The Man from Downstream
by Shane Tourtellotte
Americus, a despondent time traveler, comes to the 1st century Roman Empire (726 AUC) to
introduce clocks, steam engines and other marvels.
The original publication of this story is followed by a Shane Tourtellotte article, “Tips for the Budget Time-Traveler,” about the economics of trading through time.
He argued to the scribes that they were naturals for typesetting jobs: literate,
intelligent, good at fine work and at avoiding mistakes.
“Most of us </i>thought<i> we knew. There were many congenial
mealtime arguments about which overarching theory of time travel was the true one. I
had my ideas, but they dismissed them. I wasn’t one of them; I didn’t
understand.” He ounded a fist into his thigh, a startling burst of violence.
“But their theories were such violations of common sense!”
English
“The Man from Downstream” by Shane Tourtellotte, in
Analog, December 2010.