Download the Book - Islam and Science Fiction

Cultural Clashes in Cádiz
Jetse de Vries
Jetse de Vries is a technical specialist for a propulsion company. He
writes SF since 1999, and had his first story published in November
2003. His stories have appeared in about two dozen publications on
both sides of the Atlantic, and include Amityville House of Pancakes,
vol. 1, JPPN 2, Nemonymous 4, Northwest Passages:A Cascadian
Anthology, DeathGrip: Exit Laughing, HUB Magazine #2, and
Clarkesworld Magazine (May 2007), SF Waxes Philosophical
anthology and Postscripts Magazine #14. He's been part of the
Interzone editorial team from March 2003 until September 2008.
Prologue: In the Grotto of the Daring Deeds
In a grotto somewhere between Sierra Bermeja and Serrania de
Ronda, shadows dance across the wall of the fire-lit cave like haunted
spirits fleeing from enlightenment. Two men, years apart but still
close, sit next to the fire. If not for the age difference they could be
identical twins. Sleek black hair, pointy brows, prominent noses and
thin lips. But twins they are not, neither father and son nor clones.
The young one sprouts a full beard while the old one is clean-shaven.
"Nice beard, Leonard two."
"Indispensable for an apprentice of the Sufi Path."
"Apparently you managed to convince the holy man to go on a
new quest?"
"It wasn't easy. When I arrived I found that he was dying. It
took all my skills and skullduggery to visit him before they put him on
his deathbed. Intestinal cancer was finishing him off. The nanos
could barely save him. The damage already done was so great that he
has ten more years, tops."
"Enough to play his part in our grand scheme. Was it hard to
inspire him?"
"After some theater they believed I was Allah's tool miraculously
saving the great mystic for his last pilgrimage. The man himself was
a lot more difficult to fool, though. I needed several tries with the 3D
equipment to get the vision he needed right. It was still harder to
convince him to let me be his apprentice."
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