Lamppost

Fiction & Literature, Short Stories, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction
Cover of the book Lamppost by Malcolm W. Keyes, Malcolm W. Keyes
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Malcolm W. Keyes ISBN: 9781466124790
Publisher: Malcolm W. Keyes Publication: July 5, 2011
Imprint: Smashwords Edition Language: English
Author: Malcolm W. Keyes
ISBN: 9781466124790
Publisher: Malcolm W. Keyes
Publication: July 5, 2011
Imprint: Smashwords Edition
Language: English

"Tell me: What are you guarding, from what, and why?"

"Sir?"

"Not the text book answer. Your answer."

Jonah wasn’t sure what Walkingstick wanted from him. "We’re guarding an area of intersecting multiversal space—"

"I said, ‘Not the text book answer.’ You sound like a damn orientation video. This is a test. Pass it."

Jonah tried hard not to let his frustration show on his face. A soldier never disrespected their superiors. That was something his father had told him when he was still the man Jonah knew. Obey first, argue later.

"We’re guarding that big black spot in the sky, sir," Jonah said.

"Really?" Walkingstick said. "And why is it black?"

"Because there are no stars on the other side, sir."

"And why not?"

"Because a trillion years ago, some alien scientist in that universe invented a self-replicating machine. The machine didn’t know when to stop and eventually turned everything in its universe into copies of itself. Stars, space dust, everything."

"And what does that have to do with you?"

Jonah wondered how long Walkingstick planned to play this game.

"I keep the machines out," Jonah said. "If even one of the machines passes through undetected, it could do the same thing to our universe."

"Right, like a virus," Walkingstick said. "Final question, Moore. Why is that bad?"

Jonah didn’t understand. "Sir?"

"Let’s say one of those machines landed on a moon somewhere out of the way. It would take years to convert the whole moon. Decades to convert a solar system. You’d be dead, and your children’s children’s children before anyone even noticed a problem. So why do you care, Moore?"

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

"Tell me: What are you guarding, from what, and why?"

"Sir?"

"Not the text book answer. Your answer."

Jonah wasn’t sure what Walkingstick wanted from him. "We’re guarding an area of intersecting multiversal space—"

"I said, ‘Not the text book answer.’ You sound like a damn orientation video. This is a test. Pass it."

Jonah tried hard not to let his frustration show on his face. A soldier never disrespected their superiors. That was something his father had told him when he was still the man Jonah knew. Obey first, argue later.

"We’re guarding that big black spot in the sky, sir," Jonah said.

"Really?" Walkingstick said. "And why is it black?"

"Because there are no stars on the other side, sir."

"And why not?"

"Because a trillion years ago, some alien scientist in that universe invented a self-replicating machine. The machine didn’t know when to stop and eventually turned everything in its universe into copies of itself. Stars, space dust, everything."

"And what does that have to do with you?"

Jonah wondered how long Walkingstick planned to play this game.

"I keep the machines out," Jonah said. "If even one of the machines passes through undetected, it could do the same thing to our universe."

"Right, like a virus," Walkingstick said. "Final question, Moore. Why is that bad?"

Jonah didn’t understand. "Sir?"

"Let’s say one of those machines landed on a moon somewhere out of the way. It would take years to convert the whole moon. Decades to convert a solar system. You’d be dead, and your children’s children’s children before anyone even noticed a problem. So why do you care, Moore?"

More books from Science Fiction

Cover of the book The Hunt by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Secret Wars: Vecchio Logan by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Hilda: Witches' Myths by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book La Lune Dansante (Les Liens du Sang - Livre Un) by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Paradox Resolution by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Identity by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book The Impossible Quest Of Hailing A Taxi On Christmas Eve by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Todas mis partes by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Firebird by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Twisted Screams by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Monster of Monsters: The Vampire Coach- Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Horror Flash Fiction #12 by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book The Children of 1965 by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Arena Shifters (A Paranormal Romance Novel) by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Literature of the Absurd by Malcolm W. Keyes
Cover of the book Bacterium by Malcolm W. Keyes
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy