# The Repairman

By Harry Harrison.

"The Repairman" by Harry Harrison is a science fiction novella written in the late 1950s. This work follows an interstellar trouble-shooting mechanic, tasked with the daunting job of repairing an ancient and complicated Mark III hyperspace beacon located on a distant planet. The story explores themes of adventure, cultural misunderstandings, and the challenges of navigating interspecies communication and cooperation. The protagonist, a seasoned repairman known as the Old Man’s trouble-shooter, finds himself reluctantly assigned to fix the malfunctioning beacon, which is wrapped in a mysterious, ancient stone pyramid inhabited by the native reptilian Centaurians. As he unfurls the history of the beacon and its impact on the local species, he devises a covert plan to communicate and negotiate with the Centaurians without inciting hostility. Using ingenious tactics, such as donning a disguise and leveraging the local culture, he manages to restore the beacon while ensuring the natives are placated, ultimately securing a win-win resolution. The story combines humor, ingenuity, and social commentary, making it a captivating read for fans of speculative fiction. (Summary by Project Gutenberg, written by machine.)

- Language: English
- Subjects: Science fiction; Short stories; Human-alien encounters -- Fiction

[Read it](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/gutenberg/22073/read)
[Plain text](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/api/books/gutenberg/22073/text)

## Audiobooks of it

- [Repairman](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/librivox/7040) by Harry Harrison (1 h 34 min, English)

From Project Gutenberg. Public domain in the United States.