As Long As It Takes
Author : Aaron Henderson “It’s going to be a kick-ass weekend,” Gus thought to himself as he maneuvered the ratchet and claw, carefully removing a panel from the dusty robot that lay a few feet in front of his maintenance pod. He was looking forward to watching not…
read moreA Chink in the Armour
Author : Roi R. Czechvala, Staff Writer “Don’t show it, please don’t show it, for the love of all that is holy, please don’t show it.” “Gentlemen, as you can see from the footage, the XA – 4 reactive armour system is effective against all small arms ballistic…
read moreTC47
Author : Liz Lafferty Life insurance was easier to write now that Sovereign Earth had established a predestined day of death. I’m not saying that everyone died on the predestined date, but some politician with a mind toward the future had discovered that incentives…
read moreThe Dream Machine
Author : Andrew Brereton Now he understood what his master had meant when he said that some people come here only to never leave. The place was truly magical. Even as he watched, a man and his assistant walked by carrying two strange skulls with long ridged horns…
read moreTwo Minute Meeting
Author : Rob O’Shea Too little time. Too many meetings. I turn on the Transmit and zimmed out of office and back to home. In the wardrobe there is a skin I put on. Have to look fresh. The girl — blonde, cancer free, young — cries. I detach her body from the hanger;…
read moreSwimming
Author : Duncan Shields, Staff Writer Headfirst into the mainstream with my lawsuit buzzing, that’s the only way to do it. The cold data can stop your heart. Bright red crosses dance around me, warding off viruses that can infect my setup and make it drain others. The…
read moreInsomnia
Author : Waldo van der Waal “Don’t worry,” she had said, “I’ll be there to take the straps off once we come out of stasis.” She had smiled at me. A pretty smile. She was pretty all over: Dark hair, pixie-like features and perky breasts. I could see her nipples through…
read moreThe Lonely Cutting Torch
Author : Leland Stillman Dustin is dusting off the cutting-torch. I am pulling on my space boots. It is odd to think that we are farmers, the true first profession, now done only on space platforms. “We’ll be cuttin’ a while,” he says to me. Space hooligans have…
read moreLemonade
Author : Patricia Stewart, Staff Writer “Well, Eleanor, have you figured out why the warp drive isn’t working?” “Yes Seb. Believe it or not, this star system is in the center of a super large dark matter donut, and we’re in the hole. Apparently, it’s creating erratic…
read moreA Fresh Start
Author : Matthew Callaway Leaving for work Chip noted that this day, like every other held about a 98.3% chance of tedium. The prospect was as oppressive as the permanent lighting that lines the streets, serving for the unseen sun below a sky full of buildings, their…
read moreThe Moment Of Freedom
Author : Andrew Hawnt I didn’t look back. The explosion tore through the upper floors of the building first, raining white hot debris onto the street below. It was late enough for the streets to be empty, so no harm was done beyond a few damaged cars and scorched…
read moreTatiana
Author : Roi R. Czechvala, Staff Writer “Don’t go,” he cried. “I am here Vasilly. I will always be here. I will always be with you. I love you,” she said as she slid away. Those last few months, she suffered horribly. Almost all forms were curable, and the ones that…
read moreOut of Sync
Author : Steve Smith, Staff Writer Atto hovers at the end of the bar furthest from the dance floor. Under the harsh lights his skin seems translucent even to him. The revelers around him tipping bottles back and clinking glasses look right through him. He knows a kind…
read moreWorld Without End
Author : Liz Lafferty “Abbot Cryogenics. Pod 47. Earthdate: 2870513. Final log entry. Dr. Amanda Davidson, Director, Abbot Cryogenics. All pods have successfully entered cryo-preservation.” I punched the final sequence starting the five minute countdown to my first…
read moreOctopus 2935
Author : Matthew Banks Dr. McLaren stood in front of the tank with a printout in one hand and an ampoule of pale yellow liquid in the other. Octopus 2935 squirted through the tank in front of him, dodging nimbly around the tall coral outcrop in the middle. Excited…
read moreA Girl in Every Port
Author : Adam J Keeper I swear there’s a curse on my spaceship. As my vision returns I see the spiderweb of cracks in my visor, the now familiar sight of bodies spinning in zero g, the red pulse of the warning lights, the squeal of the proximity alarm. I try to reach…
read moreThe Dime
Author : Mike Marsh “Tell me again about the dime. How is this relevant?” Charlie was tired. This was the end of a long day; his head hurt. He swatted at a buzzing fly. “The dime is just part of it, doc. Don’t you get it? Who’s on the dime is just the start.” The man…
read moreThe Denebian Solution
Author : Patricia Stewart, Staff Writer Earthforce engaged the Denebian fleet in the gap between the asteroid belt and Jupiter. During the battle, a lone Denebian ship broke formation and streaked toward the inner solar system. “Pursue the Denebian ship, warp factor…
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