A missing person on board the International Space Station is a mystery solved, unexpectedly, by science and not magic.
Missing Person
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Missing Mass
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“I found it, Martin” an urgent Alfonso whispered into the telephone handset. He ran a shaking hand through his wavy hair and repeated himself, “I found it, I tell you, but you won’t believe it. No one will.” Without waiting for the voicemail-received confirmation, he hung up the phone and turned back to his instruments. Alfonso reached up and switched his personal recorder back on. The small...
The Knife of Time
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“Damned savages,” snarled Gregory, one white-knuckled hand clutching the arrow in his shoulder as he fled into the undergrowth. The forest was unforgiving, the brambles and thorns piercing his standard issue authentic period garb. The natives pursuing him suffered none of the cuts and scrapes with their superior leathers. In modern, civilized, times this forest would be called “old growth.”...
Campaign Promises
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“My fellow Namericans; if elected President I will make it my top priority to refreeze the icecaps and push back oceans to pre-century levels. I will increase funding for aquatic clone nurseries and revitalize the life in our seas. I will push for more algae farms on the oceans, reducing their acidity.” Senator Juan Martinez looked at his cue cards and frowned. With a whip-arm...
Serpent’s Fang
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I knew not from whence the sword came. Forsooth, I cared not. The glory and heady days of youth were but distant memories and the only steel needed I was in my hoe and the pin in the ox’s yoke. Twas sorcery most foul; that was obvious ere I saw it or knew it for a sword. It spake words of terrible magic from inside my hovel. Nay, verily it sang. The sweat on my brow, laid there by a day of toil...
The Bang Stick
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Alasie set her ulu down and wiped the gore from her hands. The seal would feed her family for weeks, but cutting through the blubber and harvesting the meat was hard work. Though the air was chill and the wind biting, sweat marked her brow. With clean hands, she reached into her bag and withdrew her most prized possession; a pocket watch given to her by a trader from one of the big boats that...
The Pumpkin Principle
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“It wasn’t supposed to be a pumpkin, you know. They play hell on transformation spells.” Elsie would know; she was, after all, a level seventy-four Witch. Her conical hat was embroidered with the crest of our Order, and rumor had it she was next in line to become Matriarch of the order. Of course, the current Matriarch would have to die first. Considering the Deal Marhkat...
Max and the Roach
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“What do you suggest?” Max asked, looking up from the menu. The waiter, in a dirty apron, responded in a thick Asian accent, “Special is good today. Sushi boat.” “I’ll have that,” Max handed the menu back and turned to sister, who had already ordered. “This is my favorite lunch spot, sis. I eat here every week.” Sarah ran a distasteful sneaker over the greasy floor and frowned, “Sure is filthy.”...
Piracy Bytes
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Sergio has a bad day when he discovers his lifetime of online piracy is coming to byte him in the backside.
