Starkind
by Frank Haastert
2020-08-12 09:42:53
The Starkind have searched the Milky Way galaxy for other life for 50,000 years. The climactic discovery of a sentient civilization at the edge of Spacetime 3 by the Starkind exposed the moral dilemma confronting a quantitatively and qualitatively su...
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The Starkind have searched the Milky Way galaxy for other life for 50,000 years. The climactic discovery of a sentient civilization at the edge of Spacetime 3 by the Starkind exposed the moral dilemma confronting a quantitatively and qualitatively superior civilization when it encounters one of profoundly lesser technical and cultural status. The cultural and philosophical values of and mythological legends of the Starkind are interwoven into the story, especially their devotion to Kal, a lifelong practice of psychological centering. The remarkable science of the Universe Ship and life extension technologies for cosmic travel are developed in very sound engineering descriptions for both technical and non technical readers. The fleet Commander's journal develops this moral dilemma: Is this search ever morally justified, especially when there is a dominant life form, such as the Starkind that could, without malice, inadvertently snuff out the lesser life form, such as Humankind? It brings into question 50 millennia of exploration without clear directives of action consistent with what might be found. As long as the Starkind didn't find that which it sought, there was little with which it had to concern itself. Starkind discovers that the most serious internal conflict would be the preservation of this alien life form as it was quite possibly the only other one in the galaxy besides them. The very interaction, along with colonization, could lead quickly to an irretrievable extinction. Six dialogues among the unusual among the unusual characters in the story line decide the issue and reveal the equally unusual philosophies of each culture. Danto Kalishan, the Starkind Fleet Commander, Novon Parna, the beautiful Colony Marshal, and Ben Lavona the ascetic Kabbalist, interact to tell the story. Each character role is developed in depth to reveal the essential goodness inherent in these highly developed spiritual intellects. Two albino children of exceptional intellect enli
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