Short Fiction · Chapter
Tourists to Terra explained
Captain Foren and his crew manage a luxury cruise ship for wealthy thrill-seekers, who participate in primitive wars for sport.
What happens
Captain Foren and his crew manage a luxury cruise ship for wealthy thrill-seekers, who participate in primitive wars for sport. After a tourist is injured at Troy, the Captain decides to move the ship forward in time to find safer conflicts. They arrive in 1845, then jump to 1945, only to discover they are near the site of the first atomic bomb test, forcing a panicked evacuation.
Themes in this chapter
Violence as Spectacle
The cruise ship turns war into a luxury entertainment, with wealthy passengers killing for thrills.
Power and Corruption
Captain Foren prioritizes profit and passenger satisfaction over ethical concerns, willing to disrupt planetary development.
Technology and Alienation
Advanced technology allows time travel and safe participation in wars, but also leads to a disconnect from the consequences of violence.
Characters to notice
- Johnny McCord
Captain Foren, the commander of the luxury cruise ship, who organizes the war tourism and worries about passenger safety.
- Paul Koslov
First Officer Cajun, who assists Captain Foren and suggests moving forward in time to find safer wars.
- Simon Pond
Lord General Baris, a passenger who enjoys fighting humanoids and opposes the Venus trip.
- Hélène Desage
Lady Jan, a noble passenger who is injured at Troy and complains about the danger.
- Dian Fuller
Lady Marid, a passenger who defends the thrill of the cruise and mocks Lady Jan's costume.
- Peter Voss
Lord Doren, a passenger who prefers long-distance killing and criticizes hand-to-hand combat.
Key passages
“The theory of the cruise was to let them kill without endangering themselves.”
The cruise's purpose was to allow passengers to kill others while remaining safe.
Summarizes the core premise of the war tourism business.
“Probability shows the inhabitants of Terra will begin utilizing explosives for propelling missiles in two thousand years.”
The Predictinformer indicates that in two thousand years, Earth's inhabitants will start using gunpowder weapons.
Shows the ship's reliance on predictive technology to choose safe time periods.
“The soldiers carry explosive propelled missile weapons, but they’re usually slow in loading and single shot in operation. Swords are carried at the ends of these weapons so that after it is fired the soldier may dash forward and engage his enemy personally.”
The soldiers use slow-loading, single-shot guns with bayonets, leading to hand-to-hand combat after firing.
Describes the state of warfare in 1845, which the Captain deems too dangerous.