Нэнси Кресс - Terran Tomorrow

Was that even a prayer? To pray for such destruction?

He knew enough military history to know he was not the first.

The first explosion, of the consoles in the command post, was too contained by the dome to be visible on the Return’s wall screen. Nor was it visible on the transmitted image from the surveillance camera set a few miles from the domes. Those explosions, however, were mostly backup in case the main effort failed. Jason didn’t know whether conventional explosions would destroy every last virophage spore at Monterey Base. He was taking no chances. Before it was destroyed, the command post had sent the signal to the quantum computer.

Five minutes later, Specialist Martin, seated at the radar console brought from the signal station, said crisply, “Incoming ICBMs from Alaskan silos, sir.” Her voice sounded rich with satisfaction.

But, then, she was young.

Three minutes.

Two.

Please please please…

The transmitted image from the ground camera exploded into smoke and fire, eerily silent, before it disappeared. Images on the wall screen were smaller, no more than gray puffs. Still, Jason thought he glimpsed a mushroom cloud rising to the sky. But even if he hadn’t, the domes—the two unshatterable domes built by unknowable super-aliens—were bursting into cleansing flames. Monterey Base was no more. And the virophage no longer existed on Earth.

On the bridge, no one spoke. The silence spun itself out, so long it became painful. Jason realized it was up to him to speak, not only to give the order but to set the tone for everything human to come. Even though he had no real idea what it would be, even though he could not control what happened, even though the order itself might sound like the cheesiest of clichés.

“Lieutenant Allen, set course for World. We are going to the stars.”

No book is written in isolation. I would like to thank my beta readers, Jack Skillingstead and Maura Glynn-Thami, for their valuable suggestions during the writing of this novel, and my editor, Beth Meacham, for her equally valuable revision suggestions after it was submitted to Tor.

Beggars and Choosers

Beggars Ride

Oaths and Miracles

Stinger

Probability Moon

Probability Sun

Probability Space

Crossfire

Crucible

Tomorrow’s Kin

If Tomorrow Comes

Terran Tomorrow

Maximum Light

One

Steal Across the Sky

Beaker’s Dozen

Nancy Kress is the author of more than thirty books, including novels, short story collections, and nonfiction books on writing. Her work has won six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. Kress’s work has been translated into two dozen languages, including Klingon, none of which she can read. Kress lives in Seattle with her husband, writer Jack Skillingstead, and Cosette, the world’s most spoiled toy poodle.

@nancykress

Visit her online at nancykress.com, or sign up for email updates here.

https://twitter.com/nancykress

Thank you for buying this Tom Doherty Associates ebook.

To receive special offers, bonus content, and info on new releases and other great reads, sign up for our newsletters.

The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied so that you can enjoy reading it on your personal devices. This e-book is for your personal use only. You may not print or post this e-book, or make this e-book publicly available in any way. You may not copy, reproduce, or upload this e-book, other than to read it on one of your personal devices.

Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the author’s copyright, please notify the publisher at: us.macmillanusa.com/piracy.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

TERRAN TOMORROW

Copyright © 2018 by Nancy Kress

All rights reserved.

Map by Rhys Davies

Cover art by Stephan Martiniere

A Tor Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

ISBN 978-0-7653-9035-6 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-0-7653-9037-0 (ebook)

eISBN 9780765390370

Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact your local bookseller or the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.

First Edition: November 2018