The science fiction short story "Youth" by Isaac Asimov explores themes of innocence, discovery as well as interstellar relations, woven with an underlying story about beauty and alien life.
Red and Slim, two boys, encounter a couple of eerie creatures in the woods. These creatures are actually alien ambassadors that arrived on Earth to negotiate a treatiy, unknowingly. The boys say the creatures are animals and are considering selling them to a circus to earn money.
The aliens are having high stakes diplomatic talks alongside the parents of the boys. The adults are concerned since the ambassadors have seemingly vanished, not realizing that these are really the same creatures the boys have discovered.
The narrative reveals the adults have no clue who the ambassadors actually are, highlighting the theme of innocence and the absence and interaction between adults and children. The boys find the "animals" beautiful as well as beneficial since they're unique, whereas the grownups are engrossed in their preconceptions as well as anxieties about aliens.
The end of the story is unexpected, since the creatures are revealed to both kids and grownups alike, resulting in an informative and hilarious resolution to the diplomatic crisis. Asimov displays his ability to merge complicated concepts into seemingly straightforward narratives, employing the perspective of youth to deliver brand new perspectives on previously encountered problems.
"Let's Get Together" by Isaac Asimov is a brief story which explores issues of paranoia and the Cold War fear of imminent destruction. The story happens in a scenario where the U.S. along with an additional power are in the edge of war with incredibly advanced robotic technology. Kenneth Pellig and Irra Fisher are specialists in robotics working on a secret project to develop a network of robots which can not be hurt by a single attack'.
The story reveals that these robots can be used offensively, possibly causing a full blown war as tensions mount. Pellig finds the robot from the rival power has already been integrated into the American system under the cloak of diplomacy, possedging a grave risk of internal espionage, leading to a remarkable twist in the story.
