Stone Age

By Alastair Mayer

This short story was first published in the June, 2011 issue of Analog Science Fiction magazine. It also appears in slightly different form in the novel, "The Chara Talisman".

While archeologist Hannibal Carson explores ruins on a distant planet, seeking evidence of ancient spacefarers, what he finds -- and what or who finds him -- is unexpected.

This story is set in Alastair Mayer's "T-Space" (terraformed space) universe, at a later date than the Jason Curtis adventures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alastair Mayer
• Release date: Sep 3, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465939159

Alastair Mayer

Alastair Mayer was born in London, England and raised in Canada. He now makes his home in Colorado. He is an experienced pilot and scuba diver and a former contributing editor at Byte Magazine. Alastair is a member of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America), and his stories have appeared in Analog magazine and several anthologies.

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Stone Age

by Alastair Mayer

Copyright © 2011, Alastair Mayer. All rights reserved.

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Stone Age originally appeared in Analog Science Fiction & Fact, Dell Publications, June 2011

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Table of Contents

STONE AGE

Afterword

STONE AGE

by Alastair Mayer

We’ve found something!

Dr. Hannibal Carson looked up over the heads of his men to see a ridge, or perhaps a wall, extending into the jungle on either side of the trail they had hacked from their landing spot. The vegetation was thick here on the southern continent of Delta Pavonis III. The wall, perhaps four meters high, was overgrown with moss and vines. A scattering of pale blue starbursts of tiny flowers punctuated the green. Carson pushed his way to the front. Let’s clear a wider space here. Let’s get a good look. Together the four men cut away at the tree branches until they’d made a small clearing.

Is this it? asked Brian, one of the two workers Carson had hired back in Verdigris City. The eager note in his voice reflected Carson’s own hope.

Carson’s gaze took in the wall curving away on either side, the upper surface arching over into a dome. His shoulders slumped. This has curved sides. There’s nothing unusual about it. He slipped his omni