1960s short story making fun of James Bond-style spy fiction Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30pm US/Eastern) Favorite questions and answers from first quarter of 2019 Latest Blog Post: Avengers: Endgame PredictionsLooking for Russian science-fiction short storyHelp identifying a short story about a post-nuclear trader/spyScience Fiction Short story collection1960s-70s short story: Shapechanging alien invasion scouts on EarthLooking for a short story: robot making other robotsDo you know the name of a post-earth diaspora science fiction short story written 1960s or 70s?1960s Moon short storyScience Fiction Short Story 1970s Love StoryScience Fiction Short Story about ESPScience fiction short story of mirror universes
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1960s short story making fun of James Bond-style spy fiction
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30pm US/Eastern)
Favorite questions and answers from first quarter of 2019
Latest Blog Post: Avengers: Endgame PredictionsLooking for Russian science-fiction short storyHelp identifying a short story about a post-nuclear trader/spyScience Fiction Short story collection1960s-70s short story: Shapechanging alien invasion scouts on EarthLooking for a short story: robot making other robotsDo you know the name of a post-earth diaspora science fiction short story written 1960s or 70s?1960s Moon short storyScience Fiction Short Story 1970s Love StoryScience Fiction Short Story about ESPScience fiction short story of mirror universes
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As my title suggests, I read this story in a magazine - "Galaxy" or "Worlds of If" in the mid 1960s. The science fiction content was pretty minimal. The tone was Robert Sheckley-esque, but I don't think it was actually by Sheckley. The main character of the story is the number two agent in an organization like Bond's MI6 or U.N.C.L.E. As the number two agent, his job is to clean up the messes made by the number one agent. We learn that the opposition is organized very similarly, and that the protagonist is friends with the number two agent from the other side - they're always working together to deal with the ridiculously destructive (but invariably ineffectual) gun-fights the number ones engage in.
The punchline of the story is that for some reason the James Bond analog accidentally takes himself out of the game, and the protagonist is suddenly the number one. To his delight he learns that his friend on the other side has had an identical stroke of luck. They start blazing away with happy abandon, knowing that they no longer have to clean up after the spectacular (and still ineffectual) battles.
story-identification short-stories
asked Apr 13 at 0:15
user888379user888379
21618
|
show 1 more comment
As my title suggests, I read this story in a magazine - "Galaxy" or "Worlds of If" in the mid 1960s. The science fiction content was pretty minimal. The tone was Robert Sheckley-esque, but I don't think it was actually by Sheckley. The main character of the story is the number two agent in an organization like Bond's MI6 or U.N.C.L.E. As the number two agent, his job is to clean up the messes made by the number one agent. We learn that the opposition is organized very similarly, and that the protagonist is friends with the number two agent from the other side - they're always working together to deal with the ridiculously destructive (but invariably ineffectual) gun-fights the number ones engage in.
The punchline of the story is that for some reason the James Bond analog accidentally takes himself out of the game, and the protagonist is suddenly the number one. To his delight he learns that his friend on the other side has had an identical stroke of luck. They start blazing away with happy abandon, knowing that they no longer have to clean up after the spectacular (and still ineffectual) battles.
story-identification short-stories
asked Apr 13 at 0:15
user888379user888379
21618
3
I once asked for help in looking for something similar -- a short story with a different plot, but also parodying the James Bond archetype. So I can tell you for a fact that what you are looking for is not "Pulpworld" by R.K. Lyon (it turned out to be the one I was looking for), nor is it "The Disguised Agent" by Robert Sheckley (which I found online at the time I was asking). I just mention them so as to eliminate a couple of red herrings which someone else might otherwise suggest as the answer to your question.
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:07
What is the scifi content here?
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 5:29
@Adamant To start with it was published in Galaxy, a science fiction magazine.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 6:17
Objections withdrawn, this has clear science fictional elements. Though I had to read it to be sure.
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 6:50
@Adamant I believe it's an established rule that, since Star Trek (for example) is primarily sci-fi, any and all questions about Star Trek, even questions about purely mundane aspects, is on topic. By the same token, since Galaxy was a science fiction magazine, questions about anything that appeared in Galaxy, including editorials, science articles, and the occasional non-genre story, should be on topic.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 21:14
|
show 1 more comment
As my title suggests, I read this story in a magazine - "Galaxy" or "Worlds of If" in the mid 1960s. The science fiction content was pretty minimal. The tone was Robert Sheckley-esque, but I don't think it was actually by Sheckley. The main character of the story is the number two agent in an organization like Bond's MI6 or U.N.C.L.E. As the number two agent, his job is to clean up the messes made by the number one agent. We learn that the opposition is organized very similarly, and that the protagonist is friends with the number two agent from the other side - they're always working together to deal with the ridiculously destructive (but invariably ineffectual) gun-fights the number ones engage in.
The punchline of the story is that for some reason the James Bond analog accidentally takes himself out of the game, and the protagonist is suddenly the number one. To his delight he learns that his friend on the other side has had an identical stroke of luck. They start blazing away with happy abandon, knowing that they no longer have to clean up after the spectacular (and still ineffectual) battles.
story-identification short-stories
asked Apr 13 at 0:15
user888379user888379
21618
As my title suggests, I read this story in a magazine - "Galaxy" or "Worlds of If" in the mid 1960s. The science fiction content was pretty minimal. The tone was Robert Sheckley-esque, but I don't think it was actually by Sheckley. The main character of the story is the number two agent in an organization like Bond's MI6 or U.N.C.L.E. As the number two agent, his job is to clean up the messes made by the number one agent. We learn that the opposition is organized very similarly, and that the protagonist is friends with the number two agent from the other side - they're always working together to deal with the ridiculously destructive (but invariably ineffectual) gun-fights the number ones engage in.
The punchline of the story is that for some reason the James Bond analog accidentally takes himself out of the game, and the protagonist is suddenly the number one. To his delight he learns that his friend on the other side has had an identical stroke of luck. They start blazing away with happy abandon, knowing that they no longer have to clean up after the spectacular (and still ineffectual) battles.
story-identification short-stories
story-identification short-stories
asked Apr 13 at 0:15
user888379user888379
21618
asked Apr 13 at 0:15
user888379user888379
21618
edited Apr 13 at 0:44
user888379
asked Apr 13 at 0:15
user888379user888379
21618
asked Apr 13 at 0:15
user888379user888379
21618
asked Apr 13 at 0:15
user888379user888379
21618
21618
3
I once asked for help in looking for something similar -- a short story with a different plot, but also parodying the James Bond archetype. So I can tell you for a fact that what you are looking for is not "Pulpworld" by R.K. Lyon (it turned out to be the one I was looking for), nor is it "The Disguised Agent" by Robert Sheckley (which I found online at the time I was asking). I just mention them so as to eliminate a couple of red herrings which someone else might otherwise suggest as the answer to your question.
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:07
What is the scifi content here?
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 5:29
@Adamant To start with it was published in Galaxy, a science fiction magazine.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 6:17
Objections withdrawn, this has clear science fictional elements. Though I had to read it to be sure.
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 6:50
@Adamant I believe it's an established rule that, since Star Trek (for example) is primarily sci-fi, any and all questions about Star Trek, even questions about purely mundane aspects, is on topic. By the same token, since Galaxy was a science fiction magazine, questions about anything that appeared in Galaxy, including editorials, science articles, and the occasional non-genre story, should be on topic.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 21:14
|
show 1 more comment
3
I once asked for help in looking for something similar -- a short story with a different plot, but also parodying the James Bond archetype. So I can tell you for a fact that what you are looking for is not "Pulpworld" by R.K. Lyon (it turned out to be the one I was looking for), nor is it "The Disguised Agent" by Robert Sheckley (which I found online at the time I was asking). I just mention them so as to eliminate a couple of red herrings which someone else might otherwise suggest as the answer to your question.
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:07
What is the scifi content here?
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 5:29
@Adamant To start with it was published in Galaxy, a science fiction magazine.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 6:17
Objections withdrawn, this has clear science fictional elements. Though I had to read it to be sure.
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 6:50
@Adamant I believe it's an established rule that, since Star Trek (for example) is primarily sci-fi, any and all questions about Star Trek, even questions about purely mundane aspects, is on topic. By the same token, since Galaxy was a science fiction magazine, questions about anything that appeared in Galaxy, including editorials, science articles, and the occasional non-genre story, should be on topic.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 21:14
3
3
I once asked for help in looking for something similar -- a short story with a different plot, but also parodying the James Bond archetype. So I can tell you for a fact that what you are looking for is not "Pulpworld" by R.K. Lyon (it turned out to be the one I was looking for), nor is it "The Disguised Agent" by Robert Sheckley (which I found online at the time I was asking). I just mention them so as to eliminate a couple of red herrings which someone else might otherwise suggest as the answer to your question.
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:07
I once asked for help in looking for something similar -- a short story with a different plot, but also parodying the James Bond archetype. So I can tell you for a fact that what you are looking for is not "Pulpworld" by R.K. Lyon (it turned out to be the one I was looking for), nor is it "The Disguised Agent" by Robert Sheckley (which I found online at the time I was asking). I just mention them so as to eliminate a couple of red herrings which someone else might otherwise suggest as the answer to your question.
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:07
What is the scifi content here?
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 5:29
What is the scifi content here?
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 5:29
@Adamant To start with it was published in Galaxy, a science fiction magazine.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 6:17
@Adamant To start with it was published in Galaxy, a science fiction magazine.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 6:17
Objections withdrawn, this has clear science fictional elements. Though I had to read it to be sure.
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 6:50
Objections withdrawn, this has clear science fictional elements. Though I had to read it to be sure.
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 6:50
@Adamant I believe it's an established rule that, since Star Trek (for example) is primarily sci-fi, any and all questions about Star Trek, even questions about purely mundane aspects, is on topic. By the same token, since Galaxy was a science fiction magazine, questions about anything that appeared in Galaxy, including editorials, science articles, and the occasional non-genre story, should be on topic.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 21:14
@Adamant I believe it's an established rule that, since Star Trek (for example) is primarily sci-fi, any and all questions about Star Trek, even questions about purely mundane aspects, is on topic. By the same token, since Galaxy was a science fiction magazine, questions about anything that appeared in Galaxy, including editorials, science articles, and the occasional non-genre story, should be on topic.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 21:14
|
show 1 more comment
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
"Seconds' Chance", a short story by Robin Scott Wilson; published (as by Robin Scott) in Galaxy Magazine, July 1968, available at the Internet Archive; apparently never reprinted.
On 16 June, Murphy's terminal report came into the Outfit's Washington headquarters from Tangier, where he was resting up in enviable luxury in one of those slick, new hallucinogenic resorts after his latest spectacular confrontation with what the Western press invariably referred to as "The Forces of International Communist Subversion."
Murphy is a great performer, one of the best in the business. While I envied him the white sand beaches and those nubile Nubians and the five-hundred-dollar-an-hour selective neural stimulation, I did not begrudge it him. I regretted only that what he had done to earn it meant endless hours of nasty work for me, cleaning up after him.
answered Apr 13 at 2:09
user14111user14111
106k6414531
1
I've been looking at the text via the Internet Archive link you offered. I'd say you nailed it!
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:17
1
The illustration at the other end of the Internet Archive link you provided nailed it. Thanks for the excellent sleuthing!
– user888379
Apr 13 at 12:18
add a comment |
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"Seconds' Chance", a short story by Robin Scott Wilson; published (as by Robin Scott) in Galaxy Magazine, July 1968, available at the Internet Archive; apparently never reprinted.
On 16 June, Murphy's terminal report came into the Outfit's Washington headquarters from Tangier, where he was resting up in enviable luxury in one of those slick, new hallucinogenic resorts after his latest spectacular confrontation with what the Western press invariably referred to as "The Forces of International Communist Subversion."
Murphy is a great performer, one of the best in the business. While I envied him the white sand beaches and those nubile Nubians and the five-hundred-dollar-an-hour selective neural stimulation, I did not begrudge it him. I regretted only that what he had done to earn it meant endless hours of nasty work for me, cleaning up after him.
answered Apr 13 at 2:09
user14111user14111
106k6414531
1
I've been looking at the text via the Internet Archive link you offered. I'd say you nailed it!
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:17
1
The illustration at the other end of the Internet Archive link you provided nailed it. Thanks for the excellent sleuthing!
– user888379
Apr 13 at 12:18
add a comment |
"Seconds' Chance", a short story by Robin Scott Wilson; published (as by Robin Scott) in Galaxy Magazine, July 1968, available at the Internet Archive; apparently never reprinted.
On 16 June, Murphy's terminal report came into the Outfit's Washington headquarters from Tangier, where he was resting up in enviable luxury in one of those slick, new hallucinogenic resorts after his latest spectacular confrontation with what the Western press invariably referred to as "The Forces of International Communist Subversion."
Murphy is a great performer, one of the best in the business. While I envied him the white sand beaches and those nubile Nubians and the five-hundred-dollar-an-hour selective neural stimulation, I did not begrudge it him. I regretted only that what he had done to earn it meant endless hours of nasty work for me, cleaning up after him.
answered Apr 13 at 2:09
user14111user14111
106k6414531
1
I've been looking at the text via the Internet Archive link you offered. I'd say you nailed it!
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:17
1
The illustration at the other end of the Internet Archive link you provided nailed it. Thanks for the excellent sleuthing!
– user888379
Apr 13 at 12:18
add a comment |
"Seconds' Chance", a short story by Robin Scott Wilson; published (as by Robin Scott) in Galaxy Magazine, July 1968, available at the Internet Archive; apparently never reprinted.
On 16 June, Murphy's terminal report came into the Outfit's Washington headquarters from Tangier, where he was resting up in enviable luxury in one of those slick, new hallucinogenic resorts after his latest spectacular confrontation with what the Western press invariably referred to as "The Forces of International Communist Subversion."
Murphy is a great performer, one of the best in the business. While I envied him the white sand beaches and those nubile Nubians and the five-hundred-dollar-an-hour selective neural stimulation, I did not begrudge it him. I regretted only that what he had done to earn it meant endless hours of nasty work for me, cleaning up after him.
answered Apr 13 at 2:09
user14111user14111
106k6414531
"Seconds' Chance", a short story by Robin Scott Wilson; published (as by Robin Scott) in Galaxy Magazine, July 1968, available at the Internet Archive; apparently never reprinted.
On 16 June, Murphy's terminal report came into the Outfit's Washington headquarters from Tangier, where he was resting up in enviable luxury in one of those slick, new hallucinogenic resorts after his latest spectacular confrontation with what the Western press invariably referred to as "The Forces of International Communist Subversion."
Murphy is a great performer, one of the best in the business. While I envied him the white sand beaches and those nubile Nubians and the five-hundred-dollar-an-hour selective neural stimulation, I did not begrudge it him. I regretted only that what he had done to earn it meant endless hours of nasty work for me, cleaning up after him.
answered Apr 13 at 2:09
user14111user14111
106k6414531
answered Apr 13 at 2:09
user14111user14111
106k6414531
answered Apr 13 at 2:09
user14111user14111
106k6414531
answered Apr 13 at 2:09
user14111user14111
106k6414531
106k6414531
1
I've been looking at the text via the Internet Archive link you offered. I'd say you nailed it!
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:17
1
The illustration at the other end of the Internet Archive link you provided nailed it. Thanks for the excellent sleuthing!
– user888379
Apr 13 at 12:18
add a comment |
1
I've been looking at the text via the Internet Archive link you offered. I'd say you nailed it!
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:17
1
The illustration at the other end of the Internet Archive link you provided nailed it. Thanks for the excellent sleuthing!
– user888379
Apr 13 at 12:18
1
1
I've been looking at the text via the Internet Archive link you offered. I'd say you nailed it!
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:17
I've been looking at the text via the Internet Archive link you offered. I'd say you nailed it!
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:17
1
1
The illustration at the other end of the Internet Archive link you provided nailed it. Thanks for the excellent sleuthing!
– user888379
Apr 13 at 12:18
The illustration at the other end of the Internet Archive link you provided nailed it. Thanks for the excellent sleuthing!
– user888379
Apr 13 at 12:18
add a comment |
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I once asked for help in looking for something similar -- a short story with a different plot, but also parodying the James Bond archetype. So I can tell you for a fact that what you are looking for is not "Pulpworld" by R.K. Lyon (it turned out to be the one I was looking for), nor is it "The Disguised Agent" by Robert Sheckley (which I found online at the time I was asking). I just mention them so as to eliminate a couple of red herrings which someone else might otherwise suggest as the answer to your question.
– Lorendiac
Apr 13 at 2:07
What is the scifi content here?
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 5:29
@Adamant To start with it was published in Galaxy, a science fiction magazine.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 6:17
Objections withdrawn, this has clear science fictional elements. Though I had to read it to be sure.
– Adamant
Apr 13 at 6:50
@Adamant I believe it's an established rule that, since Star Trek (for example) is primarily sci-fi, any and all questions about Star Trek, even questions about purely mundane aspects, is on topic. By the same token, since Galaxy was a science fiction magazine, questions about anything that appeared in Galaxy, including editorials, science articles, and the occasional non-genre story, should be on topic.
– user14111
Apr 13 at 21:14