The Real Story

infobox Book |
name = The Real Story
orig title =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Stephen R. Donaldson
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = The Gap Cycle
genre = Science fiction novel
publisher = Bantam Books/Spectra
release_date = 1991
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0-553-29509-8 (USA hardback)
preceded_by =
followed_by = Forbidden Knowledge

The Real Story (or officially "The Gap into Conflict: The Real Story") is the first book of "The Gap Cycle" by Stephen Donaldson, a science fiction series.

Plot summary

Morn Hyland, an ensign with the United Mining Companies Police, is on her first mission aboard the UMCP destroyer "Starmaster" (which is crewed by members of her extended family). When they arrive at Com-Mine Station, a ship, "Bright Beauty", piloted by the pirate Angus Thermopyle, flees, and "Starmaster" follows.

In his haste, Angus left the station without picking up some essential supplies including air-scrubbers. Out of desperation Angus incinerates a small mining settlement in hopes of stealing their supplies. Starmaster witnesses this slaughter and attempts combat, but is almost destroyed by a massive internal explosion. Morn suffers from gap-sickness, a mental disorder that inflicts itself on a small portion of people who travel through the Gap. Symptoms of gap-sickness vary wildly; in Morn, it manifests itself as an uncontrollable urge to engage self-destruct, and is triggered by exposure to 'heavy g'. Morn, left alone on the auxiliary bridge when "Starmaster" engaged Angus' ship, experienced gap-sickness for the first time, and attempted to destroy "Starmaster".

Angus boards the wreck hoping to salvage some air scrubbers, murders Morn's father (who had survived Morn's attempted self-destruct) and kidnaps Morn. Seeking both control of her gap-sickness, and Morn herself, Angus places a zone implant - a remotely-controlled electrode - onto her brain, which allows Angus to control Morn's every feeling and action. By giving Morn an unauthorized zone implant, Angus has committed a capital crime, and will be executed if he is caught.

On the way back to Com-Mine, Angus activates Morn's zone implant, allowing him to repeatedly rape and abuse her. Unwittingly, he also starts to form an emotional attachment to her.

Back at the station, Morn makes contact with another pirate - Nick Succorso, captain and owner of the ship "Captain's Fancy", who she sees as a potential rescuer. She aids Nick in framing Angus for stealing station supplies, and Angus is arrested. Before he is taken away, though, Angus gives Morn the remote control to her zone implant, in exchange for her silence.

Background

Donaldson explains one of the intents in writing this first book, which was originally to be only a stand alone novella, was to present the three classic archetypes of victim, villain & hero and then have them exchange roles. Here, we start with Morn as the damsel, Angus as villain and Nick as the hero. Then as the story develops over the course of the series, Morn is elevated to hero, Nick becomes the villain and Angus becomes a victim of sorts.