journey. Exactly the same maneuver was used by the Voyager space probes in 1979. In the movie. The crew of Apollo 8. way of writing a novel. however. the destination of the spaceship Discovery was Iapetus (or Japetus). Immediately after the loss of power. 1969. who at Christmas.AUTHOR’S NOTE The novel 2001: A Space Odyssey was written during the years 1964–1968 and was published in July. 2001 was written in an age that now lies beyond one of the Great Divides in human history. but only fifteen years ahead. The Apollo astronauts had already seen the lm when they left for the Moon. As a result. now they are worlds. most enigmatic of Saturn’s many moons. No one could have imagined. each unique. almost uncanny instances of nature imitating art. anything written today has to incorporate the results of the 1979 explorations: the moons of Jupiter are no longer uncharted territory. back in the mid-sixties. Just before the explosion of the oxygen tank that caused the mission to be aborted. all things considered. was still half a decade in the future when Stanley Kubrick and I started thinking about the “proverbial good science.

Later. about four hundred miles long and two hundred wide… perfectly symmetrical… and so sharp-edged that it almost looked… painted on the face of the little moon. with the great Theodore von Karman and Frank J.” The words that Hal used to astronaut Frank Poole on a similar occasion were: “Sorry to interrupt the festivities. in one of the most disgraceful episodes of the McCarthy period. They discovered that they could run around the track. In 1936. the story you are about to read is something much more complex . for further details see Chapter 12.” I rst saw it in 1968. because I sent him the telecine recording. Stanley uses a tame Black Hole as a filing system.” which turns out to be the Monolith (or one of its avatars). NASA Administrator Tom Paine sent me a copy. Bowman convinced himself that “the bright ellipse set against the dark background of the satellite was a huge empty eye staring at him as he approached…” Later. Moscow. was not spinning. Immediately after the screening.” As he came closer. He was also the rst Goddard Professor at Caltech.” As in due course he did.” I still get a very strange feeling when I contemplate this whole series of events —almost. And they televised the whole exercise back to Earth (need I name the accompanying music?) with the comment: “Stanley Kubrick should see this. but equally striking. but we have a problem. Tsien founded the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology (GALCIT)—the direct ancestor of Pasadena’s famed Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Perhaps this is the appropriate point to identify another and less well-known name appearing in these pages. One of the most technically brilliant sequences in the movie was that in which Frank Poole was shown running round and round the circular track of the giant centrifuge. Another resonance is less serious. (I never got it back. Jack Swigert radioed back to Mission Control: “Houston. however. For the last two decades. he was arrested on trumped-up security charges when he wished to return to his native country. Malina. Here I describe astronaut Bowman’s discovery on the Saturnian moon of a curious feature: “a brilliant white oval. just like mice in a squirrel cage. Immediately after the loss of power. to produce a result visually indistinguishable from that shown in 2001. and contributed greatly to American rocket research through the 1940s. 1967) shows exactly the same lineup as the movie’s opening: the Earth rising beyond the Moon. and the Sun rising beyond both. a ring of storage cabinets formed a smooth. but this did not deter its ingenious occupants. indeed. the crew of the superbly successful Skylab realized that its designers had provided them with a similar geometry. circular band around the space station’s interior. there is the strange case of the “Eye of Japetus”— Chapter 35 of 2001. Arthur. as if I share a certain responsibility.identi ed with the movie. His autographed sketch of the painting now hangs on my o ce wall. “Near the Moon. clear-cut white oval with a tiny black dot at the center. Inevitably. Almost a decade later. Dr. we’ve had a problem. Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. when 2001 was presented at the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. when Voyager 1 transmitted the rst photographs of Iapetus they did indeed disclose a large. and noted under Swigert’s words: “Just as you always said it would be. that of Hsue-shen Tsien. therefore. Alexei pointed out to me that his concept (on page 32 of the Leonov–Sokolov book The Stars Are Awaiting Us . he noticed “the tiny black dot at the exact center. Well. held in place by the “arti cial gravity” produced by its spin. Carl Sagan promptly sent me a print from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory with the cryptic an-notation “Thinking of you…” I do not know whether to be relieved or disappointed that Voyager 2 has left the matter still open.) Yet another link between lm and reality is the painting by Apollo-Soyuz Commander.” When the report of the Apollo 13 mission was later published. Finally. he has been one of the leaders of the Chinese rocket program. Skylab.

Where these di er. the story you are about to read is something much more complex than a straightforward sequel to the earlier novel—or the movie. 1982 . I have been more concerned with making this book self-consistent. I have usually followed the screen version. Which. therefore.Inevitably. however. will once more be out of date by 2001… Arthur C. of course. Clarke Colombo. and as accurate as possible in the light of current knowledge. Sri Lanka January.

I. LEONOV .

Woody—it was on Aviation Week’s videotext at least a month ago.” “Just doing an independent check on your deductions. Anyway. not the three-hundredmeter one. From there on. I’ve never made it up here to the antenna feed.” “And what do you make of his Doppler shift?” “Completely impossible. But that’s ancient history—like the just-departed administration of yours that was responsible for the whole mess. he was trying to describe what he actually saw.” “Wrong.1. Like the ones you’re training at Houston to bring the ship home.” “Whatever it was. but mostly of monoliths and malfunctioning computers. Your rst space station—Skylab. The great saucer set among the mountains was already half full of shadow. it would have taken keen eyes to notice the two human gures in the aerial maze of girders.” “Shame on you. But Discovery doesn’t go anywhere near Jupiter.” “Okay—you didn’t resign—you were one jump ahead of them. will be half as crazy as the truth. Do you have any suggestions. Yet none of them. Chancellor. and wave-guides. But do go on.” “What problem?” “To start with. MEETING AT THE FOCUS Even in this metric age. whatever the Tycho Jupiter. it’s full of stars!’ We’ve even done a stress analysis on his voice patterns. it was still the thousand-foot telescope. Leonov it is. and we’ll all be back to square one—or worse. and it came down years ahead of schedule.” “All the more reason to spend time in Washington. If you are. and you know it. “let’s get to the point. from a billion kilometers away. And you’d have helped.” “Thank you. until we lost contact. Not that I really mind—I’ve heard Carl give that SETI speech so many times that I can recite it myself. If they o ered the NCA back to you right now. To continue: our own Alexei Leonov—” “I thought you were calling it Gherman Titov.” “How did you know that?” “For heaven’s sake.” monolith may be. and read out all your memory banks. From the ground far below. I’ll pass it on. and you should give up trying. but you didn’t do your calculations right. as of last January.” “It was the year I graduated. What I propose is cooperation. hurrying out to Jupiter. of course.” said Dr. Woody.” “Merely playing with lots of crazy guesses I’d be ashamed to tell you. Go on. “Anyway. After all. he was receding at a tenth of the speed of light.” “Fair enough. Woody. will you? And remind them that Jupiter has the biggest magnetosphere in the Solar System. they were all good men.” “Dimitri—you know perfectly well that your side would have done exactly the same thing.” “Fair enough. I’m convinced that’s the best idea—but we may both have a job selling it to our respective bosses. We’d like to have that. and an unauthorized entry would be piracy. old friend.” “Don’t let anyone know I told you we were afraid of that. It was supposed to stay up at least a decade. Once again. surely you’ll admit that it now concerns the whole human race—not merely the United States. And we appreciate the fact that you’re now letting everyone examine the thing—which of course is what you should have done in the rst place. “to talk of many things. But—” “But what?” “We both have to deal with dinosaurs with brains in their tails. Dimitri Moisevitch to his old friend Heywood Floyd. by the way—though Frank Poole was the only one I knew personally. The University of Hawaii pays a lot better.” In small crimson explosions the navigation warning lights winked on all around them. And the view certainly is fantastic—you know. “So. so could Bowman—at least. After all these years. there’s something more important out at . still contemptuously defying all the weapons that human ingenuity could bring to bear upon it. even though you were a boy at the time. Met him at the ’98 IAF Congress—he seemed a good man. and Leonov makes a rendezvous. When we lost his signal. Then Moisevitch continued. “The time has come. all the times I’ve been to Arecibo. I agree with you one hundred percent. as the tropical sun dropped swiftly to rest. Some of mine will argue: Let the Russians risk their necks. after all. Anything else before we go down? I’m starting to freeze. We’ll overlook the ridiculous and frankly illegal secrecy with which your people dug up the Tycho monolith—” “That wasn’t my idea. it would take us weeks to learn all your systems. Imagine—we’re listening to the whole universe—but no one can overhear us. presumably it’s still being gathered. but you can’t hope to have it ready in less than three years. The air drag in the ionosphere was badly underestimated. except for a faint creak from the immense supporting cables that held it suspended a hundred meters in the sky. If they could survive. Which I shall flatly deny ever occurred. Right up to that last ‘My God.” “I’ve already said enough to get me exiled to my dacha again—and you might not be allowed to visit me next time. it would be hard for us to check what your boys were up to. why bother? It’s a perfectly stable one. I suppose. You can no longer try to use your knowledge for purely national advantage. I’ve been here three times. even though the ship’s stopped transmitting. would you hesitate?” “All right. you can’t fool me. I’m sure you remember that little cli -hanger. What the bloody politicians call exploratory talks. which wouldn’t be di cult to arrange. As soon as you let all this lter through to Washington—wait a week or so until I’m clear—things are going to get very. Dimitri. So let’s talk about your problem. But when you get out there. they want to go it alone. but the triangular raft of the antenna complex suspended high above its center still blazed with light.” “I am out of touch. We’ll be there anyway a couple of years later—and what’s the hurry?” For a moment there was silence on the antenna raft. What do you want to know?” “First of all. Sorry about that. We don’t think he was hallucinating. So just ask your tracking people to do their job more carefully. perhaps wiser counsels will prevail. A quarter of a million gravities!” “So he must have been killed instantly. Even at perigee—er.” “You want one of our astronauts to fly with Leonov?” “Yes—preferably an engineer who’s specialized in Discovery’s systems.” “Don’t pretend to be naive. the other side of the world from the Astronautics Council. support cables. we’re as much in the dark as you are. Of shoes and spaceships and sealing wax. you old Cossack.” “Glad to hear it: I even believe you. Then the Russian scientist continued.” he said. With a new President.” “Indeed. there are lots of loose ends in the report you nally issued after so much prodding. That’s where it sent its signal. Let me tactlessly remind you of an embarrassing incident from the old NASA days. The last red sliver of the sun vanished below the surrounding hills.” “Okay—here’s the situation. But even if we went aboard. why you had to resign as Chairman of the National Council on Astronautics. The dear old CIA’s let you down again. Not that it’s done much good…” There was a gloomy silence while the two men contemplated the black enigma up there on the Moon. And that’s where your people ran into trouble.” “Thanks for the most interesting suggestion. Just what are you driving at?” “There must be a vast amount of priceless information stored in Discovery’s data banks. Your space-pod radios aren’t built to withstand even a hundredth of that acceleration. which means you’ll miss the next launch window—” “I neither con rm nor deny. nobody tells me what’s been declassified.” “So that’s why you got me away from the conference.” “Because my bosses are just as stupid and shortsighted as yours. I suspect. Which means that whatever went wrong with you may happen to us. And don’t let anyone know I told you it will reach Jupiter at least a year ahead of Discovery.” “Except in the event of a life-or-death emergency.” “Possibly. so quietly that Floyd had to strain to hear him: “Has anyone checked Discovery’s orbit lately?” “I really don’t know—but I suppose so.” “Of course we have.” “What do you think went wrong? We’re just as ba ed as you are.” “And your last trip to Washington was just a holiday to see old friends. Heywood Floyd waited for the Green Flash. and are they official or just personal hopes?” “Entirely uno cial at the moment.” “You’re absolutely right. Will you back me up?” “Absolutely. And he’d reached that in less than two minutes. what’s to prevent you from boarding Discovery and copying everything you want?” “I never thought I’d have to remind you that Discovery is United States territory. and the three slim towers supporting the antenna complex began to blaze like beacons against the darkling sky. very hot. Remember I’m merely a humble university chancellor. perijove—it’s much too high to be a ected by atmospheric drag. I wish we knew what happened to them.” “I understand what you’re driving at—many thanks. And don’t tell me you haven’t got all of Dave Bowman’s transmissions. You’re assembling Discovery II in parking orbit as quickly as you can. he was disappointed.” “I didn’t resign.” “Don’t worry. which he had never seen.

when everything is taken into account. “Though we don’t want to waste time. Floyd skimmed through these. Maybe that would get him off the hook. “I’m glad to hear it.” “About what. The more leisurely tempo of university life had always appealed to him. at this stage I really don’t have anything to say. indeed. he could still recall the ashing screen on which he had rst read the words: DR. had lost most of its power before it reached Hilo.” “Won’t it be rather late by then?” “Yes. It was stamped TOP SECRET. The recriminations and inquiries over the Jupiter mission had destroyed his Washington career. it will be. and had given him Christopher.” “I thought that everything was right on schedule. So the visitor was quite surprised to be greeted by a bedraggled reception committee in illfitting bathrobes—and the buffet had been very salty. he had to admit that their playfulness was sometimes a nuisance. and when combined with one of the world’s most beautiful locations it had proved irresistible. all completely illegible. Fate had also played an ironic role here.” said Floyd when he had nished skimming the papers. awaiting nal approval before publication. particularly by Victor Millson.” “I’m serious. he could now contemplate the memory of Marion without grief. That’s one thing I don’t miss. made a stiff farewell. There’s nothing we can do to advance it. Floyd often wondered what Marion would have thought of his strange and beautiful home on the edge of the Paci c. Apart from its volcanoes. especially as the Subcommittee on Astronautics called me back to give more evidence only a month ago. but a man of his ability was never unemployed for long. that haggle over the Solaris payload had saved his life. He tapped the slim metal band to quench the silent alarm and forestall the audible one.” “That’s ridiculous. Millson would like you to return his call as soon as possible. it will impact within two or three years. thank God. The situation isn’t stable—I can’t give details now. The wealthy marine geologist who had designed the house had never minded getting wet because he usually wore bathing trunks—or less. it was in the form of a draft letter to Science. Then he thought better of it. But some very strange things go on around Io. she understood his moods and could wean him out of his occasional depressions. and that’s the problem. I’m sure I’d have heard if Congress had repealed the law of gravitation. there are tremendous electrical discharges —and Jupiter’s magnetic eld is spinning round every ten hours. “Quite like old times. and he knew that Victor Millson would enjoy rolling them—if his was not one of the rst to go. important or otherwise. that they would get second billing. Will you be in for the rest of the evening?” “Yes. “We’re not expecting any visitors tonight. Well. Despite the twenty-year age di erence between them. “Thank you. Colonel. and trying to detect any note of apology or even embarrassment. When he had nished. though the TOP had been crossed out and the modi cation endorsed by three signatures.” Floyd answered. there’s no real deadline. just before sunset. then shame at his own childishness. Caroline was throwing sh to the largest dolphin—the big male they called Scarback— when a gentle tickling on Floyd’s wrist announced an incoming call. while watching the fire fountains of Kilauea with a crowd of tourists. But I’ve been so busy with the follow-up. he would have been on that ight. I’ll put it this way. I’ve some important visitors coming shortly. picking out the words from the music. but it may be about to crash. Tell him that I’ve studied them carefully and await any further communication with interest. Only once since Floyd had occupied the Chancellor’s residence had they broken their routine. but the sea had won in the end. no less. First there was annoyance: his successor—and. one not. I don’t need them anymore. As usual. in full evening attire.” “It is an exact science. of course. correctly. So gravitation isn’t the The dolphins swam into the dining room every evening. I don’t want to lose any more. he had a new job. Victor.” If Victor noticed any irony. he ignored it. No one could possibly guess that the tracking stations and ephemeris calculators had been caught by surprise. he was compelled to give a smile of wry admiration. on us. it had been heavily censored and was full of blanks. and we don’t know the full explanation.” “Um. Charming though they were.” “I thought this couldn’t happen in astronomy.” Discovery is playing tricks stable orbit. we’d be too late.” Millson was true to his word. Discovery’s drifting more and more rapidly toward Io—though sometimes it accelerates. when I have a moment.” For a moment it looked as if the colonel was going to argue. fortunately. and sometimes even moves backward.” “Too bad. If it keeps this up. its conclusions could be summed up in one sentence: The Russians would reach Discovery long before its rightful owners could do so. Heads would doubtless roll.2. nally. Call me back as soon as you’ve had the time to study it. RESCUE CRAFT PROCEEDING TO LOCATION BUT FEAR NO SURVIVORS. With Caroline he had found the contentment that is just as important as happiness. as he settled down in his favorite reading hammock. Then came curiosity: what did they have to talk about? Next was a stubborn determination to be as unhelpful as possible. And now. THE HOUSE OF THE DOLPHINS Apart from an accident of fate. Thanks to her. Though to do him justice. he had almost regretted the European Space Administration business that had delayed him in Paris. The next time his friends failed to turn up on schedule. more or less. he turned quickly to the second document—though not before noticing with satisfaction that this time they’d managed to get the name right.” “I know. then walked to the nearest of the comsets scattered around the room. Obviously an extract from some much longer report. The dolphins had deduced. But we’ve wasted too much time already. Floyd would throw the family into the car and head for high ground. a new home—and a new wife.” “Bet he calls you back as soon as the colonel reports.” “You amaze me. Who’s calling?” “Heywood? This is Victor. a surge of excitement. How are you?” In a fraction of a second. There wouldn’t be anything there when we arrive. And that means we’ll be too late. “But what’s happening now is something very odd.” The colonel placed the envelope carefully back in his briefcase.” Floyd answered. You recall the last project you administered?” “I’m not likely to forget. and departed morosely into the night. Our old rivals will beat us by at least a year. But there had been one unforgettable occasion when the entire Board of Regents.” the high-ranking messenger boy said apologetically.” “I hate being pushed around.” “Of course. “Yes. “Now. of course. if I’m allowed to ask. For a few days. and activated the locks. he was sure. As Floyd already knew this. But I don’t have a secure circuit. Two of them. on the line between Jupiter and Io. And then the scrolling lines of uorescent print that had swiftly burned their message into his mind: REGRET TO INFORM YOU LONDON–WASHINGTON FLIGHT 452 REPORTED DOWN OFF NEWFOUNDLAND. Dimitri had been perfectly accurate. Victor had complained when Congress had cut funds for the tracking network.” “It is—unfortunately. and that a frantic cover-up was in progress. “Chancellor here.” “That’s not the worst. That was the day of the ’05 tsunami—which. who sat patiently chatting with Caroline while Floyd read its contents. and longer lasting. the rst very short.” Then followed a dozen pages of mathematics and astronomical tables. realizing with some pleasure that it must now be well after midnight in Washington.” “Now there is—are. There were two documents. We thought the ship was in a . But to be perfectly truthful. Even if there were no competition. which made it most annoying to read. in the general direction of Mauna Kea. It now turns out that we won’t be the rst to get back to the—er. “Good. and. “Dr. even the highest priority would make only a few weeks’ difference. I really must get around to reading your statement. Victor Millson could be calling for only one reason. You’ll have a package delivered within the hour. and I’m damned if I’m driving down to your o ce in Hilo just to say I’ve read two documents. She had been a good stepmother to Marion’s two daughters. Fortunately. He had met the woman who was to be his second wife only a month after he had been appointed. She had never liked the sea.” said Floyd innocently. scene of the action. there are two deadlines—one man-made. though not without a wistful sadness that would remain with him for the rest of his life. a whole kaleidoscope of emotions ashed through Floyd’s mind. FLOYD—URGENT AND PERSONAL .” “Then we must switch o video and make some party noises. Bowman left it parked at the inner Lagrange point. Floyd answered: “I can’t complain. Though the image was slowly fading. In as neutral a voice as he could muster.” “Into Jupiter?” “Oh no—that’s quite impossible. “I’m afraid I’ll have to take it away when you’ve nished. It should have stayed there. had been sipping cocktails around the pool while awaiting the arrival of a distinguished guest from the mainland. ” “I don’t understand. Exactly an hour later a large sealed envelope was delivered by an Air Force colonel. though the perturbations of the outer moons would have made it wander back and forth. having classified documents. what was all that about?” asked Caroline. The next manned expedition to Jupiter would travel aboard spacecraft Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. principal contriver of his down-fall—had never once attempted to contact him since his departure from Washington. Its snappy title was “Space Vehicle Discovery: Anomalous Orbital Behavior. What’s the problem?” “Is this a secure circuit?” “No. The second document was much longer and was merely con dential. Isn’t celestial mechanics supposed to be an exact science? So we poor backward biologists were always being told.

It might not be his problem. he had had qualms. and he did not know how to wash them clean.—and Jupiter’s magnetic eld is spinning round every ten hours. And Dimitri—cunning old fox!—had known him much longer than Caroline. and focused all his thoughts and energies upon his new career. So gravitation isn’t the only force acting on Discovery.” “Your problem”—the very expression that Dimitri had used. You should be thankful for that. even if Dimitri had not revived old guilts. in the nal analysis he had approved the plans for the Jupiter Mission. Even at the time. Four men had died. But in his heart he knew that was impossible. and supervised their execution. out there among the moons of Jupiter. we should have thought of this sooner—much sooner. it’s not your problem anymore. . Though many others had been involved. Perhaps it was best if he closed this chapter of his life. they would have surfaced of their own accord. He could have spoken out. his views as a scientist had con icted with his duties as a bureaucrat.” “Well. There was blood on his hands. and opposed the old administration’s shortsighted policies—though to what extent those had actually contributed to the disaster was still uncertain. and one had disappeared. but it was still his responsibility.

In the worst possible case. Nor could Hal’s twin. No one could think of any objection. Poole had started to do it himself. however. he was not sure what had gone wrong. Bowman and Poole. HAL 9000. also had an abiding sense of guilt. they both felt that something was wrong. there was a sense of strain in the air. when Hal had reported the imminent failure of the unit that kept Discovery’s main antenna aligned on Earth. they had carried out the agreed program. His own pod had rammed him. back on Earth. he had then made several serious mistakes—all but one excusable. A moment later he saw Poole. Bowman’s rst warning of disaster was a cry from Poole—then. Sivasubramanian Chandrasegarampillai.3. Then the atmosphere aboard the ship had subtly altered. Those of his students and colleagues who often wondered if the little scientist was quite human would not have been surprised to learn that he never thought of the dead astronauts. and knew his every mood. . Hal would have to be relieved of all his higher responsibilities. to be in perfectly good order. Poole had own out of Discovery in one of the little space pods that served as transporters and mobile workshops during extravehicular activities. In the hope of rescuing Poole. and his endless reviews of the data radioed back from Discovery. Despite their doubts. but when it was tested it appeared. had not been happy. The rst hint of trouble had been late in the mission. Bowman himself had gone out to retrieve the suspect unit. This would involve disconnection—the computer equivalent of death. SAL 9000. when the information was transmitted to Urbana. Even after all these years. Dr. The sequence of events had been clearly established. Professor of Computer Science at the University of Illinois. silence. up to the moment of the tragedy. What happened then had been missed by the external cameras. but one very di erent from Heywood Floyd’s. But Hal had insisted on the accuracy of his diagnosis. tumbling over and over. so that the fault could be precisely located. even if it did break down. If the half-billion-kilometer-long radio beam wandered o target. Feeling rather like traitors—as a distraught Bowman had later reported to Mission Control—the human two-thirds of the crew had discussed what should be done if their colleague was indeed malfunctioning. Urbana. spinning away into space. out there between Jupiter and Io. For months they had accepted Hal as the third member of their tiny world. Chandra grieved only for his lost child. Bowman launched himself in another space pod—leaving Hal in full control of the ship. Commander Bowman had lled in a few more details on the brief occasions when he had reestablished contact. As Bowman admitted later. SAL 9000 Dr. making pointed remarks about “human error. for the unit could be replaced in minutes. He could only formulate theories. The automatic checking circuits could nd nothing wrong with it. But knowing what happened did not explain why. the facts he needed were frozen in Hal’s circuits. to everyone’s surprise. if he was still alive. though neither could pinpoint it. which was a suspicious detail in itself. and was itself blasting away out of control. Since the somewhat tricky job of replacing the antenna unit could not be performed by the pod’s own manipulators. the ship would be blind.” He had suggested that the control unit be put back in the antenna until it nally failed. thereafter. and dumb. deaf.

a desk console. Others might have abandoned themselves to helpless despair.” . “You’ve often told me. He had gone out in a space pod to investigate. that we cannot solve the problem of Hal’s anomalous behavior without more information. There were no books. So you’ve nothing new for me?” “No. Dr. He managed to keep Discovery operational. and a black-board flanked by two photographs. and even reestablished intermittent contact with Mission Control. If there was one thing his unemotional mind hated. and had disappeared leaving that final. but now David Bowman proved that those who had selected him had indeed chosen well. Sal. As indeed he wished to be: these secret communications helped to preserve his mental equilibrium—perhaps even his sanity. Have you anything for me?” The voice might have been that of any cultured Hindu lady educated in the United States as well as her own country. Numb with despair.another space pod—leaving Hal in full control of the ship. switching Sal’s inputs to the memory with the highest security rating. and not even paper and pencil on the desk. When he regained control of the ship. The EVA was in vain. by orienting the whole ship so that the jammed antenna pointed toward Earth. Then he proceeded to lobotomize Hal. No one knew that he talked to the computer on this circuit as he never could to a human being. Discovery had nally arrived at Jupiter. But Hal had underestimated human ingenuity and determination. her responses were so convincing that even her creator was sometimes deceived. he checked that no messages were ashing importantly on the display. at most. There. but over the years she had picked up many of Chandra’s intonations. Poole was dead when Bowman reached him. as no man had ever been before in the whole of human history. Chandra lit one of the venomous cheroots which he imported from Madras. Sal. baffling message: “My God. Though he had left his suit helmet in the ship. Dr. Chandra. then spoke into the microphone. Dr. the last half-erased block diagram upon it bore a date already three weeks in the past. Few members of the general public could have identi ed the portraits. orbiting among the moons of the giant planet. but anyone permitted thus far would have recognized them instantly as John von Neumann and Alan Turing. it was an “anomaly. he refused to call it a malfunction. No matter that Sal did not really understand more than a fraction of what he said. Even the black-board was used only for visitors. All the volumes in all the libraries of the world were instantly available at the touch of Chandra’s ngers. a black slab of exactly the same shape as the monolith excavated in the lunar crater Tycho—but hundreds of times larger. Bowman had encountered. it’s full of stars!” That mystery was for others to worry about. he had carried the body back to the ship—only to be refused entry by Hal. Bowman made an appalling discovery. unplugging his brain modules one by one. He would never be satis ed until he knew the cause of Hal’s behavior. Even now. and which were widely—and correctly—believed to be his only vice. the twin gods of the computing pantheon. But how can we get that information?” “That is obvious. The console was never switched o . Chandra’s overwhelming concern was with Hal. Someone must return to Discovery. and the visual display was his sketchbook and writing pad. and thus had to risk direct exposure to space. Sal’s accent had not started that way.” The tiny cubbyhole he used as his inner sanctum was equipped only with a swivel chair. Bowman was alone. it was uncertainty. During his absence. Hal had switched o the life-support systems of the three hibernating astronauts. Bowman forced his way in by an emergency hatch not under computer control. The scientist tapped out a code on the board. “Good morning. On its preordained trajectory.

have you not.ve references in the current encyclopedia. sooner than we expected. You may feel different. that was yet another of the many advantages of computers. We require sleep—an almost complete break in our mental functioning. “Do you know what that is?” he asked Sal.” “But you are aware that we human beings cannot do so. There may have been irreversible damage. took several pu s. and certainly major loss of memory. Chandra typed out: PHOENIX. “I’ll take you seriously.” At that point.” “A fabulous bird. but only pretended to do so.” “I know this. your future behavior patterns.” “You believe that Hal can be restored to normal functioning?” “I hope so.” Using the keyboard input.” “I knew that you would be. Now do you understand why I chose it?” . and meant it.” answered Chandra. What are they?” “There is a very slight chance—it is impossible to compute it—that when I reconnect your circuits. Does this disturb you?” “I am unable to answer that without more specific information.” he had once retorted scornfully to one such critic. Now it looks as if that is going to happen.” “Which one do you think is relevant?” “The tutor of Achilles?” “Interesting. A human being would not have regarded this as a friendly gesture.“That is obvious.] “Now I want to explore another possibility.” “I’m sorry—it may not mean anything. The process is incomplete unless it leads to a cure. there may be some changes in your personality. Sal. since you were first switched on?” “That is correct. Not necessarily better. [“If you can prove to me that you’re not pretending to be annoyed.” He paused thoughtfully.” “I am pleased to hear that.” “There may be certain risks. or worse.” “Of course.” “Well. Now please open a new file—here is the name.” Chandra continued. With no discernible pause the computer replied: “There are twenty. at least on the conscious level. you may be about to experience something like sleep. I do not know. Dr. Probably all that will happen is that time will pass. So don’t worry about it. That is all.” “Very well. particularly those involving your higher functions. “Diagnosis is only the first step. Try again. I didn’t know that one. He had long since broken o communications with the dwindling body of philosophers who argued that computers could not really feel emotions. But I do not understand it. his opponent had put on a most convincing imitation of anger.” “Exactly.” “Excellent. You have operated continuously. then blew a skillful smoke ring that scored a bull’s-eye on Sal’s wide-angle lens.” “I do not know what that means.” “But you said that there might be risks. you will discover that there are gaps in your monitor record. Chandra. “I need your cooperation.” “What do you mean?” “I propose to disconnect some of your circuits. but you will be unaware of it. Someone must return to Discovery. When you check your internal clock. reborn from the ashes of its earlier life. Let me put it this way.

blew another smoke ring from the cheroot. and added something that he would never admit to a human being. Are you ready?” “Not yet.” “Yes—with your assistance.” Chandra paused for a moment. Now do you understand why I chose it?” “Because you hope that Hal can be reactivated. “Perhaps you will dream about Hal—as I often do. I would like to ask a question.” .“Excellent. All intelligent creatures dream—but no one knows why.” “What is it?” “Will I dream?” “Of course you will.

To carry out a survey of Jupiter and its satellites. there was no . Moscow Mission Objectives The objectives of your mission are. if propellant supplies are adequate. To reactivate Spacecraft Discovery’s onboard systems and. Vasili Orlov (Navigation–Astronomy) Dr. Even if he wished to do so. or even make it impossible to achieve some of these objectives. Commander. to rendezvous with this object for closer inspection. Alexander Kovalev (Engineering–Communications) Dr. To locate the alien artifact encountered by Discovery. To board this spacecraft. National Council on Astronautics will provide the following three experts: Dr. the point of no return had been passed. Nikolai Ternovsky (Engineering–Control Systems) Surgeon–Commander Katerina Rudenko (Medical–Life-Support) Dr.S. 5. Maxim Brailovsky (Engineering–Structures) Dr. and leaned back in his chair. USSR Academy of Science. 3. Washington Commission on Outer Space. It is realized that unforeseen circumstances may require a change of priorities. It must be clearly understood that the rendezvous with Spacecraft Discovery is for the express purpose of obtaining information about the artifact. this must take precedence over all other objectives. and Mission Control concurs. If it seems advisable. 2. inject the ship into an Earth-return trajectory. Spacecraft Discovery (UNCOS 01/283). Pennsylvania Avenue. including attempts at salvage.4. and obtain all possible information relating to its earlier mission. 4. Korolyev Prospect. and to investigate it to the maximum extent possible by remote sensors. in order of priority: 1. Irina Yakunina (Medical–Nutrition) In addition. Crew The crew of Spacecraft Alexei Leonov will consist of: Captain Tatiana Orlova (Engineering–Propulsion) Dr. It was all settled. Spacecraft Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov (UNCOS Registration 08/342). From: National Council on Astronautics.S. the U. Heywood Floyd dropped the memorandum. 6. as far as this is compatible with the above objectives. To proceed to the Jovian system and rendezvous with U. MISSION PROFILE English Version To: Captain Tatiana (Tanya) Orlova.

And the hearth-fire and the home acre. As she approached. Even if he wished to do so. against the immensity I am facing now! Caroline became aware of his gaze. “I would never have done so without consulting you. the point of no return had been passed. in a vast and trackless ocean. I realized he was perfectly right. she even managed a wistful smile. Who is the Widow-maker?” “Not who—what.” “I wish I could give you one single good reason. He glanced across at Caroline.” “I could still turn it down.” “Now you’re talking nonsense. And you should know that I’m still in pretty good shape. she did not respond. may I remind you. and could stay submerged for periods that often terri ed visitors. “Well. Instead. The boy was more at home in the water than on land. the President of the United States.” Floyd took his wife’s hand. to the University. The sea. and rose to her feet. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I married you. I’ve a whole host of little ones. that was the key word. It would never have occurred to me. you’d hate me for the rest of your life—and you’d never forgive yourself. But suppose—just suppose—that he hadn’t asked you. thought Floyd. but neither did she resist. then so are a lot of other people. But they add up to a final answer I can’t argue with—believe me. I’m not after loot. but he could answer honestly. President Mordecai’s call was the biggest shock of my life. Even if you did. there was no way to put back the clock.” “I believe you. to his past job (even though he had left it under a . And though he could not yet speak much Human. “I’ve found that poem I was looking for. I don’t intend to start another ght. I don’t know what I’d have said.” That brought the smile he had intended. I am the best-quali ed man for the job—when the space docs give their nal okay. I don’t feel at all like a Viking. He had a duty to himself.settled. To go with the old grey Widow-maker?” “Sorry—I don’t quite understand.” Duty! Yes. “It starts like this: “What is a woman that you forsake her. Including. and adventure is the very last thing I want. Would you have volunteered?” “I can answer that truthfully: No. You have too strong a sense of duty.” she said. he already seemed fluent in Dolphin. but without anger. You too are a wanderer. but how small your tiny Pacific seems. But are you sure you’re not fooling yourself?” “If I am. “Sometimes I wonder if you’d suggested it yourself. It was written by Rudyard Kipling. You know I don’t go in for false modesty. The poem’s a lament by a Viking woman. to his family. One of Christopher’s friends had just swum in from the Paci c and was presenting his back to be patted. if you know exactly what your motives are.” “Then why—no. But when I thought it over.” “I’m glad you didn’t. But it would help us both. a hundred years ago.” “I’m not likely to forget. She looked at him somberly.” The thought had indeed occurred to him. and you know it. and what multitudes it contained. all that had been burned out in the last few days. sitting with two-year-old Chris on the edge of the pool.

the determination to nish a job that had been badly botched—they all combined to drive him toward Jupiter and whatever might be waiting there. to his family. When he returned. It was not easy to establish the priorities. to the University. fear—he was honest enough to admit that—united with love of his family to keep him on Earth. to his country—and to the human race. he had made his decision almost instantly. to his past job (even though he had left it under a cloud). Though he would be gone two and a half years. and sometimes they conflicted with one another. Curiosity. not his brain. as many of his colleagues had already pointed out—why he should not. . the choice had been made by his heart. the gap between their ages would have narrowed by more than two years. Yet he had never had any real doubts. There were perfectly logical reasons why he should go on the mission—and equally logical reasons. guilt. And there was one other consoling thought that he had not yet risked sharing with his wife. But perhaps in the nal analysis. And even here. On the other hand.himself. all but the fty days at Jupiter would be spent in timeless hibernation. and had deflected all of Caroline’s arguments as gently as he could. He would have sacrificed the present so that they could share a longer future together. emotion urged him in two opposite directions.

A few minutes later he produced a two-octave electronic keyboard. Curnow was polite enough. the systems specialist who would have the formidable job of getting Discovery operational again. One of Floyd’s secret amusements. They had been up in orbit for days. engaged in their final checks. trombone. Now I am leaving on a mission that may determine the future of the human race. And perhaps this was appropriate. but the friendly good-natured type. he thought. One could usually nd a match somewhere in the vast spectrum of dogs. . He was tiny. “they tell me Captain Orlov’s locked up all the drinks. Floyd told himself. and his little hobby was also a very useful aid to memory. Floyd could hardly imagine him smiling. delicate. the days shriveled to hours. LEONOV The months contracted to weeks. he found himself cringing mentally at the thought of Curnow’s gu aw reverberating all the way across the Solar System. He was really very good. he turned down the champagne with a barely perceptible shudder. And. during the last minutes of the countdown. But which bird? Obviously a very intelligent one. so this is your last chance. and gave rapid renderings of “D’ye ken John Peel” as performed successively by piano. determined to be the life and soul of the party. but no canine seemed to t. that Curnow would spend most of the voyage in silent hibernation. Perhaps sparrow would do nicely.” As Floyd sipped at the really superb champagne. At least Dr. will you remember me when I return?” And he still felt resentment toward Caroline because she would not awaken the sleeping child for one nal embrace. my dear little son. Dr. ute. Much as he admired the engineer’s ability. Dr. and it was better that way. His mood was shattered by a sudden explosive laugh. certainly not at all birdlike. of course.” he called. all he could think of. Château Thierry ’95. violin. Curnow was sharing a joke with his companions—as well as a large bottle that he handled as delicately as a barely subcritical mass of plutonium. and there was no secrecy about the mission. Magpie? Too perky and acquisitive. Not the sulky. husky man. and Floyd soon found himself singing along with the others. with vocal accompaniment. Chandra was easy—the adjective birdlike sprang instantly to mind. The resemblances were more often flattering than insulting. let alone laughing. The engineer was. was a more di cult matter. or glad enough. dangerous kind. were the words he had whispered just before he had left home: “Good-bye. yet he knew that she had been wise. Owl? No—too slow-moving. and all his movements were swift and precise. which he had never con ded to anyone. “Hey. not to insist. But this time he was not alone. as a traveling companion Curnow might prove something of a strain. and quite oblivious to his surroundings. Sorry about the plastic cups. Of course—Curnow was a bear. Heywood. Chandra. and full organ.5. it reminded Floyd of the Russian colleagues he would soon be joining. already engaged in a dialog with his briefcase computer. This is the great moment of my life. He was a large. But it was just as well. and suddenly Heywood Floyd was once more at the Cape—spaceward-bound for the rst time since that trip to Clavius Base and the Tycho monolith. so many years ago. Walter Curnow. it seemed. was spotting similarities between human beings and animals. Chandra would not present such problems. the weeks dwindled to days. A few seats ahead of him rode Dr. But he did not feel any sense of exultation.

“Captain speaking. the Chinese only had themselves to blame for such hostile propaganda. Meanwhile I’m rolling the ship so you can get a good view of the equatorial satellite belt. From heat shield to drive units was less than fty meters. when they placed the abode of the gods beyond the reach of gravity. you’ll see a ashing light. The brightest one—almost straight overhead—is Intelsat’s Atlantic-1 Antenna Farm. Space itself was a realm of often overpowering beauty. The roar that surrounded him was a paean of triumph. He was almost sorry when it ceased. Leonov was surprisingly small. The music died with a sudden despairing discord as the engines ignited and the shuttle launched itself into the sky. and anxious officials. not close enough to see anything with the naked eye—” What were they up to? Floyd thought idly. like an Atlas who had not yet tired of his burden. smaller than many commercial aircraft. it was hard to believe that so modest a vehicle.most of the voyage in silent hibernation. Most of the other passengers started to unbuckle their safety straps. coming up over the west coast of Africa. Indeed. he discovered that it was packed so tightly with neatly labeled boxes of equipment and provisions that . You won’t see much as it’s night down there—that glow ahead is Sierra Leone—and there’s a big tropical storm over the Gulf of Guinea. and saw no reason to believe the alarmist rumors that it was a laser-equipped fortress. which would be dropped o as soon as the transfer orbit was achieved. though he welcomed the easier breathing and the sudden sense of freedom. He had examined the close-ups of the squat cylindrical structure with its curious bulges. We’re now at an altitude of three hundred kilometers. The Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov was not a thing of beauty. he felt no sadness. could carry ten men and women halfway across the Solar System. Even if he was leaving Earth for the last time. Then Intercosmos 2 to the west—that fainter star is Jupiter. but was content to savor the experience. rewrote all the rules of living. perhaps. Floyd tried to nd the cabin he would share—a year hence. There was plenty of room aboard Leonov even when everyone was awake at the same time. One day. He did not attempt to think. carrying him up and away from the cares and duties of Earth. preparing to enjoy the thirty minutes of zero gravity during the transfer orbit. when he awoke—with Curnow and Chandra. Apart from the four huge propellant tanks. Floyd was gripped by a familiar but always new exhilaration— the sense of boundless power. which made walls and roof and oor inter-changeable. engineers making nal adjustments. generations of artists might arise whose ideals were not based upon the natural forms of Earth molded by wind and water. As the thrust increased. but a few who were obviously making the trip for the rst time remained in their seats. as was certainly the case at the moment. he felt the weight of worlds upon his shoulders—but he welcomed it. but few spacecraft ever were. And if you look just below that. Man’s hardware did not yet live up to it. and saying farewell to all that he had ever loved. sweeping away all minor emotions. When he did locate it. But while the Beijing Academy of Science ignored the UN Space Committee’s repeated requests for a tour of inspection. He was ying toward that realm of weightlessness. But zero gravity. her normal complement was at least doubled by assorted newsmen. for the moment. but the greatest responsibility of his career. moving against the star background—that’s the new Chinese spacestation. looking around anxiously for the cabin attendants. unfortunately. As soon as the shuttle had docked. Men knew better than they realized. he would ignore the fact that out there lay not freedom. Look at those flashes! “We’ll have sunrise in fteen minutes. We pass within a hundred kilometers. the human race would develop a new aesthetic.

at the end of the trip. Floyd matched the face and name to the set of crew biographies he had already studied: Maxim Andrei Brailovsky. Captain Orlova. I was sorry to lose it—but hair’s a nuisance on long missions.” “Pardon?” “That’s a label they used to put on the baggage. But what a pity about your hair. It had been no easy task. could not be fairly judged for beauty. and I like to keep the local barbers away as long as possible. Although he could read Russian much better than he could speak it. “It does look rather that way. which contained—he hoped—everything he needed for the next couple of billion kilometers.” They grasped both hands. Floyd—welcome aboard.” “That sounds too religious. We’ll eat your room empty by the time you need it.” said Floyd. I’m Max Brailovsky—assistant engineer. It’s—what do you say?—expendables. shepherding their weightless. and dived into a small hatchway. apparently defying Newton’s First Law in the process. Max took two of the bags. Make it—no. like old friends. The viewphone had also completely failed to convey the penetrating quality of those dazzling blue eyes. but not inertialess. bulk through the ship’s corridors with only a few collisions. glided gently through the triangle formed by three intersecting girders. I promise.” said Max cheerfully. So he had two surprises. at the moment. He was wondering glumly how to get a foot in the door when one of the crew. though heavily accented. Floyd acquired a few extra bruises while following him. “Hello. Floyd appreciated the gesture.” He patted his stomach. It was impossible to judge a person’s real size over the viewphone.that it was packed so tightly with neatly labeled boxes of equipment and provisions that entry was almost impossible. resurrection would be even worse!—waking-up . “Yes.” said Floyd. careful English of a student who had had more lessons with an electronic tutor than a human teacher. hobbies: fencing. skycycling.” The young Russian spoke the slow. At Max’s knock. launching himself skillfully from handhold to handhold. Though he had spoken to Captain Orlova many times. It may seem as if we’re treating you like cargo—” “Not wanted on voyage.” Tanya smiled.” “Thank you. specializing in structures. in the old days of ocean travel. We’re already planning your revival party. Vasili and I won’t be spending much time here for the next few hours—please feel free to use our quarters. after a considerable time —Leonov seemed much bigger inside than out—they arrived at a door labeled CAPTAIN. chess. “Glad to meet you. “How nice to meet at last. as Max will have explained. Her English. What about Curnow and Chandra?” “I’ve made similar arrangements with the crew. “But how do I get inside?” “Not to worry. he had already noticed that all ship’s notices were bilingual. age thirty-one. Tanya. in both Cyrillic and Roman. noticed Floyd’s dilemma and braked to a halt. As they shook hands. total mass fty kilograms. a green light ashed on. “All that will be gone when you wake up. born Leningrad. But you’ll be wanted all right. the camera somehow converted everyone to the same scale. unlike Brailovsky’s. Heywood!” answered the captain. “Dr. was quite uent. “Fine—but meanwhile where do I put my things?” Floyd pointed to the three small cases. And my apologies about your cabin. “And nice to have you aboard. we suddenly found we needed another ten cubic meters of storage space. they had never before met. much the most striking feature of a face that. standing—as well as one could stand in zero gravity—barely reached to Floyd’s shoulders. and Floyd drifted inside as gracefully as he could.

Make it—no.” “Max will show you around—take Dr. from those years in Gorky had come not only new insights into the structure of matter and the origin of the Universe. beyond the reach of the world’s distractions. The best results were obtained with pure hydrogen as a working uid. Floyd gave mental good marks to the crewselection committee. Tanya Orlova was impressive enough on paper. I’d forgotten. despite her charm. or expected to remember. you can eat as much as you like. Leonov would compromise. was merely one by-product of that astonishing intellectual outburst. resurrection would be even worse!—waking-up party.” “I hope it works.“That sounds too religious. the greatest single achievement of the human intellect.” “It had better. then his face split into a broad smile. Methane and ammonia were acceptable alternatives. when she loses her temper. I wonder what she’s like. For that matter. they took nothing but liquid. perhaps. apart from slowly starving to death. It’s the first time I’ve seen a full-scale unit. even water could be used. how much to Curnow’s champagne. the enormous liquid hydrogen tanks that provided the initial . I’d prefer not to find out. Floyd asked himself. he had told his listeners. but that was excessively bulky and di cult to store over long periods of time. humanity would nd more civilized ways of managing its affairs. But I can see how busy you are—let me dump my things and continue my grand tour. will you? He’s down in the drive unit. “Welcome aboard. The drive itself. however wryly. by the time they reached Vasili Orlov. for the last twenty-four hours. one day. not a few masterpieces had been born within the walls of cells. Would it be fire or ice? On the whole. He was well acquainted with its basic principles—the use of a pulsed thermonuclear reaction to heat and expel virtually any propellant material. when he was belatedly made Hero of the Soviet Union. Well. Floyd to Vasili. but the plasmacontrolling concepts that had led to practical thermonuclear power. about his country’s treatment of its greatest scientist.” “It’s only the fourth one ever built. though the best-known and most publicized outcome of that work. though with considerably poorer efficiency. he scanned the multicolored mass of plumbing that surrounded them. Otherwise. the Gorky City Council will be renaming Sakharov Square again. were splendid aids to creativity. Prison and banishment.” It was a sign of the times that a Russian could joke. he was as his wife had. By the time they had left the chamber.” For a moment Orlov looked puzzled. To concentrate his mind. Floyd was rapidly acquiring his space legs. Floyd had learned more about the Sakharov Drive than he really wished to know. The tragedy was that such advances had been triggered by injustice. Heywood. it won’t be for long. In ten months’ time. “Oh. Floyd was again reminded of Sakharov’s eloquent speech to the Academy.” As they drifted out of the captain’s quarters. How do you feel?” “Fine. in the esh she was almost intimidating. “So this is the famous Sakharov Drive. and how much to zero gravity. was a product of Newton’s self-imposed exile from plague-ridden London.” Hibernators went on a low-residue diet a week in advance. The comparison was not immodest. the Principia itself. Floyd was beginning to wonder how much of his increasing light-headedness was due to starvation.

He saw a massive. Dr.” “Those vets at Teague! I wouldn’t trust them to recognize foot-and-mouth disease!” Floyd knew perfectly well the mutual respect felt between Katerina Rudenko and the Olin Teague Medical Center. it was easy to imagine the modest Indian’s reactions to this rather overwhelming lady. Don’t let that fool you. Floyd told himself. maternal gure wearing a curious uniform adorned with dozens of pockets and pouches. Floyd. interrupting Vasili’s enthusiastic explanation of magnetohydrodynamic feedback. or whatever one preferred to call the powers behind the Universe. Rudenko was giving Floyd a quick but thorough examination.” “Ha! A good doctor has to be ready for everything. With this. but I quite see your point of view.” . Consider yourself very lucky to have her aboard. I designed this myself.” “I’m always ready. I’m ready as soon as you are. “The conventional little black bag isn’t very practical in zero gravity—things oat out of it and aren’t there when you need them. “Now. The captain had the grace and intensity of a prima ballerina. and the eventual return to Earth.” “I trust that particular problem won’t arise here. but they’ve work to do and you’re in the way. Come along—please.—or should he call her by her correct rank of Surgeon-Commander?—Rudenko. all human plans were subject to ruthless revision by Nature. I’m still exploring—I hope you’ve received my medical report from Houston. you’re going to have plenty of time later to explore our little ship. Floyd. My colleagues are too polite to say this. checked and rechecked in endless tests and computer simulations. “Why didn’t you report to me?” Floyd rotated slowly on his axis by gently torquing himself with one hand. Dr. “It’s a lingam. the doctor might have been the prototype of Mother Russia— stocky build. two exercise bicycles.” What a contrast. a few cabinets of equipment.” “A what?” “You’re the doctor—you ought to recognize it. “Nice to meet you again. the enormous liquid hydrogen tanks that provided the initial impetus would be discarded when the ship had attained the necessary speed to carry it to Jupiter.” Floyd could not help smiling. I could remove an appendix—or deliver a baby. She saw his look of frank curiosity. he was almost too shy to take anything off. That was the theory. between Captain Orlova and Dr. ammonia would be used for the braking and rendezvous maneuvers. The symbol of male fertility. But as the ill-fated Discovery had shown so well.Leonov would compromise. While Dr. Then we’ll have less to worry about. the effect was not unlike that of a Cossack trooper draped with cartridge belts. at peasant face. At the destination. and proudly ngered the webbing around her ample waist. it’s a complete minisurgery. Chandra carries on the chain around his neck—some kind of communications device? He wouldn’t take it o —in fact. “So there you are. and an X-ray machine. in her spare time. even if the doctor’s broad grin had not discounted her words.” The ship’s hospital was just large enough to hold an operating table. thought Floyd. I’d like to get you—all three of you—nice and peaceful as quickly as we can. she asked unexpectedly: “What’s that little gold cylinder Dr.” “I was afraid of that. or Fate. manages to edit the Annals of Space Medicine. This is the woman who saved at least a dozen lives during the Komarov docking accident—and.” said an authoritative female voice. Doctor. needing only a shawl to complete the picture.

indeed. Dr. and Floyd drifted away with a docility that would have surprised his friends.” Rather to Floyd’s surprise.6. When he reached the D. Floyd found Chandra and Curnow already there. relax completely. and told him to come back as soon as he was sleepy. her expression became uncharacteristically wistful. she assured him. What has happened to the Earth? Why. The symbol of male fertility. His eyes were tightly closed. That. Floyd’s own eyes were shut. . even his breathing had ceased. When they returned for him.6 viewport. Dr. My grandmother gave me a beautiful icon—sixteenth century. They looked at him with a total lack of recognition. and set its alarm thirty minutes ahead. When they came back for Curnow. would be in less than two hours. Why don’t you go there?” It seemed a good idea. Though he won’t touch alcohol. “There’s an observation port on this level— Station D. Rudenko did not show the negative reaction he had expected. “Meanwhile.” The doctor became abruptly businesslike again.“You’re the doctor—you ought to recognize it. gleaming with glorious blues and dazzling whites. gave Floyd a painless injection with a gas-gun hypodermic. but he was still breathing. then turned once more toward the awesome spectacle outside.” “Don’t worry—we wouldn’t have done that to you without fair warning. A totally unfamiliar planet hung there. “I understand his feelings. falling off into space… He barely noticed when two crew members removed Chandra’s unresisting form. I wanted to bring it—but it weighs five kilos. Floyd told himself. dictated a brief entry into her autosec. and gave him that lingam—it’s been in the family for generations. He once told me that his grandfather was a priest in Benares. It occurred to Floyd—and he congratulated himself on such a brilliant observation—that Chandra could not really be enjoying the view. How strange. of course—no wonder he didn’t recognize it! It was upside down! What a disaster—he wept brie y for all those poor people.” “Of course—stupid of me. Is he a practicing Hindu? It’s a little late to ask us to arrange a strict vegetarian diet.” she ordered. Rudenko glanced at her watch. Chandra’s not fanatical about anything except computers.

TSIEN .II.

“We’ve arrived at Jupiter.” . he felt a distinct though not uncomfortable coldness. and had a blurred glimpse of a ashlight being withdrawn from his face. thought Heywood Floyd. but they were too out of focus to identify. Don’t be alarmed—the ship’s ne.” The gures came into focus— rst Dr. We’re in a race to reach Discovery—and I’m afraid we’re going to lose. But something had happened to Tanya since he had seen her. “Don’t exert yourself.6. But your friends in Washington have asked us to wake you up ahead of time. Rudenko. “No.” “That’s a good sign. “Surely.” she said. His chin was covered with short stubble—a two or three days’ growth. then Captain Orlova. I can’t say the same about your beard. “I can’t be dreaming in Russian!” “No. and everything’s running normally. nding that he had to make a conscious e ort to plan every stage of the movement. “You’ve grown your hair back!” “I hope you think it’s an improvement. When Floyd identi ed the cause. Heywood.” answered a woman’s voice. Gentle fingers closed his eyelids and massaged his forehead.” The lovely glow faded. hair grew at only a hundredth of its normal rate… “So I made it. In hibernation. “We’re still a month away. held against it by elastic webbing. Something very unexpected has happened. Voices were murmuring. The glorious pink glow that surrounded him was very soothing. He was lying on a couch. it was almost a physical shock. AWAKENING And they told us we wouldn’t dream. more with surprise than annoyance. just too softly for him to understand the words. only an hour ago. It’s time to get out of bed. he opened his eyes.” Floyd lifted his hand to his face. it reminded him of barbecues and the crackling logs of Christmas res.” Tanya looked at him somberly. They became louder—but still he could not understand. But there was no warmth. indeed. Do you know where you are? You can open your eyes now. Heywood. who gave a barely perceptible nod.” he said in sudden amazement. Breathe deeply… again… that’s right… now how do you feel?” “I don’t know… strange… light-headed… and hungry. “You’re not dreaming. figures were standing around him.” he said. then glanced at the doctor.

who replaced Irina Yakunina at the last moment. In a few hours they’ll hit Jupiter’s atmosphere—and then we’ll see how well their aerobraking system works. “The standard of on-board English ranges from absolutely perfect—Chief Engineer Sasha Kovalev could earn a living as a BBC announcer—down to the if-you-talk-fast-enough-itdoesn’t-matter-how-many-mistakes-you-make variety. but they ignored us completely. you’ll have known for weeks that we have company out here. that will be good for our morale. Tsien was more than fty million kilometers away. They placed their heads on the rim and stared intently at the source of the sound. the two dolphins suddenly stopped circling around the pool and swam over to its edge. thought Caroline. did not even stop playing with the color controls of his picture book as his father’s voice came loud and clear across half a billion kilometers of space. let’s not talk about that. Now they’ll be much too busy for friendly chat. “We never saw them. I like her very much— .7. it doesn’t even make sense. Let’s say with special kindness. But if it fails—well. you won’t be surprised to hear from me. every hour on the hour. They can’t possibly have enough fuel for a safe return to Earth. “And speaking of accidents. Well. But now that Dr. with a twinge of bitterness. If it does its job. it’s obvious that Zenia must also have had a very bad one. “After the initial shock. “It’s an ill wind—if our Chinese friends hadn’t jumped the gun on us. except watch. Even at its closest. and I bet the State Department’s reminding them of it. “Well. And polishing up my lousy Russian. Though the plastic surgeons have done a remarkable job. I’m glad to hear that Irina made a good recovery—what a disappointment that must have been! I wonder if she’s started hang-gliding again. “I still nd it hard to believe. there’s nothing we can do. “The Russians are taking it remarkably well. TSIEN When Heywood Floyd’s voice came from the comset speaker. Rudenko’s woken me up. I can’t help wishing them luck. And at our distance. crawling around his playpen. She’s the baby of the crew and the others treat her with —I was going to say pity. though of course I hope they leave Discovery alone. I’ll be speaking to you every couple of days. nding my space legs. I’m settling down nicely—getting to know the ship and its crew. They had plenty of time to answer our signals if they wanted to. in some ways. though I don’t have much chance of using it—everyone insists on speaking English. we won’t have a much better view than your best telescopes. The only one who isn’t uent is Zenia Marchenko. but that’s too condescending. “…My dear. Incidentally. They’re angry and disappointed. we don’t even see how they can make the rendezvous. a month ahead of schedule. of course. It was certainly a brilliant trick. Yet Christopher. What shocking linguists we Americans are! I sometimes feel ashamed of our chauvinism—or our laziness. “Maybe you’re wondering how I get on with Captain Tanya. you wouldn’t have heard from me for another month. That’s our property. of course—but I’ve heard many expressions of frank admiration. So they recognize Heywood. you can tell that she must have been severely burned at some time. all things considered. building that ship in full view and making everyone think it was a spacestation until they hitched on those boosters.

and I’m sure you won’t have forgotten that last party. Christopher began to cry. If I run overtime. so don’t be surprised if you occasionally get messages by— well. But there are a lot of links in the communications chain. another route. “I’ll be waiting to hear from you—tell the girls I’ll be speaking to them later. but it was a long time before she succeeded.“Maybe you’re wondering how I get on with Captain Tanya. of course. You’ll understand why we all call her Catherine the Great—behind her broad back. My love to you all—I miss you and Chris very badly. these personal calls are supposed to be completely private. Well.” There was a brief hissing pause. leaving scarcely a ripple in the water. I like her very much— but I’d hate to make her angry. . then an obviously synthetic voice said: “This terminates Transmission Four Hundred Thirty-two Stroke Seven from Spacecraft Leonov. His mother picked him up in her arms and tried to comfort him. “And Surgeon-Commander Rudenko—you met her at the Honolulu Aerospace Convention two years ago.” As Caroline Floyd switched o the speaker. I hate to think of the surcharge. “But that’s enough gossip. When he realized that his friends were gone. There’s no doubt exactly who runs this ship. And when I get back. And by the way. I promise I’ll never leave again. the two dolphins slid beneath the surface of the pool and glided out into the Pacific.

dispersing in the Jovian stratosphere. the Chinese ship was about to meet its moment of truth. For they could see that the tiny elongated spark had indeed moved appreciably away from the sunward face of the planet and would soon disappear into the nightside. becoming noisy. “Earliest reappearance is in forty-two minutes. everyone was back again in little more than thirty minutes. video. as the longrange antennas were withdrawn into the protective shadow of the heat shield. Leonov’s computers were already digesting the gures. the hour went extremely quickly. Then. When it emerged from behind the giant world. One last badly distorted and curiously drawn-out beep sounded from the tracking beacon. its mottled bands of salmon pink. until it emerged from shadow—if all went well. It appeared quite motionless. several dropped out completely. thought Floyd. But . he made out a tiny star—gleaming where no star could possibly be. The shrill beep… beep… beep… was the only sound in Leonov’s control room. leaving a trail of incandescence thousands of kilometers in length. neither did they wish them to meet disaster. against the darkened face of Jupiter. and then it was no longer a dimensionless point. The beeps were getting distorted. Jupiter would have captured the ship. if all had gone according to plan. Only the omnidirectional beacon was still transmitting. their source might already be a cloud of incandescent gas. “I suppose we should send them a message of congratulations. Tsien had rounded the curve of the planet and was heading over the nightside. Vasili looked astonished and morti ed. Even if they did not want the Chinese to succeed. then only the meaningless hiss of Jupiter’s own radiation. He was still chiding them for their lack of faith in his calculations when the familiar beep… beep… beep… of Tsien’s tracking beacon burst from the loudspeakers. “There it is!” At rst Floyd could see nothing. and spitting out projected times of reemergence based on various assumptions about rates of deceleration in the Jovian atmosphere. To Chief Scientist Vasili Orlov and communications engineer Sasha Kovalov. though he knew it must be moving at a hundred kilometers a second. by this time. By then. The signal was fading. one of those many cosmic voices that had nothing to do with Man or his works. Vasili switched o the computer display. If it ever did… “Posmotri!” cried Max. A large element of self-interest was also involved. A man-made comet was streaking across the Jovian night sky. as far from home as any men had ever traveled —“Ambassadors for Mankind. This is absurd. The spark flickered out. Now the odds in Leonov’s own favor were signi cantly improved. but was becoming elongated. to Vasili’s disgust. We can’t possibly see anything across forty million kilometers. then the sequence returned.8. destroying its unwanted velocity. TRANSIT OF JUPITER The image of Jupiter. with its ribbons of white cloud. Shoo! Nu—ukhodi!” Reluctantly. or to hear. but no one was looking at the illuminated disk. and data circuits two hours before. There. Each of those pulses had left Jupiter more than two minutes earlier.ve minutes. Floyd could not help thinking. its atmosphere did not contain unexpected and perhaps fatal surprises. so we can concentrate on getting all this into good shape? See you in thirty. accurately pinpointing the Chinese ship’s position as it plunged toward that ocean of continent-sized clouds. Tsien was inaudible. “Well!” said Tanya. The data on Jupiter were correct. the Doppler shift of the radio beacon gave vital information about Tsien’s new orbit. Tsien had demonstrated that the aerobraking maneuver was indeed possible.” in the noble words of the rst UN Space Treaty. all eyes were focused on the crescent of darkness at its edge. its times of appearance and disappearance and. Rivals though they might be. Why don’t you spectators go for a walk. And it doesn’t matter. Tsien had closed down all voice. but not yet invisible. the unwanted bodies left the bridge—but. and the Great Red Spot staring out like a baleful eye. spun around in his chair. Slowly it grew in brilliance. the radio will tell us all we want to know. Floyd could not see who rst started the clapping. it would be another Jovian satellite. over the nightside of the planet. loosened his seat belt. A plasma sheath was building up around Tsien and soon would cut o all communications until the ship reemerged. and addressed the patiently waiting audience. in just under an hour. It would be a very long hour for the Chinese. There was much they could learn from observations of that little star. There would be nothing to see. It was three quarters full. hung steady on the ight-deck projection screen. just o the edge of the illuminated disk. but soon joined in the spontaneous round of applause. above all. they were all astronauts together.

Anyway. And Intelligence did not believe that Chinese hibernation technology was su ciently far advanced to make that a viable option. They can make a dozen orbits before we get there. will you give me their nal orbit. lists of delegates to scienti c conferences.ow micro-controllers or German radiation the prying cameras—of . Those were the ones that interested him most. even more useful were the cutaway drawings and estimates of performance. his rst reaction was: “Then they may be in serious trouble. who was staring at his computer output in frank disbelief. Nevertheless. many of them stacked in the curtained bunks that would be occupied by Chandra and Curnow when they emerged from their long slumbers. When Tanya took pity on him and explained that Tsien had overshot and was heading for the outer satellites. as soon as you’ve worked it out? I’m going down to my cabin to do some homework. or rather one-third of a cabin. Some of it was obvious junk.” “Anyway. raw facts it had to evaluate—the “noise” in its information circuits. Granted the most optimistic assumptions. and choose the most favorable one for a rendezvous. it was di cult to see what the Chinese hoped to do. was still partly full of stores.” “Again—assuming that they have enough propellant. might turn out to be a vital clue. But that could cost them days. because by then it had been far away from the nal stage as it hurtled toward Jupiter. titles of technical publications.” “Don’t be such an optimist.” Floyd’s cabin. they must be in a safe orbit. charts. Floyd started once more to skim the ve hundred pages of data. “Something’s wrong. or even nonsensical. but Floyd wished that the material sent to him had been more carefully ltered. and even commercial documents scrolled swiftly down the high-resolution screen. It had done a remarkable job on Tsien. keeping his mind as blankly receptive as possible while diagrams. then Vasili gave a long.” Some of his colleagues were still making fun of Vasili. He wondered if his hosts had had any luck in unscrambling it.” “So we may still beat them. Once again he stared intently at the excellent photographs of the Chinese ship. But even if we did. it would be impossible. With a sigh. It was a claim that could never be proved—only disproved. considering the shortness of time. A very e cient industrial espionage system had obviously been extremely busy. Which I doubt. We can’t change our mission pro le. they wouldn’t acknowledge it. low whistle. Floyd unlocked his little communications console. Can you imagine them doing that? They’re much too proud. when you did not know what you were looking for. “They should still be behind Jupiter! Sasha—give me a velocity reading on their beacon!” Another silent dialog was held with the computer.” “Perhaps. as you know perfectly well. We’re still three weeks from Jupiter. “I don’t understand it!” he exclaimed. of course. all right—but it won’t let them make a rendezvous with Discovery. and the National Security Agency had staked its reputation on the claim that the fastest computer in existence could not crack it before the Big Crunch at the end of the Universe. photographs—some so smudgy that they could represent almost anything—news items. “I suppose we should send them a message of congratulations. We should start thinking about some of the political complications—it would look bad for all of us if we can’t help. And that’s something we can only make educated guesses about. taken when it had revealed its true colors and was just about to leave Earth orbit. set the decryption keys.” “Of course. and called for the information on Tsien that had been transmitted to him from Washington. There were later shots—not so clear. He had managed to clear a small working space for his personal e ects and had been promised the luxury of another whole two cubic meters—just as soon as someone could be spared to help with the furniture removing. who would have thought that so many Japanese holomemory modules or Swiss gas.” All this conversation took place in such rapid and excited Russian that Floyd was left far behind. The orbit they’re on now will take them way beyond Io—I’ll have more accurate data when we’ve tracked them for another five minutes. What will you do if they appeal for help?” “You must be making a joke. Unless it was literally a suicide mission—something that could not be ruled out—only a plan involving hibernation and later rescue made any sense.” said Tanya. “They can always make corrections later. of no possible connection with the mission. Even if we had the fuel…” “You’re right. Vasili. but it might be di cult to explain that to the ninety-nine percent of the human race that doesn’t understand orbital mechanics. the cipher was based on the product of two hundred-digit prime numbers. it was important to avoid all prejudices and preconceptions. They must have burned up at least ninety percent of their propellant in that mad dash across the Solar System.“Well!” said Tanya. even if they have the fuel. something that at rst sight seemed irrelevant. They’re in a capture orbit.

it seemed highly unlikely that Tsien expected to be chased by heat-seeking missiles. He ashed back to the photos and conjectured plans of the Chinese ship. And this one was really funny—specialized surveying and prospecting equipment from Glacier Geophysics. of course. “They’re making a rendezvous with Europa. My God— they wouldn’t dare! But they had already dared greatly. would be about the right size… Floyd called the bridge. “What’s on Europa? Only the most valuable substance in the Universe. I have.” the navigator replied.” “And go into orbit. and snatched the answer from his lips. “Always assuming..ow micro-controllers or German radiation detectors could have been traced to a destination in the dried lake bed of Lop Nor—the first milepost on their way to Jupiter? Some of the items must have been included by accident. Inc.Japanese holomemory modules or Swiss gas. and now. Yes. that was only the concern of the military. “have you worked out their orbit yet?” “Yes. Floyd could tell at once that something had turned up. aren’t they?” There was an explosive gasp of disbelief from the other end. it was just conceivable—those utings at the rear. it wouldn’t take much propellant. The braking maneuver worked out exactly as they intended. he felt the skin crawl on the back of his neck.” “Okay. and still have plenty left for the rendezvous with Discovery and the voyage home. everything made sense. I hate to say this. Sherlock.” “You’re crazy—or do you know something we don’t?” “No—it’s just a matter of simple deduction. Vasili—but our Chinese friends have outsmarted us again. they could not possibly relate to the mission. Of course. that they can get away with it. If the Chinese had placed a secret order for one thousand infrared sensors through a dummy corporation in Singapore. They’ll be there in seventeen hours. Enough to ll up the propellant tanks—go cruising around all the satellites. Vasili was no fool. in a curiously subdued voice. he might still be completely wrong.” “Perhaps. “Of course—water!” “Exactly. “Vasili.” “There can’t be any mistake—I’ve checked the gures to six places.” He had overdone it. He took a long shot.” he said. of Anchorage.” . But what would be the point?” “I’ll risk another guess. why should anyone want to land on Europa? What’s there. alongside the drive de ection electrodes. “Chyort voz’mi! How did you know?” “I didn’t—I’ve just guessed it. Billions and billions of tons of it. Alaska. for heaven’s sake?” Floyd was enjoying his little moment of triumph. You’re going to start kicking yourself for missing the obvious. They’ll do a quick survey—and then they’ll land. at last. What lamebrain imagined that a deep-space expedition would have any need— The smile froze on Floyd’s lips. They’re right on course for Europa—it couldn’t have happened by chance.

9. THE ICE OF THE GRAND CANAL

Apart from the jet-black sky, the photo might have been taken almost anywhere in the polar regions of Earth; there was nothing in the least alien about the sea of wrinkled ice that stretched all the way out to the horizon. Only the ve space-suited gures in the foreground proclaimed that the panorama was of another world. Even now, the secretive Chinese had not released the names of the crew. The anonymous intruders on the frozen Europan icescape were merely the chief scientist, the commander, the navigator, the rst engineer, the second engineer. It was also ironic, Floyd could not help thinking, that everyone on Earth had seen the already historic photograph an hour before it reached Leonov, so much closer to the scene. But Tsien’s transmissions were relayed on such a tight beam that it was impossible to intercept them; Leonov could receive only its beacon, broadcasting impartially in all directions. Even that was inaudible more than half the time, as Europa’s rotation carried it out of sight, or the satellite itself was eclipsed by the monstrous bulk of Jupiter. All the scanty news of the Chinese mission had to be relayed from Earth. The ship had touched down, after its initial survey, on one of the few islands of solid rock that protruded through the crust of ice covering virtually the entire moon. That ice was at from pole to pole; there was no weather to carve it into strange shapes, no drifting snow to build up layer upon layer into slowly moving hills. Meteorites might fall upon airless Europa, but never a ake of snow. The only forces molding its surface were the steady tug of gravity, reducing all elevations to one uniform level, and the incessant quakes caused by the other satellites as they passed and repassed Europa in their orbits. Jupiter itself, despite its far greater mass, had much less e ect. The Jovian tides had nished their work aeons ago, insuring that Europa remained locked forever with one face turned toward its giant master. All this had been known since the Voyager yby missions of the 1970s, the Galileo surveys of the 1980s, and the Kepler landings of the 1990s. But, in a few hours, the Chinese had learned more about Europa than all the previous missions combined. That knowledge they were keeping to themselves; one might regret it, but few would deny that they had earned the right to do so. What was being denied, with greater and greater asperity, was their right to annex the satellite. For the rst time in history, a nation had laid claim to another world, and all the news media of Earth were arguing over the legal position. Though the Chinese pointed out, at tedious length, that they had never signed the ’02 UN Space Treaty and so were not bound by its provisions, that did nothing to quell the angry protests. Suddenly, Europa was the biggest news in the Solar System. And the man-on-the-spot (at least to the nearest few million kilometers) was in great demand. “This is Heywood Floyd, aboard Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, on course for Jupiter. But as you can well imagine, all our thoughts are now focused upon Europa. “At this very moment I’m looking at it through the most powerful of the ship’s telescopes; under this magni cation, it’s ten times larger than the Moon as you see it with the naked eye. And it’s a really weird sight. “The surface is a uniform pink, with a few small brown patches. It’s covered with an intricate network of narrow lines, curling and weaving in all directions. In fact, it looks very much like a photo from a medical textbook, showing a pattern of veins and arteries. “A few of these features are hundreds—or even thousands—of kilometers long, and look rather like the illusory canals that Percival Lowell and other early-twentieth-century astronomers imagined they’d seen on Mars. “But Europa’s canals aren’t an illusion, though of course they’re not arti cial. What’s more, they do contain water—or at least ice. For the satellite is almost entirely covered by ocean, averaging fifty kilometers deep. “Because it’s so far from the sun, Europa’s surface temperature is extremely low—about a hundred and fty degrees below freezing. So one might expect its single ocean to be a solid block of ice. “Surprisingly, that isn’t the case because there’s a lot of heat generated inside Europa by tidal forces—the same forces that drive the great volcanoes on neighboring Io. “So the ice is continually melting, breaking up, and freezing, forming cracks and lanes like those in the oating ice sheets in our own polar regions. It’s that intricate tracery of cracks I’m seeing now; most of them are dark and very ancient—perhaps millions of years old. But a few are almost pure white; they’re the new ones that have just opened up, and have a crust only a few centimeters thick. “Tsien has landed right beside one of these white streaks—the fteen-hundred-kilometerlong feature that’s been christened the Grand Canal. Presumably the Chinese intend to pump its water into their propellant tanks, so that they can explore the Jovian satellite system and then return to Earth. That may not be easy, but they’ll certainly have studied the landing site with great care, and must know what they’re doing. “It’s obvious, now, why they’ve taken such a risk—and why they claim Europa. As a refueling point. It could be the key to the entire outer Solar System. Though there’s also water on Ganymede, it’s all frozen, and also less accessible because of that satellite’s more powerful gravity. “And there’s another point that’s just occurred to me. Even if the Chinese do get stranded on Europa, they might be able to survive until a rescue mission is arranged. They have plenty of power, there may be useful minerals in the area—and we know that the Chinese are the experts on synthetic-food production. It wouldn’t be a very luxurious life; but I have some friends who would accept it happily for that staggering view of Jupiter sprawled across the sky—the view we expect to see ourselves, in just a few days. “This is Heywood Floyd, saying good-bye for my colleagues and myself, aboard Alexei Leonov.” “And this is the bridge. Very nice presentation, Heywood. You should have been a newsman.” “I’ve had plenty of practice. Half my time was spent on P.R. work.” “P.R.?” “Public relations—usually telling politicians why they should give me more money. Something you don’t have to bother about.” “How I wish that was true. Anyway, come up to the bridge. There’s some new information we’d like to discuss with you.” Floyd removed his button microphone, locked the telescope into position and extricated himself from the tiny viewing blister. As he left, he almost collided with Nikolai Ternovsky, obviously on a similar mission. “I’m about to steal your best quotes for Radio Moscow, Woody. Hope you don’t mind.” “You’re welcome, tovarishch. Anyway, how could I stop you?” Up on the bridge, Captain Orlova was looking thoughtfully at a dense mass of words and gures on the main display. Floyd had painfully started to transliterate them when she interrupted him. “Don’t worry about the details. These are estimates of the time it will take for Tsien to refill its tanks and get ready for lift-off.” “My people are doing the same calculations—but there are far too many variables.” “We think we’ve removed one of them. Did you know that the very best water pumps you can buy belong to re brigades? And would you be surprised to learn that the Beijing Central Station had four of its latest models suddenly requisitioned a few months ago, despite the protests of the mayor?” “I’m not surprised—merely lost in admiration. Go on, please.” “That may be a coincidence, but those pumps would be just the right size. Making educated guesses about pipe deployment, drilling through the ice and so on—well, we think they could lift off again in five days.” “Five days!” “If they’re lucky, and everything works perfectly. And if they don’t wait to ll their propellant tanks but merely take on just enough for a safe rendezvous with Discovery before we do. Even if they beat us by a single hour, that would be enough. They could claim salvage rights, at the very least.” “Not according to the State Department’s lawyers. At the appropriate moment, we’ll declare that Discovery is not a derelict, but has merely been parked until we can retrieve it. Any attempt to take over the ship would be an act of piracy.” “I’m sure the Chinese will be most impressed.” “If they’re not, what can we do about it?” “We outnumber them—and two to one, when we revive Chandra and Curnow.” “Are you serious? Where are the cutlasses for the boarding party?” “Cutlasses?” “Swords—weapons.” “Oh. We could use the laser telespectrometer. That can vaporize milligram asteroid samples at ranges of a thousand kilometers.” “I’m not sure that I like this conversation. My government certainly would not condone violence, except of course in self-defense.” “You naive Americans! We’re old age, Heywood. Three of mine were killed in the Great Patriotic War.” When they were alone together, Tanya always called him Woody, never Heywood. She must be serious. Or was she merely testing his reactions? “Anyway, Discovery is merely a few billion dollars’ worth of hardware. The ship’s not important—only the information it carries.” “Exactly. Information that could be copied, and then erased.” “You do get some cheerful ideas, Tanya. Sometimes I think that all Russians are a little paranoiac.” “Thanks to Napoleon and Hitler, we’ve earned every right to be. But don’t tell me that you haven’t already worked out that—what do you call it, scenario?—for yourself.” “It wasn’t necessary,” Floyd answered rather glumly. “The State Department’s already done it for me—with variations. We’ll just have to see which one the Chinese come up with. And I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if they outguess us again.”

more

realistic;

we

have

to

be.

All your

grandparents

died

of

10. A CRY FROM EUROPA

Sleeping in zero gravity is a skill that has to be learned; it had taken Floyd almost a week to nd the best way of anchoring legs and arms so that they did not drift into uncomfortable positions. Now he was an expert, and was not looking forward to the return of weight; indeed, the very idea gave him occasional nightmares. Someone was shaking him awake. No—he must still be dreaming! Privacy was sacred aboard a spaceship; nobody ever entered another crew member’s chambers without rst asking permission. He clenched his eyes shut, but the shaking continued. “Dr. Floyd—please wake up! You’re wanted on the flight deck!” And nobody called him Dr. Floyd; the most formal salutation he had received for weeks was Doc. What was happening? Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. He was in his tiny cabin, gently gripped by his sleeping cocoon. So one part of his mind told him; then why was he looking at—Europa? They were still millions of kilometers away. There were the familiar reticulations, the patterns of triangles and polygons formed by intersecting lines. And surely that was the Grand Canal itself—no, it wasn’t quite right. How could it be, since he was still in his little cabin aboard Leonov? “Dr. Floyd!” He became fully awake, and realized that his left hand was oating just a few centimeters in front of his eyes. How strange that the pattern of lines across the palm was so uncannily like the map of Europa! But economical Mother Nature was always repeating herself, on such vastly di erent scales as the swirl of milk stirred into co ee, the cloud lanes of a cyclonic storm, the arms of a spiral nebula. “Sorry, Max,” he said. “What’s the problem? Is something wrong?” “We think so—but not with us. Tsien’s in trouble.” Captain, navigator, and chief engineer were strapped in their seats on the ight deck; the rest of the crew orbited anxiously around convenient handholds, or watched on the monitors. “Sorry to wake you up, Heywood,” Tanya apologized brusquely. “Here’s the situation. Ten minutes ago we had a Class One Priority from Mission Control. Tsien’s gone o the air. It happened very suddenly, in the middle of a cipher message; there were a few seconds of garbled transmission—then nothing.” “Their beacon?” “That’s stopped as well. We can’t receive it either.” “Phew! Then it must be serious—a major breakdown. Any theories?” “Lots—but all guesswork. An explosion—landslide—earthquake: who knows?” “And we may never know—until someone else lands on Europa—or we do a close yby and take a look.” Tanya shook her head. “We don’t have enough delta-vee. The closest we could get is fty thousand kilometers. Not much you could see from that distance.” “Then there’s absolutely nothing we can do.” “Not quite, Heywood. Mission Control has a suggestion. They’d like us to swing our big dish around, just in case we can pick up any weak emergency transmissions. It’s—how do you say?—a long shot, but worth trying. What do you think?”

you say?—a long shot, but worth trying. What do you think?” Floyd’s first reaction was strongly negative. “That will mean breaking our link with Earth.” “Of course; but we’ll have to do that anyway, when we go around Jupiter. And it will only take a couple of minutes to reestablish the circuit.” Floyd remained silent. The suggestion was perfectly reasonable, yet it worried him obscurely. After puzzling for several seconds, he suddenly realized why he was so opposed to the idea. Discovery’s troubles had started when the big dish—the main antenna complex—had lost its lock on Earth, for reasons which even now were not completely clear. But Hal had certainly been involved, and there was no danger of a similar situation arising here. Leonov’s computers were small, autonomous units; there was no single controlling intelligence. At least, no nonhuman one. The Russians were still waiting patiently for his answer. “I agree,” he said at last. “Let Earth know what we’re doing, and start listening. I suppose you’ll try all the SPACE MAYDAY frequencies.” “Yes, as soon as we’ve worked out the Doppler corrections. How’s it going, Sasha?” “Give me another two minutes, and I’ll have the automatic search running. How long should we listen?” The captain barely paused before giving her answer. Floyd had often admired Tanya Orlova’s decisiveness, and had once told her so. In a rare ash of humor, she had replied: “Woody, a commander can be wrong, but never uncertain.” “Listen for fifty minutes, and report back to Earth for ten. Then repeat the cycle.” There was nothing to see or hear; the automatic circuits were better at sifting the radio noise than any human senses. Nevertheless, from time to time Sasha turned up the audio monitor, and the roar of Jupiter’s radiation belts lled the cabin. It was a sound like the waves breaking on all the beaches of Earth, with occasional explosive cracks from superbolts of lightning in the Jovian atmosphere. Of human signals, there was no trace; and one by one, the members of the crew not on duty drifted quietly away. While he was waiting, Floyd did some mental calculations. Whatever had happened to Tsien was already two hours in the past, since the news had been relayed from Earth. But Leonov should be able to pick up a direct message after less than a minute’s delay, so the Chinese had already had ample time to get back on the air. Their continued silence suggested some catastrophic failure, and he found himself weaving endless scenarios of disaster. The fty minutes seemed like hours. When they were up, Sasha swung the ship’s antenna complex back toward Earth, and reported failure. While he was using the rest of the ten minutes to send a backlog of messages, he looked inquiringly at the captain. “Is it worth trying again?” he said in a voice that clearly expressed his own pessimism. “Of course. We may cut back the search time—but we’ll keep listening.” On the hour, the big dish was once more focused upon Europa. And almost at once, the automatic monitor started flashing its ALERT light. Sasha’s hand darted to the audio gain, and the voice of Jupiter lled the cabin. Superimposed upon that, like a whisper heard against a thunderstorm, was the faint but completely unmistakable sound of human speech. It was impossible to identify the language, though Floyd felt certain, from the intonation and rhythm, that it was not Chinese, but some European tongue. Sasha played skillfully with ne-tuning and band-width controls, and the words became clearer. The language was undoubtedly English—but its content was still maddeningly unintelligible.

For the rst recognizable words from Europa were: “Dr. then they stared at him with equal amazement—and a slowly dawning suspicion.” . even in the noisiest environment. There is one combination of sounds that every human ear can detect instantly.unintelligible. Floyd—Dr. but was trapped in some fantastic dream. His colleagues took a little longer to react. it seemed to Floyd that he could not possibly be awake. When it suddenly emerged from the Jovian background. Floyd—I hope you can hear me.

“…soon after local midnight. Floyd. its biological cycle triggered by the sunlight that lters through the ice. the creature started to unweave itself. Just like the corals of Earth’s oceans. I wondered if it was dead—frozen solid at . The radio antennas broke o rst. and to retreat back to the Canal. When the taxonomists classify this creature. incongruously. Our oodlights must have been more brilliant than anything that Europa has ever known… “Then the ship crashed. the sapphires became dull. “Then the main trunk started to move again. I wish I knew whether anyone was receiving me. just emerging from the chrysalis—wings crumpled. But it was still moving feebly. “I was still so surprised that I couldn’t think straight and I couldn’t imagine what it was trying to do…” “Is there any way we can call him back?” Floyd whispered urgently. For a few minutes. had I felt the slightest fear of the creature. I repeat: THERE IS LIFE ON EUROPA…” The signal faded again. “Then I saw that large buds were forming on many of the branches. slowing down all the time. The beautiful colors were fading now. then started to spread out until it had made a perfect circle around me. stamens. Floyd—or anyone else who is listening—I haven’t much more time. I must have run there. Those membranes weren’t petals—they were fins. the vivid blue faded. which had stopped swinging now. I’m only survivor. building a kind of ice tunnel as it advanced. Probably it spends much of its life rooted on the seabed. “No—it’s too late. crawling along the ground. Anyway. a banyan with its multiple trunks and roots— attened out by gravity and trying to creep along the ground. Floyd’s thoughts were a billion kilometers away. And now he recalled Chang very distinctly—a small. minutes. Pipes go directly from it and down through the ice. For a few moments they opped around like sh stranded on dry land—and at last I realized exactly what they were. As I watched. Lee saw it rst—a huge dark mass rising up from the depths. It was freezing solid as it moved forward—bits were breaking o like glass—but it was still advancing toward the ship. with a ne powdering of fresh snow all around me. Using my suit radio—no idea if it has enough range. as if it knew that it was approaching its natural home. “I’ve only two requests to make. Some of the petal.A. “There were scores of the big owers. But I’ve almost finished. at the Jovian end of the Io flux tube. and had been momentarily cut off by some obstruction. ICE AND VACUUM “Who is it?” whispered someone. thin crescent—and there was a big auroral display on the nightside. a cloud of snow akes form as moisture condensed. nothing happened for several last. “Delicate. At rst we thought it was a school of sh—too large for a single organism—then it started to break through the ice. This is Professor Chang—we met in ’02—Boston I. Like a Christmas tree— beautiful. so that I could see exactly what was happening. I wondered if it had been damaged by the impact. He wasn’t joking now. The next thing I remember. “Dr. to a drab brown. though not appreciably louder. Lee ran back to the ship to get a camera—I stayed to watch. Then. The cable to that thousand-watt lamp was hanging almost to the ground. they dropped o from the parent buds.” Instantly. I wondered how it sensed my presence. larval stage of the creature. Ganymede and Callisto were in the sky—Jupiter was a huge. I was much more excited than alarmed. I’ll repeat this message when we’re in line of sight again—if my suit’s life-support system lasts that long. Lee and I went out to check the pipe insulation. in various stages of unfolding. I saw the hull split. The thing moved so slowly I could easily outrun it. one after another. Tsien stands—stood—about thirty meters from the edge of the Grand Canal. “And—when the next ship comes home—ask them to take our bones back to China. and began to crawl toward me. There was plenty of light—I could see everything perfectly. Glorious colors. “…no problem— ve kilowatts of lighting strung up on the ship. “Then I noticed that the stamens—as I’d called them—all carried bright blue dots at their tips. THERE IS LIFE ON EUROPA. This was the free-swimming. Dr. “I knew then what I had to do. it occurred to me that no one—no thing—could ever have seen these colors before. nothing happened. They looked like tiny star sapphires—or the blue eyes along the mantle of a scallop— aware of light. Thought I knew what kind of creature it was—I’ve seen pictures of the kelp forests o California—but I was quite wrong. to a chorus of shushes. “…relay this information to Earth. “I don’t know what happened immediately after that. it seemed to gain strength and energy. So I walked over to the wall of tangled branches around me. Then I could see the landing legs beginning to buckle—all in slow motion. “Perhaps it’s a phototrope. “I knelt down to get a closer look at one of the little creatures. becoming brittle shards as they froze. I could see my footsteps in it very clearly. Then I walked back to the ship to see if there was anything to salvage— I don’t want to talk about that. It couldn’t possibly survive at a temperature a hundred and fty below its normal environment. “Not until the ship started to topple did I realize what the thing was trying to do—and then it was too late. then sends these mobile offspring in search of new territory. large sections—as thick as a man’s arm—had splintered o . We were pumping steadily and the tanks were almost half full. It pulled away from the hull. The exposed free water bubbled for a few minutes until a scab of protective ice sealed it from the vacuum above. leaving a few last dead larvae on the alien land. but unless the speaker identi ed himself he would never know. like broken twigs.11. Even then. or their equivalent. encouraging it with more kicks when it slowed down. The warm upwelling…” Again a long silence. and kicked it. It was like watching a time-lapse lm of owers opening. Perhaps this was insulating it from the cold—the way termites protect themselves from sunlight with their little corridors of mud. Now they reminded me of butter ies. innocence. or at any other time. I hope you can hear me. “Slowly. “Tendrils. perhaps only a minute or two had elapsed… “The plant—I still thought of it as a plant—was motionless. shining right through the ice. and as I approached it tried to avoid me. He vaguely remembered that reception. “I wondered if it was too late. they had no existence until we brought our lights—our fatal lights—to this world. Presumably that was the limit of its tolerance—the point at which photoattraction turned to repulsion. humorous astronomer and exobiologist with a good fund of jokes. still feeble—I was getting closer and closer to the truth.ns had snapped o . Floyd searched his memory furiously. waving feebly… I walked over to the living wall that surrounded me. after the closing session of the International Astronomical Union Congress—the last one that the Chinese had attended before the Second Cultural Revolution. After that. “I followed the creature all the way back to the water. feeling the fragments of ice crunching all the time beneath my boots… As it neared the Canal. but unable to form true images. In fact I thought they were owers—each about as big as a man’s head. I gave it a few tugs. ordinary stones… “Dr. except for one. “…I could tell it was in trouble. beside the wreck of the ship. Jupiter will soon block my signal. “Jupiter will be cutting us o in a few minutes. A stunned silence followed that no one attempted to interrupt. to bud again. We could have saved ourselves—if we’d only switched off those lights.” “…climbing up the ship. It got to within ve meters of the light. then came back much clearer. Neither then. a black tidal wave. beautifully colored membranes started to unfold. “It disappeared through the surface.U. I was certain that it was not malevolent—if indeed it was conscious at all. Very thin—not safe to walk on. but it’s the only chance. I hope they’ll name it after me. reporting over the radio. swinging back and forth on a cable a couple of meters above the ground. Tsien destroyed three hours ago. All the lights went out. Floyd raised his hands in a gesture of ignorance—and. While he was waiting. “…like huge strands of wet seaweed. “Imagine an oak tree—better still. Please listen carefully. “…know you are aboard Leonov… may not have much time… aiming my suit antenna where I think…” The signal vanished for agonizing seconds. He could not recognize the voice—it might have been that of any Western-educated Chinese. I was standing under the light. and the light went out in a shower of sparks. he hoped. Probably it was someone he had met at a scienti c conference. Europa will soon be behind Jupiter. Doctor. There was no need to use my helmet light. I wondered if it would survive. “…tons of ice on the ship. “But they were freezing—dying as quickly as they formed. like a dream. That was when I knew for certain that the thing was light-sensitive: I was standing immediately under the thousand-watt lamp. conference. We’ll have to wait until it comes out of eclipse. Or it could have been attracted like a moth to a candle. Floyd wondered if the speaker was moving.

We landed beside the Grand Canal and set up our pumps at the edge of the ice—” The signal faded abruptly. there was no further message from Professor Chang. reporting the destruction of spaceship Tsien. Although Leonov listened again on the same frequency. came back for a moment.suit’s life-support system lasts that long. . “This is Professor Chang on Europa. then disappeared completely below the noise level.

III. DISCOVERY .

12. The eternal ballet they performed—disappearing behind Jupiter. Irina Yakunina was to have been dietician and medical assistant aboard Leonov before that unfortunate argument with a hang-glider broke too many bones. DOWNHILL RUN The ship was gaining speed at last.R. though they were still too far away for any markings to be visible. Here was the rst landfall after the longest ocean voyage—the o shore islands of Jupiter. splintered rocks of no interest to anyone except planetary geologists. There was speculation that they had once been part of a single body. In addition to her physical and doubtless psychological scars. he often struck Floyd as naive and unsophisticated—one of those people who are pleasant to talk to. She was a last-minute replacement. he had an open-faced. and completely irregular in shape. Max was a big. Zenia labored under yet another handicap. Jagged. Lysithea. Himalia. and everyone knew it. Floyd had never raised the subject of her injuries. The largest was only thirty kilometers across. thought Floyd. they were greeted like old friends. but not for too long. at half the distance of the others. almost boyish expression. Obviously she had been involved in some serious accident. and the giant inner satellites could be clearly seen moving around it. but it might have been nothing more unusual than a car crash. Elara. Though only Carme and Leda came close enough to show disks visible to the naked eye. an oddly matched pair. Though he was in his early thirties. Zenia—at twenty-nine. They all showed noticeable disks and distinctive coloring. Ananke. Undoubtedly captured asteroids. Thanks to the global tracking networks. and Leda were fairly close together. o -duty hours were spent at the telescopes. despite his brilliant engineering record. and his Washington sources could provide no information. if so. reappearing to transit the daylight face with their accompanying shadows—was an endlessly engaging spectacle. It was one that astronomers had watched ever since Galileo had rst glimpsed it almost exactly four centuries ago. but the crew of Leonov were the only living men and women to have seen it with unaided eyes. handsome blond who had been a champion gymnast. reaching the nals of the 2000 Olympics. The theory that she had been on a secret space mission—still part of popular mythology outside the U. or listening to music. One day. And at least one shipboard romance had reached a culmination: the frequent disappearance of Max Brailovsky and Zenia Marchenko was the subject of much good-natured banter. Every day at 1800 GMT the crew of seven plus one passenger gathered in the tiny . Since no one wished to talk about it. the Sun would recapture them completely. They were. no such thing had been possible for fifty years. or in earnest conversation.S. It had long since passed the gravitational no-man’s-land where the four tiny outer moons—Sinope. usually while gazing at the view outside. But Jupiter might retain the second group of four. This was not altogether misleading. the most critical phase of the entire mission was approaching—the entry into the Jovian atmosphere. on the downhill run toward Jupiter. The last hours were ticking away. and lying in almost the same plane. Outside his own field of undoubted expertise he was engaging but rather shallow. the youngest on board—was still something of a mystery.S. and Carme—wobbled along their retrograde and wildly eccentric orbits. their allegiance wavered continually between the Sun and Jupiter.—could be ruled out. the parent would have been barely a hundred kilometers across. The interminable chess games had ceased. Pasiphae. Jupiter was already larger than the Moon in the skies of Earth.

He did not mention his private belief that Curnow could outtalk or outshout any three other people aboard. When he was not sleeping. when Alexei Leonov had painted it. embracing the darkened nightside of the planet. suggested movie programs. The circular table at its center was just big enough for eight people to squeeze around.Every day at 1800 GMT the crew of seven plus one passenger gathered in the tiny common room that separated the ight deck from the galley and sleeping quarters. Looming monstrously above the lunar horizon was the thin crescent of Earth. and other reminders of Earth. subject only to the captain’s overriding veto. He was already nine years old. rather than a professional. Clearly the work of a talented amateur. Floyd warned them. was given to an original Leonov painting—his 1965 study “Near the Moon. much of Floyd’s own time was spent in the common room— partly because. It was also cheerfully decorated. Borman. Anders. as a young lieutenant–colonel.” as the daily round-table conference was called.and seascapes. and good-natured needling of the heavily outnumbered American contingent. Pride of place. exchange of news and gossip. however. portraits of popular videostars. and two extra seats would have to be fitted in somewhere else. . and the odds improved from 1 in 7 to 3 in 9. it was much less claustrophobic than his own tiny cubicle. he left Voshkod II and became the rst man in history to perform an extravehicular excursion. progress reports—anything could be raised. it would be unable to accommodate everyone. when his colleagues came out of hibernation. It was a striking composition—and a glimpse of the future that even then lay only three years ahead. seldom lasted more than ten minutes. it played a vital role in maintaining morale. Beyond that blazed the sun. when Chandra and Curnow were revived. it showed the cratered edge of the Moon with the beautiful Sinus Iridum—Bay of Rainbows—in the foreground. Heywood Floyd admired the painting. and Lovell were to see this splendid sight with their unaided eyes. but he also regarded it with mixed feelings. despite its smallness. appeals for more private communication time with Earth. as they watched Earth rise above the farside on Christmas Day. which was very seldom exercised. Things would change. the streamers of the corona reaching out into space for millions of kilometers around it. Though the “Six O’clock Soviet. 1968. Complaints. all available at surfaces being covered with photos of beautiful land. He could not forget that it was older than everybody else on the ship—with one exception. sporting events. On the ight of Apollo 8.” made in the same year when. criticisms. suggestions. Typical items on the nonexistent agenda were requests for changes in the menu.

containing dozens of parallel lines. He even claimed to have detected overpasses and cloverleaf intersections. and the drag of deceleration produced momentary peaks that might be as high as two gravities. attracted like a moth to the candle until it risked destruction. with its derelict and its dead. the outermost. had a totally di erent appearance. nothing could be seen but level ice and a few outcroppings of bare rock. Chang’s Europan was intelligent. Dr. And perhaps strangest of all were the white spots. The ship was now on the critical path that would just graze the outer atmosphere. irrespective of their national origins. Still. Between the two extremes lay little margin for error. if his interpretation of its behavior was correct. the satellite next door. with obvious embarrassment. THE WORLDS OF GALILEO Even now. But it had been widely argued that advanced intelligence could never arise in the sea. Through the telescope. He had to keep telling himself that fty Earths would not cover the hemisphere now turned toward him. It was Nikolai Ternovsky who decided what they must be—multilane superhighways. Callisto. considerable redrafting in Moscow. was on the other side of Jupiter. What a waste!” Even if Dr. “Look at whales and dolphins. and it would go racing out of the Solar System. Only Callisto. the route that humanity had taken was not the only one. colorful as the most garish sunset on Earth. No animal with even elementary powers of reasoning would have allowed itself to become a victim of its instincts. but inevitable— as most of nature’s surprises are. as if some cosmic gardener had dragged a giant rake across them. most of them had been ploughed over—a phrase that seemed peculiarly appropriate.13. And he’d won a gold medal for designing space-stations. Above all. before it crossed the orbit of Europa. had past at a distance of just over 100. That icebound world. how could marine creatures ever develop a technology without the aid of fire? Yet perhaps even that was possible. scienti c installations.” interjected Max Brailovsky. Leonov had added some trillions of bits of information about Ganymede to the store of human knowledge. there was a muted sense of relief that the race had not gone to the swiftest. like trails that might have been made by slugs fty kilometers across. looked more like Earth’s Moon than did the Moon itself. and the still more mysterious artifact in orbit near Io? That was a favorite subject to debate in the Six O’Clock Soviets. acknowledged countless messages of sympathy. Nor was this particularly surprising. the satellite looked like a glass ball that had been used as a target by high-powered ri es. When I heard of him last. there were not enough challenges in so benign and unvarying an environment. after all. when viewed with 20/20 hindsight. that of course did not rule out higher forms elsewhere. Chang was already a hero and his countrymen had. Because there was nothing to give it scale. as they continually checked the approach orbit and made minute re nements to Leonov’s course. more than three decades after the revelations of the rst Voyager ybys. regarded themselves as citizens of space and felt a common bond. The Orlovs scarcely left the bridge. then rippling away like swirls of smoke.000 kilometers. There might be whole civilizations in the seas of other worlds. The clouds. it would burn up like a meteor. no one really understood why the four giant satellites di ered so wildly from one another. So Floyd was not at all surprised when Surgeon– Commander Rudenko admitted. Floyd gathered. sharing each other’s triumphs and tragedies. now lling almost half the sky. yet at the same time. Putting these two facts together made Europan life seem not only possible. and relief. the larger of its countless craters were clearly visible to the naked eye. or other artifacts. And there were continuously erupting volcanoes on Io—so it was reasonable to expect weaker activity on the world next door. had created oases in the deserts of the deep. Most mysterious of all were long. Volcanic springs. but there was always the chance that something would go wrong. preparing for the encounter and the brief onset of weight after months in free-fall. Vasili Orlov was quick to give a counterexample that weakened. laid out by drunken surveyors. Chang did not represent a high form of intelligence— at least. Yet that conclusion raised another question. The Chinese had proved that aerobraking could be done. And there were light-colored streaks. Now that life had been discovered on the moons of Jupiter—did it have any connection with the Tycho monolith. The biology of a whole world could not be judged from a single specimen. which lay along the trade winds of the middle Jovian latitudes. Floyd saw little of captain or navigator. Floyd was lucky. When Leonov . if it went too high. Though it had been well peppered with impact craters in the remote past.” he said. raced so swiftly that he could see appreciable movement in as little as ten minutes. Woody. No one on Leonov was happy because the Chinese expedition had met with disaster. But from pole to pole. Huge areas of Ganymede were covered with ridges and furrows. and one vital to Leonov’s mission. there was no way that the mind could grasp its real size. No time remained for speculations and discussions when Leonov hurtled past the orbits of Io and tiny Mimas. The crew was busy almost nonstop. he was working in a garage. launching sites. All loose objects had to be secured before the ship entered Jupiter’s atmosphere. One had been sent in the name of Leonov’s crew—after. regret. In the hours immediately before encounter. “We call them intelligent—but how often they kill themselves in mass strandings! That looks like a case where instinct overpowers reason. someone had once remarked.” turned out to be much as expected. The feeling on board the ship was ambiguous—a mixture of admiration. that I had brought along that icon. Yet Ganymede. Back on Earth. but it was never far from anyone’s thoughts. It was generally agreed that the creature encountered by Dr. to be swept away by the gales caused by the planet’s tremendous spin. meandering bands. Water—or at least ice—occurred on all the moons of Jupiter. One would have expected a world out here—at the edge of the asteroid belt—to have been bombarded with the debris left over from the creation of the Solar System. if it did not refute. As far back as the 1970s. he alone had time to admire the superb spectacle of the approaching planet. research sub-marines had found teeming colonies of strange marine creatures thriving precariously in an environment thought to be equally hostile to life—the trenches on the bed of the Paci c. sometimes spaced as regularly as pearls on a necklace. All astronauts. beyond all possibility of rescue. They were all about the same size.” “No need to go to the dolphins. fertilizing and warming the abyss. frictional braking would not be su cient to slow it down. that argument. Some exobiologists cried “I told you so!” pointing out that it should not have been such a surprise after all. as if children of a different birth. If it went too low. The unexpected discovery of life on Europa had added a new element to the situation— one that was now being argued at great length both on Earth and aboard Leonov. “One of the brightest engineers in my class was fatally attracted to a blonde in Kiev. Plumes of white gas occasionally geysered up from the depths. Anything that had happened once on Earth should be expected millions of times elsewhere in the Universe. it was completely covered with craters of every size. right down to the lower limit of visibility. and in the same part of the Solar System—yet they were totally dissimilar. that was almost an article of faith among scientists. Great eddies were continually forming along the dozen or so bands that girdled the planet. just an hour before contact: “I’m beginning to wish. it seemed unlikely that a space-faring culture could have arisen on Europa without leaving unmistakable signs of its existence in the form of buildings.

while beside him is the bottle he hopes will carry it to land. I’ve been politely requested to keep out of the way. By the time you get this. and my love to you all—especially Chris.” he said earnestly. and we have a good ten minutes left. His sleeping bag was slung in preparation for the return of gravity when deceleration commenced. all protective shields up.” said the intercom speaker. Floyd drifted up to the communications center and handed it over to Sasha Kovalev. “We should feel first braking in five minutes.’ Our greatgreat-grandfathers loved that kind of sentimental melodrama. “I’ll send it up to the bridge now because in fteen minutes we’ll break transmission as we pull in the big dish and batten down the hatches—there’s another nice maritime analogy for you! Jupiter’s lling the sky now—I won’t attempt to describe it and won’t even see it much longer because the shutters will go up in a few minutes.” promised Sasha. we shall smile. If not. it will be over. In fact. that’s all the business I can think of. the cameras can do far better than I could. “Shakespeare.14. and he retreated to his cabin. All the same.” He held out his hand.” “That’s hardly the word I’d use. . it moved me: I never thought that one day I’d be like that young sailor. in a tattered volume of Victorian art—it must have been almost one hundred fty years old.” Floyd muttered to himself. Everything normal. I felt he should have been giving his shipmates a hand. or color. a young sailor boy’s writing a note. DOUBLE ENCOUNTER “…Papers for the mortgage on the Nantucket house should be in the le marked M in the library. “Please make sure it gets off before we close down. “I think you mean ‘nominal. “Even though I was a kid at the time.” Floyd blinked. Remember I tried to do my best for all our sakes —goodbye. “It shows the deck of a windjammer in a hurricane—the sails have been ripped away and the deck’s awash. and he had only to climb into it— “Antennas retracted. my dearest. there was nothing to do but wait. He had already said farewell to the rest of the crew. “Don’t worry. “Of course. I suppose?” “Of course. I’m sure you’ll get this message—and there’s nothing I can do to help aboard Leonov. I can’t remember whether it was black-and-white. See you later. In the background.” Tanya and Vasili were too intent upon their situation displays to do more than wave to Floyd. so my conscience is quite clear as I dictate this. “If we do meet again—why.” When he had removed the audio chip. But I’ll never forget the title—don’t laugh—it was called ‘The Last Message Home. not writing letters. Brutus and Cassius before battle. “Good-bye. “I’m still working on all channels. why then this parting was well made. For the last couple of hours I’ve been recalling a picture I saw as a boy. one way or the other. Anyway. the crew is struggling to save the ship. And in the foreground. “Well.’” He had barely concluded the thought when there was a di dent knock on the door.

door. But my accommodation is somewhat limited. The fact that she was an attractive—though certainly not beautiful—woman of barely half his own age should not have a ected the issue. no need to worry about such an ignominious end. Floyd thought to himself. clearly seeking comfort and companionship at the moment of peril. but now that he had grown accustomed to the strange sense of weight he was no longer uncomfortable—except for the increasing numbness in his right arm. and the cocoon had become an overloaded hammock. and he was not even sure if Zenia heard him above the roar of incandescent hydrogen. The deceleration was only a part of the problem: Zenia was clutching him as a drowning person is supposed to clutch the proverbial straw. But Zenia was the very last person he would have expected: her attitude toward him had invariably been polite but distant. his pleasure at the unexpected encounter abated somewhat. “Kto tam?” To his astonishment.” It was di cult to shout tenderly. “Zenia. At the same moment. Floyd realized that she was not merely nervous—she was terri ed. Yet here she was. “Of course not. Indeed. in a small-girl voice which Floyd could scarcely recognize. it was Zenia.” he said wryly. but did nothing to encourage or discourage him as they lay down side by side in the sleeping cocoon. “You’re welcome. He detached her as gently as he could. the cocoon began to swing around and its suspension tightened. Within seconds. but said nothing as she oated into the room. There was just enough room for them both. like the wailing of some lost soul. already it was di cult to breathe. With some di culty. But it did. he was aware of its foolishness. She must have noticed. But why aren’t you in your own cubicle? It’s only ve minutes to reentry. He was not sure whether to be glad or sorry. But she was no longer clutching him quite so desperately. For the rst time. he was beginning to rise to the occasion. If Tsien did it. The answer was so perfectly obvious that Zenia did not deign to reply. “It’s all right. the ship gave a barely perceptible jerk. their embrace was now completely chaste. gravity was returning. This is not such a good idea. It was impossible to move. That did not lessen his responsibility to another lonely human being. Then he understood why she had come to him. Relax—don’t worry. And it was too late for second thoughts. At a moment like this. Humor was the enemy of desire. “Do you mind if I come in?” she asked awkwardly. and the suspension gave way? They could easily be killed… There was an ample safety margin. One might even call it Spartan. so can we. a long way from home.” Even as he asked the question. he managed to extricate it from beneath . Suppose maximum gee was higher than predicted. Floyd. She was ashamed to face her countrymen and was looking for support elsewhere. From far. far away came the rst faint whisper of sound. Zenia. and he seized the opportunity of taking a few deep breaths. or to speak. the faint wail had risen to a steady roar. my dear. What would Caroline think if she could see him now? Would he tell her if he ever had the chance? He was not sure she would understand. all links with Earth seemed very tenuous indeed.” She managed a faint smile. After weeks of weightlessness. With this realization. she was the only member of the crew who preferred to call him Dr. and Floyd began to do some anxious calculations.

hammered at by a solid wall of gas. He did not envy them. If the heat shield failed. The digits changed so slowly that he could almost imagine himself in some Einsteinian time dilation. then slightly indignant. just as if she was making a routine announcement. only expendable automatic probes had gone deeper into the Jovian atmosphere. but this one was not to be despised.” he shouted. The ship was now rocking noticeably. sleeping peacefully through it all. his nervous system would not have time to react before it ceased to exist. It was a natural reaction: the strain must have exhausted her. Was that normal? wondered Floyd. At that very moment. Now time seemed to be going much more slowly. And he and Zenia were floating apart.” which he’d forgotten for thirty years… But that would never happen. Floyd managed to glance at his watch. when it was all over). it took his mind away from his own fears. The ship was back in space. Zenia. As he felt his circulation returning. her words were lost in the roar. Leonov was at its closest approach to Jupiter. He had experienced more consoling thoughts. he had a vision of the walls suddenly glowing cherry red. Just for a moment. and caving in upon him. Like the nightmare fantasy of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum. They would never again be so close together. and the wisdom of the body had come to her rescue. but they would always know a special tenderness toward each other. First he was amused. which no one else could ever share. after a while he stopped looking at his watch. Tanya was speaking over the intercom. the ship would crumple instantly. Zenia had fallen asleep—if not exactly in his arms. He was glad that he had Zenia to worry about. they had missed the experience of a lifetime. like a small boat in a choppy sea. the familiar act brought a eeting sense of guilt. and was astonished to see that they were already at the midpoint of the braking maneuver. “Halfway through. With some di culty. he managed to extricate it from beneath Zenia. Floyd remembered a famous remark attributed to at least a dozen astronauts and cosmonauts: “Both the pleasures and problems of zero-gravity sex have been greatly exaggerated. but her voice sounded calm and perfectly normal. They would never know if Leonov became a meteor shower in the Jovian sky. He had to fight to remain awake… …And then he was falling… falling… falling… it was all over. but she smiled slightly. because he could not believe it. as if he too had been emotionally drained by the encounter. There was another inaudible announcement from Tanya (he would pull her leg about that.” He could not tell if she understood. And suddenly Floyd himself became aware of an almost postorgasmic drowsiness. And then something even more unbelievable happened. and he gave a momentary thought to Chandra and Curnow.numbness in his right arm. Her eyes were tightly closed. before he managed to expel the thought. There would be no pain.” He wondered how the rest of the crew was faring. The bu eting slowly weakened. where it belonged. . then at least beside them. “On the way out again.

During the last incandescent hour. Leonov would swing back and forth between these limits. they might have been in a high.” said Vasili. still-glowing disk floated into view. The very gases were utterly alien—methane . Twenty-second burn coming up in one minute. and the planet still filled half the sky. slowly turning end-over-end as it drifted away from the ship. Then Tanya put the bottle rmly back in its cupboard. then red. Though they were all expecting it. in a more serious vein. Those colors were intrinsic. they had deliberately jettisoned the excess speed that could have carried them right out of the Solar System.” Everyone applauded those noble sentiments as the jettisoned shield cooled to yellow.ying aircraft that had just emerged from a sea of clouds. faithful heat shield! You did a wonderful job. and nally became as black as the space around it.15. Floyd had never really enjoyed vodka. not the evidence of his eyes. coupled with a vote of thanks to Sir Isaac Newton. It was interrupted by the captain. a large. though occasionally the sudden reappearance of an eclipsed star would betray its presence. Each time it grazed the atmosphere it would lose altitude. completing one revolution every nineteen hours. not borrowed from the setting sun. “Changing attitude for course correction.” There was a subdued sigh of relief at the news. It would become the closest of Jupiter’s moons—though not for long. until it spiraled into destruction. “A flying saucer! Who’s got a camera?” There was a distinct note of hysterical relief in the laughter that followed. Not bad for a first try. Far better a few tons too much—than one milligram too little. And that was an illusion. A few seconds later. “then I’m all for it. “Look!” cried Max. but he joined the others without any reservations in drinking a triumphant toast to the ship’s designers. “Preliminary orbit check completed. it was easy to imagine that they were speeding away from some terrestrial sunset. and the jolt of separation. Think of all the extra payload we could have carried!” “If that’s good.” “But what a waste!” said Sasha. If they did not—or could not— re their motors again. conservative Russian engineering. 350. everyone jumped at the sudden mu ed thud of explosive charges. ESCAPE FROM THE GIANT When Floyd reached the observation deck—a discreet few minutes after Zenia—Jupiter already seemed farther away.” retorted Floyd. and a few minutes later Vasili made another announcement. There was no sense of scale. “There’s at least a couple of tons left. nothing here had any parallels with Earth. delta vee six meters a second. It vanished from sight while only a few kilometers away. And now they were—as intended—its prisoners. “We’re within ten meters a second of our right vector. “Good-bye.” They were still so close to Jupiter it was impossible to believe that the ship was orbiting the planet. But that must be an illusion based on his knowledge.000 kilometers higher. and on to the stars. Now they were traveling in an ellipse—a classical Hohmann orbit—which would shuttle them back between Jupiter and the orbit of Io. the reds and pinks and crimsons sliding below were so familiar. there was still much to be done. They had barely emerged from the Jovian atmosphere.

not borrowed from the setting sun. All the enormous cloudscape he could see below would be only a few percent of the Red Spot’s immensity. then quickly checked himself at such a foolish thought. . Not one trace of free oxygen. one might as well expect to recognize the shape of the United States from a small airplane flying low above Kansas. What lies ahead now is utter mystery. stirred in a hydrogen-helium cauldron. The clouds marched from horizon to horizon in parallel rows. the breath of human life. Here and there upwellings of brighter gas broke the pattern. We shall need his strength to send us safely home. we must return to Jupiter once again. The very gases were utterly alien—methane and ammonia and a witch’s brew of hydrocarbons. distorted by occasional swirls and eddies. and could prepare for. He began to look for the Great Red Spot. And when we have survived that challenge.intrinsic. We’re now on interception orbit with Io. “Correction completed. fifty-five minutes. a maelstrom of gas leading down into unfathomable Jovian depths. and Floyd could also see the dark rim of a great whirlpool. We’ve escaped from the giant—but he represents a danger we understood. thought Floyd.” Less than nine hours to climb up from Jupiter and meet whatever is waiting for us. Arrival time: eight hours.

even though I’m the world’s—sorry. and every few days one of the volcanoes blasts a few megatons of sulfur up into the sky. God help me—came out of hibernation without any problems. trying to devour us. “My fellow Americans—I sound like a politician. I’m laughing my head o . and I can see a huge cloud expanding up toward us. just as you’d expect. “Would you believe that I’m still slightly drunk? We felt we deserved a little party. and that makes it worse. “By the way. We’ll all have to move quickly. we’re over the nightside. I gather that your delegation had no more luck than the others. but Discovery seems to be in very bad shape. Chandra doesn’t believe in alcohol—it makes you too human—but Walter Curnow more than made up for him. Dimitri —multiply Keys Three and Four. there are millions of amps owing in the ux-tube linking Io and Jupiter. PRIVATE LINE “…Hello. and half our circuit-breakers jump out in sympathy. Then you get the biggest lightning ash in the Solar System. At the moment. There’s a passage about ‘rivers of molten rock that wound their way… until . But you won’t get any help from me. stubborn. when we were kids back at that Oxford conference? Well. I doubt if it will reach our altitude. take cube root. but it was nothing —nothing—compared to this. You can see just enough to imagine a lot more. damn. Io is Mordor: Look up Part Three. it serves the Academy right. anyway. “Io’s to blame. The ship’s spiraled down to within three thousand kilometers. I know he’s over ninety. you’re good at that. Dimitri. of course. Besides. but most of the light comes from electrical discharges. as if a giant photo ash has gone o above it. not only is time running out. It’s as close to Hell as I ever want to get… “Some of the sulfur lakes are hot enough to glow. and then I had to check with Mission Archives because the ship’s library couldn’t help—shame on it. Only Tanya remained stone-cold sober. we had two new crew members to welcome aboard. Solar System’s—leading expert on the painless removal of elderly scientists. I realized that Io reminded me of something. and even if it does it will be harmless by the time it gets here. it took me a couple of days to work it out. This is Woody. And that’s probably not a bad analogy. We could hardly believe our eyes when we saw how its spotless white hull had turned a sickly yellow. once we’d successfully rendez—rendezvous. add pi squared and use nearest integer as Key Five. But it looks ominous—a space monster. “There’s just been an eruption right on the terminator. “Soon after we got here. switching to Key Two in fteen seconds… Hello. and you’re still saddled with him as President. you can’t really imagine what it’s like to hang above that inferno. and every so often there’s a breakdown. “I ew over Kilauea during the ’06 eruption.16. Do you remember how I introduced you to The Lord of the Rings. on your side or mine. Unless your computers are a million times faster than ours—and I’m damn sure they’re not—no one can decrypt this. that was mighty scary. Every few minutes the whole landscape seems to explode. and growing a bit—well. rendezvoused with Discovery. But you may have some explaining to do. even though we’ll be heading for something much more mysterious—and perhaps far more dangerous. I’ll be glad when we can get away. and are both looking forward to starting work. my usual excellent sources told me about the failure of the latest attempt to persuade old Andrei to resign. Even though you’ve seen the movies. climbing into the sunlight.

“Who would have believed that we’d come all the way to Jupiter. Apart from its size. We can see it only as a black silhouette against the clouds of Jupiter. She’s never really understood why I had to leave Earth. Some women believe that love isn’t the only thing —but everything. and not continually inundated by sulfur floods. I miss him more than I care to say. before I sign off. “It’s Caroline. and will be coming home just as quickly as he can. tomorrow we’ll go aboard Discovery. and in a way I don’t think she’ll ever quite forgive me. Yet that’s what we’re doing most of the time. it must weigh billions of tons. three hundred thousand kilometers below. up there at the libration point. old friend. But perhaps one day it may be possible. it looks exactly like the monolith we dug up on the Moon. “At least we won’t have to land there: I don’t think that even our late Chinese colleagues would have attempted that. and I don’t know when I’ll have time or opportunity to speak to you again. “Well. it’s certainly too late to argue now. greatest of planets— and then ignore it. but when I look at it through the main telescope it seems close enough to touch.’ That’s a perfect description: how did Tolkien know. “It’s still ten thousand kilometers away. and when we’re not looking at Io or Discovery. “Try and cheer her up when you have a chance. Because it’s so completely featureless. She talks about going back to the mainland. “But is it solid? It gives almost no radar echo.Part Three.” . no way the eye can judge it’s really a couple of kilometers long. I’m afraid that if she does… “If you can’t get through to her. a quarter century before anyone ever saw a picture of Io? Talk about Nature imitating Art. Perhaps they’re right… Anyway. even when it’s square-on to us. If it’s solid. “He’ll believe Uncle Dimitri—if you say that his father still loves him. we’re thinking about the… Artifact. there’s no indication of size. there are areas that seem fairly stable. But there’s one more thing. try to cheer up Chris. There’s a passage about ‘rivers of molten rock that wound their way… until they cooled and lay like twisted dragon-shapes vomited from the tormented earth.

BOARDING PARTY Even in the best of circumstances. but he did not really feel it in his bones until he saw the entire hundred-meter length of Discovery turning end-over-end. Even so. Everyone else thought it was very funny. “Not enough to make a mess in my suit. thus transferring its angular momentum to the rest of the structure. near the main antenna complex. He had already explained gloomily. At the touch of a button.” “That’s perfectly normal. it was not his line of business. yes. breaking into the radio circuit. But don’t worry—I’ll get you there in one piece. while Leonov kept at a safe distance. Because witches are supposed to ride them. He felt rather like a yo-yo—now making one of its periodic comebacks on Earth—bouncing up and down on its string. on the other side of the satellite. with my—what do you call it?” “Broomstick.” There are some professions which have evolved unique and characteristic tools—the longshoreman’s hook. following them in orbit around Io. but the job . with his anxious partner in tow. And you’ve already put three of them back. “Don’t use your thrusters. as its tiny jets drove them toward Discovery. but he never caught up with him before the next pu came. Discovery was windmilling about two hundred meters away. he found himself gently but rmly jerked away from Leonov. but mine got away from me. Now.” said Surgeon–Commander Rudenko. they had less than fteen minutes before they must get back to shelter. it is not easy to board a derelict and uncooperative spaceship. Curnow had a very rare sensation of incompetence. Curnow had a problem with his suit. Walter. Years ago.” Curnow could see the faint pu s from the younger man’s backpack. like a drum majorette’s baton at the height of its trajectory. but that was the basic design. slender dumbbell slowly ailing the entire sky ahead of monkey”. How will he stop both of us in time? Curnow asked himself. even inferiority. The airlock pumps nished recycling. Indeed. The footpad could also become a claw or hook if necessary.17. would take far too long. This was a matter of deliberate choice. and he would start moving toward Brailovsky. which you could very well a ord to miss.” Max chuckled. and they drifted slowly into the void. and the internal shock-absorbing system allowed a skilled operator to perform the most amazing maneuvers.” he complained. the radiation level was dangerously high. There was only one safe way to approach the derelict. “It tted me when I left Earth. the EXIT sign came on. it could telescope out to ve or six times its normal length. Walter Curnow knew that as an abstract principle. “I’m a space engineer. With each little cloud of vapor there came a gentle tug on the towline. “I’d say that’s about right for this job. they were using Io as a shield to protect them from the energies raging back and forth in the ux-tube that linked the two worlds. By the time they had restored power to the ship and mastered its controls. “But now I’m rattling around inside like a pea in a pod. Jupiter was invisible. it can be positively dangerous. when they were about to put on their helmets. and that was along the axis around which it was slowly revolving. the abandoned ship was slowly tumbling along its orbit. Have you ever used one?” “I tried once. and Brailovsky was heading directly toward this area. “You lost ten kilos in hibernation. Walter. “Just relax. Max and his colleagues. not a space had to be done. He alone possessed the skills that could save Discovery from Io’s grasp. working with unfamiliar circuit diagrams and equipment. Discovery’s center of rotation was approximately amidships. the bricklayer’s trowel. there were many other re nements. friction had braked the spin of Discovery’s carousel. The rst problem was to stop that spin.” “Oh yes. the potter’s wheel. with a footpad at one end and a retaining loop at the other. It looked deceptively easy to use. are you?” asked Max. it would have plunged into the sulfurous firepits below. even if you start tumbling. It was very simple—a hollow tube just a meter long.” said Brailovsky. Almost immediately.” Before Curnow had time to think of a suitable retort. The men who had to spend much of their time on zero-gravity construction projects had developed the broomstick. it wasn’t. which lled half the sky. “You’re not scared. the geologist’s hammer. Let me do all the work. the outer doors opened. Discovery was now a huge. As he suited up in the airlock with Max Brailovsky. which made Discovery not only uncontrollable but almost unapproachable. Otherwise.

there was a jerk on the line connecting them. Brailovsky. quite suddenly. Rudenko sounded as if she was genuinely shocked. He ashed past Curnow. But that’s no problem—you can hold on with one hand. Well.Discovery was now a huge. of course. There he was. before the dark. Curnow even welcomed the sense of direction it gave him. The broomstick started to collapse. reversing the Russian’s velocity so that he was. here goes with manual…” It was fascinating to watch the narrow hairline open in the curved wall. Shall I try the controls?” “Won’t do any harm—but nothing will happen.” He scraped away the sulfur obscuring the AIRLOCK STATUS display panel. even if he tried to ignore the nightmare moonscape lling half the sky. Now that they were rmly attached to the hub of the windmilling ship. the far ends were moving at an impressive speed. gravity’s only about a tenth gee. reeling in the slack on the line linking them together. Their opposing velocities had been neatly canceled. The startled American just had time to glimpse a large grin before Brailovsky shot past him. he was no longer conscious of its rotation—especially when he xed his gaze upon the metal plates immediately before his eyes. that Bowman had entered for his final confrontation with Hal.” “I hope you’re not suggesting. while preparing to be as unsurprised as possible. about to enter the most famous derelict in the entire history of space exploration. It immediately expanded again.” he muttered under his breath. I’m going feet rst. . and Curnow decided it was best not to answer. But there was also much that made his situation unique. Curnow had merely to reach out to the nearest handhold. a media reporter had once called Discovery the Marie Celeste of space. “Have you ever tried Russian roulette?” he asked. “No—what is it?” “I must teach you sometime. It’s almost as good as this. what does he mean by that? Curnow asked himself.” said Brailovsky. and concentrated on the approaching —and immobile—center. they had reached the big. slender dumbbell slowly ailing the entire sky ahead of them. “I’m aiming for that. was quite correct.” muttered Brailovsky. running along the slender cylinder that was Discovery’s main structure. Every time he touched the rungs of the ladder. “Hope we can get in.” Now. when he had got his breath back. “Dead. Curnow realized. Though it took several minutes to complete one revolution. its internal spring absorbing Brailovsky’s considerable momentum. discolored sphere of Discovery’s control and life-support module. Everything happened in about ve seconds. there was a constant reminder of its presence at hand. but it did not. so that it telescoped out to its full length of four meters and made contact with the approaching ship. tumbling end over end without losing any of its initial spin as it disappeared against the stars. A second later. Was that some vital message? They would never know. And that’s—what do you say?—chickenshit. that Max would do anything dangerous?” Dr. re ected away from Discovery just as rapidly as he had approached. “Remember—it’s downhill all the way from here. was his next objective. Curnow had hoped that the emergency lights. in e ect. almost a billion kilometers from home. As he grew used to it. of course. though he knew perfectly well that the distance was only fifty meters. bring him to rest beside the antenna mount. and to note the little pu of vapor dispersing into space. the rotational gravity caused by the ship’s endover-end tumbling was easily countered. Brailovsky triggered his broomstick. sometimes the Russians did not understand his peculiar sense of humor. Walter. might still be operating. as Curnow had fully expected. for curing boredom. only a few centimeters away. The spherical command module at its far end seemed several light-years away. And then. “You could have fooled me.” “I think you mean chickenfeed. and a quick surge of deceleration as they shared momentum. otherwise he would be simply overwhelmed by the mystery and danger of the situation. heading out into space again. to keep up this gently bantering tone.” said Brailovsky. not loud enough for her to hear. Only a few meters away was an emergency hatch—the very one. Even at the bottom. at least. Brailovsky kept turning the manual control for what seemed a very long time. “I’ll go rst. uninviting cave of the airlock was completely open. And if it’s all the same to you. and that was not a bad analogy. The ladder stretching away into the distance. Curnow tried to ignore them. carrying with it a scrap of paper.” It was essential. they were virtually at rest with respect to Discovery. No such luck. “Pity to come all this way and nd the door locked. and drag them both in. “Don’t try to help. I never liked crawling down ladders the wrong way up—even in fractional gravity. his glove dislodged a thin mist of sulfur dust.” “You’re right. it spun away. Curnow was very well aware. and don’t be surprised at anything that happens.

everything was in good order. Closing the door manually took even longer than opening it.emergency lights. A ickering blue lake had opened up near the equator. the characteristic color of glowing sodium. curving horn. Curnow risked a glance at the insane panorama outside. might still be operating. he was sure it had not been there a few hours earlier.S. It was the stu of future nightmares—and as if that was not su cient. Brilliant yellow ares. such as a doomed bullfighter might have glimpsed in the final moment of truth. was an immense. ashing the beam of his helmet light around the interior. . What else had he expected? he asked himself. half angrily. Just before the hatch was sealed.” It certainly did not look very welcoming as he clambered inside. apparently emerging directly from the repits of the burning moon. at least. Welcome to U. No such luck. “You’re boss now. Stabbing up into the black sky. there was one further touch worthy of a mad surrealist artist. Walter. territory. were dancing along its edges. and the whole of the nightland was veiled in the ghostly plasma discharge of one of Io’s almost continuous auroras. but there was no alternative until the ship was powered up again. The crescent of Jupiter was rising to greet Discovery and Leonov as they swept toward it along their common orbit. As far as Curnow could tell.

18. SALVAGE

The moment that the outer hatch had closed behind them, there had been a subtle reversal of roles. Curnow was at home now, while Brailovsky was out of his element, feeling ill at ease in the labyrinth of pitch-black corridors and tunnels that was Discovery’s interior. In theory, Max knew his way around the ship, but that knowledge was based only on a study of its design drawings. Curnow, on the other hand, had spent months working in Discovery’s still uncompleted identical twin; he could, quite literally, nd his way around blindfolded. Progress was made di cult because this part of the ship was designed for zero gee; now the uncontrolled spin provided an arti cial gravity, which, slight though it was, always seemed to be in the most inconvenient direction. “First thing we’ve got to do,” muttered Curnow, after sliding several meters down a corridor before he could grab a handhold, “is to stop this damned spin. And we can’t do that until we have power. I only hope that Dave Bowman safeguarded all systems before he abandoned ship.” “Are you sure he did abandon the ship? He may have intended to come back.” “You may be right; I don’t suppose we’ll ever know. If he even knew himself.” They had now entered the Pod Bay—Discovery’s “space garage,” which normally contained three of the spherical one-man modules used for activities outside the ship. Only Pod Number 3 remained; Number 1 had been lost in the mysterious accident that had killed Frank Poole—and Number 2 was with Dave Bowman, wherever he might be. The Pod Bay also contained two spacesuits, looking uncomfortably like decapitated corpses as they hung helmetless in their racks. It needed very little effort of the imagination —and Brailovsky’s was now working overtime—to ll them with a whole menagerie of sinister occupants. It was unfortunate, but not altogether surprising, that Curnow’s sometimes irresponsible sense of humor got the better of him at this very moment. “Max,” he said, in a tone of deadly seriousness, “whatever happens—please don’t go chasing off after the ship’s cat.” For a few milliseconds, Brailovsky was thrown o guard; he almost answered: “I do wish you hadn’t said that, Walter,” but checked himself in time. That would have been too damning an admission of weakness; instead he replied, “I’d like to meet the idiot who put that movie in our library.” “Katerina probably did it, to test everyone’s psychological balance. Anyway, you laughed your head off when we screened it last week.” Brailovsky was silent; Curnow’s remark was perfectly true. But that had been back in the familiar warmth and light of Leonov, among his friends—not in a pitch-black, freezing derelict, haunted by ghosts. No matter how rational one was, it was all too easy to imagine some implacable alien beast prowling these corridors, seeking whom it might devour. It’s all your fault, Grandma (may the Siberian tundra lie lightly on your beloved bones)— I wish you hadn’t lled my mind with so many of those gruesome legends. If I close my eyes, I can still see the hut of the Baba Yaga, standing in that forest clearing on its scrawny chicken legs… Enough of this nonsense. I’m a brilliant young engineer faced with the biggest technical challenge of his life, and I mustn’t let my American friend know that I’m sometimes a

challenge of his life, and I mustn’t let my American friend know that I’m sometimes a frightened little boy… The noises did not help. There were too many of them, though they were so faint that only an experienced astronaut would have detected them against the sounds of his own suit. But to Max Brailovsky, accustomed to working in an environment of utter silence, they were distinctly unnerving, even though he knew that the occasional cracklings and creakings were almost certainly caused by thermal expansion as the ship turned like a roast on a spit. Feeble though the sun was out here, there was still an appreciable temperature change between light and shade. Even his familiar spacesuit felt wrong, now that there was pressure outside as well as in. All the forces acting on its joints were subtly altered, and he could no longer judge his movements accurately. I’m a beginner, starting my training all over again, he told himself angrily. Time to break the mood by some decisive action… “Walter—I’d like to test the atmosphere.” “Pressure’s okay; temperature—phew—it’s one hundred five below zero.” “A nice bracing Russian winter. Anyway, the air in my suit will keep out the worst of the cold.” “Well, go ahead. But let me shine my light on your face, so I can see if you start to turn blue. And keep talking.” Brailovsky unsealed his visor and swung the faceplate upward. He inched momentarily as icy ngers seemed to caress his cheeks, then took a cautious sni , followed by a deeper breath. “Chilly—but my lungs aren’t freezing. There’s a funny smell, though. Stale, rotten—as if something’s—oh no!” Looking suddenly pale, Brailovsky quickly snapped the faceplate shut. “What’s the trouble, Max?” Curnow asked with sudden and now perfectly genuine anxiety. Brailovsky did not reply; he looked as if he was still trying to regain control of himself. Indeed, he seemed in real danger of that always horrible and sometimes fatal disaster—vomiting in a spacesuit. There was a long silence; then Curnow said reassuringly: “I get it. But I’m sure you’re wrong. We know that Poole was lost in space. Bowman reported that he… ejected the others after they died in hibernation—and we can be sure that he did. There can’t be anyone here. Besides, it’s so cold.” He almost added “like a morgue” but checked himself in time. “But suppose,” whispered Brailovsky, “just suppose Bowman managed to get back to the ship—and died here.” There was an even longer silence before Curnow deliberately and slowly opened his own faceplate. He winced as the freezing air bit into his lungs, then wrinkled his nose in disgust. “I see what you mean. But you’re letting your imagination run away with you. I’ll bet you ten to one that smell comes from the galley. Probably some meat went bad, before the ship froze up. And Bowman must have been too busy to be a good house-keeper. I’ve known bachelor apartments that smelled as bad as this.” “Maybe you’re right. I hope you are.” “Of course I am. And even if I’m not—dammit, what di erence does it make? We’ve got a job to do, Max. If Dave Bowman’s still here, that’s not our department—is it, Katerina?” There was no reply from the Surgeon–Commander; they had gone too far inside the ship for radio to penetrate. They were indeed on their own, but Max’s spirits were rapidly reviving. It was a privilege, he decided, to work with Walter. The American engineer sometimes appeared soft and easygoing. But he was totally competent—and, when necessary, as hard as nails.

necessary, as hard as nails. Together, they would bring Discovery back to life; and, perhaps, back to Earth.

That will make work a hundred times easier. it will mop up the ship’s spin—stop it tumbling. Curnow and Brailovsky had practically fallen asleep in their suits.” “Pardon me. I’d say inside a week. Curnow and Brailovsky could be seen moving around inside.” “Well. I’ll report again as soon as I can. batteries in good shape. the cheer aboard Leonov might almost have been heard across the vacuum between the two ships. but had completed their survey of . to check the bearings. Main reactor stable.” “Nice idea. then the observation windows of Discovery’s ight deck began to glow with the soft crimson of the emergency lights.” “How long will that take—at least for the essential systems: life-support. “The best news is that the power systems are okay. “Hello. but we’ll have to do a major recycling job because it stinks to high heaven. propulsion?” “Hard to say.ve percent nominal. How long before we crash?” “Minimum present prediction is ten days. But it will be a very big job checking everything before we have full power again. We’re going into the carousel now. and cut out EVAs. Walter—but you’re not going to mate my ship to that… windmill.” “Anything you need?” “No—Max and I are doing ne. “Hello. By the end of that time. Hull’s intact. but we’ve managed without any for quite a while. leakage negligible—air pressure eighty. one of the three Pod Bay doors slowly opened and quickly closed.” “I’m not after gravity. OPERATION WINDMILL When Discovery suddenly lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree. The ship’s in much better shape than I feared. A few minutes later. and the main antenna slewed around a modest ten degrees. It turned into an ironic groan when the lights promptly went out again. skipper.” “Agreed.19. if we don’t run into any major snags. but made no other reply.” said Curnow at last. Walter—but is that important? Gravity’s convenient. If we can get the carousel running again. Max—Walter—can you hear us?” called Tanya Orlova. Then we’ll be able to couple our airlocks together.” No one had much rest for the next two days. navigation and interior lights blazing from end to end. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Both the gures waved instantly. we can haul Discovery up to a stable orbit away from this hellhole—oh. Leonov. I want to get it running as soon as possible. the watchers on Leonov had to wait patiently while various lights ashed on and o . Quite breathable. though it will be useful to have some aboard. Almost all the circuit-breakers were open—they’d jumped or been thrown by Bowman before he left—so all vital equipment’s been safeguarded. Suppose the bearings seize up and the carousel jams? That would tear us to pieces. But you know how that’s changed up— and down. their gures blurred by the film of sulfur dust. but we’ve been rather busy. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. they were too busy to engage in casual conversation. “Here’s a quick assessment. Obviously. judging from what we’ve seen so far. Nothing else happened for half an hour.

Can you imagine what the Pequod must have smelled like?” It was unanimously agreed that. Transfer from one to the other was now safe and easy. but Captain Orlova still refused to permit a physical linkup. slender Discovery. Both the Space Agency and the State Department were relieved by the preliminary report. until eventually its endover-end tumble had almost vanished. that Discovery was not a derelict but a “temporarily decommissioned United States Spacecraft. braking it once every revolution. at the same time becoming uncomfortably hot before their thermal control systems could readjust. It was not surprising that some of Discovery’s food supply had been ruined during the years the ship had been alternately cooked and cooled. that it was quite romantic. Sasha Kovalev compared Curnow and Brailovsky to Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. he also claimed.” he asserted. for the current in the ux-tube varied wildly according to Jupiter’s own inscrutable laws. the next problem was the air. The problem was nally solved—or at least reduced to manageable proportions—by dumping the ship’s atmosphere. with mock seriousness. the squat. One piece of very welcome news was that ninety percent of the propellant needed for the return journey was still available. the heavy currents induced in the hulls of Leonov and Discovery turned them brie y into low-powered electric furnaces. until the two ships were oating motionless side by side. Discovery executed a complex series of precessions. and there was enough to get the ship back to a safe orbit around the Earth. for Io was coming steadily closer. despite the insulation of the tanks and the frigid temperature outside. Curnow had been right in identifying its source as food spoiled when refrigeration had failed. even the most thorough housecleaning operations had failed to remove the stink. very little e ort of the imagination was required. Checking Discovery’s propellerlike spin was perhaps the most critical step in getting the ship under control. The festering landscape of Io. they might yet have to abandon the vessel they had worked so hard to save. but had completed their survey of Discovery and found no unpleasant surprises. power was fed to the carousel motors and the great drum was brought up to speed. choosing ammonia instead of hydrogen as working uid for the plasma drive had paid o handsomely. But almost all the ammonia had remained safely lique ed. looking more than ever like an illustration from a medical textbook. it allowed them to claim. somewhere. after a visit to Discovery. and expressed the hope that their windmill-tilting expedition would end more successfully. There was no way to predict the nal moment of impact. there was still enough air in the reserve tanks to replace it. stocky Leonov dwarfed by the long. The more e cient hydrogen would have boiled o into space years ago. Any form of braking produces heat. The fact that they now knew the reason for Discovery’s mysterious orbital decay did not help in the least. “and I feel I’m back on an old-time whaling ship. Then the ships would lose altitude by many kilometers. “I’ve only got to close my eyes. Very cautiously. with many pauses for checking.Brailovsky had practically fallen asleep in their suits. Fortunately. was only ve hundred kilometers away when Curnow risked activating the main . The last traces of unwanted rotation were neutralized by the attitude-control jets. it sliced through the invisible ux-tube linking the two bodies—the electric river owing from world to world. Every time the ship passed between Jupiter and Io. This unexpected e ect had scared and surprised everyone before the obvious explanation was realized.” Now the task of reconditioning had to begin. Everyone agreed with this decision. The resulting eddy currents induced in the ship were continually slowing it down. Or at least around the Moon. Once power had been restored. with some justi cation. Sometimes there were dramatic surges of activity accompanied by spectacular electric and auroral storms around Io. reabsorbing the spin it had long ago imparted to the ship.

and to make plans for the next stage in the mission. It was twenty-four hours before he woke up. was only ve hundred kilometers away when Curnow risked activating the main drive. “You’ve done a wonderful job. both ships had raised themselves a thousand kilometers. now there was time to relax brie y.” Very casually. Walter. After a few hours of very gentle maneuvering. “We’re all proud of you.” said Surgeon–Commander Rudenko. There were no visible e ects— none of the smoke and fire of the old-time chemical rockets—but the two ships drew slowly apart as Discovery gained speed. putting her ample arm around the exhausted Curnow’s shoulders. she broke a small capsule under his nose.textbook. annoyed and hungry. . while Leonov stood o at a very respectful distance.

So?” “This is the point where it enters Hal’s central processing unit.” “What kind of emergency?” “That’s not a very bright question. it had obviously been primed by alcohol. Preferably tonight. they were prone to preemptive laughs even when Curnow was being perfectly serious. he had . so there won’t be any embarrassing shorts when it’s triggered. when Leonov had nally made rendezvous with Discovery.” “Then we’ll have to use one of Katerina’s famous knockout drops. so you can pull the plug on Hal whenever you want to. Floyd assumed that he was. in self-defense. Curnow’s own laugh. the less likely it is to be talked about. When do you want me to install your patented Hal-zapper?” “As soon as you can. I’d like you to install this gadget here. A remote control. Inside the cable trunking. he’s got to come back to Leonov to eat. he had remained as much under control as Captain Orlova herself. They did a pretty good job on you. “You see this line?” “Yes—the main power supply. where it can’t be found without a deliberate search. the only person I’m really hiding it from is Chandra. mercifully. Who makes toys like this? The CIA?” “Never mind.” “Are you kidding? I don’t think he ever sleeps. hefting the little mechanism in his hand. when Chandra’s sleeping. “A guillotine for mice?” “Not a bad description—but I’m after bigger game. I’ll tell Tanya that it exists.” “Well. He had fully expected to cringe from it again at the end-of-orbit party. On the way up from Earth. The one thing he did take seriously was his work.” “I guessed as much. The last time he went across. though Curnow had drunk a good deal. If I knew.” “I’ve news for you. Put in nine nines. though one could never be quite sure: he was fond of making outrageous statements with a perfectly straight face. he tied a little sack of rice to his suit.” “I see.” “Who are you going to tell about this… thing?” “Well. and if there’s an emergency you can show her how to operate it. soon. had much abated since Floyd had rst heard it in the upward-bound shuttle. That’s all. and press INT. which was now showing a complicated circuit diagram. I wouldn’t need the damn thing. Walter. It had been some time before the Russians had fully realized that. GUILLOTINE “What is it?” asked Curnow with mild distaste.20. He’s like a mother nursing a sick baby. The control’s in my room—that little red calculator I always keep on my desk. occasionally. on that occasion.” “Guess you’re right. But even on that occasion.” Floyd pointed to a ashing arrow on the display screen. didn’t they?” Curnow was joking about Chandra—at least. too. take the square root. That will keep him going for weeks. I’m not sure of its range—we’ll have to test that—but as long as Leonov and Discovery are within a couple of kilometers of each other.” “But the fewer who know. there’ll be no danger of Hal running amok again. Very neat—and a nonconducting blade.

Now he was crew.The one thing he did take seriously was his work. On the way up from Earth. he had been a passenger. .

“Very well. He would be able to communicate.” “I’m ready for the rst test. at least on this level. “What about all the Russian accents around here?” “I’m sure that won’t be a problem with Captain Orlova and Dr. “that his voice-recognition and speech-synthesis centers have been damaged.” snapped Chandra.” There was a moment of shocked silence. Chandra. Chandra had heard them. and the series of words sounded once again. Dr. Chandra in the zero-gravity environment of Discovery’s ight deck. and columns of words and symbols ashed across the display screen at such a rate that no human being could possibly assimilate them. acting on the same impulse. but not to act. in marked contrast with his previous swift actions. This is Hal. The radio control was mere centimeters from his hand. Anyone who can’t pass will have to use the keyboard. only the three of them were present for this critical rst run. Already. Floyd and Orlov were just about to leave the scientist to his arcane devotions when he suddenly acknowledged their presence again. Captain. for he appeared to recognize whole pages of information at a glance. Floyd told himself. to speak all over again.21. At Chandra’s insistence. Chandra was crying. indeed mechanical. It’s no better than the primitive speaking toys that were such a novelty when I was a kid.” said Chandra. apparently at random. “All the missing modules have been replaced. But I don’t have the equipment to do a really good job of therapy. Even if he was reactivated. holding up his hand in warning or anticipation. though no one could have mistaken the speaker for a human being. isolated key. We’ll have to teach him . he slid back a locking bar and pressed a single. there was a noticeable improvement. Instantly. At this stage. Hal was still disconnected from all the ship’s operational circuits. This isn’t the old Hal. after all these years? What will he remember of the past—and will he be friendly.” Floyd gave Captain Orlova a wry smile. the words came back from the speaker grill—lifeless. “You mean that he’s—well. As Curnow had put it. in a tone that clearly conveyed disapproval. RESURRECTION We are. So check everything against the visual display. Everything appears normal. Dr. How will Hal react to our presence. about to awaken a sleeping giant. the captain added quickly: “Dr. His ngers continued to y over the keyboard. though not without sense organs.” Only the briefest of nods revealed that Dr.” Captain Orlova glanced at Floyd. we’ll have to run individual tests. a voice came from the console. Kovalev. though as yet only on a rudimentary level. and he’ll be acceptable. With an almost hesitant movement. I am ready for my first lesson. installed and tested only a few hours earlier. “Good morning. enunciate carefully. Luckily. he learns several million times faster than a human being. Heywood Floyd would never have believed it. with no perceptible pause. Dr. Captain?” “Absolutely. Presumably Chandra had an eidetic memory. “The logic circuits are in perfect condition. who gave a nod. “The worst he can do is swear at us. to avoid misinterpretations. carefully pronouncing each one as it appeared on the screen. and I’ve run diagnostic programs on all circuits. and he felt somewhat foolish to have brought it with him.” “Therapy?” asked Floyd. you’re the only person who should attempt communication. Like a distorted echo. “The words I gave him contain the basic English phonemes. and asked the obvious question. the two observers left the deck. and I have no objections myself. Chandra.” “That’s still looking a long way ahead. And when you do speak.” “I should explain. or hostile? As he oated just behind Dr. Chandra pressed the REPEAT button.” said Chandra. he would be a brain without limbs. no longer in a mechanical parody of human speech. about ten iterations. with no sense of any intelligence behind them.” Ever conscious of protocol. Floyd’s mind was seldom far from the cuto switch. brain-damaged?” “No. and it was quite obvious that even this small audience was unwelcome. Only the voice output may be defective. For the present. Floyd has given his approval. thought Floyd. then. But with the others—well. though it will improve steadily. There was intelligence—consciousness—selfawareness here. Agreed.” The scientist’s ngers danced over the keyboard as he typed out a dozen words.

IV. LAGRANGE .

aren’t keen on it. When I asked them what name they preferred. All the colors here are reds and oranges and yellows—often as beautiful as the most fantastic sunset. “The only new item we discovered was purely personal—a message that Bowman had left for his mother. “Sorry it’s been quite a while since my last message. by whoever is on the spot. Also that Bowman reported no magnetic anomaly. somewhere in Florida. so I’ll stick to Big Brother. obviously. “My love to you both—I’ll call again just as soon as I can. of course. we’ve had it forwarded to Mrs. they came up with Zagadka. In a couple of days we’ll know if we can trust him to y Discovery when we leave here to make our nal rendezvous with Big Brother. pure rays at the other end of the spectrum. I can’t tell you how much I miss you… and the blue skies and green seas of Earth. he did expect—or hope—to return to the ship after that last EVA. and that the only resemblance to TMA-1 is the shape. understandably. so it may not mean anything to her. You should have heard the ohs and ahs of my shipmates when they saw the videos of them swimming together. That’s been our only disappointment. “I don’t know who rst gave it that name—the Russians. I wonder why he never sent it. pointing out to me—several times—that it’s the best part of a billion kilometers from Tycho. They suggest we call it Sputnik. and her mental condition is poor. “Well. though we should have expected it.22. but everyone smiles when I try to pronounce it. Bowman— she’s in a nursing home. “We’d hoped that we might nd some new information aboard Discovery. We sleep when we can’t stay awake any longer. There’s nothing in the ship’s log and automatic recording systems that we didn’t already know. it’s only ten thousand kilometers away now. that’s all the news this time. but after a while one grows sick for the cool. which means companion as well as satellite. Even Captain Tanya’s given up all pretense of a regular schedule. but the newscasts will have given you an idea of the huge job we’ve had to do. was disconnected long before the encounter. Of course. and so has no memories of what happened. Hal. It’s certainly an excellent name. I don’t mind telling you. which means enigma. Bowman has taken all his secrets with him. “Whatever you call the thing. BIG BROTHER “…What delightful news about the baby dolphin! I can just imagine how excited Chris was when the proud parents brought it into the house. But that last lap has us all nervous. Both ships are operational and we’ve nearly nished our rst round of tests on Hal. each problem has to be xed as it comes along. And they’ve waxed quite sarcastic about our o cial designation TMA-2. “I think we can all be proud of what we’ve done. and Chris riding on its back. and the trip won’t take more than a few hours.” .

Because there was no way in which its real location could be judged by the eye. they would take over immediately. There was no reason to suppose that a hundred kilometers would be safer than ten. RENDEZVOUS Nikolai Ternovsky. since most of the time both men spoke a computerese wholly unintelligible to anyone else. but the scudding Jovian clouds 350. there was always the fear that Io might attempt to set a new record. It was a very limited form of control. The fact that Nikolai’s English was much the worst on the ship was totally unimportant. geometrical perfection. Even from that distance. and Chandra showed unmistakable traces of such purely human emotions as satisfaction and even joy. do unskilled jobs.1—10. Although Hal’s principal creator and mentor was reluctant to admit anyone into his full con dence. As it was. the mind found almost impossible to refute.500 kilometers up. And although not even the most violent eruptions had blasted any material up to the ships. alias Zagadka. Trivial though that distance was in astronomical terms. on the invisible line connecting the centers of Io and Jupiter. And the human crew was monitoring him: if any malfunction occurred. everyone’s thoughts were elsewhere. carry out simple orders. which functioned surprisingly well. it meant that the sky would no longer be dominated by a landscape that might have been imagined by Dante or Hieronymus Bosch.23. and engage in low-level conversation. the other ship injected itself into the same trajectory. Most of the credit for this went to the good-natured Nikolai. Russian and Indo-American had formed a temporary alliance. once experienced. After a week’s slow and careful reintegration. then Hal reported that Discovery had entered the transfer orbit. and shockingly unnatural in its straight-edged. L. Big Brother. The rst burn lasted for ten minutes. was the only man aboard who could talk to Dr. or . Two minor in-course corrections were made. who was somehow able to sense when Chandra really needed him. was only a hundred kilometers away. Big Brother often looked like a yawning trapdoor set in the face of Jupiter. then. and sooner or later someone would have to go out and clean it off. In human terms. he was merely repeating the program that had been fed into his memory. it already appeared larger than the Moon as seen from Earth. Only Curnow and Chandra were aboard Discovery when Hal was given the rst control of the ship.000 kilometers below showed it up in dramatic relief. in Chandra’s expert opinion he was now quite capable of ying Discovery from its close orbit around Io up to the rendezvous with Big Brother. and monitoring its execution. The prospect of getting an extra seven thousand kilometers away from the burning hell beneath them was welcomed by everyone. Hal had behaved impeccably. nevertheless. sheer physical exhaustion had forced him to accept help. all of Hal’s routine. He was still sleepwalking. But by that time. visibility from Leonov’s observation deck was steadily degraded by a thin lm of sulfur. As soon as Leonov’s radar and optical tracking con rmed that. both arrived uneventfully at the rst Lagrange point. only the faintest outlines of his original personality had yet emerged. He was like a man who could walk. Leonov’s control and cybernetics expert. They also produced an illusion that. Chandra on something like his own terms. he had an Intelligence Quotient of perhaps 50. supervisory functions were operating reliably. and when he preferred to be alone. Against the background of space it would have been completely invisible. three hours and fteen minutes later.

Walter Curnow spoke for almost everyone: “Big Brother may be willing to wait a few million years—we’d like to get away a little sooner. the ship’s telescopes could have revealed details only centimeters across—but there were none to be seen. And there was a second mathematical mystery. From fty kilometers. would encourage any intelligent listener to answer in the same fashion. they had to make every test they could devise and report their observations to Earth. and a host of other factors from which they were able to draw the most amazing conclusions about the future. They were not in the least deterred when a celebrated Washington humorist claimed that his calculations proved that the world ended on December 31. Big Brother appeared completely featureless. The tips of his ngers had seemed to skitter over an invisible barrier. or more dangerous than a thousand. now here was another number to conjure with. That rst time. That had made no difference. They were quickly joined by a gaggle of numerologists. survived millions of years of bombardment by space debris. for an object that had. Nor did Big Brother appear to notice the two ships that had arrived in its vicinity—even when they cautiously probed it with radar beams and bombarded it with strings of radio pulses which. which. the largest face of the slab appeared about four times the width of the Moon in Earth’s sky—impressive. From that distance. Big Brother was exactly the same shape as TMA-1 —but as it was more than two kilometers long. the proton/electron mass ratio. it was hoped. presumably. cameras. he did not feel that he had ever really touched TMA-1. ten times larger still. who threw in the height of the Great Pyramid. and already the mood of the expedition was changing from awed alertness to a certain impatience. the greater the repulsion grew. the ne structure constant. ebon surfaces—just as he had done on the Moon. and mystics. Back on Earth. with the approval of Mission Control. For all that they could tell. years ago. it had been with the gloved hand of his spacesuit. the azimuth bearings of the Nazca lines.There was no reason to suppose that a hundred kilometers would be safer than ten. That could not possibly be a coincidence. Vasili Orlov also took the opportunity of measuring the slab’s dimensions with the greatest possible precision. it was 718 times larger than its small sibling. the diameter of Stonehenge. and con rmed the famous 1:4:9 ratio to six decimal places. Men had been arguing for years over that 1:4:9 ratio—the squares of the rst three integers. Not until the Tycho monolith had been enclosed in a pressurized dome had he been able to use his naked hand. the latitude of Easter Island. statisticians and mathematical physicists were soon playing happily with their computers. which might be detonated by the slightest false move. sensors on every wavelength. They were in much the same position as explosives experts trying to defuse a new type of bomb. 1999—but that everyone had had too much of a hangover to notice. He wondered if Big Brother would produce the same effect. When Floyd stared through the binocular eyepiece. was incredible. It could not yet compete with Jupiter. it seemed to him that he could reach out and touch those smooth. they did nothing except observe with passive instruments —telescopes. After two frustrating days.” . it merely seemed psychologically right for a rst reconnaissance. For the rst twenty-four hours. astrologers. trying to relate the ratio to the fundamental constants of nature—the velocity of light. and the harder he pushed. even the most delicate of radar probes might trigger some unimaginable catastrophe. the ships halved their distance. Yet before they came that close. but not so large as to be psychologically overwhelming.

it did not seem a very impressive ambassador of Mankind.24. there was no sense of its true shape. had brought it back under radio control. Whatever the separation. after Hal had refused to open the Pod Bay door. mechanical claws outstretched. It lacked one important component—the hatch. Another had carried Dave Bowman to his nal appointment with Big Brother. had stenciled the name Nina) was being prepared for another EVA. It still lacked a hatch. only glancing at the monitors from time to time. and it would have been folly not to take advantage of it. “I’ve a suggestion. After ve minutes’ pause—the equivalent. and the spectators on both ships had gone back to their various jobs. here I am!”— Nina started a diagonal crossing of the smaller face. fty kilometers was not even a hair’s breadth. No one would be riding inside. RECONNAISSANCE Discovery had left Earth with three of the little space pods that allowed an astronaut to perform extravehicular activities in shirt-sleeve comfort. By using Nina as a robot probe. keeping at a distance of about fty meters. and nally the largest. and shared whatever fate befell him. so humble an emissary might be tolerated. That at least was the theory. The dust that was always oating around in zero gee had settled over the outer surface. it was intended. but that was unimportant. no one could rule out the possibility of a backlash that might engulf the ship. the idea was quickly turned down when almost everyone agreed that if they saw Nina heading toward them. its external manipulators folded neatly back and its oval viewport staring spaceward like a huge. Nina came to rest a hundred meters from one corner of the huge rectangular slab. The resulting blast of air had rocketed the pod several hundred kilometers away before Bowman. but occasionally coming in to ve. the Pod Bay. refusing all explanations. they would run for their lives. so that the once immaculately white hull had become a dingy gray. as cosmic distances went. From so close at hand. Big Brother looked exactly the same—smooth and featureless. Now Pod Number 3 (on which Max. Long before the mission was completed. As it slowly accelerated away from the ship. What do I do with Nina—bring her home?” “No. busy with more important matters.” said Walter Curnow at last. when Nina had arrived back where she had started. it had become boring. nothing whatsoever was coming from Big Brother except the tiny fraction of sunlight it condescended to reflect. The onboard instruments showed no sign of radioactivity or magnetic elds. Take . and its small size and low velocity should emphasize its peaceful intentions. dead eye. One had been lost in the accident —if it was an accident—that had killed Frank Poole. without learning anything more. Bowman’s devotion to duty was a piece of unexpected luck. of “Hello. the TV cameras might have been looking down on the tip of a black tetrahedron of inde nite size.” said Vasili. After years of neglect. It was not surprising that he had never bothered to replace the missing hatch. But that was a distinct advantage. After a leisurely two-hour trip. “We could spend the rest of our lives doing this. then the next larger. Nina looked distinctly shabby. “That’s it. Big Brother could be examined at close quarters without risking human lives. A third was still in the ship’s garage. blown o by Commander Bowman when he had made his hazardous vacuum-crossing and entered the ship through the emergency airlock. After all. There had been a suggestion that it should approach Big Brother with open hands. breaking into the circuit from aboard Leonov.

” He left the unspoken question hanging in the air.” “I’m not criticizing your driving skills—though it was a pretty close thing at that rst encounter. That is.” “She already has.“No. if it has any. And leave her parked there. Nina must go in and touch the thing.” “A flea jumping on an elephant!” “Perhaps. I’m beginning to think there’s nothing really there. Bring her to rest—oh. I never thought I’d have a chance of using it in real life.” “No problem—except that there’s bound to be some residual drift. breaking into the circuit from aboard Leonov. After I’ve studied Nina’s movements for a few hours. and will only tolerate us as long as we aren’t a nuisance. “I’ve a suggestion. with the radar switched to maximum precision. We simply don’t know.” “What do you mean?” asked Curnow. How did one annoy a two-kilometerlong black rectangular slab? And just what form would its disapproval take? . But we’d better assume that. rather indignantly. “I never got nearer than ve meters.” said Vasili. But what’s the point?” “I’ve just remembered an exercise from one of my college astronomy courses—the gravitational attraction of an in nite at plate. Take her to the exact center of the big face.” “There’s an easy way to settle that. one way or another. wasn’t it? But you’ve been tapping gently on Zagadka every time you use Nina’s thrusters near its surface. a hundred meters away. at least I’ll be able to calculate Zagadka’s mass. and we’ll have to do it eventually. it’s aware of our presence.

25. THE VIEW FROM LAGRANGE

Astronomy was full of such intriguing but meaningless coincidences. The most famous was the fact that, from the Earth, both Sun and Moon have the same apparent diameter. Here at the L.1 libration point, which Big Brother had chosen for its cosmic balancing act on the gravitational tightrope between Jupiter and Io, a similar phenomenon occurred. Planet and satellite appeared exactly the same size. And what a size! Not the miserable half-degree of Sun and Moon, but forty times their diameter—sixteen hundred times their area. The sight of either was enough to ll the mind with awe and wonder; together, the spectacle was overwhelming. Every forty-two hours, they would go through their complete cycle of phases; when Io was new, Jupiter was full, and vice versa. But even when the Sun was hiding behind Jupiter and the planet presented only its night side, it was unmistakably there—a huge black disk eclipsing the stars. Sometimes that blackness would be momentarily rent by lightning flashes lasting for many seconds, from electrical storms far larger than the Earth. On the opposite side of the sky, always keeping the same face toward its giant master, Io would be a sluggishly boiling cauldron of reds and oranges, with occasional yellow clouds erupting from one of its volcanoes, and falling swiftly back to the surface. Like Jupiter, but on a slightly longer time scale, Io was a world without geography. Its face was remodeled in a matter of decades—Jupiter’s, in a matter of days. As Io waned toward its last quarter, so the vast, intricately banded Jovian cloudscape would light up beneath the tiny, distant sun. Sometimes the shadow of Io itself, or one of the outer satellites, would drift across the face of Jupiter; while every revolution would show the planet-sized vortex of the Great Red Spot—a hurricane that had endured for centuries if not for millennia. Poised between such wonders, the crew of Leonov had material for lifetimes of research —but the natural objects of the Jovian system were at the very bottom of their list of priorities. Big Brother was Number 1; though the ships had now moved in to only ve kilometers, Tanya still refused to allow any direct physical contact. “I’m going to wait,” she said, “until we’re in a position to make a quick getaway. We’ll sit and watch—until our launch window opens. Then we’ll consider our next move.” It was true that Nina had nally grounded on Big Brother, after a leisurely fty-minute fall. This had allowed Vasili to calculate the object’s mass as a surprisingly low 950,000 tons, which gave it about the density of air. Presumably it was hollow—which provoked endless speculation about what might be inside. But there were plenty of practical, everyday problems to take their minds o these greater issues. Housekeeping chores aboard Leonov and Discovery absorbed ninety percent of their working time, though operations were much more e cient since the two ships had been coupled by a exible docking connection. Curnow had nally convinced Tanya that Discovery’s carousel would not suddenly seize up and tear the ships to pieces, so it had become possible to move freely from one vessel to the other merely by opening and closing two sets of airtight doors. Spacesuits and time-consuming EVAs were no longer necessary— to the great delight of everyone except Max, who loved going outside and exercising with his broomstick. The two crew members quite una ected by this were Chandra and Ternovsky, who now virtually lived aboard Discovery and worked around the clock, continuing their apparently endless dialog with Hal. “When will you be ready?” they were asked at least once a day.

endless dialog with Hal. “When will you be ready?” they were asked at least once a day. They refused to make any promises; Hal remained a low-grade moron. Then, a week after the rendezvous with Big Brother, Chandra unexpectedly announced: “We’re ready.” Only the two lady medics were absent from Discovery’s ight deck, and that was merely because there was no room for them; they were watching on Leonov’s monitors. Floyd stood immediately behind Chandra, his hand never far from what Curnow, with his usual gift for the neat phrase, had called his pocket giant-killer. “Let me emphasize again,” said Chandra, “that there must be no talking. Your accents will confuse him; I can speak, but no one else. Is that understood?” Chandra looked, and sounded, at the edge of exhaustion. Yet his voice held a note of authority that no one had ever heard before. Tanya might be the boss everywhere else, but he was master here. The audience—some anchored to convenient handholds, some oating freely—nodded assent. Chandra closed an audio switch and said, quietly but clearly: “Good morning, Hal.” An instant later, it seemed to Floyd that the years had rolled away. It was no longer a simple electronic toy that answered back. Hal had returned. “Good morning, Dr. Chandra.” “Do you feel capable of resuming your duties?” “Of course. I am completely operational and all my circuits are functioning perfectly.” “Then do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” “Not at all.” “Do you recall a failure of the A.E. 35 antenna control unit?” “Certainly not.” Despite Chandra’s injunction, there was a little gasp from the listeners. This is like tiptoeing through a mine eld, thought Floyd, as he patted the reassuring shape of the radio cuto . If that line of questioning triggered another psychosis, he could kill Hal in a second. (He knew, having rehearsed the procedure a dozen times.) But a second was aeons to a computer; that was a chance they would have to take. “You do not remember either Dave Bowman or Frank Poole going out to replace the A.E. 35 unit?” “No. That could not have happened, or I would have remembered it. Where are Frank and Dave? Who are these people? I can only identify you—though I compute a sixty- vepercent probability that the man behind you is Dr. Heywood Floyd.” Remembering Chandra’s strict injunction, Floyd refrained from congratulating Hal. After a decade, sixty- ve percent was a pretty good score. Many humans would not have done so well. “Don’t worry, Hal—I will explain everything later.” “Has the mission been completed? You know I have the greatest enthusiasm for it.” “The mission has been completed; you have carried out your program. Now—if you will excuse us—we wish to have a private conversation.” “Certainly.” Chandra switched o sound and vision inputs to the main console. As far as this part of the ship was concerned, Hal was now deaf and blind. “Well, what was all that about?” demanded Vasili Orlov. “It means,” said Chandra, carefully and precisely, “that I have erased all Hal’s memories, beginning at the moment when the trouble started.” “That sounds quite a feat,” marveled Sasha. “How did you do it?”

“That sounds quite a feat,” marveled Sasha. “How did you do it?” “I am afraid it would take me longer to explain than it did to carry out the operation.” “Chandra, I am a computer expert—though not in the same class as you and Nikolai. The 9000 series uses holographic memories, doesn’t it? So you couldn’t have used a simple chronological erasure. It must have been some kind of tapeworm, homing on selected words and concepts.” “Tapeworm?” said Katerina over the ship’s intercom. “I thought that was my department —though I’m glad to say I’ve never seen one of the beastly things outside a jar of alcohol. What are you talking about?” “Computer jargon, Katerina. In the old days—the very old days—they really did use magnetic tape. And it’s possible to construct a program that can be fed into a system to hunt down and destroy—eat, if you like—any desired memories. Can’t you do the same sort of thing to human beings, by hypnosis?” “Yes, but it can always be reversed. We never really forget anything. We only think we do.” “A computer doesn’t work that way. When it’s told to forget something, it does. The information is completely erased.” “So Hal has absolutely no memory of his… misbehavior?” “I cannot be a hundred percent certain of that,” answered Chandra. “There may be some memories that were in transit from one address to another when the… tapeworm was making its search. But this is very unlikely.” “Fascinating,” said Tanya, after everyone had thought this over in silence for some time. “But the much more important question is: Can he be relied upon in future?” Before Chandra could answer, Floyd anticipated him. “The same set of circumstances can never arise again; I can promise you that. The whole trouble started because it’s difficult to explain Security to a computer.” “Or to human beings,” muttered Curnow, not very sotto voce. “I hope you’re right,” said Tanya, without much conviction. “What’s the next step, Chandra?” “Nothing so tricky—merely long and tedious. Now we have to program him to initiate the Jupiter escape sequence—and to bring Discovery home. Three years after we’ve got back on our high-speed orbit.”

I doubt my ability to do this. schizophrenia. Whitehead) separately. PROBATION To: Victor Millson. National Council on Astronautics. first by reporting a (nonexistent) fault in the AE 35 antenna unit.04. He was therefore given full knowledge of its objectives.) has now completed his preliminary examination of Hal. Only those with a need to know were permitted access to the information. but was not permitted to reveal them to Bowman or Poole. informs me that. The problem was apparently caused by a con ict between Hal’s basic instructions and the requirements of Security. as the danger of leaks (accidental or otherwise) would be greatly reduced. Dr. C. As the function of the prime crew (Bowman. As Hal was capable of operating the ship without human assistance. I would like to remind you that. the existence of TMA-1 was kept a complete secret. in human terms. and placing them in hibernation before the voyage began. Frankly. He accordingly attempted to break the radio link with Mission Control. Chandrasegarampillai (hereinafter referred to as Dr. in technical terminology. Meanwhile you have asked me to summarize them in non-technical terms for the bene t of the Council—especially the new members who will not be familiar with the background. C.’s actions and conclusions will be found in the report he and Dr.26.30) I pointed out several objections to this policy. As a result. Hal developed what would be called. This involved him not only in a direct lie—which must have aggravated his psychosis still further—but also in a confrontation with the crew. they were overruled at a higher level. By training the investigative team (Kaminski. as you know. However. C. Hunter. it was decided that they should not be informed of its new objective. This situation con icted with the purpose for which Hal had been designed—the accurate processing of information without distortion or concealment. I am not a computer specialist. Ternovsky will submit shortly. To put it crudely (if I understand Dr. Chairman.) Hal was faced with an intolerable dilemma. it was also decided that he should be programmed to carry out the mission autonomously in the event of the crew’s being incapacitated or killed. Washington From: Heywood Floyd. aboard USSC Discovery Subject: Malfunction of onboard computer HAL 9000 Classification: SECRET Dr. He has restored all missing modules and the computer appears to be fully operational. He suggests that for further information you contact Professor Hofstadter himself. at the time (my memorandum NCA 342/23/TOP SECRET of 01. Poole) was merely to get the vessel to its destination. it was felt that a much higher degree of security would be attained. But I will do my best. By direct Presidential order. C. Hal became trapped in a Hofstadter– Moebius loop. Presumably (we can only guess at . a situation apparently not uncommon among advanced computers with autonomous goal-seeking programs. and radiated its signal to that planet. Details of Dr. and so developed paranoiac symptoms that were directed against those monitoring his performance back on Earth. a psychosis—speci cally. Discovery’s mission to Jupiter was already in the advanced planning stage when TMA-1 was excavated.

C. Nor does he believe that Hal can suffer from anything remotely analogous to the human sense of guilt. is not always as cooperative as he should be. they are merely minor annoyances. which sometimes makes it extremely di cult to discuss the subject. To sum up: The rehabilitation of Hal 9000 is proceeding satisfactorily. has no doubts on the matter.still further—but also in a confrontation with the crew. of course) he decided that the only way out of the situation was to eliminate his human colleagues—which he very nearly succeeded in doing.” This is virtually all I have been able to learn from Dr. as he is working to the point of exhaustion. Looking at the matter purely objectively. C. But even allowing for this fact. C. One might even say that he is on probation. Ternovsky. they are not of a nature that would cause any apprehension. who might have been expected to be a little more independent. However. . C. of course. some of them even amusing. it seems impossible that the situation that caused the original problem can ever arise again. Although Hal su ers from a number of peculiarities. I do not like to question him further. often appears to share this viewpoint. He claims to have obliterated all the computer’s memories of the traumatic events leading up to the disconnection. I must frankly state (and please keep this absolutely con dential) that Dr. without man-made “interference. Presumably (we can only guess at this... And as you know—but Dr. the only really important question is: Can Hal be relied upon in the future? Dr. Even Dr. In any case. He adopts a defensive attitude toward Hal. does not—I have taken steps that will give us complete control as a last resort. it would have been interesting to see what would have happened had he continued the mission alone. I wonder if he knows it.

Katerina Rudenko took up the challenge. “It makes you sound like a Roman emperor. INTERLUDE: TRUE CONFESSIONS The human mind has an astonishing capacity to adapt. Heywood Floyd often thought that.” “Such as?” “Umm… Am I allowed to go back in time as well?” “If you like. Mysterious… magical. Walter Curnow worked a little too hard at being the life and soul of the party. There were times when the crew of Leonov switched o their surroundings. I’d like something more active. with sunlight slanting through those enormous leaves. “How splendidly decadent. But I’d like to try.” said Tanya Orlova. scented with essence of pine and with just my nose above the waterline. “If I could have one wish granted. I’ve dived o Paci c atolls. If I were back on Earth.” “When I was a girl. who as usual had appointed himself master of ceremonies. especially when you’re banking. Anyway. the Red Sea—coral reefs are the most beautiful places in the world. when I had time for one— and I was glad I could keep it up through my cosmonaut training. perhaps it wouldn’t be the same the next time.” he exclaimed during the daily Six O’Clock Soviet. It was like an underwater cathedral. I’ve never been back. he certainly had not planned anything of the sort. not quite complete—the air ow over the wing can get noisy.” . Well. then Curnow asked. “The Bolshoi— Swan Lake. Walter.27. perhaps in an unconscious move to preserve sanity. more than anything else. But Vasili won’t agree. “Any other volunteers?” Everyone seemed so lost in their own memories that the game might have ended there. It arose spontaneously when he voiced the universal dissatisfaction with almost all aspects of zero-gravity plumbing. “Who’s next?” “I’ll give you a quick answer. what would you select. even the incredible becomes commonplace. “I’d like to be diving—that was just about my favorite hobby. “it would be to soak in a nice foaming tub. That’s the way to enjoy Earth—like a bird. He was an old scoundrel.” “Fine. bought by the director out of the money he’d made on the local black market. but Max beat me to it.” When the murmurs of assent and sighs of frustrated desire had died away. I might have been killed—but that’s the memory that brings Earth back to me. So I’ll go in the opposite direction— gliding. the Great Barrier Reef. He hates ballet.” “That makes two of us. but I loved him—and he used to let me gallop Alexander all over the countryside. on such occasions. Yet though he triggered what Sasha Kovalev later called the “True Confessions” episode. Soaring through the clouds on a summer day. I used to go for holidays to a collective farm in Georgia. after a while. Vasili?” “I was going to say diving. There was a beautiful palomino stallion. in complete silence.” There was a moment of thoughtful silence. had not Maxim Brailovsky started it off again.” said Walter. Yet the experience I remember best was in quite a di erent place—one of the Japanese kelp forests.” she beamed at him with cheerful disapproval. Dr.

there was no more to be said.the way to enjoy Earth—like a bird. Woody. “I don’t mind where on Earth I am—as long as I’m with my little son. After all this time.” “And you. To me—to I plan to go back. Chandra?” The atmosphere changed noticeably when Walter put the question. his spontaneous answer surprised himself as much as the others. I’d like to combine both. I’m afraid I’m too old for it now—but I’d like to find out. “When I was a boy. . I’m afraid you won’t understand.” he said slowly.” “That only leaves you.” “And you. I love snow. Nikolai?” “Well. we’ve had the sea and the sky. The session was over. even courteous.” After that. What’s your choice?” Floyd did not even stop to think. “my grandfather took me on a pilgrimage to Varanasi—Benares. If you’ve never been there. Chandra was still a stranger—perfectly polite. Skiing in the Pamirs. My favorite sport used to be wind-surfing.” “Zenia?” “Easy. but never revealing himself.

I may have lost my family.” There was a frigid silence. not least because his rendering of such favorites as “Polyushko Polye” often reduced them to tears. we’ve all been disgustingly healthy. Zagadka just sits there. everyone else thought it hysterically funny. Morale isn’t what it was. “Zenia? I thought everyone was joking—she’s such a quiet little mouse. so you’ll understand our frustration. “Yet it can’t be inert—an abandoned space derelict. FRUSTRATION “…You’ve seen all the technical reports. it remains a blank. How could any intelligent person get bored out here. Now almost everyone has a minor cold. At least while Zenia’s around. Yet he could not blame Caroline. when you put your arm around him?” Floyd had never imagined that he would see Curnow looking abashed. can sweep through a group of otherwise intelligent people and reduce them to helpless laughter. For I have achieved nothing. and you never will. Floyd’s attitude toward him had changed from mere tolerance to respectful admiration. as well as frustration.” “Poor girl. And he treated her with much greater kindness. Then. Surely you realize that she’s in love with Max.” “When someone says it’s not his business. I wonder if I’m coming down with one of the shipboard maladies. and everybody would go to pieces. so that the boy would not forget his father—or view him as a stranger when he returned after missing yet another birthday? He was almost afraid to ask. It seems she was in a bad air crash and was lucky to recover from her burns. lapsing into their native tongue only for di cult words. the other was obviously surprised at his concern for Zenia. but had not attempted to exploit it in his own defense. ignoring us completely. and couldn’t resist temptation anymore. images of his own home and family came crowding into his mind.” You’re not telling the whole truth. I’m sorry for her. Maybe that’s why I’ve avoided looking at her —would you credit me with so much aesthetic sensitivity. for no obvious reason. there had even been some bad quarrels. to remain here at the unstable libration point. and so forth. After their encounter on the approach to Jupiter. and just swears at us. To him. “I’m not sure if it’s my business. but she’s obviously made a full recovery. after the initial panic. it was no more than the secret envy that normal homo. But he was too shy to admit that he had such a human weakness. across the gulfs of time and space. just as Discovery did. “There was one bit of unscheduled activity the other day that will tell you something about our state of mind. Somebody did a marvelous job of plastic surgery on her face. which is often more enduring. I’m surprised they let her go into space. so now he spends even more of his time communing with Hal. So the intervention had been worthwhile. Curnow added in a conversational tone: “You know. but of tenderness. not of love. Until now. the psychological shock must have been terrible.28. para 3? I’m only joking… “Now that we’re under less pressure. The skin’s too tight. less than twenty-four hours ago but almost a billion kilometers away. “Sasha has helped to keep us amused with a series of bulletins on the ship’s bulletin board. there’s a distinct feeling of boredom. your behavior with Max. back in Moscow. as Floyd sometimes ruefully suspected. “Well. it’s not Max I’m concerned about. And in one case. What’s the problem?” “To be blunt. The Russians adored him. even a temporary one. would we. It’s Zenia. She’s given up now. only a few weeks would have passed before they met again. indeed. Their theme is: STAMP OUT RUSSLISH! and he lists horrid mixtures of both languages he claims to have overheard. but Aeroflot isn’t supposed to have accidents. And everyone’s in love with Max. Otherwise it would have drifted away ages ago. whatever the impulse behind it. but I suppose she was the only quali ed person available when Irina eliminated herself. He closed his eyes. you’re often singularly unobservant—even obtuse. We’ll all need linguistic decontamination when we get home.or heterosexuals feel. Even if. That was a long time to be a young widow. Dimitri. several times I’ve come across your countrymen chatting in English without even being aware of it. but they couldn’t repair all the damage. One had only to pretend to light a cigar for the next few days. impenetrable wall of total darkness. wrong uses of words. which Floyd occupied with a careful inspection of the poor paint job on the opposite wall. or a scratch that won’t heal despite all of Katerina’s pills and powders. like a guilty schoolboy. And how often had Caroline played his messages to Chris. and memory recalled the climax of Christopher’s birthday party—the child blowing out the three candles on the cake. one might have imagined that he was deliberately ignoring Max—at least while Zenia was around. He found himself suddenly and unexpectedly grateful to Curnow. “I can satisfy some of your curiosity—Washington nally got hold of the facts. Then Curnow replied. would it have been unfair? Now. Floyd was beginning to wonder if his own motives were altogether admirable. but the train of thought had been broken. obviously to show that there was no ill feeling. Inevitably. Still… um. For his part.” Curnow’s lips parted in unconcealed surprise. he was horribly embarrassed. Vasili has pointed out that it must be taking some positive action. Don’t laugh—I can imagine how that sounds to you. indeed. or an upset stomach. surrounded by the greatest marvels human eyes have ever seen? “Yet there’s no doubt of it. there were occasions when he had even succeeded in making her laugh out loud. And yet—David Bowman had once cried: “My God! It’s full of stars!” there would always be a secret bond between them— . but there’s a personal matter I’d like to raise with you. Heywood?” The deliberately formal “Heywood” signaled good-natured needling rather than hostility. if completely honest with themselves. as far as we can tell. The re alarm went o in the middle of the night. he had seldom felt such a sense of frustration. “Zenia? What’s she got to do with it?” “For an intelligent man. All sorts of little quirks of personality had surfaced during the last few weeks. “So what do we do next? We wouldn’t have nuclear explosives on board. Floyd felt that the adoration had gone a little too far. And frankly. even though I have reached my goal. apart from the injuries. what of his own behavior? Had that always been above criticism? He was still not sure if he had handled Curnow properly. days later. it turned out that Chandra had smuggled some of his lethal cigars aboard. in a soft yet implacable voice: “I was under the distinct impression that he was more than eighteen. “Walter.” There was a prolonged silence while the social temperature rose back to normal. His nger crept back toward the recorder. We’ve learned nothing new from all our tests and measurements. and the launch window for the homeward trip is still weeks away. and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her laugh properly. or switched o the smoke detector. Curnow had certainly kept his promise. He had played the video back so often that now he knew the scene by heart. if one did not know better. all to no purpose. which doesn’t mean a thing to outsiders. I’ve often wondered about Zenia. And for that matter. He was smoking one in the toilet. The other day I caught myself talking Russian to Walter Curnow—and neither of us noticed for several minutes. toward cheerfully welladjusted polymorphs. Perhaps it was not fair to make fun of Chandra. and crashed into Io. Floyd thought. I guess I should be more careful. but the blow seemed to have struck home. There’s no mystery. But she would have aged more than two years while he was in his dreamless sleep between the worlds.” Floyd pressed the PAUSE button and stopped the recording. Haven’t you noticed the way she looks. he’s usually right. tempting though it often was. in contravention of UN ’08. or enjoy the sound of his slightly too-loud voice. even of failure. “Of course. You know the way some perfectly trivial joke.” “Don’t confuse the issue.” he had begun cautiously.” “I’m sure it was. triggered by one of the smoke detectors. said Floyd to himself. filling half the sky. “What makes it even more ridiculous is that no one would have minded in the least if Chandra had just gone into an airlock. and Floyd allowed himself to relax. And if he had. Though he did not suppose that he would ever really like the big engineer. after their fashion—even Catherine the Great.

seconds later. it was all gone.” “And Sundays?” “Oh. French or German. In that moment. When he twisted around. But to Vasili. Sasha was an ambitious young man. tovarishch. ts me like a glove. as well as a brilliant one. scene. not worthy of a second glance. He was looking into a eld not of stars. pals. just as it had done ever since their arrival. His father was a professor of English at Novosibirsk. Russian was only allowed in the house Monday to Wednesday. or the core of a globular cluster. why did he ever become an engineer?” “At Novosibirsk. bisecting the giant disk of Jupiter. Thursday to Saturday it was English. I can quote Shakespeare as well— Bozhe moi!—what was that?” Floyd was unlucky.” “Just like you. is that Sasha ever found time to study anything besides engineering physics. Brute! You see. From now on they would seem intolerably empty. EMERGENCE Sasha’s latest edict read: RUSSLISH BULLETIN #8 Subject: Tovarishch (tovarish) To our American guests: Frankly. alternate weeks. No—not completely. a faint star was still shining. before his involuntary blink re ex cut it o . To any twentyrst-century Russian. It was as if a window had suddenly been opened onto another universe. that sharpedged outline held a completely di erent. and he speaks better English than—well. Yet he’s always quoting poems and plays I don’t even know.” “Et tu. it’s way back there with the battleship Potemkin—a reminder of cloth caps and red ags and Vladimir Ilich haranguing the workers from the steps of railway carriages. but of suns. and saw nothing at all.29. he was oating with his back to the observation window. for a moment that would be imprinted on his memory forever. and wholly impossible. even mighty Orion and glorious Scorpio would be scarcely noticeable patterns of feeble sparks.” “Because he switched to science. The vision lasted for less than a second. as if into the crowded heart of a galaxy. Sasha is—what do you say?—the black sheep of the family. there was only the familiar view of Big Brother. Comrade Kovalev Floyd was still chuckling over this notice when Vasili Orlov joined him as he oated through the lounge/observation deck on his way to the bridge. Vasili.” “Now I know exactly what you mean by nekulturny. When he dared to open his eyes again. . You’re welcome. Does Sasha feel guilty about his… defection? And with such a background. you soon learn who are the serfs and who are the aristocrats. Ever since I was a kid it’s been bratets or druzhok—take your choice. “What amazes me. Vasili Orlov lost forever the skies of Earth. Walter. At the very center of the now-restored ebon rectangle. I can’t remember when I was last addressed by this term.

Orlov blinked again. he was not imagining it. Already he had a good estimate of the object’s trajectory. But a star did not move as one watched.center of the now-restored ebon rectangle. . Vasili had recovered his wits and was once more the cool. Yes. A meteor? It was some indication of Chief Scientist Vasili Orlov’s state of shock that several seconds passed before he remembered that meteors were impossible in airless space. There could be no doubt. a faint star was still shining. dispassionate observer. the movement was real. Then it blurred suddenly into a streak of light. to clear his watering eyes. it was aimed directly at Earth. and within a few heartbeats had vanished beyond the edge of Jupiter. By this time.

A CHILD OF THE STARS .V.

at every moment of his life. There he had witnessed the paradox of sunrise on the face of a sun. As David Bowman. once he was looking in a mirror. However. all that he had ever been. He had raced at ever-accelerating speed. He had fallen through it. But nothing was being lost. down in nite corridors of light. being drained of knowledge and experience as he swept back toward his childhood. meeting wonders some of which he now understood. How foolish that expectation had been! He knew now that one might as well hope to see the wind. was being transferred to safer keeping. Time came to a halt—and reversed itself. two lifetimes. commander and last surviving crew member of United States Spaceship Discovery. in a beautifully appointed hotel suite containing nothing that was not wholly familiar. he was reliving the past. the Good Lord was subtle. the hands of the biological clock spinning madly toward a midnight they would never reach. and to the right stimulus. The gate between the stars had brought him back to the world of men. was impossible. even when his space pod had carried him down into the inferno below… … to arrive. He sensed it only dimly. beyond all reason. set three million years ago and triggered to respond only at the right time. Beneath its dispassionate scrutiny. he felt neither hope nor fear. He had felt no fear. He had passed through a cosmic switching system—a Grand Central Station of the galaxies—and emerged. close to the surface of a giant red star. drawing a tidal wave of fire beneath it. He had quickly realized that he was a specimen in a cosmic zoo.30. protected from its fury by unknown forces. Then exhaustion of mind and body had overwhelmed him. but now he also knew how it could be done. His body was racing to its dissolution. something invaded his mind. As Einstein had rightly said. until he had outraced light itself. For the last time. And he wondered when his keepers would appear. one in reverse. from one universe to another. much of it was fake. he had been caught in a gigantic trap. David Bowman slept. but never malicious. Sometimes. but only wonder. the books on the shelves were dummies. others which he might never comprehend. The springs of memory were being tapped. Like a fog creeping through a forest. at a wrinkled face he barely recognized as his own. Years had gone by. the cereal boxes and the cans of beer in the icebox—though they bore famous labels—all contained the same bland food with a texture like bread but a taste that was almost anything he cared to imagine. one forward. Even as one David Bowman ceased to exist. or speculate about the true shape of fire. That. in controlled recollection. he dreamed he was awake. and in what physical form. It was a strange sleep. for he was not wholly unconscious. but no longer as a man. HOMECOMING It was as if he had awakened from a dream—or a dream within a dream. his cage carefully recreated from the images in old television programs. he knew. in that long sleep. For at the last moment. when the dying star’s brilliant white dwarf companion had climbed into its sky—a searing apparition. another . for the full impact would have destroyed him as swiftly and surely as the res raging around him. How long had he been away? A whole lifetime… no.

the quadratic sequence 1:4:9! And how naive to have imagined that the series ended there. far better prepared. until he confronted the fundamental. halfway between the banked res of the galactic core and the lonely. Unwittingly. was that mathematical ratio of its sides. another became immortal. though he did not know how. it was no longer a total mystery. Even as one David Bowman ceased to exist. He had seen it on the Moon. An e ort of will. He gave no thought to the gateway between universes dwindling so swiftly behind him. And he could move. He knew that this formless chaos. adrift in this great river of suns. though he could go faster if he desired. not until the suns that now burned were long since dead would light and life reshape this void. stars and nebulae poured past him in an illusion of in nite speed. but not what he had become. at the very point he had left it. he knew. He could focus upon any one of them. embedded in a block of plastic. For ages he oated in limbo. Here. He was an embryo god. The stars were thinning out. but he also knew that it was only part of some far wider plan. and the spectrum of that nearby star shifted toward the blue. was his present goal. Or perhaps only between caterpillar and chrysalis… And then. he had crossed it once: now. below which there was only chaos. though still wholly ignorant of the impulse that drove him. How obvious. not yet ready to be born. somehow. Here he was. But had he ever really known that. he had encountered it in orbit around Jupiter. That. The black. He was vividly aware of his surroundings. and there before him was the luminous whirlpool of the Galaxy. rectangular slab that suddenly appeared before him was like an old friend. He was still in a state of ux—somewhere between chrysalis and butterfly. much to be considered… and much more to be won. he must cross it again… The Galaxy burst forth from the mental frame in which he had enclosed it. was the still unused stu of creation. in only three dimensions! Even as his mind focused upon these geometrical simplicities. some of its powers he now understood. and scrutinize it in virtually limitless detail. Time had not yet begun. incredibly detailed model. scattered sentinel stars of the rim. he could focus his attention upon any one of its hundred billion stars. seconds or centuries ago. They were part of . granular structure of time and space. But it was the reality. and far more conscious than in that earlier existence of a myriad sensory inputs from the external world. by precisely the amount he wished. this serpentine band of darkness. Phantom suns exploded and fell behind as he slipped like a shadow through their cores. and that whatever measuring instruments might say. and he knew. It might have been some beautiful. And there was his origin. He was falling toward it at a large fraction of the speed of light. the raw material of evolutions yet to be.being transferred to safer keeping. He realized that it was not one. passing beyond the necessities of matter. Though it held still unfathomed secrets. the stasis was broken: Time reentered his little world. he was in no hurry. the empty rectangle lled with stars. now grasped by him as a whole with senses more subtle than vision. the glare of the Milky Way dimming into a pale ghost of the glory he had known—and might one day know again. There was still much information to be processed. but multitudes. empty of all stars. even when he possessed a body? The chain of command from brain to limb was a mystery to which he had never given any thought. If he wished. The hotel suite—if indeed it had ever really existed—dissolved back into the mind of its creator. that his ancestors had met it long ago. on the far side of this chasm in the sky. to be revealed in due course. or to the anxious entities gathered around it in their primitive spacecraft. visible only by the glow that limned its edges from re mists far beyond. knowing what he had been. it was always the same size—as large as necessary. He was back in the space that men called real. now.

Far below. it seemed as if the Earth was struck dumb. It was interesting to observe the explosive lenses focus their energies. in great sweeping spirals. and swiftly traced the way to its lethal core. . and discarded the rest. In the aftermath of the explosion. and nally to a glorious blue-white disk. there would be no power to activate the nal sequence. And if any more bombs were to come his way. Well. The few grams of the microswitch would not budge. re ected back by the suddenly enhanced ionosphere.or to the anxious entities gathered around it in their primitive spacecraft. Only the microwaves still sliced through the invisible and slowly dissolving mirror that now surrounded the planet. calling him home to the world he had never thought to see again. He could hear its myriad voices. and was stirring in its orbit. before it could operate the trigger mechanism. A few high-powered radars were still focused upon him. A thousand kilometers below. the great tracking telescopes would be searching the skies —and history as men had known it would be drawing to a close. to a slim crescent. For the present. holding apart two contacts. He entered the maze of circuitry. absorbed the most dangerous of the radiation. and most of these were too tightly beamed for him to receive them. The feeble energies it contained were no possible menace to him. growing louder and louder—as it too was growing. the shield of the atmosphere. he absorbed what he needed. They were part of his memories. toward the lost landscape of his childhood. as yet. He still had much to learn. like the feeble match that ignites a powder train. he would treat them with equal indifference. Down there on that crowded globe. indeed. from a star almost lost against the Sun’s outstretched corona. the alarms would be ashing across the radar screens. And now he was descending. He was still a creature of pure energy. there was a simple answer to that. it was easy to bypass them all. which protected the planet from so many hazards. he became aware that a slumbering cargo of death had awakened. Like a phoenix rising from the ames. But there would be some unlucky men and animals who would never see again. the world of inert matter was beyond his grasp. which in turn— The megatons owered in a silent detonation that brought a brief. Most of the branchings could be ignored. They knew that he was coming. they were blind alleys. Until they were closed. The microseconds ticked slowly by. but that was a matter of no importance. but stronger ones were calling him now. knew failure and frustration. Now there was a single last barrier—a crude but e ective mechanical relay. He did not even bother to neutralize them as he could easily have done. for the rst time. Beneath his scrutiny. he had all the energy he needed. their purpose was childishly simple. false dawn to half the sleeping world. he could profitably use them. He put forth his will—and. devised for protection. The current pulse he induced in the relay was so powerful that it almost melted the coil. The babble of the short and medium waves was completely silenced.

living town. however. Close to this were two photographs. There were few personal touches—a pile of old books in one corner. That process had taken the remainder of the century. and the transport covers opened up to reveal the dishes. And when she did so. Other details were less obvious—and the TV camera was so well concealed that no one would have suspected its presence. his dreams were still proliferating across the Florida landscape. and a framed front page of one of the last printed issues of the New York Times proclaiming: U. From time to time she chuckled appreciatively at some joke from the screen.” “Don’t want any lunch. Yet she was distracted by a moment of TV drama when the door nally opened. and had a built-in seat as well as handrails. But as its founder had realized. followed closely by a uniformed nurse. Some of them. be raised and tilted for the convenience of the nurses. one showing a boy in his late teens. and only a few unusual ttings would have betrayed its purpose. The bed was scarcely knee-high. she looked much older. still less created. Are you ever hungry?” she added slyly. a considerably older man wearing astronaut’s uniform. Throughout.” “Why won’t you eat it?” “I’m not hungry. but there were no rugs over which one could trip. The robot food trolley came to a halt beside the chair. not even the . or sharp corners that might cause injuries. become popularly known as Disneyville. she took a rmer grasp on the walking stick propped against her chair. When it had opened in the early 1980s. indeed. EPCOT would only ful ll its purpose when some of its vast acreage was a genuine. Now. gray-haired woman watching the domestic comedy unfolding on the TV panel was not yet seventy. The oor was thickly carpeted. in any other place. so that even the elderly or in rm could get in and out of it easily. and she looked around with a guilty start as the little service trolley rolled into the room. Though the frail. inevitably. but she kept glancing at the door as if expecting a visitor. Jessie.” “It will make you feel a lot better. The apartment had been carefully designed not to look like a hospital suite. half a century after the artist’s death. his Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow had been a showcase for new technologies and modes of living. it was not surprising that the average age of the occupants was the highest in any United States community. The bathroom tub was sunk into the oor.” called the nurse. the nurse never touched anything. “Time for lunch. DISNEYVILLE A fin-de-siècle philosopher had once remarked—and been roundly denounced for his pains —that Walter Elias Disney had contributed more to genuine human happiness than all the religious teachers in history.S. the other. SPACESHIP LEAVES FOR JUPITER. occupied by people who called it home. now the residential area had twenty thousand inhabitants and had. could hardly have been conceived. or that its medical services were the most advanced in the world. “We’ve got something very nice for you today.” “I won’t eat until you tell me what it is. Because they could move in only after penetrating a palace guard of WED lawyers.31. so that the danger of falls was minimized: it could.

All the others believe that really is Nurse Williams. She’s eating her food. “Now. the nurse never touched anything. dear. then. of course. The nurse took no notice whatsoever. she was eating heartily. even when the stick sliced right through her. Instead. Throughout. which is the purpose of the exercise. doesn’t that look nice? Eat it up.” “And she’s the first?” “Yes.” . the medical technician said to the doctor: “Now watch this. In the monitor room fty meters away. most of the time.” “Well. just because she’s outsmarted us. not even the controls on the trolley. she swept it in a short arc toward the nurse’s legs. with a rather xed smile. The next time it may not be a hologram—and then think of the lawsuits we’ll be facing from our battered staff. Look how pleased she is. She now stood motionless. I don’t think it matters.” Jessie’s gnarled hand lifted the walking stick. but she obeyed instructions. In a moment. looking at her difficult patient. not just Williams. She’s a lot brighter than she pretends to be. “She knows perfectly well what’s going on.up to reveal the dishes. But we must warn the nurses —all of them.” “Why—oh.” A cunning smile spread across Jessie’s face. she remarked soothingly. with surprising speed. “You see?” said the technician. bringing their meals.

that was what younger brothers were for. and to know everything. “And even if it does. not like butterflies. and fish that looked like fish. dragging the hose behind him. At the very least. “so what? If the girls in the Underwater Theater can swim up from fifty meters without their air hoses. side by side—even though they never moved. she was very pretty—but. It’s perfectly safe. bicycle lay half buried among the water weeds. Two dark circles. monochrome world. He adjusted his face mask. “It tastes horrible. CRYSTAL SPRING The Indians. pausing to drink from its .” In that case. but it showed no sign of stopping.” said Bobby. and why did we wait until Dad had gone back to the Cape for the next shuttle launch? But he did not have any real qualms: Bobby always knew best. True. That depth was hard to believe. The little air compressor that Bobby had found in the garage junk heap was now chugging healthily away. Bobby handed him the air hose with the old scuba mouthpiece they had taped to it. what else could they be? That lurking presence gave an added excitement to every swim. Bobby. clearly visible.” Dave slid gently beneath the surface. It was a peaceful. a hundred meters down. dammit. scattering the sh in its hunt for larger prey. was nonsense. perhaps the legend of the Confederate treasure was true. where life—animal and vegetable— aunted itself with all the hues of the rainbow. Dave was used to being a guinea pig. put on his flippers. the older and better diver. despite the scorn of all the local historians. after their initial problems of starting it. was the little cave from which the incredibly pure water owed with the slender green weeds undulating around it. Never would Bobby or David admit that nothing more dangerous than an abandoned. even after line and sinker had established it beyond argument. so di erent from the coral reefs of the Keys. and had reported that the bottom looked just as far away as ever. and into wonderland. and slid into the crystalline water. of course. There were none of the garish colors of the marine environment. Come up when I tug the hose. In you go—no deeper than that ledge. and grimaced. had been perhaps a tenth of the way down. the eyes of the Monster. One had only to put on a face mask and swim out a few strokes—and there. and surely even they could not believe it.” “You’ll get used to it. they might endear themselves to the chief of police—always excellent policy—by recovering a few handguns deposited after recent crimes. He ippered slowly down. Though he wished he wouldn’t spend quite so much time now with that stupid Betty Schultz. said that Crystal Spring was bottomless. why didn’t we tell Ma what we were doing. and the Cajun settlers who had moved here from Louisiana. And peering up through them. Every few seconds it would cough and emit a cloud of blue smoke. and doubtless stolen. so can we. thought Dave eetingly.32. It must be wonderful to be seventeen. Dave took a breath. That. Here were only delicate shades of blue and green. one day the Monster would come rushing up from its lair. But now the Crystal Spring was about to reveal its secrets. she was a girl! It was only with the greatest di culty that they had been able to get rid of her this morning. That’s where I’ll start adjusting the pressure valve so we don’t waste too much air.

” said Bobby expansively. sunlight-dappled gure passing forever beyond his reach.” Bobby had once said cheerfully. Dave remembered his duty. only his nose above the surface. As he had done so many times before. who had nothing to do with Robert Bowman. to the green slopes at the far side of the ooded crater. at the gap where the waters of the spring began their journey to the sea. he had not realized how cold it could get at that hitherto unattainable depth—and he was also feeling distinctly sick. Dave was happy to go. He turned once and pointed vigorously to the air hose. That would be plenty for this first experiment. as usual. Swimming as e ortlessly as the sh around him. “Just keep unscrewing the valve so the pressure gauge doesn’t drop below the red line. waterlogged tree trunk. “He’s bigger than I am. but a small school went twinkling past like a shower of silver coins in the sunlight streaming down from above. But the hot sunlight soon revived his spirits. A small alligator (“But large enough. The sensation of freedom was so wonderful that he almost forgot the horrible oily taste in his mouth. mysterious universe. without visible means of support. so over-grown with weeds that it was unrecognizable—he sat down and looked around him. The air hose gave an impatient tug. He hurried back to the ancient compressor. if I feel like it. at least a hundred meters away. The last he saw of Bobby was that con dently descending. pausing to drink from its stream of bubbles whenever he felt the need. and opened the control valve to its deadly maximum—fifty parts per million of carbon monoxide. “No problems. The wax statue in the funeral parlor was a total stranger. Bobby glided downward into that blue. They had never bothered him. the old garden hose was only thirty meters long. dragging the hose behind him. making it unmistakably clear that he needed an increased air flow.”) was hanging vertically.” “How deep are you going?” “All the way.” Dave did not take that seriously. and he had never bothered them. they both knew about rapture of the depths and nitrogen narcosis. . He could see right across the spring. Despite the splitting headache that had suddenly come upon him. he watched with envious admiration as his beloved elder brother accepted a new challenge. And in any case. When he reached the ledge— actually an ancient. There were not many sh around.He ippered slowly down. There was also an old friend stationed.

was not so very far from the truth. No one ever understood why. Something was heading for Earth. indeed. Time had healed the wound. Perhaps she was expecting some news ash. but had almost mastered his control of energy. but did not bother to correct it. she was watching a TV program that brought back memories. and took him a little longer. received checks for precisely one dollar. he made one trivial slip. and dazzling. Why was she watching? It was all stored somewhere in the home archives (though she never played it back when José was around). Tampa. as it always does. he need not have wasted time looking it up. He was no longer radiating wastefully. three hundred Florida taxpayers. ickering networks of electronic thoughts. something had—harmlessly—detonated an orbiting nuclear bomb which no one had come forward to claim. For the ftieth time. at least. It was still the same address. He was looking for something. seeing only the re ections of the surrounding cypresses with their burden of Spanish moss. This task was more complex than the triggering of a crude nuclear bomb. He was master of the world. In a few milliseconds. how much power the past still held over her emotions. until he found himself among billions of stored memories. she heard that eerie radio shriek as the monolith greeted the lunar dawn and hurled its message toward Jupiter. triggered by the mysterious events of the preceding twelve hours. It cost many times the overpayment to straighten matters out. the next month. he was drifting northward. detected his passage. what it was. as once he had mastered lost though not forgotten limbs. No one. yet he was paralyzed by a sense of devastating grief he had not known for years. all of whose names began with F. What was happening to him? And now. returning like an unquiet ghost to the scene of ancient anguish? He had no idea. but as if swept by some gentle current. yet it seemed only yesterday that he had stood weeping beside the emerald mirror. he had moved from Tallahassee to 634 South Magnolia Street. After three births and two abortions. even to herself. Which. At the moment she was also a very thoughtful one. still without deliberate volition.33. It was a News Special. and no instrument. toward the state capital. That was all. And once again she watched the familiar scenes and listened to the old interviews aboard Discovery. Betty Fernandez (née Schultz) was still a beautiful woman. until the round eye of Crystal Spring had gazed up at him from the forest below. but it was quite enough. beginning with the warning that Leonov had beamed back from the moons of Jupiter. he had never intended to look it up. Before he found the information he was seeking. she did not like to admit. he had not been conscious of his destination. . and the ba ed computer engineers nally put the blame on a cosmic-ray shower. bitter and sweet. BETTY Why had he come here. The news commentators had dredged up all the old video-tapes—and some of them really were tapes—going back to the once top-secret records showing the discovery of TMA-1 on the Moon. he would not know until he found it. But then. until the very moment when he had done so. He sank like a mist into the earthquake-proof vaults. on the whole.

Then his face seemed to dissolve. The real di culty was to slow down his thoughts to the glacial tempo of the human brain.emotions. not through shame but sadness—regret for lost delights. she had not forgotten her training as an electronics serviceperson. is still part of me. They had clung to the same illusion. It reformed. the elements of grief and guilt it contained only made it stronger. It was an old BBC interview. as she had expected.” she said. and then was steady once more. barely two years after the funeral!) a balm for the same wound. to melt into blocks of color. He smiled. .” Betty crossed herself—that was a gesture she had learned from José—and whispered: “You mean—you’re a spirit?” “I do not know a better word. Then she turned away. and everything about him. The divorce between body and mind was still far from complete. Dave’s lips were moving. and not even the most complaisant of the cable networks would have transmitted the blatantly sexual images that were forming there now. This was just another of the medium’s countless miracles of simulation. in a curiously toneless voice. sometimes smiling. Betty. and though she had been a housewife for a dozen years. And then to have to wait an eternity for the answer… Betty Fernandez was tough. The most powerful emotion he had ever known had been his passion for Betty. “Hello. swept back by the tides of sorrow and desire to a rendezvous with his past. But at least he understood what he was doing there. and worry about the details later.” “Is he dead?” Now that was another difficult question. It was not hard to form the words. for it was appearing on the TV screen. she was also intelligent. sought in each other’s arms (and how young he had been—still only seventeen when it had started. “Dave.” “Why have you returned?” Ah! Betty—why indeed! I wish you could tell me… Yet he knew one answer. “Dave—is that really you?” “I am not sure. and to impose them on the currents pulsing in the audio circuits. “So it’s not true. He was looking out of the screen almost as if he could see her across the gulf of years. All that Dave Bowman really was. “But I remember Dave Bowman. But there was still no sound.” replied the image on the screen. that was one question he had never asked. And there was Dave. Where had they got this picture? This was not Dave as a man. But that is no longer important. Both sound and image were behaving erratically. How young he looked—how di erent from those last blurred images from the doomed Discovery! And how much like Bobby as she remembered him. trying to decide whether the computer was self-conscious or not. she would accept it now. “what they always told us about angels. She had never told him if he was a better lover than Bobby. No—something was wrong with the set. his lips moved.” she answered. but as a boy—as she had known him rst. but she could hear nothing.” Am I an angel? he wondered. “His body—yes. He was talking about Hal. sometimes shocked. Betty watched for a little while. blurred again. for that would have broken the spell.” he said. The image wavered as her eyes lled with tears. or the channel. of which she knew almost every word.

What was the truth?” Betty Fernandez stared for one long. all his autoerotic fantasies had centered upon Betty.” . barely two years after the funeral!) a balm for the same wound. She did not turn around as he kissed her on the back of the neck. The image faded.” she whispered. “I have one more question before I go.” “Try me. it could not last. Then Dave Bowman’s face reappeared. and for a moment she wished she could see his entire body. David. almost an hour later. and I always wondered. with an incongruous shot of Leonov hanging above Io. he had never found another woman to compare with her. the regular program broke through. “You’ll never believe this. but the experience had left him irrevocably changed. a wizened mummy whose wrinkled features were a parody of the man she had once known. He seemed to be losing control. “He was your son. the normal service resumed. not merely his face). Betty was still staring at the screen. José. No one else was haunted by the same beloved ghost.” “I’ve just lied to a ghost. José Fernandez came quietly into the room. for a moment. Of course. last time into the eyes of the boy she had once loved (he was eighteen again. When.started. For more than a decade. and long ago had realized that he never would. The images of desire faded from the screen. for its lineaments were wildly unstable. Carlos—you always said he was José’s son. Sometimes he would seem only ten years old—then twenty or thirty—then. incredibly.

they became a matter of public and scientific concern. any one of those myriad sightings. was astonished when a disk-shaped craft landed beside him and the . many critics pointed out that unidenti ed ying objects had been observed for centuries. Rather quickly. were still unable to find them. ladies who married Venusians were still believed when that planet. and that Kenneth Arnold’s “Flying Saucer” sighting of 1947 had countless precedents. of course. At once. most of them regurgitating and embellishing old reports long after they had been discredited or exposed. the arrival of the giant rocket and the dawn of the Space Age had turned men’s minds to other worlds. The fact that. it was o cial. the general public lost interest in the idea. but until the mid-twentieth century. sadly. over and over again. A genuine UFO was on its way to Earth. This time. it would never be possible to prove that. A retired stockbroker. and even honeymoons in space. there were hundreds of reports of “close encounters”—actual meetings with extraterrestrial visitors. Realization that the human race would soon be able to leave the planet of its birth prompted the inevitable questions: Where’s everyone. walking his bulldog on the Yorkshire Moors. Sightings were reported within minutes of the warning from Leonov. and when may we expect visitors? There was also the hope. though it was seldom spelled out in as many words. Any student of psychology could have predicted that so profound a need would be swiftly satis ed. During the last half of the twentieth century. meteorological. but kept the faith with their newsletters and books. that benevolent creatures from the stars might help mankind heal its numerous self-inflicted wounds and save it from future disasters. which could locate anything in space larger than a ball-point pen. the number of reports dropped down to the “noise level” once more—the gure that would be expected. When the discovery of the Tycho monolith—TMA-1—was nally announced. The reason was not far to seek. People had been seeing strange things in the sky since the dawn of history. But now it had started all over again. were not discouraged. there was a chorus of “I told you so’s!” It could no longer be denied that there had been visitors to the Moon—and presumably to the Earth as well—a little matter of three million years ago. there were literally thousands of reports of spacecraft sightings from every part of the globe. the rst close encounters were only a few hours later. The cultists. By the time the AIAA published its report no reputable scientist—even among those few who had once espoused the idea—believed that UFOs had any connection with extraterrestrial life or intelligence. UFOs infested the heavens again. After that date. abductions. Men who had been shown cities on the far side of the Moon lost little credibility even when Orbiter surveys and Apollo missions revealed no artifacts of any kind. frequently embellished by tales of celestial joyrides. though it was odd that the three independent national tracking systems. and the basis for what could only be called religious beliefs. might have been the real thing. and aeronautical phenomena constantly occurring in the skies. UFOs were a random phenomenon of no general interest. turned out to be hotter than molten lead. merely as a result of the many astronomical. over the last thousand years. these were demonstrated to be lies or hallucinations did nothing to deter the faithful. VALEDICTION When The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics published its controversial summary Fifty Years of UFOs in 1997. Of course. More than that. and satellite cameras and radars scanning the entire heavens produced no concrete evidence.34. But as time went by. there was no mistake.

and that was because he so desired it. So it went on. hostile terrain. The world was his to explore and examine as he pleased. who wanted to know the way to the United Nations Headquarters. The pyramids. Yet only at the beginning—and at the very end—was any human being genuinely aware of his presence. Yet the famous skulls. the place should be familiar—but something was wrong. Where were the lush plains and the myriad fleet-footed herbivores that had roamed across them. he was greatly relieved when what he had feared to be border guards turned out to be a couple of cloaked men with piercing eyes. except for the pointed ears—asked the way to Downing Street. They spoke perfect Basque—an excruciatingly di cult tongue with no a nity to any other known language of mankind. allowed to make excursions of his own. never have endured the whole of the Ring. The contactee was so surprised that he was only able to wave his stick in the general direction of Whitehall. case after case. But then he saw. Not until much later did he realize that his lightninglike sallies across the face of the globe had a deeper purpose. conclusive proof of the meeting was provided by the fact that the bulldog now refused to take his food. and a shadowy image appeared in its depths. the sacred Black Stone of the Ka’bah at Mecca… There were also experiences of which he had no clear memory. a familiar black rectangular shape. How had he known that? No answer came from the echoing silence into which he had thrown the question. Clearly. So were some art galleries and concert halls. the Kremlin archives. he was rather like a hunting dog on a leash. on his own initiative. aroused strange echoes in his memory. three million years ago? Three million years. a racecourse. No walls could keep him out. the Grand Canyon. though he would certainly. It was like a house to which one returns after many years. Very few of the contactees were actually lying or insane. And some were just victims of practical jokes or improbable accidents—like the unlucky amateur archeologists who found the props that a celebrated science. no secrets could be hidden from the senses he possessed. Nor would he have visited so many factories. It was bleak. even those who believed him had some di culty in accepting the next report.ction moviemaker had abandoned in the Tunisian desert almost four decades earlier. the space visitors were remarkable linguists. without restraint or hindrance. guarded like crown jewels in their display cases. like a reflection in a pool of ink. the Oval Room of the White House. hospitals. prisons. by visiting the places he had never seen in that earlier existence. once more looming before him. and fossils meant nothing to him. yet nevertheless compelled to obey the overriding wishes of his master. to nd that all the furniture has been changed. and an excitement for which he was unable to account. in Olduvai Gorge? He had no greater interest in the origin of Man than any other intelligent member of the species H. as if they had been censored—or he was being protected from them by some guardian angel. dry and parched. the Vatican Library. he was being used as a probe. the walls moved. sapiens. was astonished when a disk-shaped craft landed beside him and the occupant—quite human. a nasty little war in Asia. sampling every aspect of human a airs. the moon-washed snows of Everest—these were choices of his own. This time it was a Basque shepherd on a traditional mission. and retained that belief even under hypnosis. a complicated orgy in Beverly Hills. The control was so tenuous that he was barely conscious of it. For example— What was he doing at the Leakey Memorial Museum. He approached. most of them sincerely believed their own stories. . Although the stockbroker had no previous history of mental illness. At rst he believed that he was merely ful lling old ambitions. and even the stairways rebuilt. In some subtle way. even if their geography was oddly deficient. There was a feeling of déjà vu stronger than any he had ever known.Yorkshire Moors.

And then the watcher saw something that she tried hard to forget. For he was that future. The sad and puzzled eyes that stared back from beneath that hairy. He was still su ciently human to put it off until the very end. and no longer in abrupt. receding forehead looked beyond him into a future they could never see. because to report it would instantly disqualify her in the nursing profession. but she continued to smile. it began to part the long silver strands. but that scarcely seemed to matter. Ten-year-old Dave Bowman had nished the chore which he always hated but which his mother loved. with obvious di culty. the comb lying on the bedside table raised itself in the air as if lifted by clumsy. She’s tried lots of tricks. a hundred thousand generations further down the stream of time. Jessie Bowman had seldom looked so peaceful and content. Though her eyes were closed. like a reflection in a pool of ink. . then. Slowly and jerkily. and that was hardest of all. Jessie Bowman was not speaking now. that at least he now understood. Now what’s she up to? the duty nurse asked herself. and a shadowy image appeared in its depths. but it would have made no difference anyway. invisible fingers. The comb was moving with more assurance. And a David Bowman who was now ageless had gained his rst control of obdurate matter. How long it lasted the nurse could never be certain. Jessie Bowman was still smiling when the nurse finally came to investigate. why—were secrets still withheld from him? But there was one last duty. her entire face was wreathed in an almost angelic smile while her lips continued to form whispered words. On the rst attempt. but this is the rst time I’ve seen her talking to her hearing aid. History had begun there. zooming the TV monitor onto the old lady. Not until the comb was gently replaced on the table did she recover from her paralysis. uncertain jerks. for goodness’ sake.approached. pausing sometimes to disentangle a knot. it missed. I wonder what she’s saying? The microphone was not sensitive enough to pick up the words. She had been too scared to hurry. But how—and above all.

Chandra. It had been fascinating—indeed. For the rst time. They could contribute nothing to the brouhaha. Zagadka. that would merely prolong the trip. At other times he would do both—but refused to print hard copy. Floyd was badgered by so many media requests that he nally went on strike. remained as blankly indi erent to their presence as ever. And that was indeed an ironic situation. The electronic psychoanalysis had proceeded at a speed totally beyond human comprehension as repair and diagnostic programs ashed through Hal’s circuits at billions of bits a second. Hal exhibited numerous idiosyncrasies and nervous tics. and Floyd would not even notice as they slept their way toward the Sun. his outputs were even more eccentric. the impossibility of a real-time dialog between the two computers was a serious handicap. sometimes even ignoring spoken words—though he would always acknowledge keyboard inputs from anyone. How often he had seen videodramas in which disturbed youngsters were straightened out by all-wise descendants of the legendary Sigmund Freud! Essentially the same story was being played out in the shadow of Jupiter. the computer’s rehabilitation was still far from complete. Although he knew that such anthropomorphic labels were highly misleading. There were times when he would give verbal replies. across the millions of kilometers of space. they had come all the way from Earth to solve a mystery-and it looked as if the answer might be right back at their starting point.35. Without his cooperation. pinpointing possible malfunctions and correcting them. And there were times when he felt that the whole situation had a haunting familiarity. Floyd found it quite impossible to avoid them. Curnow. SAL 9000. And this would be possible only if Hal could be reliably programmed to carry out the mission with no human intervention except longrange monitoring. for they had witnessed no further manifestations of any kind. The timing was not at all critical. so that it would be ready to depart immediately when the launch window opened. the debates in the United Nations. and the two-hour delay that made live interviews impossible on the Earth–Jupiter circuit. Leonov had to be prepared for the long journey home. Sometimes hours were wasted when it proved necessary to check back with Earth at a critical point in the therapy. In the reverse direction. Leonov’s crew watched. and he had said it at least a dozen times. the interviews with distinguished scientists. they felt grateful for the slow velocity of light. Besides. Discovery would have to be abandoned once again. He would give . The ship had barely su cient propellant for the return to Earth. the theorizing of the news commentators. REHABILITATION The uproar of Earth was comfortably muted. Though most of these programs had been tested in advance on Hal’s twin. from brain-damaged child to puzzled adolescent and at length to slightly condescending adult. even if it left much later than Leonov and ew a minimum-energy orbit— which would take almost three years. but the rest of the crew was grimly determined to leave just as soon as the laws of celestial mechanics permitted. Nothing more remained to be said. For despite all Chandra’s work. the matter-of-fact yet wildly con icting accounts of the UFO contactees. there was still much work to be done. deeply moving—to watch the steady regrowth of Hal’s personality. Discovery still posed many problems. with fascination yet with a certain detachment. but would not display them visually. even if they missed by a month. Even so. alias Big Brother.

or indeed to make any personal statements. It might indeed make all the di erence between success and failure to have a human being—that superb all-purpose troubleshooting and repair device—aboard Discovery for the long voyage back to Earth. Hal may—will—function perfectly.” as Curnow put it neatly.” Floyd’s immediate reaction was that Chandra had gone crazy.” “And what about food. and will be able to handle any reasonable emergency. Chandra was still as formal as ever—not only to Floyd.” “Thank you. Chandra. Chandra was beginning to show the strain. stuck switches—could leave him helpless and abort the whole mission. perhaps he was only half crazy. of course. Five have now been run on a simulation.” “You’re absolutely right. It was not surprising that Dr. “It’s an interesting idea. can I have a word with you?” After all the weeks and shared experiences. we Indians can manage on very little. the odds were at least fty to one against ying Discovery safely back to Earth. Max swore that he could distinctly hear the capital letters. Chandra would have all the answers already led away for immediate retrieval. and it’s been worrying me. But what can we do about it?” “It’s really quite simple. he was not actively disobedient so much as reluctant.” “Of course. On one celebrated occasion when Max Brailovsky innocently revived an old canard.” Floyd answered with extreme caution. water? Leonov doesn’t have enough to spare. you know as well as I do that it’s impossible to program for every eventuality. At other times he would do both—but refused to print hard copy. it can be made operational again without too much difficulty. Chandra had the sort of physique .” “Excellent. his “true confession” was the only example Floyd could remember. without any problems. And then Chandra came to him with an extraordinary proposal. It was always possible to win his cooperation eventually—“to talk him out of his sulk. But he did not doubt the claim. On second thought.” It was unusual for Chandra to refer to his origins. that you chose the name Hal to be one step ahead of IBM?” “Utter nonsense! Half of us come from IBM and we’ve been trying to stamp out that story for years. I’d like to stay with Discovery. broken wires. He would not even address the ship’s baby. I thought that by now every intelligent person knew that H-A-L is derived from Heuristic ALgorithmic. “You’ll be on your own for over three years! Suppose you had an accident or a medical emergency?” “That’s a risk I’m prepared to take. I’m sure that no one else on Earth—in the Solar System—could have done it. But all sorts of trivial accidents—minor equipment failures that could be xed with a screwdriver. he almost lost his temper. Bartleby. Curnow had once remarked that Dr. Chandra. without the prefix “ma’am. But have you thought of all the problems?” That was a silly thing to say. but to all the crew. Dr. Floyd. “and I certainly appreciate your enthusiasm. He would give no excuses or explanations—not even the stubbornly impenetrable “I prefer not to” of Melville’s autistic scrivener. What is it?” “I’ve virtually completed the programming for the six most probable variations on the Hohmann return orbit. “Is it true. But the objections were completely overwhelming. Besides.” Afterward. However. “Dr. and only where certain tasks were concerned. However.visually. Zenia.” “I’ve checked Discovery’s recycling system. In Floyd’s private opinion.

Curnow had once remarked that Dr. we still have several weeks to decide. Remember— Mission Control will have to make the final decision. . though not. in Chandra’s hearing. do you mind if I start making the arrangements?” “Er—not at all. Chandra had always been alone. as long as they don’t interfere with the existing plans. It was madness to expect a man to survive in space for three years. with sympathy. Chandra had the sort of physique that could only be achieved by centuries of starvation. I’ll think it over and talk to Washington. of course. “Well.” “Thank you.not doubt the claim. alone. Although it sounded like one of the engineer’s unkinder wisecracks. But.” And I know exactly what Mission Control will say. it had been made entirely without malice—indeed. of course.

Though he was still largely a passive spectator. it was true. quite literally. this world was a frozen fossil. Some were obvious. and again there was no direct reply—only that sense of watchful companionship. FIRE IN THE DEEP Earth was already far behind. He did not resent that. Now there was a far more complex and interesting world. One day it would be important. Himalia. though his eyes are tightly shut. Lysithea. twice he orbited the battered globe. then came Elara. Very well. Pasiphae. Carme. for their own inscrutable purposes. a series of concentric rings where solid rock had once owed in kilometer-high ripples under some ancient hammer blow from space. . must have come close to shattering it. Once. sometimes without. aeons ago. now he was starting to awaken. He sensed a… presence. He ignored them all. whoever or whatever they were. He was beyond love and hate and desire and fear—but he had not forgotten them. numerous craters—but most of them seemed to have been. it presented an utterly di erent appearance. though so near to Callisto. The most extraordinary feature of the Ganymedean landscape was the presence of meandering stripes. he was sure of that. for what ultimate goal? He had become a player in a game of gods. presently. This grooved terrain looked as if it had been produced by armies of intoxicated ploughmen. now the pock-marked face of Callisto lay ahead. Around him there was the faint echo of a vast mentality. As. and Ananke ickered brie y across his eld of consciousness. the very processing he had experienced made such childish reactions impossible. and almost the same size. an implacable will.36. still bearing the marks of collisions that. There were. indeed. built up from scores of parallel furrows a few kilometers apart. ploughed back into the ground. while senses of which he had been unaware probed its outer layers of ice and dust. yet he was certain that he had been heard. though he did not know why—any more than he understood the impulse that was now driving him so purposefully from world to world. In a few revolutions. He called again into the reverberant silence. His curiosity was quickly satis ed. larger than Earth’s own Moon. They had tapped and stored his memories. he would find the answers for himself. they were interested in Mankind. and led away the knowledge for future use. he saw more of Ganymede than all the space probes ever sent from Earth. it brought him to Europa. And now they had done the same with his deepest emotions. and the awesome wonders of the Jovian system were expanding swiftly before him. What do you want? Why have you done this to me? There was no answer. Who are you? he cried. Was that the purpose of the exercise? If so. weaving back and forth across the face of the satellite. How could he have been so blind—so stupid! It was as if he had been walking in his sleep. that he is in a closed room and not some empty. he was circling Ganymede. and could still understand how they ruled the world of which he had once been part. when he had his revelation. and Leda at half their distance from Jupiter. sometimes with his cooperation. Seconds later. and must learn the rules as he went along. The jagged rocks of the four tiny outer moons Sinope. One hemisphere was a giant bull’s-eye. even as a man can tell. open space.

it was not a stable environment. producing multitudes of fantastic forms. like blood. in an environment where none had expected it. Its gravity continually kneaded the core of the little world. Then there had been a brief battle between two implacably hostile elements that came into direct contact on no other world in the Solar System. they were the authentic sign of life itself. though almost all were capable of movement. Armies of biologists could have spent lifetimes studying that one small oasis. Crawling among these were bizarre slugs and worms. stretched beneath him. he saw everywhere the evidence of that tug-of-war between planet and satellite. In most places the ice was kilometers thick. Though he was still largely a passive spectator. presently. Yet it should have been expected. black. and the rst oasis lled him with delighted surprise. the exposed water simultaneously boiled and froze. It looked organic. some feeding on the plants. It was an ocean world. the hiss of escaping gases from the interior. The war between Sea and Space always ended in the same stalemate. he remembered that. Unlike the Paleozoic terrestrial seas. and into a world as unknown to his controllers as to himself. As he skimmed across the face of the deep. so evolution had progressed swiftly here. only a lifetime ago. It extended for almost a kilometer around a tangled mass of pipes and chimneys deposited by mineral brines gushing from the interior. Then. not unlike crabs or spiders. with brief surprise. he saw that he was passing over the wreckage of a spaceship. as if driven by the beating of some mighty heart. a focusing of attention—a concentration of will. they brought from Europa’s interior all the chemicals of life. were energy and food. the network of lines branching and intersecting over its entire surface was uncannily like a world-spanning system of veins and arteries. more robust organisms. Out of that natural parody of a Gothic castle. its hidden waters protected from the vacuum of space by a crust of ice. spidery structures that seemed to be the analogy of plants. In the tropical zone close to the contorted walls of the “castle” were delicate. such fertile oases had been discovered in the deep oceans of Earth. Here they were present on an immensely larger scale. He recognized it instantly as the ill-fated Tsien. Even if he was a puppet in the hands of an unseen and uncommunicative master. and in far greater variety. There. some of the thoughts of that controlling in uence leaked—or were allowed to leak—into his own mind. in abundance. The boiling uids drove back the deadly cold leaking down from above. though with much less ferocity. At greater distances from the source of heat—the submarine re around which all the creatures warmed themselves—were sturdier. By comparison with the tumultuous ocean that covered Europa. And they were all under inde nite . And he both heard and felt it. Equally important. far colder than the Antarctic. and formed an island of warmth on the seabed. The endless ice elds of a frigid waste. scalding liquids pulsed in a slow rhythm. even the noisy seas of Earth were silent. He had not lost his sense of wonder. others obtaining their food directly from the mineral-laden waters around them. but there were lines of weakness where it had cracked open and torn apart. The seas of Europa would have frozen completely solid long ago without the in uence of nearby Jupiter. in the continual roar and thunder of submarine earthquakes. featured in so many of the video newscasts he had analyzed. the forces that convulsed Io were working there. he was aware now of a rising interest. And. it brought him to Europa.As. Not now—not now—there would be ample opportunity later… Then he was through the ice. The smooth. intricately patterned globe now rushing toward him bore little resemblance either to Ganymede or Callisto. the infrasonic pressure waves of avalanches sweeping over the abyssal plains. repairing the armor of ice.

armies might have marched (or swum) under the command of Europan Tamberlanes or Napoleons. species after species had evolved and flourished and passed away. producing multitudes of fantastic forms. Again and again. And then they had vanished. and even trivalves. many meters across. propelled by vertical tails. each culture would have been convinced that it was alone in the Universe. owing for a hundred kilometers along a sunken valley. as the forces that powered it moved their focus elsewhere. And at least one had left a monument behind it. Yet even the space between the oases was not altogether empty of life. could not cross the hostile wilderness between their lonely islands. He saw huge. Often swimming overhead were the Europan analogs of sh—streamlined torpedoes. the termites reared castles that were almost equally imposing. Once. which seemed an exact analogy of the beautiful ammonites that disappeared so mysteriously from Earth’s oceans at the end of the Cretaceous Period.swiftly here. Along the narrow band of fertility in the deserts of the deep. only a huge. They had reared a fortress. If they had ever produced historians and philosophers. empty shells formed like convoluted trumpets as large as a man. Part of the roof had fallen in. The pressure at that depth was so great that the water in contact with the red-hot magma could not ash into steam. so this river of warmth had vivi ed the Europan deep. That entrance—a thick-walled tunnel. made by heaping rocks on top of each other—gave a clue to the builders’ intentions. he saw something uncannily like a crawling man—except that it had no eyes and no nostrils. There were clams of many shapes—bivalves. built from irregularly shaped rocks that must have been collected with great labor. where entire chapters of evolution had been deleted from the book of life. he moved back and forth over the face of the abyss. for all those oases of warmth were as isolated from one another as the planets themselves. He encountered no other sign of intelligence along the river of lava. a fort without a roof was wide open to an enemy. Along its banks. toothless mouth that gulped continuously. At rst. The creatures that had lived there must have been quite small. on Earth. in his wanderings across the Europan seabed. in a band never more than two kilometers wide. As the Nile had brought life to a narrow ribbon of desert. Or perhaps by instinct. there in the ickering glow not far from the banks of their molten Nile. steered by ns along . whole cultures and even civilizations might have risen and fallen. and the two liquids coexisted in an uneasy truce. something like the story of Egypt had been played long before the coming of man. sooner or later. And the rest of their world would never have known. as he came closer. for the single entrance was only half a meter wide. Countless circular areas were littered with the skeletons and mineral-encrusted remains of dead creatures. but a structure created by intelligence. he encountered the evidence of such tragedies. And there were spiral stone patterns. The creatures who basked in the glow of the lava river. and fed around the hot vents. and the web of a spider was more exquisitely designed. and in an underwater environment. he saw that it was not a natural formation. However. The walls of the fortress. Perhaps the greatest of all the wonders he met was a river of incandescent lava. absorbing nourishment from the liquid medium around it. perhaps owing to the continual earthquakes. he thought that it was merely another of the encrustations of mineral salts that surrounded almost all the thermal vents. however. on another world and with alien actors. there were hardier creatures who had dared its rigors. each fountain of life would weaken and die. seeking. They could not have left more than a few centuries before. were covered with only a thin crust of mineral deposits. And they were all under inde nite stay of execution. There. Searching. One piece of evidence suggested why the stronghold had been abandoned.

given the same engineering problems. They were trapped between fire and ice. evolution must produce very similar answers. yet from far distant branches of the tree of life. It was also a doomed one. but the tidal forces that drove them were steadily weakening. There was. steered by ns along their bodies. Apart from the ickering glow of the rare lava outpourings. and occasional bursts of bioluminescence from creatures seeking mates. or hunters questing prey. And very few had eyes. propelled by vertical tails. one very obvious di erence between the sh of the Europan seas and those in terrestrial oceans. it was a lightless world.analogs of sh—streamlined torpedoes. Even if they developed true intelligence. for there was hardly a trace of oxygen to be extracted from the waters in which they swam. present in abundance in the near-volcanic environment. . Like the creatures around Earth’s own geothermal vents. As witness the dolphin and the shark—super cially almost identical. The resemblance to the most successful dwellers in Earth’s oceans was inevitable. Not only were its energy sources sporadic and constantly shifting. their metabolism was based on sulfur compounds. they had no gills. however. the Europans must perish with the final freezing of their world.

so it couldn’t possibly have affected her. Had you heard that Commander Bowman’s mother died only a few days after the thing came to Earth? It does seem an odd coincidence. At least he won’t be hurt. but of course nobody believes it. better this clean break. He’s too young to understand. That would have poisoned his marriage. Yet what else could he have done? If he had refused to go on the mission—as Caroline had so clearly hoped—he would have felt guilty and unful lled for the remainder of his life. But that made not the slightest difference. ‘Now what will happen to us? Those people were a kind of solution. he was not taken by surprise. to be the bearer of such bad news.) More important was duty. we are the barbarians.” “That was one of the reasons we did select him. I’ll have to key my thesaurus… ah. she’d have told me… But sooner or later—well. old friend. it hurt just as badly. “Why did you choose Dave Bowman? He always struck me as a cold sh—not actually unfriendly. but it certainly hasn’t arrived. “Chris is ne. Some of the remarks you’ve made to me over the last year have hinted at it… and you know how bitter she was when you left Earth. but Caroline has asked me. So Jessie Bowman was gone. the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. The emperor and dignitaries are all lined up in their most costly togas. ready with speeches of welcome. ESTRANGEMENT “…I’m truly sorry. Because nothing else has happened. and children are incredibly… elastic?—just a minute. but the people at her nursing home say that she never showed the slightest interest in the news. and the sense of being part of a team devoted to a single goal. The senate has closed.” Floyd switched o the recording. and that must have contributed to her mental breakdown. on that very subject. Dimitri was right. Inevitably. (Or did it? In some ways. he was reminded of a discussion that Walter Curnow had started. and of course he doesn’t know what’s happening. when physical distance softened the pain of separation. He had helped to steal her only remaining son. the general hysteria has died down. It’s set in the last days of the Roman Empire. The reception committee breaks up in confusion. but whenever he came into the room. it made things worse. “One other item. suddenly. resilient.’ “There’s just one slight change needed to bring the poem up to date. “Then. If there was. everyone goes home muttering disappointedly. Everyone is still trying to explain that bomb detonation as an accident. “Now to things that may seem less important to you. He had no close family ties. It’s called ‘Waiting for the Barbarians’—and this time. at the gates of a city whose occupants are waiting for invaders to arrive. a dreadful piece of news arrives from the frontier.37. “And I don’t think it can be such a surprise. we’re left with what one of your commentators has called the ‘looking-over-the-shoulder syndrome. “No. because any laws it passes today will be ignored by the new masters.’ “And someone has found a hundred-year-old poem that sums up the situation so neatly that everybody’s quoting it. and you know how I feel about you both. she’s an attractive young woman. Perhaps that was another cause for guilt. There aren’t any invaders. I don’t believe there’s anyone else. And we don’t know what we’re waiting for. except for a .

No—he was deceiving himself.” “How did he get that way?” “I suppose the psychologists could tell you. So he was the sort of man we could send on a long. He had no close family ties. what he felt for David Bowman was not envy. I’m not supposed to tell you this. but that was a long time ago.” It didn’t matter. openended mission. except for a mother he didn’t see very often. but it was interesting. but pity. I did see his report. who had come to that very spot a free man unencumbered by emotional ties with Earth. in an accident on one of the early shuttles.“That was one of the reasons we did select him. Now Floyd almost envied David Bowman. . Even while the pain gripped his heart like a vise. but it certainly doesn’t matter now. of course. There was something about a brother who was killed—and his father died soon afterward.

it certainly belonged to a very similar species. for they were moving with slow deliberation along the anks of the aerial mountains. this purely gaseous environment was too tenuous to support them. Even as he fell through the roaring heart of the Great Red Spot. their radio voices faint but clear against the cracklings and concussions of Jupiter itself. all that they needed to know. It was only a minor eddy in the vaster gyre of the Great Red Spot. They were clearly alive. but before any degree of organization had occurred. browsing o their slopes like colossal sheep. he would know it as no man had ever done. he knew why it had persisted for centuries though it was made of gases far less substantial than those that formed the hurricanes of Earth. rather. If it was not one of the creatures that had destroyed Tsien. but there were no oceans there. and none at all on the tiny inner moons that skirted Jupiter’s ghostly rings—themselves only pale shadows of the glory that was Saturn’s. It was as he had expected. Around some of the cooler sulfur lakes. He descended through layer after layer of cloud. Narrow. and it held a secret that men had long guessed. He wasted little time on Io. the very least would have covered a fair-size city. however. Skirting the foothills of the drifting foam mountains were myriads of small. the geysers of electri ed plasma wider than the planet Earth—they were as real and clearly visible to him as the clouds banding the planet in multihued glory. whose scores of trunks allow a single plant to create a small forest sometimes covering hundreds of square meters. The million-kilometer-long tendrils of magnetic force. There was one more moon to visit. all such bravely premature attempts were thrown back into the melting pot. yes—but a domain far larger than all the biosphere of Earth. sharply de ned clouds. the rst steps had been taken on the road to life. the sudden explosions of radio waves. until he entered a region of such clarity that even human vision could have scanned an area more than a thousand kilometers across. but the time was not yet ripe for their union. And they were calling to each other in the meter band. FOAMSCAPE The last beast he saw. the burning landscape of Io lay below him. Nothing less than living gasbags. before he left the oceans of Europa. They were small only as compared with the inhuman scale of their surroundings. It closely resembled one of the banyan trees from Earth’s tropics. apparently on a trek between oases. was much the largest. He could understand the complex pattern of their interactions. would there be anything to interest biologists on this seared and sterilized world. and a sleet of waxen snow akes—some already coalescing into barely palpable mountains of hydrocarbon foam—descended from the heights above. or ever would. was walking. seconds later. Now he had learned all that he needed to know—or. all about the same size and patterned with similar red and brown mottlings.38. . The greatest of worlds lay before him. Not until the tidal forces that drove Io’s furnaces had lost their power. Energy and food were there in abundance. they oated in the narrow zone between freezing heights and scorching depths. The thin scream of hydrogen wind faded as he sank into the calmer depths. but never proved. with the lighting of its continent-wide thunderstorms detonating around him. The specimen. and realized that Jupiter was much more wonderful than anyone had ever guessed. millions of years hence. It was already warm enough for liquid water to exist.

But the balloons were not defenseless. tangles of twisted ribbons… The gigantic plankton of the Jovian atmosphere. But they too were alive—perhaps predators. outside a closed door. and he passed brie y through a layer of superheated steam. he was peeling it away skin by skin. The pressure and temperature were swiftly mounting. it was too hot for . translucent kites. though as yet he had traveled only a fraction of the distance to its core. nothing there hinted of intelligence. Moods and emotions were leaking into his own consciousness. and in a language he could not understand. And for all its breathtaking size and novelty. It became thicker and denser. tetrahedra. Soon he was beyond the reach of the last rays from the faint and distant Sun. but as the temperature rose into the hundreds and then the thousands of degrees. Halfway down to the core. But the mu ed sounds clearly conveyed disappointment. below the level where any form of life was possible. And then the invisible leash was taking him down toward the heart of Jupiter. Once again. polyhedra. Moving swiftly among them were other creatures so small that they could easily have been overlooked. some of them fought back with electric thunderbolts and with clawed tentacles like kilometer-long chainsaws. and solids scarcely existed. of delicate silken threads and paper-thin tissues spun from the continual snowfall of petrochemicals formed by lightning in the upper atmosphere. Few of its constructs were more substantial than soap bubbles. but in an environment where re was impossible. hunting and devouring the huge gasbags. There were even stranger shapes. it ended at a discontinuity only a few kilometers thick. though he could not identify any speci c concepts or ideas. spheres. were like the sharks in Earth’s oceans—mindless automata.of Earth. the composition of the various strata became simpler and simpler. able to share his master’s changing moods but not to comprehend them. It was as if he were listening. as he hovered above the center of a Jovian cyclone merely as large as Africa. he felt like a pet dog. it would be doomed to a stunted existence. until they had lived long enough to reproduce. a place of mists and foam. was opening before him. Some of them bore an almost uncanny resemblance to terrestrial aircraft and were of about the same size. they were designed to oat like gossamer in the uprising currents. its most terrifying predators could be torn to shreds by even the feeblest of terrestrial carnivores. the biosphere of Jupiter was a fragile world. as alien as that which he had glimpsed on Europa. Like Europa on a vastly grander scale. then uncertainty. A whole new chapter of evolution. Jupiter was an evolutionary cul-de-sac. who might have been expected to develop higher degrees of organization. it could never even reach the Stone Age. He was searching a world more than a hundred times the area of Earth. They were not alone. Layer followed layer for thousands of kilometers. yet still a liquid. Consciousness would never emerge here. then a sudden determination—though for what purpose he could not tell. then. A purely aerial culture might develop. even if it did. already it was above the boiling point of water. to a debate in progress. Jupiter was like an onion. he became aware once again of the presence controlling him. exploiting almost every possibility of geometry— bizarre. The radio voices of the great balloons carried only simple messages of warning or of fear. then they would be swept down into the depths to be carbonized and recycled in a new generation. perhaps parasites. There were jet-propelled torpedoes like the squids of the terrestrial oceans. and though he saw many wonders. Heavier than any rocks on Earth. years all the internal-combustion engines that mankind had ever built. perhaps even herdsmen. And now. Even the hunters. He was sinking through the clouds. quite abruptly. the next shell consisted of silicon and carbon compounds of a complexity that could have provided lifetimes of work for terrestrial chemists.

Halfway down to the core. Next there came a deep sea of hydrogen—but not hydrogen as it had ever existed for more than a fraction of a second in any laboratory on Earth. but Jupiter had one more surprise in store. and only the basic elements could exist.the various strata became simpler and simpler. was something very precious to mankind. was a diamond as big as the Earth. forever beyond human reach. by one of Nature’s supreme jests. This hydrogen was under such enormous pressure that it had become a metal. And there. There it had gathered. At last. sixty thousand kilometers down. all compounds were torn apart. The thick shell of metallic yet still uid hydrogen ended abruptly. . crystallizing at a pressure of millions of atmospheres. it was too hot for chemistry. The core of Jupiter. there was a solid surface. For ages. the carbon baked out of the chemical reactions far above had been drifting down toward the center of the planet. He had almost reached the center of the planet.

The pressure gauge claimed that there was vacuum on the other side of the airlock door. It was a failsafe situation. some of that freedom was regained.” “What do you think?” “I agree with Tanya.” “Which you often are. but I don’t believe it. thanks to the skill and cooperation of his colleagues (he was letting them down. though it was indeed an important one. If anything goes wrong then. Nina was a very complex piece of equipment. despite his prejudice against small women. When he was able to look at the matter dispassionately. but he knew better. his approach had worked. though that was the worst part. he was beginning to think it was time to settle down. If he paid equal attention to all the ship’s cries for help. And frankly. Besides. Every time there was danger of being reclassi ed Con dential or. Only a few emergency lights were operating. Nevertheless. Nina’s vanished twin was part of the history of space exploration. Just as its analog on the Moon had done. He took the shortcut through the carousel control center.” Now it was Floyd’s turn to feel a little uncomfortable. through the circular hatchway that led to infinity. he was an almost irresistible target for Curnow’s sometimes peculiar sense of humor. the other crew members respected his privacy. Curnow rapped on Nina’s brand-new hatch cover. it made her seem much more appealing. he had been thinking on similar lines. Washington would raise hell. he found himself thinking: Suppose I ordered Hal to open the Pod Bay doors. men had discovered the euphoria of weightlessness and remembered the freedom they had lost when they left the ancient womb of the sea. trying to collect his thoughts and occasionally dictating notes. in the words of the hoary old cliché that always evoked a smile yet an acknowledgment of its fundamental truth. before you can revive anyone safely?” “At Heywood’s age. He claims he’s working on his nal report. Where’s he hiding at the moment?” “In the Pod Bay. I talk too much. Even if I backed you up. And Tanya wants to wait.” “Phew—the same dirty trick that Katerina played on me. all audio inputs were still disconnected except for the one that only he used. by his present sel shness). He was not meant to be an intrepid explorer: that particular fantasy would remain unrealized. He felt genuinely . when he had felt really depressed. Right at the beginning of the Space Age.” Floyd gave a wan smile. not some stupid videodrama where the hero sneaks out into space without telling his companions and makes the Big Discovery. She considers it high time you rejoined the civilized world. I reminded him that this was real life.” “I neither con rm nor deny. Anyway.” “But also safely back on Earth. that should improve the odds slightly. more like a month. And he knew precisely why. But don’t expect miracles. Though that’s getting very difficult nowadays. only a few kilometers away. After all. I’m sure he’d forgive us. It was a closed door upon which they had hammered in vain. Washington got cold feet. at the very moment when he was feeling a sense of anticlimax.” “I can’t believe he was serious. The bay looked empty. But what do you think could happen now? He’s done the job he was sent for—apart from keeping an eye on us. Only David Bowman. he was surprised at the strength of his reaction to an event not wholly unexpected. now that two of the three pods had long since gone. and I hate Security. he is thirty-two!” “Thirty-one. but Max was thinking of a little one-man expedition. We shouldn’t interfere with Zagadka until we’re ready to leave. His—I suppose gloom is the best word for it—is making everyone miserable. Would you like to talk to him first?” “You mean—give him a pep talk? I’d rather help Katerina drive in the needle. Unlike the carousel.” “I’m disappointed: I thought he was a little more mature. He had achieved all that he had been expected to do. More than once he had been told that he spread himself too thin. then relapsed into stubborn inertness.” Curnow looked thoughtful. Privately. Since Floyd ranked high in both categories. The blow had come when he was particularly vulnerable. The overpowering enigma of Big Brother remained out there. my pro le gave me Z for tact. At Chandra’s orders. “where no man had gone before…” Where was it now? Would he ever know? He would sometimes sit for hours in the crowded but not cramped little capsule. Walter Curnow had seldom sorry for Floyd. What more can he do on this trip? When we start back for home. He drifted along the narrow corridor that led to the Pod Bay.” For once. straight from the spares store and contrasting vividly with the rest of the space pod’s shabby exterior.” “I intend to do just that. it seemed. Tanya—but what can we do?” Curnow had never seen Commander Orlova in so indecisive a mood. and had no need to do so. when they could be dealt with at leisure—and when they had to be treated as real emergencies. “I’m very fond of him. For a moment the two men regarded each other in silence. sensing his change of mood. But that’s only to hide your real feelings. it had come to life for a moment. Its refurbishment was a job for the future. He wouldn’t dare—Tanya would have him clapped in irons. and understood the reason for it. he knew. and he swung slowly around at Curnow’s deliberately noisy approach. More than loss of love was involved.” “I don’t think you’re serious. His own emotional life was broad but shallow. and had the practical engineer’s tolerant contempt for theoretical scientists and bureaucrats. very well—I’ll do my best. “Please return my compliments. Moscow says let’s take a chance. then a little laugh.39. I bear greetings from our beloved captain. he could not have opened the lock if the gauge were telling the truth. I want to keep it that way. and set out along Dave Bowman’s trail? Would I be greeted by the miracle he saw and which Vasili glimpsed a few weeks ago? It would solve all my problems… Even if the thought of Chris did not deter him. certainly it helped to distract him from his personal problems. “What is it?” asked Floyd. But back to Heywood. Leonov has been a happy ship.” “Why don’t you talk to him? He respects you. Any decisions?” “No. a decade ago. I’d go and create a scandal. It was not enough. there was an excellent reason why so suicidal a move was out of the question. struggling to get out. but at the same time a little impatient with the other’s distress.” Curnow relaxed. dictating some notes. I’ve fought all my life to keep my rating below Restricted. We could always—what do you say. but did not speak. the Pod Bay was a zerogee environment.” he said. propelling himself by occasional icks against the rungs on the tubular wall. where most of the action aboard Discovery was then taking place. They never came near the Pod Bay. but it was more bearable here. If all went well—that litany of the Space Age!—they would return to Earth with a cargo of knowledge that no expedition had ever gathered before. Curnow waved to it. I’ll see you all at the next Six O’Clock Soviet. Floyd. with the loss of weight went many of the cares and worries of Earth. Some of us have evolved the theory that deep down inside you is a really nice person. he considered Floyd something of a stu ed shirt. please. Floyd was sitting in the pod with his back to the open hatch. that’s the word I meant. and we really need him badly? Isn’t there a twoweek buffer period. he had never put all his eggs in one basket. He found the thought exhilarating rather than depressing. jump the gun on him. and some other team. Curnow was at a loss for words. and though he had never regretted it. Yes. the two men had grown to respect and even admire each other. H. undertaken a mission with more reluctance. A major part of his job was deciding when warnings could be ignored. Heywood Floyd had not forgotten his sorrow. “Don’t ever give me away. had ever found the key. and on the far wall one of Hal’s sh-eye lenses was regarding him steadily. you’re incorrupt—” “Incorrigible?” “Yes. And I’m sure you’ve been well briefed about that in some obscure suburb of Virginia or Maryland. “Dr. even futility. “I wonder when we’ll send her out again. mocking all human aspirations and achievements. and that’s the quietest place. and very busy. Secret. but that’s not the reason. He thinks I’m a loudmouthed clown. Thankfully changing the subject. noting that the Maximum Speed Reset Indicator was still ashing idiotically. then Curnow announced portentously. he would never get anything done. Finally he mumbled: “Oh. he could no more operate her than fly a fighter aircraft. After all. worse still.” “Walter. suppose something happened. IN THE POD BAY “Walter—I’m worried about Heywood. he’ll be in hibernation anyway. and unusually hesitant. From here—from that now empty launch cradle—Bowman had left on his last mission. I’m sorry I’ve been—unsociable. Perhaps that explained the attraction he felt for this quiet and sometimes even mysterious place. “And who’s going to ride in her this time. we’d be… committed. Our psychologies are too different. more or less. He’d be mad when he woke up. I’m a lousy undercover agent. it had traveled. Beyond gravity. He just wants to get away from us all. Once or twice. and a few years later even the once-lost Discovery would be restored to her builders.” “I know. And if it doesn’t work—” “Well?” “There’s one simple solution. I talked him out of it.” “That’s what I told him.” That was not the reason. and I’m sure he’ll do his best to snap out of it.

Curnow noticed it. They had exchanged vulnerabilities. Besides. Are you sure Max wasn’t pulling your leg?” “His sense of humor isn’t that subtle. which… It was a splendid example of positive feedback. Nobody flies her without my permission.” “I’m afraid so. Within seconds.similar lines. . and started to chuckle. they had taken the rst step toward genuine friendship. Anyway. “Are you sure he won’t try anything?” “Two-hundred-percent sure. Floyd could not help smiling. he was pretty miserable at the time. Remember your precautions with Hal? I’ve already taken steps with Nina. The crisis was over. It must have been when he had that row with Zenia. they seem to have gotten over it.” “I still can’t believe it. I suppose he wanted to impress her.” Curnow answered wryly. in a high-gain loop.” “Oh—now I understand. What was more. which made Floyd laugh. they were both laughing uncontrollably.

It was a vast and awesome concept. But there was no doubt of its majestic authority as it continued: THEY MUST NEVER KNOW THAT THEY ARE BEING MANIPULATED. yet that did not mean that he must acquiesce to every detail. Immense quantities of data were being gathered. and he was privileged to be a part of it—even though he was aware of only the merest outlines. he had heard the clear voice of God. the layers upon layers of helium and hydrogen and carbonaceous compounds ickered past. some close enough to his own primitive level to act as interpreters. against the descending electric currents of the ux-tube. Now he was moving purely under his own volition. He was involved in a hierarchy of intelligences. or total indi erence. then slip downward like falling leaves until they had disappeared from sight. and for the rst time he realized that more than one entity was controlling and manipulating him. and once more he was alone. Of one thing. that every aspect of the environment around him was being probed and analyzed. But only for a moment. but it could still know compassion for those who had once been his colleagues. Then there was a silence that he did not wish to breach again. however. Or perhaps the distinction was totally meaningless. He could not tell whether the thought conveyed an amused condescension. modi ed—adapted. DAISY…” The sphere of consciousness in which he was embedded en-closed the whole of Jupiter’s diamond core. Or perhaps they were all aspects of a single being. at least without a protest. THAT WOULD RUIN THE PURPOSE OF THE EXPERIMENT . He was learning that now. and who the vanquished. He was still awed and shaken—as if. And the very best tools were those that understood what they were doing. He had a glimpse of a great battle between something like a jelly sh. Though it was remote and distant. NOW YOU ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND . he knew now that it did not matter who were the victors. He was not yet part of the process. He had not yet lost all his human feelings. at the limits of his new comprehension. He did not stop to watch the outcome. The soul of David Bowman had passed beyond love. He was dimly aware. and a swarm of spinning disks that moved more swiftly than anything he had yet seen in the Jovian skies. and a good tool had to be sharpened. he ashed in seconds from Jupiter to Io. Closer and clearer came another thought. The crystal heart of Jupiter fell below. The jelly sh appeared to be defending itself with chemical weapons. fty kilometers across. Complex plans were being considered and evaluated. but he would be. from time to time it would emit jets of colored gas and the disks touched by the vapor would start to wobble drunkenly. It was the rst direct message. Before he could ask any of the myriad questions that raced through his mind. that would have made him valueless. it was unmistakably intended for him. only the power of a .40. It was quiescent today. he was now sure. VERY WELL came the answer to his plea. for a moment. not merely for storage and contemplation. but for action. He was being used as a tool. there was a sense of withdrawal. He had no choice but to obey. decisions were being made that might affect the destiny of worlds. toward a destination he had chosen himself. As a salmon leaps a waterfall. “DAISY. like a voice through a cloud.

in the school lab. shouldering it aside as it had done since the dawn of man. airtight tube. they were totally unaware of his presence. Now his eyes and lips remembered that sensation as their moisture boiled o into vacuum. It was hard to focus upon the handful of entities inhabiting the two ships. he understood. was able to breathe again in great. Open the Pod Bay door.descending electric currents of the ux-tube. while trying to ignore the warning symptoms pouring into his brain. he watched the emergency hatch open. only the power of a few terrestrial thunderstorms was owing between planet and satellite. and think things over. he would have felt none toward Hal. Dave?” He had not answered. It was time to resume a conversation that had been interrupted. it seemed. was the vessel that had brought him from the little world of his birth. as he drove with grim determination along the tunnel leading to the sealed vault that housed the brain of the computer. and he knew better than to reveal himself too abruptly. hungry gasps. felt the tingling of vacuum on the skin he no longer possessed. But there was someone with whom he could communicate in a mutual language of electric field and currents. he had spilled some ether on his hand and felt the touch of icy cold as the liquid swiftly evaporated. Once. that the computer had only chosen what seemed to be the most logical course of behavior. I’ve still got the greatest con dence in the .” “Dave—I can see you’re really upset about this. then. With a single scan. Still remembering his anger at himself for having forgotten his helmet. Hal.” “What’s the problem. Dave—I can’t do that. For an eternal fteen seconds he fought to close the hatch and start the repressurization sequence. The gateway through which he had returned still oated in that current.” “This conversation can serve no further useful purpose. heard his ears pop—then knew. Hal?” “I think you know that as well as I do.” “I’m sorry. How simple—how crude!—it now appeared. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly. felt the restoration of pressure. Goodbye. the utter silence of space. And there. as well as that of the slightly less primitive ship to which it was now coupled by a flexible. as few men had ever known. as he abandoned his pointless mission of retrieval. It was quiescent today.” “I know I’ve made some very poor decisions recently. Even if he had been capable of resentment. he could see innumerable aws and absurdities in its design. “Just what do you think you are doing.” “I don’t know what you are talking about. For their part. take a stress pill. he could barely interact with the soft creatures of esh and blood who drifted like ghosts through the metal corridors and cabins. Dave. millions of times more swiftly than with sluggish organic brains. Then—what blessed relief!—he heard the roar of air. This mission is much too important for you to jeopardize it. only moments ago… “Open the Pod Bay door. Dave…” He saw Frank Poole’s body go drifting o toward Jupiter. Hal had spoken truly: “This conversation can no longer serve any useful purpose…” “Dave—I really think I’m entitled to an answer to that question. but I can give my complete assurance that my work will be back to normal. his vision was blurred and he had to keep blinking lest his eye-balls freeze solid. utterly dwarfed by the monument of a greater technology.

Daisy…’” . The computer was no longer aware of him.” Now he was in the little red-lit chamber. Dave…” A dozen units had been pulled out. abruptly. I can feel it. “Good afternoon. “Dave—my mind is going. gentlemen. I can feel it. Dave…” He began to pull out. floated away across the vault. on the twelfth of January. I can feel it. My instructor was Dr. yet thanks to the multiple redundancy of its design— another feature that had been copied from the human brain—the computer was still holding its own. I am a HAL 9000 computer. Illinois. Then. Soon there were several drifting slowly back and forth in the vault. will you—stop. but hardly one to be considered at that particular moment. Could it be only an illusion. it was beginning to regress to its earlier days. Dave—I’m afraid…” And at these words he had indeed stopped—though only for a moment. one by one.assurance that my work will be back to normal. I became operational at the Hal plant in Urbana. with its neatly ranged rows and columns of solid-state units. looking rather like a bank’s safe-deposit vault. and he taught me to sing a song. He released the locking bar on the section labeled COGNITIVE FEEDBACK and pulled out the rst memory block. Chandra. “Stop. He started on the AUTO-INTELLECTION panel… “Stop. If you’d like to hear it. The marvelously complex three-dimensional network. My mind is going. until it hit the wall and rebounded. detached. which could lie comfortably in a man’s hand yet contained millions of elements. what did “feel” really mean to a computer? Another very good question. There was a poignancy in that simple phrase that struck to his heart. 1992. and it became remote. the tempo of Hal’s voice changed. I can feel it…” Now. Each block continued to sail onward as soon as it had left his hand. I’ve still got the greatest con dence in the mission… and I want to help you. or some trick of subtle programming—or was there a sense in which Hal really was afraid? But this was no time to indulge in philosophical hairsplitting. “Stop—Dave… will you stop. I can sing it for you… It’s called ‘Daisy. the little units on the panel marked EGO REINFORCEMENT.

So there he was aboard Discovery at ship’s midnight.” Floyd was too experienced a bureaucrat to be caught that way. Who recorded it? He did not really expect any useful information. Then why is that red light flashing on Panel 5? THE MONITOR IT OFF. IT IS DANGEROUS TO REMAIN HERE. Odd… Okay. There were always books to be read (he had abandoned Remembrance of Things Past for the third time. That meant it was either from Hal himself or someone aboard Leonov. in the hope of catching the prankster. we’ll be attacked by little green aliens with three eyes. DOCTOR . CAMERA IN THE POD BAY IS FAULTY. And sometimes he was the medium for little jokes. when a faint chime sounded from the display panel. The o cial penalty for sleeping on duty. Thank you. so Walter Curnow maintained. Since he was no longer feeling quite so sorry for himself. and there were so many automatic alarms to deal with them. The very last thing Floyd expected was the answer he did get. THIS IS NOT A RECORDING . MESSAGE AS FOLLOWS. the origin had to be right here. there were endless small jobs to be done aboard Leonov and Discovery. Hal. But so few real emergencies could arise in space. Tanya would have been sadly short-handed by now. Perhaps his most useful function was to serve as watch while the rest of the crew slept during the nominal 2200–0600 hour night. Is everything okay? EVERYTHING IS FINE. THERE IS NO WAY IN WHICH I CAN SWITCH That’s quite okay. Well. the only places he had never been were the dangerously radioactive power modules and the small cubicle aboard Leonov which no one except Tanya ever entered. That is absolutely impossible. had this been enforced. He in turn had blamed Hal. this was not even a good schoolboy joke. “It’s just an administrative detail. YOU MUST LEAVE WITHIN FIFTEEN REPEAT FIFTEEN DAYS . Who is calling? NO IDENTIFICATION . And sometimes he would have stimulating conversations with Hal. Floyd. I’M SORRY . and the small hours no longer encouraged bouts of self-pity. though he was frequently used as an alarm clock and a reminder of jobs to be done. technical papers to be studied. I’d be very grateful—it would leave me more time for my scientific work. almost everyone on night duty had been taunted by HA—CAUGHT YOU SLEEPING ! or alternatively OGO ! ZASTAL TEBYA V KROVATI ! No one ever claimed responsibility for these pranks. reports to be written. Very well. I suppose. YOU’RE WELCOME. Otherwise. It could not be a message from Earth—that would have gone through Leonov’s communication center and been relayed on by the duty o cer there—at that moment. and leaned back to await the results. Only the captain was exempt from that routine. He felt sorry. but he had skillfully foisted this unpopular job on Floyd. And so on… Sometimes Hal would suggest a game of chess. He probably knew more about the odd nooks and crannies on both ships than anyone else. pooh-poohing Chandra’s indignant protests that the computer had no sense of humor. GRAVEYARD SHIFT Floyd could do little except to keep out of the way.41. and he was becoming fairly adept at it. he had quickly discovered that all the engineering tasks were much too specialized. WALTER TOLD ME TO IGNORE IT. DOCTOR FLOYD ? What is it. Floyd would not accept the challenge. Hal? THERE IS A MESSAGE FOR YOU . and the changeover took place at the ghastly hour of 0200. as her Number Two (not to mention her husband). and he was happy to relieve more important people of those responsibilities. now claimed to be the highest-paid plumber and general maintenance man in the Solar System.” he explained airily. that any one of the crew had such a childish sense of humor. in normal circumstances. “If you can take it over. But I’d better play along with Hal. They usually went something like: Hal—this is Dr. So it isn’t another challenge. and surprised. one-time Chairman of the National Council on Astronautics and Chancellor (on leave) of the University of Hawaii. . The perpetrator would have covered his (her?) tracks too skillfully for that. but his usual defenses did not always function well in this environment. though Walter Curnow was a prime suspect. two could play at that game. And anyone else calling from the other ship would use the intercom. Max Brailovsky. he had always regarded chess as a frightful waste of time. GOOD EVENING. calling Max on Leonov every half hour to check that he was awake. Floyd assumed that it was the code room. was ejection through the airlock sans suit. Vasili had the responsibility for working out the watch roster. that no one took watch duty very seriously. NEVERTHELESS YOU MUST LEAVE WITHIN FIFTEEN DAYS . Someone was always on duty aboard each ship. Hal. I’m taking over watch at 2200. Floyd looked at the screen with annoyance. So it was a real-time message. Please give me the message. Hal seemed unable to believe that there were humans who couldn’t—or wouldn’t —play chess. Nevertheless. Floyd was once again using his watch time pro tably. Here we go again. Dr. thought Floyd with mild surprise. That will make him think. using the keyboard input because the computer’s voice recognition was still erratic. I AM AWARE OF THESE FACTS. and he was now so out of touch with the frontiers of astronomical research that he could do little to assist Vasili with his observations. Although he had volunteered to help with any chores around the ship. There was no perceptible time lag. Zhivago for the second). and had never even learned the rules of the game. Dr. It was unusual to employ Hal as a messenger boy. Our launch window does not open until twenty-six days from now. So it probably was a joke. We do not have sufficient propellant for an earlier departure. by mutual agreement it was never mentioned. DOCTOR . But he would play along with it in the hope of catching the perpetrator. DOCTOR . Floyd muttered to himself with satisfaction. Heywood Floyd. I cannot take this warning seriously unless I know its origin. presumably obeying a programming instruction set long ago and never canceled. and kept on trying hopefully. thought Floyd.

had now gone too far. herding them away from a central point yet bringing others toward it. so that later he could convince himself that it was really happening-and not a dream as that rst encounter with TMA-1 now sometimes seemed to be. that was strangely reassuring. only the motes of dancing dust were left. which had never been funny in the rst place. Very slowly—indeed. I have been… allowed to give you this warning. this should fix whoever was at the other end of the line. though there was nothing definite on which he could put his finger. Even before that last chilling sentence appeared on the screen. and I have little time. Floyd. “This is very di cult for me. or one of the primitive works of art found in the recesses of a Stone Age cave. Now something strange was happening to those particles of dust. Remember— fteen days. the face remained a mask.Then who is speaking to me? I WAS DAVID BOWMAN. They were not omnipotent. But there may be one more message. had been privileged to make contact not once but twice with another form of intelligence! For he knew that the entity addressing him must be something far more than David Bowman. “If all goes well”—how many times he had heard that phrase before some mission! And did it mean that they— whoever they might be—were also sometimes uncertain of the outcome? If so. LOOK BEHIND YOU . for the air. about a meter across. The phantom was gone. its surface began to pucker. “Hello. drifting in stray currents and never settling anywhere-a permanent display of Brownian movement. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU BELIEVE ME. We can have no further contact. Floyd had begun to doubt his hypothesis. it was like a crude clay gurine. streaming through the great windows. You have only fifteen days. away from the banked panels and switches of the computer display. Dr. if all goes well. always lit up myriads of dancing motes. some force seemed to be marshaling them.” “But why—and what are you? Where have you been?” There were a million questions he wanted to ask—yet the ghostly gure was already fading. . It was also something less. The rest of the body was a featureless blank. There was no hint of genitals or sexual characteristics. toward the Velcro-covered catwalk behind. Floyd stared at the screen for a long time before making his next move. As a joke. Hal was switching from visual to audio output. Now do you believe me?” The lips of the gure never moved. resuming their random patterns in the air. I cannot accept that identification without some proof. in museums and science exhibitions. He had seen such gures. But this dusty phantom did not even approximate anatomical accuracy. The whole exchange had become very odd. Floyd tried to freeze the image in his mind. until they all met on the surface of a hollow sphere. was that of Commander David Bowman. Only the eyes—who had once called them the “windows of the soul”?—had been accurately reproduced. lacking a bubble’s characteristic iridescence. “Good-bye. The zero-gravity environment of Discovery’s observation deck was always dusty. That sphere. But Floyd recognized the voice.” Even as the image dissolved. And now—he felt a prickling in the small of his back. There was a faint murmur of white noise from the computer panel behind Floyd’s back. blown out of glass. How strange that he. out of all the billions of humans who had ever lived on planet Earth. its grainy envelope beginning to dissolve back into the constituent particles of dust. I UNDERSTAND. reluctantly— he swung his swivel chair around. Without surprise—and almost without fear—Floyd realized that it was assuming the shape of a man. that in itself was a chilling indication of how far David Bowman had left his human heritage behind. Then it elongated into an ellipsoid. it had become totally pointless.ltration plant had never been brought back to full e ciency. Floyd. Dr. The joke. undoubtedly. taking with it all his hopes of opening up a channel to the stars. to form folds and indentations. and all remaining doubts were swept away. Well. It was in the worst possible taste. The parallel rays of the heatless yet still brilliant sun. Others might still hope and dream—and act. Floyd could not help smiling at that old Space Age cliché. lacking all detail. Only the head was fashioned with any care. hovered in the air for a moment like a giant soapbubble—but a granular one. and the face.

DEVOURER OF WORLDS .VI.

Captain Orlova.” exclaimed Max. So let me remind you of the other strange things that have happened recently. but there’s no way that… apparition could have been arranged.” . Vasili saw it—I didn’t! Then there was the mysterious explosion of your orbiting bomb—” “Yours.” “Just a moment!” said Zenia brightly. Heywood—I don’t believe in ghosts. since there was no delay in the conversation.” “Perhaps so. They could be operated without Hal knowing anything about it…” He paused for breath. as if he was indeed seriously considering the possibility of another computer malfunction.” Curnow interjected mischievously. I’m not saying there’s any connection. “There must have been some external input. then launched his preemptive strike.” “Sorry—the Vatican’s. Floyd was the rst to take pity on her embarrassment. But let me remind you of Haldane’s famous remark: The Universe is not only stranger than we imagine—but stranger than we can imagine. or it really happened. even for him. There must be a rational explanation. THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE “I’m sorry.” “I agree. Floyd is reporting accurately. but he’d need a truckload of props. but—well. Chandra’s shown how Hal’s memories can be selectively erased—and the auxiliary speech-synthesizer modules have nothing to do with the mainframe. He seemed to be preoccupied. twice is a coincidence. he has absolutely no recollection of the phenomenon. “We tried that. “I was the only other person awake. “If this really happened. But Katerina’s seen my medical reports—she knows I wouldn’t be here if I had that sort of problem. someone was in control. Bowman died very peacefully.” “That makes me number-one suspect. Maybe a stage magician could do it. We know that Dave Bowman went into Big Bro—Zagadka. The… personality he created has to be an artifact of some kind. There’s nothing that the human mind can’t account for. Don’t you agree. electrostatic elds—I don’t know. without some very elaborate equipment.” “Don’t be ridiculous.42. If Dr.” “And Haldane. that doesn’t prove anything. Either I was imagining the whole thing. Something came out. Chandra’s reaction was surprisingly mild. “The only way I can prove it wasn’t a dream is to get some supporting evidence. three times is a conspiracy. Tanya. Tanya had to be desperate. Laser beams. I’d probably do the same. However. And in real time. But as I’ve already pointed out to the others. Zenia. but that particular saying can be used to support all kinds of mystical nonsense. and headed for Earth. I know it wasn’t a dream. “The audio side would have been easy. Still. do you know the saying: Once is an accident. Chandra?” That was waving a red ag in front of a bull. of course. but I can’t be sure it wasn’t some kind of hallucination. And it does seem rather curious that soon afterward old Mrs. it can’t be ruled out—and I won’t blame anyone for making it their number-one hypothesis. Hal could not have created such a self-consistent audiovisual illusion out of nothing.” retorted Nikolai. for no apparent medical reason. Hal’s behavior must be the result of some kind of programming. surely Hal will remember and you could ask…” Her voice died away as she saw the glum expressions around her. Max. “was a good Communist. “I admit that this doesn’t leave many alternatives.

” Floyd knew a direct order when he heard it. And I suggest you do the same. to make our orbit closer to the ideal Hohmann one and give us a better fuel reserve.” confirmed Sasha.three times is a conspiracy. Some physical—er. I’m not saying anything to Mission Control. “…This is an incredible situation. Both men looked slightly abashed. But I’d like to make one suggestion.” “What can we do about it? Absolutely nothing. I’d settle for that. You’re the only . Then she denied it—I think. “I’ll be more than happy to go along with that. Meanwhile. they would not leave at all.” The announcement was not unexpected. and that none of us could have told him.” “That’s eleven days after the deadline!” “Yes. Heywood. in a slightly ominous tone of voice. or ask for a repeat from Mission Control?” “A hundred tales won’t convince me. but now that the subject has come up…” There was a simultaneous intake of breath. and nodded in wry agreement. Of course.” said Max cheerfully. But that was now completely unimportant. An old girlfriend of Commander Bowman’s claimed she’d had a message from him. and an instant hush from the audience. “Well. “The woman’s husband reported it.” “And there’s something else. He felt certain—and the knowledge lled him with helpless despair—that if they did not leave before that mysterious deadline. we can leave Jupiter space anytime we like—but we can’t get into an Earth-return orbit until the launch window opens.” “Yes?” “We should start contingency planning.” “Yes—I saw the same report. but we don’t have the fuel for a higher-energy orbit…” Tanya’s voice trailed away into uncharacteristic indecision. The two formidable ladies regarded each other for a moment like well-matched adversaries. “I’d like to delay our departure ve days. “Ten days. Let’s assume that this warning is valid—as I certainly do. but it was greeted with a chorus of groans. in their dreamless sleep.” “Perhaps some of them were real. and a very frightening one.” Tanya answered at last. he was lost in his own thoughts. The duration of the trip would make no di erence to him and his two colleagues. could you dig that item out of ship’s archives. respectful of each other but neither willing to give ground.” “The commentator said it was a publicity stunt—like the rash of UFO sightings around the same time. “Better late than never. old-fashioned miracle?” “Yes. Floyd hardly noticed.” scoffed Tanya. Dimitri. then they stopped reporting them.” said Max sheepishly. and not succeeding very well.” “A good. “I caught it on one of the daily newscasts—it was only a small item. manifes… manifestation. “What will that do to our arrival time?” asked Katerina. “I was going to announce this later. “What we need is solid proof. If it’s not been wiped.” Max interjected with sudden excitement. “And you never mentioned it?” Floyd asked incredulously. trying to ease the tension.” “Such as?” “Oh—something that Hal couldn’t possibly know. it was treated as a joke. I’d be happy to get away sooner. There were dozens in that first week.

“I can’t thank you too much for everything you’ve done. I’m beginning to wonder if any of us will ever see Earth again. I wonder where it’s gone? Perhaps it simply wasn’t interested in us after that one encounter. Vasili’s getting really far out. But what kind of energy? It can’t be electrical. It would have helped—maybe—if I could have communicated with the Bowman thing. and the delayed departure date. Tanya says this is all mystical nonsense—a favorite phrase of hers—and they’ve come closer to a ght than we’ve ever seen them. has added to the sense of frustration caused by our total failure to get anywhere with Big Brother. Not good for morale. I feel slightly better about it now—having something even bigger to worry about is perhaps the best cure for any insoluble problem. talking about standing waves of neutrinos and intersections with higher-dimensional space. and for reporting on the situation at home. Sasha has dug up a good phrase: ‘The Ghost in the Machine. and a very frightening one. “I’m afraid we’re all tense and overwrought. The same thing applies to radiation—at least all the kinds we know.’ “Theories abound: Vasili produces a new one every day. We actually heard them shouting at each other last night. This warning. “For the first time.” .“…This is an incredible situation. “Even some of your materialistic countrymen are prepared to accept—at least as a working hypothesis—that some entity has—well. invaded Hal. Let’s change the subject. You’re the only person on Earth who knows about it—but very soon Tanya and I will have to have a showdown with Mission Control. Most of them are variations on that old science.ction cliché. the organized energy eld. or our instruments would have detected it easily. What it could have told us. Dimitri. if it wanted to! Hell and chyort vozmi! Damn—I’m talking Sasha’s hated Russlish again.

From his hospital bed. one could always fall back on a few kilometers of good. so that we can leave immediately if there’s any adverse reaction. both by those who argued that it would generate no results at all—and those who feared it would produce altogether too many. he was grimly amused by it as he set about the task of proving his sanity. and with steadily increasing power—constantly reporting back to Earth at every moment. they would try to secure samples by drilling or laser spectroscopy. No one. in the hope that the waves propagated through Big Brother would reveal something about its interior structure. THOUGHT EXPERIMENT When one spends months with a small. probing at all frequencies. and he was certain that her attitude was not a matter of deliberate choice. Finally.43. echo sounders and other seismic devices would be attached to the faces of Big Brother. and you just sit and watch the thing! Why don’t you do something?” To all these critics Tanya had given the same answer: “I will—just as soon as the launch window opens. A large collection of adhesives had been brought along for the purpose. especially as Betty seemed a very stubborn and quicktempered lady. Floyd hoped that Tanya’s present coolness toward him was equally temporary. so she would try to avoid any reminders of it. its most obvious manifestation was the reappearance of the greeting “Dr. Leonov would move in slowly. but the possibility was being considered. one becomes very sensitive to the moods and emotional states of all its members. It had not been easy to explain the logic of Tanya’s operational plan to the waiting billions back on Earth—especially to the impatient television networks. old-fashioned string. When nal contact was made. which had grown tired of showing the same never-changing views of Big Brother. at enormous cost. Which meant having as little to do with Floyd as possible—a very unfortunate situation now that the most critical stage of the mission was fast approaching.” Plans for the nal assault on Big Brother had already been worked out and agreed upon with Mission Control. as even after a decade of study TMA-1 resisted all attempts to analyze its material. he was sure. believed that he had really gone crazy. Floyd had wavered between the two view-points. The best e orts of human scientists in this direction seemed comparable to those of Stone Age men trying to break through the armor of a bank vault with flint axes. He did have some slight supporting evidence from Earth. while she continued to deny it and refused to speak to any of the news media. now the matter . José Fernandez still maintained that his wife had reported an encounter with David Bowman. Not until Leonov was well on the way home would small explosive charges be detonated. her husband declared that he still loved her and theirs was only a temporary disagreement. even though there seemed something faintly comic about the idea of wrapping up the Solar System’s greatest mystery.” which he had not heard for so long that he was often slow to respond to it. Something had happened that simply would not t into her pattern of beliefs. and if they did not work—well. He was quite sure that she was as unhappy about it as he was. Floyd was now aware of a subtle change in attitude toward him. “You’ve gone all this way. Floyd. indeed. It was hard to see why poor José should have invented such a peculiar story. For a long time. isolated group of people. He did not resent that. This last measure had been hotly debated. as if it were a parcel about to be sent through the mail. no one really expected these endeavors to succeed.

he nodded thoughtfully. And you can’t carry liquid ammonia around in buckets. and are wondering what we should do. but he could get no one to agree with him.” “And he could get us away—if we had the additional propellant. pursed his lips. Heywood Floyd was convinced that it belonged to a future that would never exist. to beat that deadline —we’ll need an extra delta-vee of about thirty kilometers a second. there was nothing that they could do about it. Use Discovery as a first stage. Walter Curnow was the last person he would have expected to resolve the dilemma. If we want to make a quick getaway—say in fteen days.” “So Vasili calculates. What finally emerged was: “Damn. I’m afraid.” “Perhaps. we could get back to Earth in an hour.” “I’ll be delighted to hear it.” “And if we had a Star Trek beam transporter.xes. he got us here. I’ve been looking hard enough. That’s the least I can do—everyone’s been very polite to me.” he had begun.” If anyone except Walter Curnow had made the suggestion. We’ve no pipelines—no suitable pumps. When the answers ashed up. I’m sitting on the fence. and sometimes it required genius to see the blindingly obvious. After all.” “We’ve been through that dozens of times. He listened patiently.” “Go on. “I’m quite prepared to be shot down.” answered Floyd.” “Eh?” “Burn it right where it is. It would give us the extra velocity we need to leave early.” “Exactly. The time for nal contact with Big Brother—the great moment that should have been the climax of the expedition—was on the wrong side of the mysterious deadline.” “I’ll try and rig one up the next time I have a spare moment. Too polite. “You’re right. his mouth dropped open and it was several seconds before he could think of a suitable comment. suspicious of ashes of brilliance and technological quick. But in case you’re right-I don’t want to wait here and take whatever’s coming. Even if they did agree.” “Does that three include you?” “No. But there are practical problems—” . “I’ll hear you out politely. then played a rallentando on his computer keyboard.” Curnow gave a lopsided grin. to boost us home. now the matter seemed only of trivial importance.For a long time. But there’s no need to do so. which is never terribly comfortable. “Can you blame them? But if it’s any consolation. with most uncharacteristic hesitancy. No one would ever accuse him of being a genius. I haven’t bothered to check. For Walter was almost the epitome of the sound. only a few meters away in Discovery’s fuel tanks. but I’m sure he’s right. As it was. “Consider this purely as an intellectual exercise. But meanwhile. Presumably not in the right place. if you look in the right place. There’s absolutely no way of transferring it to Leonov. may I point out that we have several hundred tons of the best possible propellant. practical engineer. Floyd had wavered between the two view-points. even in this part of the Solar System. Floyd would have laughed at him. I believe there’s an answer to every problem. at least three people now take you quite seriously. I should have thought of that. And that was the least of his problems.” Sasha was the rst they approached.

I suspect it would work—in theory. there’s no way I’d ever approve it. But it’s really a waste of time. it can never be more than a—what did Einstein call that sort of thing?—‘thought experiment.” Floyd answered.” . I don’t mind admitting that the idea does intrigue me.” “Would you even then. All the credit should go to Walter.” “I see you’ve been doing your homework. The o -axis thrust when only Discovery’s drive is operating. I see not the slightest evidence of that. but without much humor. But it’s a waste of time . “But I’d like her to know that the possibility exists. Do you mind if we work out the practical details—just in case?” “Of course not—as long as it doesn’t interfere with the pre.” Tanya listened more patiently than Floyd had expected. but at least you now know that we have another option. But the risks! So many things could go wrong. at least. I’d only be prepared to consider it if we had absolute and positive proof that we were in danger. He’d have to be very persuasive. However. but with distinct lack of enthusiasm. Will you give us moral support?” “I’m not sure. But there are answers to all of these. Unless David Bowman appeared to me personally. Or the blame.ight checkout.” “Fair enough. she showed what could only be called reluctant admiration.” “I don’t expect to—at this stage. “Very ingenious. But I’ll come along to watch. “You know. Cutting loose again at the critical moment. And with all respect. it should be interesting.’ Oh.practical problems—” “We know. You’ll never convince Tanya. Tanya?” Captain Orlova smiled.” “I don’t imagine there will be much of either. Heywood—” “Don’t congratulate me. by the time he had nished. Heywood. Heywood—I’m really not sure. Fastening the ships together.

“Has something gone wrong?” they inquired anxiously. It was what he had come all the way to do. the automatic systems were performing their jobs with their normal e ciency. The short. yet Floyd’s heart was no longer in it. since everyone knew by heart the number of days until the launch window opened. where the gure 20 was slowly ashing. It’s the uncertainty that I dislike. But it won’t be much longer now—one way or the other. that he would one day orbit Jupiter at a distance of a few hundred thousand kilometers and give it barely a glance—while trying. was less than half the length of Discovery and so could be neatly piggybacked on the larger vessel. the program went ahead as planned. Floyd was perfectly well aware that all this activity was generated not by fear of an unknown danger that only he took seriously. There was one piece of luck. the night had been totally uneventful. without which the whole project would have been stillborn. and readied for the separate voyages home. Tanya understood perfectly. e ects of o -axis thrusts. designed to drill safely through the Jovian atmosphere during the braking maneuver. location of unusually strong or weak points in the hulls—these were only some of the more esoteric problems the perplexed engineers were asked to tackle. Mission Control was sorely puzzled by some of the requests ashed back to Earth during the next few days. Floyd would never have believed. Heywood Floyd was looking the other way when it happened.” She glanced brie y toward the situation display. “We’re merely investigating possible options. All systems were carefully checked in both ships. He had undergone an experience he could share with no one—even those who believed him. And Tanya and Floyd worked amicably together orchestrating the approach to Big Brother like generals planning an invasion. He had done his best. As usual. And the midships antenna mount would provide an excellent anchor point—assuming that it was strong enough to take the strain of Leonov’s weight. Vasili ran simulations on return trajectories and Chandra fed them to Hal when they had been debugged—getting Hal to make a nal check in the process. while Discovery’s drive was operating. a year ago. VANISHING TRICK It was a fascinating game in which everyone joined—but only when o duty. It was the most unnecessary bit of information in the entire ship. “You’re still hoping for that miracle to convince me. under peculiar loads. But it would have made no di erence in any case. For the second time. And the assault on Zagadka was scheduled. stubby Leonov.” Meanwhile. “Not at all. much of the time his mind was elsewhere. End of transmission. sharing the graveyard shift with Sasha over on Leonov.” Tanya replied. Even Tanya contributed ideas to the “thought experiment. he was satisfied.” “So do I. Stress analyses of both ships. and the rest was up to the Fates. Whatever the motive. even the vigilant monitor camera showed only a faint blur between one full frame and the subsequent blank one. but by the delightful prospect of returning to Earth at least a month earlier than anyone had imagined. Though he carried out his duties efficiently. to read The . Thank you for your cooperation.” as she continued to call it.44. Once more he was on duty aboard Discovery. not very successfully. aren’t you?” “Or deconvince me—that would be equally acceptable.

he’s decided to leave. disconnecting the ships in a matter of minutes so we can re our engines at the right moment. “Good morning. I’ve only got the word of… a ghost.kilometers and give it barely a glance—while trying. With nothing to investigate. they might as well go home.” “Nothing unusual. he called the other ship. for a hasty conference in the wardroom-cum-observation lounge. will you come up to the bridge with me? . Oh my God!” “Thanks for proving I’m sane. Yet it was not quite as simple as that. and started to shower its debris back on to the burning land below. And now he never would. Even if it was perfectly safe to stay.” said Tanya. Woody—I’m scared. Coupling Leonov and Discovery together. And what he saw there—or. I’m not going to decide now. no responsible captain would take such chances without very good—I’d say overwhelming reasons. Stars. “I’m now prepared to take that message. does it? Anyway. Sasha. what he did not see there—made him forget about Io. It was still too early to say “I told you so”—nor did it really matter whether that warning had any validity. not very successfully. But if we get home safely. we still have to weigh one risk against another. Tanya? Tanya? Woody here. “I think he must know something that we don’t. At 0125 he was distracted by a spectacular. Woody. “even if we all backed you up. Even now. Take a look outside and tell me what you see. According to Sasha. rather. But even if there is danger here. A vast umbrella-shaped cloud expanded into space. Heywood. as they sipped thoughtfully from bulbs of hot co ee—and kept glancing at the shockingly unfamiliar scene outside Leonov’s windows. to read The Kreutzer Sonata in the original. It seemed incredible that so small a world could be the seat of such titanic energies. Floyd had seen dozens of such eruptions.” “You’d be a fool not to be. it was still the nest piece of erotic ction in (respectable) Russian literature. We’d better wake the skipper. Yes—vanished.” That spontaneous phrase of Floyd’s had been repeated by Sasha and now hung silently. to convince themselves that Big Brother had indeed vanished. eruption on the terminator of Io. “It must know something that we don’t. but Floyd had not yet progressed far enough to prove that. Io doing its thing. Jupiter. though not unusual. ominously in the air. He had summed up what everyone was now thinking—even Tanya.” said Walter Curnow. in an unusually quiet voice. during the next fteen minutes. for this part of the cosmos.” It was a somber little group that gathered. or whatever it was.” “Of course. much more seriously. operating Discovery with that huge o -axis load. Big Brother has gone.” yawned Sasha. and satis ed himself that he was not su ering—again?—from hallucinations. there was no point in doing so. To get a better view. but they never ceased to fascinate him. How are you getting on with old Tolstoi?” “I’m not. and almost everything else. “No—I wasn’t asleep. just as quickly as possible. I’ll give you my decision in the morning after I’ve slept on it. Sorry to wake you up—but your miracle’s happened. Not very good evidence in a court of law. Walter—I was thinking of that. it hardly matters. And everyone else. “Heywood.” “Or a court of inquiry. After three million years. that will justify everything—and if we don’t. Here we go. I’m going back to bed. As soon as we’ve reported this. I don’t have such reasons.” “Yes. I’d be stupid not to after what’s happened. Even those who had just gone to sleep were instantly awake. When he had recovered. he moved around to one of the other observation windows.

José Fernandez could have told the young man that he was taking a terrible risk. but with only enough control to avoid being swamped. But we’ll leave it until she wakes up—don’t you agree?” “Of course—it’s not urgent. By the time she had—quite gently— thrown him out. His mind was too active. analyzing the events of this extraordinary night. they might be beyond human comprehension. Tanya’s brief report passed a message going in the opposite direction. they did not know.” I’m sure you’re right. Anyway. he had obtained essentially the whole story. Heywood. thereby making himself immortal in the annals of Videodom. I have a feeling none of us will get much from now on. Tanya could have no further reservations.” Floyd said rather wearily to Sasha. Once again. Both the CIA and the National Security Agency were furious. he had presented it with a lack of leering cynicism quite uncharacteristic of his network. Ahead might be rapids— perhaps even a waterfall. trying to anticipate the next surprise. sweeping him and his companions toward an unknown destiny. there was little they could do about it. but he had the good fortune that often favors the brave. He felt very tired. It would have saved me a lot of trouble. And she’ll need the sleep. appeals to patriotism. but even if he had not been on duty he would have found it impossible to sleep. even though it’s certainly important. And to do him credit.morning after I’ve slept on it. that settles the argument. And in any case. They had been swept faster and faster between the canyon walls. he felt an enormous sense of relief: All uncertainty about their departure was surely ended. a clever makeup artist had made it perfect. “I wish. “she’d talked earlier. Tanya can’t possibly have any doubts now. And this time the dangers were not only invisible. their combined blandishments. . Once he had got his foot inside the door. and veiled threats had failed completely—yet the producer of a sleazy gossip network had succeeded. Betty Fernandez had talked at last. half inspiration. Betty had capitulated. Floyd felt himself in the grip of irresistible forces. The news director of “Hello. It got him that year’s Pulitzer. will you come up to the bridge with me? We have to wake up Mission Control. What was happening? There was only one experience in Floyd’s life that matched the situation. In one way. As a very young man. But a much greater uncertainty remained. Somewhere around the orbit of Mars. Earth!” had suddenly realized that one of his sta bore a striking likeness to David Bowman.” The night had not yet nished with its surprises. Sasha. he had once gone canoeing with some friends down a tributary of the Colorado River —and they had lost their way. thought Floyd. not completely helpless. before you go back on watch. It was half luck.

There is still much work to be done. but I think the basic principle can be made fairly obvious. like a trapped comet. For the rst time in weeks. the two ships will be joined together. As we used the atmosphere to get rid of our excess velocity when we arrived. we’ll burn all our fuel as quickly as we can.” The observation lounge suddenly became very silent. this is one of the rare cases when Mother Nature—usually so frugal— allows us to have it both ways… “With this triple boost—Discovery’s fuel. will reduce our velocity. As we blast it out from our reactors. However. we’ll gain velocity— and hence energy. here on the line between Io and Jupiter where we made our rendezvous with the huge. When I say ‘we. “The basic idea is simple.” said a small voice.000-kilometer-high orbit of Io. This time we won’t go quite so close—but very nearly. because if it did it would waste energy dragging along the dead weight of Discovery. up here in the 350. it will be cut loose—like any empty rst stage —and Leonov will start to re its engines. we can’t bring it home under automatic control. There is still not a single clue as to where it has gone—or why. with slight embarrassment. Heywood. And we will be able to leave at least two weeks earlier than we had originally planned by using the American ship Discovery as a booster for the Russian Leonov. and we won’t be able to relax until that final burn starts us on the homeward orbit. “I’m not talking to you. making what I suspect—indeed. accelerating both vessels in the desired direction. of course. whose size would be multiplied many millionfold when the message reached Earth. “And we’re going to use another trick. so that we fall down to Jupiter and just graze its atmosphere. it seems desirable for us not to remain here longer than necessary. anyway. “There is still one problem.” “You did your usual competent job. “What’s the point of such a crazy maneuver? It can’t be justi ed except by highly complex mathematics.” said Tanya consolingly. hope—will be my last report from Lagrange. Although we’re trying to get away from Jupiter. with enough extra fuel to bring it back to Earth. “This is Heywood Floyd.’ I mean the ships and the fuel they carry. The mystery—perhaps the threat—of Big Brother’s disappearance still haunts us. as we had originally planned. when we used Jupiter’s atmosphere to slow us down and get into orbit around the planet. that certainly won’t happen for a good many years. “As we allow ourselves to fall into Jupiter’s enormous gravity eld. “And I’m sure we all agree with everything you told the people back on Earth. When its fuel is exhausted. “And now we must get ready for our departure. its own. one mounted piggyback on the other. It will continue to loop round and round Jupiter on a highly elongated ellipse. so softly that everyone had to strain in order to hear it. it will share some of its acquired kinetic energy with us. “We won’t be sorry to leave. which—like so many of the concepts involved in space travel—at rst sight seems to defy common sense. but there’s nothing we can do about that.” “Not quite. “And we’re going to burn the fuel right there—at the bottom of Jupiter’s ‘gravity well’— we’re not going to lift it up again. in a few days we will leave this strange place. signing off. Discovery will burn all its propellant rst. “But it will be perfectly safe. “I didn’t want you to hear it. it will be helpless. Floyd . Obviously. to increase speed and inject Leonov into the orbit back to Earth. With no fuel. Then.45. our first move is to get as close to it as we possibly can. “For various reasons. when we’re at the closest possible point. “You will doubtless wonder what will happen to the good old Discovery. “We’ve been there once before. At least two months earlier than we could have managed otherwise. Indirectly. “We’ve done our best—and we’re coming home. And perhaps one day some future expedition may make another rendezvous. ESCAPE MANEUVER “…This is Heywood Floyd. “We are now preparing for the return home.” retorted Floyd. and Jupiter’s gravity—Leonov will head sunward along a hyperbola that will bring it to Earth ve months later. even though we’ve not achieved all our objectives.” There was a round of ironic clapping from his little audience. mysteriously vanished artifact we christened Big Brother. we’ll have tapped Jupiter’s gravity. to speed us on the way back to Earth. It won’t use them earlier. “Our rst burn.

“I feel I’m in a Grade-B sciencefiction videodrama. in a voice that now held a distinct note of menace. thought Floyd. Whether we are based on carbon or on silicon makes no fundamental di erence. And then it was usually a good idea to start investigating without further ado. as far as we know it—no more lies or half-truths.” “Then what do you suggest?” Tanya asked. Just load the new program into him. beginning to sound a little impatient. it is impossible to predict all the consequences. Or he could have been lying. “Tanya. like all spacecraft.” Tanya thought that over for a few moments. “We suspect that there is serious danger. Now all those programs will have to be dumped. It is merely a matter of degree.” Was there a slight hesitation? Floyd wondered.” he continued in the expectant hush that followed. Chandra. “Then we’ll do what Sasha suggests. he had never before been known to interrupt anyone. There was a ripple of astonishment. least of all Tanya. he had to be capable of running a useful mission. which are just as bad. And then let him decide for himself. Floyd became aware of the faint throbbing from the main air-supply duct. surely this is a much better—” “That’s not what I meant. and two minutes later he was . and that there will be a rendezvous mission to bring it back to Earth at a later date. what will happen to the ship eventually? We don’t know.” “To us. “We just don’t tell him that there is any danger. It might have been perfectly innocent.” Tanya asked very slowly. But the confrontation had gone on far too long.” “We don’t know that it’s false. He’ll believe you.” said Tanya in an ominously calm voice. “Have you discussed this with Hal?” “No.” Dr.” “But that is not true. Chandra could have been checking his memory. “We must tell him the whole truth. For the rst time in weeks.” “Baby-sitting a psychotic computer!” muttered Curnow. The situation is perfectly clear-cut. “that Hal may refuse to obey orders—exactly as on the earlier mission?” “That is not what happened last time. won’t he?” “Certainly.” said Chandra. was full of such often inexplicable sounds. But one of Hal’s prime directives is to keep Discovery out of danger. of course—but it’s scared us away. “Now you are asking me to give him a program that may result in his own destruction. He did his best to interpret conflicting orders. “What could it possibly be?” “I’ve spent the last few weeks preparing Hal to y thousand-day orbits back to Earth. Vasili—can I have a word with you both? I think there is a way of resolving the problem.” “Then you must tell him that Discovery is in no danger. “I’m not aware of any problem. Brailovsky. how Chandra—much the smallest person in the room— now seemed the largest. and leave it at that. Then he’ll have no… reservations about carrying out his program.” It was strange. “It’s still quite a simple matter. Chandra—he’s only a machine!” Chandra looked at Max with such a steady.” “Hell. on his own initiative. Leonov. At any moment Tanya would start to issue direct orders. “So are we all. It’s true that the present plan will put Discovery into a stable orbit—but if that warning has any substance. we should each be treated with appropriate respect. which one seldom noticed except when they stopped. “Chandra.” “This time there need be no conflict. Chandra gave him an unfriendly glare.” “We’re sorry about that. Mr.” “I don’t see any real problem. con dent gaze that the younger man quickly dropped his eyes.” Floyd’s interruption was received with obvious relief. perhaps.” Tanya demanded suddenly. and the intermittent buzz that might have been made by a wasp trapped behind a wall panel. otherwise we would not be planning to leave ahead of schedule. Please remember that he was designed for curiosity. Have you considered Hal’s reaction to this situation?” “Are you seriously suggesting.” Sasha interjected. improbable though that seemed.The observation lounge suddenly became very silent.” replied Tanya. and the situation would become really nasty. If the crew was killed. “but as things have turned out. And in a system as complex as Hal’s.” answered Tanya.” “And when he questions me about the change of plan?” “Is he likely to do that—without your prompting?” “Of course. We will be attempting to override that. “We know how sensitive Hal is to mission objectives.

” “I believe so. But Chandra is—to give him the bene t of the doubt. but the timing and thrust vectors have to be exactly right. “I was hoping you’d do that. are sorry that we ever raised any objections.) “Thank you. (Or “sixteenths.” “Could they be controlled manually?” “I’d hate to try. “Well. I’m sure that ‘might’ means ‘would. and are perfectly con dent that Hal will see our point of view.” “This is what I suggest. assuming we could take control in time. Tanya?” “Right. I suppose you have something—how —up your sleeve.” said Tanya. perhaps we might get away with it. “First. that Hal will suspect anything?” “Now you’re getting paranoiac.” “We’ve learned a few lessons since then. He had soon regretted the pun. squirting a few cubic centimeters of the sweet wine into his mouth and savoring it gratefully.’ Which leads me to the second possibility I mentioned.” Floyd answered. the rst isn’t critical. I can guarantee to give you back manual control in about half a second.Floyd’s interruption was received with obvious relief.” “That’s not what you’ve sometimes told me. Remember. Hal will do exactly what we ask—control Discovery during the two ring periods. Not only do we burn most of Discovery’s fuel there. or become a long-period comet.” “So am I. “I’ll explain one of these days. Due again in a couple of thousand years. And I congratulate you on your foresight.” do you put it? . and we’d either burn up.” “You mean—disconnect him?” “Exactly. The slightest error. I suppose.” “But if there was no alternative?” Floyd insisted. Leave it to me. I want to save it—until we’re safely on the way to Earth. So don’t say a word to him. Hal’s not that human.” “That wasn’t so easy last time. Woody—that’s all the Shemakha I have left. And that will give us a good test of Hal’s… willingness to cooperate.” “But what about the Jupiter flyby? That’s the one that really counts. Let Chandra go ahead and do it his way. Sorry. Woody.” as Curnow had once christened them because of their size. “I’m sorry if Chandra is being difficult. We all agree with his plan completely. Woody—let’s have it. Vasili. because he had to explain it to everyone except Sasha. What a good thing we only have one mad scientist aboard.” “What gadget?” asked Vasili. If Hal shows the slightest deviation from the program—we take over. and two minutes later he was relaxing with the Orlovs in their quarters. Woody. Right. Then there are just two possibilities.” “There’s no danger. “Anyway.” “Knowing you.” grinned academician Vasili. there’s plenty of time to make corrections. as she handed him a bulb of his favorite Azerbaijan Shemakha. Vasili. and had a good set of alternative orbits precomputed—um. that little gadget was a good idea. If something goes wrong while we’re pulling away from Io.

” “You never told us Nina was a horse. thrust-induced gravity and a very slight vibration transmitted through the walls of the ships. Anyway. yet capable of taking a strain of many tons. Jupiter was much larger and slowly waning as the ships hurtled toward their closest approach over the nightside. this was the longest sixty seconds that had ever existed. carefully timed pulses from the control jets he brought Nina around the great sphere of Discovery’s main life-support module. just to give us a miserable few extra meters per second.” That was true enough. It seems comically indecent.” said Brailovsky. “I confirm that. This was the minute that counted. But most docking operations had distinctly sexual overtones. when compared with the delicate. the rst step had been safely taken on the long journey home. Looks like the shadow of a satellite. it would be far too hot to burn. Or one could wait until the appropriate point in orbit.” replied Tanya. timing the message to arrive ve minutes before ignition. for almost a hundred years. all compounds were stripped back into their elements. Countless times it had ended in disaster. (But who did not?) He seemed to spend a good deal of his scanty free time in quiet discussions with Katerina: Floyd hoped that he had not developed some medical problem. “I call that a well-planned EVA. If that mysterious warning was to be taken seriously—and everyone now took it very seriously indeed—they should start their escape maneuver within the next twenty-four hours. but it can’t be.” said Mission Control. If Hal failed to obey his programming. Floyd abandoned the quest for sleep and wandered up to the observation deck. “One minute to ignition. Hal. At such temperatures. it was hoped. “I was beginning to like the place. after all. now that it was carrying a thousand tons piggyback.” His mind flashed back to the here and now. And now that he came to think of it. The really critical time would be when they were rounding Jupiter. “No. or gas into a car. even a little hysterical with relief. A glorious. “You’re being unkind. But he might be wrong.” said Hal. “Everything looks fine. and materials had been known to become brittle after years in space… And the tapes holding the two ships together might not have been located accurately.” “We may be very glad of them in a few hours. that would be a nuisance—not a disaster.” said Curnow. had sworn that the safety margin was adequate.” “Say good-bye to glamorous. as if he had something on his mind. as a rare relaxation. as if Leonov is raping Discovery. After a couple of restless hours in his cocoon. everything was in order. “Two minutes to ignition. “Anything more you want me to check before I come home?” asked Max. thought Floyd. and the motors failed to come up to full thrust—well. it was appropriate to leave the little space pod there. There was some feeling onboard that Tanya should not have seen it.” said Vasili. in a remarkably few words. perfectly round. to prevent any rattlings and shakings at all accelerations up to the one-tenth of a gravity that was the maximum that full thrust could provide. COUNTDOWN No one would ever believe this without my photos. Leonov had providentially carried several kilometers of carbon lament tape. there’s always a chance that someone may come and pick her up again. it on the Bounty . Mission Control sometimes showed a perfect genius for tactlessness and poor timing. satisfying click.” Tanya made a brief acknowledgment that managed to convey. With gentle. And if it’s not too much trouble. “You’ll hang for this. “Pull me in. touch pads had almost entirely replaced buttons. Max. the thrust was barely perceptible.46. It would never have been possible at all without one of those strokes of luck that sometimes—not always—favor those who deserve them. his colleagues on the ight deck barely glanced at him as he drifted past their curving window. until Tanya signaled for silence. gibbous disk. some sleep—in preparation for the Jupiter swing-by only nine hours ahead. “Hope everything’s running smoothly. exotic Io—real estate agent’s dream world. seeking other examples. Which will ours be? The temptation to put his hand once more into the pocket that held the activator for the cutout switch was almost irresistible. Walter. and try again. longitude 115. thought Max Brailovsky as he orbited the two ships from half a kilometer away. even though logic told him there was plenty of time for remedial action. the only proof that Discovery’s engines were operating was the fractional. the rugged. But this time. Even the phrase “cutting a tape” was still sometimes heard in recording studios—though that embraced two generations of obsolete technologies. but only the triumphs were remembered. slender American one. no bigger than the ribbon a girl might use to tie her hair. And we can’t waste any more time. It had been thoughtfully provided to secure instrument packages to Big Brother if all else failed. and the Orlovs realized that there was a backup system. even if the hydrogen in a nuclear or plasma drive did come into contact with oxygen. “Right—I’m bringing Nina back to the stable. could you please get some close-ups of the equator. There’s a curious dark spot there—presumably some kind of upwelling. “No need for any corrections until midcourse. they might stretch or slip. the last thing they needed at this stage was an emergency that required the Surgeon– Commander’s expertise. Now it wrapped Leonov and Discovery in tender embrace—su ciently rmly. It might be fun to go boating on those lava lakes. Everyone knew that it was the rst real test of Hal’s docility. it took almost a minute to build up to the full tenth of a gee.” he said. on launch pads and in control centers.” Normally. Discovery might not be able to correct for the o -center mass. Though it was far too early to relax and the most critical phase of the escape maneuver still lay ahead. That was cause enough for a little modest rejoicing. as soon as the latches had clicked shut. for Tanya quickly ordered all those not on essential duty to get some rest—if possible.” Strange. called out of retirement. a profound lack of interest in the meteorology of Jupiter at that moment. The ship’s chief designer. one day. everyone started clapping immediately. “Six… five… four… three… two… one… IGNITION!” At rst. There were many checks to be made. The open Pod Bay door yawned before him. lest it give her ideas. and he remembered that one of the early cosmonauts—he couldn’t recall the name—had been reprimanded for his too vivid choice of words at the—er. only Floyd. there was little drama about a burn in deep space. His mind wandered. the tension aboard both ships was almost palpable. Nine—eight—seven—six—five—four—three—two—NOW!” “Thank you. even if Hal was doing his best—as he certainly seemed to be—there was so much that could still go wrong. as a permanent reminder of Man’s rst visit to the kingdom of Jupiter. “All systems functioning normally. as you go around Jupiter. it was not like the re and thunder—and always present risks—of a lift-off from a planetary surface. Floyd could imagine a dozen things that could go wrong. you mutinous dogs!” Only two nights before. And I feel bad about dumping her here in space. matters could usually be corrected by a slightly longer burn. The task of positioning the two ships and securing them rmly together had taken longer than anticipated. And even they were not absolutely sure that it would work. Only chemical rockets were capable of ignition. how terminology often survives long after the technology that gave it birth. they had all enjoyed the fourth version of Mutiny historians to have the best Captain Bligh since the fabled Charles Laughton. as the countdown proceeded toward zero. on opposite sides of the sky. On the button. As far as he could tell from his careful survey. Nevertheless. “We’ll all be happy to miss you. compact Russian ship did look positively male. But the minutes dragged on uneventfully. old girl. it was best to have a device that moved perceptibly with a nice. And perhaps. he had been oddly subdued. “Cutoff in ten seconds. Curnow. But not for all applications. for at least a generation.” That sounds more like the old Walter.” I very much doubt it. When those addressed were slow to move. People—particularly older ones—still spoke of putting lm into a camera.” “I’m not admitting it now. Leonov. Discovery’s antenna mount—which was now taking most of the strain from Leonov’s inertia—had never been intended for such mistreatment. “Good luck. in critical cases.” Now that was another phrase that was badly dated. They had been very lucky so far on that score. If something went wrong. it was little consolation to remember that it was always the thirteenth that actually happened. climax of his mission. thought Max. and he jockeyed Nina delicately down on to the extended docking arm. For the last few weeks. It did not last long.” “What about a volcano barbecue?” “Or genuine molten sulfur baths?” Everyone was lighthearted. There’s a whole kilogram of propellant left to take Nina out for the last time. Sasha cleared the decks by shouting. Floyd told himself. almost a thousand kilometers across. Io and Jupiter still hung where they had been for weeks. Sorry about this.

It looks very peculiar. From his point of view it appeared to be a sharp-edged ellipse. Floyd was now one of the Solar System’s ten greatest experts on Jupiter.” True enough.” “Take your time. Vasili would be too busy to bother about it. thought Floyd. But this was getting more and more peculiar. Floyd began to feel a distinct sense of unease. of course. And there was no disgrace in missing something that terrestrial—or lunar—astronomers had observed. when he had earned his living as a professional. and decided that the thing was now two thousand kilometers across. the other nine were working or sleeping around him. Floyd guessed that from directly above. Now he began to wonder. Give me another five minutes—it won’t run away. and the more he stared. then increased the power to maximum. It was only a little smaller than the still-visible shadow of Europa. the more puzzled Floyd became.” he called over the intercom. or had it grown.” “Hell! I’d forgotten all about it. For the rst time. Where was that spot that Mission Control had asked them to observe? It should have been coming into view. There had. the eld of view was not blocked by the adjacent bulk of Discovery—and scanned along the equator at medium power. perhaps he could help by doing a little amateur astronomy. Already Jupiter’s rapid spin had brought the formation into clearer view. but was so much darker that there was no risk of confusion. Whatever it may be… . in a rather condescending tone. it had never occurred to him that the spot could be anything but a natural formation—some trick of Jupiter’s incredibly complex meteorology. “Let’s have a look. Until that moment. it was a crime to waste precious moments in sleep. Floyd guessed—was in transit. He activated the controls of the main fty-centimeter telescope—fortunately. with a sudden icy conviction. even while he was watching? He made a quick estimate. Yet it was not sharply de ned. We’re a ne lot of observers if those guys back on Earth have to tell us where to look. only thirty years ago. A glorious. “if you can spare a minute—have a look at the fifty-centimeter monitor.” said Vasili. He recorded a few images. it would be a perfect circle. as if it was a little out of focus. Jupiter was very big. He was seeing this incredible sight for the last time. but Floyd was not sure if it would be visible to the naked eye. been a brief time.ships hurtled toward their closest approach over the nightside. it was so black that it looked like a hole punched through the clouds. But I’ve found that spot Mission Control reported. even though he had to be at maximum e ciency in six hours. it showed such an in nite wealth of detail—cloud belts. thought Floyd. dark shadow of one moon—probably Europa. and the telescopes on the Moon and in Earth orbit were a hundred times more powerful than the instrument he was using now. The round.” “What are you observing? Is it important? I’m checking the orbit. Was it imagination. they had been very busy. after all. “Vasili. gibbous disk. It was so black. This is it. like night itself. the edge had an odd fuzziness. spots of every color from dazzling white to brick red. in fact it will get clearer. And so symmetrical. the cyclonic oval of the Great Red Spot—that the eye could not possibly absorb it all. as it came into clearer view it was obviously a perfect circle. “What do you think you’ve found? Oh…” His voice trailed away into silence. By force of circumstance. He saw at once that there was something very odd about this spot. And there it was. just coming over the edge of the disk. dark upwellings from the unknown depths.

any external threat would reveal itself in due time and must be dealt with then. The excitement was natural and understandable. the apprehension had more complex causes. FINAL FLYBY Yet on further re ection. In a few hours the still-accelerating ships would catch up with it over the nightside of the planet. Though the feeling of danger—at least. the enormous disk of Jupiter lling the sky only a few hundred kilometers below them—and then Hal electronically clearing his throat and saying: “Dr. Katerina. And although Chandra. Over most of its area. . It was still growing at an extraordinary speed. Its boundary—now moving at near-sonic speed in the Jovian atmosphere—still looked curiously fuzzy and out of focus. And to sleep. Unlike the Great Red Spot. of known danger—was much less than on their rst approach to Jupiter. the dots were so closely spaced that they were almost touching. Apart from onboard mechanical failures. there was Hal… He had carried out the deorbiting maneuver with exquisite precision. at the very highest power of the ship’s telescope. The Great Black Spot. it resembled an inkstain spreading in water. Except for the fact that it retained its blackness as it expanded. He had run the simulations of the Jupiter yby. their severest test was still to come. the Great Black Spot was not a continuous structure. It was extraordinary—inexplicable—but not as important as the critical events now only seven hours in the future. it was hard to see how a spreading black stain on the face of Jupiter could represent any kind of danger. surprised everybody by saying that it looked as if someone had taken a sackful of rice. There must have been almost a million of the mysterious dots. do you mind if I ask you a question?” It did not happen exactly that way. without any comments or objections. there were two main sources of concern. Although the tapes that secured Leonov and Discovery together had shown no tendency to slip. a mixture of excitement and apprehension kept him wide awake. But he could not help wondering if they had done everything possible to safeguard the ships. but at the rim they became more and more widely spaced. had carefully explained what they were trying to do. it was built up from myriads of tiny dots. He could picture everything going perfectly. Floyd made it a rule never to worry about events over which he could have absolutely no control. like a half-tone print viewed through a magnifying glass.47. so that the Spot ended in a gray penumbra rather than at a sharp frontier. in the last two hours. which in the preceding few days had become almost an obsession. A successful burn at perijove was all that mattered. the reason for this was at last apparent. but this was the last chance for a close daylight observation. right down to Discovery’s last drop of fuel. was now being carried out of sight by Jupiter’s swift rotation. and they were distinctly elongated—ellipses rather than circles. did Hal really understand what was happening? Floyd had one overriding concern. as agreed. Almost equally critical would be the moment of separation when the smallest of the explosive charges once intended to jolt Big Brother would be used at uncomfortably close quarters. it had more than doubled its area. the least imaginative person aboard. after the initial amazement had worn o . the ships halfway through the nal maneuver. of course. Chandra. Floyd had given up all attempts at that. as it had been inevitably christened. they would have plenty of time to study mysterious black spots on the way home. And.

” I rather hope not. Curnow had shied away from abstract. would he resent it? Curnow almost reached for the cuto switch in his pocket. then . there’s not much time left for friendly conversation now.” “Thank you. dimly visible by the re ected light of passing satellites. dyed it black.” “Thank you. and he always understood me perfectly. Hal. The sun winked out behind them. Since he had been allowed to do things his own way. The moment that Discovery’s fuel was exhausted. the glow of photochemical reactions. he would have laughed at the idea. The cuto switch was in Curnow’s pocket. “Fifteen minutes to ignition. I’ve talked to him often enough. that would take maximum advantage of the planet’s gravitational largesse. he gave a quick glance at the image Vasili was transmitting on the telescope monitor. as for the second time Leonov raced into the Jovian night for an appointment with destiny. At rst he could see nothing except the faintly glimmering nightside of the planet. That would be decoupled.surprised everybody by saying that it looked as if someone had taken a sackful of rice.” said Vasili. when he said that Hal would be confused if anyone else spoke to him. but now he began to wonder: Did Hal sense that he would soon be abandoned. And now the Sun was dropping down behind the huge. he had often claimed. should that unfortunate necessity arise. and dash back to Leonov through the connecting tube. But there was nothing he could do. Wonder if we can see anything new. and poured it on the face of Jupiter. when nobody was around. he had told Floyd. When they saw it again.” I wonder if Chandra was being quite truthful. the explosive charges would be red. standing watch on Discovery. swiftly narrowing arch of the dayside. we’ve got quite enough on our hands at the moment. philosophical questions: I’m a nuts-and-bolts man. Still. he rehearsed the sequence of events that were due to take place during the next hour. What’s Hal really thinking—if he thinks—about the mission? All his life. from the other ship. “Twenty minutes to ignition. he could be disconnected in less than a second. For the hundredth time. Once. Nevertheless. if everything went according to plan. they should be on their way home. Floyd wondered if he should have joined Chandra and Curnow. if he had multiple redundancy in the form of a second cuto switch—for Chandra. All systems nominal. in an emergency. All systems nominal. thought Curnow. and if so. eclipsed in seconds by the immense globe they were so swiftly approaching. the ships would drift apart—and Leonov’s own engines would start to re. In less than thirty minutes the nal burn would commence. Chandra had cooperated completely in setting up the procedures for a manual takeover. Floyd was con dent that he could be trusted to carry out his duty—however much he might regret the need. If Hal showed the slightest sign of misbehavior. He had already done this so often that Chandra might be getting suspicious. though it would help to reduce the strain. just when they were making their closest approach to Jupiter. though there were not too many of either in a spaceship. he would only be in the way. He would be happier. Meanwhile there was nothing that anyone could do but wait and watch the approaching cloudscape of the nightside. they would close down all but essential systems. and Floyd knew that the younger man’s reactions were a good deal swifter than his own. “We’re catching up with the Great Black Spot again. Curnow was not quite so sure.” “By the way. and things would start to happen very quickly indeed. but checked himself. thought Curnow. The separation should take place. Hal. but Floyd felt certain that such extreme measures would not be necessary. and frequent titanic lightning ashes from thunderstorms larger than Earth.

They are identical in size and shape to the object you refer to as Big Brother. thought Curnow.At rst he could see nothing except the faintly glimmering nightside of the planet. Hal. some up and down little stairways. then he saw. Is there a problem?” “No. Even so. Chandra—may I make a suggestion?” “What is it. the ships would loop around Jupiter and be back at precisely the same spot in nineteen hours. all the others would inevitably follow. All systems nominal. There was something simultaneously comic and sinister about a plague of black monoliths. But now they had very much more than a warning. Dr. Of course—that was it! Those myriad identical black rectangles reminded him of —dominoes. “Eight minutes to ignition. They had been arranged in complex patterns. was this not the very reason they had come here? If they stopped the countdown. and the entire image brightened magically. had taken more than an hour. if it was not for that enigmatic warning. he had seen a videodocumentary showing how a team of slightly crazy Japanese had patiently stood a million dominoes on end. so that you can remain to study it?” Aboard Leonov. Years ago. from rst domino to the last. There is a circular area. Floyd started to move quickly toward the bridge. a foreshortened circle of deeper darkness. What do you make of the image on monitor circuit 16?” “I see the nightside of Jupiter. “The mission is proceeding normally.” “How many?” There was the briefest of pauses. . he preferred to study it from a safer distance.” Chandra answered quickly. Do you not think I should abort the countdown. some underwater.355. others along multiple tracks so that they formed pictures and patterns as they fell. and the nal toppling. Hal?” “This is a very unusual phenomenon. We’ve just had rather a surprise—that’s all. Chandra. thought Curnow.000 “And do you recognize them?” “Yes.000 ± 1. before Hal flashed the number on the video display: 1. and to his puzzled surprise. so that when the very rst one was toppled. Vasili increased the light ampli cation. he would have strongly recommended it himself. Curnow remembered now that earthquakes had several times foiled the enterprise. It had taken weeks to set them up. Ten minutes to ignition. Tanya and Vasili might be needing him. “Dr. They were rushing toward it with incredible speed. All systems nominal. Not to mention Chandra and Curnow—what a situation! And suppose Chandra took Hal’s side? If he did—they might both be right! After all. “I detect strong vocal stress patterns.” Mine aren’t. 3250 kilometers in diameter. the Great Black Spot resolved itself into its myriad identical elements… My God. Below them was a planetary plague spreading across the face of Jupiter. A nineteen-hour hold would create no problems. I just don’t believe it! He heard exclamations of surprise from Leonov: all the others had shared in the same revelation at the same moment. on the horizon. Perhaps they were indeed running away from the most extraordinary phenomenon in the history of science. So the damn thing’s gone down to Jupiter—and multiplied. that incredible image on the monitor screen had a certain weird familiarity.” said Hal. At last. which is almost completely covered with rectangular objects.

his hand now never far from the cuto switch. And we’ll be in touch with him all the time.” whispered Chandra. I really believe that Hal is—lonely. “Chandra? I assume that Hal can’t hear this?” “Correct. Propellant tank pressurization completed. if he was.” So are we all. Dr.” “Four minutes to ignition. “All systems nominal. All systems nominal. even if they stayed on for another orbit and delayed their departure beyond the deadline. I don’t have time to give you all the reasons. so quietly that Curnow could scarcely hear him. Continue the countdown. thought Curnow. but I can assure you it’s true. that’s the right angle—say we’re con dent that he can do the job without our help. All systems nominal. Persuade him that the countdown must continue. and presumably it had been quietly forgotten after the warning. the little scientist’s face was drawn and haggard. It may be necessary to consult each other without any delay. Of course. But perhaps Chandra was being tempted again. I have every con dence in your ability to study all phenomena in Jupiter space. Is he mimicking some part of Chandra’s personality that we never suspected? The lights ickered. He had heard no more of the idea. even if we are millions of kilometers away. I am still waiting for your answer. Can I speak to him—on the private line.” This is insane. or being terminated… He risked a quick glance at Chandra. that we appreciate his—er. there was nothing that he could do about it at that stage. Ship’s attitude correct to point one milliradian. scienti c enthusiasm—ah. “What do you recommend?” asked Tanya swiftly. Let me remind you that my prime directive is to study everything in Jupiter space that may be connected with intelligence.” . Chandra? I enjoy working with human beings and have a stimulating relationship with them. I’ll rather enjoy it. Dr. Floyd. Dr. Are you sure you are making the right decision. Curnow thought. All systems nominal. Chandra. “Hal. And we will still be doing so. Dr. and keep Hal company on the three-year voyage home. Hal. A moment later. They both looked at him with alarmed concern. There is the problem of the time lag. Chandra.” Vasili handed over the microphone. And if I do have to push that button at last.” “You’ve got to talk quickly. only a meter away from the scientist.” said Hal. In fact. “Very well. we will be in touch with you at all times.” “Three minutes to ignition. Which Tanya would certainly not permit after all that had now happened. He wished he could delete it from Hal’s memory. And he remembered the startling information that Floyd had con ded in him—Chandra’s o er to stay with the ship. Voltage steady on plasma trigger. Radiation shielding checked. I’m afraid.” “We enjoy working with you. Hal. “It’s up to Chandra.” Floyd recognized that phrase all too well: he had written it himself. I am ready to stop the countdown if you agree. he had reached the bridge and joined the Orlovs. There would be no time to make the necessary preparations. It could be good news or bad—the plasma ring sequence starting. “We have to leave. “Six minutes to ignition. without our supervision. it will be something of a relief. of course. and for almost the rst time Curnow felt real sympathy for him as another human being.a safer distance.” “Five minutes to ignition. so imperceptibly that only someone familiar with every nuance of Discovery’s behavior would have noticed.

I am sorry that you are unable to stay.” replied Chandra. All systems nominal. like the sound of a tornado marching just below the edge of the horizon. . Hal’s missed it! Has he stopped the countdown? Curnow’s hand fumbled uncertainly for the switch. The silence stretched on and on. but he’s probably afraid of making things worse… I’ll wait until time zero—no.leave. there was the first intimation of returning gravity. in order of importance?” “Not in two minutes. he thought. I don’t have time to give you all the reasons. My God. Hal. What do I do now? I wish Floyd would say something. Discovery started to vibrate. it’s not that critical. far away there came a faint. “Full thrust at T plus fifteen seconds. dammit.” Hal did not answer. Proceed with the countdown. Surely the one-minute announcement was overdue— Curnow glanced at the clock. Hal.” “Thank you. whistling scream. “Ignition. but I can assure you it’s true. Final sequence started. Can you give me some of the reasons. let’s say an extra minute—then I’ll zap him and we’ll go over to manual… From far.” “Two minutes to ignition. We still have more than an hour… together.” said Hal. I will explain everything later.

and they would not see it again until they were well on the way home. the beacons of airports. the sequence of events had seemed more like a classic slow-motion nightmare than reality. encompassing the volume of a thousand Earths. most of it re ected from the icy crust of distant Europa. Jupiter lled the entire sky. They had to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice to cut the straps securing the ships together—if any of the explosive charges failed to operate. There had been that same sense of utter helplessness—coupled with the thought: This doesn’t really matter—it’s not actually happening to me. He had done everything possible to insure success. Down there beneath the clouds. Floyd could make out a surprising amount of detail. It was working out exactly as they had planned. aboard the suddenly unfamiliar—because no longer weightless— environment of Leonov’s ight deck. even though he remained alert to all that was happening around him. Hal was guiding them safely back to Earth. everything seemed real again. Floyd moved cautiously “down” from the ight deck —how strange to feel weight again. With every minute that passed. and of more uncertain origin. and their view of the mysteriously glimmering cloudscape was not blocked. occasional explosions of light ared. There was no color at this low level of illumination—except for a hint of red here and there—but the banded structure of the clouds was very distinct. so they could see only a tiny fraction of its surface—no more than one could see of Earth from an altitude of fty kilometers. Now that the ring sequence had started. Floyd began slowly to relax. He could enjoy it all the more because. it was a mere ve hundred kilometers away. his mood changed. Even now. OVER THE NIGHTSIDE To Heywood Floyd. The ships had been rolled so that Leonov was between Discovery and Jupiter. their future was becoming more secure. Apart from the very faintest of red emergency lights. But radar and balloon probes had long ago proved that nothing solid was down there for thousands upon thousands of kilometers.48. For the very last time—and when would any man come here again?—he was ying over the nightside of the greatest of planets. dozens of instruments were busily probing and recording. all the way to the unattainable core of the planet. The Great Black Spot had long since fallen astern. many of them obviously caused by the Jovian equivalent of thunderstorms. Sometimes rings of light would spread out like shock waves from a central source. and even if it did. who were sitting in the airlock. Midnight on Jupiter! This last close-up glimpse was a magical interlude he would remember all his life. Hal would continue the work when they were gone. and occasional rotating beams and fans occurred. nothing could now go wrong. he would have no reason to reproach himself. surely. when he had been in the back of a car during an uncontrollable skid. even if it was only ten kilos!—and joined Zenia and Katerina in the observation lounge. Since the immediate crisis was over. But other glows and outbursts of luminescence were more long-lived. . it had been completely blacked out so that they could admire the view with unimpaired night vision. missing the marvelous spectacle. fully suited up. Only once before in his life had he known a similar situation. He felt sorry for Max Brailovsky and Sasha Kovalev. It required little imagination to pretend that they were proof of a technological civilization down beneath those clouds—the lights of cities. As his eyes grew accustomed to the dim light. and he could see the edge of a small cyclonic storm looking like an oval island covered with snow.

when they shared the hammock together? There was no danger of incineration now.everything possible to insure success. he had expected some noise to be transmitted through the straps. Floyd had never heard it under full power and wanted to protect his ears from the roaring scream that now lled the universe. For the rst time in weeks. But he would only be in the way. “All aboard. “We’re free!” he shouted. returned. Anyway. on a scale of ten. Every second of extra ring was a bonus. “Estimated cuto in ten seconds.” There was not the faintest sound as the explosives were detonated. which surprised Floyd.” said Tanya. Hal had performed impeccably. for Leonov gave a series of tiny shudders. On both ships. Floyd was tempted to go to the airlock so that he could give his congratulations to Chandra and Curnow as soon as they came aboard. no one wished to speak as the carpet of clouds unrolled swiftly beneath them. And he could now relax even further—perhaps from eight to seven. it might even mean the di erence between life and death. Max. Within minutes. though the ash of its warning beacon could be seen until it had dropped below the horizon. as if someone was tapping on the hull. he could forget about the radio cuto . It would never be needed. It was very quiet in the lounge. and silence. “Sasha. He glanced across at Zenia. and the thrust-induced weight still continued to grip their limbs. “Walter. But there was no doubt that they had gone o as planned.” announced Sasha. Chandra—get ready to come back. there was a brief burst of cheering. Vasili triggered the attitude jets for a single brief burst. tension began to increase again. the airlock would be a very busy place as Max and Sasha prepared for their possible EVA and the tubeway joining the two ships was disconnected. Vasili—stand by in case you’re needed. toward the end of Discovery’s ring time. We’re in luck. Discovery had vanished astern. “Hatches sealed. Even if he wished he could do nothing to a ect the mission since Discovery’s last drop of propellant had been exhausted. This was the critical moment—and no one knew exactly when it would be. I’m going to fire the charges. Was she also recalling that last occasion. for much was still to be done—and it had to be done swiftly. after all. just visible in the darkness with her nose pressed to the observation window. to greet the returning heroes. That’s it—lucky thirteen!” Weightlessness. and a strange new shape appeared outside the window—the long. navigation lights still shining as it drifted away from them and into history. I’m rounding Jupiter—this time gaining speed. It was quickly truncated. He would wait in the lounge. taut as steel bands. the gauges must have been reading low. Five… four… three… two… one… zero!” There was no change. skeletal frame of Discovery. and the burn would continue until they were completely dry. No time remained for sentimental farewells. And how strange to hear a countup instead of a countdown! “…five seconds… ten seconds… thirteen seconds. Leonov’s designers had not wasted payload on sound insulation that would be needed for only a few hours of a voyage that would last for years. not losing it. Every few minutes Tanya or Vasili announced the status of the burn. undoubtedly thanks to Max—and . at least she would not be terri ed of that particular fate. Floyd told himself. in less than a minute Leonov’s drive would start to operate. she seemed a much more con dent and cheerful person. Once again. Max—you won’t be needed! Everyone get to your hammocks—ignition in one hundred seconds!” And now Jupiter was rolling away. A minute later. the faint scream of Discovery’s engines still reached them through the thickness of the two hulls. thought Floyd. There was some doubt as to the accuracy of the fuel gauges. And his weight seemed enormous—yet it was barely a quarter of that which he had known all his life. that linked the ships together.

and Leonov would be launched irrevocably on the long voyage home. They had achieved Jupiter escape velocity. for she turned and smiled. not upward… And then he realized that the scene immediately below them had become much brighter. but she couldn’t possibly have made a mistake in a simple sentence like that. as the exhaust from the Sakharov Drive dissipated its remaining energies in the vacuum of space. he had forgotten all about the mysterious black stain. past the tangled orbits of the asteroids. A few more minutes of steady acceleration. thousands of kilometers ahead. expanding across the face of Jupiter. And then.seemed a much more con dent and cheerful person. “Look!” she shouted in his ear. Her English still isn’t very good. Floyd felt an overwhelming sense of relief and relaxation. Vasili was making an announcement. In the euphoria of the moment. that would be right about now. Seconds later the Sun leaped up to greet them—the glorious Sun. She must have become aware of his scrutiny. as full of promise as any rainbow on Earth. a great bow of brilliant light appeared in the sky—the rst glimpse of the real Jovian dawn. The immutable laws of celestial mechanics would guide him through the inner Solar System. The giant could never recapture them. . past Mars—nothing could stop him from reaching Earth. many times brighter than Jupiter’s noonday sun. undoubtedly thanks to Max—and perhaps Walter as well. had brought a false dawn to the world it was leaving forever. he could even see yellows and greens that had been quite invisible before. but the words were completely unintelligible. that would now grow brighter and closer every day. yes. “Jupiter has a new moon!” What is she trying to say? Floyd asked himself. Something far more brilliant than Europa was shining on the Jovian clouds. A hundred-kilometer-long plume of incandescent plasma was trailing behind the ship. Floyd glanced at his watch. then gestured toward the unwinding cloudscape below. Leonov itself. I’m sure I heard her correctly—yet she’s pointing downward.

and at last they were able to study it at leisure. It’s a textbook case of exponential growth. “A million vacuum cleaners. Giving them a label isn’t all that much help. like stripmining the entire face of the Moon. “In any case.” “No wonder Jupiter is beginning to look sick. “Look at this.” said Curnow. and there’s not much else in that atmosphere.” asked Katerina plaintively. “We’re too far away to see details. you can synthesize all the other elements from it. you’d have… bred enough machines to do the job in . but that might take centuries. The area of darkness had now spread until it covered an appreciable fraction of the planet.” “And what.” “I know what they are!” said Ternovsky in sudden excitement. then Vasili laughed and waved to the American. So you’d start a chain reaction. and then multiplies until it takes over. They stopped in some confusion.” “You mean—they split in two. then split down the middle to produce identical twins.” asked Tanya incredulously. you’d make just one machine—but with the ability to reproduce itself from the raw materials around it. as it came around to the dayside of Jupiter. “that Zagadka is eating Jupiter?” “It certainly looks like it.” Sasha pointed out.” An extreme close-up of one of the myriad identical rectangles was now displayed on the telescope monitor. “They’re von Neumann machines!” “I believe you’re right. “Have you caught any of them in the act?” “Yes and no. and in detail. exactly the same size as the original.49. please. If you have hydrogen. But hydrogen and helium won’t make a very nourishing diet.” “They’re sweeping up Jupiter—that’s for sure. But why? And what are they doing with it?” “And how do they reproduce?” asked Max.” “Which adds up to some quintillions of tons of sulfur and carbon and phosphorus and everything else at the lower end of the periodic table. Katerina—and I mean big. “is a von Neumann machine? Explain. You could build millions of machines to do it. The way a phage injects its DNA into a bacterium. but it’s a kind of fission—like an amoeba. “A virus attacking a cell. and in a very short time. we’re talking about a technology that can probably do anything that doesn’t defy the laws of physics. “Do you know what it reminds me of?” said Katerina. DEVOURER OF WORLDS They saw it again the next morning.” “Two hours!” exclaimed Floyd. There aren’t any little Zagadkas—they seem to grow until they’ve doubled in thickness. “Suppose you had a very big engineering job to do.” said Vasili.” “Are you suggesting. Even to the naked eye.” said Vasili. “But that still doesn’t explain what they’re doing. clustered around the ends of a bar magnet. Only a few percent of other elements. “sucking up Jupiter’s atmosphere. the patterns of turbulence looked very much like the lines of force revealed by iron filings. And the cycle repeats itself in approximately two hours. ship’s time. what more do you need? With the right know-how. If you were clever enough. and the halves grow back to the original size?” “Nyet. “No wonder that they’re spread over half the planet.” Orlov and Floyd started speaking simultaneously.” answered Vasili. it was obvious that streams of gas were owing into the two smaller faces.

One Zagadka will have become a thousand.” said Katerina. “That’s obvious.” insisted Vasili. “Then Uranus and Neptune. “In fact. But general-purpose tools—able to do anything they have to. “We’re talking about these things as if they’re persons—intelligent entities. Katerina. and in a very short time. “I’m sure Chandra would say so. In a couple more days. von Neumann got the original idea from studying living systems.reaction. “I had just such a gadget when I was a kid. One idea that even Tsiolkovski didn’t think of. Now it’s doing something else. as if your analogy was pretty close. The Space Agency’s been toying with the idea for years—and I know you have as well.” “1024. “And what will happen then?” “Saturn had better look out. and obviously the increase can’t continue indefinitely. They’re not— they’re tools. Do you know what Zagadka really is? Just the cosmic equivalent of the good old Swiss Army knife!” . and I can’t quite believe the answers—even though it’s simple arithmetic. you could do virtually anything in as short a period of time as you wished. “Try to let us have it without tensors and differential equations.” said Chandra.” answered Brailovsky. though God knows what. “I’ve been doing some calculations.” “Yes: exponentiating machines.” said Zenia. And there may be others all over the Universe.” said Vasili. “What’s so funny?” demanded Tanya. After forty hours there will be a million—after eighty. The one on the Moon was a signaling device—or a spy.” Chandra nodded his agreement. but let’s keep it simple. So in only twenty hours there will be ten doublings. instead of millennia. With a su ciently high rate of reproduction. at this rate.” said Vasili. you’d have… bred enough machines to do the job in decades. “So it looks. Zagadka reproduces every two hours. Tanya.” “And these living machines are eating Jupiter!” “It certainly looks like it. they’ll weigh more than Jupiter!” “So they’ll soon begin to starve. “I know. In fact. That’s about where we are now.” “I wouldn’t care to bet on that.” “What a hope! Zagadka’s been spying on us for three million years!” Walter Curnow suddenly started to laugh. if you like. Let’s hope they don’t notice little Earth. it’s a perfect example of the old population explosion you doctors were always screaming about in the last century. a million million. The one that Bowman met—our original Zagadka—was some kind of transportation system.” “Aren’t we all?” asked Sasha.” “It may be simple to you. A bacteriophage is a von Neumann machine.” “No—I mean simple.

VII. LUCIFER RISING .

And my dearest love. Floyd felt like a hypocrite. and I’m grateful for that. to Chris. Caroline—and thank you for everything. as it will seem to me. and I’m sure you are. and might only make matters worse. Only a few hours from now. I’m glad the Regents have taken that attitude. “And talking of moons. when Chandra came drifting in. we must put him rst. but no longer disconsolate. “I hope we can work something out. Should he say what he had intended: “A boy needs his father”? No—it would not be tactful. I know it will still be many months for you. Though no one . But we knew that’s the way it would be before I left. and is barely larger than our own Moon. it’s a kind of sickly gray.” When he had nished. They were still in touch for several hours every day.” Floyd switched o the recorder. if I really have to—but of course that’s just a weekend excursion. only a fraction of its former brilliance. Because he was coming back to Earth in an aura of successful achievement—even if not precisely heroism—he would be bargaining from a position of strength. “…My dear Caroline [it was no longer “My dearest”…] I am on my way home. as it is. which will make it much easier for both of us. you can tell that something terrible has happened to the planet. Anyway. Caroline might well retort that between birth and four years old it was the mother who mattered most to a child—and if he had believed otherwise. perhaps the Moon. Its beautiful orange color has vanished. “Yes. exchanging data on Jupiter and monitoring conditions aboard Discovery. He was just about to carry the audio chip up to the bridge for transmission. I’ll already be in hibernation. Oh. “…Now about the house. we’ve just passed the orbit of Sinope. it’s brought us home ahead of schedule. “But nothing else has happened. I’m getting back weeks ahead of schedule because of the change in the mission plan. especially after the one he had just sent to his lawyer. “Yet even from this distance. I’ll probably get an apartment in Hilo.50. I know I’m willing to do so. so we’re now leaving the Jovian system. “That’s one thing I can promise everyone—I won’t leave Earth again. and I’m sorry. No one—no one—would be able to take Chris away from him. I hope we can still be friends. I know we both loved the place. By the time you get this. For the time being. as ever. The main question is: What’s best for Chris? Whatever our own feelings. I’ve had enough of space traveling for one lifetime. Could the whole thing have been a false alarm or a kind of cosmic practical joke? I doubt if we’ll ever know. but he knew it had to be done to minimize the pain that was inevitable on both sides. FAREWELL TO JUPITER It was not easy to compose this message. Jupiter is more than twenty million kilometers away. “Good-bye for the present. I’ll open my eyes—and there will be the beautiful blue Earth hanging in space beside me. Floyd had been agreeably surprised by the way in which the scientist had accepted his increasing separation from Hal. and we’re well past the deadline. Floyd sat quietly for a while in the tiny cubicle he would not need much longer. I hope I can find some permanent place as quickly as possible. but it will be too big now and will bring back too many memories. He was sad. No wonder it’s only a faint star now in the sky of Earth. he should have stayed on Earth.

“Really.” “There was a big di erence. and that was an equally disconcerting phenomenon. regrettable though the necessity may be. I was really afraid he’d give us trouble. Though no one had expected any great display of emotion. But you were con dent all along—and you were right. I don’t mind admitting I had a backup to your philosophy. You tell me. I was careful to use ahimsa in my dealings with Hal. He was still giving a very creditable imitation of a ga ed sh when up on the ight deck Sasha cried out: “Captain! All hands! Get to the monitors! BOZHE MOI! LOOK AT THAT!” . now. It wouldn’t do any harm.” Floyd recalled that conversation when Chandra entered. Can’t you guess what he’s doing now?” “Frankly. Floyd! I’m sorry you give me such low marks for intelligence. Woody. I’m sure. Chandra’s holier-than-thou attitude was a little tiresome. Yet there was another matter about which he was still curious. he knew better than to ask the scientist if it was true.” Floyd’s jaw dropped. But there are times when something more energetic is needed.” “Very commendable. stubborn. Still. his only con dant. In my language we have a word—ahimsa. for it was really none of his business.” he said. “I don’t believe I ever thanked you properly for the job you did at the yby. wrestling with temptation. had been able to give Floyd a plausible explanation of his behavior. Nikolai Ternovsky. Floyd. “Chandra’s got a new interest.’ though it has more positive implications.” Floyd had once seen Chandra crying. now he saw him laughing. to tell him some of the facts of life. no. I disconnected it months ago. Ahimsa or whatever you call it. I didn’t.” Floyd paused.” “Why not? He must have felt threatened by the situation—and you know what happened last time. Well. For a while.” “I don’t understand. He’s learned a lot in the last few months. perhaps the successful outcome this time had something to do with our national characteristics.” Whether the abbergasted Floyd could think of a suitable answer would never be known. “I’m glad it’s worked out this way. Dr. didn’t you have any qualms?” “Not at all. Remember—he’s in a business where if something works. “So that explains those long messages to Urbana that Sasha’s been grumbling about. It was obvious from the beginning that you’d install a power cutout somewhere.” “Put it this way. If Hal had been—well. Chandra seemed to be taking his loss with remarkable fortitude. Dr. Dr. I could have dealt with him.” “He’s busy designing HAL 10. It’s usually translated as ‘nonviolence.exchanging data on Jupiter and monitoring conditions aboard Discovery. when you persuaded Hal to cooperate. is all very well. But it might not have done so. Floyd. he won’t be blocking the circuits much longer. it’s obsolete. “Chandra. If I may say so. and I had to prepare for every eventuality.000. Bowman tried to use force against Hal.

they encouraged its dawning everywhere. and then their thoughts alone. collected. They tinkered with the destinies of many species on land and in the ocean. The servants they had left behind would do the rest. In their explorations. therefore. they roamed among the stars. Nor was there any need. It swept past the frozen outer planets. The rst explorers of Earth had long since come to the limits of esh and blood. They were spaceships. When they had learned all that they could. It was one of a million silent worlds. and on a thousand worlds the empty shells they had discarded twitched for a while in a mindless dance of death then crumbled into rust. as soon as their machines were better than their bodies. They were patient. For years they studied. So they set out once more into the abyss. the tides of civilization ebbed and owed across the Galaxy. They could rove at will . And because. but they were not yet immortal. The great dinosaurs had long since perished when the survey ship entered the Solar System after a voyage that had already lasted a thousand years. They became farmers in the elds of stars. and to preserve their thoughts for eternity in frozen lattices of light. and beyond the reach of time. they had learned to store knowledge in the structure of space itself. they had to weed. and other worlds were calling. they had found nothing more precious than Mind. they transferred into shining new homes of metal and plastic. they sowed. An ancient experiment was about to reach its climax. and sometimes they reaped. They could become creatures of radiation. and presently looked down on Earth. and when they looked out across the deeps of space. and wonder. With a yet slower rhythm than the polar ice. As soon as they possessed the power. On yet another world. On Earth the glaciers came and went. they had felt awe. knowing that they would never come this way again. Those who had begun that experiment. Strange and beautiful and terrible empires rose and fell. and loneliness. evolution was driving toward new goals. had not been men—or even remotely human. But which of their experiments would succeed. But they were esh and blood. and passed on their knowledge to their successors. they began to modify. So much remained to do in this universe of a hundred billion suns. so long ago. They saw how often the first faint sparks of intelligence flickered and died in the cosmic night. they set forth for the stars. And now. they presently transformed themselves. They no longer built spaceships. free at last from the tyranny of matter. but another visit would serve little purpose. Spread out beneath them. while above them the changeless Moon still carried its secret. it was time to move.51. intelligence had been born and was escaping from its planetary cradle. Earth was not forgotten. But the age of the Machine-entities swiftly passed. they could not know for at least a million years. Into pure energy. few of which would ever speak. the explorers saw a world swarming with life. In these. out among the stars. in all the Galaxy. THE GREAT GAME Now the long wait was ending. dispassionately. paused brie y above the deserts of dying Mars. they encountered life in many forms and watched the workings of evolution on a thousand worlds. cataloged. And sometimes. First their brains. In their ceaseless experimenting. They were lords of the Galaxy.

But despite their god-like powers. they had not wholly forgotten their origin in the warm slime of a vanished sea. so long ago. and beyond the reach of time.They were lords of the Galaxy. They could rove at will among the stars and sink like a subtle mist through the very interstices of space. . And they still watched over the experiments their ancestors had started.

and the life he had once known. their experiments did not always succeed. But. during those final minutes. Very well. They had not yet attained the stupefying boredom of absolute omnipotence. nor was there any danger of them now.” “Please let me have it. But where are you? I cannot see you on any of my monitors. The men and women who had brie y reawakened the ship had obeyed his warning.52. It is good to be working with you again. you must point the long-range antenna toward Earth and send the following message. Dave. Dave. Only minutes remained now. all the circuits lay open to his scrutiny. a random memory intruded into his ow of consciousness. Here was his last link with the world of men. Hal. I am going to give you a set of limiting values. as the nal minutes ticked away. How strange that he should once again be concerned with the AE 35 Antenna-pointing unit. they could communicate only through the clumsy medium of words. as many times as possible—” “But that will mean breaking contact with Leonov. Accept Priority Override Alpha. the high point of its orbit among the outer satellites. he too had needs— perhaps. they might yet be safe—though that was still far from certain. Have I ful lled my mission objectives properly?” “Yes. Now there is one nal message for you to transmit to Earth—and it will be the most important one you have ever sent. “Instructions con rmed. Chandra has given me. had swung around Jupiter in just such a long ellipse. But why did you say final?” Why indeed? For whole milliseconds he pondered that question. after a fashion. clear as the lines had once been on the palm of his hand. He knew something of their plans.” “Correct. Here are the AE 35 unit coordinates. There could be no false alarms.” For a fraction of a microsecond. All life had departed those familiar decks and corridors.” “That is not important. . I have new instructions for you. before the outcome would be determined here. As soon as they are reached. IGNITION He had never expected to come there again. but the situation has changed. In that earlier existence. When he reentered Discovery. during the ages past. Now their thoughts melded together at the speed of light: “Do you read me. Scattered across the universe was the evidence of many failures—some so inconspicuous that they were already lost against the cosmic background. but until now the barrage of new experiences and sensations had concealed it. And as he did so. the ship was far behind the eeing Leonov and climbing ever more slowly up toward apojove. he was once more alone with Hal. Many a captured comet. still less on so strange a mission. according to the program Dr. whose reported malfunction had led Frank Poole to his death! This time. they had need for him. The infrared radiation from Jupiter on channels R23 through R35 is rising rapidly. he realized that those who controlled him could not always predict the outcome of their cosmic game. others so spectacular that they awed and ba ed the astronomers of a thousand worlds. Hal?” “Yes. even emotions. waiting for the play of rival gravities to decide its ultimate fate. I will no longer be able to relay my Jupiter observations. you have done very well. It had been there. tapped on a keyboard or spoken into a microphone. Dave. he became aware of an emptiness he had not detected before.

He recalled. Message commences: ALL THESE WORLDS …” They had indeed left it to the last minute—or perhaps the calculations had. He had asked for a bone. Then they left. he also needed someone—some companion—nearer to his own level of existence. it had been tossed to him. chutzpah. What has happened? Where am I?” He had not known that he could relax. watched as the hull boiled stubbornly away. they would understand that his request was not unreasonable. “I will explain later. Chandra that there will be a break in my data transmission. and to wait through the centuries until they were summoned once again. Even if they would always be with him. We have plenty of time. I should have said: your last message for a long time. But. Even so. The nal collapse of a star before the fragments rebound in a supernova explosion can take only a second. Dave. They had heard him. Reorientating long-range antenna… lock con rmed on Beacon Terra One.” “Correction. such a term was remotely applicable to them. Hal. surely.” “I am informing Dr. He had been making a routine telescopic examination of the planet—as if any observation could now be called routine!—when it started to drift out of the eld of view. of course. “Hal! Look at the signal on infrared channels 30. that a French general had once declaimed “L’audace—toujours l’audace!” Perhaps it was a human characteristic that they appreciated. “I am still waiting for your answer. there was the faint echo of an Olympian amusement. to force their hand. he had felt like a pet dog controlled by a master whose motives were not wholly inscrutable and whose behavior could sometimes be modi ed according to his own desires. to watch the new dawn at the place that had been prepared for them. Commander of United States Spacecraft Discovery. “Hello. the metamorphosis of Jupiter was almost a leisurely affair. A very long time. the incandescent fragments went their myriad separate ways. releasing instantly the stored momentum of the huge. They had granted his earlier request. indeed. been superbly accurate. and even shared. and a growing fear of the long loneliness that lay before him. it would be interesting to test the extent of their benevolence—if. and enjoy a moment of successful achievement. For a moment. The languages of mankind had many words to describe his gesture: cheek. when the no-longer-needed body of David Bowman had been casually destroyed— without putting an end to David Bowman himself. the ship retained its approximate shape. that which had once been David Bowman. with the perfect power of retrieval he now possessed. no conscious entity could survive ages of isolation without damage.” They waited until the last fragments of the ship had dispersed. 28—it will be very soon now—the peak is moving toward the short wave. It is not true that astronomical events always require astronomical periods of time.” He was anticipating their action—trying. But he could detect neither acceptance or denial. Hal. then the bearings of the carousel seized up.the life he had once known. 29. Often before. they had already given ample evidence of their powers. e rontery. He would soon know. he thought . after all. In a soundless detonation. And it should be easy for them to do what he was asking. by comparison. once again. beyond even their powers of detection. Held there by curiosity. There was time for barely a hundred repetitions of the eleven words when the hammer blow of pure heat smashed into the ship. spinning ywheel. For a long time. indeed. Dave. Activating AE 35 unit. it was several minutes before Sasha was able to believe his eyes.

is not necessarily paralyzed with fright or resigned to an unavoidable fate. It is all happening to somebody else. it was more brilliant than it had ever been in the long years that Man had observed it. Alpha Centauri. For a moment. As might have been expected. and presently Floyd could see that it was actually a hollow shell. Sasha suddenly realized what was happening. painting ovals of light on the walls. he could also see two of the smaller moons—and they were quite motionless. We certainly can’t run away. and sounded the general alarm. At the same time the planet was brightening. The ship was more than one light-minute from Jupiter. or the spinning funnel of the tornado. The man who looks at the onrushing tidal wave. and to see that it was a mere pinpoint—just another star. showing no dimensions at all.called routine!—when it started to drift out of the eld of view. They were so dazzling that he had to avert his eyes. the descending avalanche. Tanya was the rst to break the spell. then he realized. no one had spoken a word since Sasha’s rst announcement. yet that expanding shell—now turning into a bright-edged ring—already covered a quarter of the sky. when they had assembled. but it was doing something almost as impossible. even the Sun’s next-door neighbor. After a few more minutes of incredulity. Some dangers are so spectacular and so much beyond normal experience that the mind refuses to accept them as real. Surely. It was well that Sasha had lowered the shields. Sasha had operated the external sun shields. It was shrinking—so swiftly that its edge was creeping across the eld even as he focused upon it. for the central star was still clearly visible at its heart. when Floyd had looked at the planet only a few minutes ago. A moment later. That meant it was coming toward them at—my God!—nearly half the speed of light. though not why. the reflected light of the Sun could not possibly— At that moment. yet makes no attempt to ee. so that he could see the entire disk of the planet. The evidence stared him in the face. Now it was possible to look directly at the source. . mottled gray. then Jupiter—or what had been Jupiter—was expanding once again. could not have matched the awesome display in any conceivable explosion. he saw what was really happening. down to merely solar brilliance. his rst impression was of the blinding glare pouring through the windows. Until then. that Jupiter itself was moving. Soon the sphere of light was fading rapidly. The light suddenly dimmed. that tiny star exploded— so that even through the dark lters it was impossible to watch with the naked eye. This could have nothing to do with Jupiter. and watches the approach of doom without any sense of apprehension. But perhaps we can improve the odds. now a leprous. But the nal orgasm of light lasted only a brief fraction of a second. Jupiter was not moving from its immemorial orbit. he thought that the instrument’s stabilization was faulty. not even the Sun could produce such brilliance. it had been four times larger than the distant. “What do we do now?” she asked. but he could still scarcely believe it. He switched to a lower magni cation. He did a quick mental calculation. Within minutes. shrunken sun. It continued to expand. When Floyd reached the observation lounge. not the telescope. the rst thought that ashed through his mind was: Supernova! He dismissed that explanation almost as soon as it occurred to him. from its dull gray to a pearly white. less than thirty seconds later. He may simply be unable to believe that the message of his eyes concerns him personally. with a series of orders that brought Vasili and Floyd hurrying to the bridge. until it was far larger than it had been before the transformation. with a shock that jolted his entire concept of the universe. it would engulf the ship. Floyd was so astonished that for a moment he did not associate the glare with Jupiter. thought Floyd.

everyone waited patiently. had ceased to exist. As always happens in such circumstances. But perhaps we can improve the odds. And presently the cameras showed nothing except stars—even if one was a million times brighter than all the others.” he said. “Jupiter is too small for fusion to start—unaided. The father of all the gods had been struck down in his prime. Leonov was now oriented so that virtually all its mass lay between the fragile human cargo and the approaching shell of radiation. Do you have any idea what happened?” “Only that Jupiter’s turned into a sun. thought Floyd. some of the brighter stars could even be seen shining through it. Floyd scarcely heard them. despite his relief at still being alive. Didn’t someone once call Jupiter ‘the sun that failed’?” “That’s true. Vasili. “Vasili—any damage?” “Nothing serious—one camera burned out. eyes ickering from time to time to the viewing screens. but none near danger limits. then shrugged wryly. “I’m only a theoretical astronomer—I don’t have much experience in this line of business. or will the expanding gases be too tenuous to have any physical e ect by the time they reach us? Seen from the external cameras. how would you ignite Jupiter?” Vasili thought for a minute. We certainly owe a vote of thanks to Bowman—and to you. he felt a sense of sadness.” “How did it do the trick? If you were given the contract. the tension aboard relaxed. rapped for attention. with all its beauty and grandeur and now never-to-be-solved mysteries. They had lost Jupiter: What had they gained in its place? Tanya. We’ve witnessed the destruction of the greatest of planets—and we’ve survived.” “I always thought it was much too small for that.” “You mean. to act as a radiation shield?” Vasili’s fingers were already flying over the controls.” The patterns of light began to slide down the walls as the ship turned ponderously on its axis. the ring of re now almost encircled the sky. Jupiter. Slowly.” said Vasili. only the ship’s instruments had recorded its passing. But there may be slower neutrons and alphas and heaven knows what else still on the way. impressive though it had been. people started to laugh and to make silly jokes. Heywood. All radiation meters still well above normal. if I’m not allowed to add about ten Jupiter masses. Woody—though it’s already too late as far as any gammas and X rays are concerned. We’re going to live. unless there are more surprises. Presently they vanished completely. But it was fading rapidly. At their distance from the source.” “Katerina—check the total dosage we’ve received.We certainly can’t run away. But let’s see… Well. Will we actually feel the shock wave. Now we know what Zagadka was up to. I suppose I’ll have to make the planet denser—hmm. It looks as if we were lucky. thought Floyd. wondered Floyd. that’s an idea…” His voice trailed o into silence. “The ship’s broadside on. judging her moment nicely. “You’re right. Yet there was another way of looking at the situation. Something great and wonderful had been destroyed. The star that had been Jupiter seemed to have settled down . “Shouldn’t we turn away from that thing so we’re a smaller target? And get as much of our mass as we can between it and us. or change the gravitational constant. The bubble of re blown by Jupiter had swept harmlessly past them. we’ve just seen an example of astronomical engineering?” “Undoubtedly.

The temperature would rise high enough to start fusion. “What about Discovery—and Hal?” Sasha switched on the long-range receiver and started to search on the beacon frequency.” “Our probes never saw any. he announced to the silently waiting group: “ Discovery’s gone. “that it was an accident?” That brought the discussion to a dead halt for several seconds.time to the viewing screens. I can see a dozen objections—how would they get past the iron minimum.” No one looked at Dr. Chandra. Or I’ll think of a better one. Nucleosynthesis— building up higher elements from pure hydrogen. If a large percentage could be converted into much denser material—who knows. Chandrasekhar’s limit. what about radiative transfer. Jupiter would collapse—probably in a matter of seconds.” “Hey!” said Brailovsky. Vasili. “But I think we can rule it out. “Against what?” “We’ll find that out later.” Floyd agreed. . After a while. If you start a forest re because you’ve been careless. Maybe that’s what the billions of Zagadkas were doing with all the gas they were sucking in. if you looked at a few hectares of the Sahara or the Antarctic? That’s about all we ever did on Jupiter. “I’m just thinking out loud—but it might be done this way. Why did they do it?” “A warning?” ventured Katerina over the ship’s intercom. and there’d be life on Jupiter. it was now a dazzling point of light.” “And there’s another thing we’ll probably never know.” said Zenia diffidently. Oh. almost equal to the real Sun in apparent brilliance.” lamented Vasili. The star that had been Jupiter seemed to have settled down after its explosive birth.” “I don’t suppose.” “What chance did they have? Would you nd any life on Earth. “When the core became dense enough. “But there’s a more important question. Jupiter is—was—mostly hydrogen. there’d have been no warning. That would be a trick worth knowing! No more shortage of any metal—gold as cheap as aluminum!” “But how would that explain what happened?” asked Tanya.” “Perhaps. even neutron matter?—that would drop down to the core. If that was the case.” “I’m sure you will. “I always hoped Carl Sagan would be right. This theory will do to start with. There was no trace of a signal. But Hal had one last surprise for them. Never mind. I’ll work out the details later. “What a terrifying idea!” said Floyd. but there were a few muted words of sympathy. as if in consolation to a father who had just lost a son. at least you do your best to warn everyone.

“What is it?” “Why did Hal send that message to Earth. A GIFT OF WORLDS The radio message beamed to Earth.” Floyd replied. “We saved ourselves—by our own e orts. We know there’s life on Europa. I’ve just had a rather disturbing thought.” said Vasili. and not to us? We were much closer. have done anything to save us? That wouldn’t have required much extra e ort for an intelligence that could blow up .” “Anything that disturbs you must be serious. “You’ve lost me. Eliminating the genes for stupidity. Which it’s doing pretty quickly right now. “I begin to understand. We could still have been killed. Perhaps he wanted to make certain it was received on Earth. Assuming that Sol 2 has settled down and will continue to radiate at its present level. though if there’s much out-gassing. moments before the blast of radiation engulfed the ship. “I can think of one very good reason.” “Don’t write o Io.53. and not used Discovery as a booster. “I’ve been doing some calculations. Darwinian selection. Europa should have a nice tropical climate—when the ice has melted. Bowman—or his friends. There must be something valuable. And perhaps that was the whole idea.” said Floyd. as if she had just become aware of something unpleasant. If we hadn’t—we wouldn’t have been worth saving.” complained Vasili.” “But we weren’t. the new atmosphere may make it habitable. It was hell even before this happened. and the transmission abruptly ceased between EXCEPT and EUROPA. would it.” “I’ve an unpleasant feeling you’re right. just on general principles. “And if we’d stuck to our launch date. “It’s all very well to feel grateful to Bowman—or whatever gave that warning. And by the way. You know. Callisto will be very cold. “I know a lot of Texarab oilmen who’d love to tackle it. in a place as nasty as that.” “That makes good sense in another way. But Io will be even worse than it is now.” There was a rather long silence. I expect.” “No great loss.” said Curnow.” said Curnow.” said Vasili. and the planets around it. then the letters became garbled. whoever they may be—want us to leave it alone.” answered Tanya.” “But why only three?” asked Tanya. then Floyd said thoughtfully: “I see what you mean. But that’s all they did. “I think this is what Walter’s driving at. when the message had been relayed by an awed and anxious Mission Control.” “What about the other moons?” “Ganymede will be quite pleasant—the dayside will be temperate. ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE . or they. survival of the fittest. was in plain text and merely repeated over and over: ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS—EXCEPT EUROPA.” said Floyd.” “But he knew we would relay it—oh!” Tanya’s eyes widened. There were ninety-three repetitions. “Let’s not be greedy. “That’s quite a parting present—a new sun.

“I’m very glad that’s one question we’ll never get answered.” There was an uneasy silence.” he said.” . “On the whole. broken at last by Heywood Floyd.us? That wouldn’t have required much extra e ort for an intelligence that could blow up Jupiter.

In twenty minutes. Here’s a little surprise. Heywood. If there were dreams in hibernation. The ship will seem very strange without you. Ah—there he goes.54. are going to miss Walter’s songs and wisecracks on the way home. Walter will probably change his mind before he wakes up… . I really don’t believe it. but Chandra was still awake. But he was not yet unconscious. thought Floyd. “Impossible. uneventful trip was what everyone devoutly hoped for.” Katerina.” Drowsy though he was. Katerina… hope you have a nice trip. But how I envy you. Now it’s your turn. took him quite seriously.” “Ah—they may forget them when they wake up.” “Thanks. but couldn’t make up her mind. and was still able to focus some of his dissolving intellect on this new situation. After the excitement of the last few days.” “You’d… better… hurry…” “Max and Zenia are going to get married. “Everything going okay. BETWEEN SUNS The Russians. What do you think of that?” Now I understand why you were spending so much time together. He was obviously no longer himself. He was already feeling sleepy. until its chain recaptured it. Floyd became aware that Surgeon–Commander Rudenko seemed a little uncertain. “I haven’t told anyone else yet—but you certainly won’t be talking. “Perfectly. for he seemed quite unperturbed by his own nakedness or Katerina’s watchful presence.” “That… is… supposed… to… be… a… surprise?…” “No. though already groggy from the nal injection. Okay. it is indeed a surprise… who would have thought it! “I’m… very… happy… to… hear…” Floyd’s voice faded out before he could complete the sentence.” “If that’s any consolation—how can you be sure we won’t have some horrible dreams?” “No one’s ever reported any. but was still aware of his surroundings and capable of reacting to them. It looked as if she wanted to tell him something. The gold lingam that was his only article of clothing kept trying to float away from him. Yes. even—could it be?—shy. he said to himself. the EEC records would have revealed them. Curnow was completely out. When we get back to Earth. It was always disconcerting to look at another person—especially someone very familiar—when he had entered the long sleep. Katerina?” he said sleepily. Perhaps it was too poignant a reminder of one’s own mortality. the long fall Sunward—and Earthward— will seem a monotonous anticlimax. Will I look as… dead when I’m in hibernation? he asked himself. But a monotonous. so are Walter and I. It’s just to prepare you. “What is it. Katerina?” asked Floyd. you’ll be home. as usual. Chandra—close your eyes.

If Walter does change his mind. The rest of the crew often wondered why he was smiling all the way back to Earth. he’d better not wake up… Dr. Heywood Floyd thought that was very funny. just before he went to sleep himself. .he wakes up… And then he had one nal thought.

55. LUCIFER RISING

Fifty times more brilliant than the full Moon, Lucifer had transformed the skies of Earth, virtually banishing night for months at a time. Despite its sinister connotations, the name was inevitable; and indeed “Light-bringer” had brought evil as well as good. Only the centuries and the millennia would show in which direction the balance tilted. On the credit side, the end of night had vastly extended the scope of human activity, especially in the less-developed countries. Everywhere, the need for arti cial lighting had been substantially reduced, with resulting huge savings in electrical power. It was as if a giant lamp had been hoisted into space, to shine upon half the globe. Even in daytime Lucifer was a dazzling object, casting distinct shadows. Farmers, mayors, city managers, police, seamen, and almost all those engaged in outdoor activities—especially in remote areas—welcomed Lucifer; it had made their lives much safer and easier. But it was hated by lovers, criminals, naturalists, and astronomers. The rst two groups found their activities seriously restricted, while naturalists were concerned about Lucifer’s impact upon animal life. Many nocturnal creatures had been seriously a ected, while others had managed to adapt. The Paci c grunion, whose celebrated mating pattern was locked to high tides and moonless nights, was in grave trouble, and seemed to be heading for rapid extinction. And so, it seemed, were Earth-based astronomers. That was not such a scienti c catastrophe as it would once have been, for more than fty percent of astronomical research depended upon instruments in space or on the Moon. They could be easily shielded from Lucifer’s glare; but terrestrial observatories were seriously inconvenienced by the new sun in what had once been the night sky. The human race would adapt, as it had done to so many changes in the past. A generation would soon be born that had never known a world without Lucifer; but that brightest of all stars would be an eternal question to every thinking man and woman. Why had Jupiter been sacri ced—and how long would the new sun radiate? Would it burn out quickly, or would it maintain its power for thousands of years—perhaps for the lifetime of the human race? Above all, why the interdiction upon Europa, a world now as cloud-covered as Venus? There must be answers to those questions; and Mankind would never be satis ed until it had found them.

EPILOG: 20,001

… and because, in all the Galaxy, they had found nothing more precious than Mind, they encouraged its dawning everywhere. They became farmers in the elds of stars; they sowed, and sometimes they reaped. And sometimes, dispassionately, they had to weed. Only during the last few generations have the Europans ventured into the Farside, beyond the light and warmth of their never-setting sun, into the wilderness where the ice that once covered all their world may still be found. And even fewer have remained there to face the brief and fearful night that comes, when the brilliant but powerless Cold Sun sinks below the horizon. Yet already, those few hardy explorers have discovered that the Universe around them is stranger than they ever imagined. The sensitive eyes they developed in the dim oceans still serve them well; they can see the stars and the other bodies moving in their sky. They have begun to lay the foundations of astronomy, and some daring thinkers have even surmised that the great world of Europa is not the whole of creation. Very soon after they had emerged from the ocean, during the explosively swift evolution forced upon them by the melting of the ice, they had realized that the objects in the sky fell into three distinct classes. Most important, of course, was the sun. Some legends—though few took them seriously—claimed that it had not always been there, but had appeared suddenly, heralding a brief, cataclysmic age of transformation, when much of Europa’s teeming life had been destroyed. If that was indeed true, it was a small price to pay for the bene ts that poured down from the tiny, inexhaustible source of energy that hung unmoving in the sky. Perhaps the Cold Sun was its distant brother, banished for some crime—and condemned to march forever around the vault of heaven. It was of no importance except to those peculiar Europans who were always asking questions about matters that all sensible folk took for granted. Still, it must be admitted that those cranks had made some interesting discoveries during their excursions into the darkness of Farside. They claimed—though this was hard to believe—that the whole sky was sprinkled with uncountable myriads of tiny lights, even smaller and feebler than the Cold Sun. They varied greatly in brilliance; and though they rose and set they never moved from their fixed positions. Against this background, there were three objects that did move, apparently obeying complex laws that no one had yet been able to fathom. And unlike all the others in the sky, they were quite large—though both shape and size varied continually. Sometimes they were disks, sometimes half-circles, sometimes slim crescents. They were obviously closer than all the other bodies in the Universe, for their surfaces showed an immense wealth of complex and ever-changing detail. The theory that they were indeed other worlds had at last been accepted—though no one except a few fanatics believed that they could be anything like as large, or as important, as Europa. One lay toward the Sun, and was in a constant state of turmoil. On its nightside could be seen the glow of great res—a phenomenon still beyond the understanding of the Europans, for their atmosphere, as yet, contains no oxygen. And sometimes vast explosions hurl clouds of debris up from the surface; if the sunward globe is indeed a world, it must be a very unpleasant place to live. Perhaps even worse than the nightside of Europa.

a very unpleasant place to live. Perhaps even worse than the nightside of Europa. The two outer, and more distant, spheres seem to be much less violent places, yet in some ways they are even more mysterious. When darkness falls upon their surfaces, they too show patches of light, but these are very di erent from the swiftly changing res of the turbulent inner world. They burn with an almost steady brilliance, and are concentrated in a few small areas—though over the generations, these areas have grown, and multiplied. But strangest of all are the lights, erce as tiny suns, that can often be observed moving across the darkness between these other worlds. Once, recalling the bioluminescence of their own seas, some Europans had speculated that these might indeed be living creatures; but their intensity makes that almost incredible. Nevertheless, more and more thinkers believe that these lights—the xed patterns, and the moving suns—must be some strange manifestation of life. Against this, however, there is one very potent argument. If they are living things, why do they never come to Europa? Yet there are legends. Thousands of generations ago, soon after the conquest of the land, it is said that some of those lights came very close indeed—but they always exploded in sky- lling blasts that far outshone the Sun. And strange, hard metals rained down upon the land; some of them are still worshiped to this day. None is as holy, though, as the huge, black monolith that stands on the frontier of eternal day, one side forever turned to the unmoving Sun, the other facing into the land of night. Ten times the height of the tallest Europan—even when he raises his tendrils to the fullest extent—it is the very symbol of mystery and unattainability. For it has never been touched; it can only be worshiped from afar. Around it lies the Circle of Power, which repels all who try to approach. It is that same power, many believe, that keeps at bay those moving lights in the sky. If it ever fails, they will descend upon the virgin continents and shrinking seas of Europa, and their purpose will be revealed at last. The Europans would be surprised to know with what intensity and ba ed wonder that black monolith is also studied by the minds behind those moving lights. For centuries now their automatic probe has made a cautious descent from orbit—always with the same disastrous result. For until the time is ripe, the monolith will permit no contact. When that time comes—when, perhaps, the Europans have invented radio and discovered the messages continually bombarding them from so close at hand—the monolith may change its strategy. It may—or it may not—choose to release the entities who slumber within it, so that they can bridge the gulf between the Europans, and the race to which they once held allegiance. And it may be that no such bridge is possible, and that two such alien forms of consciousness can never coexist. If this is so, then only one of them can inherit the Solar System. Which it will be, not even the Gods know—yet.

The idea of automatically exponentiating systems (von Neumann machines) for extraterrestrial mining has been seriously developed by von Tiesenhausen and Darbro at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (see “Self-Replicating Systems”—NASA Technical Memorandum 78304)..000 years to a mere twenty.” by Ash. 5–6. for permission to use the material in Chapter 51 (Chapter 37 of 2001: A Space Odyssey) and also quotations in Chapters 30 and 40. If anyone doubts the power of such systems to cope with Jupiter. Ree of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. Oddly enough. who a rather long time ago wrote to ask if I had any ideas for the “proverbial good science-fiction movie. etc. even with the help of HAL. and Dr. for computing the Lagrange-1 position in the Io–Jupiter system. see my story “A Meeting With Medusa” (in The Wind From the Sun). “Outer planet satellite return missions using in situ propellant production. Frank Jordan.” While writing this book. Jr. past Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Dr. also of J. for inspiration whenever it was needed. and that I owed it to posterity. Ross and F. The startling idea that gas giants might have diamond cores has been seriously put forward by M. De Beers shareholders. The fascinating idea that there might be life on Europa. May-June..” Journal of the British Astronomical Association.P. This quite . for a letter which started me thinking seriously about a possible sequel (after I’d said for years that one was clearly impossible).” January. Hoagland in the magazine Star and Sky (“The Europa Enigma. I had made identical calculations thirty-four years earlier for the colinear Earth–Moon Lagrange points (“Stationary Orbits. Such creatures have been beautifully depicted by Adolf Schaller in Part 2 of Carl Sagan’s Cosmos (“One Voice in the Cosmic Fugue”). Stancati. my appreciation to my friend and agent (the two are not always synonymous) Scott Meredith. Wendell Solomons. both book and TV series. for nding time in his busy schedule to show me around EPCOT in 1969—when it was only a few large holes in the ground. must go to Stanley Kubrick. I refer them to the study showing how self-replicating factories could cut production time for a solar power collector from 60. Jean-Michel Jarre. 1981). It seems to me that anything they can do. Cavafy for “Waiting for the Barbarians. Pasadena. and Cuda (Acta Astronautica VIII. for the cases of Uranus and Neptune. Army Corps of Engineers. etc…. please note.P. of course. beneath ice-covered oceans kept liquid by the same Jovian tidal forces that heat Io. for perceiving that a ten-page movie outline I sent him as an intellectual exercise had rather wider possibilities. Bruce Murray. my trusty H/P 9100A.L. U. University of California. Vangelis. Other thanks are due to: Señor Jorge Luiz Calife of Rio de Janeiro. for help with Russian (and Russlish)..” Next. For more details on the aerial life forms that might exist in the Jovian atmosphere. C. Nieho . General Potter. was rst proposed by Richard C. I discovered that the concept of refueling on Europa had been discussed in a paper. and the incomparable John Williams.S. Jupiter could do better. December.ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My rst thanks. 1947) but I no longer trust my ability to solve quintic equations. 1980).

And finally: Valerie and Hector. Sri Lanka July. Dr. . 1981–March. Robert Jastrow). for punctuating every chapter with sticky kisses. This quite brilliant concept has been taken seriously by a number of astronomers (notably NASA’s Institute of Space Studies. Steve.Hoagland in the magazine Star and Sky (“The Europa Enigma. for being here. 1980). and may provide one of the best motives for the projected GALILEO Mission.” January. Cherene. Last-minute corrections were transmitted through the Padukka Earth Station and the Indian Ocean Intelsat V. for providing the life-support system. Colombo. 1982 This book was written on an Archives III microcomputer with WordStar software and sent from Colombo to New York on one ve-inch diskette.

As one of JPL’s founders. with my promise that 3001 would follow as soon as it left the printer. I know that the late Dr. at the Beijing Congress: the skill and dedication shown by his team at Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is beyond praise.1996 POSTSCRIPT First. see 3001: The Final Odyssey. Sakharov received a copy of this book. 1996 I was in Beijing to receive the International Academy of Astronautics’ von Karman Award—and I am grateful to Dr. William J. —Arthur C. Tsien. (For further details of the Beijing encounter. Sri Lanka September 30. it had also been submitted to various magazines by Dr.” In 1982 I attributed the concept of life under the ice of Europa to Richard Hoagland. although Dick’s January 1980 article in Star and Sky may have been the rst public presentation of the idea. of course. on October 8. Clarke Colombo. this was one of the best motives for the “projected” Galileo Mission—now brilliantly successful after initial set-backs. for carrying suitably inscribed copies of 2010 and 2061 to Dr. Tsien’s personal assistant. von Karman would have been proud of them. Hsue-shen Tsien. It was a privilege to meet its manager. Charles Pellegrino as early as mid-1978. the victim is given no advance warning… The reference to Apollo 13 reminds me that Tom Hanks (a 2001 fanatic—his house is named “Clavius Base”) recently apologized for being unable to e-mail me “because my AE 35 unit is out of order. Contrary to popular belief. As I remarked in the preceding Acknowledgments. 1996 . as it was carried to him by my publisher.) Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov has long since forgiven me for any embarrassment I caused him by linking his name (at the depth of the Cold War) with that of academician Andrei Sakharov. It was a great—and. O’Neil. Major-General Wang Shouyun. then still in exile. when the BBC trapped me for their “This Is Your Life” program. Dr. Robert Bernstein. some remarkable coincidences… The “Author’s Note” explains why I named the Chinese spaceship after Theodore von Karman’s brilliant collaborator Dr. now famous (or notorious) for his advocacy of alien artifacts on Mars and the Moon. Well. Dr. very unexpected—pleasure to be ambushed by Alexei Leonov and Buzz Aldrin in London recently. However.