
THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP
In a secure, empty government building, a seasoned CIA operative is summoned by a sharp‑eyed general and a brilliant physicist to witness a new kind of war‑game. The trio approaches a massive console that houses the world’s most advanced combat simulator—a machine that not only calculates every missile trajectory and supply line but also streams the entire battle directly into the operator’s mind through a specialized EEG helmet.
As the device powers up, the air hums with anticipation; the CIA man watches the controls while the general explains the promise of vivid, immersive battlefield visions that could reshape strategic decision‑making. Yet the conversation is tinged with unease, for every officer who has tried the system before either quit in a panic or succumbed to madness.
The scene sets up a clash between cutting‑edge technology and the human psyche, inviting listeners to ponder whether seeing a war before it happens might be the ultimate advantage—or a perilous shortcut to ruin.
Language
en
Duration
~13 minutes (13K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2009-02-13
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1932–2020
A major voice in hard science fiction, he built stories around real science, space exploration, and the near future. His books often mix big cosmic ideas with human ambition, rivalry, and hope.
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