Bandwidth (Analog #1)

by Eliot Peper

Perhaps the worthiest antique in this shop was its owner.

short-lived speck on a meaningless rock orbiting an insignificant star in a forgotten galaxy in a universe bound by the unflinching laws of thermodynamics to descend into ultimate heat death.

potter throwing clay.

“Maybe communication is just as life-affirming as a breath of fresh air.”

but they’re only good when they’re hot enough to burn the roof of your mouth.”

“Did you know that oranges come from southern China? Their seeds soon spread to Taiwan, and from here to Japan and Southeast Asia and westward to reach Europe and the farthest shores of Africa. Columbus himself brought the first orange seeds to the New World.” He swallowed the last piece with obvious relish.

There were sharks before there were dinosaurs, and the reason sharks are still in the ocean is that nothing is better at being a shark than a shark.