X-Minus One: Isaac Asimov’s The C-Chute

Jesse Willis Audio Drama, Online Audio

SFFaudio Online Audio

The C-Chute is one of the few Isaac Asimov stories that features aliens. Set during an interstellar war, it tells the story of a group of humans that are captured and imprisoned by an alien species. Most of the action of the tale comes in the playing out the group’s psychology. They all have differing backgrounds, experiences and motivations. – It kind of sounds like Cube right? – The story was originally submitted under the title “Greater Love.” But, as it was altered to The C-Chute as a part of several modifcations demanded by Galaxy Magazine editor, H.L. Gold. Asimov, who didn’t like the changes, was inspired to write another short story (The Monkey’s Finger) in which a fantasy writer, and his editor, get into a similar dispute.

Here’s the Galaxy magazine teaser for The C-Chute:

“Captured by an unthinkably alien race, the terrestrial spachsip formed a desperate human microcosm. Somebody had to be a hero … but who was it to be … and why?”

X-Minus OneX-Minus One – The C-Chute
Based on the short story by Isaac Asimov; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| – Approx. 29 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: NBC
Broadcast: February 8, 1956
Provider: Archive.org
During Earth’s first interstellar war, a civilian transport traveling to Earth is captured by a spaceship piloted by the Kloros, a chlorine-breathing race of intelligent beings. They place two of their own on board the humans’ spaceship. With the human passengers sequestered as prisoners of war, the Kloros head to an unknown destination. The human passengers fall into argument and dispute, some coming to blows, with contradicting feelings on what should be done. Opinions range from a violent counteroffensive to a passive acceptance of their situation. Only Mullen, a shy, mild-mannered, short bookkeeper, is willing to make an attempt to take back control of the ship, which he does by exiting via the C-Chute which is normally used for launching corpses for burial in space.Based on the story by Isaac Asimov, originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1951

Here’s the art from the original Galaxy Magazine publication in the October 1951 issue:

The C-Chute by Isaac Asimov - Cover from the October 1951 issue of Galaxy Magazine
The C-Chute by Isaac Asimov - from the October 1951 issue of Galaxy Magazine
The C-Chute by Isaac Asimov - from the October 1951 issue of Galaxy Magazine
The C-Chute by Isaac Asimov - from the October 1951 issue of Galaxy Magazine
The C-Chute by Isaac Asimov - from the October 1951 issue of Galaxy Magazine
The C-Chute by Isaac Asimov - from the October 1951 issue of Galaxy Magazine
The C-Chute by Isaac Asimov - from the October 1951 issue of Galaxy Magazine
The C-Chute by Isaac Asimov - from the October 1951 issue of Galaxy Magazine

[via Beware ,There’s A Crosseyed Cyclops In My Basement!!! and the Thrilling Wonder Stories blogs]

Posted by Jesse Willis

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