Publisher's Synopsis
When the Mindrender Dominion, conquerors of forty-seven worlds, turns their unstoppable psychic weapons toward Earth, they expect another swift victory. What they discover instead is humanity's ultimate defense: bureaucracy.
As the aliens' most powerful mental attacks dissolve against the impenetrable wall of proper documentation requirements, they watch in horror as their mighty warships are transformed into branch offices, their warriors undone by the simple power of "Please take a number." Leading humanity's administrative resistance is Directorate Mildred Higgins, whose ability to process forms in triplicate while maintaining perfect coffee consumption proves more devastating than any weapon.
But when the Dominion attempts to adapt by creating their own bureaucratic systems, they inadvertently trigger an administrative arms race that threatens to standardize creativity itself out of existence. Now, with the cosmos at stake, humanity must discover the true power of controlled chaos and learn to weaponize their greatest weakness: the ability to thrive in conditions that would shatter most species' minds.
"The Waiting Game" is a laugh-out-loud science fiction novella that turns the traditional alien invasion narrative on its head, delivering a unique spin on the "humanity, fuck yeah!" genre through the lens of office culture and organizational absurdity. With its blend of cosmic horror and corporate comedy, this story explores what truly makes humans special: not our strength or our technology, but our inexplicable ability to generate, navigate, and somehow survive soul-crushing bureaucratic complexity.
This clever satire will appeal to fans of Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" series, and Martha Wells' "Murderbot Diaries," while offering a fresh take on the science fiction genre that will resonate with anyone who has ever faced the terror of filing their taxes or renewing their driver's license.
