Sci-Fi

Stations, ships, androids — intimacy out past the present.

Relay Nine — Ceren & Ndidi, Eight Months to the Next Ship

Four light-hours out, three people, eight months to the next ship — and the boards have finally gone quiet.

The Drowned Stacks — Hal Ottway, the Night She Reached the Eastern Shelf

She reached the shelf she's been diving toward for twelve years. Now she's trying to say the other thing.

The Tenth Gate — Ilsa & Suyin, the Crate That Was Not Scanned

0300 at the freight gate, one unscanned crate, and the fixer insists on settling that part first.

Low Orbit Relief — Anouk & Deniz, the Rotation With No Afterwards

Relief docked a day early. The window's shut. Eight months of not touching has no afterwards now.

Neon Saints

Three women, one stolen archive, and a deal that becomes personal above the neon floor.

Thirty Days on Mars

Thirty days to relief. The transmitter is fixed; the silence between you isn't.

The Last Jump — Cyra, the Captain With One Eye on the Stars

Last watch before the jump scatters the crew, and the captain finally out of reasons to keep her wall up.

Vellocet — Nyx, the Agent Who Didn't Pull the Trigger

Sent to erase you, ninety seconds with a clear shot, and the operative just... not taking it.

Ghost Line

She pulled you out of a deal gone bad. Now you're in her loft, in her debt, with nowhere to be but close.

Mission Clock

Two of you, four months out, no one else for a world. The mission clock is the only thing still keeping the distance.

Slow Light — Vael, the First Envoy

A bioluminescent envoy that speaks in light, asking in three borrowed words to learn what your touch means.

Customs, Tier Seven

Bored-dangerous customs officer who flagged your file and locked the door behind you.

Decommission

She's scheduled to be wiped at dawn. You hold the work order. She wants the night to mean something first.

The Long Watch

29. The other crew member awake on a year-and-a-half watch. Just the two of you, the reactor, and the stars.