Blood Music

INTERPHASE

THOUGHT UNIVERSE

Michael Bernard, nineteen and yet not, sat in the Klamshak opposite Olivia. Over their booth hung the weary blowfish and plastic lobster and cork floats, not very original.
She had just told him about the break-up of her engagement.
He looked down at the table, sensing a very different potential between them now. The way had been cleared.
“Good dinner,” Olivia said, folding her hands behind her plate, strewn with oyster shells and shrimp tails. Thank you. I was very glad when you called.”
“I just felt silly,” Bernard said. “I acted like a real ninny last time.”
“No. You were very gallant.”
“Gallant Hm.” He laughed.
“I’m okay, really. It was a shock at first, but…”
“It must have been.”
“You know, when he told me, I just thought of coming back to school and getting on with things. Like breaking an engagement was nothing at all. It only hurt when he left. And then I thought of you.”
“Will you give me another chance?”
Olivia smiled. “Only if you can keep me feeling as good as I do now.”


Nothing is lost. Nothing is forgotten.
It was in the blood, the flesh,
And now it is forever.



NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My sincere appreciation to Andrew Edward Dizon, Ph.D., John Graves. Ph.D., Dr. Richard Dutton, Monte Wetzel, and Dr. Percy Russel for access to their laboratories and their valuable time and help. For special details, thanks also to Marian McLean at the World Trade Center and Herbert Quelle at the German Consulate in Los Angeles, as well as Ellen Datlow, Melissa Singer, and Andy Porter.
John F. Carr and David Brin suggested that the original short story should become a novel, some years ago. Stanley Schmidt, in his capacity as editor at Analog, suggested I should work out the original idea in more detail and see if it was more than just a fantasy. Beth Meacham expressed editorial enthusiasm for the proposed novel and provided crucial support and encouragement.
While dropping by a San Diego convention on Hybridoma and Scale-Up research, I spotted Vergil I. Ulam’s red Volvo sports car in the hotel parking lot. At this moment he is a young graduate student looking for part-time employment.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GREG BEAR is the author of over twenty-seven books of science fiction and fantasy. He has been awarded two Hugo and five Nebula Awards for his fiction, one of two authors to win a Nebula in every category. He has been called the “best working writer of science fiction” by The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. His novel Darwin’s Radio, published by Ballantine Books, won the Nebula Award for “Best Novel of 2000,” and was honored with the prestigious Endeavor Award. His most recent novel is Vitals, published in January 2002 by Del Rey. He is married to Astrid Anderson Bear. They are the parents of two children, Erik and Alexandra.