A Merseian reflects on the species that had preceded his people into space:
"Once upon a time humankind had borne the same universe-spanning ambitions that the Race did now."
-Poul Anderson, The Game Of Empire IN Anderson, Flandry's Legacy (Riverdale, NY, 2012), pp. 1-453 AT Chapter Six, p. 268.
In James Blish's future history, some beings remember the race that had preceded Earthmen:
"Some of them remembered much more vividly the now-broken tyranny of Vega, and did not know - some of them never had known - even the name of the little planet that had broken that tyranny."
-James Blish, Earthman, Come Home IN Blish, Cities In Flight (London, 1981), pp. 235-465 AT PROLOGUE, p. 241.
One Earthman returning home recalls the early days:
"...like voices from history: 40 Eridani, Procyon, Kruger 60, Sirius, 61 Cygni, Altair, RD-4 4048, Alpha Centauri..." (p. 408)
2 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I only wish something like Jerry Pournelle's Alderson Drive had been invented and tested in our AD 2008! Then WE would be seeing the first beginnings of a new interstellar civilization.
Heck, I would be glad if we were in space to the extent we see in Anderson's "The Saturn Game." And I think hyperdrive was invented some time around AD 2100 in the Technic timeline, with "Wings Of Victory" taking place soon afterwards.
I recently looked up Chapter 6 of THE GAME OF EMPIRE, and I recall Tachwyr worrying that the Empire might regain the galaxy spanning ambitions of earlier centuries. Or, if not that, either colonies founded by humans or friendly non humans would come to have such ambitions.
Life is tough for a Merseian Protector! (Smiles)
Sean
Kaor, Paul!
And I hope so much Elon Musk manages to send a colonizing expedition to Mars SOON! Then we could hope to at least live during the beginnings of an INTERPLANETARY civilization within the Solar System.
Sean
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