Kim Miller
The iconic story of contact with no contact. Rama passes through the solar system and totally ignores us. The ship Endeavour is sent to investigate and the crew spends several days inside Rama, trying to figure out what the strange craft is. As it approaches the sun and the Endeavour has to depart, they track Rama as it gives close to the sun to gain speed and exits the solar system as anonymously as when it arrived.
By not having aliens, Clarke maintains the sense of mystery and wonderment for the crew. On Earth, however, the diplomacy is going mad. And then it's discovered that the inhabitants of Mercury has sent a nuclear weapon to destroy Rama, not trusting the motives of its builders, forcing decisive action from the Endeavour. The crew of the Endeavour allow the majesty of Rama to captivate them until some unknown propulsion system initiates and Rama starts its shift in orbit.
The concept of Rama illustrates Clarke's comment, “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”
The iconic story of contact with no contact. Rama passes through the solar system and totally ignores us. The ship Endeavour is sent to investigate and the crew spends several days inside Rama, trying to figure out what the strange craft is. As it approaches the sun and the Endeavour has to depart, they track Rama as it gives close to the sun to gain speed and exits the solar system as anonymously as when it arrived.
By not having aliens, Clarke maintains the sense of mystery and wonderment for the crew. On Earth, however, the diplomacy is going mad. And then it's discovered that the inhabitants of Mercury has sent a nuclear weapon to destroy Rama, not trusting the motives of its builders, forcing decisive action from the Endeavour. The crew of the Endeavour allow the majesty of Rama to captivate them until some unknown propulsion system initiates and Rama starts its shift in orbit.
The concept of Rama illustrates Clarke's comment, “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”