Panel Crew

Author : Duncan Shields, Staff Writer This was my fourth summer paving the flat parts of Nevada with solar panels. The project had been going on for four years and looked like it would go on for another six. A summer under the cruel desert sun will teach you about yourself. The sun ...

Protect The Weak

Author : Clint Wilson, Staff Writer “Donovan, anchor the antenna atop that formation, mother says it’s the only place high enough.” The mountain jutted up at an odd angle. But it was only more of the non-descript surface of this desolate, lifeless rock. His captain looked at him ...

Run For Your Life

Author : Patricia Stewart, Staff Writer (Caution: Science content) The Perseus Space Colony is a marvel of twenty-third century engineering. It is located approximately 400,000 kilometers from the Earth, and trailing 60 degrees behind the Moon. Astronomers call it the Lagrange (L5) ...

Peeler

Author : Julian Miles, Staff Writer TRANSCRIPT: 01141220072461 INCIDENT: LEU1093-19072461 OUTCOME: PERPETRATOR FATALITY INCEPT: 230336 Emergency call made from D40F38CB17: “Help. He has a gun. And a knife. And my daughter.” RESPONSE1: 230619 LEU on scene. RESPONSE2: 230728 Call for ...

The Stakes

Author : Kevin Crisp “You’re a cheat!” Eb shouted, tossing his cards as he rose to his full, imposing height. Money would have meant nothing to Eb on a planet with little left to spend it on, but he was playing for information. And Pierre was beating him, badly. The pod was tense and ...

Chomp And Stomp

Author : Davena Oaks Swaying on the jerking bus, her hooves planted widely to afford her better balance, Kira endured the ride with the expression of a true commuter: apathetic. Empty seats all around offered no temptation to sit, they were molded plastic with a mockingly thin layer of ...

Luna Llena

Author : Lindsey McLeod The President stood silhouetted against the huge windows of the White House, hands clasped behind her back, apparently deep in thought. Over those slender shoulders, Jane Randall could see a vast expanse of starry sky that looked like nothing more than the ...

Pioneers

Author : Bob Newbell "Starship Tsiolkovsky, this is the Haven Space Station calling. Please respond." Captain John McCormick arose from his command chair. He and the other five recently reanimated members of the Tsiolkovsky crew were utterly shocked. The Tsiolkovsky had been launched ...

Coffee, Tea or Me

Author : Duncan Shields, Staff Writer Janice faltered in the dark apartment. It wasn’t hers. She was sobering up, the guy was snoring, and it was time to go. She had her panties in her pocket and her shoes were dangling from her hand by their thin, blue straps. It was time to head ...

The Hand You're Dealt

Author : Sierra Corsetti Marie snuck a glance out of the corner of her eyes as the card dispenser beeped and dropped three slips of plastic-coated paper into her waiting hand. She dropped them into the front pocket of her leather overcoat and swished out of the pharmacy, merging into ...

Indefatigable

Author : Algor X. Dennison "Are you out of your mind?" Captain Lurren screamed at me. She clung to a broken strut over the glowing red chasm where solid deckplate had been a few minutes earlier. I wanted to tell her that she looked like the crazed one in that position, and that she was ...

The Pod

Author : Leah Hervoly I have been drifting along for the past seven hundred and eighteen years. Things are starting to look the same. Puffy red nebulae over here, collapsing white dwarf over there. Once in a while I see a galaxy get sucked into a supermassive black hole like some kind ...

Plan B

Author : Thomas Howe The sleep pod hissed. He awoke full of dreams of empty fields and dark corridors. He sat up, his feet hitting the cold floor. He walked naked to the console, checking the monitor. “When am I?” The computer clicked and whirred. One line of code appeared: ...

The Practical Problems of Interstellar Empire

Author : Bob Newbell Trimet VII was the Emperor of the entire Epsilon Eridani star system. Of course, he didn't know his solar imperium by the name a human celestial cartographer had given his sun. To Trimet VII, his star was designated Benzaprin and his planet, Benzaprin Prime, was ...

Based On A True Story That Hasn't Happened Yet

Author : Clint Wilson, Staff Writer “Calm down earthling, we already have most of your recorded history. We believe we know what has happened. You are now an extremely endangered species, so we will not punish you for your crimes.” “So you acknowledge that what I did was a ...

Rebel

Author : Duncan Shields, Staff Writer I worry my family. They say I think too much. They say I rebel too much, ask too many questions, tamper with the mental blocks we have installed. They say the police will come to take me away, punish me, wipe my brain, and send me away. I know ...

Resurrection

Author : Steve Smith, Staff Writer Baxter could still feel the heat from the vials in his hands as they vapourized into the atmosphere of the room, still smell the fuel, even through his respirator in the moment the weapon discharged full into his back. The pain was ...

Jewels and Blood

Author : Julian Miles, Staff Writer The drill slides sideways like it’s got a mind of its own, so I straighten up to lift it clear of the crystal. My vision blurs and I pause to gauge which of the two reasons applies. With a bark of laughter I realise it’s the good option: too much ...

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