“Time Share” by E.S. Strout

Painted illustration: a sleek experimental spacecraft with a dark-haired woman pilot in its cockpit streaks away from a ring-shaped orbital station above Earth as space warps around it in swirling rings of blue and gold light.

[Illustration: New illustration created for the archive; the original artwork, “TimeShare” © 2005 by SenthilKG, has been lost.] The possibility of faster-than-light travel has fascinated astrophysicists and propulsion engineers, as well as science fiction writers. With the arrival of gravity-drive thrust, the possibility becomes a probability, with apologies to Albert Einstein. Trials are under way. … Continue reading “Time Share” by E.S. Strout →

“Business is Business” by S.K. Twyford

Painted illustration: a smiling businessman in a pinstripe suit sits at a glass conference table facing a small, iridescent pink, pig-snouted alien with orange eyes standing on the table, glowing purple swirls between them and mining towers on a desert world outside.

[Illustration: New illustration created for the archive; the original artwork, “Mind Cow” © 2005 by Andy McCann, has been lost.] The Centrac minerals representative was undoubtedly the strangest-looking being that Janson had ever seen. He, or was it she -- there was no way of telling -- was only a metre tall with a skin … Continue reading “Business is Business” by S.K. Twyford →

Author: Tamara Wilhite

Dear Editor: My first book, “Humanity’s Edge”, will be available through amazon.com this December. The book is a collection of 13 classic science fiction short stories with a libertarian worldview. If your readers liked my other stories in Planet, I think they'll like this book too. Here are links to my stories in Planet Magazine: … Continue reading Author: Tamara Wilhite →

“Greetings from the Heliosheath” by Corey Brown

Sketch of a man cycling past wrecked TVs and a ruined house as a dust storm and fiery sky sweep over orchards

Travis was lounging on the couch, gnawing on a carrot for breakfast, and watching the President smash all the chandeliers in the White House with a sledgehammer. By the angle of the sun pouring in the window, he knew it had to be nine-thirty already, but he didn't feel like getting up. Besides, there wasn't … Continue reading “Greetings from the Heliosheath” by Corey Brown →

“First Dawn” by Jason Maxwell

Ornate framed art of an astronaut climbing stone steps toward tall black obelisks under a sun and a moon

I clunked down steps in an eerie alien-twilight world. Deadly mist licked tenuously at my suit, Long fingers, searching fingers, An old world beckons. I stepped down into its arms. Dust rose from First Hesitant Contact with the damned place. But the world timidly opened its eyes The mountains loomed – desperately baring the binary … Continue reading “First Dawn” by Jason Maxwell →

“Whom to Betray Today” by Tamara Wilhite

“Ready to go?" I nodded. We walked to an electric car. I got in, no longer caring who saw me get in. We drove past the chaos that was the city. Outside was a mix of shanties and high rises, and religious communities bounded by perimeter fences. Communications towers dominated the sky over children carrying … Continue reading “Whom to Betray Today” by Tamara Wilhite →