title: The Hunter (Journal of Experimental Fiction) (Volume 64)
author: Dominic Ward
description: Dominic Ward is the author of PRISM AND GRADED MONOTONY (2012) and THE HUNTER (2015), both published by JEF Books. He lives with his wife and four children in Esk, Australia.
zlib_text: **Psychlone**
  
  
  by Greg Bear
  
  
  ereads - Science Fiction
  
  
  ereads
  
  
  www.ereads.com
  
  
  Copyright (C)1979 by Greg Bear
  
  
  NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the
  purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized
  person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file
  transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of
  International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines and/or
  imprisonment.
  
  
  _This book is for Barbara, Cathey and David._
  
  
  On the literary side, of course, it's for
  
  
  James Blish
  
  
  8:16 a.m., August 6th, 1945
  
  
  **PROLOGUE**
  
  
  Final message from the U.S.S. _Matheson_ , received 1630 hours May 24, 1964:
  
  
  “Mayday, repeat, Mayday. Situation is getting worse. They are all over the
  decks now.
  
  
  Blue fire crawling over my radio and the ports. Jesus, Mary Mother of God, I
  can hear the captain and the mate. They are killing each other. The sickness
  is in me but I'm alone. All 