Saving the Hybrid’s Past is a short story by award-winning science fiction author Kristine Kathryn Rusch. It was first published in the magazine Analog in 1989, and has since been reprinted in several anthologies.
The story is set in a future where humanity has colonized several planets. On one of these planets, a group of scientists have created a new species of hybrid creature, combining human and animal DNA. The hybrids are intelligent and capable of feeling emotions, but they are also considered property by the scientists who created them.
One of the scientists, Dr. Karen Ross, is secretly working to help the hybrids escape from the lab. She believes that they are sentient beings with the right to freedom. She also fears that the scientists will eventually use the hybrids for their own selfish purposes.
Dr. Ross’s plan is to help the hybrids travel back in time to a point before they were created. This would erase them from existence, but it would also prevent the scientists from ever creating them in the first place.
To carry out her plan, Dr. Ross needs the help of one of the hybrids, a young woman named Anya. Anya is intelligent and resourceful, but she is also naive and trusting. Dr. Ross must convince Anya to help her, even though she knows that it could mean her own death.
Dr. Ross and Anya manage to escape from the lab and steal a time machine. They travel back in time to a point before the hybrids were created. However, they are soon discovered by the scientists who created the hybrids.
The scientists attempt to stop Dr. Ross and Anya, but they are unsuccessful. Dr. Ross and Anya manage to destroy the time machine, ensuring that the hybrids will never be created.
Saving the Hybrid’s Past is a story about freedom, sacrifice, and the importance of standing up for what is right. It is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific hubris and the importance of treating all living beings with respect.
In addition to its ethical themes, Saving the Hybrid’s Past is also a well-written and suspenseful story. Rusch does a masterful job of creating a believable and sympathetic protagonist in Dr. Ross. She also does a great job of building suspense and keeping the reader guessing until the very end.
Conclusion
Overall, Saving the Hybrid’s Past is a thought-provoking and well-written short story that is sure to stay with the reader long after they finish reading it.
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Overall, Saving the Hybrid’s Past is a thought-provoking and well-written short story that is sure to stay with the reader long after they finish reading it.