Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Industrial Revolution
    Industrial Revolution
    Industrial Revolution
    Ebook76 pages58 minutes

    Industrial Revolution

    By Poul William Anderson

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Ever think how deadly a thing it is if a machine has amnesia—or how easily it can be arranged....
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStart Classics
    Release dateMay 30, 2014
    ISBN9781633552128
    Industrial Revolution

    Read more from Poul William Anderson

    Related to Industrial Revolution

    Related ebooks

    Classics For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Dubious Achievements 2018

      Dec 27, 2018

      Dubious Achievements 2018
      12 min read

    • Article

      Hook, Line And Sinker

      Oct 18, 2018

      Hook, Line And Sinker
      4 min read

    • Article

      Perfect Prose II

      May 15, 2020

      Perfect Prose II
      4 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Jun 28, 2023

      Readers’ Letters
      6 min read

    • Article

      Reader's Letter

      Oct 20, 2021

      SIR: The fifth person (marked anonymous) in the photograph accompanying the piece about Chips Channon in September’s Oldie is in fact my mother, Patricia Morrison-Bell. As a child, I would listen unnoticed to many hushed conversations about Chips, an

      5 min read

    • Article

      Bliss of Bournemouth

      Jun 29, 2022

      The Savoy Hotel in Bournemouth was one of the chief delights of a recent tour. It pretends to be in Miami – without the cockroaches – and it I was by far the best I stayed at, and with the youngest and most cheerful staff. After breakfast (served, no

      4 min read

    • Article

      Royal Flush

      Dec 9, 2019

      Royal Flush
      5 min read

    • Article

      Lord Of The Dance

      Apr 9, 2020

      Lord Of The Dance
      12 min read

    • Article

      River of Time

      Nov 2, 2023

      The sad death of one of the most famous American UFO abductees, Calvin Parker, was announced on 24 August (see obit, p.28 and FT119:38, 122:52, 382:30). He and fellow fisherman Charles Hickson had their encounter on the Pascagoula River in Mississipp

      4 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Oct 18, 2023

      Readers’ Letters
      4 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Jan 11, 2023

      Readers’ Letters
      4 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Dec 13, 2023

      SIR: I found Dunphy's cartoon about incompatible typefaces (November issue) most amusing, not least because it reminded me of a verse I wrote during a few moments of boredom in a meeting at which typefaces suitable for exhibition posters were being d

      3 min read

    • Article

      No Man Is An Island

      Sep 15, 2017

      No Man Is An Island
      9 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Apr 3, 2024

      Books
      16 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Oct 8, 2020

      Thank you for making my life more joyful month after month. I can’t tell you how important to me the Fortean Times is. Kevin Hope By email Regarding Matt Salusbury’s Forum article on sunken bells [FT396:54-55], there is more to the bells of Aberdyfi

      14 min read

    • Article

      LeTtEr ROCkS

      Jan 5, 2023

      LeTtEr ROCkS
      10 min read

    • Article

      Cut And Run

      Oct 9, 2023

      The earth shook violently as the enormous metal monster closed in. It was 100m away, 50, 20 … then it was on me. As I watched its giant steel tentacle, with its whirling, screaming blade, stretch down towards me, I was conscious less of the fear of a

      2 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Sep 28, 2022

      I read with interest your article (News, 24 August) about the increasing numbers of Scottish rivers moving to a catch-and-release policy. While this is to be applauded, it is not the answer. I have been fortunate to have fished the Royal Dee for 15 y

      4 min read

    • Article

      The God Delusion

      Mar 25, 2020

      The God Delusion
      9 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Industrial Revolution

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Industrial Revolution - Poul William Anderson

      Industrial Revolution

      By Poul William Anderson

      Start Publishing LLC

      Copyright © 2012 by Start Publishing LLC

      All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

      First Start Publishing eBook edition October 2012

      Start Publishing is a registered trademark of Start Publishing LLC

      Manufactured in the United States of America

      10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

      ISBN 978-1-63355-212-8

      Ever think how deadly a thing it is if a machine has amnesia-- or how easily it can be arranged....

      * * * * *

      Well, yes, Amspaugh admitted, it was a unique war in many ways, including its origin. However, there are so many analogies to other colonial revolutions-- His words trailed off as usual.

      I know. Earth's mercantile policies and so forth, said Lindgren. He fancies himself a student of interplanetary history. This has led to quite a few arguments since Amspaugh, who teaches in that field, joined the Club. Mostly they're good. I went to the bar and got myself another drink, listening as the mine owner's big voice went on:

      But what began it? When did the asterites first start realizing they weren't pseudopods of a dozen Terrestrial nations, but a single nation in their own right? There's the root of the revolution. And it can be pinned down, too.

      'Ware metaphor! cried someone at my elbow. I turned and saw Missy Blades. She'd come quietly into the lounge and started mixing a gin and bitters.

      The view window framed her white head in Orion as she moved toward the little cluster of seated men. She took a fat cigar from her pocket, struck it on her shoe sole, and added her special contribution to the blue cloud in the room after she sat down.

      Excuse me, she said. I couldn't help that. Please go on. Which I hope relieves you of any fear that she's an Unforgettable Character. Oh, yes, she's old as Satan now; her toil and guts and conniving make up half the biography of the Sword; she manned a gun turret at Ceres, and was mate of the Tyrfing on some of the earliest Saturn runs when men took their lives between their teeth because they needed both hands free; her sons and grandsons fill the Belt with their brawling ventures; she can drink any ordinary man to the deck; she's one of the three women ever admitted to the Club. But she's also one of the few genuine ladies I've known in my life.

      Uh, well, Lindgren grinned at her. I was saying, Missy, the germ of the revolution was when the Stations armed themselves. You see, that meant more than police powers. It implied a degree of sovereignty. Over the years, the implication grew.

      Correct. Orloff nodded his bald head. I remember how the Governing Commission squalled when the Station managers first demanded the right. They foresaw trouble. But if the Stations belonging to one country put in space weapons, what else could the others do?

      They should have stuck together and all been firm about refusing to allow it, Amspaugh said. From the standpoint of their own best interests, I mean.

      They tried to, Orloff replied. I hate to think how many communications we sent home from our own office, and the others must have done the same. But Earth was a long way off. The Station bosses were close. Inverse square law of political pressure.

      I grant you, arming each new little settlement proved important, Amspaugh said. But really, it expressed nothing more than the first inchoate stirrings of asteroid nationalism. And the origins of that are much more subtle and complex. For instance ... er....

      You've got to have a key event somewhere, Lindgren insisted. I say that this was it.

      A silence fell, as will happen in conversation. I came back from the bar and settled myself beside Missy. She looked for a while into her drink, and then out to the stars. The slow spin of our rock had now brought the Dippers into view. Her faded eyes sought the Pole Star--but it's Earth's, not our own any more--and I wondered what memories they were sharing. She shook herself the least bit and said:

      I don't know about the sociological ins and outs. All I know is, a lot of things happened, and there wasn't any pattern to them at the time. We just slogged through as best we were able, which wasn't really very good. But I can identify one of those wriggling roots for you, Sigurd. I was there when the question of arming the Stations first came up. Or, rather, when the incident occurred that led directly to the question being raised.

      Our whole attention went to her. She didn't dwell on the past as

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1