What sf book or story has a planet that gets banished without its star?
May 20, 2022 6:58 AM Subscribe
The key detail I remember: when the planet banishment is being explained, one character says something like, "well that's not so bad, at least they get to live in peace where they can't bother anyone" and the other character explaining the punishment says something along the lines of, "no, you don't understand, they don't get to take their star with them" and then it's clear that it's a super bleak fate.
The context I think has something like some kind of council or federation of alien species, and when the council collectively decides that one of the other species has transgressed beyond repair, the punishment is that the planet gets "banished" -- some kind of technology sends the planet to another dimension or a void or something.
I think the idea came from a book or a graphic novel, but it's possible it could have been a movie/tv show.
Does this ring a bell for anyone? It's driving me nuts, and I can't search for it effectively because all I get are articles about the (real) rogue planet phenomenon which are interesting but not what I'm after.
The context I think has something like some kind of council or federation of alien species, and when the council collectively decides that one of the other species has transgressed beyond repair, the punishment is that the planet gets "banished" -- some kind of technology sends the planet to another dimension or a void or something.
I think the idea came from a book or a graphic novel, but it's possible it could have been a movie/tv show.
Does this ring a bell for anyone? It's driving me nuts, and I can't search for it effectively because all I get are articles about the (real) rogue planet phenomenon which are interesting but not what I'm after.
Response by poster: Ah, amazing, thank you so much! And now that I know the answer, I see that the dialog bit I wrote has a very Heinlein-esque kind of paternalism/didactic feel to it.
I really thought this was something I'd read in the last decade or so, but gosh, it has to have been at least 25 years since I read Have Spacesuit, Will Travel... truly amazing how ideas persist, even if not always clearly!
posted by Hadroed at 7:16 AM on May 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
I really thought this was something I'd read in the last decade or so, but gosh, it has to have been at least 25 years since I read Have Spacesuit, Will Travel... truly amazing how ideas persist, even if not always clearly!
posted by Hadroed at 7:16 AM on May 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
one of the best rah juvies. puts humanity in it's place. not pervy. libertarian but not jingoistic. a lot of sciencey exposition, but felt more like context and fun facts when i was a wee lad.
posted by j_curiouser at 11:45 AM on May 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by j_curiouser at 11:45 AM on May 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
Also that acceleration/deceleration calculation! That's where I learned proper calculation-layout technique for unit conversion. And the "if only I had my fancy slide rule" bit... XD
posted by heatherlogan at 12:15 PM on May 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by heatherlogan at 12:15 PM on May 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
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posted by wjm at 7:04 AM on May 20, 2022 [10 favorites]