Circus of Grotesques

Author : Q. B. Fox With her middle finger she idly traced the ragged designer scar that ran across his tanned bicep, but she appeared unimpressed by it and her mind was obviously elsewhere. He stared at her pale, flawless skin where it stretched over her perfectly proportion ...

Blue Diamonds

Author : Duncan Shields, Staff Writer It was slave labour, that’s what it was. My nose drew a little circle in the center of the condensation on my faceplate. The visors were supposed to be moisture resistant but like everything else, the company had cut corners. We could ...

The Circle of Life

Author : Patricia Stewart, Staff Writer “Captain, we’re being hailed by Ambassador Kapris. He say’s it’s urgent.” Dammit, thought Captain Santiago, I don’t have time for this. “Tell him that I cannot be interrupted.” “Sir, he says that it’s a matter of life and death. He ...

Jerry and Monica's Falling Out

Author : Sean Monaghan

Jerry ducked Monica's projectile, his knees up to his chin in zero-G. The sno-globe missed his head by millimeters and smacked into the aluminum window casing, then spun through their cabin.

'Honey, it's okay, it's-'

'Ladies and Gentlemen,' the ...

Earthly Convalescence

Author : George Li The rusted orange hue of the sky made dancing reflections on Mirna's “skin”. Carefully, she raised the fragile watering pot. People had thought it would be them who caused this. Sentient robots that would rebel and destroy humanity. It didn't work out like ...

Vandals

Author : John C. Osborn The sound of the spray paint can spitting neon green from its nozzle drowned out the ambient noise of the city: police sirens, echoing gunshots, and the monotonous drone of the Floating Eyes. Ty directed the colorful symphony across a giant raised ...

Contraband

Author : Ian Rennie "Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my apartment?" The man at the window didn't turn to look at Lloyd's outburst. When he spoke, his voice sounded bored. "You know who I am, and if you have any sense, you know why I'm here." Finally he did ...

Spoils

Author : Clare Tong Lee Elizabeth stared at herself in the mirror as her ladies flittered about twisting her hair into elaborate braids and adorning her with jewellery. In less than an hour they would be docking at the Rammajek spaceport and then they would be out of time. ...

There Is No Was

Author : Ken McGrath He woke screaming, just as he always did. The chains held him in place, tearing into his flesh, causing his wounds to tear open and start to bleed again. The other place was gone, all that existed now was this horrible twisted metal hole, pumped full of ...

The Honeymooners

Author : Roi R. Czechvala She squeezed his hand, hard, as the main engines kicked in. His fingers turned white. It was her first launch, their first as husband and wife. “Take it easy Sweetheart. I’ll need that hand later.” “Sorry.” She said, releasing his hand. “Is it ...

Medic

Author : Duncan Shields, Staff Writer I can’t believe that it used to take years and years of real-time school to become a doctor. I slip the jack with the red cross on the dust-cover into the plug at the base of my skull. Just like that, I’m a surgeon, which is good news ...

That Somniferous Interlude

Author : Zachary Whitten Looking out the plexiglass window, he could see almost all the way across the station. In bed behind him, his Jane sighed and rolled over. She obviously wasn’t a Sardine, her body was too short, her muscles were too big and her skin had the fading ...

Blue Eyes

Author : Robert Stise He opens his eyes and looks around. His eyes are blue. “Good morning.” I say. He turns and looks at me then out the window at the dark sky. “It is still night.” He says sitting up on the steel table. I don’t even wonder about why they say that any ...

Opting Out

Author : Adam Zabell It started seven years ago when I was diagnosed with sudden onset electrophoretic meningitis. They had to dope me unconscious, take me off-line, electronically isolate me from the rest of the hospital, force doctors and nurses to use archaic diagnostic ...

Five Aitch

Author : K° Pittman They stopped at Hatch 5. "In and out, ten minutes, tops. No tourism." Bremmer's gloved hands fluttered over the fittings and straps of Aplon's dull grey outdoor suit, readjusting his rebreather mask and visor. "Righto, pops." Aplon toungued off the mask's ...

Ignoring the Overlay

Author : J. M. Perkins Jenny sat, tapping her fingers to keep from biting her nails. She was having trouble concentrating. She was having trouble being here and now, in this hot vinyl booth in the retro burger joint. The display contacts in Jenny's eyes flashed red, all ...

Awakening

Author : Juilan Kehaya It was bright and he couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. William panicked. Every limb tingled like static running through his veins. Something was in his throat. His eyes adjusted, a ceiling, a light. Electric shock forced him to blink. Hadn’t he just been ...

Duty, Honor, Planet

Author : Patricia Stewart Conflict ('kän-,flikt), noun: The opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to a dramatic action or struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, wishes, or demands. **** “Captain,” announced Lieutenant Harriman at the Tactical ...

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