Memorare

A summary of Gene Wolfe's short story, Memorare.

Memorare

Murmuring a prayer, March Wildspring evades a bladed boobytrap in a mortuary chamber.  He speaks into a camcorder, documenting his perilous surroundings.  His narration describes a host of asteroids converted into memorials, some benign and some dangerous.

March tests the crypt’s defense system before hurrying outside.  He films the intricately carved exterior of the space rock, hoping to warn away mourners, tourists, and pilgrims.  Reflecting on the dead and the afterlife, March returns to his hopper.