More, Solaris Rising 2, April 2013
One, Tor.com, July 17, 2013
. . . And Other Stories, Shadows of the New Sun, August 2013
Migration, Beyond the Sun, August 2013
Pathways, Twelve Tomorrows, October 2013
Annabel Lee, New Under the Sun, November 2013
Second Arabesque, Very Slowly, Dangerous Women, December 2013
Frog Watch, Asimov’s Science Fiction, December 2013
2014
The Common Good, Asimov’s Science Fiction, January 2014
Pretty Soon the Four Horsemen are Going to Come Riding Through, The End Is Nigh, March 2014
Do You Remember Michael Jones?, Galaxy’s Edge, May 2014
Eaters, The Book of Silverberg: Stories in Honor of Robert Silverberg, May 2014
Outmoded Things, Multiverse: Exploring Poul Anderson’s Worlds, May 2014
Sidewalk at 12:10 P.M., Asimov’s Science Fiction, June 2014
Someone to Watch Over Me, IEEE Spectrum, June 2014
Yesterday’s Kin, Yesterday’s Kin, September 2014
Angels of the Apocalypse, The End Is Now, September 2014
2015
Why I Hate Earth, 2015 Young Explorer’s Adventure Guide, January 2015
Blessings, The End Has Come, May 2015
Cocoons, Meeting Infinity, November 2015
Machine Learning, Future Visions, November 2015
2016
Belief, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March/April, March 2016
Pyramid, Now We Are Ten, July 2016
2017
Every Hour of Light and Dark, Omni, Winter 2017
Collapse, seat14c.com, July 2017
Canoe, Extrasolar, August 2017
Dear Sarah, Infinity Wars, September 2017
The Great Broccoli Wi-Fi Theft, 2018 Young Explorer’s Adventure Guide, December 2017
2018
Cost of Doing Business, Asimov’s Science Magazine, May/June 2018, May 2018
2020
Semper Augustus, Asimov’s Science Magazine, March/April, March 2020
SHORT FICTION BIBLIOGRAPHY
ALPHABETICAL
A
A Delicate Shade of Kipney, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, January-February 1978
A Hundred Hundred Daisies, Asimov’s Science Fiction, October-November 2011
A Little Matter of Timing, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, September 1982
A Scientific Education, Crime Through Time, 1998
Act One, Asimov’s Science Fiction, March 2009
After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, April 2012
Against a Crooked Stile, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, May 1979
Always True to Thee, in My Fashion, Asimov’s Science Fiction, January 1997
And No Such Things Grow Here, Asimov’s Science Fiction, June 2001
. . . And Other Stories, Shadows of the New Sun, August 2013
And Whether Pigs Have Wings, Omni, January 1979
And Wild for to Hold, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, July 1991
Angels of the Apocalypse, The End Is Now, September 2014
Annabel Lee, New Under the Sun, November 2013
Arms and the Woman, The Chick is in the Mail, October 2000
Ars Longa, By Any Other Fame, January 1994
Art of War, The New Space Opera, June 2007
B
The Battle of Long Island, Omni, February-March 1993
Beggars in Spain, Beggars in Spain, February 1991
Belief, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March-April, March 2016
Birth Luck, Liavek, July 1985
Birthing Pool, Murasaki, May 1992
Blessings, The End Has Come, May 2015
Borovsky’s Hollow Woman, Omni, October 1983
By Fools Like Me, Asimov’s Science Fiction, September 2007
C
Call Back Yesterday, Asimov’s Science Fiction, June 2008
Canoe, Extrasolar, August 2017
Casey’s Empire, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, November 1981
Clad in Gossamer, Silver Birch, Blood Moon, March 1999
Cocoons, Meeting Infinity, November 2015
Collapse, seat14c.com, July 2017
The Common Good, Asimov’s Science Fiction, January 2014
Computer Virus, Asimov’s Science Fiction, April 2001
Craps, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, March 1988
D
Dancing in the Dark, Space Inc., July 2003
Dancing on Air, Asimov’s Science Fiction, July 1993
Deadly Sins, Asimov’s Science Fiction, October-November 2009
The Death of John Patrick Yoder, Full Spectrum 4, Apr 1993
Do You Remember Michael Jones?, Galaxy’s Edge [Issue 8], May 2014
Down Behind Cuba Lake, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, September 1986
Dreams and Nightmares, The Omega Egg [Part 3 of 17], June 2005
E
Eaters, The Book of Silverberg: Stories in Honor of Robert Silverberg, May 2014
The Earth Dwellers, Galaxy, December 1976
Ej-Es, Stars, August 2003
Elevator, Eclipse Two: New Science Fiction and Fantasy, October 2008
Eliot Wrote, Lightspeed, May 2011
End Game, Asimov’s Science Fiction, April-May 2007
Eoghan, Alternate Kennedys, July 1992
The Erdmann Nexus, Asimov’s Science Fiction, October-November 2008
Evolution, Asimov’s Science Fiction, October 1995
Exegesis, Asimov’s Science Fiction, April-May 2009
Explanations, Inc., The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, July 1984
F
Fault Lines, Asimov’s Science Fiction, August 1995
Feigenbaum Number, Omni, Winter 1995
First Flight, Space Cadets, 2006
First Principle, Life on Mars, April 2011
First Rites, Jim Baen’s Universe, October 2008
The Flowers of Aulit Prison, Asimov’s Science Fiction, October-November 1996
Fountain of Age, Asimov’s Science Fiction, July 2007
Frog Watch, Asimov’s Science Fiction, December 2013
G
Glass, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, September 1987
Grant Us This Day, Asimov’s Science Fiction, September 1993
Green Thumb, Terrors, July 1982
H
Hard Drive, Killing Me Softly, November 1995
I
Images of Anna, Fantasy Magazine, September 2009
In a World Like This, Omni, October 1988
In Memoriam, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, June 1988
Inertia, Analog Science Fiction and Fact, January 1990
J
Johnny’s So Long at the Fair, Dying For It, October 1997
JQ211F, and Holding, Forbidden Planets, May 2006
K
The Kindness of Strangers, Fast Forward 2, September 2008
Knotweed and Gardenias, Starship Century: Toward the Grandest Horizon, August 2013
L
Laws of Survival, Jim Baen’s Universe, December 2007
M
Machine Learning, Future Visions, November 2015
Making Good Time, Omni Online, January 1997
Margin of Error, Omni, October 1994
Marigold Outlet, Twists of the Tale, November 1996
Martin on a Wednesday, Asimov’s Science Fiction, March 1993
Migration, Beyond the Sun, August 2013
Mirror Image, One Million A.D., December 2005
Mithridates, He Died Old, Asimov’s Science Fiction, January 2013
More, Solaris Rising 2, April 2013
The Mountain to Mohammed, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, April 1992
My Mother, Dancing, Destination 3001, January 2001
N
Nano Comes to Clifford Falls, Asimov’s Science Fiction, July 2006
Night Win, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, September 1983
O
One, Tor.com, July 17, 2013
Out of All Them Bright Stars, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March 1985
Outmoded Things, Multiverse: Exploring Poul Anderson’s Worlds, May 2014
P
Patent Infringement, Asimov’s Science Fiction, May 2002
Pathways, Twelve Tomorrows, October 2013
Peace of Mind, When the Music’s Over, May 1991
People Like Us, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, September 1989
Philippa’s Hands, Full Spectrum, September 1988
Phone Repairs, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, December 1986
Plant Engineering, Death Dines at 8:30, 2001
Pretty Soon the Four Horsemen are Going to Come Riding Through, The End Is Nigh, March 2014
The Price of Oranges, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, April 1989
Product Development, Nature, March 16, 2006, March 2006
Pyramid, Now We Are Ten, July 2016
R
Renaissance, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Mid-December 1989
The Rules, Asimov’s Science Fiction, December 2007
S
Safeguard, Asimov’s Science Fiction, January 2007
Savior, Asimov’s Science Fiction, June 2000
Second Arabesque, Very Slowly, Dangerous Women, December 2013
Semper Augustus, Asimov’s Science Magazine, March/April, March 2020
Sex and Violence, Asimov’s Science Fiction, February 2008
Sex Education, Intersections: The Sycamore Hill Anthology, January 1996
Shadows on the Cave Wall, Universe 11, June 1981
Shiva in Shadow, Between Worlds, August 2004
Sidewalk at 12:10 P.M., Asimov’s Science Fiction, June 2014
Sleeping Dogs, Far Horizons, May 1999
Solomon’s Choice, Fast Forward 1, February 2007
Someone to Watch Over Me, IEEE Spectrum, June 2014
Spillage, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, April 1988
Stalking Beans, Snow White, Blood Red, January 1993
State of Nature, Bending the Landscape, September 1998
Steadfast, Black Swan, White Raven, June 1997
Steamship Soldier on the Information Front, Future Histories, June 1997
Stone Man, Wizards, May 2007
Summer Wind, Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears, December 1995
T
Talp Hunt, Universe 12, June 1982
Ten Thousand Pictures, One Word, Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone Magazine, July-August 1984
To Cuddle Amy, Asimov’s Science Fiction, August 2000
To Scale, Xanadu, January 1993
Touchdown, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, October 1990
Training Ground, Liavek: Wizard’s Row, September 1987
Trinity, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, October 1984
U
Unintended Behavior, Asimov’s Science Fiction, January 2009
Unto the Daughters, Sisters in Fantasy, June 1995
W
The War on Treemon, Asimov’s Science Fiction, January 2003
We Can Do This, Arc 1.4/Forever Alone Drone, December 2012
Wetlands Preserve, Sci Fiction, September 27, 2000
Why I Hate Earth, 2015 Young Explorer’s Adventure Guide, January 2015
With the Original Cast, Omni, May 1982
Words Like Pale Stones, Black Thorn, White Rose, September 1994
Writer’s Block, Rip-Off!, December 2012
Y
Yesterday’s Kin, Yesterday’s Kin, September 2014
FICTION SERIES
[O] = Omnibus
[SF] = Short Story/Novelette
Crossfire
Crossfire (2003)
Crucible (2004)
David Brin’s Out of Time
Yanked! (1999)
Liavek
Birth Luck (1985) [SF]
Training Ground (1987) [SF]
Oaths and Miracles/Robert Cavanaugh
Oaths and Miracles (1996)
Stinger (1998)
Probability Universe
The Flowers of Aulit Prison (1996) [SF]
Probability Moon (2000)
Probability Sun (2001)
Probability Space (2002)
Roger/Soulvine Moor Chronicles
Crossing Over (2010)
Dark Mist Rising (2011)
A Bright and Terrible Sword (2012)
Sleepless
Beggars in Spain (1993)
Beggars & Choosers (1994)
Beggars Ride (1996)
Beggars in Spain (1991) [SF]
Sleeping Dogs (1999) [SF]
Yesterday’s Kin
Yesterday’s Kin (2014) [SF]
Tomorrow’s Kin (2017)
If Tomorrow Comes (2018)
Terran Tomorrow (2018)
Yesterday’s Kin Trilogy (2019) [O]
1976
THE EARTH DWELLERS
The trouble with children, these days, is that they live in the future—and we parents are their past . . .
THE SHUTTLE LAUNCHING was not very dramatic. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but surely more than this endless waiting, while disembodied mechanical voices crackled around her in painstaking last minute checks as the vibrant summer stars were slowly bleached by the coming dawn. She had felt obscurely cheated, as though the least they could have done was given her a spectacle intense enough to be worthy of all this pain.
The lift-off came finally, two hours after the final kisses for Susan, Jay and Kevin. He had looked so unutterably, heartbreakingly small in his specially-built pressure suit that her resolve, despite weeks of careful buttressing, had crumbled and her lips were set grimly as she knelt down and crushed him to her. His new short haircut left bare the vulnerable little neck, baby plump still and smelling faintly of powder. A treacherous thought of Hecuba holding her grandson for the last time before his death had stabbed her, and she had stood up so hastily that the little boy had tumbled backward, laughing.
“Final countdown.”
“Standing by.”
“Ten, nine . . .”
The stars had faded now but the moon was still visible, a thin spiky crescent, fragile-looking and yet obscurely comforting, because that was where they would go first and it was a place she could at least see. There, they weren’t entirely beyond her. Not yet. Not until tomorrow or the next day when the Oregon set out from Moon Base III on its silent journey that would reach half light-speed, carrying like some enchanted floating castle its 200 dreaming passengers through their sixteen-year sleep until the spell should be broken by the hard pioneer life awaiting them as members of the new colony on Sirius V.
The thin golden flame of the shuttle’s rockets faded and they were gone.
Duncan waved away the reporters, who had scented emotion and were beginning to circle. His craggy face was as calm as ever, the shake of his head as assured. Nonetheless, something in the blue eyes must have flashed ominously, for the reporters backed off to hunt easier prey and left them huddled alone at the edge of the barren spacefield.
“It’s always been like this, Rachel,” he said gently. “Always. You know that. Children grow up and go away. On ships or trains or covered wagons or spaceships or whatever; they go.”
“But not so far!”
“It seemed as far, then.”
“But parents could write to them! A letter might take a year—five years!—but it got there eventually. But now, across space . . .”
“Many never got there. Rachel, let it go. Accept it.”
“I can’t!” she cried. �
�It’s easy for you! You just wall off your feelings and that’s that. I can’t do that!”
He was too wise to take up the old argument. He put his arms around her, the dark head resting on his worn blue shirt, the shirt he liked because it was familiar and comfortable, like Earth. After a moment she said, subdued, “I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“It’s just that we’ll never even know if they—if anything happens. And Kevin is so little. I’ve always wanted grandchildren and now I’ve only had him for two years. And Susan . . .”
“Shhh.”
He held her while she cried, and around him the ugly utilitarian structures of Logan Spacefield blurred, like children’s sandcastles dissolving in the rain.
* * *
They stayed three days more at the spaceport, watching by video the loading of passengers onto the Oregon, waiting for the final launching. Not that there was much to see. The colonists were placed in suspended animation as soon as they reached the moon; the project’s medical team wanted to observe the suspended state as long as possible. Rachel visualized them, each in his clear plastic chamber, being hefted aboard like so many tons of seeds, or food, or landing fuel. She had seen pictures of the compact suspended animation chambers, and now the idea tortured her that Kevin would look as if he were in a see-through coffin. The suspension drugs would even slow down his circulation so that his ruddy cheeks would have the cool paleness of death . . .
Stop it, she told herself severely. You know better than that. But the image kept returning.
They sat on hard chairs in a large bare room set aside for close relatives of the colonists and watched the video screen for three days. They didn’t talk much. At noon one of them would leave their air-conditioned vigil, walk through the oppressive heat to the building which housed the spaceport cafeteria, and bring back soggy sandwiches and tepid coffee. The Earth-moon communications, many of them incomprehensibly technical, ceaselessly assaulted the air around them. When it was all over, the Oregon safely started on her epic voyage, both of them secretly felt relieved. It was over. They could go home.
* * *
“The coffee’s ready.”
“Be right in, Hon. I’m making a fire.”
“Then I’ll bring it in there.”
She got out her best silver tray, a wedding gift thirty-two years ago. She poured the coffee into wafer-thin china cups, dug around until she found the embroidered napkins Susan had made for her one long-ago Christmas, arranged them on the tray.