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N-Space

Page 67

by Larry Niven


  If he ever builds a Phoenix, Marilyn and I will be aboard the first flight of the corporate rocket. We bought our way in early.

  And now Jerry’s claiming that we tore down the Berlin Wall at Niven’s house!

  It’s hard to disprove. The argument goes:

  1]

  The National Defense Initiative went through the Niven household before it was loosed upon the nation.

  2]

  Opponents kept having their facts shot out from under them—and always came to the same conclusions—until their position started to look a little silly. Meanwhile, it was being funded.

  3]

  The Soviets couldn’t compete with the expense of Star Wars techniques.

  4]

  They went to glasnost instead.

  If you ask me, the Germans [both sides] ought to pick some sturdy, not too ugly section of the Wall and keep it. Build a museum with the Wall as its major support wall! The Wall is not a part of history that should be forgotten. Hell, they could even have races: over the wall, any technique is legal, a paint bullet disqualifies you…

  …What do you mean, nobody asked?

  Nobody asked us to form a committee to design a national space policy either. What a selling author learns, what Jerry Pournelle seems to have known from birth, is this: You don’t have to wait to be asked.

  • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

  DEFENSES

  Anything worth doing in space can be turned into a weapon.

  I add in haste that that statement also holds true in your own neighborhood. Nobody will ever count how many victims of the elderly and wealthy persuasion have fallen to the lowly pillow. Anything with heft works in a bar fight: a glass ashtray, a bottle and a hard surface to break it, even the bottle alone. An automobile makes a fine weapon; so does gasoline. All of these things are universally available.

  But in space the situation is entirely different. The energies necessary even to reach orbit, let alone to accomplish anything once we’re there, are matched only in the field of weapons, and generally not by them.

  The most efficient reaction motors are those with the highest exhaust velocity. A Saturn booster hovering over a building would reduce it to flaming slag; a fusion rocket would certainly do the job faster; a light-pressure drive would melt and boil it.

  A mass in low orbit carries tremendous kinetic energy. What gives a spacecraft destructive power also gives it vulnerability: any undefended orbiting spacecraft can be killed by a bucket of sand in retrograde orbit. In higher orbits the velocities may be less, but the potential energies are even greater—which is why lifting the mass is so expensive—and the higher the orbit, the less retrothrust it takes to drop the mass back to Earth.

  The distance between L5 and the Moon is the radius of the Moon’s orbit. Between L4 and L5 the distance is nearly twice that. A signal laser powerful enough to cross such gaps would be lethal at close range.

  Rocks thrown from the Moon by any kind of mass driver would impact the Earth as guided meteors, at seven miles per second.

  Any nation that can return a piece of asteroid to Earth orbit, to mine its millions of tons of recoverable metals, could also drop it on an enemy with similar incoming velocities.

  The United States should encourage any space enterprise involving its citizens. The more thoroughly we can establish ourselves in space, the safer we are. We must establish a presence in space, before someone can tell us not to.

  If the Soviet Union is Number One in space, will there be a Number Two?

  • • •

  BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LARRY NIVEN

  OPUS #

  TITLE and publishing history

  1)

  THE COLDEST PLACE. Worlds of If, December 1964

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  2)

  WORLD OF PTAVVS. Worlds of Tomorrow, March 1965

  Expanded to novel length, 1966 (#10)

  3)

  WRONG-WAY STREET. Galaxy, April 1965

  anthology, THE NINTH GALAXY READER, edited by Frederik Pohl, 1966

  anthology, VOYAGERS IN TIME, edited by Robert Silverberg, cloth and paper

  anthology, FIRST FLIGHTS TO THE MOON, edited by Hal Clement, cloth

  collection, CONVERGENT SERIES (#113)

  Portuguese anthology, VIAJANTES NO TEMPO, as RUA DE SENTIDO UNICO, from Galleria Panorama

  anthology, DIE MORDER MOHAMMEDS, as FALSCHE RICHTUNG, Marion von Schroder Verlag, 1970

  as TWEERICHTINGSVERKEER, in ALFA EEN copyright 1973 Meulenhoff Nederland bv

  4)

  ONE FACE. Galaxy, June 1965

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60)

  collection, CONVERGENT SERIES (#113)

  French, Galaxie, Juin 1967 as LA FACE CACHEE DE LA TERRE

  paper, anthology, SCIENCE FICTION-VERHALEN, Meulenhoff, Amsterdam, as DE SCHADUZIJDE

  5)

  BECALMED IN HELL. Fantasy and Science Fiction, July 1965

  anthology, WORLD’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION: 1966, edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr, 1966

  anthology, NEBULA AWARD STORIES 1965, edited by Damon Knight (cloth and paper)

  anthology, TWENTY YEARS OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Edward L. Ferman and Robert P. Mills (cloth and paper)

  collection, ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (#54)

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60)

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  Dutch anthology, DE SPEEKSELBOOM (NEBULA AWARD STORIES I) as DOBBEREN IN DE HEL ed. Damon Knight, Uitgeverij Luitingh—Laren N.H.

  anthology, DER GIGANT, as PANNE IN DER HOLLE from Science-Fiction-Erzahlungen

  6)

  THE WARRIORS. Worlds of If, February 1966

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  7)

  EYE OF AN OCTOPUS. Galaxy, February 1966

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  8)

  BORDERED IN BLACK. Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1966

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60)

  anthology, SF:3, AUTHOR’S CHOICE, edited by Harry Harrison

  collection, CONVERGENT SERIES (#113)

  9)

  BY MIND ALONE. Worlds of If, June 1966

  10)

  WORLD OF PTAVVS. novel, paper, Ballantine, 1966

  hardcover, MacDonald

  paper, Sphere

  French hardback, LE MONDE DE PTAVVS, 1974 from Editions Opta. Glorious interior illos.

  as KZANOL DE RUIMTEPIRAAT, from Prisma, Het Nederlandse Pocketboek. Copyright 1970 by Het Spectrum.

  as EL MUNDO DE LOS PTAVVS, paper, Edaf, Madrid, 1976

  German, as DAS DOPPELHIRN, paper, Bastei Lubbe, 1977

  Italian, as STASI INTERROTTA, 1976, Fanucci Editore, Eddie Jones cover

  paper, as DE WERELD VAN DE PTAVVS, 1979, Elsevier SF Elsevier Nederland B.V., Amsterdam/Brussel

  11)

  HOW THE HEROES DIE. Galaxy, October 1966

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60)

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  12)

  NEUTRON STAR. Worlds of If, October 1966

  collection, NEUTRON STAR, Ballantine (#26)

  anthology, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? edited by Isaac Asimov

  anthology, THE HUGO WINNERS, edited by Isaac Asimov

  anthology, THE ARBOR HOUSE TREASURY OF MODERN SCIENCE FICTION, compiled by Robert Silverberg and Martin H. Greenberg

  French, Galaxie, Mars 1968, as L’ETOILE INVISIBLE

  in GALACTICA, Hungarian, with (15)

  13)

  AT THE CORE. Worlds of if, November 1966

  anthology, THE SECOND IF READER OF SCIENCE FICTION edited by Frederik Pohl (cloth and paperba
ck)

  collection, NEUTRON STAR, Ballantine (#26)

  French, Galaxie, Avril 1968, as JUSQU’AU COEUR

  14)

  AT THE BOTTOM OF A HOLE. Galaxy, December 1966

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60)

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  15)

  A RELIC OF EMPIRE. Worlds of If, December 1966

  collection, NEUTRON STAR, Ballantine (#26)

  anthology-textbook, THE GREAT SCIENCE FICTION SERIES, with commentary

  in GALACTICA, Hungarian, with (12)

  16)

  THE SOFT WEAPON. Worlds of If, February 1967

  collection, NEUTRON STAR, Ballantine (#26)

  as L’ARME MOLLE, in Galaxie, Septembre 1971

  17)

  THE LONG NIGHT. Fantasy and Science Fiction, March 1967

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60) (as CONVERGENT SERIES)

  collection, CONVERGENT SERIES (#113) (as CONVERGENT SERIES)

  anthology, MATHENAUTS, edited by Rudy Rucker (1987) (as CONVERGENT SERIES)

  18)

  FLATLANDER. Worlds of if, March 1967

  collection, NEUTRON STAR, Ballantine (#26)

  anthology, SEVEN TRIPS THROUGH SPACE AND TIME, edited by Groff Conklin

  19)

  THE ETHICS OF MADNESS. Worlds of If, April 1967

  collection, NEUTRON STAR, Ballantine (#26)

  20)

  SAFE AT ANY SPEED. Fantasy and Science Fiction, May 1967

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  anthology, 100 GREAT SCIENCE FICTION SHORT SHORT STORIES, edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, and Joseph D. Olander

  21)

  THE ADULTS. Galaxy, June 1967

  22)

  THE JIGSAW MAN. anthology, DANGEROUS VISIONS, edited by Harlan Ellison (Doubleday).

  paper, DANGEROUS VISIONS (volume #2, Berkley)

  paper, DANGEROUS VISIONS, Sphere

  one volume DANGEROUS VISIONS, Signet

  collection, ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (#54)

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  anthology, THE ROAD TO SCIENCE FICTION #3, edited by James Gunn

  French anthology, DANGEREUSES VISIONS, J’ai Lu, 1976, paper

  23)

  THE HANDICAPPED. Galaxy, December 1967

  collection, NEUTRON STAR, from Ballantine, as HANDICAP (#26)

  anthology, WORLD’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION 1968, edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr, as HANDICAP

  24)

  SLOWBOAT CARGO. serial, Galaxy, February, March, and April 1968

  25)

  THE DECEIVERS. Galaxy, April 1968

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84) as INTENT TO DECEIVE

  German anthology, GALAXY 13, 1969

  as BEDIENUNG INBEGRIFFEN from Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München

  26)

  NEUTRON STAR. collected stories, paper, from Ballantine

  cloth, from MacDonald (British)

  paper, from Sphere (British)

  Italian, abridged and filled out with cartoons, as RELIQUIA DELL’IMPERIO, from Urania.

  German paperback, from Wilhelm Goldmann Verlag

  As NEUTRONSTER, paper, 1970 & 1979, Meulenhoff, Amsterdam

  27)

  GRENDEL. first published in collection, NEUTRON STAR, #26

  28)

  DRY RUN. Fantasy and Science Fiction, May 1968

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  collection, CONVERGENT SERIES (#113)

  Portuguese, as TENTATIVA SIMULADA, in Magazine de ficcão cientifica, Julho 1971

  29)

  THE DEADLIER WEAPON. Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, June 1968

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60)

  collection, CONVERGENT SERIES (#113)

  Swedish anthology, ARETS RYSARE 7, Forlags Ab Semic

  30)

  THERE IS A TIDE. Galaxy, June 1968

  collection, A HOLE IN SPACE (#74)

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  Nederland anthology, as ER IS EEN GETIJ in HET HEELAL VAN DER DROMERS

  German anthology, GALAXY 12, as DAS GLUCKSSPIEL, Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München, 1969

  31)

  WAIT IT OUT. Future Unbounded, Program Book, for Westercon 1968

  (revised) anthology, TOMORROW’S WORLDS, edited by Robert Silverberg (cloth and paper)

  collection, ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (#54)

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60)

  collection, TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (#84)

  anthology, THE SCIENCE FICTIONAL SOLAR SYSTEM, edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, and Charles G. Waugh

  German anthology, ABENTEUER WELTRAUM, paper as GESTRANDET AUF PLUTO, 1981, Bastei Lubbe

  32)

  FOR A FOGGY NIGHT. Decal, fanzine edited by Donald A. Cochran, July 1968 issue

  collection, ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (#54)

  33)

  LIKE BANQUO’S GHOST. Worlds of If, September 1968

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  semiprozine, ALTERNITIES, Autumn/Winter 1980

  collection, CONVERGENT SERIES (#113)

  34)

  A GIFT FROM EARTH. novel, paper, Ballantine, 1968

  cloth, MacDonald (British)

  cloth, SFBC (British book club)

  cloth, Walker (American)

  paper, Sphere

  paper, from Bastei Lubbe, as PLANET DER VERLORNEN, 1972 & 1982

  Italian, as UN DONO DALLA TERRA, from Futuro, 1973

  as EEN GESCHENK VAN DE AARDE, paper, Meulenhoff Amsterdam, 1976

  paper, 1979, Hayakawa Publishing, Inc.

  35)

  THE MEDDLER. Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1968

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40)

  collection, CONVERGENT SERIES (#113)

  36)

  ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS. Galaxy, October 1968

  anthology, WORLDS OF MAYBE, edited by Robert Silverberg

  collection, ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (#54)

  graphic, PSYCHO, November 1972 (as ALL THE WAYS AND MEANS TO DIE)

  anthology, GALAXY: THIRTY YEARS OF INNOVATIVE SCIENCE FICTION, with memoir

  cloth and paper, Wideview Books

  37)

  THE ORGANLEGGERS. Galaxy, January 1969

  collection, THE SHAPE OF SPACE (#40) as DEATH BY ECSTASY

  anthology, WORLD’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION 1970, edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr, as DEATH BY ECSTASY

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON (#60) as DEATH BY ECSTASY

  collection, THE LONG ARM OF GIL HAMILTON (#88) as DEATH BY ECSTASY

  38)

  THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TELEPORTATION. Galaxy, March 1969

  collection, ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (#54), as EXERCISE IN SPECULATION: THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TELEPORTATION

  39)

  NOT LONG BEFORE THE END. Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1969

  anthology, NEBULA AWARD STORIES FIVE, edited by James Blish (cloth and paper)

  collection, ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (#54)

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60)

  anthology, THE GOLDEN ROAD, edited by Damon Knight

  graphic, UNKNOWN WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTION, May 1975

  anthology, THE MAGIC MAY RETURN (#127)

  40)

  THE SHAPE OF SPACE. collected stories, Ballantine 1969

  as LETZTES SIGNAL VON ALPHA CENTAURI, paper, Wilhelm Goldmann Verlag, München

  41)

  MAN OF STEEL, WOMAN OF KLEENEX. Knight, December 1969

  newszine, Ad Astra, issue three (British)

  graphic underground, dramatized: MORE EXISTENTIALIST FUN COMICS

  anthology, SUPERHEROES, edited by Michel Parry

  Heyne Science Fiction Magazin 12

  42)


  PASSERBY. Galaxy, September 1969

  collection, ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (#54)

  collection, INCONSTANT MOON, Gollancz (#60)

  43)

  GET A HORSE! Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1969

  anthology, THE BEST FROM FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, 19th series, edited by Edward L. Ferman

  collection, THE FLIGHT OF THE HORSE, #64 (as THE FLIGHT OF THE HORSE)

  The Saturday Evening Post, June–July 1974

  graphic, QUESTAR, Golden Press

  graphic, STARSTREAM, edited by Roger Elwood

  44)

  THE MISSPELLED MAGICIAN (with David Gerrold). serial, Worlds of If, May–June and July–August 1970

  expanded, THE FLYING SORCERERS (#56)

  French, DROLE DE MAGICIEN, in Galaxie, Mai and Juin 1972

  45)

  BIRD IN THE HAND. Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1969

  anthology, WORLD’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION 1971, edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr

  collection, THE FLIGHT OF THE HORSE (#64)

  anthology, PHOENIX FEATHERS, edited by Barbara Silverberg

  46)

  UNFINISHED STORY. Fantasy and Science Fiction, December 1969

  collection, ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (#54), as UNFINISHED STORY #1

  AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICS, February 1975

  47)

  LEVIATHAN! Playboy, August 1970

  anthology, LAST TRAIN TO LIMBO, no listed editor, Playboy Press

  collection, THE FLIGHT OF THE HORSE (#64)

  48)

  NO EXIT (with Hank Stine). Fantastic, June 1971

  49)

  THERE’S A WOLF IN MY TIME MACHINE. Fantasy and Science Fiction, June 1971

  collection, THE FLIGHT OF THE HORSE (#64)

  anthology, ZOO 2000, edited by Jane Yolen (as THERE IS A WOLF IN MY TIME MACHINE)

  50)

  THE FOURTH PROFESSION. QUARK 4, quarterly anthology, edited by Samuel R. Delany and Marilyn Hacker

 

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