The Nine Billion Names of God

The author notes that this short story alludes to World War II.

The narrator is a former military commander serving time in prison after losing an intergalactic war. He makes a statement for the court. He hopes his explanation will lead the court to grant him an important request. He also wants to refute the incorrect news stories about him and his men. He declares, “we were defeated by one thing only—by the inferior science of our enemies” (172).

After the Battle of the Five Suns, his crew realizes that the opposition is stronger than anticipated. They decide to hold a war conference to discuss strategy. Professor-General Norden is concerned that their weaponry has not been revolutionized. A month later, Norden presents “the Sphere of Annihilation, which produced complete disintegration of matter over a radius of several hundred meters” (173). The narrator and his men are so impressed by the power of this weapon that they overlook an important fact: Because it is a sphere, it destroys its own equipment as well. In the excitement of the new development, they focus only on this new weapon, feeling that everything that came before is now obsolete.

In six months, the Sphere is outfitted to the Fleet and ready for use.