Manny Levels
Short Stories
Manual (Manny) Levels is a troubleshooter for the National Science Foundation. Lately he´s been getting a lot of out-of-this-world cases, and solving them with in-this-world explanations.
The Thoughtcrete Dimension: The new library at
Mattercrete University has an unusual feature: it hovers 10
feet off the ground. Manny Levels is sent to investigate, and
finds that Bandwidth is using the library to define the
differences between matter and ideas.
The Chant of the Mandala: People walk into an
architectural artwork called The Mandala but don't walk out.
Manny Levels discovers that Bandwidth, the ruler of a metaphysical
Universe, has created the Mandala to prove that ideas and matter
are meshed together via their common substance, energy.
Aunt Meta´s Tree: Manny Levels is asked to
investigate a tree that simultaneously produces many different
kinds of fruits. Levels soon re-confronts Bandwidth, the ruler of
a newly discovered tenth planet. Bandwidth shows Levels that
Aunt Meta's Tree is physical evidence that meaning exists in the Universe.
Reality Check: The lawyers and the car
salesmen are at each others throats over a deal gone bad, and
each group is calling the other a pack of liars. Truth itself is held
up to ridicule until a stranger named John Plague steps in to
settle the dispute. Manny Levels is sent to investigate.
The 10th Planet: A mysterious message is received
from Mentalos, a newly discovered planet. The NSF sends its
best troubleshooter, Manny Levels, to investigate. Levels
discovers that the planet's ruler, Bandwidth, manipulates
physical ideas in physical brains to achieve his ends.
