Joseph Rannen is dead, and no one besides Morgan Kimball seems to believe he wasn't a traitor. With greedy Earth warships hovering overhead, Kimball has twelve hours to produce evidence that his friend and mentor was murdered, preferably without jeapordizing the colony's safety.This whodunit mystery set on a distant colony planet was a Finalist for the Writers of the Future Award.When economic collapse happens, who takes over. If it's big business, are they after profit or power. What is the individual to do, go underground and look for an escape? Infiltrating the Cartels laboratories they find experiments that chill them to the bone. The also find technology that is suppressed. One of these technologies offers them the chance, if they can build the equipment. In hidden laboratories of their own, they work feverishly to duplicate the equipment, and hope the Cartel cannot detect the signals it generates. Is the grass really greener on the other side? They send a team to prepare a place for their families. When their families join them, the signals created by the equipment are detected by a merchant. He diverts from his scheduled route to investigate. This diversion cost him money, so he captures the refugees. In the decadent federation slavery is legal. Selling them will recover more of his expenses, than simply throwing them out an airlock door. To increase the slaves value he educates them, and everyone knows that knowledge is power. Curiosity mixed with knowledge causes more problems than solutions.

Six-year-old Jason doesn't want to be cloned, even if his parents think it's a good financial investment. Concerned that his second self may not be happy, he secretly plans to violate the rules of his society... with unexpected results.About 3400 words.This story is also included in the collection DEAD MEN DON'T CRY: 11 Stories by Nancy Fulda.Autism — Mental Disorder or Humanity’s Next Evolutionary Leap?The Charismatic Christian community is thrilled by the Cagle's first child especially when little baby Bobbie begins speaking in tongues and building a complex sculpture that Pastor John identifies as a tower of Babel. But Bobbie's mother isn't convinced her son is blessed but may have a serious disorder. Defying her domineering husband's wishes, she takes Bobbie to Duke where he's diagnosed as an autistic who may be speaking an ancient lost language. Suddenly, everyone wants a piece of Bobbie including Homeland Security, but why? Is he a threat to society, an evolutionary leap for humanity, or both?Start the journey with Installment #1 of this serialized YA cross-genre thriller.

This short story is a Phobos Award Winner.Kyle suffers from neurofibromatosis, a crippling disease most famously associated with the Elephant Man. When a shady medical practitioner offers Kyle a chance to cast off his deformed appearance forever, he accepts without a second thought. But does Kyle truly understand what this new treatment will cost him?Kyle Ameus Waterbey is afflicted with a hideous illness. He would do anything to be rid of it. Anything.Kyle suffers from neurofibromatosis, a crippling disease most famously associated with the Elephant Man. When a shady medical practitioner offers Kyle a chance to cast off his deformed appearance forever, he accepts without a second thought. But does Kyle truly understand what this new treatment will cost him?This story has won a Phobos Award and the Vera Hinckley Mayhew Award.

Exciting Space Opera and Hard Science Fiction Tales from Award-Winning and Up-and-Coming WritersA consultant discovers how to communicate effectively with ancient, alien beings who have an entirely different perspective on the universe. A human becomes a hero for his actions after he dies. Hard choices must be made to save loved ones. When trying to prevent imminent death, insanity becomes an asset. Aliens explore humans' need for indepenedence and attachment. A transport worker must balance the needs of the few against those of the many.Journey into the last frontier with these seventeen tales of wonder and science, including award-winning stories by some of the top writers in science fiction and brand new tales by promising up-and-comers.Hemelein Publications, in cooperation with LTUE Press, is proud to present this exciting collection of space opera and hard science fiction tales. We created this anthology to honor Marion K....

Issue #106 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies online magazine, featuring stories by Nancy Fulda and Nicole M. Taylor.