"Blind Alley" is a

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

by American writer

Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...

. It was first published in the March 1945 issue of ''

Astounding Science Fiction ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...

'', and later included in the collection ''

The Early Asimov ''The Early Asimov or, Eleven Years of Trying'' is a 1972 collection of short stories by Isaac Asimov. Each story is accompanied by commentary by the author, who gives details about his life and his literary achievements in the period in which he w ...

'' (1972). Although the story postulates a race of intelligent non-humans, it is set in the ''

Foundation Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...

'' universe, during the era of Trantor's Galactic Empire.

Publication history

"Blind Alley" was the only story from mid-1943 to mid-1945 that was not part of Asimov's ''Foundation'' or ''Robot'' series. Written in September and October 1944, it was accepted by

John W. Campbell John Wood Campbell Jr. (June 8, 1910 – July 11, 1971) was an American science fiction writer and editor. He was editor of ''Astounding Science Fiction'' (later called ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'') from late 1937 until his death ...

in October and published in ''

'' in March 1945. It was anthologised by

Groff Conklin Edward Groff Conklin (September 6, 1904 – July 19, 1968) was an American science fiction anthologist. He edited 40 anthologies of science fiction, one of mystery stories (co-edited with physician Noah Fabricant), wrote books on home improvemen ...

in ''

The Best of Science Fiction ''The Best of Science Fiction'', published in 1946, is an anthology of science fiction anthologies edited by American critic and editor Groff Conklin. Contents * "Concerning Science Fiction," an essay by John W. Campbell * Introduction by Groff ...

'', the first of Asimov's stories to have been reprinted. The $42.50 from the anthology caused him to realize that it was possible to earn more money from a story than the initial publication. Conklin included the story in a number of anthologies: the 1963 edition of ''The Best of Science Fiction'', ''

Great Stories of Space Travel ''Great Stories of Space Travel'' is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Groff Conklin. It was first published in paperback by Tempo Books in July 1963, and reprinted by the same publisher in December 1965, 1969, and April 197 ...

'' also published that year and ''The Golden Age of Science Fiction'' in 1980. It also appeared in '' Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 7'' edited by Asimov and

Martin H. Greenberg Martin Harry Greenberg (March 1, 1941 – June 25, 2011) was an American academic and anthologist in many genres, including mysteries and horror, but especially in speculative fiction. In all, he compiled 1,298 anthologies and commissioned ov ...

in 1982, and ''

Intergalactic Empires ''Intergalactic Empires'' is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh as the first volume in their Isaac Asimov's Wonderful Worlds of Science Fiction series. It was first publis ...

'' edited by Asimov, Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh in 1983. Asimov included it in his own ''

'' in 1972, ''The Asimov Chronicles'' in 1989, and in volume 2 of '' The Complete Stories'' in 1992.

Plot summary

The few remaining members of the only intelligent non-human

alien race Extraterrestrial life, colloquially referred to as alien life, is life that may occur outside Earth and which did not originate on Earth. No extraterrestrial life has yet been conclusively detected, although efforts are underway. Such life might ...

the

Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as 'space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of s ...

has discovered have been removed from their dying planet and transferred to the much more pleasant Cepheus-18 (hence their name, "Cepheids"). The planet is a combination of zoo, laboratory, and reservation for the creatures. The scientists that study the Cepheids differ on whether to treat them as sentient beings or as animals, but agree that the aliens are in danger of extinction as they have ceased to reproduce. While the administrator already suspects that this is due to a certain ennui, the Cepheids' leader later admits personally that while their race would likely have soon died out on its dangerous home world as their science only covered their biological needs; they have nothing to live for in a galaxy completely ruled by humans who provide for all their physical needs, and they are prohibited from leaving the Empire. The civilian supervisor, a career administrator, attempts to help the creatures using his thorough knowledge of the Imperial bureaucracy. By carefully orchestrating a leak of a report that he encouraged a subordinate to make, he causes the bureaucracy to make the reproduction problem a priority. Then, he arranges for the Cepheids to receive pilot training under the guise of providing them with a challenge, and finally by using a crude form of telepathy during an interview with their leader, he hints to the leader to express interest in a bulky object so that he can manipulate the bureaucracy into arranging for a fleet of hundreds of spaceships to deliver a large quantity of these to the Cepheids. His plan works; the Cepheids commandeer the ships leaving the humans off guard without any nearby ships with which to mount a pursuit, and it is hinted that they have left for the

Magellanic Clouds The Magellanic Clouds (''Magellanic system'' or ''Nubeculae Magellani'') are two irregular dwarf galaxies in the southern celestial hemisphere. Orbiting the Milky Way galaxy, these satellite galaxies are members of the Local Group. Because both ...

to find a new world of their own. The supervisor has protected himself from any blame for the escape by his ingenious bureaucratic maneuvers, and is placed on leave pending reassignment.

Historical context

The author utilizes a turgid bureaucratic style of phraseology for the many memoranda that are a part of the story; this was based on that in use by the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...

, Asimov's employers at the

Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was an important naval shipyard of the United States for almost two centuries. Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street and Federal Street in what is now the Pennsport section of the cit ...

. The aliens' predicament in a human-dominated galaxy is similar to the eventual fate of humans in the alternative futures of ''

The End of Eternity ''The End of Eternity'' is a 1955 science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov with mystery and thriller elements on the subjects of time travel and social engineering. Its premise is that of a causal loop, a type of temporal paradox in which event ...

''. It does however have a very different ending — the Cepheids steal the spacecraft and head for an independent life in the

. The ''

Foundation and Earth ''Foundation and Earth'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, the fifth novel of the ''Foundation'' series and chronologically the last in the series. It was published in 1986, four years after the first sequel to the ''Fo ...

'' character

Golan Trevize This is a list of characters in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. Through the centuries-spanning nature of the ''Foundation'' series, the lives of its various characters are limited to one or two of its nine episodes. In spite of the great su ...

says that no human ship has ever penetrated the

, nor the

Andromeda Galaxy The Andromeda Galaxy (IPA: ), also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224 and originally the Andromeda Nebula, is a barred spiral galaxy with the diameter of about approximately from Earth and the nearest large galaxy to the Milky Way. The gala ...

or other more distant galaxies. It is not known whether Asimov intended to make a link between those novels and this short story.

The Second Foundation trilogy

In the 'Second Foundation' trilogy, a series of books authorized by the estate of Asimov, a race of aliens within the Foundation Universe is mentioned who appear to be in circumstances similar to the Cepheids. Although they are not mentioned by name, a major character in this story is. A subplot in ''

Foundation's Triumph ''Foundation's Triumph'' (1999) is a science fiction novel by American writer David Brin, set in Isaac Asimov's The Foundation Series, ''Foundation'' universe. It is the third book of the Second Foundation trilogy, which was written after Asimov ...

'' investigates the problem raised in this story.

Sources

External links

*
"Blind Alley"
on the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

{{The Early Asimov Short stories by Isaac Asimov 1945 short stories Foundation universe Works originally published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact