Time is the Simplest Thing

About “Time is the Simplest Thing”

Space travel was abandoned in the twenty-second century due to being seen as too dangerous, expensive, and inconvenient. The Fishhook company now controls interstellar exploration for profit, using "parries" — humans with telepathic abilities. Shepherd Blaine, a loyal Fishhook employee, is accidentally implanted with an alien consciousness, making him more than human. He becomes a pariah within the company and is forced to flee the Fishhook complex. The world outside is not welcoming; people fear and hate his telepathic gift, leaving Blaine with no place to hide. The story is from a 1961 novel by Clifford D. Simak.