Anaximancy

By Simon Christiansen

"We choose to go THROUGH the Moon!"

In a world in which the Greek philosopher Anaximander was right about everything, Sophia Aetós has lived her life on top of the flat cylinder of the Earth as the nations of Europa, Asia, and Libya fight for control over meager territory.

Now, she must lead the first Europan expedition into the Moon, which, as every child knows, is a circular hole in a massive ring of bark filled with pale fire. The goal of the expedition: To locate Apeiron, the mythical ur-substance from which all other matter derives.

It soon becomes clear that not everyone wants the mission to succeed. At least one crew member is a saboteur, willing to sacrifice their life to see the ship consumed by Moon fire.

Not only that but factions in the Europan government wish to use Apeiron for military purposes, potentially launching an all-consuming world war. Their agents, too, have infiltrated the team.

Sofia must draw on both her leadership abilities and scientific skills in a desperate bid to save the expedition and ensure that it will save the world, not destroy it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon Christiansen
• Release date: Sep 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9788794505031

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ANAXIMANCY

WE CHOOSE TO go through the Moon!

The speaker’s voice came loud and clear from the sound system, audible over the roar of the engines. Every citizen had to hear the speech, even the crew.

We choose to go through the Moon and do other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard. When Columbus sailed over the edge of the top of the cylinder, he taught humanity that there is no new world waiting out there; we have only the one, and we must fight to keep it!

The acceleration pushed Sophia Aetós against the seat. On the viewscreen, the city of Athens stretched out beneath them, towers of steel standing side by side with temples of ancient marble. The city shrunk, turning into a toy model; tiny dots of moving vehicles barely visible, then not visible at all.

Scientists say the length of the cylinder is one-third the diameter of the habitable top. What was Columbus thinking as he fell, I wonder?

The metal frame of the ship groaned. Sophia looked at the viewscreen again and gasped. The entire top of the cylinder was visible. The three continents of Europa, Asia, and Libya, separated by the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the river Nile, like three slices of a giant pizza. The Edge Ocean surrounded the continents, bounded by the edge of the top. Those foolish enough to doubt this basic fact of geography had followed Columbus down the side.

The earth rests in space due to the principle of indifference: There is no reason for it to move in any direction rather than any other, so it remains where it has always been.

She idly wondered if there was a different civilization on the opposite base of the cylinder. Answering that question would be the goal of a different expedition. Since early childhood, she had been mesmerized by the Moon. She would be the first to uncover its mysteries.

We, however, must not be indifferent. We must MOVE, move towards progress and victory. Only through this movement can we secure the future for the children of Europa.

Hell of a view, eh cap? Neferu Ana’s voice cut through the engine's rumble, the