The Seedling Stars by James Blish
"The Seedling Stars" is a science fiction narrative exploring the concept of pantropy, which advocates for genetically adapting humans to thrive in diverse planetary environments rather than terraforming those planets to suit human needs. The story unfolds in a future where the Greater Earth Port Authority, controlling space travel, views this genetic adaptation as criminal and seeks to terraform Mars for economic gain. Central to the plot is Sweeney, a genetically modified individual raised in isolation, who is tasked with capturing a group of Adapted Men led by a scientist named Rullman on Ganymede. As Sweeney learns more about the Adapted Men, he discovers the complexities and moral implications of their existence.
The narrative also weaves in other stories, such as those of heretics in a treetop society and microscopic beings emerging from a space crash on a water world, illustrating the struggles and adaptations required to survive in unfamiliar environments. In a far-future setting, the story depicts a military effort to repopulate a devastated Earth with seal-like humans, highlighting the shifting dynamics of identity and societal structure among different human adaptations. Through its multi-faceted tales, "The Seedling Stars" challenges readers to consider the implications of humanity's evolution and the ethical dilemmas of adaptation versus environmental modification.
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The Seedling Stars
First published: 1957
Type of work: Stories
Type of plot: Science fiction—future history
Time of work: Various times from the near to the distant future
Locale: Earth and other planets
The Plot
The central idea of The Seedling Stars is that it is preferable to adapt human beings genetically to different planetary conditions (pantropy) rather than making the planets habitable for humans (terraforming). In the first story, this idea is considered to be criminal by the Greater Earth Port Authority, which, in the near future, controls space travel and wants to terraform Mars in order to collect landing fees and to get rid of part of the pullulating masses of Earth. Sweeney, a genetically altered man brought up in total isolation in a Moon laboratory, is sent to Ganymede. His task is to bring back for public execution a group of Adapted Men led by a scientist named Rullman. Their respiration is a complex hydrogen-to-methane cycle. Sweeney has been told that he will be changed back into an oxygen-breathing human once he has accomplished his mission, but on Ganymede he learns that this is impossible; only the offspring can be changed, not full-grown beings. He also discovers that the Adapted Men are not space pirates but are sought because the Authorities want to make an example of them and of pantropy. The Ganymedians succeed in sending off a seeding ship full of humans adapted to yet another galactic planet.
In “The Thing in the Attic,” heretics of a society living in the treetops of a giant forest world are sentenced to be lowered to the ground for doubting the existence of giants, which is claimed in their holy book. They survive on the monster-infested ground, reach a mountainous terrain, and meet the crew of a seeding ship. They are told that although they have been adapted to life in the trees, they are to take possession of the whole world. They learn that the gods exist but are beings like them.
In “Surface Tension,” a seeding ship crashes on a water world. From the genes of the crew are manufactured microscopically small beings that can survive in water. The story describes the struggle of these small beings against various beasts and competitors in the water. It ends in an expedition from one body of water over firm land to another pool.
“Watershed” takes place in the far future, when the worlds of the galaxy except those completely unsuited for human habitation (such as gas giants) have been populated systematically by Adapted Men. Earth itself has become barren after the destruction of its forests and topsoils. A military vessel transports a group of seal-like humans to repopulate Earth. The racial pride of the nonadapted human crew suffers a shock when they learn that they have become a minority in the human galaxy.