Crossing the Line
Chapter One
There are countless constellations, suns, and planets: we see
only the suns because they give light; the planets remain invisible,
for they are small and dark. There are also numberless
earths circling around their suns, no worse and no less than this
globe of ours.
Giordano Bruno,
Dominican monk and philosopher,
burned at the stake by the Inquisition
in February 1600
"Is it true?"
Eddie Michallat concentrated on the features of the duty
news editor twenty-five light-years away, courtesy of CSV Actaeon's
comms center. The man was real and it was happening
now, in every sense of the word.
For nearly a year he had been beyond BBChan's reach on
Bezer'ej. But the glorious isolation was over. Isenj instantaneous
communications technology meant there was now no
escape from the scrutiny of News Desk. In the way of journalists,
they had already given it an acronym, as noun, verb and
adjective -- ITX.
"Poodle-in-the-microwave job," Eddie said dismissively.
"Urban myth. People talk the most incredible crap when they're
under stress."
He waited a few seconds for the reply. The borrowed isenj
communications relay was half a million miles from Earth, and
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