Effect and Cause

by Ken Liu

Release: May 2013
Format: Flash Fiction
Genres: Science Fiction, War
Audience: Adults
Content: Definite Time Travel
Original Language: English

A pilot on a one-man ship in a space battle repeatedly lives backward through fifteen seconds and then forward again with the chance to do things differently each time.

— Michael Main

Ignoring this, I sit down at the table to pick up a cup and spit calding hot coffee into it. Then I proceed to vomit food onto my plate so I can sculpt it with a knife and fork into peas, carrots, and omelette.

DEBUT

“Effect and Cause,” in Galaxy’s Edge #2, May 2013 [print · e-zine · webzine].

VARIANTS

2 English variants

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Time Periods

Unspecified Future Year

Timeline Models

Do Over: not your usual do-over story

Time Travel Methods

Alien Time Travel Technology

Themes

Repeat until You Get It Right

Groupings

Galaxy’s Edge (periodical): May 2013
StarShipSofa (periodical): #321 21 January 2014

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY (SPOILERS!)

From a ship in space at an unknown time ⋙ to about fifteen seconds earlier. Multiple trips. Note: the pilot (and computer?) live the fifteen seconds in reverse during each transit.