Short Fiction · Chapter
Asteroid of the Damned explained
MacCauley, a T.P.L.
What happens
MacCauley, a T.P.L. agent, finds himself stranded and penniless on the asteroid Pallas after being robbed. He attempts to report the crime to the local Kiddie police but is thwarted by a corrupt Venusian interpreter who demands a filing fee. Even revealing his T.P.L. affiliation fails to gain him any leverage, highlighting the lawless and alien nature of the asteroid.
Themes in this chapter
Alienation and Identity
MacCauley is an outsider on Pallas, unable to assert his authority as a T.P.L. agent, highlighting his alienation from the local power structures.
Crime and Punishment
The chapter explores the corrupt legal system on Pallas, where victims must pay to file complaints and justice is for sale.
Survival and Adaptation
MacCauley must adapt to the lawless environment of Pallas, relying on his wits to recover his stolen money and belongings.
Characters to notice
- MacCauley
A T.P.L. agent who is robbed and stranded on Pallas, struggling to navigate the corrupt local system.
- the Kiddie
A native Palladian who begs for metal and is later suspected of robbing MacCauley.
- the captain
The bartender who explains the Kiddies' obsession with metal and their biology.
Key passages
“Sorry, son, I said no and I meant it. I haven't got anything to give you. Now please stop waggling at me and go.”
MacCauley firmly refuses to give the Kiddie any metal, telling him to leave.
MacCauley's first interaction with a Kiddie, establishing the conflict over metal.
“It's metal they want. If it happens to be precious, that's all right, but any kind of metal will do. What they're really crazy about, of course, is silver and copper. They'll do just about anything for it, including murder and treason.”
The bartender explains that the Kiddies are obsessed with metal, especially silver and copper, and will commit crimes to obtain it.
Provides insight into the Kiddies' motivations and the dangers on Pallas.
“Forty Earth-dollars, please. Filing fee.”
The interpreter demands a fee of forty Earth-dollars to file MacCauley's complaint.
Illustrates the corrupt legal system on Pallas.