# Colonel Cercy — Short Fiction character guide

> Colonel Cercy in Short Fiction by Robert Sheckley.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Cercy

**First appearance:** 0000-final-examination

## Snapshot

A military man who empties six rounds into an alien Ambassador and watches him reappear unharmed, still politely explaining why Earth cannot refuse.

## Who they are

Cercy sits across from the Ambassador as the alien calmly describes an undetectable, unjammable beacon that will broadcast Earth's location for as long as he lives — and that he cannot switch off. Cercy's response is immediate and physical: a silenced pistol, six shots, and the unnerving discovery that the Ambassador's 'diplomatic immunity' is literal. Back in the control room with Darrig and the psychiatrist Malley, he pivots to Plan Two, carrying the story forward as the question shifts from whether the Ambassador can be killed to what his prepared 'philosophy' might do to them.

## Relationships

### [Professor Darrig](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/professor_darrig)

_rivalry_

Colonel Cercy and Professor Darrig are intellectual adversaries, each believing their approach is superior.

### [Malley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/malley)

_professional_

Colonel Cercy is Malley's superior officer, often berating him for incompetence.

### [Harrison](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/harrison)

_professional_

Colonel Cercy and Harrison are military colleagues with a history of mutual distrust.

### [Professor Darrig](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/professor_darrig)

_rivalry_

Colonel Cercy and Professor Darrig are intellectual adversaries, each believing their approach is superior.

### [Malley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/malley)

_professional_

Colonel Cercy is Malley's superior officer, often berating him for incompetence.

### [Harrison](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/harrison)

_professional_

Colonel Cercy and Harrison are military colleagues with a history of mutual distrust.

### [Harrison](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/harrison)

_professional_

Colonel Cercy and Harrison are military colleagues with a history of mutual distrust.

### [Professor Darrig](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/professor_darrig)

_rivalry_

Colonel Cercy and Professor Darrig are intellectual adversaries, each believing their approach is superior.

### [Malley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/malley)

_professional_

Colonel Cercy is Malley's superior officer, often berating him for incompetence.

## In the story

### [Diplomatic Immunity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/chapters/diplomatic-immunity)

Leads the mission to kill the alien Ambassador; attempts gunfire and fire, both of which fail.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters/colonel_cercy
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_48_se/characters