ENCOUNTER

Killeen realized abruptly that the thing was alive. Muscles rippled through it. Six sheathed legs curled beneath, ending in huge claws.

And the head—Killeen saw eyes, more than he could count, moving independently on stalks. Beside them microwave dishes rotated. It had telescoping arms socketed in shiny steel. They ended in grappling arrays of opposing pads.

The thing was at least twenty times the size of a human.

That was all Killeen could think before gaping pads clasped him in a rough embrace…

ACCLAIM FOR GREGORY BENFORD’S CLASSIC NOVELS OF THE GALACTIC CENTER

GREAT SKY RIVER

“A challenging, pace-setting work of hard science fiction that should not be missed.”

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“Overwhelming power…irresistible strength.”

Washington Post Book World

“Hard science fiction at its very best.”

St. Louis Patch-Dispatch

FURIOUS GULF

“A heady mix of science…and no-holds-barred adventure.”

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“Benford has parlayed his expertise of science fiction into an award-winning career in science fiction.”

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“When it comes to conjuring the marvels of space and the bizarre possibilities of high-energy physics, Benford is second to none.”

Kirkus Reviews

ALSO BY GREGORY BENFORD

Fiction

Beyond Infinity

The Martian Race

Eater

The Stars in Shroud

Jupiter Project

Shiva Descending (with William Rostler)

Heart of the Comet (with David Brin)

A Darker Geometry (with Mark O. Martin)

Beyond the Fall of Night (with Arthur C. Clarke)

Against Infinity

Cosm

Foundation’s Fear

Artifact

Timescape

The Galactic Center Series

In the Ocean of Night

Across the Sea of Suns

Great Sky River

Tides of Light

Furious Gulf

Sailing Bright Eternity

Non-fiction

Deep Time: How Humanity Communicates

Across Millennia

Copyright

Copyright © 1989 by Abbenford Associates

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Published in arrangement with Bantam Spectra.

Warner Books

ISBN: 978-0-446-56551-6

Hachette Book Group

237 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Visit our website at www.HachetteBookGroup.com

The Aspect name and logo are registered trademarks of Warner Books.

First eBook Edition: October 2009

Contents

ENCOUNTER

ALSO BY GREGORY BENFORD

COPYRIGHT

PART ONE: Abraham’s Star

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

PART TWO: Starswarmer

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

PART THREE: A Matter of Momentum

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

PART FOUR: Such Men Are Dangerous

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

PART FIVE: Skysower

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

EPILOG

SAILING WITH THE TIDE

Chronology of Human Species (Dreaming Vertebrates)at Galactic Center

A HUNGER FOR THE INFINITE

THE HARVESTED

THE HARVESTED

THE COLLECTED

THE COLLECTED

THE COLLECTED

Timeline of Galactic Series

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This novel is for two dreamers

who nonetheless get their numbers right:

Charles N. Brown

and

Marvin Minsky

Tides of Light _1.jpg
PART ONE

Abraham’s Star

ONE

The Cap’n liked to walk the hull.

It was the only place where he could feel truly alone. Inside Argo there was always the rustle of movement, the rub of humanity kept two years in the narrow though admittedly pleasant confines of a starship.

And worse, when he was inside, someone could always interrupt him. The Family was getting better at leaving him alone in the early morning, he had to give them that. He had carefully built up a small legend about his foul temper just after he awoke, and it was beginning to pay off. Though children might still rush up to him and blurt out a question, lately there had always been an adult nearby to tug the offending youth away.

Killeen disliked using implied falsehoods—he was no more irritable in the morning than at any other time—but it was the only way he could think to get some privacy. So no one hailed him over ship’s comm when he was out here. And of course, no ship’s officer would dare pass through the lock and seek to join him.


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