“The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Star Pilot” by Lee Moan

JOURNAL ENTRY #3138 Date: 11/04/2199 Time: 1046 This is Cory Dealth, captain and pilot of the cargo freighter, Alexa. I’ve just chartered the final leg of our course for Delta Centauri, but I’m certain that I won’t reach journey’s end alive. I am in the grip of “the Sorrow”, “the Loneliness”, “the Pilot’s Despair”; it … Continue reading “The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Star Pilot” by Lee Moan →

“Light Source” (a Prof. Paula J. Lynch story) by E.S. Strout

A red-haired woman with a book and a pilot on a starship bridge watch a satellite fire a beam, a ghost reaching in

"No longer are laser guns the stuff of Hollywood and Strategic Defense Initiative fantasy. The Pentagon inside of a decade could be armed with such a beam weapon...." -- Oakland Tribune, October 19, 2003 "You are the one, Neo." -- The Matrix 1. Professor Paula J. Lynch plopped her duffel bag on the steel deck … Continue reading “Light Source” (a Prof. Paula J. Lynch story) by E.S. Strout →

“Failure to Communicate” by Ed McKeown

“What is it?” Over-General Ulat demanded, in tones of nitrogen with an overlay of imperious oxygen. “You’re ruining my contemplation of our glorious victory. ” He angled a stalked eye at the glowing remains of the humans’ small advance base on the horizon. The strange creatures with their superior technology had fallen to a surprise … Continue reading “Failure to Communicate” by Ed McKeown →

“Autumn Haiku in the Year 2278” by Anjali Chandi

Painted illustration: an autumn night on a colony world under three moons, with a rocket launching, glowing nanofireflies and floating blue fruit, little droids on a playground, glowing grave markers, and translucent children in Halloween costumes at a gate.

[Illustration: New illustration created for the archive; the original artwork, “Maroon Bells” © 2004 by Robert Sorensen, has been lost.] under three moons a rush of nanofireflies -- October wind leafless trees -- in the rocket’s wake a swirl of blue banana-persimmons Veterans’ cemetery -- at the markers of the space buoy nanites planting memories … Continue reading “Autumn Haiku in the Year 2278” by Anjali Chandi →

“Memoirs of a Bounty Hunter” by Frederick G. Soper

A red-haired woman, a long-haired man and a cowboy fight in a chaotic space-port saloon brawl

I am a bounty hunter. I had never been and never wanted to be anything different, until now. I have chased Sally "Twinkle Toes" Barnett for over six months. She took me to Ganymede, Titan, and finally Moon Shadow, where I caught up with and arrested her. Sally got her nickname when she a little … Continue reading “Memoirs of a Bounty Hunter” by Frederick G. Soper →

10 Years Ago in Planet… “Konen in Recovery” by Andrew G. McCann

The plump, balding psychoanalyst shifted in his chocolate-brown Naugahyde Execu-Chair. He looked down briefly, then up, his expression a mask. The air-conditioner hummed softly as he spoke to the large, battle-scarred warrior sitting on the client side of the white Formica desk. "Konen, I'm not, uhhh, that is, it might be perhaps more efficacious were … Continue reading 10 Years Ago in Planet… “Konen in Recovery” by Andrew G. McCann →

“The Third Law” by Keith P. Graham

Mosaic-style scene of a couple embracing in a sickroom and in spacesuits floating near Jupiter and a space station

"Emma!" Mike yelled. Emma's body spun slowly, with one hand stretched out as though reaching for something. The other hand clutched the node of controls at her chest. She did not answer. There were yellow lights blinking along the side of her pressure suit. The telltale on Mike's control panel blinked a failure light on … Continue reading “The Third Law” by Keith P. Graham →