“And this,” Irving said, lifting a shimmering black snake with a red underbelly out of an enormous glass tank, “is a red-bellied black snake. The name is self-explanatory. It’s venomous and very common, but unlikely to bite. This beautiful girl just got milked this morning, and she’s sweet as anything, so I can take her…
Category: Fiction
Notes from the Deathworld Earth: Sandra (2/2)
Raymond was not sober enough to talk about anything, let alone going long-distance while I was traveling. He opened the door and gave me a big smile, which is how I knew he was past buzzed already. “Hi, babe,” he said, “I’m glad you decided to come over.” “Hi, Raymond. Is Ashe home tonight?” “Ey-yup.”…
Notes from the Deathworld Earth: Sandra (1/2)
Editor’s Note: the following narrative, split over two chapters, was written by Dr. Sandra Wright at the request of Dron Acharya. These are complex narratives that those unfamiliar with humanity may have trouble decoding. For additional resources, see the comprehensive notations on human narratives included in index one. Dr. Sandra Wright is a traveling scholar,…
Notes from the Deathworld Earth: Welcome to Australia
My first impression of Australia was that it was a lovely, pleasantly warm place. After San Francisco, the dry air was a welcome change. This was quickly corrected, as on my way to the long-term rental I had booked for myself, I was dive-bombed by a black and white bird as large as my head….
Notes from the Deathworld Earth: Containment (It’s Impossible)
Guidance released by the Queen-Protectorate of the Orbital Station Sun Catcher Humans are no longer permitted to enter the Sun Catcher effective immediately. Any humans attempting to gain access should be turned away and asked to return to their vessel for the duration of their stay. Identification cards will identify the species by name, but…
Notes from the Deathworld Earth: Goodbye for Now
This is what happened in the immediate aftermath of the pirate attack on the Canteron war fleet. First, the Canteron fled. They fled from Hortus, from the pirate fleet pillaging their ships, and most of all from the humans who chased them relentlessly through the stars. They leaped to light-speed travel, and still, the three human-piloted vessels followed. It was only when they pushed their ships to faster-than-light travel, returning to their home system, that they found freedom.
Notes from the Deathworld Earth: Attacks
Sandra called me in the evening on the weekend of the first week of November. “Hi, Acharya,” She said. I was in Golden Gate park watching the sunset over the gardens by myself, enjoying the quiet after spending all day in a babble of farmer’s markets and city streets. “Hello, Sandra. Did you finish researching…
Critical Mass of Humanity Part III (End)
Once, long before she’d gone to space, before the first Alien communications had been decoded and responded to, and even before she had taken her braces off, Theresa Belushi had read a book about a war in space. It was popular at the time, and her parents had recommended it. And even though Theresa was…
The Warrior to the Prisoner on the Way to War
Editor’s Note: The following is a poem written by the Canteron Sicily, named by a human during the battle for “Hortus,” the human name for the planet designated 4-051-40923-19-07 by the galactic library. For a full analysis of the Canteron’s literature and how it has changed since their war with humanity, see The Drum of…
Critical Mass of Humanity (Part II)
“There are two reasons why regulations for warfare in space don’t exist,” Theresa told the human crew of the Quick Sliver. “First, no one has ever really crossed any boundaries that would cause that kind of legislation to be put in place. And the galactic community would have a really hard time standardizing it without…
