Tag Archives: short story

Chapter 15 “Welcome home.” Feroza did not straighten from her crouch, but continued to crawl, keeping her body in the serpentine position forced upon her by the shape of their tunnel-airlock. “Feroza, get back,” Victor whispered. “Stay still until I’ve … Continue reading →

“The enlightened thing to do,” said Victor, trying to keep his voice low, “is to stop this threat to the lives of millions of people.” “Thousands of people at most, if we are still discussing the off-Earth population. And just … Continue reading →

“Of course.” Feroza’s lips thinned. “So what happens if the attack does not only fails, but also further antagonizes the ecosystem?” “Let them,” said Victor. “Now that we know what’s happening, we’ll fight back. The only reason a Rocket-seed destroyed … Continue reading →

“That’s not a design of mechanoid I’ve seen before,” said Feroza. “Note the magnetic couplers on its feet, the de-emphasis on support in favor of tensile strength. Those microgravity adaptations cannot be the result of natural selection. More tripwire programming, … Continue reading →

Chapter 14 “Petrolea shot them?” “It makes sense,” said Feroza. “No, it doesn’t,” said Victor. “It doesn’t make any sense at all! Petrolea shot them. With a rocket. ¡Pucha!“ Feroza sucked in a breath and for a second, Victor wondered … Continue reading →

“What do you want, Feroza?” Victor asked. “To become a martyr for the anti-exploiters? To be eaten by the mechanical rainforest? To be one with nature? To stay out of prison? To save Petrolea? Or just prevent the deaths of … Continue reading →

“Hm,” she said after another while. “Could you fabricate a razor and shaving cream with this still?” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t need to. I’m done with the radio.” Ah, the radio. “Victor,” she said, “have you considered what … Continue reading →

Their hut was a dome sunk into the center of one of the Leviathan’s broad carapace plates. The man-sized still steamed under the mast of the antenna Victor had caused to be grown there. Their quaint and rusty home. “I’m … Continue reading →

The column of exhaust rose into the gray Petrolean sky. Like a harpoon thrown into a dark, upside-down sea, the gleaming needle at the white tip of that cloud broke through the pall of smoke over the badlands where Xanadu … Continue reading →

“The parasites?” “Among other morphotypes, yes. The parasites are networked to each other and to whatever mechanoids are at work under the Leviathan’s skin. Information flows through all of them.” “In other words everything is jury-rigged at the last minute … Continue reading →