Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 26 (June 2000). Illustration: “Termin Al” by Andrew G. McCann Jackson Keyes wiped the sweat from his face, once again cursing the heat of the southern California desert. He hummed one note, trying to concentrate on the road instead of the pain in his head. The car began to … Continue reading Terminal Illness, by D.F. Huettner
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 26 (June 2000). Illustration: “Eron” by Patrick Stacy Incoming balon rockets screamed across the night sky, the light from their massive discharges reflecting in web-like patterns off low-hanging clouds. At the edge of the jungle, giant magnetron generators held the Confederation's command center disrupter-fields in place. From the orange … Continue reading The Orange Hills of Eron, by Frank W. Clark
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 26 (June 2000). Illustration: “Planet-Intellect” by Zozzy "·and the shadow of Quadosh came to Arhat as he sat beside the river tree. And Arhat said, Who are you? What is your name? And Quadosh said, I am the Writer of the Word within you·I have come from the other … Continue reading The Golden Globe, by Richard Behrens
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 24 (December 1999). THE COLD DESERT When the Space Shuttle first started to fly, it landed on a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert of California. Back then they weren't sure if the brakes would stop it before it ran out of runway at Kennedy Space Center in … Continue reading Two Sci-Bun, by Linda Robeck
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 24 (December 1999). Illustration: “Avrilita Blastitus” by Romeo Esparrago Nothing lasts forever... Turn your back and walk away;never to return.Deep inside your pounding hearta fire begins to burn. Orange sky, pastel moons and planets,above her where she stands.Only as a sweet, fleeting memory,will be her lost homeland. The path … Continue reading Nothing Lasts Forever, by Tony Chandler
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 24 (December 1999). Illustration: “Mars” by Dave (Zozzy) Thwaites I was on Mars the day the Earth explodeda new star giving the news above the horizonand I stared in shock and then waitedfor news that the war was won One of those aliens smiled in its alien wayand said … Continue reading Mars, by Gryffyd Eamonn Dempsey
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 24 (December 1999). Illustration: “Hairlong” by Romeo Esparrago Sci-Faiku Chicks used to dig my lookswhen I had long hairand braided antennae Tanka Can't resist your charm,languid long legs, wicked waist,nimble nanoprobes,resistance is so futileVoyager's Seven of Nine! Poetry & artwork "Hairlong" copyright © 1999/2000 by Romeo Esparrago Voyager and … Continue reading Long-Haired Alien & 7, by Romeo Esparrago
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 24 (December 1999). This is a micro-hypertext with eleven nodes, based on a kanji-ku (haiku placed on an ideogram). [Archive note: in the original, readers slid the mouse over the kanji for outer space (a Java image map) to watch the words change and coalesce, and clicked underlined words … Continue reading Breathing at the Galaxy’s Edges, by Deena Larsen
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 24 (December 1999). Illustration by Romeo Esparrago I once met a man who had a collectionOf Star Trek: The Next Generation tapesEvery episode over five years tapedMeticulously with fan-like raptureAnd played back constantly He:snarled like a Klingon when pissedlearned diplomacy from the captainadmired the engineer his handicapslusted after the … Continue reading Trivial Pursuits, by Richard Behrens
Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 24 (December 1999). Illustration by Romeo Esparrago Before my body I sit and wonderThe belly is full of toxic wasteThe head shelters useless ideas Once this vessel was pumped withEnergy and life, and words cameLike orgasms onto my notebooksAnd manuscripts of ideasNow the lunar rock void of airSits inert … Continue reading Kick Ass, by Richard Behrens
