Day's End

Anela (Ringworld 7-CR} circles the GV2 star Anelon in the Hermes Cluster. The endless day this makes is alleviated by a Nightshade, a half-ring that orbits within the orbit of Anelon. The Nightshade blocks the sun to make artificial night, where stars never shine.

Solon abandoned Anela 125 years ago in the third year of the Grolon War. In RingYear 4 (RY4), the Nightshade failed. The architects and engineers were gone, leaving no one to repair the damage, and no space equipment to work with. The Nightshade broke up with some chunks the size of continents. Some parts disappeared, perhaps into the sun or wandering anywhere in the galaxy, but a few still orbit, casting sporadic, brief night shadows on the Ring.

In RY125, Joss Anders lives in Hemmler City, managing the City's Recycling center. His Second-Class Degree in Mathematics, Astrophysics, and Celestial Navigation does not come with the near-automatic opportunity for marriage and child licenses. He lives the singleton life, common to most adult Anelons under 40. He and his best friend, Renny, enjoy the opportunities Hemmler City offers and find short or long-term Nightmates, known as friends with benefits.

Joss's life takes an unexpected turn for the better, and over the next few months, he lives a future lost after college. Many anomalies begin to puzzle and worry him. Nightshades cast their shadows more often. Standard weather patterns change for the worse. Crop shortages raise food and drink prices. The birthrate is twenty-seven percent lower than twenty years ago.

Joson repeats the calculation with the same result: the endless day of Anela will end.