Problem on Balak

Problem on Balak

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Problem on Balak by Roger Dee

Published:

1953

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Problem on Balak

By

3
(3 Reviews)
Sometimes you can solve your problem by running out on it!

Book Excerpt

e lived with that carbon copy of myself, he's learned everything I know."

"He's right," Gibbons put in. He blinked a couple of times and turned pink. "Unless the real Haslop happened to be married, that is. I'm a bachelor myself, but I'd say there are some memories that a married man wouldn't discuss, even when marooned."

Captain Corelli stared at him admiringly. "I never gave you enough credit, Gibbons," he said. "You're right! How about--"

"Don't help any," one of the Haslops said morosely. "I never was married. And now I never will be if I've got to depend on you jerks to get me out of this mess."

The sun went down just then and a soft, drowsy darkness fell. I thought at first that we'd have to finish our investigation in the dark, but the natives had made provisions for that. A swarm of fireflies as big as robins sailed in from somewhere and circled around over the court, lighting it as bright as day. The Balakian houses made a dim row of flattened shadow-mounds at the outskirt

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A rather interesting story premise that kind of wanders into nothing at the end.

Earthmen must determine who is the imposter among them, and it turns out there's not much interesting that goes on to do so.
The exploratory ship from Earth lands on Balak to find they already know English (from an earlier shipwreck) and have created a puzzle for them to solve before they'll be allowed to leave, if ever.

An okay story.
(1953) Sci-fi (Alien World/Acceptance) / Humor


From 'Galaxy Science Fiction' September 1953.


R: ****


Plot bullets

On a planet twenty million miles from Earth, an alien greets a spaceship crew in their language.
The aliens have made one of their own, to resemble an Earth man in every respect.
The problem is to find out which is real.
This test, may mean, survival.