Time-spanning alien intelligences gamble with the fate of Earth
This earlier question about a seemingly trivial change preventing a nuclear war made me remember a short story I read more than 20 years ago.
In the story, there are 2 intelligences (it is not clear if they have any physical form) that are able to randomly access time. They take turns making a few minor changes to human history and observing the results. I think the story starts with them picking which outcome each is playing for, and then one stating that it will go first.
The first makes a few changes (details forgotten), and they observe that the result is Earth becomes a nuclear wasteland. Then the other takes its turn; as best I recall it makes 3 changes. The one I remember most clearly is that it kills Cato the Elder (by some medical condition like a stroke or aneurysm) before yet another "Carthago delenda est". (The implication being that the 3rd Punic war is averted.) The other 2 changes were similarly minimal, but I have only an impression that they may have involved other historical figures.
Fast-forwarding, the intelligences find a thriving space-going civilization, and the first congratulates the second, remarking that it had not expected such small changes to have such a large effect.
The story ends with one suggesting to the other "best 2 of 3?"
This may be a conflation with another story, but they may have picked the outcome each was playing for in terms of "blood" (life) and "dust" (death).
I definitely read this more than 20 years ago, but probably less than 30. It was most likely in an anthology, since I didn't have many single-author collections at that point. (But I can't rule that out, or that I might have read it in a magazine like IASFM or Analog.)
story-identification short-stories
asked Jan 3 at 18:50
DavidWDavidW
1,7221326
add a comment |
This earlier question about a seemingly trivial change preventing a nuclear war made me remember a short story I read more than 20 years ago.
In the story, there are 2 intelligences (it is not clear if they have any physical form) that are able to randomly access time. They take turns making a few minor changes to human history and observing the results. I think the story starts with them picking which outcome each is playing for, and then one stating that it will go first.
The first makes a few changes (details forgotten), and they observe that the result is Earth becomes a nuclear wasteland. Then the other takes its turn; as best I recall it makes 3 changes. The one I remember most clearly is that it kills Cato the Elder (by some medical condition like a stroke or aneurysm) before yet another "Carthago delenda est". (The implication being that the 3rd Punic war is averted.) The other 2 changes were similarly minimal, but I have only an impression that they may have involved other historical figures.
Fast-forwarding, the intelligences find a thriving space-going civilization, and the first congratulates the second, remarking that it had not expected such small changes to have such a large effect.
The story ends with one suggesting to the other "best 2 of 3?"
This may be a conflation with another story, but they may have picked the outcome each was playing for in terms of "blood" (life) and "dust" (death).
I definitely read this more than 20 years ago, but probably less than 30. It was most likely in an anthology, since I didn't have many single-author collections at that point. (But I can't rule that out, or that I might have read it in a magazine like IASFM or Analog.)
story-identification short-stories
asked Jan 3 at 18:50
DavidWDavidW
1,7221326
Note: I was actually fairly confident about "blood" and "dust" but had absolutely no luck searching on those terms, so I started to doubt them.
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 18:52
The title alone made me think you were talking about Doctor Who.
– bruglesco
Jan 4 at 4:06
add a comment |
This earlier question about a seemingly trivial change preventing a nuclear war made me remember a short story I read more than 20 years ago.
In the story, there are 2 intelligences (it is not clear if they have any physical form) that are able to randomly access time. They take turns making a few minor changes to human history and observing the results. I think the story starts with them picking which outcome each is playing for, and then one stating that it will go first.
The first makes a few changes (details forgotten), and they observe that the result is Earth becomes a nuclear wasteland. Then the other takes its turn; as best I recall it makes 3 changes. The one I remember most clearly is that it kills Cato the Elder (by some medical condition like a stroke or aneurysm) before yet another "Carthago delenda est". (The implication being that the 3rd Punic war is averted.) The other 2 changes were similarly minimal, but I have only an impression that they may have involved other historical figures.
Fast-forwarding, the intelligences find a thriving space-going civilization, and the first congratulates the second, remarking that it had not expected such small changes to have such a large effect.
The story ends with one suggesting to the other "best 2 of 3?"
This may be a conflation with another story, but they may have picked the outcome each was playing for in terms of "blood" (life) and "dust" (death).
I definitely read this more than 20 years ago, but probably less than 30. It was most likely in an anthology, since I didn't have many single-author collections at that point. (But I can't rule that out, or that I might have read it in a magazine like IASFM or Analog.)
story-identification short-stories
asked Jan 3 at 18:50
DavidWDavidW
1,7221326
This earlier question about a seemingly trivial change preventing a nuclear war made me remember a short story I read more than 20 years ago.
In the story, there are 2 intelligences (it is not clear if they have any physical form) that are able to randomly access time. They take turns making a few minor changes to human history and observing the results. I think the story starts with them picking which outcome each is playing for, and then one stating that it will go first.
The first makes a few changes (details forgotten), and they observe that the result is Earth becomes a nuclear wasteland. Then the other takes its turn; as best I recall it makes 3 changes. The one I remember most clearly is that it kills Cato the Elder (by some medical condition like a stroke or aneurysm) before yet another "Carthago delenda est". (The implication being that the 3rd Punic war is averted.) The other 2 changes were similarly minimal, but I have only an impression that they may have involved other historical figures.
Fast-forwarding, the intelligences find a thriving space-going civilization, and the first congratulates the second, remarking that it had not expected such small changes to have such a large effect.
The story ends with one suggesting to the other "best 2 of 3?"
This may be a conflation with another story, but they may have picked the outcome each was playing for in terms of "blood" (life) and "dust" (death).
I definitely read this more than 20 years ago, but probably less than 30. It was most likely in an anthology, since I didn't have many single-author collections at that point. (But I can't rule that out, or that I might have read it in a magazine like IASFM or Analog.)
story-identification short-stories
story-identification short-stories
asked Jan 3 at 18:50
DavidWDavidW
1,7221326
asked Jan 3 at 18:50
DavidWDavidW
1,7221326
asked Jan 3 at 18:50
DavidWDavidW
1,7221326
asked Jan 3 at 18:50
DavidWDavidW
1,7221326
asked Jan 3 at 18:50
DavidWDavidW
1,7221326
1,7221326
Note: I was actually fairly confident about "blood" and "dust" but had absolutely no luck searching on those terms, so I started to doubt them.
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 18:52
The title alone made me think you were talking about Doctor Who.
– bruglesco
Jan 4 at 4:06
add a comment |
Note: I was actually fairly confident about "blood" and "dust" but had absolutely no luck searching on those terms, so I started to doubt them.
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 18:52
The title alone made me think you were talking about Doctor Who.
– bruglesco
Jan 4 at 4:06
Note: I was actually fairly confident about "blood" and "dust" but had absolutely no luck searching on those terms, so I started to doubt them.
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 18:52
Note: I was actually fairly confident about "blood" and "dust" but had absolutely no luck searching on those terms, so I started to doubt them.
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 18:52
The title alone made me think you were talking about Doctor Who.
– bruglesco
Jan 4 at 4:06
The title alone made me think you were talking about Doctor Who.
– bruglesco
Jan 4 at 4:06
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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votes
This is Roger Zelazny's "The Game of Blood and Dust". It seems like a good match. There are two intelligences, Blood and Dust, and they take turns making changes to history. They are alien, I guess.
To my surprise, I found the text of the story online.
The story begins:
They drifted towards the Earth and took up stations at its Trojan points. They regarded the world, its two and a half billion inhabitants, their cities, their devices.
The last couple of lines are:
"Best two out of three?"
"All Right. I am Blood. I go first."
...And I am Dust. I follow you."
The death of Cato the Elder is another of the changes one of them makes to history.
answered Jan 3 at 18:58
Mark OlsonMark Olson
13.2k24478
4
That is definitely it. I actually have The Last Defender of Camelot, it just didn't occur to me to consider Zelazny as the author!
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 21:26
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
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active
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This is Roger Zelazny's "The Game of Blood and Dust". It seems like a good match. There are two intelligences, Blood and Dust, and they take turns making changes to history. They are alien, I guess.
To my surprise, I found the text of the story online.
The story begins:
They drifted towards the Earth and took up stations at its Trojan points. They regarded the world, its two and a half billion inhabitants, their cities, their devices.
The last couple of lines are:
"Best two out of three?"
"All Right. I am Blood. I go first."
...And I am Dust. I follow you."
The death of Cato the Elder is another of the changes one of them makes to history.
answered Jan 3 at 18:58
Mark OlsonMark Olson
13.2k24478
4
That is definitely it. I actually have The Last Defender of Camelot, it just didn't occur to me to consider Zelazny as the author!
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 21:26
add a comment |
This is Roger Zelazny's "The Game of Blood and Dust". It seems like a good match. There are two intelligences, Blood and Dust, and they take turns making changes to history. They are alien, I guess.
To my surprise, I found the text of the story online.
The story begins:
They drifted towards the Earth and took up stations at its Trojan points. They regarded the world, its two and a half billion inhabitants, their cities, their devices.
The last couple of lines are:
"Best two out of three?"
"All Right. I am Blood. I go first."
...And I am Dust. I follow you."
The death of Cato the Elder is another of the changes one of them makes to history.
answered Jan 3 at 18:58
Mark OlsonMark Olson
13.2k24478
4
That is definitely it. I actually have The Last Defender of Camelot, it just didn't occur to me to consider Zelazny as the author!
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 21:26
add a comment |
This is Roger Zelazny's "The Game of Blood and Dust". It seems like a good match. There are two intelligences, Blood and Dust, and they take turns making changes to history. They are alien, I guess.
To my surprise, I found the text of the story online.
The story begins:
They drifted towards the Earth and took up stations at its Trojan points. They regarded the world, its two and a half billion inhabitants, their cities, their devices.
The last couple of lines are:
"Best two out of three?"
"All Right. I am Blood. I go first."
...And I am Dust. I follow you."
The death of Cato the Elder is another of the changes one of them makes to history.
answered Jan 3 at 18:58
Mark OlsonMark Olson
13.2k24478
This is Roger Zelazny's "The Game of Blood and Dust". It seems like a good match. There are two intelligences, Blood and Dust, and they take turns making changes to history. They are alien, I guess.
To my surprise, I found the text of the story online.
The story begins:
They drifted towards the Earth and took up stations at its Trojan points. They regarded the world, its two and a half billion inhabitants, their cities, their devices.
The last couple of lines are:
"Best two out of three?"
"All Right. I am Blood. I go first."
...And I am Dust. I follow you."
The death of Cato the Elder is another of the changes one of them makes to history.
answered Jan 3 at 18:58
Mark OlsonMark Olson
13.2k24478
edited Jan 3 at 21:05
answered Jan 3 at 18:58
Mark OlsonMark Olson
13.2k24478
answered Jan 3 at 18:58
Mark OlsonMark Olson
13.2k24478
answered Jan 3 at 18:58
Mark OlsonMark Olson
13.2k24478
13.2k24478
4
That is definitely it. I actually have The Last Defender of Camelot, it just didn't occur to me to consider Zelazny as the author!
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 21:26
add a comment |
4
That is definitely it. I actually have The Last Defender of Camelot, it just didn't occur to me to consider Zelazny as the author!
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 21:26
4
4
That is definitely it. I actually have The Last Defender of Camelot, it just didn't occur to me to consider Zelazny as the author!
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 21:26
That is definitely it. I actually have The Last Defender of Camelot, it just didn't occur to me to consider Zelazny as the author!
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 21:26
add a comment |
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Note: I was actually fairly confident about "blood" and "dust" but had absolutely no luck searching on those terms, so I started to doubt them.
– DavidW
Jan 3 at 18:52
The title alone made me think you were talking about Doctor Who.
– bruglesco
Jan 4 at 4:06