The Revelation Space Collection

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by Alastair Reynolds


  ‘Just over a thirtieth of the entire citizenry,’ Clearmountain said. ‘It’s a catastrophe, no doubt about it. But we have to thank our stars we’re talking about millions, not tens of millions. And if we get out of this and we’ve lost forty-five habitats . . . it’s nothing against the ten thousand, Dreyfus.’

  ‘I wouldn’t say it’s nothing, but I take your point.’

  ‘The citizenry will get over it,’ Baudry said. ‘They’ll move on with their lives, choosing to forget how close we came to disaster. For some of them, the forgetting will be quite literal. At the moment we’re in the middle of an emergency. In a few days, if all goes well, it’ll have been reduced to the status of a crisis. This time next year, we’ll look back on it as an incident. Ten years from now, it’ll be something no one outside of Panoply remembers, something our new recruits learn about with bored indifference.’

  ‘Not if I get my way,’ said Dreyfus. ‘What about Aurora’s prognostication? The time of plagues?’

  ‘We’ll keep a weather eye open,’ Clearmountain said.

  Baudry looked at Dreyfus with interest. ‘Do you have plans, Senior?’

  ‘We haven’t won,’ he told her. ‘We’ve just postponed the day of reckoning. If it isn’t Aurora, we’ll be facing the Clockmaker.’

  ‘There is such a thing as the lesser of two evils,’ Clearmountain observed.

  ‘I’ll remind you of that when it crawls out of the woodwork again.’

  ‘Where do you think they are?’ asked Baudry.

  ‘Dispersed,’ Dreyfus said. ‘Spread out over the network, two alpha-level intelligences smeared as thin as they can go before they stop being conscious entities at all.’

  ‘How can you be so certain?’

  ‘Because it’s the only way for them to survive. If Aurora concentrates herself in one habitat, the Clockmaker will find a way to engage and destroy her in a single attack. The same applies to the Clockmaker. But distributed, spread out across the entire Glitter Band, they’re almost invulnerable.’

  ‘Why didn’t Aurora adopt such a strategy already?’

  ‘Because there’s a cost. The speed of her thought processes depends on the distance between processing nodes. The Clockmaker’s forced her to spread out just to survive. The downside for her is that she can’t think quickly enough to defeat us.’

  ‘But we can’t kill her either,’ Clearmountain said.

  ‘No. Finding her would be almost impossible now. Maybe if we listen to network traffic long enough, we’ll see the tiny slow-down caused by Aurora’s presence. But that still wouldn’t help us destroy her. We’d have to take out thousands of nodes, thousands of habitats, before we began to hurt her.’

  ‘And by then we’d have hurt ourselves even more,’ Baudry said, nodding as she understood what Dreyfus was driving at. ‘So what you’re saying, if I get you rightly, is that there’s nothing we can do. We just have to sit back while these two monsters slug it out in slow motion, parasiting our network infrastructure.’

  ‘That’s right,’ Dreyfus said. ‘But I wouldn’t worry unduly. If they’ve been slowed down as much as I think they have, it’s going to be a long time before one of them emerges as victor. You’re talking about a chess match between two opponents of almost limitless intelligence and guile. The only problem is they only get to make one move a year.’

  ‘I hope you’re right,’ Clearmountain said.

  Dreyfus smiled. ‘So do I. In the meantime, we still have jobs to do. We can’t dwell on the gods fighting over our heads.’

  ‘Gods will be gods,’ Baudry said.

  ‘But that doesn’t mean I’m finished with this case,’ Dreyfus continued. ‘With the permission of the acting supreme prefect, I’d like authorisation to dig into the murder of Philip Lascaille. If there’s still a body, I want it exhumed for analysis. I want to see if there’s any evidence that his brain was subjected to alpha-level scanning.’

  ‘You have my permission, of course,’ Clearmountain said. ‘I don’t doubt that Jane would give it to you. But you should realise what you’re getting yourself into, digging into ancient history like that. You’ll be going up against the legal apparatus of House Sylveste. That’s an organisation that protects its secrets even more zealously than we do. It isn’t to be trifled with.’

  ‘With respect,’ Dreyfus said, standing up, ‘neither is Panoply.’

  A little while later he called upon Demikhov. The man resembled a spectral shadow of his former self, spent beyond exhaustion.

  ‘I heard that there were complications,’ Dreyfus said.

  ‘Nothing medical, you’ll be glad to hear. The cut was as clean as a guillotine. Nerve reconnection could not have been less problematic. The only difficulty was occasioned by the intervention of your former colleague.’ Demikhov shrugged philosophically, bony shoulders moving under the green fabric of his surgical gown. ‘It was undignified, what he did to her. But at least she was unconscious throughout the whole sorry escapade.’

  Dreyfus had no idea what he was talking about. He assumed he would learn all about it later.

  ‘And now?’

  ‘I completed partial reattachment, then brought her round to talk to the Ultras. She was lucid and comfortable. I then put her under again to complete the procedure.’

  ‘How did it go?’

  ‘She’s whole again. It would take a better doctor than me to tell that Zulu ever happened.’

  ‘Then she’ll be fine?’

  ‘Yes, but it’s not going to happen overnight. At the moment she can breathe for herself and make some limited body movements, but it’ll be a while before she can walk. Having the wiring back in place doesn’t mean her brain’s ready to use it again.’

  ‘I’d like to see her,’ Dreyfus said.

  ‘She’s sleeping. I’d like to keep her that way until there’s another emergency.’

  ‘I’d still like to see her.’

  ‘Then you’d better follow me,’ Demikhov answered with a heavy sigh, standing up to lead the way.

  He brought Dreyfus to the quiet green room where the supreme prefect was recuperating. Jane Aumonier lay under bedsheets, sleeping normally. Aside from her thinness, the baldness of her skull and the grey pallor of her skin, there was nothing to hint at what she had endured, either in the last day or the last eleven years. She looked peaceful, serenely restful.

  Dreyfus moved to her bedside. ‘I won’t wake her,’ he whispered.

  ‘You wouldn’t be able to. I’ve put her under for her own good. It’s quite safe to talk normally.’

  Dreyfus touched the back of his hand against the side of Jane Aumonier’s face. Despite all the time they had known each other, this was the first moment of physical contact between them.

  ‘I’m going now,’ Dreyfus said. ‘There’s something I need to attend to, before I put it off any longer. I have to go to Hospice Idlewild. There’s someone there I need to see, someone I haven’t seen in a very long while. I probably won’t be in Panoply when you come around, but I want you to know that I’m going to be with you every step you take. If you need a hand to hold, you can count on mine.’

  ‘I’ll tell her what you said,’ Demikhov said.

  ‘I mean it. I don’t break my promises.’

  Demikhov was about to usher Dreyfus from the room when he paused. ‘Prefect . . . there’s something I should show you. I think it’s rather wonderful.’

  Dreyfus nodded at the sleeping figure. ‘This is enough for me, Doctor.’

  ‘I’ll show it to you anyway. Look at the wall.’

  Demikhov conjured a pane into existence, filled with trembling neon-blue lines whose meaning Dreyfus couldn’t fathom.

  ‘What am I looking at?’ he asked.

  ‘Dreams,’ Demikhov said. ‘Beautiful human dreams.’

  A Gollancz eBook

  Copyright © Alistair Reynolds 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007

  All rights reserved.

  The right of Alistair Reynolds to be identi
fied as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  First published in Great Britain in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007 by

  Gollancz

  The Orion Publishing Group Ltd

  Orion House

  5 Upper Saint Martin's Lane

  London, WC2H 9EA

  An Hachette UK Company

  This eBook first published in 2011 by Gollancz.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book

  is available from the British Library.

  ISBN 978 0 575 12908 5

  All characters and events in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor to be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  www.alastairreynolds.com

  www.orionbooks.co.uk

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Praise for Alastair Reynolds

  About the Author

  Also By Alastair Reynolds

  Revelation Space

  Cover

  Title Page

  Contents

  ONE - Mantell Sector, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, Delta Pavonis system, 2551

  TWO - Aboard a lighthugger, interstellar space, 2543

  THREE - Cuvier, Resurgam, 2561

  FOUR - Carousel New Brazilia, Yellowstone, Epsilon Eridani, 2546

  FIVE - Carousel New Brazilia, Yellowstone, Epsilon Eridani, 2546

  SIX - En Route to Delta Pavonis, 2546

  SEVEN - En Route to Delta Pavonis, 2546

  EIGHT - En Route to Delta Pavonis, 2546

  NINE - Mantell, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, 2566

  TEN - Approaching Delta Pavonis, 2564

  ELEVEN - Approaching Delta Pavonis, 2565

  TWELVE - Sky’s Edge, 61 Cygni-A, 2483 (simulated)

  THIRTEEN - Resurgam Orbit, 2566

  FOURTEEN - Mantell, North Nekhebet, Resurgam, 2566

  FIFTEEN - Mantell, North Nekhebet, 2566

  SIXTEEN - North Nekhebet, 2566

  SEVENTEEN - Rendezvous Point, Resurgam, 2566

  EIGHTEEN - Resurgam Orbit, 2566

  NINETEEN - Delta Pavonis system, 2566

  TWENTY - Approaching Cerberus/Hades, 2566

  TWENTY-ONE - Approaching Cerberus/Hades, 2566

  TWENTY-TWO - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  TWENTY-THREE - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  TWENTY-FOUR - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  TWENTY-FIVE - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  TWENTY-SIX - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  TWENTY-SEVEN - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  TWENTY-EIGHT - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  TWENTY-NINE - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  THIRTY - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  THIRTY-ONE - Cerberus/Hades, Delta Pavonis Heliopause, 2566

  THIRTY-TWO - Approaching Cerberus Surface, 2566

  THIRTY-THREE - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, 2566

  THIRTY-FOUR - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, 2566

  THIRTY-FIVE - Cerberus, Interior, 2567

  THIRTY-SIX - Cerberus/Hades Orbit, 2567

  THIRTY-SEVEN - Cerberus Interior, 2567

  THIRTY-EIGHT - Cerberus Interior, 2567

  THIRTY-NINE - Cerberus Interior, Final Chamber, 2567

  Chasm City

  Cover

  Title Page

  Contents

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWENTY-NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY-ONE

  THIRTY-TWO

  THIRTY-THREE

  THIRTY-FOUR

  THIRTY-FIVE

  THIRTY-SIX

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  THIRTY-NINE

  FORTY

  FORTY-ONE

  FORTY-TWO

  EPILOGUE

  Redemption Ark

  Cover

  Title Page

  Contents

  PROLOGUE

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWENTY-NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY-ONE

  THIRTY-TWO

  THIRTY-THREE

  THIRTY-FOUR

  THIRTY-FIVE

  THIRTY-SIX

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  THIRTY-NINE

  FORTY

  EPILOGUE

  Absolution Gap

  Cover

  Title Page

  Contents

  Dedication

  PROLOGUE

  ONE - Ararat, p Eridani A System, 2675

  TWO - Lighthugger Gnostic Ascension, Interstellar Space, 2615

  THREE - Lighthugger Gnostic Ascension, Interstellar Space, 2615

  FOUR - Ararat, 2675

  FIVE - Ararat, 2675

  SIX - Ararat, 2675

  SEVEN - Approaching Hela, 2615

  EIGHT - Hela, 2727

  NINE - Hela Surface, 2615

  TEN - Hela, 2615

  ELEVEN - Hela, 2727

  TWELVE - Hela, 2727

  THIRTEEN - Ararat, 2675

  FOURTEEN - Ararat, 2675

  FIFTEEN - Ararat, 2675

  SIXTEEN - Ararat, 2675

  SEVENTEEN - Hela, 2727

  EIGHTEEN - Ararat, 2675

  NINETEEN - Ararat, 2675

  TWENTY - Hela, 2727

  TWENTY-ONE - Ararat, 2675

  TWENTY-TWO - p Eridani 40, 2675

  TWENTY-THREE - Hela, 2727

  TWENTY-FOUR - Ararat, 2675

  TWENTY-FIVE - Ararat, 2675

  TWENTY-SIX - Hela, 2727

  TWENTY-SEVEN - Ararat, 2675

  TWENTY-EIGHT - Ararat, 2675

  TWENTY-NINE - Ararat, 2675

  THIRTY - Ararat, 2675

  THIRTY-ONE - Near Ararat, 2675

  THIRTY-TWO - Hela, 2727

  THIRTY-THREE - Near Ararat, 2675

  THIRTY-FOUR - Interstellar Space, Near p Eridani 40, 2675

  THIRTY-FIVE - Hela, 2727

  THIRTY-SIX - Interstellar Space, Near Epsilon Eridani, 2698

  THIRTY-SEVEN - Interstellar Space, Epsilon Eridani, 2698

  THIRTY-EIGHT - Hela, 2727

  THIRTY-NINE - Hela Surface, 2727

  FOR
TY - Hela Surface, 2727

  FORTY-ONE - Hela, 2727

  FORTY-TWO - Hela, 2727

  FORTY-THREE

  FORTY-FOUR

  FORTY-FIVE

  FORTY-SIX

  FORTY-SEVEN

  FORTY-EIGHT

  FORTY-NINE

  FIFTY

  EPILOGUE

  Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days

  Cover

  Title Page

  Contents

  Dedication

  DIAMOND DOGS

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  TURQUOISE DAYS

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  Galactic North

  Cover

  Title Page

  Contents

  Dedication

  GREAT WALL OF MARS

  GLACIAL

  A SPY IN EUROPA

  WEATHER

  DILATION SLEEP

  GRAFENWALDER’S BESTIARY

  NIGHTINGALE

  GALACTIC NORTH

  AFTERWORD

  The Prefect

  Cover

  Title Page

  Contents

  Dedication

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  Copyright

 

 

 


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