Marina Lostetter – Noumenon Infinity (страница 1)
Harper
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London SE1 9GF
First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins
Copyright © Little Lost Stories, LLC 2018
Cover design by Mike Topping © HarperCollins
Cover images © Shutterstock.com
Marina J. Lostetter asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
Source ISBN: 9780008223403
Ebook Edition © July 2018 ISBN: 9780008223427
Version: 2018-07-14
For all those brave enough to live as themselves,
Be safe, be well, one day you’ll tell the world your story.
And for Alex: my comfort, my cohort,
my constant in a world of change.
Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue: What Has Come Before
1. Vanhi: There and Back Again
2. Caznal: In Search of the Lesser Redoubt
3. Stone: Whatever Souls Are Made Of
4. Jamal: The Spirits Three Shall Strive Within
5. Orlando and Ming-Na: Here There Be Dragons
6. Anatoly: The Post-Modern Narcissus
7. Justice and Carmen: Sasquatch, Cinderella, and the Enigmatic Kali
8. Michael: We’re All Mad Here
9. Steve: Into the Suffering City
10. Joanna: All That Maddens and Torments
11. Vanhi: The Universe Is No Wilderness
Epilogue: Old Age Is Always Wakeful
About the Author
Also by Marina J. Lostetter
The Planet United Consortium was formed in order to pursue Earth-wide interests in deep space. Each Planet United Mission is designed to further humanity’s joint scientific understanding, its reach beyond the home planet, and to insure the longevity of planet-wide cooperation …
“So, Doctor Straifer, what do you think it is? The reason for LQ Pyx’s strobing?” asked the interviewer. He straightened his tie and slid the microphone’s base forward across the table.
Reggie squirmed a little in his chair. He always felt awkward in front of a camera (he’d confessed that to C before sitting down), and it showed. The room they’d chosen for the interview was gray and dull, with a small flickering fluorescent light overhead. He sat behind a plain folding table in a plain folding chair. “I don’t know,” he said with a laugh and a shrug. “No, really. I know I keep saying that and people think it’s a nonanswer. Or worse, a lazy answer—”
“But,” Reggie continued, “I think it’s the most honest answer I can give. I don’t have any idea what’s causing LQ Pyx’s designation as a variable. All I’m sure of is that it’s an extrinsic variable. Other than that, I don’t think it’s my place to make assumptions. Man is not consistent but in his capacity to assume and be wrong.”
“If it’s not your place to tell us, then who should we ask?”
He scratched the five o’clock shadow beneath his chin. “Convoy Seven, when they get back. What’s wonderful about my position
Reggie cleared his throat and leaned forward. His gaze shifted from the interviewer to the camera lens. “I know this is just a piece for posterity. So … would it be okay for me to speak directly to the crew members of my convoy? Is that all right?”
“Do you have a statement prepared?” the interviewer asked gruffly. C could easily read his irritation—furrowed brow, quirked lip, heavy sigh.
“No, but I have something to say.”
Reggie licked his lips, then began, clearly interpreting the interviewer’s silence as an invitation. “Right.” His voice shook. “H-hi, Convoy Seven. No matter what you find out there, I want you to remember the journey, and the inception of your society. Look back and remember what a monumental step this is. The Planet United Missions were created for the betterment and wonderment of all humankind. The most breathtaking thing about the vastness of the universe has thus far been its ability to continuously amaze us. Every discovery we make, every question we answer and problem we solve has led to more questions. The universe may never run out of ways to baffle and excite us.”
With each word, his voice gained confidence. C always appreciated this shift in Reggie—from unsure to passionate—when he talked about something he believed in.
Reggie continued. “The pursuit of knowledge is in its own way a spiritual undertaking. It’s good for the soul, or whatever you want to call that innate thing that makes us
“So … never stop wondering. Never stop learning. Never stop being grateful for your chance to explore. I’m grateful that you can chase my dream, that you can further our understanding.
“In the future you might not care what some young scientist from Earth—who’s been long gone for decades—no, centuries—” he shook his head, clearly baffled by the thought “—thinks of you. But maybe you might. And I just want you to know that I’m immensely proud of you. You will lay eyes on what no other human may ever see. And that’s …” There were tears in his eyes. “Amazing.”