The Time Travel Chronicles by Robert J. Sawyer, Stefan Bolz, Ann Christy, Samuel Peralta, Rysa Walker, Lucas Bale, Anthony Vicino, Ernie Lindsey, Carol Davis, Tracy Banghart, Michael Holden, Daniel Arthur Smith, Ernie Luis, Erik Wecks
Authors: Robert J. Sawyer, Stefan Bolz, Ann Christy, Samuel Peralta, Rysa Walker, Lucas Bale, Anthony Vicino, Ernie Lindsey, Carol Davis, Tracy Banghart, Michael Holden, Daniel Arthur Smith, Ernie Luis, Erik Wecks
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Gambit
by Rysa Walker
The Objectivist Club
Washington, EC
May 9, 2304
M ORGEN CAMPBELL LAUGHS at his own joke. It’s a deep belly laugh and, as with most things the man attempts, he throws his full and considerable weight behind it. Most of the idiots in the room join him. That’s due less to any of his comments being funny than to the fact that Campbell, the host of this gathering, is generous with his alcohol and mood-meds.
I should know to avoid the Club this time of year. When there are new faces at CHRONOS, new people that Campbell can impress with his vast collection of historical and philosophical bullshit, he inevitably trots out the whole existence-of-God shtick. I vary my answer occasionally, just to keep up appearances. But it’s generally some variant of no , and there are always a few younger historians who find it amusing that the religious expert isn’t devout. Not even Campbell knows my actual views, although he probably has a better idea than most of the halfwits I work with at CHRONOS.
“Why do you think that’s strange, Campbell? Whether I believe, whether anyone in this room believes—hell, whether God even exists—isn’t the point. Even if the answer to all of those questions is an unequivocal negative, that doesn’t alter the reality that religion is the most effective tool we have for changing history.” There’s a slight gasp from the newer recruits, so I look their way and add, “Theoretically speaking, of course. He’s seen it play out time and again in our simulations.”
“I’ve seen it fail more than once, as well.”
True. Campbell has seen it fail exactly twice in the three years we’ve been playing, out of more than two dozen simulations. I’m about to point that out, but he speaks first.
“We have believers in this room. In fact, I’d wager over half adhere to some sort of religion. I include myself in that number.”
“Does hedonism count as a religion?”
“Funny, Saul. But that actually validates my next point. You can’t leverage religious belief to effect change on a systemic level. Even if we all believed, we’d all believe in different ways. While religion may cause the occasional dispute between nations and even within governments, the various faiths tend to balance each other out. Fine, let’s look at it a different way. Do you believe in sin ? ”
That’s a new one. “Well…that depends on your definition. Sin lies in the eye of the beholder.”
“No dodging the question.”
“It’s not a dodge. Just a reasoned response to a complex question.” I nod toward the old, overweight Doberman asleep at Campbell’s feet. “Cyrus here probably thinks it’s a sin that our society allows him to be owned by a bipedal baboon, when his own intelligence and personal grooming are far superior.” There’s a chuckle from some of the neophytes, so I wave my hand in their general direction. “That young man over there in the corner who’s fresh out of Fundamentals? He thinks it’s a sin that the gorgeous creature he walked in with isn’t as in love with him as he is with her.”
The gorgeous creature in question, a pale blonde who’s just finished her field training, blushes. A tiny, probably involuntary, flicker of her eyes reveals I’m right about at least one of three guys, none older than eighteen, who accompanied her tonight.
I look back at Campbell. “You think it’s a sin—and I’d generally agree—that our government restricts parents to selecting only one genetic upgrade for their offspring. You have to invite us here to listen to secondhand accounts of historical events you’d love to view in person, but can’t, because your parents chose—what exactly did they choose, Campbell?”
His eyes narrow, and I consider leaving it there. Campbell
Gambit
by Rysa Walker
The Objectivist Club
Washington, EC
May 9, 2304
M ORGEN CAMPBELL LAUGHS at his own joke. It’s a deep belly laugh and, as with most things the man attempts, he throws his full and considerable weight behind it. Most of the idiots in the room join him. That’s due less to any of his comments being funny than to the fact that Campbell, the host of this gathering, is generous with his alcohol and mood-meds.
I should know to avoid the Club this time of year. When there are new faces at CHRONOS, new people that Campbell can impress with his vast collection of historical and philosophical bullshit, he inevitably trots out the whole existence-of-God shtick. I vary my answer occasionally, just to keep up appearances. But it’s generally some variant of no , and there are always a few younger historians who find it amusing that the religious expert isn’t devout. Not even Campbell knows my actual views, although he probably has a better idea than most of the halfwits I work with at CHRONOS.
“Why do you think that’s strange, Campbell? Whether I believe, whether anyone in this room believes—hell, whether God even exists—isn’t the point. Even if the answer to all of those questions is an unequivocal negative, that doesn’t alter the reality that religion is the most effective tool we have for changing history.” There’s a slight gasp from the newer recruits, so I look their way and add, “Theoretically speaking, of course. He’s seen it play out time and again in our simulations.”
“I’ve seen it fail more than once, as well.”
True. Campbell has seen it fail exactly twice in the three years we’ve been playing, out of more than two dozen simulations. I’m about to point that out, but he speaks first.
“We have believers in this room. In fact, I’d wager over half adhere to some sort of religion. I include myself in that number.”
“Does hedonism count as a religion?”
“Funny, Saul. But that actually validates my next point. You can’t leverage religious belief to effect change on a systemic level. Even if we all believed, we’d all believe in different ways. While religion may cause the occasional dispute between nations and even within governments, the various faiths tend to balance each other out. Fine, let’s look at it a different way. Do you believe in sin ? ”
That’s a new one. “Well…that depends on your definition. Sin lies in the eye of the beholder.”
“No dodging the question.”
“It’s not a dodge. Just a reasoned response to a complex question.” I nod toward the old, overweight Doberman asleep at Campbell’s feet. “Cyrus here probably thinks it’s a sin that our society allows him to be owned by a bipedal baboon, when his own intelligence and personal grooming are far superior.” There’s a chuckle from some of the neophytes, so I wave my hand in their general direction. “That young man over there in the corner who’s fresh out of Fundamentals? He thinks it’s a sin that the gorgeous creature he walked in with isn’t as in love with him as he is with her.”
The gorgeous creature in question, a pale blonde who’s just finished her field training, blushes. A tiny, probably involuntary, flicker of her eyes reveals I’m right about at least one of three guys, none older than eighteen, who accompanied her tonight.
I look back at Campbell. “You think it’s a sin—and I’d generally agree—that our government restricts parents to selecting only one genetic upgrade for their offspring. You have to invite us here to listen to secondhand accounts of historical events you’d love to view in person, but can’t, because your parents chose—what exactly did they choose, Campbell?”
His eyes narrow, and I consider leaving it there. Campbell
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