# Tourists to Terra explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Mack Reynolds.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_36_se/chapters/tourists-to-terra
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_36_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_36_se/chapters