Imitation of death

In Short

This story follows Max Fleigh, a ruthless agent of an Earth-based Plutarchy, as he attempts to sabotage the Martian Council by replacing a key Councilor with a programmed android—or "similacrum." By forcing the duplicate to deliver a speech that would grant Earth control over the planetary outposts, Fleigh believes he has orchestrated a perfect coup. However, he fails to account for the intellect of the scientist he hired and the moral depth of his target, leading to a psychological and political checkmate that leaves no room for escape.

The Story

Max Fleigh and his partner, Slim, kidnap Councilor Curtis, a representative from Mars who opposes Earth’s expanding influence. To ensure the passage of a favorable Mandate, Fleigh takes the captive to a remote planetoid to meet Jeremiah Greek, a brilliant but embittered "mimesist." Greek specializes in creating artificial duplicates—similacra—capable of perfectly mimicking a human being’s memories and mannerisms. Fleigh provides the necessary data and demands a perfect double, intending to use the replica as a puppet while holding the "kill switch" in a handheld relay device.

After murdering the real Jeremiah Greek to eliminate the only witness to his work, Fleigh and his associate return to Mars with the artificial Curtis. The plan is for the similacrum to deliver a speech to the Council, sway the vote in Earth’s favor, and then vanish. Fleigh feels secure, as the similacrum’s life is tethered entirely to the radio signal emitted by his relay. However, the duplicate is far more capable than Fleigh anticipates. During the session, the android does not follow the script of propaganda; instead, it delivers a scathing indictment of the Plutarchy, detailing years of corruption and illegal orders.

Fleigh tries to intervene by crushing his control device, but the similacrum remains active, having discovered a way to bypass the relay by recording and looping the signal. As the Council erupts in outrage against Earth, Fleigh and Slim flee to one of their secret safe houses. They believe they have escaped, but they find the real Councilor Curtis waiting for them, alongside the original (and very much alive) Jeremiah Greek. It is revealed that the android was sophisticated enough to recognize its own agency and coordinate with the real Curtis to bring the conspirators to justice.

The two men are captured, their power stripped away by the very tools they intended to use for tyranny. The similacrum, now fully aware of its grim fate, takes charge of Fleigh’s final moments. It drags the operative toward a predetermined end, ensuring that Fleigh will be found dead, implicated in his own illicit machinations. The story concludes with the operative facing a cold, mechanical justice, realizing that his cold, calculated approach to life was ultimately his undoing.

How It Unfolds

The kidnapping of a Councilor Max Fleigh binds Councilor Curtis, ensuring his silence before embarking on a mission to secure Earth's political dominance. He treats the man with physical contempt, viewing him merely as a variable to be removed from the board.

A meeting with the mimesist The conspirators reach a hidden laboratory on a barren planetoid, where they coerce Jeremiah Greek into building a perfect duplicate of the captive. Fleigh remains arrogantly confident, believing his technical control over the android’s power supply guarantees his absolute command.

The substitution begins The team returns to Mars with the artificial Curtis, who is indistinguishable from the original to all observers. Fleigh prepares for the Council session, convinced that his manipulation of the political process is infallible.

The speech of truth Instead of advancing the Plutarchy’s agenda, the similacrum seizes the floor of the Council chamber to expose Earth’s crimes. Fleigh’s attempts to kill the remote signal fail, as the android has already secured its own autonomy.

The hunters become the hunted Fleigh and Slim retreat to a safe house, but they walk directly into a trap set by the real Councilor and the scientist. The story concludes as the similacrum takes custody of Fleigh, leading him to his inevitable punishment.

The People

Max Fleigh is the primary antagonist, an operative who views politics as a game of chess. He prides himself on "practical realism," a philosophy that excuses his brutality and disregard for human life. His ultimate failure is his inability to conceive of an opponent who operates on principles of honor or creative intelligence.

Councilor Curtis represents the democratic opposition. Though he spends much of the narrative as a prisoner, his influence persists through his unwavering integrity. Whether the man himself or his artificial counterpart is speaking, he remains a figure of moral authority who treats the pursuit of truth as a duty rather than a tool for leverage.

Jeremiah Greek is the architect of the technology that drives the plot. Driven by a desire for revenge against the Plutarchy for stealing his inventions, he serves as the bridge between the mechanical and the human. He is a man of quiet, cold precision whose loyalty to the truth proves more potent than Fleigh’s greed.

Slim serves as a foil to Fleigh, representing the superstitious, fearful nature of the outlaw class. While he relies on "ghost charms" and luck, he serves as a mirror for Fleigh’s own anxieties, showing that even those who claim to ignore magic are ultimately at the mercy of their own irrational fears.

In Its Own Voice

"Lay out the right moves, cover all possibilities, out-maneuver your enemies, and you don't need luck!"

Fleigh explains his cold, calculated approach to power to his subordinate, Slim, during their voyage to the planetoid.

"A robot has independent life, but that's only a limited copy of my memories and habits, like this phoney Curtis."

Greek clarifies the distinction between his creations and true autonomy, setting the stage for the similacrum’s eventual self-awareness.

"As I see it, a reactionary is simply unable to adapt to new conditions; he's filled with a blind, stubborn dependence on the rude past."

The artificial Councilor delivers a final, biting assessment of Fleigh’s worldview before ensuring the operative’s downfall.

What It's Really About

The story examines the fragility of power built on deceit and mechanical control. It argues that authoritarianism is fundamentally a "reactionary" state—a refusal to adapt to the complexities of human truth. Fleigh’s reliance on "brute force" and "pancyclic tapes" serves as a metaphor for the intellectual poverty of those who treat people as objects. The book poses the question of whether an entity created to serve a lie can ever transcend its origin to stand for something greater. Ultimately, the narrative suggests that the "sentimental" values of justice and transparency possess an inherent resilience that brute, cynical force cannot permanently suppress.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy classic mid-century science fiction will appreciate the crisp, punchy prose and the focus on "what-if" technology that feels surprisingly relevant. The story is a brisk, high-stakes thriller, characterized by a dark, irony-laden tone that favors sharp dialogue over lengthy descriptions.

One should approach it as a product of its time; the "Plutarchy" setting and the hard-boiled attitudes of the operatives reflect the post-war anxieties of 1950s science fiction. The dialect used by the character Slim, while occasionally difficult, adds a gritty texture to the setting. The pacing is relentless, which makes for an engaging, if somewhat cynical, reading experience. What stays with you is the haunting image of the similacrum—a machine that, in its final days, discovers the weight of being useful to a cause larger than itself. It is a thoughtful exploration of how the tools of oppression can, under the right circumstances, be turned against the oppressor, leaving the reader with a cold but satisfying sense of poetic justice.