I am absolutely thrilled to discover this forum, to find you all, scifi loving people with excellent memory.
I have these vague recollections of some old scifi stories I read in last decade or two, found some of those, but some partial reads elude me still, not unlike pieces of glass in my brain that won't let me rest until I read 'em to the end. Excuse my memory that is so faint that these chips of info I provide may even be side motifs of the story that impressed me the most. But still, give it a read, please! Any help is appreciated.* Context is distant future in which human kind is spread across the galaxy when they discover this desert planet with remnants of an extinct alien civilization. What shocks discoverers is a failed attempt of this civilization to build a gigantic bridge; we are talking hundred miles long and miles high bridge with no apparent purpose, uncompleted, partially collapsed, going from nowhere to nowhere. Story accounts for some people that travel the bridge by foot, speculating why would a civilization build something so futile...
* This one in about alien intervention on Earth and evolution of human race. Alien spaceships show up and declare they intend to change human society for the better, a goal planned to achieve even by using force. This determination is demonstrated when the government of republic of South Africa refuses to comply with some alien directive that even may be linked to apartheid. Aliens react by setting a shade over entire RSA therefore quickly forcing government to comply with their directives. At some point aliens land and reveal themselves to the public, showing their devil-like appearance. Also, they announce upcoming shift in human revolution where a new generation of children will be born that will have incredible psychic powers ... didn't make it beyond this
* Third story ... a guy gets stuck on a deserted planet with an exoskelet suit that is self-aware. Being many miles from base, they start to walk for the rescue and talk to each other: half time this guy walks the suit on he's own strength giving suit a chance to recharge it's batteries, rest of time suit carries the man so he can get some rest ...
Thanks in advance!
