“Alfred Bester’s short stories are fevered, mile-a-minute narratives, and “5,271,009” has even more ideas than most: the protagonist keeps jumping through clichéd paradises of science fiction (the last man on earth, a kid with the knowledge of his adult self, the usual), realizing each one isn’t actually that great, and moving on to the next. One number keeps reappearing over and over, but it’s not until we reach the end that the meaning of it all is revealed.

According to Bester himself, the entire romp was inspired by one illustration, a picture of a space convict chained to a meteoroid. The number on his black and white striped jumpsuit became the driving force behind the bizarre short story.”

From 42 to 2001: Science Fiction by the Numbers