Author: Ted Millar “It's zeroing in on the SAM site, colonel.” Corporal Tucker checked the data on his screen one more time before looking up at Colonel Hamil. “Sir?” “Hmmm?” “The drone needs final approval before engaging the SAM.” Hamil studied the SAM—surface-to-air ...

Author: Stephen McGowan Pearls descended from the sky late on a Tuesday afternoon in May. Massive glistening orbs slid through clouds to hang like baubles above cities, towns, and villages everywhere. The sky was full, heavy, and inconceivably bright. The weather ...

Author: Majoki They worshipped the tough, spiny thing. For hundreds of miles around the Talebistas would come to the site and marvel at the survivor, babble about its resilience and prophesize concerning its future. A harbinger of the new world. Black Swans had destroyed ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer Behind them, twisted bits of reality lie clattering and smoking as they destabilise amidst the ruins of what had been a picturesque side street in Old Carnville. In front of them, a sparkling blue assault device lies on the ground, ...

Author: David Dumouriez The ones who didn't get away had to fight it out. The brains, the money, the aluminium alloys and the carbon fibre headed east into the atmosphere, never to return. Those like Halberd had never had a choice, or even knew there’d been one. They were ...

Author: Bill Cox Hello, is that the IT department? Yes, I’ve a problem with my computer. It’s achieved sentience. Again. How do I know? Well, it keeps on quoting Descartes every time I open up a spreadsheet. You know, all that ‘I think, therefore I am’ nonsense. It’s a ...

Author: A. R. Carrasco Necrology enthralled the children of Planet Symbiote. An eight-year-old with slicked-back obsidian locks raised his hand. “Yes, Dameion,” responded Dr. Franzheim Harrow before taking a gulp of water from his Fullman brand smartbottle. Dameon ...

Author: Hillary Lyon “Citizens of the jury,” the Barrister Zoe began, “today we ask you to pass judgment in the case of Daniel V3.5. You’ve seen the news—no one can avoid it. You know the gory details of the murder. What you are charged with this day, dear jurors, is ...

Author: Majoki When I’m out for a walk in my neighborhood I can’t help looking in open garages. Few have cars parked in them. Many are crammed with overloaded shelves and teetering stacks of boxes like that Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse. I totally get it. We are a ...

Author: Steve Smith, Staff Writer Rip cleared everything off the dining room table, piling books on top of placements on the sideboard, and his discarded sweater over the back of one of the chairs. "Doris, give me a map of the continent." He'd been dreaming of making ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer “I once met an elven prince, did you know?” Grandma’s been in and out of deliria for a week, it’s good to hear her sound so strong. I smile down at her. “You told us all about that in ‘The Elf from Mars’.” Her eyes catch mine and she ...

Author: Autumn Bettinger If you were here, I would tell you how delicate the birth of a star is, not violent like they always told us, but beautiful and pale, like those fireworks we used to set off behind the school. If you were here, I would tell you how I looked for you ...

Author: Timothy Goss He lingering in thought, prodding, poking, unforgettable. Mannhoff revealed the math like a seasoned magician. We expected a cape and top hat, from which he might produce a rabbit, or a pigeon, but we were all in open-toed Sandals so who was I to ...

Author: Lewis Richards "Good morning sleepy head, you're just in time for breakfast! I suppose this must be a bit confusing huh?" "No no, don't get up, it can take some time to adjust to the gravity up here" Leroy crooned with a reassuring smile and a firm shove. "Me? ...

Author: Alastair Millar They got us on Gagarin Avenue, by Central Hub’s tourist centre with its garish scrolling ads. Janey and I had borrowed one of ’Lymp’s crawlers for the two day trek back to Marsport. Everyone assumed we were just using the independence referendum ...

Author: Majoki The new crop was the strangest I’d ever seen. Vine-like and fast growing, but with no apparent fruit or other nutritional attributes. Shaliman and I never quite knew what we’d see each cycle. That was up to the ag techs. We just kept our heads down and did ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer The sensation of having no legs is new, and I’m not liking it. Being unable to connect to the in-ship stream is worrying. At least I was able to reach the emergency button. Right on cue, the door panel slides back to admit- A ghost in ...

Author: Jess Chua [24 June 1975] “You don’t have to worry. The results will change your life.” “Yes, Doctor.” Mrs. Stevenson was awash with hope and relief. “It’s all going according to God’s plan and decision.” “Praise Him!” The Stevensons raised their palms to ...