Post by scottifer on Jan 11, 2008 23:42:01 GMT -5
I've scoured the web but haven't found anyone else who remembers this. I *know* I read a short story at least 25 years ago (though I suspect it was even older than that) with a vaguely similar plot. Not to say that "Sunshine" wasn't inspired independently, but there are similarities. Unfortunately I don't remember the source or author. I remember this much of the plot:
In the very far future (many thousands or even millions of years from now) the sun has decayed through natural means into a cold hard lump of matter. Surviving humans live underground within the earth, probably using nuclear power. They live, but are soulless, lacking enthusiasm in their artificial surroundings. Some scientists develop a plan to re-ignite the sun using a nuclear device, which will give it, and humanity, a few thousand more years of life. The captain of the ship which will take it there kisses his wife goodbye, saying with confidence "I will return to you in the sunlight" (or something very close to that). They launch one of the long neglected but skillfully-made ships of an earlier generation--the current generation has given up on spaceflight as part of their general malaise but the earlier ships were made so well there is utter confidence that they will work. The ship works fine at first until some small but unfixable mechanism proves itself to be broken, disabling the engine as they approach the cold sun--they are doomed to crash onto its surface, or perhaps land without any hope of taking off again. The crew arms the bomb, timed for their intersection with the sun. It explodes as they reach it, and the sun re-ignites as planned. They story ends with the earthlings looking up in wonder at the new orb in the sky giving them energy and hope, and the captain's wife hauntingly realizing that his promise came true--he returned to her *in* the sunlight.
Please tell me that somebody else remembers this!
In the very far future (many thousands or even millions of years from now) the sun has decayed through natural means into a cold hard lump of matter. Surviving humans live underground within the earth, probably using nuclear power. They live, but are soulless, lacking enthusiasm in their artificial surroundings. Some scientists develop a plan to re-ignite the sun using a nuclear device, which will give it, and humanity, a few thousand more years of life. The captain of the ship which will take it there kisses his wife goodbye, saying with confidence "I will return to you in the sunlight" (or something very close to that). They launch one of the long neglected but skillfully-made ships of an earlier generation--the current generation has given up on spaceflight as part of their general malaise but the earlier ships were made so well there is utter confidence that they will work. The ship works fine at first until some small but unfixable mechanism proves itself to be broken, disabling the engine as they approach the cold sun--they are doomed to crash onto its surface, or perhaps land without any hope of taking off again. The crew arms the bomb, timed for their intersection with the sun. It explodes as they reach it, and the sun re-ignites as planned. They story ends with the earthlings looking up in wonder at the new orb in the sky giving them energy and hope, and the captain's wife hauntingly realizing that his promise came true--he returned to her *in* the sunlight.
Please tell me that somebody else remembers this!
Here's a LY for your research!
