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Illustration by Kevin James Hurtack © 2007

Dream Job?

by John Gilbert © 2007

I always dreamed of being a science fiction writer.

When First Contact happened, it wasn't a dramatic meeting in the flesh. Instead, we finally built radio equipment powerful and sensitive enough to pick up interstellar chatter. Science fiction died that day.

There are a thousand known sentient races in our galaxy, all in radio contact with one another. None have FTL travel, or even close to light speed travel. None have explored other stars, except with robot probes. Distances are too far and traveling time is too long to make it worthwhile. Robot probes show other stars aren't better. Why build a colony at a far away star when you can build your colony around the star you grew up with? All the classic science fiction themes, galactic empires, FTL travel, interstellar trade routes, overnight became unbelievable.

Most civilizations in the 'radio league' have no interest in us - we have no technology they lack. A couple of civilizations have shown some small interest in our story telling. They are willing to trade technology for writing.

This technology would take us generations to develop. We can save untold trillions by acquiring it. All writers, of whatever talent, became 'drafted' to produce writing for the aliens.

Finally I am a full time writer! It wouldn't be bad, if I could pick the genre. But the aliens are the customers, and they only like pulp romance. As long as I produce 200 pages each week, I avoid military prison.