Sci-Fi Short Stories -- Volume 2
These four stories range between approximately 3600 words and 6,250 words.
The first, Bug Rules, principally takes place aboard a starship crewed by a race of sociopathic intelligent insects transporting a cargo of humans. But, the passengers wonder, where are they going and why? The answer is not what you might expect.
The second, Chronotron, explores a future in which you can buy an insurance policy which will protect you from any physical injury by time-swapping someone else in to suffer your loss the instant before injury occurs. Instead of you getting a broken leg, the Substitute Injury Replacement gets the broken leg in your place. Of course, full coverage is pretty expensive and comes with messy, nasty strings.
The third is Dream War. For generations two adjacent countries have broadcast dreams into their citizens' heads for benign purposes, which is wonderful until the two societies go to war and the dreams are no longer so benign.
The fourth story, The Heart Is The Hunter, explores a world in which sentient computers can rent human beings as hosts for their consciousness for a little vacation. Unfortunately, some of them don't want to give the hosts back once their time is up.
Total Length of document is approximately 17,500 words
The first, Bug Rules, principally takes place aboard a starship crewed by a race of sociopathic intelligent insects transporting a cargo of humans. But, the passengers wonder, where are they going and why? The answer is not what you might expect.
The second, Chronotron, explores a future in which you can buy an insurance policy which will protect you from any physical injury by time-swapping someone else in to suffer your loss the instant before injury occurs. Instead of you getting a broken leg, the Substitute Injury Replacement gets the broken leg in your place. Of course, full coverage is pretty expensive and comes with messy, nasty strings.
The third is Dream War. For generations two adjacent countries have broadcast dreams into their citizens' heads for benign purposes, which is wonderful until the two societies go to war and the dreams are no longer so benign.
The fourth story, The Heart Is The Hunter, explores a world in which sentient computers can rent human beings as hosts for their consciousness for a little vacation. Unfortunately, some of them don't want to give the hosts back once their time is up.
Total Length of document is approximately 17,500 words
