Rogue Farm is a 2003

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

by British author

Charles Stross Charles David George "Charlie" Stross (born 18 October 1964) is a British writer of science fiction and fantasy. Stross specialises in hard science fiction and space opera. Between 1994 and 2004, he was also an active writer for the magazine ' ...

. It takes place in a bizarre future sometime after the

technological singularity The technological singularity—or simply the singularity—is a hypothetical point in time at which technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, resulting in unforeseeable consequences for human civilization. According to the ...

. In a world of biological fabricators, eight-legged cows, talking dogs, microscopic surveillance bots, and mid-life genetic upgrades, the main character, Joe, and his wife Maddie must defend their small farm from a terrifying threat.

Plot

Joe and Maddie are squatting in a farmstead. One morning, they must drive off a "farm", a grotesque creature that was once human. This creature pleads with them, saying it is selling brains to prepare for its trip to Jupiter. While the farm leaves their property, it puts down tap roots in a nearby clump of trees just outside their property. It is clear that the farm plans to use this spot as a launch point; these farms use specialized

enzymes An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as pro ...

to turn the sap of tall trees into explosives, which will destroy every living thing near the launch site. Joe goes off to a nearby bar and speaks to a pair of locals who also had a problem with a creature like this: Arthur and Wendy-the-Rat. Joe speaks with Wendy, who discreetly informs him (no small feat, given the tiny

surveillance Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing, or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as ...

robots that spy on the citizens so that the police can prevent crime before it happens) that killing the creature will be necessary. Returning home he shares a smoke with his semi-sentient dog, Bob, as he contemplates what to do next. Because Maddie has become forlorn and uncommunicative, he tells his dog to clean out the bio fabricator and prepare the backup tapes to re-create his wife if necessary. During the next few days, Joe builds his arsenal from the tool shed. Preparing his weapons for what's to come, he becomes increasingly concerned about his wife's state of mind, but is too busy to do anything about it. He goes off grid to hide his crime. In the showdown between the monster and Joe, he has armed himself with

liquid nitrogen Liquid nitrogen (LN2) is nitrogen in a liquid state at cryogenics, low temperature. Liquid nitrogen has a boiling point of about . It is produced industrially by fractional distillation of liquid air. It is a colorless, mobile liquid whose vis ...

and an extremely powerful tranquilizer dart. He destroys the trees and uses the dart to neutralize the monster. However, just as the creature lies dying, Joe finds that Maddie has joined the farm. In killing the creature, he has killed his own wife. He calls up Bob to start the process of creating a backup for Maddie, again.

Adaptations

Scottish Television produced an animated adaptation in 2004.

References

External links

"Rogue Farm" at Goodreads
Science fiction short stories 2000s science fiction works 2003 short stories {{2000s-sf-story-stub