Even in the Morning Rush

in

Linsey seated herself. Even in the morning rush, her table was vacant, and a steaming cup of coffee appeared as she sat down. Her breakfast would follow in a few minutes: eggs scrambled with cheddar, a bowl of fruit, and a single pancake, every day without exception.

Linus sat down across from her. "Doctor Verdun," he said. "Have you ever thought about parallel universes?"

"You're sitting at my table," she said.

"I know. But what if that one were your table?"

Linsey clenched her teeth. "This is my table, and you should be working."

He continued as though she hadn't interrupted. "What if you took tea instead of coffee?" She glanced down at her coffee, now a smooth au lait color. "How would it feel if you woke up in that universe instead of the one you remembered?

"Or what if," Linus continued, "I had gotten that grant fifteen years ago? What if you worked for me instead of you working me to the bone?"

Linsey sighed. "Is there a point to all this?"

"Maybe not. Enjoy your breakfast." He walked away as the server returned with her food: eggs scrambled with cheddar, a bowl of fruit, and a waffle.

Beyond Sustainability

in

The people elect the president. The president appoints the admiral. The admiral tasks the battle group. The commodore commands the engineer, who activates the hyperdrive, made possible by the scientist's breakthrough. The ships orbit the exoplanet.

The society grows beyond sustainability. The colonists select the exoplanet, discovered by the astronomer, and depart on a ship funded by the billionaire. The child discovers the natives. The parent expresses fear to the mayor. The mayor prioritizes the colony. The relationship strains.

The tension threatens violence. In orbit above the exoplanet, in a metal shell lit only by the local star, the planet's albedo, and electricity, the captain overreacts and orders the weapons officer to fire on the natives' position. The weapons officer relays the command to the gunnery officer, who directs it to a gunner's mate, whose team targets and fires the missile. The missile, designed by a dozen people and refined by hundreds more, flies to the exoplanet and activates its artificial intelligence. The artificial intelligence, designed by the programmer and taught by thousands of hours of input from the people, selects its target among the many on the ground and primes the explosive. The explosive detonates.

Who is the murderer?