Matthew S. Williams's Blog, page 19

First Review for The Cronian Incident (the Audiobook)

My good friend and fellow writer, Rami Ungar the Writer, recently posted the first review for audiobook version of The Cronian Incident! Here’s what he had to say:

“I read the book when it first came out, and was interested to hear the audio version. Suffice to say, it did not disappoint. Part mystery, part look at what humanity could be like one day, it’s a great story paired with a top-notch narrator. Totally recommend.”

Thanks, Rami, good to have you in my corner! Also, I happened to notice that the audiobook has five ratings so far, with an average rating of 4.8 stars out of five! This is certainly an encouraging thing to see when consulting your book’s listing for the first time.

It’s even more encouraging considering that the audiobook has only been out for a few weeks! Now if I could just convince more of the reading public to leave reviews, I’d really be cooking with gasoline!

In addition, I have some more news about the Formist Series – the trilogy for which The Cronian Incident is the first installment – but it warrants its own post. Stay tuned…

The Cronian Incident Audiobook Has Just Been Released!

It’s finally happened! After years of work, Castrum Press has delivered and released my first published novel, The Cronian Incident, in audiobook format! The story is narrated by Steve K. Rausch, a voice actor whose good work I can personally attest to! After listening to him a few times, I’ve come to hear a certain Keith David quality to it (another gifted voice actor/regular actor).

For those who are interested, the book is available for download through Amazon’s Audible service and is free if you sign up for a trial. I have some promotional codes that will get you a free copy! All that I ask in return is that you give it an honest review when you are done. There’s also a sample, which is taken from the novel’s prologue. It’s all in the link below:

The Decline and Fall of the American Empire

Today, I wanted to share a thought piece I recently submitted to Quora, which I wrote over the course of weeks in reponse to the question, “Is the United States going to finally collapse?“. This is something I wanted to answer because I’ve been pondering it myself for some time. Ever since the days of the Bush administration, I’ve been made aware of the fact that the US was behaving precisely like an empire in decline.

And now, with the current administration, there are fears that this trend will continue until it is too late. That is something I am seriously considering at this point, and I chose to answer the question in the affirmative. Yes, I think that barring a major change in direction, the “American Empire” will collapse. What’s worse, I think it deserves to. Please don’t think this is something I want to happen, absolutely not! But I took that position because it seems undeniable at this point.

Consider it: the United States prides itself on being a land created with individual liberty, constitutional freedoms, equality before the law, social mobility, and the rule of law as its founding principles. But how often now have those very principles been sacrificed for the “good of the country”, or worse, partisan politics? Hell, how often has the violation of these very tenets been tolerated for the same reasons?

It’s not uncommon at all to hear Americans lament the state of their country. And while I am not an American citizen, as someone who has friends, family, and colleagues in the US that are directly affected by what is going on, I honestly feel that I do have a horse in this race. To a person, these individuals are either afraid for their and their families lives, their freedoms, and the state of the nation and the future.

And since we are all part of a global community today, there are no actions – political, economic, military or otherwise – that are not going to be felt around the world. This is especially true of the United States, which is a global leader in terms of trade, technological development, environmental policy, military alliances, and human rights advocacy. So even as a foreigner, I have a right to an opinion about US politics because myself and others will be feeling the effects.

Anyway, in the essay I wrote, I laid out how the process of decline has become apparent over the past few decades, and why collapse is something that may very be due. I do hope people will keep an open mind when reading it, and understand that it is mainly a thought-experiment that was designed to challenge and agitate. Basically, I wrote it in the hopes that it would encourage people to fight against the prospect of collapse.

You can read it here, in it’s entirety:

https://www.quora.com/Is-the-United-States-going-to-finally-collapse/answer/Matt-Williams-61

 

Some Updates On My Next Project – Transverse!

Hello fellow readers and purveyors of all things nerdy and cool! Today, I wanted to talk about my next literary moves once the trilogy I am currently working on is finished. There are a few ideas I have in mind, but right now, my main focus is on a standalone novel that will serve as a transition between the current trilogy and the one I hope to write next.

This story will take place inside a generation ship that is making its way towards a neighboring star system. Within the confines of this self-contained world, thousands of humans have committed to waiting and working for generations as their massive ship – the Traverse Velocity, which in astronomical terms refers to the speed at which a star moves perpendicular to our line of sight – transports them to an Earth-like world outside of our Solar System.

As to which planet that will be, that depends on what we learn about them in the coming years. Exoplanet discoveries are being made all the time, and studies on whether or not they could be habitable are constantly being updated. Right now, possibilities include Proxima b, Ross 128b, Luyten b, Gliese 832 c, and HD 40307 g. Each of these planets are designated as “potentially habitable” within a conservative set of parameters.

[image error] Artist’s impression of Enzmann starships traveling to another star system. Credit: Rick Sternbach

In any case, the story would involve life aboard the ship as it makes the multi-generational journey to another star system. And of course, there would be opportunities for flashbacks so I could establish what the people were leaving behind, and show the process that led to them leaving the Solar System forever. And of course, there would be intrigue aplenty as crisis after crisis hit the crew!

Here’s where one of the main driving themes of the story comes into play, and it was a friend of mine – R.j. Summers! – who came up with it in the first place. While discussing this idea back when it first came to me, he related how a generation ship and a multi-generational crew would need to plan and prepare for every contingency in order to ensure they made it safely to another star system.

This got me thinking, BIG TIME! How would the people in charge of planning prepare for any contingency, what contingencies would they anticipate, and what kind of counter-measures might they come up with? One of the possibilities we examined was how hard it would be to ensure the crew didn’t go crazy during the voyage or turn on each other.

The brought up all kinds of ideas, ideas about buffers, social controls, predictive programs, you get the idea. If you’re going to send people on a journey that will last hundreds or even thousands of years, and you need to both anticipate and prevent bad things from happening, you’re going to have to get creative. And that’s where things get interesting from a story-writing perspective!

[image error] Artist’s impression of Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System. Credit: ESO

So without giving too much away – or just enough away – I figured that a cool idea would be to have the mission controllers prep for any kind of contingency with a whole lot of simulations and training. But that would be very time-consuming and it would be unrealistic to expect that people could remember all those protocols and procedures.

So I figured, why not go through that training, let the memories form, and then store them separately? After all, with the requisite technology, memory patterns could be stored as neural uploads. This way, whenever an emergency situation presented itself, the crew could simply upload the necessary memories from the central computer and then put them to good use.

The only issue is, this could present all kinds of problems in terms of mindf***ery! For example, when the crews are awakened and informed that they are in the midst of a contingency situation, how would they know for certain if they were awake and aware of their situation, or simply recalling something stored in deep memory?

Or perhaps they could be dreaming, and dealing with memories that seeped through. Who knows? That’s what happens when you start messing with human memory! And of course, there’s the fun that comes from all the worst possible contingencies. On a generation ship, there are all kinds of unlikely threats that can emerge from both within and without!

[image error] Credit: Keck Institute for Space Studies

For example, there’s the threat of a dangerous passenger being aboard, waking up, and having the run of the place. Then there’s the possibility that another ship is out there, hoping to beat the ship and crew to their destination. Maybe this other ship isn’t above playing dirty! And what if the destination world isn’t uninhabited? Maybe someone else got their first a long time ago, and isn’t exactly in a welcoming mood?

As you might imagine, this plays into a central theme of the next trilogy I have planned – Aliens! And as I said in a previous post that addressed this very subject, I want to create something that is truly worthy of that description. I’m talking about Aliens with a capital A!

Any additional details at this point would constitute spoilers, and there’s still plenty that needs to be planned, so I shall say no more. But if you stick with me, I promise not to dissappoint!

Writing From Real Science… About Aliens!

Good morning, or whatever time it happens to be where you live. In fact, it you’re living south of the equator in Australia or New Zealand, I hope tomorrow is treating you well! Anyway, today I thought I’d address a topic that has become very near and dear to my heart. And the reason is because in the near-future, I want to tackle this challenging topic soon.

That topic, to put it plainly, is aliens! But given the significance of this subject, I really should write convey this using proper scientific terms, and in such a way that conveys its true gravitas…

Extra-Terrestrial Intelligences (ETIs)

aka. ALIENS!

Since my teen years, I’ve been incredibly fascinated by the idea of humanity meeting a alien species someday. And since I began writing science fiction, the subject of ETI is something that I wanted to write about eventually. But naturally, I’ve been more than a little hesitant about it.

[image error]Knowing we are not alone in the Universe would not only resolve the single greatest mystery our species has faced, it would be the greatest historical event of all time. And at the moment, we have absolutely no frame of reference for what, how, where and when it might happen. How could I possibly convey that event in words? How could anyone?

So naturally, this was not something I wanted to get into until I was sure I had matured enough as a writer. For all the aforementioned reasons, ETI is a serious and difficult subject to write about. When it’s done properly, it manages to capture the awe, mystery and horror of confronting the unknown. When it is done improperly, it becomes just another cliched trope, the likes of which we have seen countless times before. I’ll let you guess which one I am aiming for!

It’s only because I began writing for an astronomy publication that I’ve been able to do this. My day job, as it turned out, has effectively been a means of research for my novel writing. And while my first published novels, The Cronian Incident and The Jovian Manifesto (books 1 and 2 of The Formist Series) did not take advantage of this beyond their particular settings, I do want to get into some far-reaching hard science in the future. The third book, btw, is currently in the works – 52,000 words and counting!

[image error] Credit: Alex Ries

Beyond the The Formist Series, I do hope to write many more novels, several of which would be set in the same universe. These would delve into certain aspects of this universe, and the backstories of certain characters, more closely. I also wanted to do other series’ that focused on different factions. After all, The Formist Series is called that because it focuses on that particular faction.

But my greatest interest, right now, is eventually writing a series that will address the major issue of aliens! And in keeping with the hard sci-fi tone I want to strike, I know that I need to stick to scenarios that are believable. This means no little green men, no humanoids, and no aliens that serve as allegories for human issues or cultures, be they past or present.

In fact, there’s a quote from an old science fiction series called Space: Above and Beyond, yet another franchise which died before its time thanks to the idiots at the Fox Network! In one episode, one of the MCs says something that really stuck with me because I felt it managed to capture the essence of what meeting an alien species would be like:

“There is only one thing you need to know, anything that’s either been learned or discovered in all the centuries of life on Earth means nothing right now. Nobody can tell you what to be prepared for.”

[image error] Artist’s concept of Breakthrough Starshot. Credit: Breakthrough Initiatives

In keeping with that, I knew that once I got around to writing about aliens, I wanted to go for something that was truly… alien in nature! And of course, any ETI capable of traveling between stars (which is a major plot point) would need to be incredibly advanced. And since I want to keep things consistent with hard science, this means no FTL capabilities and no time travel. These aliens have to be able to make their way around the galaxy using established physics and believable technology.

So here’s what I got so far. For one, the alien species we end up meeting would be so radically-advanced that we are unable to tell if they are actually organic life forms, artificial ones, or something in between. They don’t travel using spaceships in the conventional sense, but use a special type of megastructure to transport their entire star system from one place to another.

This idea is based on established physics and actual studies, which I first learned about thanks to Professor Abraham Loeb of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. In addition to being the Frank B. Baird Jr. Chair of Science at Harvard University, he’s also the chair of the Advisory Committee for Breakthrough Starshot (humanity’s first attempt at interstellar travel).

[image error] A hypervelocity star leaving our galaxy. Credit: NASA

Over the years, we’ve talked many times about his studies, which are always about mind-blowing possibilities! And when not talking about the Fermi Paradox and the possibility that we might have already found evidence of an ETI (he conjectured that ‘Oumuamua might have actually been an artificial object), we’ve spent a fair amount of time talking about interstellar travel!

Another major plot point is the idea of Von Neumann probes, a hypothetical species of self-replicating machine that explores space by endlessly reproducing itself using local resources. Not only would this kind of machine be very useful for exploring the cosmos, it might be the means through which a super-advanced species transcends the need for physical bodies and habitats and begins to live among the stars.

Another point I wanted to include was how certain events (no spolers) caused a minor planet to be kicked out of the Kuiper Belt and travel to the inner Solar System. This idea was inspired by the dwarf planet that was recently discovered at the fringe of our Solar System, which scientists have nicknamed “The Goblin”. After this minor planet gets closer to our Sun, the Formists decide to scoop it up and tow it into Venus’ orbit.

[image error]Terraforming Venus. Credit: Watsisname

While I’m still working out the physics for this, the idea is that bringing this object into orbit around Venus would give it a moon. Basically, having a satellite that orbits the planet in the opposite direction as the planet’s rotation would allow for the formation of a magnetic field, which would help protect Venus’ atmosphere from radiation and being stripped away by solar wind.

I could go on, but then I would be venturing into spoiler territory. And this work is still a few years away yet. Right now, there’s the third book in the Formist Series (The Frost Line Fracture) to finish before I can even begin working on my second series. And there’s also a standalone I’ve got planned that will connect the two. That idea is in the works now and deserves its own post, so more on that later!

In the meantime, tell me what you think. Does this idea sound like it’s worthy, as far as alien concepts go? Or should I stick to writing about human beings running around the Solar System? According to lots of helpful feedback I’ve been given, that at least is something I’m not bad at

My Interview with Rob Howell!

Welcome back! Today, I decided to do something that is long overdue and tell you about my latest interview. This time around, it was of medieval academic and fantasy writer/creator Rob Howell of Howell’s Howels. Enjoy!

What is your quest?

I guess you could say my quest has always been to write the kind of science fiction that I would want to read, the kind of stuff that inspired me growing up and made me want to become a writer myself. This comes down to hard science fiction mostly, and the classics that have remained relevant and influential long after they were written. Examples include the venerable Frank Herbert and his magnum opus, the Dune series. He was the author that taught people to take science fiction seriously, myself included.

And of course, there is 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, perhaps the most-influential works of the 20th century and the stories that taught me how science fiction is also a commentary on the present as much as a vision of the future. And then there was William Gibson’s Neuromancer and Sprawl Trilogy, which not only taught me about gritty, cyberpunk realism, but that all science fiction is about the time period in which it is written.

I also derived a lot of inspiration from Arthur C. Clarke’s Space Odyssey series and Rendezvous with Rama, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, Alastair Reynolds’ Revelation Space universe, Ursula K. LeGuin’s The Left Hand of Darkness and The Outcasts, Neal Stephenson’s The Diamond Age, and various works by Charles Stross and Kim Stanley Robinson. All of these books helped me learn to dream in hard science fiction, and to weave tales of my won.

And of course, I wouldn’t be where I am now were it not for the opportunity I’ve had to write about astronomy, science, and space exploration for Universe Today. All of my published work owes its existence to what I have learned from my job, which is how to take space-related news and knowledge and make it accessible for public consumption. You might say there’s some crossover there with being a science fiction writer!

Two More 5 Star Reviews for The Cronian Incident!

I’m a happy man! While I wasn’t looking, two more readers posted their thoughts on my first novel on Amazon. And they were quite nice! Both were 5 stars and they offered some highly encouraging words to boot. Here is the latest:

“I didn’t realize how deeply I was drawn into this book until I was about halfway through it! It has a distinctive style, with a multileveled story, and a main character I connected with quite easily. Reminiscent of “The Expanse” – the TV show, since I have not yet read any of the books by S.A. Corey – but that same mix of future/cyberpunk/mystery that grabs my attention. Well done! Yes, I’m heading for the next in the series.”

Once again, someone has compared my work to the Expanse. While I initially didn’t like this comparison (funny story, tell you later), it’s one that my publisher certainly likes! And I’ve come to embrace it. If people think my work is reminiscent of a highly successful (and kick-ass) series of novels and mini-series, who am I to argue?

That review came shortly after this one, which was perhaps the most glowing review I’ve received to date:

“I just finished The Cronian Incident by Matthew Williams. My first impression was that this was a rock solid piece of literature. The writing was mature and well thought out. The vocabulary was respectable and different terms where well explained. I admit I was a bit hesitant at first as detective type novels have never ranked high on my personal preference however as I got into the book I found that it was hard to put down. Often I read by author and I will not miss out on reading the next book in this series. I would expect this author to go far with such talent. Writing of this quality is hard work and he certainly put the effort into it. The only downfall that I can see would be with people with poor reading comprehension, however avid sci fi will not have any difficulties. This has been one of the most well put together books I have read this past year.”

Seriously, that may be the nicest review I ever got. I mean they even said that the only downfall is that some people might not be able to get it. I seriously thought they were gearing up to say something about the pacing, spelling, or content – something they didn’t like, you know? Again, who am I to argue?

Thanks to the reviewers and I hope the second book (and fingers crossed, the third) will also

Looking for Advanced Readers for The Formist Series!

Hello fellow writers and readers! I come to you today with both a request and an offer. I’m looking for people who would be interested in receiving Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) of my two (soon to be three) novels. They are part of a hard science fiction series set in the not-too-distant future that incorporates elements of conspiracy, intrigue, criminal investigations, colonization and terraforming.

As part of the deal, you’d get free electronic copies of each novel, and all that is asked in return is that you give an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads. They are published by Castrum Press and have received some rave reviews from readers. Here is what some people had to say (I used their initials to protect their anonymity):

“Compelling read in an immersive world!”- RU

“.. an exciting tale in this story. It was a very enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to seeing more..” – JJC

“A phenomenal debut novel. I really enjoyed reading this book.“- BTK

“It’s good sci-fi, and left me itching to read the third book in the series, after I read the second, of course.” – CW

“..one of the best science fiction novels I’ve read in some time.”- CWG

“I didn’t realize how deeply I was drawn into this book until I was about halfway through it!” – mzbeastle

“This has been one of the most well put together books I have read this past year.” – TV

These reviews, however, are ones I am happy to attribute. The first is from Heather Archuletta, a writer, science advocate and self-described “pillownaut” who worked for the NASA Johnson Space Center and took part in their Lunar and Mars research programs. Here’s what she said:

“The Cronian Incident, which I recommended to my audience as my top Sci-Fi read of the year, is a treasure of planetary science.“

And then there’s these two that come courtesy of Professor Abraham Loeb, the Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science and the Chair of the Astronomy Department at Harvard University. He’s also the founder of the Institute for Theoretical Computation and the Chairman of Breakthrough Starshot‘s advisory committee – an initiative to build an interstellar spacecraft that could make it to Alpha Centauri in just 20 years.

Here’s what he had to say about my first two books, respectively:

“An exciting science fiction adventure into the technological future. An exhilarating read for scientists and fiction lovers alike.”

“Exciting plot with a good foundation in science. This is not surprising given the author’s expertise as an excellent science writer for Universe Today. Inspiring ending. Highly recommended!”

Here are the links to the first two books if anyone’s interested in learning more about them:

The Cronian Incident (Amazon, Goodreads)

The Jovian Manifesto (Amazon, Goodreads)

Holiday Sale!

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Just in time for the holidays, The Cronian Incident (my first published novel) is available for free on Kindle! For those who don’t know, it’s a gritty, hard-boiled detective story set in the late 23rd century amid a backdrop of Solar System colonization, terraforming efforts, and factional politics.

The book has gardened a 4.7/5 star rating on Amazon. Here’s what the reviewers had said:

“This was one of the best science fiction novels I’ve read in some time. Its universe is vast in scope, its plot full of intrigue, its characters delightfully well rounded with just the right mix of flaws and strengths.“

“This story was a good read that sucked me in and kept me wondering. I particularly enjoyed the world building aspects, and the overarching storyline which is clearly going to continue in the next book.”

“I really like how the action is taking place on various planets/moons of the solar system, and am eagerly waiting for further installments of the story.“

“Mr. Williams delivers an exciting tale in this story. It was a very enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to seeing more from him.”

“The Cronian Incident (The Formist Series) (Volume 1) by Matthew Williams is a slow-paced, contemplative science fiction story that fans of The Expanse will really enjoy… Williams injects a realism into this splendid science fiction story that is reminiscent of some of the best in the genre.”

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And for a limited time, The Cronian Incident is available with its sequel – The Jovian Manifesto – for the bundle price of $0.99. So far, the book has gained a 5/5 star rating and some stellar reviews:

“What’s so good about it? Everything!“

“[I]f you liked The Cronian Incident, you’ll enjoy The Jovian Manifesto, so don’t hesitate to check it out and take a look.”

And Professor Loeb of Harvard University described it as follows:

“Exciting plot with a good foundation in science. This is not surprising given the author’s expertise as an excellent science writer for Universe Today. Inspiring ending. Highly recommended!”

The offer ends December 29th! Get em’ while they’re hot!

The Rising Author Tag

[image error]Hey all! It seems there’s a new tag making the rounds, and it honors new authors. And thanks to a friend of mine (a fellow author), I’ve been nominated! Wow, a chance to join other authors and talk about my writing. That plays to my strengths rather nicely…

Okay, so here are the tag rules:

Thank the person who tagged you.
Answer the questions they came up with.
Nominate four people to do the tag (no tagging the person who tagged you originally).
Come up with 10 new questions for the people you nominated.

The first one is easy enough. A special thanks to Rami Ungar for nominating me and keeping this site of mine active. Ever since I began writing for a living, my time here has predictably suffered. But I try to make the time to post updates and thoughts when it’s important. Here are my answers to the questions:

Tell us about what you’re working on or recently released.

The second book in my Formist Series, titled The Jovian Manifesto, was recently released by Castrum Press. Since that time, I’ve been working on the third and final installment, The Frost Line Fracture.

Where in the process of writing are you?

I just recently finished the tenth chapter, which brought me to about 24,000 words. Soon enough, I will be polishing off Part I of the novel and getting into Part II.

What is the most difficult part of writing the story at this point?

For me, the third installment in a three book series is always the toughest one to write. Not only do you need to come up with a compelling story that will live up to (or surpass) the first two, you also have to keep track of everything you’ve established so far to keep things consistent.

What about your main character do you like the most?

Well, the series has kind of shifted MCs. But for the second and third book, there’s a central protagonist. She’s tough, independent, and not afraid to be occasionally vulnerable.

What is your writing process/routine, if you have one?

Not much to say, I pretty much write when I feel inspired. I prefer to do it at home, but at times, the feeling strikes me when I’m out and about (usually at a cafe with my laptop).

Do you pants your way through a story, or do you plot it out?

I plot it out, always. I’ve never been a seat-of-the-pants person when it comes to writing. Before I start writing, I prefer to create a framework that addresses how it will all unfold. I don’t work out all the details in advance, just the bare bones of the plot. That leaves me enough room to improvise and add things along the way.

What are your characters’ musical interests?

Hmm, I haven’t really thought about it that much. But I imagine she would be into jazz and music that melds Latin and African influences. That’s her background and she’s big into poetry and travel.

What’s next for you in terms of writing?

Well, I’m working on the third installment in a trilogy. Once that’s done, I plan to start a new series (another trilogy) that will be set in the same universe, but takes place later, and with higher stakes!

If you could pick a narrator for your story’s audio book, who would you pick?

Tough call! I feel like I should say Morgan Freeman, but my gut says Idris Elba. Natural gravitas in either case, but Elba is freaking cool!

Share an excerpt or snippet, if you’re comfortable.

The place smelt like a Cronian pleasure dome on a Sunday morning. A crush of bodily odors, sweat, bad breath, hot food, and recycled air. It made Adler want to instruct his implants to shut down his olfactory receptors. Given the choice, he might even want to instruct them to shut down all his senses, make him forget where he currently was.

But that would deprive him of the lovely view, which he was taking from a upper tier overlooking the settlement’s main bazaar. Everywhere he looked there was the same signs of decay and turpitude. The same mix of people living in a transitional area between traditionalism and transhumanism. 

Hygeia. The name was practically a pejorative, as far as Adler was concerned.

During the Great Acceleration, Hygeia was one of many rocks in the Main Belt that was established as a stopover and refueling station for missions headed towards the Outer Worlds. Like Ceres, Vesta and Pallas, the first waves of workers and engineers had done a bang-up job establishing the necessary infrastructure, which included the docking facilities that serviced haulers and freighters.

However, the plan soon changed and a second wave of moved in, seeking to turn the asteroid into a self-sustaining colony. These people were responsible for hollowing out most of Hygeia’s rock and ice to make room for living quarters and speeding up its rotation to provide artificial gravity – roughly 0.8 of Earth normal. They also created the biome that ensured a steady supply of recycled air and water.

But as time went on and the Great Migration occurred, the asteroid gradually changed into a place for black-marketeers and people looking for sanctuary. Retros, Extros, and people who were somewhere in between all found themselves drawn to Hygeia because its unique combination of accessibility and nobody giving a shit.

Those qualities, which had always given Adler an aversion to the place in the past, were precisely why he found himself in Hygeia right now. When someone needed to hide, or to travel discreetly across the Frost Line, this was where they came.