Wedding Day
Author : Harris Tobias I felt a shifting in my circuits like I got when I rebooted, a slippery, falling feeling that signaled stress— or was it joy? The whole idea of feelings and emotions was new to me. An upgrade, I didn’t think was much of an improvement. It was…
read moreOut of Time
Author : Jae Miles “They’ve got reinforcements!” I checked my chrono. Down to one thousand, eight hundred and forty-three instances. I warned Flank Axel Leader as Scout Axel Second cut into our channel. “Looks like two full companies.” Damn. That meant twelve hundred…
read moreYou and Me and an Ass Makes Three, Tonight
Author : Steve Smith, Staff Writer The O’Brian Star sat fixed in space between two possible orbits. On maneuvering thrust, we could roll into a pattern over Telavor, shuttle down for some much needed rest while the ship was refitted and resupplied and plot our next…
read moreStar Light, Star Bright
Author : Duncan Shields, Staff Writer We were at Jason’s house partying when it happened. W6, The Rapture, Day One, whatever you call it where you are. I remember everyone’s phones going off. They lit up in the darkness of the party, confusing everyone like surprise…
read moreFundamental Forces
Author : Patricia Stewart, Staff Writer The holographic image of the Secretary of Space Command came into focus in the Fleet Admiral’s ready room. “Status Report, Admiral,” demanded the Secretary without ceremony. “We own the space surrounding the planet, Madam…
read moreRemedies
Author : Ian Rennie The trader frowned. The translation device, never superbly reliable, had been acting up ever since he had arrived on Cygnus 1. “I’m sorry,” he said, “What did you say?” “I said, what are you selling?” Veloth, the trader, relaxed. For just a moment,…
read moreThe Lottery
Author : Travis Gregg His vehicle crested the hill on his way into work that morning and it came into view like it always did. The billboard never failed to draw his attention, no matter that he’d seen it literally hundreds or even thousands of times, once every…
read moreThe Iteration Cube
Author : Garrett Harriman Mesdames Snell and Putnam clashed into the nurse’s office. Most weeks, their campy enmities proved indispensable in the rebuking of their children. Not today. The diversity and girth of this congress fared worrisome. Present were Sloan, half…
read moreSign of the Times
Author : Roi R. Czechvala, Staff Writer “Fucking bastards.” “What?” “Fucking Nip bastards.” “What are you talking about?” “First of all, they violated the Earth Non-Aggression Treaty by bringing the war to the home planet,” Larry Talbot said through clenched teeth,…
read moreSynesthesia
Author : Evan McCoy Crecy knew something was wrong with the optics app when he opened his eyes and the world exploded into colour. At first the experience was violent and a little frightening. He blinked several times and probably had some vague notion that this would…
read moreSerial Killer
Author : Duncan Shields, Staff Writer Detective Peterson was reviewing the interview footage of Kyle Raven. It was late at night and Peterson had looked at the footage many times. He was troubled but he couldn’t figure out why. He rewound the video tape and watched it…
read moreLife Virus
Author : Steve Smith, Staff Writer “Vibrablade.” Across the table, gowned and goggled the ranking surgeon held a hand out expectantly. “Vibrablade,” she raised her voice, “either assist or get the hell out of my O.R.” The corporal had grown accustomed to being yelled…
read moreFreedom!
Author : Krista Bunskoek Stealing the unimobile gave her the rush of a lifetime. Speeding up the mountainous, winding highway, she laughed like a youthful mutineer. “Change sound,” she commanded. “Sound changing,” stated the pleasant sync voice. “Which sound would you…
read moreThe Perfect Prison
Author : Colin O’Boyle Edgar Miller was a convict. Currently, he was an escaped convict, and that was the way he intended to stay. He’d broken out of prison through a series of well-laid plans, noticed opportunities and a bit of luck, not to mention violence. “I said,…
read moreFutureblind
Author : Justin Short The world’s largest man will tell you like he has told half a dozen others: you are not experiencing time travel. Just relax. Of course, he’ll feed his face on a double bucket of chicken as he explains it, but that part isn’t vital to…
read moreThe Dutiful Husband
Author : Martinus Guzman My confused senses grasped at the world about me. Skin pulsed along with a faint rhythmic metal tick of a clockwork engine. Ozone, cinder and iron burst over my tongue, tasting a room filled with energy and power. Dank corners and oiled…
read moreArms Race
Author : Steve Hall The spectators watched raptly as the assault team crept through the artificial cityscape. Their experience was obvious – steady, even steps, eyes and weapons constantly scanning a full hemisphere of potential threats. The point man held up a closed…
read moreRetrograde
Author : Nic Swaner Scents from inside the suit intertwined their intentions with the sights of tangled and tessellated hair illumed by firefly LED’s, spiking my circulation with memories and murmurs of dopamine. I took her by the gaze; she steered her sight away from…
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