12:70

Martian Territorial Ranger Log: 1 Tujun, 0010 MD Author’s Note: This is the authentic Martian edition, and is not intended for export to Earth! “Miss Becky?” The cowboy’s voice called out quietly. Becky Elam opened her eyes and looked at the man’s flickering shadow, cast onto the small tent’s wall by the fire behind him.

Under Fire

MARTIAN TERRITORIAL LOG: 11 June, 12 MD Maybe Three-Eye Stevens would get him this time. He’d certainly had the opportunity, Roids thought as he pressed his torn suit against a convenient boulder. He pulled out another suit patch – his fifth – and pulled away from the rock. The bullet-sized hole hissed angrily, but stopped abruptly when…

Sign of Iron

Martian Territorial Log: 14 Tujan, 0011 MD The sun was still an hour beneath the horizon, but the dust in Mars’ atmosphere rose many kilometers high, so there was already a hazy light flooding the broad plain. Despite the high dust, visibility would have still been good, but the morning fog had spilled over the…

Pinch of Cinnamon

Martian Territorial Log: 6 Tumar, 0010 MD “Reset to…” Roids tapped up the map on his suit’s display and studied it. “Reset to grid 0357S, 08641W, and deep scan.” “Grid reset,” the bike called back over the comlink. “Deep scanning. Negative life signs.” Roids sighed and continued a grid by grid search for Laserface Williams….

Painful Joy

Monday, October 20, 2690 “…go! I’m tellin’ Mommy!” Helen’s favorite phrase sounded through the house for the ten thousandth time in her short six years. She rarely told me what had ended her world; for all her threats, Helen was a sweet girl who quickly ironed out differences with her older brother by herself. Aaron…