Author : Sad Sama “You’re serious?” The Rear Admiral of the Arizona Fleet questions his superior for the first time in twelve years. First Resident Menos stands with hands clasped behind his back, morosely watching the field of stars passing the windows of the command deck of the fleet’s capital cruiser. “Of course I am.” [...]
Author : Patricia Stewart The ship had left Earth orbit 77 days ago. They just passed the halfway point on their supply mission to the Lowell Colony on Mars when the solar flare warning alarm began its variable whine. “Computer, deactivate the alarm,†instructed the captain. Then, with the poise of an officer who had [...]
Author : Steve Smith, Staff Writer “Son of a bitch!”. The Station Chief cut off comms with his boss, dropping back heavily in his chair before planting two battered boots against the desk frame and propelling himself away from it in disgust. “They want us to stop digging Tom?” The shorter of the two men [...]
Author : J. S. Kachelries As Archimedes lowered himself into his bath, water lapped over the top edge and spilled onto the floor. “Damn it, you fool,†he cursed aloud, “You overfilled the tub again.†“Not necessarily, master,†I pointed out. “It’s not too full; you just displaced too much water.†“What’s that Jamicles? Are [...]
Author : Duncan Shields I’d like to remember her the way most ex-boyfriends remember their exes. That is to say, when I’m drunk and missing her, I want to remember that space right under her ear, her easy smile, and that way that she’d hiccup if she laughed too much. When I’m angry at her [...]
Author : Michael Herbaugh a.k.a. “Freeman” I’m sitting That’s my first thought I can’t move my hands That’s the next thought. Then like a lightning bolt, I’m fully conscious. I know where I am and I know why I am here. “WAIT! I can prove I’m human! When I’m in bed I can’t sleep unless [...]
Author : Selena Thomason Robbie woke to find himself in a strange room. A man appeared at his side. “How are you feeling?” he asked, placing a hand on Robbie’s metal shoulder. “Strange,” Robbie replied slowly. “Do you know who I am?” “No.” “It’s not surprising you don’t remember me. I’m Dr. Vartan. Do you [...]
Author : Kaj Sotala On the remote planet of Niere IV, countless minds were constantly being played for a vast audience of listeners. Deep within the planet’s crust, the brains were enclosed in immense suprasteel vaults, floating in vast chambers of nutrient liquid. Protected day and night by thousands of fanatic warrior-monks, the brains bristled [...]
Author : Debbie Mac Rory Daniel fell to the grass so that the air from his lungs exited with a whoosh. He closed his eyes and let the cool of the earth leach the tension from his shoulders. When he opened them again, clouds drifted serenely by, lit by the twin moons and the gentle [...]
Author : Steve Smith, Staff Writer “You know, puny human, you’re about to die?” The voice reverberated off the store fronts, assailing the ears like broken glass. “You think you’re faster? That you can outgun me?” The biped stood stoic, unusually tall and peculiarly proportioned, bellowing down the dusty thoroughfare. “Can’t say that I’m faster, [...]
Author : Pyai She tapped me on the shoulder as I placed the rubber lid over the last of the macaroni casserole. I didn’t turn around. “You’re quiet,†she said. She knew. I nodded. One of the caterers came over to me and took the dishes away from in front of me. My tasks at [...]
Author : Duncan Shields I wake up. It’s dark. I’m in chains. I’m in a prison cell. Like in a castle. Like in the middle ages. Straw on the floor, mortared brick stonework, metal door, the whole bit. My lenses adjust. Clearly this is a construct. Incongruously, there is a mirror on the wall. I [...]
Author : Sarah Klein He was getting another body. Again. Always something new, though. Many people got almost the same body again – erase my scars, make me look younger, but I want to keep my fingerprints, they’d say. Smooth out the wrinkles, get rid of my freckles – that was what this business was [...]
Author : Selena Thomason Ian knew he shouldn’t get involved. Still, he set down his drink, tapped on the towering back next to him and said, “Look, why don’t you leave her alone? Clearly the lady is not interested.” The hulk turned towards him, which is when Ian noticed the extra pair of arms coming [...]
Author : Sad Sama “What’s it like?” The pale-haired wispy woman that is Alicia stares up at Brian as he asks his question. From the observation deck behind the engine complex the two of them could view the planet below. It is a humbling sight, but Brian’s attention is on Alicia. “What’s it like being [...]
Author : Joshua Reynolds The dead moved on surprisingly swift legs, despite muscles that had to be mostly composed of rot. So he ran faster. It had been a meteor, carrying a star-sickness. That was what had caused it. It wouldn’t have mattered if he hadn’t been here when it happened. For those first few [...]
Author : TJMoore Simon checked his course and speed against his charts. He was still only marginally ahead of the others but he hoped to be well ahead at the far buoy. He checked his lines and glanced at his sail which was full and tight. He relaxed and went below to fix some chow. [...]
Author : Rusty People of the earth, I am sorry. Mostly, I am sorry for the weapon pointed at me head, which you cannot see on your screen. But I think I am not as sorry as the person holding that weapon, who is hopefully debating wildly whether or not he should shoot me as [...]
Author : Duncan Shields It’s Sao Paolo all over again. I’ve got three bullets left in the low-tech and half a charge left in the high. I have six pencil holes straight through me that are cauterized from the setting on the sniper’s gun. They want this to be extreme cat and mouse. They want [...]
Author : Joshua Reynolds “I’m glad you’re here.” Tom looked up at her, a smile on his face. It didn’t reach his eyes. Jane sat heavily, her belly swollen, brushing a strand of hair out of her face as she returned his smile with one of her own. It was weak though. Six months pregnant [...]
Author : J. S. Kachelries Peter Drommel’s plan was flawless. He needed to kill Sebastian Keer, and make it look like suicide. And today would be the day. They were both presenting papers at The Fifth Annual Conference of Temporal Physics. Keer was presenting at 1:00. Drommel’s paper was at 4:00. If everything went according [...]
Author : TJMoore It was a Thursday. I’d just finished a little job for the landlord and I was looking through my latest copy of Dames when the bell rang. I looked at the monitor and saw a sultry blonde dish in a fancy red dress waiting at my door. Not being one to pass [...]
Author : Kate Thornborough “It’s ready, sir. Right this way.†said the visibly nervous neuroscientist, guiding the heavily decorated general to the sterile testing chambers. The rooms were small and each contained a test subject, a bed, and a small stereo. The subject paced around the stereo, occasionally throwing a questioning glance at it. The [...]
Author : Josh Romond Tasha Eng huddled in the corner of her escape pod. Her fingers brushed her upper lip as she stared wide eyed at the view screen. The cameras were trained on the massive, shimmering entity cradling the wreck of the Argos in its pseudopods. It had the ship peeled open and filleted, [...]
Author : Sad Sama Paul Manning, Elderly Opportunist, flashes the crygel of information in front of Julian. Julian, in all his tweed glory, cracks a smile and lowers his expensive sunglasses. “Excellent. And this is all 123 reality sequences that you promised?” Paul nods, sipping his drink as their boat drifts just off the coastline. [...]
Author : Joshua Reynolds “My mind is the gate and the key.” The thin, frail man in the bed muttered, his lips crusty, eyes staring past reality. His name was Howard Phillips Lovecraft and he was dying. The Censor stood over him, watching him die. And fuming. Lovecraft was finally being obliging. Just not quickly [...]
Author : Duncan Shields I’d tracked him down to the tiled cul-de-sac shower room in the emergency response section of the reactor. Smeared bloody footprints had led me to the crumpled figure breathing shallowly against the wall. He was applying field dressings to his wounds and cursing under his breath in between yelps of pain. [...]
Author : Debbie Mac Rory We’re not going to make it. How many times have you heard that? Don’t you get fed up of it? I know I have. All manner of excuses they tried forcing on me. Poisoning me with their lies and falsehoods. The first time I saw the new planet in the [...]
Author : Aelanna Cessara The gun had only a single round in it, but it was no ordinary bullet. Engraved into the depleted uranium slug were the minute lines of nanite circuitry, a single bursting charge that could penetrate an energy shield and deliver an overloading EM charge. It was a bullet that could kill [...]
Author : Marc Paige Disclaimer and Waiver of Responsibility: Second Chances, Inc. will make one (1) small change to one’s personal timeline and are not liable for any damages or loss (including loss of life) as a result of the altered timeline. No financial alterations. Any fraudulent change will be immediately reversed. Only you will [...]
Author : TJMoore Captain Thomas Crane squinted into the bright sunlight as he swirled his brandy absentmindedly around in the gold rimmed crystal snifter cradled loosely in his hand. A mahogany skinned attendant wearing only a smile popped another grape into his mouth. The plump fruit burst between his teeth and a little juice trickled [...]
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