They Also Serve

"They Also Serve" by Donald E. Westlake is a science fiction short story published in the early 1960s. The narrative revolves around an alien perspective on humanity, exploring themes of conflict and the potential for self-destruction among humans, depicted through the lens of extraterrestrial observers. The story delves into the challenges faced by a space base situated on a moon, highlighting the anxiety of its inhabitants as they monitor Earth's primitive yet chaotic civilization. The plot follows Captain Ebor, who arrives at a lunar base operated by Commander Darquelnoy, only to discover that the inhabitants of Earth have developed the capability to build a spaceship. The two characters engage in dialogue about the implications of human advancements, particularly concerning the dangerous tendencies of humanity to unite against external threats while simultaneously being prone to internal conflict. As they wait for potential disaster to unfold on Earth, the narrative encapsulates a sense of unease regarding what may happen if humans were to realize they are being watched, ultimately reflecting on the themes of war, survival, and the complex nature of intelligence in the universe. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Donald Edwin Westlake was an American writer with more than one hundred novels and non-fiction books to his credit. He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into science fiction and other genres. Westlake created two professional criminal characters who each starred in a long-running series: the relentless, hardboiled Parker, and John Dortmunder, who featured in a more humorous series.