Mindswap (como eu ia apontar, mas James, da Nova Zelândia, bateu nele) é o título de um romance de Robert Sheckley, que combina muito bem com a sua descrição. Uma versão mais curta com o mesmo título , uma novela, foi originalmente publicada em Galaxy Magazine , junho de 1965 , que está disponível gratuitamente no Arquivo da Internet . O ISFDB indica que o romance foi traduzido para o francês ( "Transfert stellaire" ) e italiano ( "L'uovo di Ganzer" ); pode muito bem ter havido uma tradução russa, embora o ISFDB não saiba disso. Os trechos abaixo são da novela Galaxy .
Na história, as pessoas usam alguma tecnologia de transferência de consciência para viajar para sistemas solares distantes.
In the final analysis, it was a matter of economics. Interstellar travel in the flesh was expensive, out of the question for an average sort of fellow. Unless, of course, he wished to avail himself of the advantages of Mindswap.
Assim, o personagem principal decide viajar e trocar corpos com um alienígena.
Sim, Marvin Flynn troca corpos com um marciano:
In New York, Marvin went directly to the Body-Brokerage House of Otis, Blanders and Klent. He was sent to the office of Mr. Blanders, a tall, athletic man in the prime of life and already, at sixty-three, a full partner in the firm. He explained to this man his purpose in coming.
"Of course," Mr. Blanders said. "You have reference to our advertisement of Friday last. The Martian gentleman's name is Ze Kraggash, and he is very highly recommended by the rectors of East Skern University."
No entanto, ele / ela não pode retornar ao próprio corpo
Infelizmente para Marvin, Ze Kraggash é um bandido, que fugiu com o corpo de Marvin, deixando Marvin em um corpo marciano roubado que deve ser devolvido ao seu legítimo dono:
The telepath handed Marvin a Dispossess Notice. Flynn accepted it sadly, yet with resignation. "I suppose," he said, "that I had better go back to my own body on Earth."
"That," the telepath said, "would be your wisest choice. Unfortunately, it is not possible at the moment."
"Not possible? Why not?"
"Because," the telepath said, "according to the Earth authorities, whose telepathic reply I have just received, your body, animated by the mind of Ze
Kraggash, is nowhere to be found. A preliminary investigation leads us to fear that Ze Kraggash has fled the planet, taking with him your body and Mr. Aigeler's money."
Marvin contrata um detetive:
"Aren’t you Madame Ripper de Lowe, the transvestite who was robbed last night in the Red Sands Hotel?"
"Certainly not. I'm Marvin Flynn. I lost my body."
"Of course, of course," Detective Urdorf said, nodded vigorously. "Let's take it point by point. Do you remember by any chance where you were when you
first noticed that your body was missing? Could any of your friends have taken it as a joke? Or could you have merely misplaced it, or perhaps sent it on a vacation?"
e, em vez disso, é transferido para o corpo de outro alienígena e assim por diante.
The next thing he knew, he was in a Melden body, on Melde.
Conforme a história avança, o protagonista pula de corpo em corpo até perder lentamente sua identidade.
With a long rolling stride and a creaking of leather boots, Marvin Flynn strode down the wooden sidewalk. Faintly there came to him the mingled odors
of sagebrush and chapparal. On either side of him the adobe walls of the town glittered under the moon like dull Mexican silver. From a nearby saloon there came the strident tones of a banjo —
Frowning deeply, Marvin stopped in midstride. Sagebrush? Saloons? What was going on around here?