Short Fiction · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Short Fiction by Algis Budrys.
Chapter 1
Riya's Foundling
Phildee, a human boy with the ability to manipulate reality through Reimannian topology, is stranded on an alien world where he is adopted by Riya, an elderly herbivorous alien. Riya, desperate for a calf, takes Phildee as her own despite his obvious differences. Phildee struggles with the alien environment and Riya's expectations, but ultimately accepts her maternal care, finding a sense of belonging.
Chapter 2
Blood on My Jets
Ash Holcomb navigates the dangerous aftermath of his escape from the asteroid base, grappling with the loss of Pat McKay and the moral weight of his actions against Thorsten.
Chapter 3
I
David Greaves, a determined industrialist and test pilot, crash-lands his privately built spaceship Defiance on Venus. He survives the impact by sealing himself in a crash capsule filled with an experimental anesthetic, designed to keep him alive in suspended animation for up to a century until rescue arrives. As the ship breaks apart, Greaves reflects on his obsessive drive to succeed where governments feared to venture, and on the ironic flaw in his capsule's valve that may doom him to an endless sleep.
Chapter 4
The Awakening of David Greaves
David Greaves awakens from a long sleep on a strange world, greeted by a woman named Adelie who tells him he is worshipped as a god. He finds himself in a court surrounded by monstrous statues and is confronted by Vigil, his guardian, and Mayron, a being of shadows who claims to be the First of Men. Mayron challenges Greaves's divinity and announces they will fight tomorrow.
Chapter 5
III
Greaves, newly awakened, confronts his guardian Vigil and the worshipper Adelie about his role as a legendary figure. Vigil reveals that Mayron discovered the Shadows, entities from another continuum that consume humanity, and that a confrontation with Mayron is set for the next day. Greaves destroys a weapon meant for the fight, asserting his own agency.
Chapter 6
IV
David Greaves confronts Mayron, the Shadow leader, in a climactic battle within the Temple of Shadows. Using rage fueled by humanity's collective faith, Greaves destroys the Shadow's machine and frees the universe from their threat, emerging victorious but exhausted.
Chapter 7
V
Sollenar negotiates with Martians for an entertainment device that creates subjective realities, while Ermine waits outside to assassinate him. After killing Sollenar, Ermine experiences a profound transformation, feeling the wind and ground as if reborn, and resolves to use his newfound perspective for revenge.
Chapter 8
VI
Marlowe learns that Hubert Harrison is being deported from Dovenil on charges of theft and assault. He reviews a news broadcast, orders a background check on Dalish ud Klavan, and instructs Chris Mead to recall Martin Holliday from his journey to Karlshaven.
Chapter 9
VII
Marlowe meets with the Dovenilid spy Ud Klavan to smooth over the incident of Harrison's deportation, then rushes to prepare for an interview with Martin Holliday, tasking his subordinates with finding a habitable but resource-poor planet for a new colony.
Chapter 10
VIII
Marlowe, Bussard, and Mead meet with Martin Holliday to persuade him to accept a new planet closer to the Dovenilid system, revealing the Union's strategic concerns about Dovenilid expansion. Holliday, despite his agoraphobia and reluctance, agrees to help, and Marlowe promises to name the planet after him.
Chapter 11
IX
Marlowe confronts the Dovenilid leader Dalish ud Klavan, who pleads for help against the Holliday Republic's raiders. Marlowe explains the Earthman's paradoxical nature: their government cannot enforce treaties because it lags behind the ever-changing logic of its people. He reflects on Martin Holliday's driven, fearful civilizing mission and admits that Earthmen are maniacs who hate themselves.
Chapter 12
Firegod
Emperor Merssu, facing the collapse of his empire due to Earth's advance, escapes via a hidden spaceship into hyperspace. He plans to pose as a god to a primitive race, bringing them civilization in exchange for worship. After establishing a religion on a primitive world, he returns centuries later only to be killed as a blasphemer by the very priests he created.
Chapter 13
Desire No More
Martin Isherwood, a young man obsessed with becoming a rocket pilot, defies his father's expectations and pursues his dream against all odds. The chapter follows his journey from a rebellious teenager to a determined adult, facing skepticism from his family, faculty advisors, and even a psychiatrist, as he prepares for a mission that will take him beyond Earth. His single-minded drive isolates him from personal relationships, including with Nan, as he sacrifices everything for the stars.
Chapter 14
I
David Greaves, a determined industrialist and test pilot, crash-lands his privately built spaceship Defiance on Venus. He survives the impact by sealing himself in a crash capsule filled with an experimental anesthetic, designed to keep him alive in suspended animation for up to a century until rescue arrives. As the ship breaks apart, Greaves reflects on his obsessive drive to succeed where governments feared to venture, and on the ironic flaw in his capsule's valve that may doom him to an endless sleep.
Chapter 15
The Awakening of David Greaves
David Greaves awakens from a long sleep on a strange world, greeted by a woman named Adelie who tells him he is worshipped as a god. He finds himself in a court surrounded by monstrous statues and is confronted by Vigil, his guardian, and Mayron, a being of shadows who claims to be the First of Men. Mayron challenges Greaves's divinity and announces they will fight tomorrow.
Chapter 16
III
Greaves, newly awakened, confronts his guardian Vigil and the worshipper Adelie about his role as a legendary figure. Vigil reveals that Mayron discovered the Shadows, entities from another continuum that consume humanity, and that a confrontation with Mayron is set for the next day. Greaves destroys a weapon meant for the fight, asserting his own agency.
Chapter 17
IV
David Greaves confronts Mayron, the Shadow leader, in a climactic battle within the Temple of Shadows. Using rage fueled by humanity's collective faith, Greaves destroys the Shadow's machine and frees the universe from their threat, emerging victorious but exhausted.
Chapter 18
V
Sollenar negotiates with Martians for an entertainment device that creates subjective realities, while Ermine waits outside to assassinate him. After killing Sollenar, Ermine experiences a profound transformation, feeling the wind and ground as if reborn, and resolves to use his newfound perspective for revenge.
Chapter 19
VI
Marlowe learns that Hubert Harrison is being deported from Dovenil on charges of theft and assault. He reviews a news broadcast, orders a background check on Dalish ud Klavan, and instructs Chris Mead to recall Martin Holliday from his journey to Karlshaven.
Chapter 20
VII
Marlowe meets with the Dovenilid spy Ud Klavan to smooth over the incident of Harrison's deportation, then rushes to prepare for an interview with Martin Holliday, tasking his subordinates with finding a habitable but resource-poor planet for a new colony.
Chapter 21
VIII
Marlowe, Bussard, and Mead meet with Martin Holliday to persuade him to accept a new planet closer to the Dovenilid system, revealing the Union's strategic concerns about Dovenilid expansion. Holliday, despite his agoraphobia and reluctance, agrees to help, and Marlowe promises to name the planet after him.
Chapter 22
IX
Marlowe confronts the Dovenilid leader Dalish ud Klavan, who pleads for help against the Holliday Republic's raiders. Marlowe explains the Earthman's paradoxical nature: their government cannot enforce treaties because it lags behind the ever-changing logic of its people. He reflects on Martin Holliday's driven, fearful civilizing mission and admits that Earthmen are maniacs who hate themselves.
Chapter 23
The Barbarians
Young Giulion Geoffrey is betrayed by Harolde Dugald during battle against the Barbarian, Hodd Savage. Wounded and left for dead, Geoffrey is rescued by the Barbarian himself, who gives him water and bandages. They form an uneasy alliance as they flee together with Myka, a woman the Barbarian rescues from a slave trailer. Pursued by Dugald and other nobles, they prepare for a final stand in the wilderness, with Geoffrey torn between his noble code and the practical necessities of survival.
Chapter 24
The Stoker and the Stars
A veteran of the war recounts his time as a second officer on the freighter Serenus, where a mysterious stranger signed on as a stoker. The stranger, a quiet and hardened war veteran, eventually left to work on alien ships, traveling deeper into the galaxy. His journey seemed to improve human relations with alien races, and he became the first being to travel all the way around the galaxy.
Chapter 25
Wall of Crystal, Eye of Night
The chapter explores the aftermath of war and the search for meaning through a series of vignettes, including the Veld's preparations for departure, Merssu's return to his world as a false god, and the reflections of characters grappling with identity and alienation.
Chapter 26
I
David Greaves, a determined industrialist and test pilot, crash-lands his privately built spaceship Defiance on Venus. He survives the impact by sealing himself in a crash capsule filled with an experimental anesthetic, designed to keep him alive in suspended animation for up to a century until rescue arrives. As the ship breaks apart, Greaves reflects on his obsessive drive to succeed where governments feared to venture, and on the ironic flaw in his capsule's valve that may doom him to an endless sleep.
Chapter 27
The Awakening of David Greaves
David Greaves awakens from a long sleep on a strange world, greeted by a woman named Adelie who tells him he is worshipped as a god. He finds himself in a court surrounded by monstrous statues and is confronted by Vigil, his guardian, and Mayron, a being of shadows who claims to be the First of Men. Mayron challenges Greaves's divinity and announces they will fight tomorrow.
Chapter 28
III
Greaves, newly awakened, confronts his guardian Vigil and the worshipper Adelie about his role as a legendary figure. Vigil reveals that Mayron discovered the Shadows, entities from another continuum that consume humanity, and that a confrontation with Mayron is set for the next day. Greaves destroys a weapon meant for the fight, asserting his own agency.
Chapter 29
IV
David Greaves confronts Mayron, the Shadow leader, in a climactic battle within the Temple of Shadows. Using rage fueled by humanity's collective faith, Greaves destroys the Shadow's machine and frees the universe from their threat, emerging victorious but exhausted.
Chapter 30
V
Sollenar negotiates with Martians for an entertainment device that creates subjective realities, while Ermine waits outside to assassinate him. After killing Sollenar, Ermine experiences a profound transformation, feeling the wind and ground as if reborn, and resolves to use his newfound perspective for revenge.
Chapter 31
The Rag and Bone Men
Maurer and Charpantier, creations of the Veld, debate the sanity of their creator as he attempts to build a new transporter from Earthly materials to return home. Maurer fears the transporter might work in unintended ways, while Charpantier dismisses his concerns. After the Veld's failed attempt, Maurer reflects on his duty to heal the Veld and guide humanity, despite the hopelessness of the task.
Chapter 32
Die, Shadow!
The chapter explores the confrontation with the Shadow, a mysterious and oppressive force, as characters grapple with themes of identity, sacrifice, and the search for meaning in a hostile universe.
Chapter 33
I
David Greaves, a determined industrialist and test pilot, crash-lands his privately built spaceship Defiance on Venus. He survives the impact by sealing himself in a crash capsule filled with an experimental anesthetic, designed to keep him alive in suspended animation for up to a century until rescue arrives. As the ship breaks apart, Greaves reflects on his obsessive drive to succeed where governments feared to venture, and on the ironic flaw in his capsule's valve that may doom him to an endless sleep.
Chapter 34
The Awakening of David Greaves
David Greaves awakens from a long sleep on a strange world, greeted by a woman named Adelie who tells him he is worshipped as a god. He finds himself in a court surrounded by monstrous statues and is confronted by Vigil, his guardian, and Mayron, a being of shadows who claims to be the First of Men. Mayron challenges Greaves's divinity and announces they will fight tomorrow.
Chapter 35
III
Greaves, newly awakened, confronts his guardian Vigil and the worshipper Adelie about his role as a legendary figure. Vigil reveals that Mayron discovered the Shadows, entities from another continuum that consume humanity, and that a confrontation with Mayron is set for the next day. Greaves destroys a weapon meant for the fight, asserting his own agency.
Chapter 36
IV
David Greaves confronts Mayron, the Shadow leader, in a climactic battle within the Temple of Shadows. Using rage fueled by humanity's collective faith, Greaves destroys the Shadow's machine and frees the universe from their threat, emerging victorious but exhausted.
