1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Cool Zone Media. 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 2: Hello, and welcome to Cool Zoned Media. Book Club, the 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 2: only book club you don't have to do the reading 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 2: for because I do it for you. And what's that 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 2: you're thinking? You're thinking that I forgot the chant book Club, 6 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 2: book Club, book Club, Well, book Club, book Club book Club. 7 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 2: Today Uncles Owned Media book Club. We're going to go 8 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 2: back to the golden age of science fiction with some 9 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 2: good pulp fiction. This story is by a grand master, 10 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 2: but it's a little complicated who it's by. Actually, it 11 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 2: was published under the name Andrew North. And you're thinking 12 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 2: to yourself, I don't I don't know that name. Yeah, 13 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 2: I didn't either, And it was published by Andrew North 14 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 2: in the August September nineteen fifty three issue of Fantastic 15 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 2: Universe Science Fiction. Just the kind of stuff I grew 16 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 2: up with. I got really lucky. My dad always had 17 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 2: Asimov as an FNS and all those things sitting around 18 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 2: the cover of this particular issue is incredible. It's the 19 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 2: statue of Liberty buried up to her chest and sand 20 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 2: being visited by aliens in UFO and that's all like 21 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: some good Ozzi Mandayas shit right there. But the story 22 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 2: was published under the name Andrew North, but later in 23 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 2: life this same author published under the name Alan Weston 24 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 2: and then Andre Norton. But she was born in good 25 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 2: old Cleveland, Ohio as Alice Mary Norton in February nineteen twelve. 26 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 2: She was an absolute titan of pulp writing and earned 27 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 2: a lot of firsts and sci fi awards, including the 28 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 2: first woman to be Gandolf grand Master of Fantasy, the 29 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 2: first to be an SFWA Grand Master, and as a 30 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 2: proud paying DU's member of the SFWA, the closest thing 31 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 2: we have to a union. They get really defensive when 32 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 2: you say it's a union. It's not a union, it's 33 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 2: a trade association. But they help set the rates for 34 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 2: fiction so that people get paid a decent amount. And 35 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 2: I'm grateful to be part of it. And she was 36 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 2: the first woman to be an SFWA Grand Master and 37 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 2: to be inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall 38 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 2: of Fame. She is often called the Grand Dame of 39 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: science fiction. I don't know how to pronounce that, but 40 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 2: it's like Dame and grand with an e at the nd. 41 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,959 Speaker 2: And she did it all while working as a librarian 42 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 2: at the Cleveland Public Library, where, among other things. She 43 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 2: defended the acquisition of the Hobbit, and also working at 44 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 2: the Library of Congress. Here's her nerd cred. I mean 45 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: the library is enough nerd cred. Actually, all of that 46 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 2: was nerd cred. Here's even more of it. She played 47 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 2: Dungeons and Dragons with Gary Geigax. In nineteen seventy six, 48 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: she wrote some fiction for the early franchise called quag Keep. 49 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: According to Publishers Weekly, not only was it the first 50 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: book to be written about D and D, it's the 51 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: first book to be written about any tabletop role playing 52 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 2: game and is the originator of the trope where tabletop 53 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 2: role playing game players literally get sucked into the game 54 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 2: that they're playing. And if you don't know what any 55 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 2: that means, I mean, she's got some real nerd bonafides. 56 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 2: She's a Cleveland queen, and she never got married. In 57 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 2: two thousand and five, after her death, the Science Fiction 58 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 2: and Fantasy Writers of America the SFWA started the Norton Award, 59 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: given annually to an outstanding work of fantasy or science 60 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 2: fiction for the young adult literature market. Notable past winners 61 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 2: include Children of Blood and Bone by Tommy Adiemi. In 62 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen. I show Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett in 63 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: twenty ten and Sister Mine by nal Hopkinson in twenty thirteen. 64 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 2: She changed her name legally to andre Alice Norton because 65 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 2: being a woman in science fiction publishing was a nightmare. 66 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 2: I did the opposite. I started writing as Margaret Kildroy 67 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 2: before I came out as trans, years before I came 68 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 2: out as trans. I think because of my subconscious news stuff. 69 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 2: But andre Norton wrote this fun story, the one that 70 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 2: we're going to read to you. It's called All Cats 71 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 2: Are Gray, and it's possible that it stood out because 72 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: that sounds almost like all cats are beautiful acab But 73 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 2: in this case it's akag and the name of the 74 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: story is not a reference to the slogan. It's a coincidence. 75 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 2: It is a deeply pulpy story, particularly in the plot 76 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: structure and the genre conventions. And yeah, contrast it with 77 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 2: some of the more modern stuff we read. Think about it, 78 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 2: do some learning, because, as we say, this is the 79 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 2: book club where you don't have to do the reading 80 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: because I do it for you, but you have to 81 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 2: do the thinking. Don't let me do your thinking for 82 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 2: you unless you want to give me money. No, I 83 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 2: can't really bring myself to do that. Okay, But Hazel, 84 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 2: who picked it, mostly likes it because it sounds like 85 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 2: it was written by the protagonist's wistful lesbian X. And 86 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 2: that's just the head canon we have over here. Please 87 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 2: don't come the ghost of miss Norton. We love and 88 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 2: respect your work, and here it is. All Cats Are 89 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 2: Gray by Alice Andre Norton Stina of the Space Ways. 90 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 2: That sounds just like a corny title for one of 91 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 2: the Stellar Vedo spreads. I ought to know. I've tried 92 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 2: my hand at writing enough of them. Only this Stina 93 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 2: was no glamour babe. She was as colorless as a 94 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,799 Speaker 2: lunar plant. Even the hair netted down to her skull 95 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 2: had a sort of grayish cast. And I never saw 96 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: her but once draped in anything but a shapeless and 97 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:45,039 Speaker 2: baggy gray space. Al Stina was strictly background stuff, and 98 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: this is where she spent most of her free hours, 99 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 2: in the smelly, smoky background corners of any stellar port 100 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 2: dive frequented by free spacers. If you really looked for her, 101 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,679 Speaker 2: you could spot her just sitting there, listening to the talk, 102 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 2: listening and remembering she didn't open her own mouth often. 103 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 2: When she did, spacers had learned to listen, and the 104 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: lucky few her heard her rare spoken words. These will 105 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 2: never forget Stina. She drifted from port to port, being 106 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 2: an expert operator on the big calculators. She found jobs 107 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 2: wherever she cared to stay for a time, and she 108 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 2: came to be something like the masterminded machines. She tended 109 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 2: smooth gray without much personality of her own. But it 110 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 2: was Stina who told Bub Nelson about the Jovian moonrights, 111 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 2: and her warning saved Bub's life. Six months later, it 112 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 2: was Stina who identified the piece of stone Keen Clark 113 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 2: was passing around a table one night, rightly calling it 114 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 2: unworked slittite. That started a rush which made ten fortunes 115 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: overnight for men who were down to their last jets, 116 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 2: and last of all whacked the case of the Empress 117 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 2: of Mars. All the boys who had profited by her 118 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: queer store of knowledge in her photographic memory tried at 119 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 2: one time or another to balance the scales, but she 120 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 2: wouldn't take so much as a cup of canal water 121 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 2: at their expense, let alone the credits. They tried to 122 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: push on her. Bob Nelson was the only one who 123 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 2: got around her refusal. It was he who brought her Bat. 124 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 2: About a year after the Jovin affair, he walked into 125 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 2: the free Fall one night and dumped Bat down on 126 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 2: her table. Bat looked at Stina and growled. She looked 127 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 2: calmly back at him and nod at once. From then 128 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 2: on they traveled together, the thin gray woman and the 129 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 2: big gray tomcat. Bat learned to know the inside of 130 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 2: more stellar bars than even most spacers visit in their lifetimes. 131 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: He developed a liking for vernal juice, drank it neat 132 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 2: and quick, right out of a glass, and he was 133 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 2: always at home on any table where Stina elected to 134 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 2: drop him. This is really the story of Steena Bat, 135 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 2: Cliff Moran, and the Empress of Mars, a story which 136 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 2: is already a legend of the Spaceways. And it's a 137 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 2: damn good story too. I ought to know, having framed 138 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 2: the first version of it myself, for I was there 139 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 2: right in the Regal Royal when it all began, on 140 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 2: the night that Cliff Moran blew in, looking lower than 141 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 2: an antman's belly and twice as nasty. He'd had a 142 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 2: spell of luck foul enough to twist a man into 143 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 2: a slug snake, and we all knew that there was 144 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 2: an attachment out for his ship. Cliff had fought his 145 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 2: way up from the back courts of Ventaport. Lose his 146 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 2: ship and he'd slip back there to rot. He was 147 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 2: at the snarling stage that night when he picked out 148 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 2: a table for himself and set out to drink away 149 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 2: his troubles. However, just as the first bottle arrived, so 150 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 2: did a visitor. Came out of her corner bat curled 151 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 2: around her shoulders, stole wise his favorite mode of travel. 152 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:10,319 Speaker 2: She crossed over and dropped down without invitation at Cliff's side. 153 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 2: That shook him out of his sulks, because Stina never 154 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,319 Speaker 2: chose company when she could be alone. If one of 155 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 2: the man stones on Gannymede had come stumping in, it 156 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 2: wouldn't have made more of us. Look out of the 157 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 2: corners of her eyes. She stretched out one long fingered 158 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 2: hand and set aside the bottle he had ordered, and 159 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 2: said only one thing, it's about time for the Empress 160 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 2: of Mars to appear again. Cliff scowled and bit his lip. 161 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 2: He was tough, tough, as jet lining, you had to 162 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 2: be granite inside and out to struggle up from ventaport 163 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,319 Speaker 2: to a ship command. But we could guess what was 164 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 2: running through his mind at that moment. The Empress of 165 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,439 Speaker 2: Mars was just about the biggest prize a spacer could 166 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 2: aim for. But in the fifty years she had been 167 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 2: following her queer derelict orbit through space, many men had 168 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 2: tried to bring her in, and none had succeeded. A 169 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 2: pleasure ship carrying untold wealth, she had been mysteriously abandoned 170 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,079 Speaker 2: in space by passengers and crew, none of whom had 171 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 2: ever been seen or heard of again. At intervals thereafter 172 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 2: she had been sighted even boarded, Those who ventured into 173 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 2: her either vanished or returned swiftly without any believable explanation 174 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 2: of what they had seen, wanting only to get away 175 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 2: from her as quickly as possible. But the man who 176 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 2: could bring her in, or even strip or clean in space, 177 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 2: that man would win the jackpot, all right. Cliff slammed 178 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 2: his fist down on the table. I'll try even that. 179 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 2: Stina looked at him, much as she must have looked 180 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 2: at Bat the day that Bob Nelson brought him to her. 181 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,599 Speaker 2: And nodded. That was all I saw. The rest of 182 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 2: the story came to me in pieces months later, in 183 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 2: another port half the system away. But do you know 184 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 2: what's not half the system away? Dear listener? Do you 185 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 2: know what is right next to you? Do you know 186 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 2: what the cat will always drag in for you when 187 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 2: you've least want it. That's right, it's ads, and we're back. 188 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 2: Cliff took off that night. He was afraid to risk 189 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 2: waiting with a writ out that could pull the ship 190 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 2: from under him, and it wasn't until he was in 191 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 2: space that he discovered his passengers, Stina and Bat. We'll 192 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 2: never know what happened then. I'm betting that Stina made 193 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 2: no explanation at all. She wouldn't. It was the first 194 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 2: time she had decided to cash in on her own tip, 195 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 2: and she was there, that was all. Maybe that point 196 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 2: weighed with Cliff. Maybe he just didn't care anyway. The 197 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 2: three of them were together when they sighted the Empress 198 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 2: riding her dead lights gleaming a ghost ship in night space. 199 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 2: She must have been an eerie sight because her other 200 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 2: lights were on too, In addition to the red warnings 201 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 2: at her nose, she seemed alive, a flying Dutchman of space. 202 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 2: Cliff worked his ships skillfully alongside and had no trouble 203 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 2: in snapping magnetic lines to her lock. Some minutes later, 204 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 2: the three of them passed into her. There was still 205 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 2: air in her cabins and corridors, air that bore a faint, 206 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 2: corrupt taint, which set Bat to sniffing greedily and could 207 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 2: be picked up even by the less sensitive human nostrils. 208 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,679 Speaker 2: Cliff headed straight for the control cabin, but Stina and 209 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 2: Bat were prowling. Closed doors were challenged to both of them, 210 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,959 Speaker 2: and Stina opened each as she passed, taking a quick 211 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 2: look at what lay within. The fifth door opened on 212 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 2: a room which no woman could leave without further investigation. 213 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:05,839 Speaker 2: I don't know who had been housed there when the 214 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 2: Empress left Port on her last lengthy cruise. Anyone really 215 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 2: curious can check back on the old photo reg cards. 216 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 2: But there was a lavish display of silks trailing out 217 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 2: of two travel kits on the floor, a dressing table 218 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 2: crowded with crystal and jeweled containers, along with other lures 219 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 2: for the female, which drew Stina in. She was standing 220 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 2: in front of the dressing table when she glanced into 221 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 2: the mirror, glanced into it, and froze over her right shoulder. 222 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 2: She could see the spider silk cover on the bed. 223 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 2: Right in the middle of that sheer gossamer expanse was 224 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 2: a sparkling heap of gems, the dumped contents of some 225 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 2: jewel case. Bat had jumped to the foot of the 226 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 2: bed and flattened out, as cats will, watching those gems, 227 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:01,439 Speaker 2: watching them and something else. Put out her hand blindly 228 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:04,439 Speaker 2: and caught up the nearest bottle. As she unstoppered it, 229 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 2: she watched the mirrored bed. A gemmed bracelet rose from 230 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 2: the pile, rose in the air, and tinkled its siren song. 231 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 2: It was as if an idle hand played. Bat spat 232 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 2: almost noiselessly, but he did not retreat. Bat had not 233 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 2: yet decided his course. She put down the bottle. Then 234 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 2: she did something which perhaps few of the men she 235 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 2: had listened to through the years could have done. She 236 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 2: moved without hurry or sign of disturbance, on a tour 237 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 2: about the room, And although she approached the bed, she 238 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 2: did not touch the jewels. She could not force herself 239 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 2: to do that. It took her five minutes to play 240 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 2: out her innocence and unconcern. Then it was Bat who 241 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 2: decided the issue. He leaped from the bed and escorted 242 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 2: something to the door, remaining a careful distance behind. Then 243 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 2: he mewed loudly twice. Stina followed him and opened the 244 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 2: door wide. Bat went straight on down the corridor, as 245 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 2: intent as a hound on the warmest of scents. Stina 246 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 2: strolled behind him, holding her pace to the unhurried gait 247 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 2: of an explorer which sped before them. Both was invisible 248 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 2: to her, but Bat was never baffled by it. They 249 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 2: must have gone into the control cabin almost on the 250 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 2: heels of the unseen, if the unseen had heels, which 251 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 2: there was good reason to doubt, for Bat crouched just 252 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 2: within the doorway and refused to move on. Stina looked 253 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 2: down at the length of the instrument panels and officers 254 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 2: station seats, to where Cliff Moran worked on the heavy carpet. 255 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 2: Her boots made no sound, and he did not glance up, 256 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 2: but sat humming through set teeth as he tested the 257 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 2: tardy and reluctant responses to buttons which had not been 258 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 2: pushed in years. To human eyes. They were alone in 259 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 2: the cabin, but bat still followed a moving something with 260 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 2: his gaze, and it was something which he had at 261 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 2: last made up his mind to distrust and dislike. For 262 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 2: now he took a step or two forward and spat 263 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 2: his loathing, made plane by every raised hair along his spine. 264 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 2: And in that same moment, Sheena saw a flicker, a 265 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 2: flicker of vague outline against Cliff's hunch shoulders, as if 266 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 2: the invisible one had crossed the space between them. But 267 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 2: whyat had been revealed against Cliff and not against the 268 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 2: back of one of the seats, or against the panels, 269 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 2: the wall of the corridor, the cover of the bed 270 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 2: where it had reclined and played with its lute. What 271 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 2: could bat see? And you, dear listener, what do you 272 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 2: think that bat sees? Ponder it over while the ads 273 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 2: do their thing, or you can hit the like forward 274 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 2: fifteen seconds, button about I don't know, ten times, I 275 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 2: don't really care. Make your own choices, cowards, and we're 276 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 2: back the storehouse. Memory that had served Stina so well 277 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 2: through the years clicked open a half forgotten door. With 278 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:14,159 Speaker 2: one swift motion, she tore looser space all and flung 279 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 2: the baggy garment across the back of the nearest seat. 280 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 2: Bat was snarling, now, emitting the throaty, rising cry that 281 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,920 Speaker 2: was his hunting song. But he was edging back back 282 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 2: towards Stena's feet, shrinking from something he could not fight, 283 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 2: but which he faced defiantly. If he could draw it 284 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:36,120 Speaker 2: after him past that dangling space, all he had to 285 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 2: It was their only chance. What the cliff had come 286 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 2: out of his seat was staring at them. What he 287 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 2: saw must have been weird enough. Stina bare armed and shouldered, 288 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 2: her usually stiffly netted hair falling wildly down her back. 289 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 2: Stina watching empty space with narrowed eyes and set mouth, 290 00:17:55,560 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 2: calculating a single, wild chance. Bat crouched on his belly, 291 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 2: retreating from thin air step by step and wailing like 292 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 2: a demon. Toss me your blaster. Stina gave the order, calmly, 293 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 2: as if they still sat at their table in the 294 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:15,399 Speaker 2: Regal Royal, and as quietly Cliff obeyed. She caught the 295 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 2: small weapon out of the air with a steady hand, 296 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 2: caught and leveled it. Stay just where you are, she 297 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 2: warned Bat. Bring it back. With a last throat splitting 298 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 2: screech of rage and hate, Bat twisted to safety between 299 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 2: her boots. She pressed with thumb and forefinger, firing at 300 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 2: the space alls. The material turned to powdery flakes of ash, 301 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 2: except for certain bits, which still flapped from the scorched seat, 302 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 2: as if something had protected them from the force of 303 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 2: the blast. Bat sprang up in the air with a 304 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 2: scream that tore their ears. What began Cliff again. Stina 305 00:18:55,640 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 2: made a warning motion with her left hand. Wait, still tense, 306 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 2: still watching Bat. The cat dashed madly around the cabin twice, 307 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 2: running crazily with white ringed eyes and flecks of foam 308 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:11,160 Speaker 2: on his muzzle. Then he stopped abruptly in the doorway, 309 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 2: stopped and looked back over his shoulder for a long, 310 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 2: silent moment, he sniffed delicately. Stina and Cliff could smell 311 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 2: it too, now, a thick, oily stench, which was not 312 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 2: the usual odor left by an exploding blaster shell. Bat 313 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:30,399 Speaker 2: came back, treading daintily across the carpet, almost on the 314 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 2: tips of his paws. He raised his head as he 315 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:37,920 Speaker 2: passed Stina, and then went confidently beyond to sniff, to sniff, 316 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 2: and spit twice at the unburned strips of the space all. 317 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 2: Having thus paid his respects to the late enemy. He 318 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:49,640 Speaker 2: sat down calmly and set to washing his fur with deliberation. 319 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 2: Stina sighed once and dropped into the navigator's seat. Maybe 320 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 2: now you'll tell me what the hell's happened, Cliff exploded 321 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 2: as he took the blaster out of her hand. Gray, 322 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 2: she said, dazedly. It must have been gray, or I 323 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 2: couldn't have seen it like that. I'm colorblind, you see. 324 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 2: I can see only shades of gray. My whole world 325 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 2: is gray like bats. His world is gray, too, all gray. 326 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 2: But he's been compensated for He can see above and 327 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:25,679 Speaker 2: below our range of color vibrations, and apparently so can I. 328 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 2: Her voice quavered, and she raised her chin with a 329 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 2: new air Cliff had never seen before, a sort of 330 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 2: proud acceptance. She pushed back her wandering hair, but she 331 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 2: made no move to imprison it under the heavy neck again. 332 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 2: That's why I saw the thing when it crossed between 333 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 2: us against her space. All it was another shade of 334 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 2: gray in outline. So I put out mine and waited 335 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 2: for to show against that. It was our only chance, Cliff. 336 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 2: It was curious at first, I think, and it knew 337 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 2: we couldn't see it, which is why it waded to it. 338 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 2: But when Bat's actions gave it away, it moved. So 339 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 2: I waited to see that flicker against the space awe, 340 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 2: and then I've let him have it. It's really very simple. 341 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 2: Cliff laughed a bit shakily. But what was that great thing? 342 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 2: I don't get it. I think it was what made 343 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 2: the Empress a derelict, something out of space, maybe here 344 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 2: from another world, somewhere. She waved her hands. It's invisible 345 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 2: because it's a color beyond our range of sight. It 346 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 2: must have stayed in here all these years, and it kills. 347 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 2: It must when his curiosity is satisfied. Swiftly, she described 348 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 2: the scene in the cabin and the strange behavior of 349 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 2: the gem pile, which had betrayed the creature to her. 350 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:47,880 Speaker 2: Cliff did not return his blaster to its holder. Any 351 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 2: more of them on board. Do you think he didn't 352 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 2: look pleased at the prospect? Stina turned to Bat. He 353 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:57,119 Speaker 2: was paying particular attention to the space between two front 354 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 2: toes and the process of a complete bath. I don't 355 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 2: think so. But Bat will tell us if there are 356 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:07,400 Speaker 2: He can see them clearly, I believe, But there weren't anymore. 357 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 2: And two weeks later, Cliff, Stina, and Bat brought the 358 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:14,199 Speaker 2: Empress into the Lunar Quarantine Station. And that is the 359 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 2: end of Stina's story, because, as we've been told, happy 360 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 2: marriages need no chronicles, and Stina had found someone who 361 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 2: knew of her gray world and did not find it 362 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 2: too hard to share with her, someone besides Bat. It 363 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,400 Speaker 2: turned out to be a real love match. The last 364 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 2: time I saw her, she was wrapped in a flame 365 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 2: red cloak from the looms of Regal and wore a 366 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:41,199 Speaker 2: fortune at joven Rubies blazing on her wrists. Cliff was 367 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 2: flipping a three figure credit bill to a waiter, and 368 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: Bat had a row of vernal juice glasses set up 369 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 2: before him. Just a little family party out on the town. 370 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 2: The end. Okay, what Hazel has to say about this story? 371 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 2: This story quite a lot, and I don't usually like 372 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 2: golden age pulp all that much, but it's mostly a 373 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 2: well written female character written by a woman that's pretty 374 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 2: fun for me. Miss Norton or her editors wrote this 375 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 2: blurb for the magazine. Under normal conditions, a whole person 376 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 2: has a decided advantage over a handicapped one, But out 377 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 2: in deep space, the normal may be reversed for humans 378 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 2: at any rate. And back to Hazel, And that's really 379 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 2: interesting to me. I wouldn't have clocked this as an 380 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 2: early story about disability, but I can totally see what 381 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:34,159 Speaker 2: miss Norton is trying to do. It's, you know, a 382 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 2: little old fashioned, but reading generously. Sure that works for me. 383 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 2: The stuff about color blindness and the twist of a 384 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,919 Speaker 2: creature being a color outside of human doesn't land as 385 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 2: well today because we have a different scientific understanding of 386 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:50,159 Speaker 2: vision and color blindness. But who knows, maybe that was 387 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 2: just different in the nineteen fifties. We still get a 388 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 2: story of a woman with a disability who has gotten crafty, 389 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,399 Speaker 2: needing to accommodate it. Light Year is more competent than 390 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 2: any man in the story. You've seen her well known 391 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,360 Speaker 2: problem solving skills to solve a problem that no one 392 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 2: else could. That's pretty nifty to me, as a chronically 393 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 2: old person who needs to get crafty to work around 394 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 2: a lot of my own debilitating symptoms. It's cool to 395 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 2: see that represented in early pulp. IWO, all cops are grassterds, okay, 396 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:20,439 Speaker 2: And then this is me again. It is Margaret, what 397 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 2: do I have to say about this. I have so 398 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:23,679 Speaker 2: much to say about this. I always have so much 399 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 2: to say about this. There's a lot of stuff that 400 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 2: wouldn't pass muster in modern short story writing, and that 401 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 2: doesn't make this wrong. It means that we just have 402 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 2: different tastes, right, Like what counts as well written has changed. 403 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 2: But this is clearly a well written and entertaining story. 404 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 2: I'm never not entertained by this story. So instead we 405 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 2: have this assumption that this, like modern way of doing 406 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:52,640 Speaker 2: things is more correct. For example, you should have should 407 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 2: have quote if I had this story in front of 408 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 2: me as like a this is really funny. Because Andre 409 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 2: Norton is a grandmaster of SFWA, I'm like a lowly 410 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 2: dues pain member of SFWA. But if I had this 411 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:05,399 Speaker 2: story in front of me in a workshop, I would say, 412 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 2: you need to foreshadow at the very least the color blindness, right, 413 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,479 Speaker 2: The thing that is the grand reveal can't come out 414 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,919 Speaker 2: of nowhere. You have to has to feel earned so 415 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 2: that the reader has a chance to feel smart. You know, 416 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 2: the perfectly written modern story, the reader figures it out 417 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 2: just ahead of the reveal in a way that makes 418 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 2: the reader feel smart, even though you're actually setting it up, 419 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 2: so of course they figure it out. You actually are 420 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,199 Speaker 2: revealing it before the reveal, right, But there's instead in 421 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 2: this case, it's like, ah, I'm colorblind, That's why I 422 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 2: know this thing was like not the way you would 423 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:43,400 Speaker 2: do it in a modern sense. And also there's also 424 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 2: kind of a trope of like, I have heightened senses 425 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 2: because of this disability that when I've been reading about 426 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 2: people from the disability community talking about how disabilities represent 427 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,119 Speaker 2: in fiction that they're like not in love with Again, 428 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 2: this is the nineteen fifties, and you know, I think 429 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 2: it's really interesting and worthwhile to trace how these things 430 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 2: go and like what we consider like intentionally a positive 431 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 2: story and how that changes. But the main thing, I 432 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 2: enjoy this story, and the fact that I enjoy this 433 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 2: story means something to me. The discourse on Blue Sky, 434 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:23,919 Speaker 2: I'm so sorry I've said both of those nouns. I'm 435 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 2: very sorry. But the discourse on Blue Sky last week, 436 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 2: as you listen to this, if you listen to it 437 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 2: when it comes out, was about AI writing. But it 438 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:33,919 Speaker 2: wasn't really discourse, which makes it more fun. It was 439 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,479 Speaker 2: just people dumping on using AI for fiction writing. And 440 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 2: lots of science fiction writers being like, you couldn't catch 441 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 2: me dead using AI because there was some fucking mainstream 442 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 2: article that was like, all writers use AI, some of 443 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 2: them are just honest about it, and like, no, no, 444 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 2: most writers don't use AI. Why would we want to, Like, 445 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 2: there's no technical thing preventing us from writing. It's purely 446 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 2: a matter of time, time and skill and learned ability 447 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 2: and ideas right, and it's one of the most glorious 448 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:08,919 Speaker 2: and beautiful things that you get to do with your 449 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 2: life sometimes. And that article, I think, the article that 450 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:13,919 Speaker 2: everyone was dunking on and I dunked on it too, 451 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 2: and because it needed to be dunked on, it was saying, 452 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,399 Speaker 2: how you know, oh, people call it AI slop, but 453 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 2: what about human slop? People are like all the old 454 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:25,960 Speaker 2: stuff was all crappy and written badly, you know. And 455 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 2: the thing is, it's not slop. It's pulp. And there's 456 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 2: a world of difference. Pulp is what gives you the fiber, 457 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 2: it keeps you regular and pulp fiction it's entertaining and 458 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 2: beautiful partly because it comes from people, and specifically it's 459 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 2: kind of to me sort of holy because we get 460 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 2: to have these glimpses into someone else's imagination. What we 461 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:59,479 Speaker 2: get to see by reading a story that's kind of 462 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,399 Speaker 2: just pulpy fun adventure is we get to see what 463 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 2: someone like fantasized about was like, Oh, wouldn't this be neat? 464 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 2: And this story is such a perfect example of it 465 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 2: because it, I mean, it reads like fan fiction. Again, 466 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 2: I feel really weird coming for this story in any way, 467 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 2: I really like it, but it reads like fan fiction. 468 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 2: You have a character who can kind of do no wrong, 469 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 2: and she's like, I don't know if she's a self 470 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 2: insert about Norton, miss Norton, but it's like very much 471 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:29,640 Speaker 2: the kind of it's a cat lady who's always overlooked, 472 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,120 Speaker 2: but at the end she lets her hair down when 473 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 2: she learns her own agency, and she's never gonna put 474 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,120 Speaker 2: it back up again. And she's like sort of boring 475 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 2: and gray, but that she finds her love match in 476 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:43,760 Speaker 2: this like rough and tumble spacer she saves like it's 477 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 2: like the most wish fulfillment early specfic woman writing thing, 478 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 2: and it's glorious for that. That is what we get 479 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 2: to see and experience by reading All cats are gray, 480 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 2: and whereas just some random shit spit out that has 481 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 2: a story shaped form. It's meaningless. So here's to human 482 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 2: slop because it's not human slop, it's pulp, and I 483 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 2: love it. I also love that pulp makes you want 484 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 2: to write. It's like punk. You listen to it and 485 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 2: you're like, I could do that, but you also have 486 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 2: a good time listening to it, and so you can 487 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 2: do that. You genuinely can. You can go start a 488 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 2: band with three chords. And there's a lot of genres 489 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 2: that do this, and folk and hip hop are like 490 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 2: two of the other ones that do this off the 491 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 2: top of my head, where it's just like you could 492 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 2: just do it, and you should, and it rules, and 493 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 2: so you should go write stuff. You should go write pulp. 494 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 2: There's no barrier. You don't need to hold yourself up 495 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:54,479 Speaker 2: to some elaborately high standard. Now. I actually also at 496 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 2: the same time kind of will defend gatekeepers publishers. This 497 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:00,120 Speaker 2: is the only context in which I'll defend Gatekeeper, And 498 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 2: I think I think that editors of magazines and places 499 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 2: like that do a really important job of filtering through 500 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,800 Speaker 2: slush and presenting you with stories that are entertaining and 501 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 2: well written. And I actually do think that the story 502 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 2: is entertaining, well written just to a different standard than 503 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 2: the current modern standard. And I don't know. So it's like, 504 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 2: go write your story, and maybe it isn't good enough 505 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 2: for a science fiction magazine to pay you a professional 506 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 2: rate for That's okay, write another story. But in the meantime, 507 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:33,600 Speaker 2: it might be good enough to entertain your friends, right, Like, 508 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 2: I'll go see the local punk bands play, even if 509 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 2: they're not very good, and I'll have a good time. 510 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 2: But then some punk bands are so good that they 511 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 2: go on international tours and everyone is like, oh, this 512 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:48,960 Speaker 2: band fucking rules. You know. Anyway, that's what this story 513 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,880 Speaker 2: made me think about. Well, take care of each other, 514 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 2: Free Palestine, fuck ice, See you next week. 515 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: It could Happen here as a production of cool Zone Media. 516 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:05,880 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 517 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: coolzonemedia dot com, or check us out on the iHeartRadio app, 518 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can 519 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,120 Speaker 1: find sources for It Could Happen Here, updated monthly at 520 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 1: coolzonmedia dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening.