“Objection, your honor; asked and answered,” stated the defense attorney.

“Sustained,” replied the judge. Then addressing the plaintiff’s attorney, “Move on, counselor.”

“Your honor,” he protested, “the ...

The UES Celeste coasted into the outskirts of the Trifid Nebula, and pulled alongside two stationary vessels that were tethered to each other. Captain Briggs studied the view screen suspiciously. “Well chief, what do you make ...

Murphy took a bench and pulled a paperback from his coat pocket. He dialed down his shades to read better, and sipped his coffee. After a few pages, he became aware of a presence on the bench next to him.

"Oh, wow. Paper. You drive gas, too, ...

The air scrubbers were failing. Generators were running at less than fifteen percent. Only one large bio dome and four of the sixty life support shelters remained of the mission complex.

Father Nandres died a week ago and there was no one left who ...

"I'd like to order an arm, please. Left, if you have them. I've always liked left arms."

"Certainly, sir. Have a seat while -- oh, my apologies, that was quite rude of me."

"Think nothing of it. It's by choice, not by circumstance; ...

"But what is it?" asked Brian. He was examining the softly humming sphere on the table with skepticism.

"I told you, it's an explanitarium. I invented it!" I said again with more than a little pride and just a little impatience.

"And what, exactly, ...

“Well, Tom, what do you think?”

“Joe, if you made me hike 50 miles through the jungle, climb a freakin’ 10,000 foot mountain, and craw through a cave for half a mile on my hands and knees, just so you could show me another cave…” Tom ...