The original 'crew' has degenerated into peasant stock the feeds the crew, officers who run things, and 'scientists' who have contrived a theological basis of their universe. The current situation is a bifurcated population of the original crew and 'muties' who are physically deformed existing in different parts of the ship. The tale opens with a generation ship that has experienced a past traumatic event. Orphans of the Sky is a novella by Robert A Heinlein. But could he make his people believe him before it was too late? Could he make them believe that he must be allowed to fly the Ship? Then Hugh was captured by the muties and met their leader (or leaders) - Joe-Jim, with two heads on one body - and learned the true nature of the Ship and its mission between the stars. Were they evil incarnate, or merely a divine check on the population, keeping humanity from expanding past the capacity of the Ship to support? Of course, there were the muties, grotesquely deformed parodies of humans, who lurked in the upper reaches of the Ship, where gravity was weaker. Indeed, how could the Ship move, since its miles and miles of metal corridors were all there was of creation? Science knew that the Ship was all the universe, and as long as the sacred Converter was fed, the lights would continue to glow, the air would flow, and the Creator's Plan would be fulfilled.

But he also understood this was just allegory for a voyage to spiritual perfection. And he learned the true nature of the Ship and its mission between the stars.Hugh had been taught that, according to the ancient sacred writings, the Ship was on a voyage to faraway Centaurus. Then Hugh was captured by the muties and met their leader (or leaders), Joe-Jim, with two heads on one body.

Indeed, how could the Ship move, since its miles and miles of metal corridors were all there was of creation? Science knew that the Ship was all the Universe, and as long as the sacred Convertor was fed, the lights would continue to glow and the air would flow, and the Creator's Plan would be fulfilled.Of course, there were the muties, grotesquely deformed parodies of humans, who lurked in the upper reaches of the Ship where gravity was weaker. But he also understood this was actually allegory for a voyage to spiritual perfection. Hugh had been taught that, according to the ancient sacred writings, the Ship was on a voyage to faraway Centaurus. An SF Gateway eBook: bringing the classics to the future.

Robert heinlein orphans of the sky