"Duty Calls" - A Meeting of Minds

McClance · Sep 22 2005, 04:19 AM

I found this story in the anthology The Girl Who Heard Dragons. I skimmed through it and discovered it's set in the Doona Universe.

So I was wondering where this story is placed with the novels.

Thank you.

**Cheryl** · Sep 22 2005, 07:52 AM

This story does include both a Hrruban and a Brain and Brawn ship, making it seem to be part of those series, and that those series are in the same universe, but I would argue that this story is in a weird parallel universe.

In the Doona universe, human society is pacisfist almost to a fault due to a prior encounter with an alien race that ended with that race suiciding. Hrubbans also seem to want to avoid war with an alien species at all costs. And yet in "Duty Calls" a rather nasty war is being waged against an alien species. To me this just doesn't fit in with the Doona universe (nor with the Brainship universe either).

Jax · Sep 22 2005, 09:51 AM

Man, I can't remember that story at all!

Maybe I should ty and find it at the library, since it's a little difficult to get to my copy at the moment.

Bagpuss · Sep 22 2005, 11:45 AM

I loved the story and always thought it had the makings of a fine book *(or three!)*
Well worth reading, if you can find a copy of TGWHD.
Showed both Hrrubans and brainships in a different light.....

**Cheryl** · Sep 22 2005, 12:37 PM

Duty Calls is sorta part of a book....

It's one of two stories that Anne wrote for a sci-fi anthology called The Fleet. Rather than being your ordinary random collection of stories from different authors, they are all told about a shared world. There are 6 books total in the series.

Hmm, maybe I should cover this series in my next Collecting Highlight.

Brenda · Sep 22 2005, 04:03 PM

Quote:

It's one of two stories that Anne wrote for a sci-fi anthology called The Fleet.

What was the other story?

It seemed to me that the other species had attacked first, and the humans and hrubans were trying to hold their own. It seemed to take place quite a bit after any of the books, since there was so much distrust even 25 years after the two species first met. Since they were so far away, the Gringg simply may not have been around.

**Cheryl** · Sep 22 2005, 07:11 PM

I knew I forgot something! And actually there are two other stories by Anne in the series:

"A Sleeping Humpty Dumpty Beauty"
"Mandalay" (aka "The Mandalay Cure")

granath · Sep 23 2005, 01:51 AM

And all three stories can be found in TGWHD.

The brainships there aren't quite the same as the ones in the BB universe, so these stories use some similar ideas but are rather different.

Sep 22 2005, 04:19 AM	#1
McClance Dragon Ambassador Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Draconia, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy Gender: M Fan of: Pern & Doona Now Reading: Fantastic Voyage	"Duty Calls" I found this story in the anthology The Girl Who Heard Dragons. I skimmed through it and discovered it's set in the Doona Universe. So I was wondering where this story is placed with the novels. Thank you. __________________ Friendship is powerful. It spans great distances and endures adversity.

Sep 22 2005, 07:52 AM	#2
Cheryl Master Archivist Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland, USA Gender: F Fan of: Pern! Now Reading: Paladin of Souls (Bujold)	Re: "Duty Calls" This story does include both a Hrruban and a Brain and Brawn ship, making it seem to be part of those series, and that those series are in the same universe, but I would argue that this story is in a weird parallel universe. In the Doona universe, human society is pacisfist almost to a fault due to a prior encounter with an alien race that ended with that race suiciding. Hrubbans also seem to want to avoid war with an alien species at all costs. And yet in "Duty Calls" a rather nasty war is being waged against an alien species. To me this just doesn't fit in with the Doona universe (nor with the Brainship universe either). __________________ Visit one of the other sites of Cheryl's Anne McCaffrey Triad: Sariel's Guide to Pern: a detailed guide to the series The Many Works of Anne McCaffrey: largest fan site about Anne and ALL of her works McCaffrey Quest: annual trivia contest.

Sep 22 2005, 09:51 AM	#3
Jax Senior Member Latent Talent Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Brisbane Gender: F Fan of: DDawn 1st read, love all Now Reading: MagicKingdom4salesold ArtemisF	Re: "Duty Calls" Man, I can't remember that story at all! Maybe I should ty and find it at the library, since it's a little difficult to get to my copy at the moment.

Sep 22 2005, 11:45 AM	#4
Bagpuss Senior Member Deski Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Gloucestershire Gender: M Fan of: Crystal Singer. Now Reading: Nothing at all.....!	Re: "Duty Calls" I loved the story and always thought it had the makings of a fine book (or three!) Well worth reading, if you can find a copy of TGWHD. Showed both Hrrubans and brainships in a different light.....

Sep 22 2005, 12:37 PM	#5
Cheryl Master Archivist Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland, USA Gender: F Fan of: Pern! Now Reading: Paladin of Souls (Bujold)	Re: "Duty Calls" Duty Calls is sorta part of a book.... It's one of two stories that Anne wrote for a sci-fi anthology called The Fleet. Rather than being your ordinary random collection of stories from different authors, they are all told about a shared world. There are 6 books total in the series. Hmm, maybe I should cover this series in my next Collecting Highlight. __________________ Visit one of the other sites of Cheryl's Anne McCaffrey Triad: Sariel's Guide to Pern: a detailed guide to the series The Many Works of Anne McCaffrey: largest fan site about Anne and ALL of her works McCaffrey Quest: annual trivia contest.

Sep 22 2005, 07:11 PM	#7
Cheryl Master Archivist Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Maryland, USA Gender: F Fan of: Pern! Now Reading: Paladin of Souls (Bujold)	Re: "Duty Calls" I knew I forgot something! And actually there are two other stories by Anne in the series: "A Sleeping Humpty Dumpty Beauty" "Mandalay" (aka "The Mandalay Cure") __________________ Visit one of the other sites of Cheryl's Anne McCaffrey Triad: Sariel's Guide to Pern: a detailed guide to the series The Many Works of Anne McCaffrey: largest fan site about Anne and ALL of her works McCaffrey Quest: annual trivia contest.

Sep 23 2005, 01:51 AM	#8
granath Talent Tower Prime Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Proud Mom! Gender: F Fan of: Afra Lyon Now Reading: Faye Upton: Dragonchoice 3	Re: "Duty Calls" And all three stories can be found in TGWHD. The brainships there aren't quite the same as the ones in the BB universe, so these stories use some similar ideas but are rather different. __________________ Decaf coffee is an oxymoron. Instant coffee is an abomination. Give me the real thing and nobody gets hurt. "Do. Or do not. There is no try" -- Yoda VP of the Afra Lyon fan club!