"Two Of Six: A Captain's Dilemma" by Tomohito Moriyama, translated by J.D. Wisgo (published 2018)




This fast-paced yet contemplative thriller by Japanese writer Tomohito Moriyama and translated into English by J.D. Wisgo brings up all the best topics and themes in excellent science fiction: artificial intelligence, duty vs. personal inclinations, euthanasia, paranoia, and all kinds of questions regarding human nature itself.

Two Of Six: A Captain’s Dilemma tells the story of the captain of a spaceship carrying six passengers. When the spaceship malfunctions and starts losing its supply of oxygen, how does the captain decide which passengers should take the extra spacecraft back home, a spacecraft which can only save two people? The captain’s only close companion is the A.I. robot assigned to work with him. How does she influence his decisions? And, as A.I., is she capable of making purely objective decisions? Moriyama, influenced by Isaac Asimov, writes a compelling plot-driven story putting philosophy in action.

Though Two Of Six does not provide rich visual landscapes, the dialogue (the “meat” of the story) is more than sufficient for great storytelling. Each character is assigned to a compartment in the spacecraft, and conversation between them happens through visual telecommunications. The captain only knows a bit about each passenger, thanks to a brief biography of each found in personal files acquired by the airline. As the captain starts deliberating his options and choices in this life or death situation, the reader cannot help but, unconsciously or consciously, start making judgements and questioning things also. Moriyama masters the art of putting the reader in a seemingly outside position, but still manages to shock and surprise with each twist and turn in the story.

Two Of Six: A Captain’s Dilemma is the perfect short story, providing ample material for discussion and thought-provoking insight into universal truths. Further, to add a bit of nuance to this, it might be interesting to ask what a story like this might say about Japanese culture. If this story were written by an American, how would it be different? How would the characters act? Fascinating, indeed.

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