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C-Chute



C-Chute is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the October 1951 issue of Galaxy Magazine, and later appeared in Asimov's collections Nightfall and Other Stories (1969) and The Best of Isaac Asimov (1973).

Plot introduction

One of the few Asimov stories that feature aliens, the story deals with a group of people imprisoned by an alien race when their spaceship is captured. The emphasis of the story is on the interactions and group psychology of the prisoners, all of whom have differing backgrounds and motivations.

Plot summary

During Earth's first interstellar war, a civilian transport travelling to Earth is captured by a ship piloted by the Kloros, a chlorine-breathing race of intelligent beings. They place two of their own on board the ship and, with its passengers now prisoners of war, head off to an unknown destination. The passengers fall into argument and dispute, some coming to blows, with contradicting feelings on what should be done; opinions range from a violent counteroffensive to a passive acceptance of their situation. Only Mullen, a shy, mild-mannered, and short bookkeeper, is willing to make an attempt to take back control of the ship, which he does by exiting via the C-Chute (normally used for launching corpses for burial in space) and entering the control room via the navigational steam-tubes. He is successful and kills the two Kloro by spraying them with oxygen.

As an unlikely hero, Mullen admits that he was not motivated by bravery, anger, or fear, but by homesickness for Earth.

An argument between Asimov and the editor Horace L Gold over this story was the inspiration for Asimov's story The Monkey's Finger.

Film, TV and theatrical adaptations

C-Chute was adapted for radio in the anthology series X Minus One, and was first broadcast on February 8, 1956.