Autofac
Post-apocalyptic of robotic “autofacs” delivering supplies to human survivors until the population recovers. Having monopolized earth’s resources, the attempt to shut the machines down results in conflict.
Service Call
An appliance repairman shows up at the home Courtland one day with a work order that Courtland denies ever having asked for produce he’s never heard of. Turns out the repairman is from the future.
Captive Market
Elderly female time traveler exploits her ability by targeting it to those needing help repairing a rocket to get to Venus from a devastated earth.
The Mold of Yancy
Yancy is a virtual human whose has ascended to public figure icon through his omnipresence in advertising. His messages have the effect of taming the ideology of the populace to suit the purposes of what appears to be a benevolently despotic regime.
The Minority Report
The story of a future where crime is detected through precognitive humans so that criminals can be arrested before they commit felonies. Expanded, altered and adapted into a Steven Spielberg movie starring Tom Cruise.
Recall Mechanism
In another post-apocalyptic future, some have gained psychic powers in the aftermath of nuclear annihilation. An analyst named Humphreys discovers that his patient Paul Sharp—who has a phobia of falling from even low heights—may be a psychic and desperately tries to warn authorities that his life in danger as a result of a hypnotic episode featuring a person named Giller from his past. As the story end, another analyst in another office is trying to help a patient with a compulsion to push people off high places. That patient’s name is…Giller.
The Unreconstructed M
A plot to falsify evidence is discovered in a universe where crimes can be solved before they are committed.
Explorers We
Duplicates of astronauts sent on a mission return to earth, but are believed to be aliens in disguise. Authorities pursue with deadly intent rather any desire to learn what they really are.
War Games
Ironic tale in which alien invaders successfully trick foolish earthlings into being so scared of what they expect are weapons disguised as toys that they don’t realize an anti-Monopoly-like board game is going to be the secret weapon to world domination.
If There were No Benny Cemoli
Is Benny Cemoli the galactic war criminal he is thought to be?
Novelty Act
Dystopic nightmare: being forced into submission as a novelty act to entertain the wife of the President.
Waterspider
Dick incorporates many of his SF writing peers into this story of a future American looking back to 1950’s science fiction stories for assistance in perfecting interstellar travel.
What the Dead Men Say
In a future were reviving the dead is possible, things go wrong with attempts to resurrect power business magnate Louis Sarapis. But when his voice suddenly starts speaking from beyond the grave on radio and TV with messages about supporting a Presidential candidate, only his daughter seems to care much.
Orpheus with Clay Feet
The hottest trend in the travel industry is the chance to back in time become the muse for creative giants. One fan’s trip back to inspire one of the greatest science fiction writers ever goes horribly wrong and he winds up becoming the opposite of a muse.
The Days of Perky Pat
In a post-apocalyptic world—again—cave dwellers live off the wasted of Martin resources and lose themselves in a game featuring a doll that provides the story its title.
Stand-By
The title refers to the human who is the back-up to the computer runs the United States from Washington, DC. The job of stand-by is an easy gig as the computer is flawless. Until it gets knocked out by alien invaders and creates a power struggle among media figures.
What’ll We Do with Ragland Park?
A sequel to “Stand-By” which pits the human President against a rival media magnate.
Oh, to be a Blobe!
Spies temporarily transformed into single cell Blobes during the war with the aliens suffer from PTSD.
