Author Publication type Magazine | Language English Publication date February 1999 | |
Genre(s) Science fiction short story Published in Asimov's Science Fiction | ||
"Ancient Engines" is a science fiction short story published in 1999 by Michael Swanwick. It was nominated for the 2000 Hugo Award for Best Short Story as well as the 1999 Nebula Award for Best Short Story.
Plot summary
The story begins when a drunken human insults a mech in a bar. The resulting fight nearly kills the human, who is saved only by the mech's kindness. As the mech starts to leave he is invited to sit and talk with an old man and his granddaughter. They have a discussion about what it would really take to build a machine that would last forever.
References
Ancient Engines Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA