Last Enemy

Last Enemy Summary

Last Enemy by H. Beam Piper is a science fiction short story that delves into a society where reincarnation is a scientific fact, leading to political and philosophical upheavals. The narrative follows Verkan Vall of the Paratime Police as he navigates this complex world to rescue a fellow agent.

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Last Enemy Excerpt

Short Summary: In a world where reincarnation is scientifically validated, Verkan Vall of the Paratime Police embarks on a mission to rescue a missing agent, confronting political intrigue and challenging the societal norms surrounding life and death.

"The room was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of exotic incense. At the center, Garnon of Roxor reclined on a couch, his demeanor serene as he prepared for his voluntary discarnation—a ritualistic suicide intended to aid in a groundbreaking experiment. Dallona of Hadron, a renowned psychic researcher, observed intently, her apparatus ready to capture the anticipated communication from the beyond.

As Garnon's life ebbed away, a young sensitive nearby, deep in a hypnotic trance, began to speak in a voice not his own. 'I am Garnon,' the boy intoned, providing irrefutable evidence that consciousness persisted beyond physical death. This demonstration threatened to upend the societal balance, fueling the fiery debate between the Statisticalists, who viewed reincarnation as random, and the Volitionalists, who believed in conscious choice in rebirth.

Unbeknownst to the inhabitants of this world, Dallona was actually Hadron Dalla, an agent from the Paratime First Level. Her disappearance prompted Chief Tortha Karf to dispatch his special assistant, Verkan Vall, to retrieve her before she could be silenced by those who saw her discoveries as a threat.

Disguised as Lord Virzal of Verkan, Vall navigated the intricate social and political landscape, aligning himself with local allies, including members of the Society of Assassins. His journey led him to the Independent Institute of Reincarnation Research, where he delved deeper into Dalla's findings and the profound implications they held for the world's power structures.

As tensions escalated, Vall's path was fraught with danger, dueling influential figures and evading assassination attempts. The societal fabric was unraveling, with Dalla's research challenging deeply held beliefs and threatening the status quo. In a climactic confrontation, Vall and Dalla faced their adversaries, the air thick with the acrid smell of discharged weapons and the palpable tension of clashing ideologies.

In the aftermath, as they prepared to return to their own dimension, Dalla reflected on the monumental shift her work had initiated. 'By proving that death is just a cyclic condition of continued individual existence, these people have conquered their last enemy.' Vall nodded, adding, 'Last enemy but one. They still have one enemy to go, an enemy within themselves... call it semantic confusion, or illogic, or incomprehension, or just plain stupidity.'

Their mission complete, they left behind a world forever changed, its people now grappling with the profound realization that death was not an end, but merely a transition—a concept that would reshape their civilization in ways yet to be understood."