The narrative follows Dr. Peter J. Forsythe, a self-proclaimed prophet and fortuneteller, who operates a small business on Coney Island. Despite his dubious methods, he possesses a unique ability to predict disasters, which draws the attention of a secretive organization, the Society for Mystical and Metaphysical Research (S.M.M.R.). The society is investigating a series of anonymous letters predicting catastrophic events, which have proven accurate, leading to significant loss of life and property. Forsythe is approached by the S.M.M.R. and reluctantly agrees to work with them, leaving his established practice behind. The society's agents, including Brian Taggert and Senator Mikhail Kerotski, aim to harness Forsythe's abilities to prevent future disasters, particularly a looming threat to Moonbase One, which is predicted to be struck by a meteor. As Forsythe begins his new role, he provides readings to various subjects, but his predictions are often mixed with embellishments and inaccuracies. The society's team, including technician Donna Tedesco, works to analyze his predictions and their correlation with human actions. They discover that while Forsythe can predict human-related disasters, he fails to foresee natural calamities, raising doubts about his reliability. Tensions rise as the deadline for the meteor strike approaches, and the society grapples with the implications of Forsythe's predictions. The narrative explores themes of belief, the nature of prophecy, and the consequences of human intervention. Ultimately, a series of events leads to the destruction of Moonbase One, not by a meteor, but by a Soviet satellite, illustrating the unpredictable nature of fate and the irony of human actions in response to foresight. The story concludes with the realization that every attempt to avert disaster based on Forsythe's predictions inadvertently leads to the very catastrophes they sought to prevent. The characters reflect on the complexities of foresight and the interplay between human decisions and unforeseen outcomes, leaving the reader to ponder the true nature of prophecy and its implications in a world driven by human agency.
By Randall Garrett · First published 1970 · Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery