Marathon Man

I lace up my trainers; the park beckons me.

My new Runmaster 3000 watch. Mary's times improved dramatically usingthe mind control feature. Now it's my turn.

A gust of wind blows the instructions out of my hand. Oh well. Howcomplicated can a running watch be?

I press a button. My body starts stretching. “Run.” I do; my techniqueis perfect.

“One mile completed; Nine hundred and ninety-nine miles remaining.”

Oops.

I try to press the button, but my arms swing forwards and backwardslike pistons. “Stop! Halt! Reset! Help!?!?”

“Two miles completed; Nine hundred and ninety-eight miles remaining.”

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement

Faster Than Light

When it was just science fiction, faster than light travel wasdepicted in terms of sight and sound. Stars would blur into radiallines, as layers of synthesised sound effects bombarded a 21st centurymovie audience.

Now that it's reality, it's the smell that dominates. The overpoweringreek of rotten sauerkraut mixed with fecal notes that sticks to youfor weeks.

Harold always dreads an assignment on a new planet, but when you workin galactic trade you go where the company sends you.

The hotel receptionist sniffs and wrinkles her button nose beforepolitely enquiring: "Have you travelled far?"

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement

Coursework

"Professor, here's my coursework."

"I see. Have you been hitting the bars in the Kuiper belt again."

"Well, maybe."

"And you traveled at what fraction of the speed of light?"

"Zero point nine nine seven."

"Applying the Lorenz factor, how much extra time passed in the Earthframe of reference compared to your personal frame of reference?"

"Erm, maybe three days."

"Did you travel out to the Kuiper belt at the same speed?"

"Yes."

"That's six days more that time progressed on Earth compared to yourpersonal frame of reference. When was the coursework deadline, Mr.Physics Student?"

"Oh shit."

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement

Periplaneta Sapiens

The rain and wind further eroded the evidence that humans had oncedominated the Earth.

A cockroach scuttled by. Even in the scant thousand years since humanshad disappeared, Darwinian evolution had changed it. The cockroachheld itself on its hind and middle legs, while it's forelegsdexterously solved the problem of extracting a morsel of food from acrack.

Another cockroach approached. The two insects greeted each other withinterlocked antennae. Evolution had been at work here too. Theirsocial interactions more complex and their intelligence greater.

From the ruins of one civilization, an even greater civilization would grow.

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement

Kitchen Of The Future

Jack Masterton placed a smooth red potato in a clear plastic box andpressed a button.

Tens of microbots crawled out of a chute and onto the potato. Jackwatched their coordinated dance, each microbot leaving behind astraight white line exposing the starchy flesh.

Stage two. The microbots circled between the potato and an exit chute,each carrying a tiny ball of peel which they flung in the chute. Eachthen returned to the potato.

Stage three. Jack removed the perfectly peeled potato from the box andsmiled to himself. Amazing that people once used a knife for this.

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement

Jobs For Humans

The android smiled at Brad. "Did you enjoy your work day last week?"

"Watching androids build walls? Are there any jobs where I actually dosomething?"

The android paused. "A day as a headmaster at a school?"

Later, another android greeted Brad at the school gates. "Mr Earnshaw,come this way."

"What will I be doing?"

"You'll be giving the human day teachers a motivational talk on howimportant their role is."

"Do they teach?"

"The children are busy with android led classes."

Brad was stood in front of a room of bored humans, and left to do his job.

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement

The Cookie Jar

Leon sat across the kitchen table, gulping down instant coffee and looking everywhere but at Jaclyn. He was late for work, again, and spoke of nothing else. The toaster pinged and he bustled away.

She felt that their love was like a cookie jar. At first it was full of unexpected treats: crumbly sweetness with sticky jam fillings, dark chocolate coated crunchy goodness, and much, much more.

Now she felt that if she turned the jar upside down and shook it, there might be a few crumbs in there. But it would be too much effort for too little return.

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement

The Setup

Purple marks stained the ivory flesh of the young victim's neck. DNA forensic technicians hustled around her with their swabs and evidence bottles.

My partner Isobel raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question.

"DNA will confirm it, but it's him."

Isobel sucked in a breath. "Adam Knowles. Been killing ten years, but not a hint of where he is."

I knew where he was. Twelve years since I killed him and placed a sample of my DNA labelled with his name in the database.

The victim's final screams played in my memory as I, Detective Richard Morrison, guided the investigation.

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement

The Discovery

Professor Viterbi puffed up like an overripe seed pod, ready to shower his discovery all over the conference delegates in their seats.

"We have discovered a species with left handed DNA. This means life on Earth started not just once, but two or more times."

The delegates' jaws dropped; mouths like pitcher plants waiting for further details to fall in.

"This organism has been in front of our noses all the time. The common toenail fungus."

Half the delegates gave Professor Viterbi a standing ovation. The other half removed their shoes and socks, and stared at their toes in wonder.

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement

We Accommodate Everybody

"Humanoid preparation team to the front counter."

Shaun, Michelle, and Joan crossed the lobby in seconds. Standing by the "We Accommodate Everybody" sign were a family of black eyed hairless grey humanoids.

"What can we do for you?"

"We can use beds at a pinch, but we always sleep better in a web" said the largest humanoid.

Galactic Hub Hotels are proud of their service. Joan holstered a plastisilk gun and led the family away. Nobody spins more comfortable webs than Joan.

"Humanoid preparation team to the front counter."

Uh-oh, aquatisuits. This is going to be more of a challenge.

From Guest Contributor Ross Clement