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Humans have piloted the Great Ship for nearly 100,000 years. But at long last, they realize that the world-sized starship is carrying a secret cargo. An entire planet hides at the core. Named Marrow, for where blood is born. And a picked team of captains will explore the mysterious body, and Marrow will try its best to kill them.
Be aware: This is a significantly reworked version of the original novella. That was done in part because the first "Marrow" was written in a blur more than 20 years ago, and it needed editing. But more importantly, all of the Great Ship stories have been retooled to fit a grand plan, and after considerable work, this particular Marrow now belongs with its siblings.
"Washen never lost consciousness. With numbed curiosity, she watched her legs and arms break, and a thousand bruises spread into a single violet tapestry, every rib crushed to dust and her reinforced spine splintering until she was left without pain or a shred of mobility. Washen couldn't move her head, and her words were slow and watery, the sloppy mouth filled with cracked teeth and leaking blood. "Abandon," she muttered. Then, "Ship," and she laughed feebly. Desperately. A gray sensation rippled through her body. Emergency talents were awake, finding their home in shambles. Storehouses of power focused on protecting the bioceramic brain, flooding it with electrical blankets and comforting narcotics. Then the vital organs and spine were repaired, cannibalizing meat for raw materials and energy, while the captain's body was wracked with fever, sweating saltwater and blood while the body quickly grew small."
Robert Reed has written hundreds of science fiction stories. His Great Ship stories are among the most popular, and "Marrow" was nominated for the Hugo Award.
Genre: Science Fiction
Be aware: This is a significantly reworked version of the original novella. That was done in part because the first "Marrow" was written in a blur more than 20 years ago, and it needed editing. But more importantly, all of the Great Ship stories have been retooled to fit a grand plan, and after considerable work, this particular Marrow now belongs with its siblings.
"Washen never lost consciousness. With numbed curiosity, she watched her legs and arms break, and a thousand bruises spread into a single violet tapestry, every rib crushed to dust and her reinforced spine splintering until she was left without pain or a shred of mobility. Washen couldn't move her head, and her words were slow and watery, the sloppy mouth filled with cracked teeth and leaking blood. "Abandon," she muttered. Then, "Ship," and she laughed feebly. Desperately. A gray sensation rippled through her body. Emergency talents were awake, finding their home in shambles. Storehouses of power focused on protecting the bioceramic brain, flooding it with electrical blankets and comforting narcotics. Then the vital organs and spine were repaired, cannibalizing meat for raw materials and energy, while the captain's body was wracked with fever, sweating saltwater and blood while the body quickly grew small."
Robert Reed has written hundreds of science fiction stories. His Great Ship stories are among the most popular, and "Marrow" was nominated for the Hugo Award.
Genre: Science Fiction
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