Space Stations

—apparently not for protection, but rather for convenience; the translucent garment covering part of its abdomen was rich with pockets and pouches. Still, the body showed signs of having suffered a massive decompression; innards had partially burst out through various seams in the exoskeleton.

While Don continued to examine the being—the first alien life-form ever seen by a human—Sas poked around the room. “Don!” he shouted.

Don reluctantly left the Martian and glided over to Sas, who was pointing through an open archway.

The underground complex went on and on. And Martian bodies were everywhere.

“Wow,” said Sas. “Wow.”

Don tried to activate the radio circuit to Earth, but he wasn't able to pick up the beacon signal from Mission Control. Of course not: this facility had operated a massive radio telescope; it would be shielded to prevent interference with the antenna. Don and Sas made their way up the air lock tube and out to the surface. There they had no trouble acquiring the beacon.

“Mission Control,” said Don. “Tell Chuck Zakarian we hope he has a good time down on Mars' surface—although, given all the erosion that goes on there, I doubt he'll find much. But that's okay, Houston; we'll make up for that. You see, it seems we're not the first crew to occupy…” He paused, the perfect name coming to him at last. “…Mike Collins Station.”

THE FRANCHISE

by Julie E. Czerneda

Canadian author and editor Julie E. Czerneda has been a finalist for both the John W. Campbell and Philip K. Dick Awards, as well as two-time winner of the Prix Aurora Award. She has published a number of science fiction novels with DAW Books, most recently Species Imperative: Survival. A proponent of using SF in classrooms, Julie edits Trifolium Books' Y/A anthology series Tales from the Wonder Zone, as well as Realms of Wonder. Julie edited the anthology Space Inc. for DAW Books, which explores daily life off this planet, and with Isaac Szpindel, the upcoming Revisions, alternative science histories. Her award-winning standalone SF novel, In the Company of Others, led to the characters and settings featured here in “The Franchise.”

Titan University Archives

Public Access

Reference: Post-Quill Era; Colonization;

Space Station Repatriation

ONCE the menace of the Quill, the alien pest accidentally and tragically released on the terraformed planets, had been overcome, and the first of these worlds declared free of the deadly Quill Effect, it was with relief and enthusiasm that humanity undertook Phase Four: colonization. There were, of course, minor details to be settled before full, unrestricted immigration could be instituted. During the two decades of Protective Isolation, the great transit stations had sheltered hundreds of thousands of would-be immigrants. These individuals were now eager to resume their chosen destiny. Earth, and all of Sol System, wished to reestablish routine travel via the stations to the new worlds, but some stations had fallen into disrepair. Fortunately, all affected agencies worked in harmony to move colonization and station repatriation forward as expeditiously as possible. Humanity's Great Dream had begun anew and the transit stations would prove key to making that dream a reality.

Titan University Archives

Excerpts from briefings conducted by

Assistant Secretary Wayne Umberto

Access Restricted to Clearance AA2 or higher

…It's clear the 16 transit stations presently—viable— will be granted self-governing status as the public demands. Your task in this negotiation, sir, will be to obtain a firm understanding—however worded—that this enfranchisement is conditional upon those stations assuming responsibility for repatriating the nonviable ones. It's a salvage stationers are uniquely qualified to undertake and our experts predict a success rate of 30%.

There is the obvious added benefit of relieving the extreme population pressure within the surviving stations. Less apparent, but no less critical, sir, is that the System Universities and TerraCor, by providing crucial transport and technical support, will reestablish a permanent presence on the stations before they become too independent.