Ben Bova - Forward in Time

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU FOUND YOURSELF FACE TO FACE WITH:

A computer that you fear may drive you insane?

A mathematical equation that proves you are about to die?

A seductive siren who promises you sex and death in outer space?

A brainwashing technique that will turn you either into a superman or a monster?

A machine that lets you fight imaginary duelsuntil someone programs it for real-life murder?

These are just some of the future shocks inFORWARD IN TIME

by

BEN BOVA

Published by ReAnimus Press

Other books by Ben Bova:

The Exiles Trilogy

The Star Conquerors (Special Collector's Edition)

The Star Conquerors (Standard Edition)

Colony

The Kinsman Saga

Star Watchmen

As on a Darkling Plain

The Winds of Altair

Test of Fire

The Weathermakers

The Dueling Machine

The Multiple Man

Escape!

Maxwell's Demons

Twice Seven

The Astral Mirror

The Story of Light

Immortality

Space Travel - A Science Fiction Writer's Guide

The Craft of Writing Science Fiction that Sells

2013 by Ben Bova. All rights reserved.

http://ReAnimus.com/authors/benbova

Cover Art by Clay Hagebusch

Licence Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

~~~

To the editors, whom I now appreciate

~~~

Since Ive become editor of Analog Science Fiction magazine, Ive been asked by many readers, scholars and interviewers to define just what science fiction is. Ive often countered by asking them to define what they think science fiction is. Usually, theyre laboring under a vast misconception. They believe that science fiction writers are attempting to predict the future. Nothing could be further from the truth.

For science fiction writers arent trying to predict THE future, as if theres only one. The writers are literally creating a myriad of futuresas many different futures as there are stories. Each science fiction story is a tiny microcosm of its own, with its own reality, its own particular point of view. Each represents the writers feelings about one possible aspect of a future that might come to be.

Science fiction is very much like the simulation laboratories that scientists use to test their theoretical predictions. Instead of scientific apparatus and computers, the science fiction writers use their imaginations and the arts of storytelling. They test various ideas and try to show all the many facets of all the possible tomorrows. If the history of the human race can be thought of as a vast migration through time, with billions upon billions of people wandering across the eons, then the science fiction writers are the scouts who maneuver ahead and come back with wondrous tales of the unknown territory up ahead, warnings of the deserts and badlands, glowing descriptions of the green forests and beautiful pastures that lie beyond the horizon.

The ten stories in this collection represent several different futures, reports from the territory ahead, as Ive seen it. The stories were written over a span of nearly ten years, and were never intended to form a cohesive pattern when placed together (except for the three Kinsman stories). They are arranged, as the title of this book suggests, in a way that moves forward in time. The first story could happen todaymaybe it has already happened. Each subsequent story could take place a little further in the future than the one previous to it. The time scale is logarithmic: the jumps in time get bigger between each story (again, with the exception of the Kinsman pieces). You might argue with the details of some of the placements, feeling that a certain story might, conceivably, take place earlier than a story I put before it. So be it; if we all agreed about the future thered be no science fiction.

So, welcome to several different tomorrows. As you go forward in time on this brief but accelerated journey, you will visit the moon, the heart of a hurricane, the ultimate end of the universe. Fasten your seat belt and have a pleasant trip.

Ben Bova

New York City

When I first started working in the aerospace industry,Iwas impressed by the huge security apparatus that was designed to protect classified documents,hardware and ideas. While much of the secrecy seemed excessive and even counterproductive(like showing a pass to a guard to get to the mens room) I soon found that there were important reasons for all the elaborate security precautions. Many important reasons.

I dont really see where this problem has anything to do with me, the CIA man said. And, frankly, there are a lot of more important things I could be doing.

Ford, the physicist, glanced at General LeRoy. The general had that quizzical expression on his face, the look that meant he was about to do something decisive.

Would you like to see the problem firsthand? the general asked, innocently.

The CIA man took a quick look at his wrist watch, Okay, if it doesnt take too long. Its late enough already.

It wont take very long, will it, Ford? the general said, getting out of his chair.

Not very long, Ford agreed. Only a lifetime.

The QA man grunted as they went to the doorway and left the generals office. Going down the dark, deserted hallway, their footsteps echoed hollowly.

I cant overemphasize the seriousness of the problem, General LeRoy said to the CIA man. Eight ranking members of the General Staff have either resigned their commissions or gone straight to the violent ward after just one session with the computer.

The CIA man scowled. Is this area Secure?

General LeRoys face turned red. This entire building is as Secure as any edifice in the Free World, mister. And its empty. Were the only living people inside here at this hour. Im not taking any chances.

Just want to be sure.

Perhaps if I explain the computer a little more, Ford said, changing the subject, Youll know what to expect.

Good idea, said the man from CIA.

We told you that this is the most modern, most complex and delicate computer in the world... nothing like it has ever been attempted beforeanywhere.

I know that They dont have anything like it, the CIA man agreed.

And you also know, I suppose, that it was built to simulate actual war situations. We fight wars in this computer... wars with missiles and bombs and gas. Real wars, complete down to the tiniest detail. The computer tells us what will actually happen to every missile, every city, every man... who dies, how many planes are lost, how many trucks will fail to start on a cold morning, whether a battle is won or lost...

General LeRoy interrupted. The computer runs these analyses for both sides, so we can see whats happening to Them, too.

The CIA man gestured impatiently. War-games simulations arent new. Youve been doing them for years.

Yes, but this machine is different, Ford pointed out. It not only gives a much more detailed war game. Its the next logical step in the development of machine-simulated war games. He hesitated dramatically.

Well, what is it?

Weve added a variation of the electroencephalograph...

The CIA man stopped walking. The electro-what?

Electroencephalograph. You know, a recording device that reads the electrical patterns of your brain. Like the electrocardiograph.