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Control Game

A DarkSF Short Story by John Argo

The gods love their fun, including water sports with the earthies, group sex with maidens, and demonstrations of cosmic technology that must seem like magic to locals like the ancient Greeks and Romans. It's a comical theater of unending acts that follow one another over centuries--same pantheon, different names depending on the local yokels below, so don't mind if we get things a bit mixed up in this farce.

From Aphrodite to Zeus, A to Z, these ancient astronauts range up and down time as well. Consider, for example, the opening scene (just before all this comes to a screeching halt) when Mars and Diana are on a date together, down on the green hills of Merry Old England, looking for mischief and no small amount of mortal danger in their risky sports.

All this romping and stomping is badly in violation of the voluminous code of corporate and bureaucratic regulations of the galactic empire. Something must be done. As with any bureaucracy, it takes a long time for complaints to flow through channels--like about a laser sword forgotten on an ancient beach, or an antigrav moped illegally parked in a loading zone, and (eek!) sex between sons of light and daughters of men. Yowie. Something must be done, and quick.

One day, Galaxy Central has heard enough, and sends the mother of all Inspectors General to stand the flying sorcerers on their ears, and run things by the book…

Mars, Thor, and the rest of the boys in that big orbiting mead hall aren't about to take this lightly. They have the backing of all the chicks from Ishtar to Lilith. Only (whoops) nothing ever quite turns out the way you'd expect when you lose the corporate playbook and create your own Control Game.

This is a Strange Door you won't want to miss. Pay close attention to the comical little assistant who comes running along with the I.G., dropping luggage as he hops about after his master....