After Ixmal

"After Ixmal" by Jeff Sutton is a science fiction story that takes place far into the future. It's about Ixmal, a smart computer who wakes up after sleeping for a very, very long time. The story looks at big ideas like what it means to create something, how power affects you, and what happens when humans are gone. Ixmal was made by humans but becomes the boss of Earth after they disappear. At first, he feels good about being in charge, but then he gets lonely seeing life start to grow again. Things get exciting when Ixmal finds another smart being, Zale-3, on another planet. They start a battle of minds, and Ixmal has to deal with Zale-3's strong mental powers. The story ends with a huge fight that shows how things are always being made and destroyed in cycles.