There was a story about microchipping your pets in the paper today, and Mom suggested that that was one more reason why we could never move: our pooch has one embedded in her skin with our street address on it. That set me to thinking about a science fiction mystery/farce set a few thousand years in the future.
Scene 1: Archaeologist and intern digging through a midden. The two are part of an expedition which has returned to Earth, the nearly-mythical Home Planet, left long ago by mankind due to impending catastrophe.
Intern, rooting among bones: "What do you suppose this is?"
Arch.: "Looks like a silicon chip. Bag it up and we'll take it back to the lab to read it."
Scene 2: At the lab back on the spaceship, talking to white-coated scientist.
Arch.: "What's it say, Doc?"
Scientist: "It's in an old language with an odd sequence of letters and numbers."
Arch.: "What could it mean?"
And they're off to figure out what on earth "TIGGER, XXXXX XXXXX St, XXXX, Hi XXXXX PHONE XXX-XXXX" might mean. This leads them into places fraught with danger, surrounded by dubious characters, with no one to rely on but themselves.
Paging Donald Westlake. I've got a story idea for you.
Posted by Linkmeister at August 7, 2006 10:23 AM | TrackBackPersonaly, I think Vonnegut would really tear that one up. . .Or me, if you don't object.
Posted by: DuWayne at August 9, 2006 06:06 PM