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"Science fiction is really sociological studies of the future, things that the writer believes are going to happen by putting two and two together."
- Ray Bradbury
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| Luminescent Vial | ||
| A glass tube full of luminescent algae; used to provide some measure of light underground. |
The sacerdotes of Aerlith live apart from the Utter men of the surface. Joaz Banbeck journeys deep into their caves to learn their secrets.
| On hands and knees he peered into the tunnel, and since it was dark, held forward a glass vial of luminescent algae. In the faint light the tunnel seemed empty... After perhaps a undred yards the tunnel broke out into a natural cavern.. Luminescent vials fixed to the walls at irregular intervals provided a measure of light, enough to delineate the direction of the cavern... Joaz came upon sacerdotes, the first asleep on a reed rug; the second sitting cross-legged, gazing fixedly at a contrivance of twisted metal rods. |
| Technovelgy from The Dragon Masters,
by Jack Vance. Published by Galaxy in 1962 Additional resources -
|
For another fine example of tasteful underground lighting, see the glowglobe from Frank Herbert's Dune.
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'...they moved with the ease of dandelion puffs.'
'...some bored drone pusher in a remote driving centre...'
'These pods were programmed to hang in space in a hexagonal grid pattern...'
'...the meteor caught and halted just as a small boy catches a swift ball in his cap.'
'We have decided that it shall be but one ship... it must contain everything needed to take us through the generations.'
'You’re the robopsychologist of the plant, so you’re to study the robot itself...'
