An explorer of alien worlds finds something far stranger: An alien artifact, abandoned but still holding a mystery that will shake everything that she knows about the universe and her own existence. "Rich emptiness stretched out before Mere. Sunless worlds of many ages, many constitutions, had assembled themselves into a ribbon-like cluster perfectly aligned for a long careful flyby. Some of those worlds were large and naturally warm in their hearts, nourishing oceans of methane or water as well as vigorous life forms. Colder places might conceal little colonies of hermits and refugees and other tall-technology oddballs. And there was always the promise of some full civilization struggling not to be found. But the hot and frigid signatures that she mentioned to the captains were lies. Mere had seen nothing interesting while looking up from the disappointing first world, and she didn’t even bother synthesizing data to give her fable a spine. This was her mission. This was her ship, if not by title then at least by every measure that mattered. A steady watchful journey along the dark ribbon would give her hundreds of large targets and millions of comets. The odds of success—some good worthwhile and profitable triumph—seemed just short of inevitable." Robert Reed has written many science fiction stories and novels, and without question, the Great Ship remains his most popular invention.