02360cam a22003373u 4500 30474 UtSlPG 20260610133708.0 m cr n 260607r2009||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Westlake, Donald E., 1933-2008 They Also Serve Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2009 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Analog Science Fact & Fiction September 1961. Release date is 2009-11-14 Produced by Greg Weeks, Barbara Tozier and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net "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.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Produced from Analog Science Fact & Fiction September 1961. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30474 71320 71320