The Human Edge

DANGER HUMAN

The Universe is not a nice neighborhood, and the neighbors may be downright hostile—but you can't keep a good human down! A master of science fiction adventure looks at what happens when powerful aliens meet puny humans, with results ranging from chilling to utterly hilarious.

Getting along in the Universe can be pretty tricky, but those monkey-boys and girls from Earth can get pretty tricky themselves when the situation requires it. And if you bet on the side of the mighty alien armadas that have conquered half the galaxy, you're just liable to end up on the losing side, because you too have overlooked

THE HUMAN EDGE

"Dickson is one of SF's standard-bearers."
—Publishers Weekly

"Dickson has a true mastery of pacing and fine understanding of human nature."
—Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"A masterful science fiction writer."
—Milwaukee Journal

Cover art by David Mattingly

Paperback

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First printing, December 2003

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
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Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original
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Typeset by Bell Road Press, Sherwood, OR
Production by Windhaven Press
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Electronic version by WebWrights
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ISBN: 0-7434-7174-1

"Danger—Human," first published in Astounding Science Fiction, December 1957, © 1957 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. "Sleight of Wit," first published in Analog, December 1961, © 1961 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. "In the Bone," first published in IF: Worlds of Science Fiction, October 1966, © 1966 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. "3-Part Puzzle," first published in Analog, June 1962, © 1962 by the Condé Nast Publications, Inc. "An Ounce of Emotion," first published in IF: Worlds of Science Fiction, October, 1965, © 1965 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. "Brother Charlie," first published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, July 1958, © 1958 by Mercury Press, Inc. "The Game of Five," first published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1960, © 1960 by Mercury Press, Inc. "Tiger Green," first published in IF: Worlds of Science Fiction, November 1965, © 1965 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. "The Hard Way," first published in Analog, January 1963, © 1963 by the Condé Nast Publications, Inc. "Jackal's Meal," first published in Analog, June 1969, © 1969 by the Condé Nast Publications, Inc. "On Messenger Mountain," first published in Worlds of Tomorrow, June 1964, © 1964 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. "The Catch," first published in Astounding Science Fiction, April 1959, © 1959 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc.

Dedicating a collection of another person's work might seem presumptuous, particularly when that person is no longer around to give an opinion. However, Gordon R. Dickson was a strong supporter of space exploration, and I recall when, at a Nebula Awards ceremony in the early 1970s, he stood up to announce the formation of a loose organization of sf writers called, informally, Friends of the Space Program. I think he would approve of this dedication.

For

Michael P. Anderson
Kalpana Chawla
Laurel Clark
Rick D. Husband
William C. McCool
Ilan Ramon

Pioneers on the Star Road

BOOKS by GORDON R. DICKSON

The Right to Arm Bears
The Magnificent Wilf
Mindspan

Hoka! Hoka! Hoka!
(with Poul Anderson)

Hokas Pokas
(with Poul Anderson)

The Human Edge
(selected by Hank Davis)