Author: David Barber Two hundred and eighty-five years earlier, the generation ship Pilgrim had set out for the worlds of Centauri, before such missions were abandoned by the nascent Steady-State. A century into the voyage, faint messages spoke of breakdowns and conflict. ...

Author: Hari Navarro, Staff Writer “You are functioning. Good morning, to you.” “Its two thirty two and a bit in the afternoon.” “Do you know where you are?” “Yes I do and I also know where I am not.” “Where are you not?” “I’m not in ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer The light from the triple row of screens reflects in their eyes as they watch the protest from eleven angles for the sixteenth time. When the replay ends, they look to the monitors on the desks in front of the three seated members of the ...

Author: Steve Smith, Staff Writer It's cold here. Inhospitable. We've been stranded for an age, near starving, not even enough energy to move from this place, much less try to find our way home. From time to time, some small animal, a rabbit, or a field mouse will ...

Author: Roger L. Wang Erik fumbled about in the bed of his echo chamber, knowing it would be a restless night. He eventually got up–not literally, but rather with his mind–and entered the studio. There, he obsessed and went through every detail of the dream he would ...

Author: Rachel Handley “Ok, now, before you see it, just-” “Just what, Terry?” “Just stay calm, be calm I mean.” Terry opened the door and pointed at a pink creature on the lamppost. “There’s nothing there, where is it?” “Look up” Terry said, jabbing his finger in the ...

Author: Jolie Lindholm Broque’s earthly ensemble fit like a glove, so comfortable, in fact, that he decided to leave it on for the entirety of our rendezvous. I followed suit. Feeling green and anticipating my first report, I’d already begun peeling at the pale flesh ...

Author: Brooks C. Mendell Every few days, I tote a pail of apple cores, carrot peels and coffee grinds to the steaming compost bin at the far end of our grassless backyard. The chore takes twelve minutes roundtrip. “That’s a minor inconvenience in the name of ...

Author: Mark Renney Dean was amazed that he had managed to hold off for so long. He had decided to languish with the minority, but not because he was in any way pious or had some overly zealous agenda. Dean was a user, had been for all of his adult life, for as long – no ...

Author: Hari Navarro I’d ask you to look at me, but I know now that you can not. Will not. How I too shielded my eyes from you. King. No, Devil — wrought within the arching serpents of molten plasma that leap and dive upon your very own crackling sphere of fire ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer “We’re leaving Earth.” I smile at the pale pink amoeboid that’s maintaining a human shape out of respect, and wearing clothes out of courtesy. “Why are you doing that, Dorn?” “The Council of Futures has decided we should seek a new ...

Author: David Tam McDonald “Cara, can you hear me?” I opened my sticky eyes to see a doctor standing over my bed. A nurse stood next to him looking concerned. “I know you must be confused, and I’m sorry to rush you but we haven’t much time.” he said. “Do you remember ...

Author: Rohan O'Duill Dylan strained as he twisted the rusty locking mechanism. Ever so slowly, the door groaned open, and the golden glow of the setting sun crept in through the widening crack like a shaft of light into an ancient burial chamber. The young man stood ...

Author: Hari Navarro, Staff Writer The doctors head swirls and vomit pisses from the swelling inside of his head and into the corners his eyes. He blinks and the moistened windows clear and he looks down upon his manacled hands and then along the stretch of table that leads ...

Author: Michael D. Hilborn Twenty minutes had passed since the cop had taken Donald's license and registration back to the patrol car, and Donald was feeling famished. As if he had spoken out loud, Samantha said, “Don’t do anything foolish." "But I'm hungry," said ...

Author: Chris Grebe Armida was no longer thinking completely clearly, of this she was certain. The Carmine Reaction. That’s what they were going to call it. She was sure of that too, somehow, sure as she was that she hadn’t stopped for a restroom for about two hundred ...

Author: Jeff Hill Upon waking this morning, I was surprised to feel no different. Angry with the world (and the lack of funds in my bank account), I begrudgingly took my shower and yelled obscenities as my roommate walked past me, laughing at my piss poor mood. “Didn’t ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer The chaos on the streets is nothing compared to the chaos at headquarters. In the end, I give up and hop from desk to desk, then jump down and barge through the queue into his office. “You called, Chief?” Clarence Christie, Chief of the ...