Vilcabamba (short story)
Encyclopedia
Vilcabamba is a 2010 science fiction
short story by Harry Turtledove
, notable both for its content and for the writer's unusual decision to publish it free online and thus waive the royalties from its publication (see external link below).
The story is set sometime in the 21st century, 50 years after an alien race called the Krolp conquered and occupied much of planet Earth. The story is told from the perspective of President of the United States
, Harris Moffatt III, who rules a rump United States
and Canada
that runs along the Rocky Mountains
. Moffat's father and grandfather were also presidents.
After being left alone for decades, the Krolp demand access to silver
deposits below the surface of Utah
. Moffat, realizing that any Krolp mining operation will leave the remainder of the U.S. uninhabitable, refuses, and launches an uprising. The uprising surprises the Krolp, but is quickly crushed. Moffat is captured and forced into exile.
The tile of the story is taken from Vilcabamba, Peru
, the last outpost maintained by the Inca before it was completely crushed by Spain
in the sixteenth century. In the story, one of Moffatt's cabinet shares this story with Moffatt, who is resigned to the fact that his rump U.S. will play that same role.
Turtledove analogizes the events of his story to European colonization in several ways:
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
short story by Harry Turtledove
Harry Turtledove
Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
, notable both for its content and for the writer's unusual decision to publish it free online and thus waive the royalties from its publication (see external link below).
The story is set sometime in the 21st century, 50 years after an alien race called the Krolp conquered and occupied much of planet Earth. The story is told from the perspective of President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, Harris Moffatt III, who rules a rump United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
that runs along the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. Moffat's father and grandfather were also presidents.
After being left alone for decades, the Krolp demand access to silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
deposits below the surface of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. Moffat, realizing that any Krolp mining operation will leave the remainder of the U.S. uninhabitable, refuses, and launches an uprising. The uprising surprises the Krolp, but is quickly crushed. Moffat is captured and forced into exile.
The tile of the story is taken from Vilcabamba, Peru
Vilcabamba, Peru
Vilcabamba was a city founded by Manco Inca in 1539 and was the last refuge of the Inca Empire until it fell to the Spaniards in 1572, signaling the end of Inca resistance to Spanish rule.- History :...
, the last outpost maintained by the Inca before it was completely crushed by Spain
Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire
The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. This historic process of military conquest was made by Spanish conquistadores and their native allies....
in the sixteenth century. In the story, one of Moffatt's cabinet shares this story with Moffatt, who is resigned to the fact that his rump U.S. will play that same role.
Turtledove analogizes the events of his story to European colonization in several ways:
- The Krolp are initially greeted with peaceful overtures, which they quickly and violently refuse.
- The Krolp possess technology far beyond human understanding.
- The Krolp view humans as sub-creatures, and do their best to "Krolpize" those humans within their control.
- The Krolp value mineral wealth, and readily break an agreement with the U.S. to get it.