<–Previous I woke in the middle of the night, couldn’t sleep. Kept dreaming about zombies. Pulled my rifle out, looked through the scope out at the desert night. Long slow sweep, nothing moving out there. Still and quiet. There’s my horse, still standing there. Dumb thing, don’t know to run away? Then I realize its …
The 4th Orbital Shell drifted serenely around the planet Earth. Among its millions of inhabitants, two were about to be drawn out and woven together by fate’s random hand. One was a woman, a laborer from the Lower Shells. She was running more and more behind on her clone payments and her current body was …
He was thirsty, and had just found a tick on his stomach. Shoveling back revolt he had quickly extracted the squirming blood sucker and was now making his way through the forest to a stream he’d found before. Why was he out here? Self-improvement? Hah…all that was out here was a bunch of annoying insects, …
}{ In the wilderness northeast of Coersipide, where the new wave of road building had not yet reached, travelers still made their way by rutted tracks following the ancient roads and the forests still teamed with plentiful game and dangerous monsters. It was a place where fugitives founded colonies of brigands, where spies met …
}{ Among the skyscrapers of Gen Stulp, in the nation of Grudensaan, a man could be seen running down the sidewalk. He stuck out because of his speed, and also his off-world clothing. Soon he found his contact; an older robot with molded green torso and legs, bright yellow angular stylish gloves and boots, …
}{ Mossbark sat in the correct posture on a large root overlooking a graceful waterfall and pool. Steep gray cliffs led down to the pale green water, pines stretched stately above. He meditated, as he had been taught. He was never sure if what happened was correct, or what was supposed to, but on mornings …
}{ Dretch slunk through the shadows of the ruined city. Occasionally he found a victim, but most times he ran from those who’d find him the prey. He was getting hungry…he wasn’t sure how much longer he could control himself, remain invisible. The city was gray and brown, rubble and garbage and piles of food …
The boy scurried along the walkways in the evening rain, propelled by that mysterious propulsive force behind all youths. Below, the dark sea raged, huge swells moving slow in a way that let you know of the sheer size of the deep. Under there, he knew, were the buildings of Old Binang, but he was …
Cold grey metal walls, muted turquoise carpet, subtle hums of the machinery that ran behind the walls; powering wall mounted screens, a computer, a small kitchen and bath, some cold light and of course the mini-teleport unit so that he could get out. Natural light fell bleak through a skylight, the sky above gray with …
Brolgen looked out over the harbor; the horizon was misty yellow fading to rosy pink above him. Light fluttering ribbons of pale cloud drifted by; the masts of the ships danced in the ever-shifting waters below. Adventure called again, he couldn’t leave it for long. Soon he would be at sea, ranging far and wide …
