Lunarians and Demetrians explore Dis, a planet of Proxima Centauri. Slow robotic ships visit other systems. The Astronomy Web searches for planets with oxygen atmospheres. One small near-light-speed supership bearing a copy of download Guthrie visits each of the three known examples:
one orbiting 82 Eridani;
one orbiting Beta Hydri;
one in Puppis numbered HD44594.
Two centuries later, the three ships have returned. The Guthrie copies download into their original and terminate. The chemistry of HD44594 is too different but the others can be terraformed. There is also (?) a HD44594 II called "Bion" that might be reachable only by robots and downloads. (No, reading further makes clear that HD44594 and HD44594 II are the same planet.)
Port Fireball has become a large city with a mostly machine population. Two centuries before the destruction of Demeter, the Demetrians are significantly reducing their population so that only a small number will need to travel elsewhere.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Iow, what we see here is a sense of urgency developing as the day of doom approaches for Demeter and its people make preparations for the evacuation. I might almost say EXODUS.
Sean
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