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"People ask me how I do research for my science fiction. The answer is, I never do any research. I just enjoy reading the stuff, and some of it sticks in my mind and fits into the stories."
- Frederik Pohl
 |
| Hell-Stone | ||
| An incomparably beautiful and rare jewel. |
This description is a <* SPOILER *> for the story, so don't read it if you would still like to enjoy the story - it's still a good read!
That's a hell-stone!
The jewel, against the black velvet,
was a drop of living, incredible light.
A little crystal sphere, no larger than
the end of his thumb. But the dancing color and splendor within it some-
how filled his eyes with tears.
| Haldane was trained to deal with
minds, not with machines. He recognized a big atomic converter, but most
of the gleaming silent bulky things
were strange to him. There was a wide
crystal disk, with a metal star set in
the middle of it. A huge open glass
tube was suspended below — or, really,
above it.
"You needn’t be afraid, Miss Carnadon.” Then she was the kidnaped heiress! "I’m not going to kill you.” Brand made a short, harsh laugh. “On the contrary, I am going to make you virtually immortal.” Brand touched buttons at an intricate control-board. Motors hummed. The huge transparent tube descended, to enclose the helpless girl. Brand nodded, and the two men went clicking out of the room. The atomic converter began to thrum. Presently a second star-shaped electrode, in the tube above the girl, was tufted with hissing blue fire. Arms of terrible crackling flame reached down from the points of the star, toward the screaming girl. A thick luminous mist filled the tube and hid her struggles. At last he stopped the thrumming converter. The shining mist disappeared and the star ceased to glow. The girl was gone. There were only her empty garments and the stretcher — and a tiny point of shimmering fire. A hell-stone! |
| Technovelgy from Star of Dreams,
by Jack Williamson. Published by Comet in 1941 Additional resources -
|
Compare with the star stone from Doorways in the Sand by Roger Zelazny - also a <* spoiler*>!
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More Ideas
and Technology from Star of Dreams
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and Technology by Jack Williamson
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Tech news articles related to works by Jack Williamson
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'It sounds to me as though you had invented a kind of metal earthworm.'
'I don't have to tell you about the seven two-mile-diameter orbital mirrors that circulate around the satellite, making it habitable.'
'The steel tortoise gave MacKinnon a feeling of Crusoe- like independence.'
'...then back to their work, though little enough it was on these automatic cultivators.'
't came out into plain view. Darkington glimpsed a slim body and six short legs of articulated dull metal.'
'The suit stands up and starts walking, gripping me round the calves and waist, taking the bulk of my weight off my throbbing feet.'
'Internally it’s made up of millions of components, but the most important ones are the thinking and memory parts of the Mind proper.'
