TY  - BOOK
AU  - Aycock,Roger D.
AU  - Francis,Dick
TI  - Problem on Balak
T2  - Produced from the September 1953 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction
AV  - PS 
PY  - 2010///
CY  - Salt Lake City, UT
PB  - Project Gutenberg
KW  - Science fiction
KW  - Short stories
KW  - Human-alien encounters -- Fiction
KW  - Identity -- Fiction
N1  - Release date is 2010-10-04; Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net; Original publication data not identified
N2  - "Problem on Balak" by Roger D. Aycock is a science fiction story published in the early 1950s. The narrative focuses on a small crew of space explorers who encounter an unusual alien society on a remote planet called Balak, known for its remarkable race of eight-armed native surgeons. The crux of the story revolves around an intriguing dilemma the explorers must solve involving two identical Terrans, leading to themes of identity and self-understanding.  The plot follows the crew members as they land on Balak and swiftly encounter its inhabitants, who present them with a test: they must determine which of two identical Terran men is the original and which is a synthetic duplicate, created by the Balakians. This test leads to a series of humorous and intense moments as the crew grapples with the challenge under a time constraint. Ultimately, their journey becomes not just about solving an external problem but also reflects their deeper understanding of their own species, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and the complexities of identity in both human and alien forms. The resolution of their dilemma hinges on a clever twist, showcasing Aycock's blend of humor and insight within the sci-fi genre. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
UR  - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/33839
ER  -