That's right, you saw me on "Oprah" and "Donahue." And I'll betcha my last beer you're wondering what kind of chucklehead would've done it. Well, let me explain by telling you that only one word describes the Ultimate Joyride: totally awesome. And that's what it was, a joyride. If it wasn't, you think I'd be … Continue reading 10 Years Ago in Planet… “Stealth” by Andrew G. McCann →

The boy settled down on the bench under the skydome. The long night was drawing to a close as his father began the story. “Well son, it all started with SKALO, the Society for Kindness to All Living Organisms. SKALO was a group that made your garden-variety vegetarian look positively carnivorous. Not only did its … Continue reading “Going Green” by Rachel Dunstan Muller →

Just before midnight on a Saturday, a young astronomer in Puerto Rico became the first to spot the small object sputtering toward the sun. It came in past Pluto, riding a spark that moved clearly against the millions of hard, bright stars behind it. Within two hours of e-mailing his colleagues at various universities and … Continue reading 10 Years Ago in Planet… “Astrobeast” by Andrew G. McCann →

He lay back on the gurney, staring at the lights suspended above him. The bright glare burned his eyes, but he scarcely had the strength to close his weary lids. He was dimly aware of shapes around the edge of his vision, but moving his head was completely out of the question. He concentrated on … Continue reading “Second Chance” by David Murphy →

Editor's Note: This story has been removed at the request of the author. About the Author: Zia Ahmed lives in the Boston area and reluctantly aids corporate world dominance for a living. (c) 2004 Zia Ahmed ziahmed@yahoo.com About the Artist: Romeo Esparrago is one man, but his artwork can be many places at once. (c) … Continue reading “The Traveler” by Zia Ahmed →

*Pr--Sh--Error. Reindexing.* *No threat.* The computer's voice came from nowhere, but just leapt into Allela's eardrums fully formed. It sent a shiver down her back. She looked at Lukas. "Damn it, would you stop that?" Lukas was hunched over the console, paying no attention to her. She couldn't tell why, but his customary arrogance seemed … Continue reading “Mind Weld” by Tristan Palmgren →

Malorchia was content, savoring the newness of her first birthling on Pollis as Iron Feather steered his craft out of the Equuid system. Now that the most important and personal matters had been attended to properly, it was time to police the quadrant for the Confederation. The first order of business was for Iron Feather … Continue reading “The Tremors of Squirm (part of The Langford Joh Saga)” by William Alan Rieser →

Thurman stood and walked over to Jeffries, eyes wide, mouth convoluted in a warped smile. "I am reality!" he screamed into Jeffries' indifferent face. "I am being!" Richard cowered behind Barker, the largest of the bunch. The three men looked over at their ranting comrade with growing unrest. "I must find an outlet," Thurman said, … Continue reading “Entity” by James I. Wasserman →

"Don’t pay the ferryman Don’t even fix a price Don’t pay the ferryman Until he gets you to the other side" - popular song, Second Millennium * I was climbing the mountain to be closer to the stars. It was nearly dark when I came upon the hidden cabin and the old woman. She said … Continue reading “Searching for the Ferryman” by Derek Smith →

My code name is Iron Feather, and I am writing this to honor an old request from my father, the former Earth Ambassador to the Confederation, the recently departed and much-admired Langford Joh. I refer to a conversation we had once in which he chided me on my poor ability to select a proper mate. … Continue reading “Malorchia (part of The Langford Joh Saga)” by William Alan Rieser →