The Variable Man

Synopsis

The Variable Man is a science fiction short story written by Philip Kindred Dick, an American novelist remembered for his science fiction stories such as The Man in the High Castle, Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and A Scanner Darkly.

A war is about to break between Centaurian Empire and Terra which is blocked into Centaurian system. Both doing advance researches to destroy the opponent with latest technologies. As they continue to predict the result, actual fight is yet to start. Terra is succeeding in creating a deadly weapon named Icarus, which can travel faster than light and destroy the entire Centaurian Empire. While they are about fire, it is not working.

In an accidental research they could bring a man from the past the variable man Thomas Cole. Terra believes he can support them in fixing Icarus, as he is a man of past and has certain genius in him. Finally the variable man fixes Icarus and it was fired. In contrast to the expectations, it exploded and caused severe damages to Terra, though the unpredictable also happened. It travelled faster than light, thus travel beyond the Centaurian Empire's perimeter and Terra is now no more part of the tine system of Centaurian, thus no need of war.

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