Aelegan burned the last of her energy as she floated towards the sun of the eighty-third solar system from Prime. The rest of her broodmates had already left for the ascension place. If she didn’t go soon, the ceremony would begin, and they would move forward without her. She needed fuel for the journey. She […]
I wake in the debriding tank screaming, thrashing, choking on body fluids and saline. The ship’s soft medical manipulator arms try to keep me still. Milky strands ooze from my cracked flesh like the heat-thickened proteins of a poached egg. In my mind, I am still holding you. I search for you in the cloudy […]
The Elevator dock is packed. It was designed for launching satellites and cleaning up space junk, not for funerals. Sandy gives me a sisterly hand-squeeze as if to say that she knows how strange it must be for me to be here, like this. This isn’t how it was supposed to happen, our first trip […]
Baby asks me, “Are we there yet?” Every day for ten years since their personality constructs were awakened, Baby asks this, like an old Earth joke. Too many sitcoms in the old memory banks, I suppose. But this time, HN Pegasi glows benevolent on my hull, so, so warm after so, so cold. “Soon,” I […]
Worldcon. Maybe you’ve heard of it. It’s kind of a big deal in science fiction and fantasy circles. It’s the yearly convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) and is hosted by non-profit fan organizations all over the globe who bid for the privilege of bringing Worldcon to their city. This year, Worldcon 77 […]
LESSON 1: NO ONE IS WATCHING BUT YOU September 2019 marks the twentieth anniversary of Jay’s decision to become a writer. His gift to you all this celebratory year is DO IT – Twelve hard lessons on learning by failing, succeeding by accident, never giving up, and saying FXXK WRITING all at the same […]