Cronus of the D. F. C.

"Cronus of the D. F. C." by Lloyd Biggle Jr. is a mid-20th century science fiction story that centers on a groundbreaking crime-fighting technology called Cronus, which gives police officers glimpses into crimes before they happen. The core of the story examines ideas of destiny, choice, and the ethical problems that arise when people can see future events but cannot change them. In the story, a police detective called Jim Forsdon is introduced to Cronus, a device that reveals future crimes, which makes preventing them more difficult. Forsdon is given the job of looking into a possible murder that Cronus revealed and finds that the person about to die, Stella Emerson, is connected to Mike Gregory, a troubled man of large stature. As Forsdon works to protect Stella, the two navigate the challenges of what appears to be fate and destiny, which leads to a dramatic showdown between Gregory and the law. Even though the technology makes the future look like it is already decided, the characters strive for human connection and action, which all culminates in a charged conclusion where Forsdon must face his feelings and the future that seems set in stone.