*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 →

[Illustration: New illustration created for the archive; the original artwork, “X-Stove” © 2004 by Andrew G. McCann, has been lost.] 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 … 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 →