“On the heels” (in other translations “On its own tracks”, “On a vicious circle”) - a science fiction story by Robert Heinlein , dedicated to the paradoxes of time travel . The story, written in 1941 , became a classic of science fiction and was one of the first works in which the problem of “ temporary loops ” was considered, and made a great contribution to the development of the idea of a time machine [1] .
| On the heels | |
|---|---|
| By his bootstraps | |
| Genre | story |
| Author | Robert Heinlein |
| Original language | English |
| Date of writing | 1941 year |
| Date of first publication | Astounding Science Fiction , 1941 |
Content
History
The story was published in 1941 in the October issue of Astounding Science Fiction under the pseudonym Anson MacDonald. Subsequently, he was included in many collections. In 1958, in the anthology “ Race to the Stars, ” the story was published under the new name “The Gate of Time” ( Eng. The Time Gate ).
Story
The action begins in 1952 . Young student Bob Wilson hastily composes a thesis, which he must pass the next day. Suddenly, a stranger appears in the room, as well as an incomprehensible object in the form of a large disk. A man who pretends to be Joe tells Bob that the drive is a gate for time travel, and that Bob needs to go through them. Since Bob manages to drink alcohol during the conversation, he does not believe Joe. Suddenly, another stranger appears from the disk, who, on the contrary, tries to stop Joe and convinces Bob not to go into the Gate of Time. A fight ensues, as a result, Bob falls into the Gate and finds himself in the future. He meets a bearded man named Announcer in an unusual building, where there is nothing but a device for moving in time.
The announcer explains to Bob that he entered the world 30 thousand years after the twentieth century, and that he can occupy an important position in this world, but he needs to fulfill the announcer’s request to move to the past and send one person from there to the future. Bob is moved the same day that he was, and he sees himself at the table. The same scene repeats itself, only Bob now acts as the very Joe who persuades Bob to enter the Gate. After that, Bob (Joe) himself also enters the gate and again meets the Announcer. The announcer gives him a list of things and asks to bring them, once again moving to the past. However, Bob does not want to follow the Announcer’s lead and again goes on the same day in 1952, this time to dissuade the “first” Bob from traveling. This time, he acts as the second stranger confronting Joe.
After the scene in which the “first” Bob, followed by Bob-Joe pass through the Gate of Time, Bob also returns to the future. This time he decides to act independently of the Announcer. He moves to the earlier past, buys all things on the Announcer’s list (including books and records with a player), returns to the future, and then goes ten years ago in relation to the day when he spoke with the Announcer. So he wants to find out who the Announcer is and how the world works in the future. (Earlier, the Announcer explained to him that the Higher rulers had ruled the world for thousands of years, which left the Gate of Time to people) In addition to the strange castle in which the Gate of Time is located and there is no one, Bob discovers a tribe of obedient people who are ready to obey him. He becomes their leader and with the help of previously purchased books and records introduces to civilization.
Ten years pass. Announcer Bob never meets. Once in the room with the Gates of Time a young man appears (the "first" Bob), not understanding where he is. Aging Bob, realizing that he is the Announcer, and that the temporary loop is closed, again sends the "first" Bob to the past with the same task ...
Russian translations
- V. Zhurakhovsky ("On the heels")
- V. Goldich (“In his own tracks”)
- V. Goldich, I. Oganesova (“In his own tracks”)
- V. P. Kovalevsky, N. P. Shtutser ("In a vicious circle")
In some Russian-language publications and network libraries, the story is not completely given, ending with the main character returning to the future after two of his early “doubles” [2] .
Notes
- ↑ Konstantin Mzareulov. Fantasy. General course . Date of treatment October 16, 2012. Archived October 27, 2012.
- ↑ Robert Heinlein, “Without a doubt” . Laboratory fiction . Date of appeal October 16, 2012.
Links
- "On the heels" (incomplete version) in the library of Maxim Moshkov
- "On the heels" on the site " Fantasy Laboratory "
- List of publications on the heels of ISFDB (in English)