Starseed (Dust on the Wind)

[bnewman]

Among the Explorators, sentient, self-reproducing machines with a mission of exploration whose universe follows the known laws of physics (so, no FTL), a "stargazer" is a sessile Explorator installation that reproduces by firing "seeds" (nanotech bootstrap packages) to nearby solar systems.  Each seed will seek out a metal-rich asteroid and build an observatory.

lyrics by Benjamin Newman

ttto: "Tanglewood Tree" by Dave Carter

listen to this song

/: Am D Am / D Am / G Am GEm :/

 

Scattered like dust on the wind

Are the seeds of our kin

It has always been so

Cast far across the long night

To the pinpoints of light

Where we take root and grow

 

/ G C G C / Em Bm C -D /

 

We awaken in the darkness to feel warmth on our cheeks

And turn into the solar wind

 

And with luck, we'll drift gently to ground

A new home will be found

And a new life begin

 

Worldlet of iron and stone

Cold as ice, dry as bone

We emerge from our seed

Though we may find little here

We shall thrive, do not fear

We have all that we need

 

Planting lichen on the stones, letting it spread out to gather

The sun's precious golden dew

 

Then wait for the system to charge

For the need shall be large

And the photons are few

 

At last, when the charge is complete

Turn its power to heat

And we'll fire up the mill

Taking the fine iron dust

Spinning spoonfuls of rust

Into towers of steel

 

We're building something wonder-full, we're building ourselves

From the stuff of each world we find

 

A city of wires and gears

And an eye made of mirrors

And a silicon mind

 

/ Em C G D / / Em - CD G / C D C D /

 

The destiny that we were given was to number every star

We're dreaming of the parts of heaven that we can't quite see from where we are

We're packing for a trip but we won't see the destination

We close our eyes, and synthesize systems of self-replication, because...

Not we but our children must go

What they'll face we don't know

Pack up all they might need

Now, fire the mill up again

Spin the rails for the gun

And we'll cast forth our seed

No provision for the journey but this gift of momentum

That's the way that it's always been

 

Scattered across the long night

To each pinpoint of light

Like dust on the wind

Our children go forth all alone

Sent blindly into the unknown

We're packing them all they might need

All our blessings and gifts and gadgets and tools

Spin the rails, and gather the spark

That will spit them out into the dark

Take aim and then wish them good speed

All of the speed we have power to give!

No provision for the journey but that gift of momentum

Each generation like each one before

Dim dark eon as the sun falls behind

Hoping that a new star will be kind

To this dust on the wind