Tag Archives: space monster

The Jewel in Space

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From the Microcosmicon, 36:

It glinted like a forlorn beacon in the night of space.
“No heat from it,” the captain read from his control panel.

“Never seen anything like that before,” his companion muttered. “Let’s turn back.”
“I bet the Empress would want it among her crown jewels. We go.”
So the spaceship approached the light. From up close, it was no larger than a life capsule, suspended by a thin rope.

Then the captain saw it taking shape behind the radiance. The fish whose fangs opened like jagged mountains on a starless cosmic throat-chasm. Its body going on. And on. And on.

MQS

The Origins of Morality

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From the Microcosmicon, 15:

In my enthusiasm, I twirled the gun so quickly it flew off my hand and a laser shot hit my wristwatch. I retrieved it gingerly.
The doors opened, and I finally met my commissioner.

I consider myself unprincipled. You pay me, you get results. But before me was something not merely alien, but inhuman.
“Welcome, Mr. Long,” it said through countless foetid mouths, stretching scaly arms toward the gun.
Chink. Chink. My eyes fell on the dozens of wristwatches that were heaping on the floor.

I pointed the gun toward myself.
Shortly after, thousands of Mr. Longs left the spaceship.

The Origins of Morality

MQS

Allies

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From the Microcosmicon, 14:

The Xandal’uc slaves marched onto the Magna. The spaceship departed.
Ten days in, the captain spotted pirates.
“It’s our lucky day. More slaves!”

But clearly pirates were the lesser problem. The Hyperleeches they were fighting were more worrisome.
“We must join forces,” the pirates told the captain from the bluish, buzzing screen.
“We don’t have enough manpower.”
“Of course you do.”
So the slaves were freed, the Hyperleeches vanquished.

“Now help us with the Xandal’uc,” said the captain.
“Sorry, that’s too much to ask of free men,” the pirates laughed, leaving.
The slaves approached the captain. They were not amused.

Fighting the Hyperleeches

MQS