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Written by Isaac Asimov
A short story in the Foundation Stories series
Part 1 of the Novel Forward The Foundation.
Cover Notes
"Forward the Foundation" appeared in the November 1991 issue of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (or Asimov's for short). It takes place eight years after the events in Prelude to Foundation. Forty-year-old Hari Seldon and his assistant Yugo Amaryl continue to develop psychohistory at Streeling University. However, Seldon's research is disturbed by the appearance of a demagogue named Jo-Jo Joranum, who seeks to depose and replace Eto Demerzel, the Emperor Cleon's first minister and Seldon's patron. Although Joranum claims to be from an obscure world called Nishaya, Seldon learns that he is actually a native of the Trantorian sector of Mycogen. Seldon leaks word to Joranum that Demerzel is actually a robot. Being Mycogenian, Joranum is ready to believe the story, for the Mycogenians originated on the Spacer world of Aurora, and robots are part of their mythology. However, when Demerzel is able to demonstrate conclusively that he is a human being (no easy task, since he really is a robot), the blow to Joranum's ambitions is fatal. His bid for power falls apart, and Cleon has him exiled to Nishaya. Unfortunately for Seldon, Demerzel chooses to resign as first minister, and Cleon appoints Seldon himself to replace him.
Publication History
This story is contained in:
- Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine - November, 1991 by - published November, 1991 by Category
