Author : Beck Dacus For most the difference between being stranded on an island and being stranded on a distant planet is merely numerical. But while stranded on the planet Ergingad, I could feel it. Probes had been there before, so it had been explored. We knew about the atmosphere, ...

Author : Matthew Marchitto The rain was heavy and it blurred the faces of the crowd on Main Street. Deb stood in an alley off to the side watching the people move like a herd of cattle. Neon signs for places like Rucker’s Bar and the Harlot Peepshow glowed with muted light. A ...

Author : Thomas Desrochers Tomov couldn't help but climb up to the marble altar. It was underwhelming: red shroud embroidered with a white shepherd, a single candle, an offering of roses. A quiet place, hidden from the world by the rows of towering quartz, the vast and ancient ceiling ...

Author : Julian Miles, Staff Writer They call me Wrench. It’s not particularly imaginative, but it does the job. Just like Socket, who still has a case to keep all the fiddly bits together. I like the adaptability and extra weight of a wrench, though. Socket has to be sneaky, coz if ...

Author : Gray Blix [In the control room they hear what she hears in stereo and see what she sees on left and right vision monitors.] A well-dressed man is sitting behind a desk, talking on the phone. His tag IDs him as "Technical Recruiter." She stands nervously until he gestures for ...

Author : Timothy Goss Mr Lipscombe finished his sandwich. The bars to the metal cage rattled as he secured the lock. It was a necessary precaution; things were not always as they should be, he remembered especially with new blood. The cage was constructed for maximum security and ...