This time when Roo woke them up, some of the colonists began to cry. They looked around with eyes still bleary from deep sleep, at the medical robots that stood ready to check their status and Roo waiting to take… Continue Reading
“Okay, professor — the joists are all in place, so you don’t have to worry about the ceiling collapsing on your head.” The man in a hardhat stepped aside for the head archeologist. Professor Montague, small and bone-thin, wiped dust… Continue Reading
The barbarians are at the gate and I’ve locked myself outside. I’ve been trying to think of a good analogy for the situation I’ve gotten myself into, and the best I can come up with is this — you know… Continue Reading
Gwen was at her wits’ end. Mother was going in for a Modification… again. “Are you absolutely certain you want to do this, Mother? It’s so extreme.” Candace Chesterwood tossed a stack of silk handkerchiefs and a lavender pomade into… Continue Reading
“I don’t know, Krupper, these dwellings look pretty small for creatures as large as us.” “Everything’s fine.” “You said that last time.” “Come on, Jons. You know I had to do all my work before on that crappy old machine.… Continue Reading
He remembers going to bed, tired after a long day of training, and he remembers noises in the night, the rush of cool air over his bared body, but he doesn’t recall how he got here; wherever here may be.… Continue Reading
The first time I lost my virginity was awful. I won’t go into it other than to say that I was more than happy to do it over. The second time was decidedly more toe-curling. It’s not as great as… Continue Reading
All those endless days spent analyzing and listening and fretting over every radio signal captured by Arecibo had broken my enthusiasm. The drone of static rising and fading; the computer graphics spiking and falling; the unrelenting sameness of it all… Continue Reading
The mailman is stealing my mail. I know he is. I can see it on his face when he hands me a pile of catalogues and fliers for oil-changes and pet supplies. Or a stack of bills. I used to… Continue Reading
Open — look around, any takers? No. Close. Days passed. Open — maybe now? No. Close. Weeks passed. Open — c’mon read my sign, read my sign! Any takers? No. Close. Months passed. Open — any takers, now? No. Close.… Continue Reading