Short Fiction · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Short Fiction by Cordwainer Smith.
Each chapter has a companion in the reader — open a free preview to see notes beside the text.
Chapter 1
War No. 81-Q
In 2127, Tibet and America wage a highly regulated aerial war over the Radiant Heat Monopoly, fought by remote-controlled ships over Kerguelen. After a series of maneuvers and sacrifices, rookie pilot Jack Bearden accidentally destroys two of his own ships but ultimately wins the war for America by downing the last enemy ship, the Yuen.
Chapter 2
Scanners Live in Vain
Martel, a Scanner, argues with his wife Luci about his need to 'cranch'—a process that temporarily restores his human sensations. Despite her concerns, he insists on using the Cranching Wire to break free from the sensory deprivation required for his work, and she reluctantly assists him.
Chapter 3
I
Scanner Martel III, while cranching at home with his wife Luci, is interrupted by an emergency call from Senior Scanner Vomact. Despite being under the influence and unfit for duty, Martel is ordered to report to Central Tie-in for an unprecedented emergency. The chapter explores Martel's internal struggle with his identity as a haberman, his longing for humanity, and the haunting memory of a burning ship.
Chapter 4
II
Martel attends an emergency Scanner meeting called by Vomact, where the Code of Scanners is recited and the threat of Adam Stone's discovery—a method to eliminate the Pain of Space—is discussed. The Scanners debate the implications for their order, and Smith invokes the secret duty to call for Stone's death.
Chapter 5
III
Martel, under the influence of the Cranching Wire, experiences a profound crisis of identity and duty as he attends a Scanner meeting. He reflects on his past, his love for Luci, and the brutal reality of being a Scanner. The meeting debates the fate of Adam Stone, who claims to have conquered the Pain of Space, threatening the very existence of the Scanner confraternity. Vomact calls for a vote on Stone's death, arguing that whether Stone has succeeded or not, he endangers the Scanners' way of life.
Free preview
8 more chapter companions sit beside the text in BetterReads — open a free preview to unlock the rest.
8 more companions → free preview