No Moving Parts

"No Moving Parts" by Murray F. Yaco is a science fiction story written in the mid-20th century. The narrative revolves around the themes of technology and the complexities that arise from its "perfect" design, particularly as experienced by the characters involved in a peculiar predicament aboard a malfunctioning spaceship. The story showcases the challenges associated with a technology that has become so advanced that even the simplest moving parts have become a mystery. The plot centers on Hansen, an attendant at a remote communications relay station who finds himself managing an emergency involving the spaceship Euclid Queen. The ship, carrying a vital passenger, His Exalted Excellency R'thagna Bar, is unable to open its door due to a malfunction in a complex mechanism. Throughout the story, Hansen interacts with various characters, including Captain Fromer, the ship's navigator, and engineers Bullard and Quemos, who struggle to fix the door. Enter Candle, a resourceful "Gypsy" trouble-shooter, who ultimately devises a method to solve the situation using a battering ram of ice, exposing the flaws and absurdities in the over-engineered systems of their time. The story humorously critiques the reliance on complex technology and the unpredictability of seemingly perfect machines. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Information on this author is scarce, but their work continues to inspire readers.