New Prime, The-Jack Vance novelette
New Prime , The-Jack Vance novelette AKA: Brain of the Galaxy (author’s preferred title) The New Prime was first published under the title “Brain of the Galaxy” in the February, 1951 issue of the magazine Worlds Beyond and is a 23/25/29 page novelette. It consists of five vignettes with different characters and settings. In the first vignette a man from the twentieth century finds himself naked at a 19th century Boston social coming out party where he is surrounded by 300 guests in formal evening wear. His memory is fogged so he has no idea how he got there but he must now cope with his situation. In the second setting a different character is in the midst of a losing battle with insect like creatures called Brands . He has only thirteen soldiers left and must decide what to do. One option is for him to order his men to attack the main hive of the Brands. In the third setting a man is in an ancient city of ruins seeking a Crown and Shield Parchment that ca...