Men of Greywater Station

Magazine Cover

M*en of Greywater Station* is a science-fiction novelette by George R. R. Martin and Howard Waldrop, first published in the March 1976 issue of *Amazing Stories*. It takes place in the "Thousand Worlds" universe, and is set on the Manrealm planet of Greywater during the Double War. It is about a group of a scientists working on a hostile alien planet, who witness a soldier transport ship crash landing on the planet's surface.

## Plot Summary

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**— *WARNING: THIS SECTION CONTAINS SPOILERS —***

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Five scientists are working on an alien planet in a fortified base called Greywater Station. The team are led by Jim Delvechhio, and include zoologist Eldon Sheridan, psychologist Ike Granowitz and the youngest scientist Bill Reyn. The planet they are working on is covered by a hive-minded Fungus which has the ability to take over the minds of other organisms by releasing spores into the air. It seems hostile towards any organism that isn't already under its control. The purpose of Greywater Station is to study the Fungus. Two of the original scientists died after their flyer vehicle was attacked by swampbats controlled by the Fungus.

The scientists witness a space ship transporting soldiers crash into the planet's surface. They argue about whether they should attempt to save the surviving soldiers from being taken over by the Fungus. Sheridan argues that it's best to kill the survivors, since he deems it inevitable that the Fungus will take over their minds and send them against Greywater Station. This would be disastrous since the soldiers have far more sophisticated weaponry than the scientists. Reyn wants to save them and put them in quarantine. The psychologist Granowitz, suggests delivering them a partially working vaccine.

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## Themes

*Men of Greywater Station* reads as an allegory for the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War. It depicts three different factions - scientists, soldiers and Fungus - preemptively attacking each other for fear that the other faction will attack first. The Greywater battle serves as a microcosm of the broader conflict between humans and Fyndii, to which Greywater Station is secretly contributing. The scientists' attempts to weaponize the Fungus against the Fyndii evokes the chemical warfare being developed during the Cold War, and is again justified by the fears that if they do not weaponise the parasite, then the Fyndii will. The manner in which the Fungus seize control of their hosts echoed contemporary American fears of indoctrination, either by external communism or internal authoritarianism. The conclusion of the story shows the "mutually assured destruction" that such policies and strategies might inevitably reap.

The Fungus serves as a mirror for humanity's own oppressive and destructive instincts. It is described by the scientist's as a sentient lifeform who feels threatened by other sentient lifeforms, and who instinctively wants to control everything on its planet. Likewise, the scientists fear the Fungus and seek to control it. They also seek to kill the marooned soldiers, for fear that the Fungus will coerce them into attacking the research station. Thus, the scientists, and the Federal Empire they represent, are fundamentally no different from the Fungus.

## Author's Notes

As science-fiction fans and writers, Martin and Howard Waldrop had been in correspondence since 1963, but didn't meet in person until they both attended the Kansas City Science Fiction Convention. They came up with the idea for *Men of Greywater Station* while having drinks in a Playboy Club atop the convention hotel. They wrote a few pages during the convention and then completed the manuscript afterwards via mail. They had trouble selling the story, and eventually submitted it to the lowest paying magazine, where it was published in 1976 and well-received by readers. Martin states that due to their "different styles", he and Waldrop never collaborated again, although they remained close friends.

## Publication History

*Men of Greywater Watch* was a collaboration between Martin and Howard Waldrop. It was first published in the March 1976 issue of *Amazing Stories*.

It was included in the Martin's short story collection *Songs of Stars and Shadows*, published in 1977.

## Adaptations

In 2015, the podcast StarShipSofa recorded an audiobook version of *Men of Greywater Station*. The podcast was authorised by Martin and promoted on his personal blog.

## Connections to the "Thousand Worlds" Universe

*Men of Greywater Station* takes place during the Double War, with scientists attempting to harness the Fungus so that can be used against the Fyndii. The soldiers that the scientists encounter are from the Fyndii frontline.

The story mentions duralloy, a technology which is ubiquitous throughout the "Thousand Worlds" universe.

## Allusions to Other GRRM Works

Martin would re-use the name Greywater for a location in his later book series *A Song of Ice and Fire*. Greywater Watch is the home of House Reed in the North, a vassal house to the Starks of Winterfell.

## Allusions to Other Media

*Men of Greywater Station* may be inspired by pre-George A. Romero zombie films, such as *White Zombie* (1932) which depicts people falling under the control of a voodoo master and becoming instruments of his will.

The story also shares narrative elements with the 1951 film *The Thing from Another World,* which is about a group of scientists stationed in a sub-zero environment and are confronted by a hostile parasitic alien that seeks to destroy or enslave them. Like the film, Martin's story introduces a paranoid question about who is infected and who isn't, and demonstrates how this paranoia causes the characters to ultimately turn on each other, regardless of whether they are actually infected on not.

## References

1. ↑ Martin, George R. R. https://grrm.livejournal.com/429952.html