S~G future in space

The reason there are few S~G stories in the space age is that it's too
hard to find emotional conflicts specific to that universe once the
Tecton tyrrany ends.
        When Simes and Gens get along normally and comfortably, S~G
problems with individuals become contrived.  _Other_ conflicts are not
specific to S~G.  E.g., somebody wants to go be a space explorer--well,
that could be set in the Trek universe or any other universe.  Being
Sime or Gen has nothing to do with the obstacles one faces.
        The only stories really left to write in that era are about the
_overthrow_ of the Tecton and the establishment of a stable, nonjunct
Sime/Gen union.  Once that happens, the story is over.  Jean

I beg to differ, Jean.  The STORY/CONFLICT line of the space age stories is
the conflict with other species who only have Ancients in them - no Simes or
Gens!  It's what everyone always wants and asks - what if a Sime tried to
take
selyn from an Ancient!  That's what I want to write about.  Lots of conflict,

intrigue, politics and my favorite of all things, ALIENS.  Simes and Gens are

human and that makes them intrinsically boring to me.  Add ALIENS and wow,
gosh, gollywhiz!  Sensawonder.  JL


Live Long and Prosper,

Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Creator of the Sime~Gen Universe

>Jean Lorrah wrote:
>        When Simes and Gens get along normally and comfortably, S~G
>problems with individuals become contrived.  _Other_ conflicts are not
>specific to S~G.  E.g., somebody wants to go be a space explorer--well,
>that could be set in the Trek universe or any other universe.  Being
>Sime or Gen has nothing to do with the obstacles one faces.

Unless being a space explorer necessarily involved mastering some kind of
selyn technology, or dealing with a Tecton-specific bureaucratic series of
hoops to jump thru. I once outlined some rough ideas of the S~G equivalent
of the Appolo mission series and the personal and bureaucratic difficulties
that the tormented hero had to go thru. However I never got beyond the
first planning stages for various reasons.

"I do believe my crucifiction before the public has about reached its limit."
                                Admiral Husband Edward Kimmel

Leigh Kimmel, Ph.D. student in history, Southern Illinois University

Leigh's comment on Jean's comment on space-era S~G:


Unless being a space explorer necessarily involved mastering some kind of
selyn technology, or dealing with a Tecton-specific bureaucratic series of
hoops to jump thru. I once outlined some rough ideas of the S~G equivalent
of the Appolo mission series and the personal and bureaucratic difficulties
that the tormented hero had to go thru. However I never got beyond the
first planning stages for various reasons.

JL here:  Yes, of course that's the key.  Hasn't anyone read EASY AS HOP SKIP

AND JUMP?  The whole point of the S~G mutation is that the only way to
astrogate using the jump-gate technology (invented many decades ago and
popularized now by B5) or ST's "warp" technology is via Sime senses.

In S~G Earth founds the space-faring society because it takes selyn
technology
to make a usable real-time galactic travel drive and not get lost in space
while using it.

Then (some time after starting to colonize) Earth encounters the first aliens

who don't have space travel.  That in fact was the first story I ever wrote
in S~G (in pen on lined paper!), but hardly got past the opening scene before I
decided I better learn how to write a story before writing one.

And of course those Aliens are Ancients.

Well, naturally, lots of aliens are very happy to have space travel provided
for them and happily go about building a galactic economy.

And eventually someone notices the power-stranglehold Earth has on this
economy.  And someone surely will notice the moral depravity of the Tecton
even if they do brighten the decore of the Centers by then.

This has all the makings of a galactic explosion of warfare - a pogrom and
enslaving of humanity.  But that's another series of mine.  As yet unwritten.

Here, we manage to scrape through because of the lessons hard won in S~G
relations.

But no, Jean, we don't run out of conflicts inherent in the premise.  We
haven't even gotten TO the conflicts this series premise was designed to
tackle head-on.

And just when you think the series is really over, and the House of Zeor is
finally disbanded (by Xigram Klairon Farris, the Last Sectuib - see EASY)
that's when things finally get interesting - because that's when we meet up
with the first Sime aliens!

Now Companion takes on a whole new meaning.

But nobody wanted those stories.  Just horse-and-buggy stuff.  I took votes.

Nobody wanted space stories except a few like Karen Litman.

So far there are two "space age" stories - CHANNEL'S EXEMPTION and EASY.  The

rest is all in my head.



Live Long and Prosper,

Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Creator of the Sime~Gen Universe

In response to my assertion that specifically S~G conflict ends when true
Sime/Gen unity is achieved, Leigh writes, "Unless being a space explorer
necessarily involved mastering some kind of selyn technology, or dealing
with a Tecton-specific bureaucratic series of hoops to jump thru."

Bureaucracy is bureaucracy, and stories about having to get through the 
bureaucracy to get to the adventure have also been done before (a number
 of them by Robert Heinlein).  Mastering technology is of itself pretty
boring--especially when it's a made-up technology that boils down to
technobabble.  Consider the cliche academic conflict of the star
quarterback having to pass chemistry or history to play in the big game.
 The fun for the audience is seeing whether they know the answers,
because the chemistry or history is real.  In SF, there is no way the
audience can play that game, because the technology is not real and 
so there is no way they can already know it.

The heart of the Sime/Gen conflict will always be the threat of the
kill--will the Gen die, and will the Sime go junct?  When we care about 
those people, we care about that deep conflict.  Nothing else in the S~G
universe can compare with it.  Once that threat is removed, the stories
simply cannot have the impact of the earlier ones.

And thinking up situations in which the danger of the kill returns is
like curing Branabas Collins, and then turning him back into a vampire,
and then curing him, and then turning him back into a vampire, and then....  
You get the picture.

Jacqueline, we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one.  As I
see it, the reason the fans aren't interested in space stories in the
S~G universe is that the universe is not about space travel; it is about
love and friendship transcending what appears to be a biological
imperative to kill in order to live.

I think you first thought up space stories in S~G because you were very
young, strongly influenced by Robert Heinlein, and so, like me, you
equated sf with space stories.  As you matured, you found where the real
stories of the S~G universe lay:  before the unity that made space travel
possible.

Simes are alien enough; we don't need Sime aliens.  Deeply involved fans
will be interested in the idea that there are Ancients out there
somewhere, but it's just an interesting idea, not a conflict.  Simes are
alien enough; we don't need Sime aliens.  The only way they could be
interesting is if they're junct--except by that time when one of the
aliens grabs an Earth Gen for a kill, all he gets is a transfer.  It's a
comedy.  The Giant Alien Simes eventually just give up and go elsewhere.


There is no drama without conflict, and there is simply no conflict to
equal the conflict of life vs. death.  The S~G universe has already had
that conflict; all other conflict is anti-climax.  Jean

Sept. 25

I for one wouldn't mind seeing the "space age" stories, but there weren't
that many written that I know of.  "Channel's Exemption"  is the only one
I can think of...that saw the light of day in print.

I think everyone felt safe (comfortable) writing in the " horse and buggy
days" and of the earlier technology days circa "Unto."  There has been
some fan fic (if I remember right) with selyn powered cars written
recently, but no space travel.

Ok Jacqueline, where are those space age stories?  Or have I forgotten
something over the years that did appear but my brain doesn't remember
it.  I remember fan outcry being that there weren't enough S~G stories
of any type.........

I just remembered another person who might do some cartooning for us:
Linda Whitten used to do "Tribblets" for the zines along with other
cartoons and lettering.  Maybe if we ask nicely she'll consider doing
these goodies again.     :)

Someone wants to send a space story my way, I'll try and find time to
read it...ASAP.

My actual schedule starts slowing down in mid-December when the riding
center closes for the year.   Then I only spend 2 days a week there in
office duties. There will also be a couple of November and December
fundraisers to help with.   If the winter isn't as brutal as it was last
year, I hope some of this available time will be taken up riding, which
is very important to me.  However, on those lousy days, a good read is
great.       Karen Litman