Odysseus Wept Plot Summary (Part 2 of 3)

Heavy Spoilers below. This section covers the second of the three parts of the book. Note that this picks up after the events of Space:1999 The Final Revolution, where the following things have occurred:

  • Moonbase Alpha has been severely damaged by fighting with a culture called the Ruans
  • During one portion of the book, Victor Bergman, a Ruan defector, and an out of place human being from Earth, encounter a strange portion of the space they’re in, where they sense a being who speaks in riddles
  • Victor Bergman appears back on Moonbase Alpha, seeming falling from the sky, with fatal injuries, offering his apologies to all.
  • The Alphans conduct Operation Exodus
  • After the Alphans have departed, an automated protocol reactivates a dormant part of Computer, and a recorded message of a somewhat younger Victor Bergman appears on the empty base, requesting that someone use some technology he has left behind to attempt to repair the base.
  • A confused, and once again restored David Kano, confined in Computer, expresses his chagrin and confusion.

Part Two of Odysseus Wept

Once again, this synopsis was generated by an AI program — it is not perfect and has required a fair amount of correction and editing.

John Koenig, Ariana Carter, Maya, and Helena Russell are all reflecting on their upcoming arrival on a new planet. Koenig feels a mix of excitement and apprehension as he realizes that his time in space is coming to an end and that his future will be determined on this new planet. Ariana struggles to get her father, Alan Carter, to stay still and heal from his broken leg. Maya reflects on her relationship with Victor Bergman and how his absence will impact her.

Paul Morrow on Pyxidea sees the ships in the sky, knowing they are not the real ships from Earth, but a facsimile. He wonders what he would say to the real John Koenig if he were to encounter him.

Morrow confronts the facsimiles of his old colleagues from Moonbase Alpha. He is initially impressed with the accuracy of their appearance, but also notices some errors in their representations. Morrow confronts the fake Koenig and tells him that they are not welcome on Pyxidea. The facsimiles, claiming to be the real crew insist that they are refugees and have no choice but to stay. Morrow remains skeptical of their claims, but eventually agrees to hear them out. They discuss their past experiences, including the destruction of Alpha and passing through a tear in space. Morrow warns Koenig of the dangers present on Pyxidea and they discuss their personal lives since their time on Alpha. Despite their differences, Morrow and Koenig acknowledge the importance of their past actions and attempt to find common ground.

Morrow and Koenig discuss the chaotic nature of the universe and the constant disruptions they face on a particular planet being visited by different forces. Morrow warns Koenig that they will be invaded by a force worse than they have encountered before. They discuss the uncertainty of the situation and the need to question everything while also having faith in something. They discuss the technology and powerful forces at play on the planet and the potential attacks they may face. They agree that more people need to be aware of the situation and study the technology on this world. They also discuss the difficulties they have faced and the surprises they have encountered on the planet. Sandra Benes and Morrow reminisce about the past and discuss the changes they have experienced. They recognize that things were important at certain points in their lives but less important now. Koenig and Russell discuss finding their way home and the loss of Victor Bergman. They talk about grieving and readjusting to life on the planet. Koenig mentions how strange it will be to wake up to sunlight.

The Alphans discuss the possibility of building cities on Pyxidea and the challenges they may face, such as food, shelter, fuel, and sanitation. The Morrow group describe their homestead, which is solid and weathered with aged wood and clay tiles, and talk about the memories they have of explosions in the sky caused by battles over the resident generator. The characters discuss the importance of trust and safety in numbers. The passage then shifts to Ariana’s perspective, as she wakes up early to watch the dawn and reflects on her memories of sunrises and adapting to the natural environment. She contemplates the challenges they will face in finding food and starting from scratch on Pyxidea. Ariana has a conversation with Annette Fraser, who recently became widowed and is reflecting on the changes in her life. They discuss their relationship and the absence of a connection between them.

Both are grieving the loss of a loved one. Annette is trying to cope with the sudden death of someone she cared about deeply, while Ariana is carrying the weight of leaving her own family behind, the “Another Time, Another Place” versions of Bill and Annette. The two find solace in each other’s pain and forge a deep connection.

Meanwhile, there is a growing sense of community and a desire to rebuild and establish themselves on the planet Pyxidea. Morrow describes the Goltig Generator that has the power to move worlds. He discussed the Fessa Union, who built these generators as a means of protection. However, there is also a conflict involving the Space Brains, a sentient race of telepaths who coordinate the Goltig Generators. It is unclear who the enemies of the Fessa Union are, but various groups have been fighting over control of the generators. Morrow reveals that there are different factions involved, with some trying to fix the generator and others trying to prevent it from being fixed. Communication with these groups is possible with the help Fawso’s abandoned Meeter. Additionally, there is a mention of the Titans, a topic that Morrow approaches with caution and uncertainty. The group is eager to learn more and prepare for the challenges ahead.  They describe the Titans as evolved forms of multiple kinds of life representing the peak of evolution.

Titans are able to evolve into some kind of energy, which then transfers to another universe. If this energy transfer doesn’t happen, the other universe starts sucking the energy out of our universe, causing destruction. The Fessa Union, the group in charge of the generators that use Titans as an energy source, doesn’t believe in the other universe or the Titans. They view the generators as only doing good things. The forces opposing the Fessa Union are trying to destroy the generator, and the Alphans realize they must confront or hide from any Titan or force representing a Titan that comes along. The group discusses the need for a plan of action, including finding shelter, agriculture, and sanitation, as shortages are imminent. They also discuss the need to hide their ships and prioritize resources. Koenig suggests that Ariana Carter should take charge, as she has shown leadership and energy. Everyone agrees, and the group starts assigning roles and tasks to address the challenges they face.

Ariana Carter is tasked with choosing team leads. The group nominates and votes for Sandra Benes as the executive officer. They discuss the need for shelter, a sewage system, and farming. Harry Kirwan suggests building barracks and smaller facilities at the farms, as well as isolating the outhouses from the crops. Ariana tells Kirwan that she can’t provide all the building materials in one day, but they can start with the barracks. She asks him to find out more about how the wood is being processed. Ariana meets with John and Mindy Salmon, who have pre-existing lists of their crops and seeds. They discuss the need for protein-yielding crops and the possibility of using fertilizer from outhouses. The Salmons mention that the ground is fertile due to graves left from the previous population of Cryptodira. Tony Cellini is monitoring the atmosphere for threats while also helping with lunch.

Maya and Victor Koenig meet with Gentry and Verdeschi to discuss the generator and its creators. Gentry suggests that the generators may be organic life forms that evolved rather than being invented. Maya mentions the integration of human consciousness with a hive mind on her world and how David Kano merged with Psyche. Gentry reveals that the Cryptodira communicated with something that communicated with the Space Brains. Maya questions the motive behind the Fessa Union’s interest in the Cryptodira and whether they were protecting Pyxidea or the Cryptodira. Verdeschi comments on the difficulty of analyzing a complex system with limited information. Gentry suggests hiding the Eagles and Hawks to decrease the likelihood of hostilities. Koenig and Morrow realize their eagerness to pass the mantle of leadership to Ariana Carter on this new world. Koenig reflects on his past decisions and the lack of nobility in leaders he has encountered.

Koenig reflects on his emotions and the loss of Victor Bergman. He is comforted by his partner, Russell, and they discuss grief. Ariana appears and talks about her excitement and vision for the future. She meets a man named Sam Morrow who volunteers to help with building, and they discuss a meeting and the absence of commlocks. Ariana reflects on her role and the potential for change.

Ariana addresses the assembled Alphans the next morning, expressing excitement about the day and the new world they have embraced. She announces that they will have a place to live and efforts will be made to understand the technology in the world. A plan is made for an agricultural team and farmers, who will turn farms into crops to feed the group. Attention is drawn to the need for tools and a blacksmith’s shop is planned to be built. The focus is on the fields and the importance of soil and fertilization. The group is divided into teams and assigned tasks. A visit to the next team reveals progress in building barracks. Plans are made for future projects.

The executive team discusses the need to defend themselves against visits from Titan-related cultures and the challenges they face with refueling their Eagles. The team also talks about the potential threat of the generator and the importance of finding a solution. They mention past encounters with Titans and the different perspectives on the role of the generator in preventing disaster. The team divides into two groups, one focused on the generator and the other on defense. They decide on team leads and make plans to visit the generator control room. They discuss the makeshift entrance to the control room and the need for a better solution. The team members prepare to descend the ladder into the underground tunnel.

The team discovers a hidden elevator and control panel in the chamber they are in. They decide to test the platform and it successfully descends to an access tunnel. They discuss the possibility of people visiting the generator without their knowledge and decide to leave some team members behind. As they descend further, they notice changes in the air quality and discover a dark, cage-like space at the bottom. They express concern about the lack of a ladder but decide to continue exploring. Gentry stays with the elevator while Koenig and Maya venture further. Maya contacts Verdeschi to stay in touch and they continue their exploration.

Maya and Victor Koenig explore the control room filled with scanning technology connected to the Goltig Generator. They discuss the possibility of using their own energy to power the scanners but are cautious not to break anything. The lights suddenly come on and Tony Verdeschi accidentally activates an area of the panel by sitting on it. They discover that weight functions as a switch to activate the power. Zidony Verdeschi hypothesizes that this control mechanism was designed for primitive workers and suggests that something other than Fawso’s people may have been working there.

Meanwhile, John Koenig and Gentry venture deeper into a cavern, sensing something alive down there. They hear a voice that causes them pain and see three figures briefly before a vibration shakes the rock. They encounter a being who claims to be the last of its kind, not a Titan but once a Cryptodiran. It reveals that the generator stopped its transformation into a Titan, and it declares the deaths of its brethren as necessary for its own greatness. Koenig and Maya reject this viewpoint and decide to leave, but Maya queries the being about Victor Bergman, to which it responds that it speaks to those who address it. The being does not recognize the names of the humans and emphasizes its existence outside of time and place.

Koenig and Maya discuss the nature of good and evil and the boundaries of different dimensions. Meanwhile, the group back at the control room tries to activate consoles and start the generator, but they are facing challenges such as limited fuel and lack of weapons. They also discuss the possibility of hidden truths and the need for caution. Ariana expresses doubts about her capabilities as a leader, but Koenig and Morrow reassure her. Koenig shares the information they discovered about the Cryptodira Titan and the potential dangers they face. The group contemplates the concept of survival of the fittest and the potential threats they may encounter if they turn on the generator. Overall, there is a sense of uncertainty and the need for caution as they navigate their current situation.

The conversation revolves around the need to adapt fuel sources to make the Eagles and Hawks functional for defense against a potential attack. There is uncertainty about the timetable of the Titans and the reason for their presence. They discuss the feasibility of turning on the generator, but the focus is on prioritizing food, shelter, and solving immediate problems. Ariana acknowledges the need for a command crew and delegate responsibilities to utilize available resources effectively. They discuss exploring nearby cities and the possibility of evacuation in case of emergency. The completion of shelters and prioritizing agriculture, exploration, and shipbuilding are emphasized. Department heads are assigned, and Ariana expresses gratitude for the support and faith they have placed in her. However, standing by the water, she gains confidence and realizes she is ready to lead because she loves her crew. As her command crew approaches the others, they hear laughter and the sounds of eating utensils. A wooden structure is being built and sudden applause breaks out when it stands tall.

In nearby space, Manzera, the leader of the Fessa Union forces, feels insecure and fears not living up to expectations. Gaulfix, who is sick in bed, expresses his desire to join the others but Manzera assures him that he can contribute from where he is. They discuss their plans to determine if Fawso is involved with their fleet being sent away years earlier and what their next steps should be. Manzera walks to her quarters and is surprised to find a projection of Fawso waiting for her. Fawso tries to reason with her and convince her to turn her fleet away, but Manzera refuses to listen.

Ariana and Sandra continue their rounds and meet with Tony Cellini to get a report from him. Cellini explains to Ariana that the special satellite they dropped into orbit uses radiation to detect objects and draw a picture. They discuss the possibility of an unknown presence hiding behind a planet, and Cellini suggests launching an Eagle for early warning. They debate whether or not to remove weapons from the Eagle and consider the potential threat. Maya and Verdeschi discuss the lack of defenses and the importance of the generator.

Manzera reflects on a past conversation where someone left her and tells her to imagine he was never there – this is her last memory of her father, Fawso, from her childhood. In the present, Manzera detects surprising motion on the tactical screen and notices empty seats in the command section.  Her crew is conducting an attack without her order.

Koenig and Russell discuss the possibility of an attack after Cellini sees some ships on the scanners. Koenig emphasizes the importance of taking precautions, while Russell expresses her concerns about their lack of medical personnel. Suddenly, the campsite is attacked and chaos ensues. Koenig and Russell join the defense efforts, but their weapons are ineffective against the small and fast enemy ships. Ariana comes up with a plan to create a laser grid using hand lasers and liquid fuel. They coordinate their efforts to gather the necessary lasers and prepare for the upcoming battle. Meanwhile, Cellini sacrifices himself by drawing off the enemy ships in his shielded Eagle. The passage ends with the group getting ready to implement their plan and Ariana acknowledging the risks involved.

Various characters are involved in a battle against attacking ships. Ariana, Alexander, and Morrow discuss a strategy to defend against the small, maneuverable ships. They decide to set a trap using the generator as bait. Meanwhile, Manzera reflects on her command being overridden and contemplates her future. Namon Hol, one of Manzera’s commanders, leads the attack and gains confidence as she successfully eliminates the creatures resisting the generator’s reactivation.

Ariana and Cellini plan to bury the ships as part of their trap. During a sudden attack, Tony Verdeschi is killed, blocking a burst meant to hit Helena Russell. To his horror, the ship fires again, leaving nothing of Helena Russell but a falling lock of her hair.

Morrow is able to navigate through the terrain to reach the generator. The small ships attacking the agricultural team are recognized as similar to those seen in the past, Fawso’s fleet, which had been banished.

The ships are fast and maneuverable, making it difficult for the Alphans to find safe haven. Fires are starting to spread in the woods, but thankfully the crops are not in danger yet. The attackers have no problem killing Alphans, and Alexander’s directive to gather people near the barracks has not been effective. Ariana calls on Morrow and tells him to get everyone out of the control room cave. They come up with a plan to trap the attackers in the cave. Meanwhile, Victor and Maya discover gauges that may show the history of the generator. Morrow encounters the attackers and narrowly escapes an explosion – one of the smaller ships has attacked another of the smaller ships, saving his life.

Several characters are engaged in a battle involving ships and ground targets. Ariana, Cellini, and Alexander are piloting the Eagle and the Wedge ships, trying to defend against enemy ships. Namon Hol wants to start the generator to rebuild the Fessa Union, while Manzera is attacking her own fleet’s ships. Alexander and Sam come up with a plan to stop the enemy ships by using a corkscrew maneuver and weak tractor beams. They successfully destroy one enemy ship and move on to the next.

Namon Hol is trying to take out Manzera, and Manzera’s ship is damaged when Ariana comes up with a plan to capture the small ship attacking them by using their magnetic docking system from the Eagle. The plan is successful, but the smaller ship fires, killing Tony Cellini and sending the Eagle plummeting toward the ground, still connected to the small ship. Sam Morrow and Alexander are able to cushion the fall using tractor beams from the Wedge, and the ship is pinned to the ground as the Eagle lands.

The Alphans quickly gather around the Eagle, and Ariana is pulled out of the cockpit, alive but coughing. Morrow checks the smaller ship and realizes it can still escape if the magnetic hold is released, debating whether to blast it with his laser. He decides to speak to the enemy instead, instructing the available laborers to block the ship’s weapons and wedge it under the Eagle. A Meeter appears near the Eagle, and Morrow warns it not to get any closer. Morrow explains that the Meeter is one of the Meeters they described, and they thought they were all gone.

The Meeter claims that Namon Hol, the leader of the Fessa Union forces, is responsible for killing their people, while Manzera, another projection, argues that Namon Hol forced her way into command. The Alphans express their lack of interest in the generator and accuse Namon Hol of only caring about their own lives. Namon Hol threatens them, but Manzera seeks sanctuary among the Alphans.

John Koenig arrives and points his laser at Namon Hol, ready to attack, but Ariana stops him. Koenig is filled with rage over the deaths of Helena and Verdeschi, but Ariana convinces him not to surrender to vengeance. Fawso, without a projection, joins the scene, and Manzera accuses Namon Hol of mutiny. Fawso explains that they were never going to leave the planet alone and that the generators belong to the Alphans. Ariana questions Manzera’s intentions and suggests that she was leading a mission to destroy them. Manzera clarifies that they were investigating why the generator lost its connection and explains that they were sent away in the past. Namon Hol reveals that she can order the fleet to stop but refuses to do so. Fawso expresses concern that the Titans will be undermined if the generator is restored. Ariana proposes that there is room for everyone on the planet, but Fawso claims that the Fessa Union will never share and will seek another opportunity to destroy them. Manzera accuses Fawso of wanting the generator destroyed, but Fawso admits that it still serves a purpose.

A harsh sound fills the air and the characters are transported to a strange place where the ground shakes and low frequency vibrations fill the air. The environment undergoes changes, with dark green bands cutting through space. Morrow seeks balance by leaning against a tree, but soon loses his sense of reality as his senses play tricks on him. The characters hear a powerful voice and realize they are close to death. The place they are in is dark and muffled, with visible but non-radiating energy. Ariana can only move her hand slightly and wonders if she is already dead. She and Fawso have a conversation with other powerful voices, discussing protection and the nature of Titans.

Titans have arrived. They destroy the generator, ignoring Fawso’s pleas, and the group is returned to their original location. Fawso reveals that he needed the generator to stop a failsafe plan, a planet destined to strike Pyxidea if he was unable to keep the generator from the Fessa Union’s control.The planet will collide with Pyxidea in 25 years, causing their ultimate destruction. Maya confirms that they have no way of stopping it, and Namon Hol decides to leave, considering the planet now worthless.

Ariana and Manzera discuss their trust in Namon Hol and Ariana agrees to grant her sanctuary with the condition of deactivating Namon Hol’s ship’s weapons. Ariana reflects on the weight of her decisions and the pain that comes with leadership. Meanwhile, Carter comforts Ariana and they discuss the uncertainty of the future. Manzera disables Namon Hol’s weapons and warns her of potential intrigue and challenges within her command. Manzera then meets with Fawso, her father, who reveals that the Titans are not finished with him. Paul Morrow expresses concern over Fawso’s humiliation and the possibility of revenge. Ariana finds John Koenig and they discuss their loss and the difficulty of their current situation. Ariana encourages him not to give up, but he believes that things won’t get better.

Ariana leaves him, joining the others around a bonfire. The community mourns the loss of many lives and discusses the need to rebuild and explore the planet for technology that can help them. Fawso, a potential ally, has left, and they acknowledge that their survival is in doubt. Despite the challenges, they find solace in humor and the support of their community. They discuss the importance of fear as a motivator and joke about their old age. Ariana and Sam Morrow reflect on the gravity of the situation and the need to find solutions. They find comfort in the possibility of miracles and the faith that others have in them.

Plot Summary of Odysseus Wept (Part 1 of 3)

Happy holidays, all.

I’ve been playing with some AI tools and asked it to summarize Odysseus Wept for me. It’s clunky, it makes mistakes, I’ve cleaned it up a little. What follows is a summary of Part One of the book.

Obviously, spoilers galore, so stop here if you’d rather wait until the book returns in some other format someday. No news on that front.

For anyone who’s read the book, please feel free to comment on mistakes the AI made and I’ll tweak the summary.

I’ll put up Parts 2 and 3 in January.

For anyone who hasn’t read the book, I’m planning on getting a summary for The Final Revolution as well up here. You don’t need to have read The Final Revolution to enjoy this summary, but you should probably refamiliarize yourself with the ending of John Kenneth Muir’s fine “Space:1999 The Forsaken”…

Again, I wish you were reading the book, not this summary, but that’s the breaks.

Part One

The story begins with a creature called an erek preparing to hunt in the sand. However, a sudden darkness and loss of heat interrupts its feeding ritual. At Outpost 1138, alarms sound as anomalies are detected in a distant system, with stars losing their energy. The governor and her science advisor consult with a man named Evv, who reveals that the Fessa Union’s technology is causing the energy loss. Evv disappears, and miraculously, the energy loss stops. However, trillions of lives have already been lost. The governor decides it is time to take action, and the story shifts to Zir on a mission in Omer City, a technologically advanced paradise.


Ambassador Zir arrives at the Union Nexus and is greeted by Aga, the Council President. Zir expresses his concerns about the unnatural order of the Union and the potential risks it poses. Aga defends the Union’s actions, arguing that civilization must rise above the natural order. Zir argues that nature will inevitably prevail and that imposing order in this way is suicide. The discussion becomes heated, and Zir is warned about the consequences of his dissent. Suddenly, a chemical reaction occurs within Zir, and he dies. The text ends with chaos erupting in the chamber as the light consumes Zir’s body and cracks the floor.


A powerful and destructive light is spreading rapidly, causing widespread destruction and death in the Fessa Union. The government is essentially eliminated, and coordinated attacks are occurring throughout the Union. The leader, Aga, is devastated by the bloodshed and questions why such violence is necessary, only to be murdered by a member of her own staff.


Meanwhile, a boy on a rooftop witnesses stars disappearing from the sky, realizing that something significant has happened. In another storyline, Krix is leading a large fleet in a battle against the Fessa Union. He reflects on the importance of strategy and the consequences of misinterpretation. As the battle begins, Krix hopes for a quick resolution and wonders what will happen when peace finally arrives.


The Fessa Union launches thousands of missiles with advanced technology to overwhelm the enemy’s shield generation system. However, the missiles unexpectedly change course and start targeting the Fessa Union fleet instead. The Fessa Union forces scramble to evade the incoming missiles but suffer heavy casualties. The commander, Krix, realizes that their targeting system has been compromised and orders a new target to be locked onto their own flagship. The fleet manages to divert the missiles away from the rest of the ships, but their flagship is hit and destroyed.


Meanwhile, Manzera commands a fleet focused on restoring and reclaiming nodes, which are important for the Fessa Union’s infrastructure. She reflects on the cost and purpose of their efforts and hopes for a future where they can live on peaceful worlds. However, she also acknowledges the arrogance of the early Fessa Union leaders and the need for fundamental changes in order to prevent the Union from falling again. The text ends with Gaulfix, Manzera’s second in command, discussing the strategic concerns of potentially falling into traps set by dormant nodes. He suggests splitting up the fleet to reduce vulnerability to a single attack but also acknowledges the increased vulnerability to smaller attacks.


Etra Vorlander, a special agent for some unknown government, meets with an emissary from another. He understood the consequences of failure and the potential destruction of the Fessa Union. He also recognized the destructive power of the Titans and the need to prevent them from interfering with the Fessa Union’s order and infrastructure.


On the planet Pyxidea, Paul Morrow wakes on the first morning on their new home. As they settled into their new surroundings, Morrow’s excitement for exploration and the potential for a new home began to overshadow the pain of betrayal and loss. He longed for a routine and a sense of duty, even in this unfamiliar environment. There was much work to be done, from cultivating food to finding sustainable resources and establishing permanent shelter.


Morrow reflects on the feeling of liberation and fresh air after leaving Alpha and the stifling feeling of being locked into a predetermined destiny. They discuss the sacrifices they have made and the uncertainty of their future. Morrow and Tanya Alexander discuss the bodies of the Cryptodira and the need to address them respectfully. They also discuss the need to inventory food supplies and construct shelters. While digging a mass grave, Gwen Stallard suddenly has a seizure and dies, leaving the group devastated. They realize they are ill-equipped to handle medical emergencies without the help of a doctor. The text ends with the group reflecting on the challenges they will face in their new home.


Salmon suggests that instead of spending time burying the bodies of the deceased, they should have a funeral pyre for Gwen and focus on building homes instead. Gentry agrees and Morrow confirms that they should prioritize building homes over graves. They decide to burn the bodies and use Cryptodiran materials as stretchers to move them. They start a fire using a solar-powered starter and Morrow reflects on the grueling work they are facing. Morrow overhears a conversation between Doug Austin and Alexander where Austin questions Morrow’s leadership and makes threatening statements. Morrow confronts Austin and the group discusses the lack of consequences for breaking rules. They conclude that they don’t feel safe and Austin apologizes, but Salmon and Gentry don’t feel reassured. Tanya also confronts Austin, and the group discusses the new rules and lack of safety, discussing what to do with Austin, who has made threats towards Morrow.


Morrow suggests that they bind Austin for the night and decide what to do with him later. Gentry supports Morrow’s decision, stating that Austin crossed a line. Meanwhile, Austin runs through the woods, knowing that his fellow humans on this planet have considered his execution. He builds a small fire and contemplates his situation, feeling alone and unsure of how to fix things. Morrow and the others discuss the options for dealing with Austin, considering banishing him or executing him. They acknowledge that they are making new rules as they go along and that Austin’s crime didn’t exist until he committed it. The discussion highlights the tension and uncertainty among the group and the difficult decisions they must make in this new world.


The group discusses the issue of a member who made offensive comments and the consequences he should face. They debate whether he should be given a second chance or be permanently punished. They also discuss the importance of loyalty and the lack of a structured system in their society. Meanwhile, Austin wakes up in a strange place after being dragged and injured. He manages to start a fire and notices a peculiar mist approaching. Morrow recalls the last morning and the team’s efforts to find Austin. They discuss when to give up on him and start building shelters. The mist catches their attention and they wonder what it could be.

Morrow is somewhere, but he is not sure where. He is alone and has been for months, searching for his friends, who disappeared during the encounter with the mist. Morrow spends his days searching for food, water, and shelter, and looking for any signs of his friends or their spaceship. He feels isolated and uncertain about his surroundings. He uses primitive methods to navigate and map the area, and tries to stay focused on tasks to avoid paranoia and loneliness. Despite the challenges, Morrow finds comfort in the stars and reminisces about his previous life. He continues his search, hoping to find his friends or some familiarity in this unfamiliar world.


Morrow is traveling alone and has been walking for an unknown distance. He follows a specific pattern of walking, creating squares and then taking a diagonal route. He leaves piles of rocks as markers and searches for materials to help him survive, such as clothing and tools. He notes the lack of mammals and struggles to find suitable materials for his needs. He contemplates the possibility of being in an abandoned or sparsely populated area. He has accumulated tools and a fire-starting kit during his travels. He reflects on the loss of his companions and the destruction of their goals. He continues his journey, dealing with the challenges of finding food, shelter, and dealing with his isolation. He encounters mountains and a lake, where he takes a break and cleans himself and his clothing. He reflects on his appearance and the changes he has undergone. He ponders the absence of birds and the possibility of their extinction. He enjoys the sunset and the music he creates. He acknowledges the diminishing hope of finding his friends but continues his search. He hums underwater and feels a sense of loneliness.


He contemplates the possibility of settling down and farming, but feels it would mean giving up hope of finding his way back to his friends. He wonders about the purpose of his isolation and questions whether there is another intelligence at work. Suddenly, he sees a bright light and follows it to a clearing where he encounters a humanoid being named Fawso. Fawso assures Morrow that he is not in danger and asks why Morrow left his group. Morrow is surprised that Fawso did not take him away from his friends and asks if Fawso has seen them.


Fawso informs him that his friends are in a state of stasis and that the Fessa Union, a culture that views the destruction of a Space Brain as an act of war, may have put them in stasis as a precursor to attacking Morrow’s group. Fawso proposes that they lay in wait for the Fessa Union and attack them together. Morrow agrees and Fawso offers him some Ilta, a sweet soup. Fawso then disappears and Morrow is left alone in the ship. He explores the ship and finds a place to rest, wondering how he will free his friends from stasis. He eventually falls asleep, still unsure of what lies ahead.

A search begins, with Morrow growing more frustrated and tired with each passing day. The Meeter helped him stay on course, but they were not finding any signs of what they were looking for. Nights were spent resting and eating, but the small talk between Morrow and Fawso was minimal. Both seemed hesitant to share too much information. Morrow couldn’t shake the feeling that Fawso knew more than he was letting on about the Alphans and their situation. Despite the lack of progress, they continued their search, hoping to find answers soon.

Morrow and Fawso are on Pyxidea, where Morrow is exploring a different area of the planet. He is accompanied by the Meeter, a device that scans for energy fields. Morrow questions Fawso’s motives and resents his lack of companionship. They come across a furrow in the ground that leads to a hidden opening, which Morrow almost falls into. Fawso believes Austin, another character, was there before and wants Morrow to communicate with whatever Austin found. They discuss their goals of freeing Morrow’s friends from stasis, countering Austin’s plan, and convincing the Fessa Union of the threat on Pyxidea. Morrow is skeptical of Fawso’s abilities and wants proof before proceeding. He eventually enters the opening, feeling a sense of fear and claustrophobia.


In a dark and cramped underground chamber, Morrow notices a dull glow coming from the Meeter, allowing him to see his surroundings. The chamber is surprisingly clean and almost sterile, lacking the debris he expected. Morrow realizes he can stand up and retrieves a small hand weapon provided by Fawso. He contemplates Austin’s decision to go underground on an alien planet, finding it desperate. As Morrow explores further, he discovers a maintenance access tunnel with smooth, manufactured walls. He questions who could have built it and suspects it wasn’t the Cryptodira. Morrow decides to descend the ladder-like tunnel, carrying the Meeter on his back. The cool air and low hum indicate the presence of technology below. After a while, he reaches a side tunnel and enters a control room with a large window. Through the window, he sees a massive glowing sphere suspended in an even larger chamber. Fawso explains that it is a Goltig Generator, a source of incredible power used by the Fessa Union to maintain control. The generator can move worlds, deflect asteroids, and manipulate space. Morrow realizes that something had already severed the connection between the Space Brains and the generator, causing the downfall of Pyxidea. He questions Fawso’s intentions and contemplates whether to repair or destroy the generator. Despite feeling that his purpose has been fulfilled, Morrow believes Fawso still intends to help him free his friends. He also suspects that the Fessa Union will come to reclaim the generator.
Fawso explains that he had no sinister intent and was prepared to take control of the generator to prevent the Fessa Union from regaining control. Morrow questions how he got separated from his friends, to which Fawso admits it is still a mystery. They discover that the control complex is not transmitting the stasis field holding Morrow’s friends. Morrow agrees to climb the ladder again to continue their search. Later, Morrow reflects on the complexity of their situation and wishes he had someone like Koenig to help him. He asks Fawso about the Fessa Union’s order, and Fawso explains that their order prevented natural disasters but also hindered the universe’s natural improvement. Morrow presses Fawso for his opinion, and Fawso agrees that preventing the germination of certain seeds can lead to larger problems. Morrow questions Fawso about how he knows about Moonbase Alpha, and Fawso explains that their group has monitoring devices and can track communications. Morrow goes to sleep with a feeling of distrust towards Fawso. He wakes up in a different location and realizes he has been separated from the Meeter and Fawso. He contemplates the presence of a third party involved and their intentions.
Morrow reflects on how the universe has always been mysterious and unwilling to reveal itself. He then finds himself in a mist that communicates with him, revealing an army of soldiers who are frozen in time. Morrow realizes that his friends were also caught in this time disturbance and tries to understand the purpose of the army. He communicates with the mist, which reveals that the soldiers are there to protect a generator. Tanya and the others are suddenly awake and moving and in the same underground area with Morrow. The mist communicates through Austin, who collapses after conveying that if the generator is stopped, everyone will die. Morrow and his friends bind Austin and decide to carry him back to their camp. They find their way back to the Eagle and prepare dinner. Morrow reflects on how good it is to hear his friends’ voices again.


Paul Morrow gathers his audience and begins to explain the mysteries they are facing. He warns them that they could enter the time-altering stasis at any moment and that representatives from one of the players, named Fawso, could appear. They discuss what to do with Austin, who acted as advance PR for one of the players. Morrow reveals that there are multiple players involved, including Player One who controls the time stasis, Player Two who owns an army, and Player Three who owns a generator. He explains that Player Four, Fawso, opposes Player Three and wants the generator under a different control. They discuss the connection between the mist and the stasis player and wonder if they are the same. Morrow admits that Fawso is their main source of information but cautions that his biases may influence the facts. Suddenly, a Meeter approaches, signaling Fawso’s arrival. Morrow explains that he was whisked away underground by the mist and discovered an army. Fawso expresses interest in seeing the army and asks if Morrow learned anything else.
They discuss the concept of Titans and their relationship to the universe. Fawso explains that the Titans are powerful beings that pass through a wall between universes, providing energy to maintain balance. The Fessa Union has been using Goltig Generators to capture and consume the Titans, which has caused an imbalance and the destruction of multiple solar systems. The group realizes that they must stop the Fessa Union and find a way to harness the power of the generator to ensure their own survival. They also discuss the issue of Austin, who has shown aggressive behavior, and decide to build a prison to contain him. The characters contemplate their place in the impending war and the importance of aligning themselves with the right side for their own survival. The text ends with a mention of the Titans and the uncertainty surrounding their role in the situation.
Alexander expresses their belief that they are merely innocent bystanders and that they don’t matter. Morrow, on the other hand, believes that they do have a role to play and that something wants them involved. They discuss the possibility of disabling a generator that seems to be important to the Titan, and Gentry suggests that their team of technicians could be useful in that task. Mindy reminds them that the universe often doesn’t make sense, but they have witnessed strange events before. They debate whether to believe Fawso and his claims, and Morrow shares his doubts about Fawso’s location. They are interrupted by the awakening of Doug Austin, who recounts his recent experiences underground. He expresses his feelings of betrayal and questions his loyalty. Morrow acknowledges the loss of trust and suggests that rebuilding it will take time. Austin offers himself as someone expendable for exploration purposes.


They question Fawso’s loyalty and his ability to defend them against the Fessa Union. They also discuss the army they found and wonder why Fawso didn’t destroy them immediately. The conversation becomes heated as Morrow accuses Fawso of keeping secrets and lying. Suddenly, a ship appears and attacks them, leading to a battle. Fawso’s ship and the Eagle fight back, but both sustain damage. Fawso informs them that a fleet of ships is on its way and they need to get to the generator to defend against it. Morrow realizes he doesn’t know how to operate the generator and Fawso suggests he focus on learning. Fawso’s ship crashes into the enemy craft, destroying it. The characters land the Eagle and realize Fawso’s power supply is still intact.
Morrow and his team are trying to retrace their steps and figure out how to use a generator. Manzera and her crew discover that the node is active and the Space Brain residue is present. They decide to halt the fleet and send an exploratory team. Morrow’s team, including Austin, sets off into the woods with the Meeter guiding them. They discuss whether or not to trust Austin and decide to bring him along under guard. They eventually find the access tunnel and begin their descent.
Alexander and Austin are having a conversation about Morrow’s potential danger and the decision to have a child without consulting the father. They discuss the struggle of making life and death decisions and the different paths each character has taken. Meanwhile, Morrow and the group reach the control room and attempt to activate the machinery. They manage to see the fleet of ships and use a console to create a well that will transport the ships far away. However, there are still ships inside the atmosphere that they will have to deal with on their own.


Morrow and his team are trying to shoot down a ship with hand lasers, but the consoles abruptly power down. Fawso explains that it is not safe to use the generator inside the atmosphere. They decide to return to the ship and bring the Meeter with them. Gentry returns to the surface and finds no sign of Alexander or Austin. They realize that they are being pursued and quickly set up a perimeter behind some rocks. Fawso’s Meeter opens and reveals a small chair with a tiny being inside – it is Fawso. Uxa, a projection of Fawso’s species, accuses Fawso of wanting to be a Titan and endangering the galaxy. Fawso’s Meeter suddenly closes and is chased by other Meeters. Laser blasts and explosions fill the air, and Morrow’s team takes cover. They realize that Fawso has an army of people their size and wonder where Tanya is. The battle continues, and Morrow’s team is unsure of how many of the players are on Fawso’s side. Fawso’s side is victorious.


Fawso claims to be ready to change and evolve into a Titan. Fawso leaves, but the characters are unsure if he is truly gone. They find a Meeter, a type of device, that they can communicate with but cannot get it to talk back. They decide to find Tanya and have a conversation with her about the situation. She convinced Austin to take his own life (or she would have taken her own, along with their child’s life). The others accept her decision and they continue on their journey, with the Meeter following them. Tanya contemplates telling the child that Morrow is the father but ultimately decides against it. They discuss the difficult decisions they have had to make as leaders.
Finally having a peaceful dinner, Paul Morrow conceals a truth from the others, that an incoming message from an unknown culture has just been received, demanding information about the generator. There will be no rest for these Alphans on Pyxidea…

Drama on Moonbase Alpha!

You can’t make this stuff up.

As followers of this site are likely aware, Powys Media lost the rights to Space:1999, which resulted in the print-on-demand service used to publish the books basically disabling the account, and low-and-behold, the entire book line is now unavailable.

So, in most depressing to least depressing news…

  • Neither Powys Media nor your humble author have copies of Odysseus Wept for you, nor can we just make more.
  • There is probably a limited supply of some Powys books still available from Amazon (who tended to order blocks of books from the print on demand service) — this would potentially include Resurrection, The Forsaken, Survival, and Shepherd Moon. I suspect these will go quickly (likely to be depleted within days or weeks of this posting), so strike while the iron’s hot.
  • I am not going to say anything pro or con about any of the players involved in this recent turn of events, specifically because I don’t want to alienate anyone involved.
  • I can make no promises! But I can tell you that the authors of the Powys Books own the copyright of their works (myself included), and collectively the copyright holders are working through a trusted representative on our behalf to see what options, if any, might be arranged to get some or all of the books reprinted. Powys Media supports this activity, so nothing’s happening behind anybody’s back, and we’ll remain hopeful that something positive will come of this — but there is NO timeframe that I can offer you and no guarantee that anything will happen.

In the meantime, I’ll make some general observations about what I would do as a fan/collector of something that became unobtainable.

  • Libraries are a thing — but no libraries likely have copies of the Powys Media Space:1999 novels. However, all of you who have do have copies are effectively a library — the thought of mangling a collectible that will not look good if and when it ever comes back to you is probably a nightmarish thing to consider as a collector, but for anybody who’s ever seen Mr. Truffaut’s adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” and remembers the ending with the “book people” — communities of book lovers want to share — I can’t organize this for you, but you can organize it among yourselves.
  • Every year, this happens — Moby-Dick Marathon 2022 – New Bedford Whaling Museum. Keep in mind, Moby Dick is in the public domain — Odysseus Wept is not. Charging for it, or recording and selling the recording, of Odysseus Wept, is probably not wise — but meeting in groups, or having readings of portions at conventions, that sounds like a perfectly legit community of fans activity. Apologies that I made the book so darned long this time around.

At some point, it may make sense to lobby some organization or organizations to try to change the outcome. It’s probably too early to consider something like that right now, but as just one of several authors, I can say that I’m much more interested in people having access to these books than anything else. These books were always meant to be read.

Eventually, if there is no movement, I’ll likely create a plot synopsis of Odysseus Wept for anybody who wants to “know how it all turns out” but I think you can all imagine how that would not be my preference.

Sorry if this is all a nothing-burger for now. But for right now, we’re seeing what’s possible. Please don’t pick on Powys Media. They’d love to be selling you books right now if they could.

The Music of Odysseus Wept

In past interviews, I’ve discussed the music that inspired some of my novels, but since I’m skipping interviews for the most part on Odysseus Wept, I figured that warranted actually posting something here.

Note, I’ll try to do this without spoiling much (but will hint at particular portions of the book).

In an early chapter, a character is quite isolated for a prolonged period of time (which was probably my favorite part of the book from a writing perspective). If memory serves, John Barry’s “Dances With Wolves” (the extended edition) was the primary music I was listening to for that portion. Barry’s writing for the American prairie certainly fit the landscape I was imagining.

There’s a period of the book where there are multiple groups assigned different “homesteading” activities (which was also fun to write) — while it would have been fitting to listen to some barn-raising music from “Witness” I was listening to a fairly eclectic set of albums, from Pink Floyd’s “The Endless River” to Owen Pallett/Arcade Fire’s score to “Her”, probably a mixture of different John Barry scores, and even Ramin Djawadi’s score to “Iron Man” from time to time.

There’s a big action scene that ruins everybody’s day after things seemed to be going so well. Almost that entire action scene, from its initial choreography to the actual writing, which took weeks if not months, had Hans Zimmer’s “Man of Steel” music playing in the background. In particular, if you hunt down a few tracks called “Arcade” and “General Zod” from the Deluxe Edition there’s a very repetitive theme Zimmer uses that was really helpful in maintaining a particular mood for that part of the book. But the overall score was very, very much a part of much of the book — it’s got a wide variety of themes and tempos that seemed to have something for every situation.

There are some trippy parts of Odysseus Wept. I think I was mainly listening to Steven Price scores to a number of nature documentaries he’s done (big fan of David Attenborough, I am).

“Man of Steel” is really the heartbeat of most of the book. You can never tell how these things are going to work out.

Odysseus Wept is Complete

Yesterday, I sent my final draft of Odysseus Wept over to the folks at Powys. There may be a tweak or two, some proofreading, but I’m basically finished, at long last!

The final page count, before any foreword or anything like that gets added, is around 650 pages. I don’t know what the final format will be but I suspect standard paperback isn’t really an option for this book (Lulu.com spines struggle in the standard paperback size for longer books), but I’m trying not to be involved in the printing process if I can help it.

I’m also not planning on posting any more about this particular book — it has to stand on its own and it’s not a straightforward narrative in many ways, so it’s time for the readers to weigh in. I will be contributing to the Powysverse Compendium update (but only after its author has her own theories, first!).

Thanks everybody for your patience. This was a very, very hard one to write, not gonna lie, and even harder to edit. In 2023, it’s time to set my sights elsewhere, and I’m excited about that.

I’m guessing the book will be released in the early spring, but not up to me.

See you in 2023.

Editing Update

I’m on page 405 of 638 in Odysseus Wept’s second draft. As expected, this is taking quite a while, and I’ve yet to hit the uncharted waters of the last real burst of writing I did, where I know I left myself pockets of things to write, so the book’s likely only going to get longer.

I crossed over into Part Three of the book yesterday, so even I was surprised to see that Part Three is about half of the book.

Periodically, we’ve told people which books to reread in preparation for reading another one in the series and this time around, you can probably skip Resurrection but that may be it. Some of this book is a sequel to The Forsaken, so that comes with the territory, but I’ve mined little bits from all of what I’ve been thinking of as Phase Two of the Powysverse. Phase Two is everything that’s NOT included in the Powysverse Compendium (Vol. I).

There’s something of Jonathan Swift’s most famous work in this book. Less Homer than you might think, given the title.

This is not a book I think people will be reading in a single sitting.