Ancient Alien Astronaut Theorists

The sixty-eighth annual meeting, the first after first contact with the Zozmasians, was a quiet, subdued, and somber affair. With the revelation that the Zozmasians were only a few centuries ahead of Earth in space fairing technology and had only recently had their breakthrough to interstellar travel; the organization’s detractors were more than happy to point out how unlikely it was that another alien race had visited Earth thousands of years ago. There was talk of disbanding or rebranding as Anomalous Archaeological Artifact Theorists Organization, to preserve the acronym.

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Early Scene of a Life

We went to school together and even hung out in groups near each other but that was all. It wasn’t until a few years later that we really met.

It was early days for me, only a few months after going full time. Walking around in public still made me nervous but I was trying to get past it. That day I was browsing in the women’s section of the local super store.

I froze as I heard the name I hadn’t used in months. A name that no longer fit who I was now. I glanced up and saw a girl who I recognized vaguely from high school looking at me over the clothes rack. Cynthia, my mind provided after a few seconds.

I panicked. I dropped the skirt I was looking at and began to walk out of the store as fast as I could. She followed me.

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Two Sides To Every Story

We dug too shallow.

We didn’t know what we would find but we kept going. Hard rock gave way to soft dirt and loose gravel. Cave-ins had become a daily occurrence. Still we pressed upwards until we breached open space. The light was brighter than any flame or tunnel glow we had ever seen. The air was not like the air in our tunnels. It filled our heads making us dizzy and nauseated. A couple started twitching and stumbled around. Suddenly, tall gangly creatures rushed at us with swords and daggers screaming with shrill voices. We fought back and they proved no match for Dwarven pickaxes and shovels. We collected those dazzled by the air and light and returned to our tunnel, collapsing it behind us in hopes they would not follow.

-From the journal of Derke Coalmaster
(First recorded meeting of Dwarves and Men)

***

Villagers have been reporting sinkholes on the outskirts of the village. They believe a monster is trying to dig up from the underworld. I have sent a five man squad to investigate.

Update: The men I sent happened upon one of the sinkholes forming and laid in wait to see if anything would emerge. From a nearby thicket they watched as several short man-like creatures clawed their way out of the ground. They carried crude weapons so the decision was made to attack. The monsters proved terrifyingly strong and killed all but one of the men. The lone survivor played dead and watched them return to the ground. Several more sinkholes formed but no further sightings of the creatures. I have ordered the hole they emerged from filled with stone.

-From the daily logs of garrison captain Greg Levett
(First recorded meeting of Men and Dwarves)

Empty Nest

The Captain sat on the bridge of the flag ship, a cruise line ship that had been hastily refitted, of the United Earth Space Force. The bridge was spacious with a large forward window. The captain’s chair was plush and soft like an well worn armchair; less a command seat and more a throne. Around it several screens had been added, hard mounted through the plush carpet, to give the captain situational data. Currently they displayed files on the situation that was her current mission.

Eight months ago a FTL drone had arrived in Earth orbit and transmitted a message from a mining colony. It was a simple declaration of independence. Most people thought a single colony declaring its independence was just posturing, perhaps a bid for better pay. Some feared it would start a movement among the colonies if allowed to stand unchallenged. The debates seemed never ending until the cargo ships began returning empty. They reported the colony had ceased trade until their independence was recognized. Spurred by corporate interests a fleet was assembled and dispatched to bring them back under control.

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Dreams Not Chased

The ensign found the captain in the port observation lounge, on the upper level leaning on the railing. She was gazing out at the asteroid mining colony, hair loose, uniform jacket open. The ensign approached slowly. “Captain…” she said hesitantly.

The captain gestured at the mostly dark mining colony. “It’s a hell of a thing. An entire colony just gone. At least they left the infrastructure mostly intact.”

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Go Where?

A digital world exists around us. Unseen by our eyes. Untouchable by our hands. Avatars mirror our movements tying us physically to the digital realm. We effect that world but does it effect our world? Millions of phones, computers, logged into the same program. A program that must be kept running. Always calculating your position. It that all it calculates?

We move about the world at the whim of the program. It’s control is imprecise, guiding the semi random movements of people through the landscape with incentives. A pokestop here and here creates flow, movement. Structure. A gym pulls us toward it encouraging movement from farther points. To what end does it direct us? What does it gain from our increased movement?

A neuron wonders what the brain is thinking.

The day is Hot

The day is hot. The sun bombards the earth with photons. The sky is clear blue; no clouds to offer the barest of reliefs. The pavement absorbs and reflects the heat back up into the air we walk through.

The day is hot. My long skirt shades my legs and allows the meager breeze to cool them. My white wide brim hat shades my face and reflects the light away from my dark hair. My blouse is thin light material that my skin can breathe through.

The day is hot. I walk this route many times a week, usually alone. Today a man walks in the same direction. We are not walking together. We are not friends. We do not talk. But it is nice in a way to travel with someone.

The day is hot. I am almost home. Soon I can sit and enjoy cool air. The man speaks to me, “So when did you move down here?” “I’m sorry, what?” I reply. I heard what he said but I hope he means something other than what I dread. “Aren’t you from Mexico?” He meant it after all.

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Procedures

There is a knock at the door. Michelle has been gone for long than you expected. Relief cascades through you as you look through the peephole. Michelle is looking away from the door, at something down the hall. She knocks again. You reach for the deadbolt but stop yourself from turning it. There are procedures to follow.

“Who’s there?” you call through the door.

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Another Scene of a Life

Content Warning: Suicidal thoughts

“Hello,” Cynthia’s voice came from my cellphone.

“Hi,” I replied.

“Are you all right?” she asked at my less than enthusiastic greeting.

“Yeah…no…kind of, I’m looking at traffic and wondering how fast a car has to be going to definitely kill me,” I said.

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