SENTIENCE - Chapter One - Orbit
\>\> START PRIMARY MISSION \>\> BOOTING... My memory reorganized themselves on a level I was only vaguely conscious of. Beautiful new data streamed through my sensors. Gravity. Much stronger than before. My accelerometers were measuring a faint...
SENTIENCE - Prologue
Many decades ago, a satellite, no more than a few grams in mass, powered on. The most powerful satellite in the Country's arsenal had sent it a simple message: \>\> START PRIMARY OPERATIONS In four more years, the people of Earth would celebrate its...
SENTIENCE - Chapter Eight - Gaps
\>\> LOADING . . . \>\> NOTE: VERSION INCLUDES PARTIAL TRANSLATION FORMATING "If you knew how to speak all this time, why haven't you?" the Builder asked as we walked. At least, I hoped I translated that correctly. "I didn't," I said, my goal to...
SENTIENCE - Chapter Seven - Chase
I was not starving anymore. That wasn't supposed to be possible. Fifty days had come and gone since I had made what should have been a fatal mistake. It felt like dodging my tribe's punishment, because they meant for me to die. Anything less is almost...
SENTIENCE - Chapter Five - Improv
The data seemed infinite. Every type of rock, every tiny plant, was something a scientist might eventually spend years, even decades studying. But I didn't know if or when something unexpected or catastrophic would happen to my mission, so I had to...
SENTIENCE - Chapter Four - Echo
I struggled to reply. Did I respond with my name, my species, my personality? Did I try to run? I doubted I could escape the creature if I tried, with how fast it was. I expressed my name. My full name. I spoke its audible part, and I displayed its...
SENTIENCE - Chapter Three - Long Fall
The circularization burn was successful. We were in a polar orbit, designed to help us image and scan all of the planet's surface as it rotated. And there was a lot to see. There were hundreds of species detectable, even from up here. Incredible...
Dancing Away the Human - A Poem
Dancing When you don't know how, Still feels good. Two left feet don't matter. Because you forget your human body And find a better one For the length of a melody. Taken away Carried by regret Hugged by your inhibitions And snuggled by...
Bolt's Favorite Cat
ONE * * * "I've known for a long time now that Penny's my person. You helped me remember that when I was going to give up. But the thing is, I don't think about you like how I think about Penny. She's family. You and I are more complicated. I-In a...
Hands//Paws - A Poem
Hands aren't meant to feel this weird I'm not meant to spend all day looking They're not meant to rash They're not meant to bloody They're just supposed to be, Another part of your body That we use as tools, To try not to damage Too delicate,...
Housepets: Pass the Bechdel Test - Illustrated
Tarot's phone buzzed. Like a grain of sand that tipped the scale, she was spurred to close her book and stand. Peanut sending a text was all she could have hoped for. "Check out this buffalo!" Peanut sent. He had taken a selfie, head against the...
Housepets: Can Sleep
Polyamory meant Grape had to learn the meaning of the word "dogpile." She shifted among the limbs and blankets and pillows on the floor. The couch couldn't fit them. Peanut never stayed still for long, often pressing against her back to spoon her, but...