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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/28645-h.zip b/28645-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d68149b --- /dev/null +++ b/28645-h.zip diff --git a/28645-h/28645-h.htm b/28645-h/28645-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3608d23 --- /dev/null +++ b/28645-h/28645-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,670 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Lost in the Future, by John Victor Peterson + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: right; font-weight: normal; line-height: 2em;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .bk1 {margin: 1em auto 3em; border-top: solid 2px; border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bk2 {float: left; width: 15em; margin: 1em 2em 1em 0;} + .pr1 {line-height: 1.5em; margin-top: 4em;} + .figt {float: left; clear: left; margin: 15px; padding: 0; width: 141px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; min-height: 230px;} + .trn p {margin: 15px;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; visibility: hidden;} + a:link,a:visited {text-decoration: none;} + img {border: none;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lost in the Future, by John Victor Peterson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Lost in the Future + +Author: John Victor Peterson + +Release Date: April 30, 2009 [EBook #28645] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOST IN THE FUTURE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="bk1"><p><i><small>Did you ever wonder what might happen if mankind ever exceeded the speed +of light? Here is a profound story based on that thought—a story which +may well forecast one of the problems to be encountered in space travel.</small></i></p></div> + +<div class="bk2"><h1><b>lost<br /> +in<br /> +the<br /> +future</b></h1> + +<h2><small><i>by ... John Victor Peterson</i></small></h2> + +<p class="pr1"><big><b>They had discovered a new planet—but its people +did not see them until after they had traveled on.</b></big></p></div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Albrecht and</span> I went down +in a shuttleship, leaving the stellatomic +orbited pole-to-pole two +thousand miles above Alpha Centauri's +second planet. While we +took an atmosphere-brushing approach +which wouldn't burn off +the shuttle's skin, we went as +swiftly as we could.</p> + +<p>A week before we had completed +man's first trip through +hyperspace. We were now making +the first landing on an inhabited +planet of another sun. All the +preliminary investigations had +been made via electronspectroscopes +and electrontelescopes from +the stellatomic.</p> + +<p>We knew that the atmosphere +was breathable and were reasonably +certain that the peoples of +the world into whose atmosphere +we were dropping were at peace. +We went unarmed, just the two of +us; it might not be wise to go in +force.</p> + +<p>We were silent, and I know +that Harry Albrecht was as perplexed +as I was over the fact that +our all-wave receivers failed to +pick up any signs of radio communication +whatever. We had assumed +that we would pick up +signals of some type as soon as +we had passed down through the +unfamiliar planet's ionosphere.</p> + +<p>The scattered arrangement of +the towering cities appeared to +call for radio communications. +The hundreds of atmosphere ships +flashing along a system of airways +between the cities seemed +to indicate the existence of electronic +navigational and landing +aids. But perhaps the signals were +all tightly beamed; we would +know when we came lower.</p> + +<p>We dropped down into the airway +levels, and still our receivers +failed to pick up a signal of any +sort—not even a whisper of static. +And strangely, our radarscopes +failed to record even a blip from +their atmosphere ships!</p> + +<p>"I guess it's our equipment, +Harry," I said. "It just doesn't +seem to function in this atmosphere. +We'll have to put Edwards +to work on it when we go back +upstairs."</p> + +<p>We spotted an airport on the +outskirts of a large city. The runways +were laid out with the precision +of Earth's finest. I put our +ship's nose eastward on a runway +and took it down fast through +a lull in the atmosphere ship +traffic.</p> + +<p>As we went down I saw tiny +buildings spotted on the field +which surely housed electronic +equipment, but our receivers remained +silent.</p> + +<p>I taxied the shuttle up to an +unloading ramp before the airport's +terminal building and I +killed the drive.</p> + +<p>"Harry," I said, "if it weren't +that their ships are so outlandishly +stubby and their buildings so outflung, +we might well be on Earth!"</p> + +<p>"I agree, Captain. Strange, +though, that they're not mobbing +us. They couldn't take this delta-winged +job for one of their ships!"</p> + +<p>It <i>was</i> strange.</p> + +<p>I looked up at the observation +ramp's occupants—people who +except for their bizarre dress +might well be of Earth—and saw +no curiosity in the eyes that +sometimes swept across our position.</p> + +<p>"Be that as it may, Harry, we +certainly should cause a stir in +these pressure suits. Let's go!"</p> + +<p>We walked up to a dour-looking +individual at a counter at the +ramp's end. Clearing my throat, +I said rather inanely, "Hello!"—but +what <i>does</i> one say to an extrasolarian?</p> + +<p>I realized then that my voice +seemed thunderous, that the only +other sounds came from a +distance: the city's noise, the atmosphere +ships' engines on the +horizon—</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The Centaurian ignored us.</p> + +<p>I looked at the atmosphere +ships in the clear blue sky, at the +Centaurians on the ramp who +appeared to be conversing—and +there was no sound from those +planes, no sound from the people!</p> + +<p>"It's impossible," Harry said. +"The atmosphere's nearly Earth-normal. +It should be—well, damn +it, it <i>is</i> as sound-conductive; <i>we're</i> +talking, aren't we?"</p> + +<p>I looked up at the Centaurians +again. They were looking excitedly +westward. Some turned to +companions. Mouths opened and +closed to form words we could +not hear. Wide eyes lowered, following +something I could not see. +Sick inside, I turned to Albrecht +and read confirmation in his +drawn, blanched face.</p> + +<p>"Captain," he said, "I suspected +that we might find something like +this when we first came out of +hyperspace and the big sleep. The +recorders showed we'd exceeded +light-speed in normal space-time +just after the transition. Einstein +theorized that time would not pass +as swiftly to those approaching +light-speed. We could safely exceed +that speed in hyperspace but +should never have done so in +normal space-time. Beyond light-speed +time must conversely accelerate!</p> + +<p>"These people haven't seen <i>us</i> +yet. They certainly just observed +our landing. As we suspected, +they probably do have speech and +radio—but we can't pick up +either. We're seconds ahead of +them in time and we can't pick +up from the past sounds of nearby +origin or nearby signals radiated +at light-speed. They'll see and +hear us soon, but we'll never receive +an answer from <i>them</i>! Our +questions will come to them in +their future but we can never pick +answers from their past!"</p> + +<p>"Let's go, Harry," I said +quickly.</p> + +<p>"Where?" he asked. "Where +can we ever go that will be an improvement +over this?" He was +resigned.</p> + +<p>"Back into space," I said. +"Back to circle this system at a +near-light-speed. The computers +should be able to determine how +long and how slow we'll have to +fly to cancel this out. If not, we +are truly and forever lost!"</p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/001-2.jpg"><img src="images/001-1.jpg" width="141" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><b><big>Transcriber's Note:</big></b></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>Fantastic Universe</i> January 1954. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Lost in the Future, by John Victor Peterson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOST IN THE FUTURE *** + +***** This file should be named 28645-h.htm or 28645-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/6/4/28645/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Lost in the Future + +Author: John Victor Peterson + +Release Date: April 30, 2009 [EBook #28645] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOST IN THE FUTURE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + _Did you ever wonder what might happen if mankind ever exceeded the + speed of light? Here is a profound story based on that thought--a + story which may well forecast one of the problems to be encountered + in space travel._ + + + lost + in + the + future + + _by ... John Victor Peterson_ + + + They had discovered a new planet--but its people + did not see them until after they had traveled on. + + +Albrecht and I went down in a shuttleship, leaving the stellatomic +orbited pole-to-pole two thousand miles above Alpha Centauri's second +planet. While we took an atmosphere-brushing approach which wouldn't +burn off the shuttle's skin, we went as swiftly as we could. + +A week before we had completed man's first trip through hyperspace. +We were now making the first landing on an inhabited planet of +another sun. All the preliminary investigations had been made via +electronspectroscopes and electrontelescopes from the stellatomic. + +We knew that the atmosphere was breathable and were reasonably certain +that the peoples of the world into whose atmosphere we were dropping +were at peace. We went unarmed, just the two of us; it might not be wise +to go in force. + +We were silent, and I know that Harry Albrecht was as perplexed as I was +over the fact that our all-wave receivers failed to pick up any signs of +radio communication whatever. We had assumed that we would pick up +signals of some type as soon as we had passed down through the +unfamiliar planet's ionosphere. + +The scattered arrangement of the towering cities appeared to call for +radio communications. The hundreds of atmosphere ships flashing along a +system of airways between the cities seemed to indicate the existence of +electronic navigational and landing aids. But perhaps the signals were +all tightly beamed; we would know when we came lower. + +We dropped down into the airway levels, and still our receivers failed +to pick up a signal of any sort--not even a whisper of static. And +strangely, our radarscopes failed to record even a blip from their +atmosphere ships! + +"I guess it's our equipment, Harry," I said. "It just doesn't seem to +function in this atmosphere. We'll have to put Edwards to work on it +when we go back upstairs." + +We spotted an airport on the outskirts of a large city. The runways were +laid out with the precision of Earth's finest. I put our ship's nose +eastward on a runway and took it down fast through a lull in the +atmosphere ship traffic. + +As we went down I saw tiny buildings spotted on the field which surely +housed electronic equipment, but our receivers remained silent. + +I taxied the shuttle up to an unloading ramp before the airport's +terminal building and I killed the drive. + +"Harry," I said, "if it weren't that their ships are so outlandishly +stubby and their buildings so outflung, we might well be on Earth!" + +"I agree, Captain. Strange, though, that they're not mobbing us. They +couldn't take this delta-winged job for one of their ships!" + +It _was_ strange. + +I looked up at the observation ramp's occupants--people who except for +their bizarre dress might well be of Earth--and saw no curiosity in the +eyes that sometimes swept across our position. + +"Be that as it may, Harry, we certainly should cause a stir in these +pressure suits. Let's go!" + +We walked up to a dour-looking individual at a counter at the ramp's +end. Clearing my throat, I said rather inanely, "Hello!"--but what +_does_ one say to an extrasolarian? + +I realized then that my voice seemed thunderous, that the only other +sounds came from a distance: the city's noise, the atmosphere ships' +engines on the horizon-- + + * * * * * + +The Centaurian ignored us. + +I looked at the atmosphere ships in the clear blue sky, at the +Centaurians on the ramp who appeared to be conversing--and there was no +sound from those planes, no sound from the people! + +"It's impossible," Harry said. "The atmosphere's nearly Earth-normal. It +should be--well, damn it, it _is_ as sound-conductive; _we're_ talking, +aren't we?" + +I looked up at the Centaurians again. They were looking excitedly +westward. Some turned to companions. Mouths opened and closed to form +words we could not hear. Wide eyes lowered, following something I could +not see. Sick inside, I turned to Albrecht and read confirmation in his +drawn, blanched face. + +"Captain," he said, "I suspected that we might find something like this +when we first came out of hyperspace and the big sleep. The recorders +showed we'd exceeded light-speed in normal space-time just after the +transition. Einstein theorized that time would not pass as swiftly to +those approaching light-speed. We could safely exceed that speed in +hyperspace but should never have done so in normal space-time. Beyond +light-speed time must conversely accelerate! + +"These people haven't seen _us_ yet. They certainly just observed our +landing. As we suspected, they probably do have speech and radio--but we +can't pick up either. We're seconds ahead of them in time and we can't +pick up from the past sounds of nearby origin or nearby signals radiated +at light-speed. They'll see and hear us soon, but we'll never receive an +answer from _them_! Our questions will come to them in their future but +we can never pick answers from their past!" + +"Let's go, Harry," I said quickly. + +"Where?" he asked. "Where can we ever go that will be an improvement +over this?" He was resigned. + +"Back into space," I said. "Back to circle this system at a +near-light-speed. The computers should be able to determine how long and +how slow we'll have to fly to cancel this out. If not, we are truly and +forever lost!" + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Fantastic Universe_ January 1954. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Lost in the Future, by John Victor Peterson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOST IN THE FUTURE *** + +***** This file should be named 28645.txt or 28645.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/6/4/28645/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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