Many objects passed through the space around the gas giant each year. Some fell into its gravity well and lit a fiery path through the upper atmosphere until they were quenched in the sea of gasses. These Karzac chased, but only to fill her belly with any heavy elements they might contain.
Others passed by on their way to die in the heart of the sun, or, having traversed the solar system, returned to the oblivion of deep space. Karzac ignored them completely.
Few were on such a trajectory that they would one day reach another star system. Fewer still would ever reach Karzac's home star. When she noticed the Wanderer approaching on just such a path, Karzac had been growing fat on plutonium and uranium for 371 years. She paid her respects to the gas giant as was the way
Hi there. I'm not looking for any comments on the first 13 right now, just a reader or two with some background knowledge about astronomy. I'm happy to swap.
Posted by Josephine Kait (Member # 8157) on :
Wasn’t this your entry in the inhuman challenge? It’s a very interesting premise, and a good hook. I’d love to read it. I don’t have anything ready to swap just now, but I’d love a rain check for a crit.
Posted by Ethereon (Member # 9133) on :
Thanks Josephine. I'll send it your way. Just let me know when you have something you'd like a crit on. Posted by MartinV (Member # 5512) on :
One thing I would comment on: your creature (or whatever it is) is hungry for heavier elements. The heaviest element conventional stellar fusion can produce is iron (Fe 56). If you want heavier elements, a supernova is what you need and again only a small fraction of the that star will turn into heavy elements.
Comets and meteors are not very rich with heavy elements so I doubt that your creature would be able to stockpile a considerable ammount in 370 years.
[This message has been edited by MartinV (edited March 22, 2011).]
Posted by Ethereon (Member # 9133) on :
Thanks MartinV. Your expertice is very appreciated! Originally it was 1071 years. Is that any more plausible? This is soft SF, but I do want to it to be as loosly plausible as possible. Perhaps I'll need to change the type of elements she's after...
Posted by MartinV (Member # 5512) on :
When speaking about space, a thousand years is an eye-blink. I doubt that one could collect much of anything in such a short time unless you eat a star from up close.
But there are ways you could improve your setting to make these numbers saner. When the universe was younger, there used to be many more supernovae. Hence, heavier elements are available today in considerable amounts.
You could also say that your creature is feeding on a matter stream that jets out of a neutron star or a black hole. This matter is not necessarily made of heavier elements but it does have large amounts of energy.
