Visions IV: Space Between Stars

Imagine the deepest regions of space between the stars. Cold, empty, silent, and vast. In the quest to achieve immortality for our species, someday, humankind will reach those realms. Television and movies depict spaceships spending weeks and months, sometimes years, traveling from one star to another and even to distant galaxies. Using current technology, it would take many generations to reach the nearest star. When science overcomes the limitations, humankind will encounter endless opportunities for strange and exciting adventures between the stars. Possibly, cold sleep will be used. Generations ships could carry whole populations to a new home. Black holes, space warps, faster than light travel, or something never thought of before, will transport future voyagers through the dark distances. What will they see, and what dangers will they overcome, in the dark recesses of deepest space? Fifteen talented, award winning science fiction authors share their visions of how our descendants will live, and possibly die, in deep space. "Ship of Shadows" by Sidney Blaylock, Jr. Tana must face her fears when she and others of her crew board a mining ship that has gone dark. "Impact Warning" by Sarah Buhrman Crafters serve humanity with their Craft. Almira, a telepath and telekinetic, lives a life of servitude, this time on a ship far from home. Tensions build, threatening to explode. Would anyone survive the impact?" The Great Empty" by Preston Dennett Chased by Empire Patrol, Spacehound Sammy finds himself in a strange place-the Great Empty. "One Last Talk with His God" by Jeremy M. Gottwig For Exarch Aka, conduit between worlds, God lives deep within Dark Matter. As Aka prepares for death, he must struggle with fresh doubts about his beliefs, even as he rushes to teach his successor what he must know to guide his people home. "Cloud" by J. Richard Jacobs 430 generations have come and gone since Hanno the Navigator was sent on its way. As the latest generation celebrates entering the target system, they will discover that the list of possibilities is long indeed. "If Truth Be Told" by Margaret Karmazin Should past knowledge always be preserved? Even if that knowledge is dangerous to what remains of the human race? The last leader of the Noah's Ark starship must decide. "Companions" by S. M. Kraftchak When an influenza decimates everyone else aboard the colony ship, SS New Hope, Evalynn Santori discovers unexpected companions. "Curator of Providence" by Jeremy Lichtman What happens when a society tries to curate the future, as if to place it in a museum? Past and potential futures clash, in this satirical story about politics. "Sari Sari" by Mary Madigan A murderer is stalking Pirate's Cove, our paradise at the outer edge of the heliosphere. Some believe my ink gives me special senses that will find the killer. Some think I'm the killer. I don't know who is right. "Paradise Saved" by John Moralee A trainee astronaut doubts she has the "right stuff." When one mistake can kill, she must learn the truth about a tragic event. "Joining" by Tom Olbert Humanity joins with alien life-forms in defending the Worldship, a gigantic, ancient spaceship drifting for eons between the stars. "Perchance to Dream" by Timothy Paul For space vessel Township's mission to succeed, 300 people must find suitable partners and procreate. "Whisper" by Jonathan Shipley Vampires in outer space. What could happen to the polymorphous vampiric body away from sunlight and gravity? A traditional, planet-bound vampire confronts his deep space brethren and discovers the answer. "The Central Systems" by Mark P. Steele A world ship arrives at the galaxy's center. An alien ship emerges from a nearby white hole and launches a probe. How can a painter and his mathematician wife decipher the aliens' plans and what could they be?